Dear Readers,
I’ve been a lifelong fan of the absurd. My love of the zany has only grown as I’ve gotten older. In a society that often seems hell-bent on destroying itself, your only choices are to curl up into a ball of existential dread or to laugh.
I choose laughter. As artists, it’s easy to take ourselves too seriously. But art is not a serious business. No matter what your craft is, you are playing—playing with ideas, materials, and reality itself.
This week, my schedule has been packed with my wife’s doctor’s appointments as well as the usual chauffering that our children require. I also still have client projects to complete, and somewhere I’m supposed to find the time to work on finishing two books.
My youngest daughter, T, entered middle school this year and is having a hard time adjusting. All of her friends from fifth grade go to a different school. Plus, she has never been a fan of change. She is not bashful about venting her frustrations on those of us that love her best.
When I felt myself wanting to match T’s angry energy this evening, I knew it was time to step away and get silly.
I sent myself to my room and listened to my Weird Al playlist. That put me in a better place and allowed me to get through the rest of the evening and usher my children off to bed.
When it came time to work on my comics, I had no energy for the sublime or the profound. I’ve been in a bit of a haiku writing drought the past two weeks. Fortunately, I found the haiku above in my spreadsheet. A couple of years ago, I wrote fifty or so fairy tale haiku on a whim. This was from that spree.
I love how silly it is.
Laughter doesn't make our problems go away, but it does make them more manageable.
Creative Challenge: Find something silly to engage with. Watch a comedy, stream a stand-up special, or search YouTube for old Muppet Show clips. Afterward, create your own silly art. Spend time letting your inner child run amok.
Be the weird you want to see in the world!
Cheers,
Jason
About the Haiku
I write this haiku on December 20, 2020. The frog was originally a black and white line drawing from an 1853 book called History of Vermont. I printed it out and colored it with watercolor pens. The lily pads, flowers, and swampy background were drawn by hand and digitally altered.
😍😍😍 weird Al yes!