I am about to ink my final official Happy Hippie. 
And post later tonight. 
When I started the Happy Hippie it was just another direction. 
I can draw him now in my sleep. it is such a labour of love.
But time for a change.  Now when I draw Cultivation Compassion its on a bigger scale. I am drawing for more then myself really. When I draw a cartoon for someone special I think about them the entire time. When I draw in general I think about a few things. Usually the issues at hand.
It is a big step as a cartoonist. BUT I am in control of my own destiny and I feel it is time for me personally to step up to the plate. 
When you gift becomes your passion it can only continue to get better.


I have a purpose. To share what I believe in,  To make people smile.
But inking my last Happy Hippie is a little sad to me.  I LOVE drawing "Hippies".  I will be introducing a new Hippie a cross between Willie Nelson
& Woody Harrelson (not really Hippies but have such good Hippie vibes! ;-)


Then time for an AMEN toon... 
time to draw.

When my son first got his  license to use Cannabis I remember reading an article by Michelle Rainey. Finally, I thought!  After seeing many magazines  
(learning and doing our research -Storm more than I) I read an article in Treating Yourself by someone that you could tell cared.  I wrote to Michelle told her about our son  & thanked her for her inspiration. She phoned that night. She spoke with Storm on the phone and told him to be brave. As she did with me. She was So Happy for him, that Cannabis helped his pain. Michelle believe this with every bone in her body. 
SHE KNEW.


She sent Storm his first package in the mail. I won't go into 'details' but
needless to say Storm thought Christmas came early! And became a fan of Afghani Bull Rider. (These are things you learn about ;-) Every time we saw her it was huge hugs no matter who was around, Michelle continued to make sure Storm had some cool new T shirt and I was always welcomed to phone her anytime day or night. 
I also have a couple of T-shirts! I shall wear with even more pride NOW.
Although Michelle filled hers out better. ;-)

We did not get to talk as much as I would have liked. She was a Lady on a Mission and DID it WELL. She was a Compassion Cultivator! ;-D 

Not many women can pull off RED lipstick. Michelle could! Her passion, as red as her lips! Her heart as big as her t-shirt. I bet she looks fabulous
as an angel!  Especially the red lips ;-*

A sad loss for Cannabis advocacy. A great loss for friends and family. 
I had a hard time drawing this tonight but, could think of nothing else ;-(
it brings the reality of this journey all the closer to home. 
Good Bye Michelle THANK YOU.


I have no doubts you are in God's hands. 
Tonight I will pray for strength. 

xox 

A couple of days ago I was not feeling that great. Physically or mentally - the twitch was back for about and hour ;-(  I hear many stories and have seen many things.  I do not like to watch the news. I feel I am not strong enough some times. I am just being honest.  I was feeling like - doesn't anyone have any compassion?  This is about pain and suffering.  So Ive been thinking of making a change.  Be the change I want to see ;-)
I wanted to do something with Compassion. I asked God for help. 
(LOL) I asked a couple of humans too what they thought..  

I got an e mail from a site the next day (-a  feel good site Charity focus.)
 I like the quotes and stories.They restore my faith. 
 And I saw the words and that was it! "Cultivation and compassion are needed"  

Cultivating Compassion
I looked them up in the dictionary and I was even more convinced. 
Last.. Sr. Jane  lent me a CD a while back and one chant that calms me down & brings me peace, gets me to relax and draw. Frees my mind from all the "stuff" over and over.. clears my head. Tonight for the first time I actually learned the words and googled them.  
Om Mani Padme Hum
Chenrezig A Buddha who is the Embodiment of Compassion
Believe what you will. With God all things are possible. 

My strip is about cultivating. Growing. 
Growing Awareness, Growing Acceptance.
Growing Medicine. The Growing Love I have for my son.
& Husband ;-) 
xox

It came to me I asked and I got it  a day later. I am calling my new strip Cultivating Compassion. Red about it on my new page link. I am so excited i will hardly sleep! I want to draw! But, I have my limitations and my eye is a twitchin'.       Tomorrow!  
Glad to hear from my Adyll Acts guy!  ;-) ( I wrote about him a while back)
Sean. I am glad he did not give up hope on me.

He sent me an e mail today. Patiently waiting for his drawing! ;-) 

it just makes too much sense on so many levels! Especially in the cartoon strip formerly known as The Happy Hippie.


Cultivating Compassion
cultivate |ˈkəltəˌvāt|

verb [ trans. ]

1 prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.

• break up (soil) in preparation for sowing or planting.

• raise or grow (plants), esp. on a large scale for commercial purposes.

• Biology grow or maintain (living cells or tissue) in culture.

2 try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill) : he cultivated an air of indifference.

• try to win the friendship or favor of (someone) : it helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people.

[usu. as adj. ] ( cultivated) apply oneself to improving or developing (one's mind or manners) : he was a remarkably cultivated and educated man.




compassion |kəmˈpa sh ən|

noun

sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others : the victims should be treated with compassion. See note at mercy .

ORIGIN Middle English : via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin compassio(n-), from compati ‘suffer with.’

Drawing, cleaning, stuff.. keeping busy is the key - for me.
Mind and body.  Thinking too much is not good.
I read...  worrying is like praying for something to happen that you don't want to happen. 

Easier said than done. 

I do pray. I pray daily. To me it is meditation. 
Prayer changes things.  It restores my hope.
It helps me sleep! And I get better at it every time. 
No tricks or chemicals. Peaceful sleep.
time to go pray ;-) <><

Reflecting on this Thanks Giving day. 
I have made a promise . TO myself, I guess. I do not want to be a part of anything Nasty. If I have nothing nice to say I won't say it.  We all have so much going on. COMPASSION is the only thing that gets us to another day.
As for people I will form my own opinions.


 I know from past experience some people out there do not like me. But some do ;-)  Sometimes I don't know why, sometimes I do.   That's life.


 You never know what anyone is dealing with until you walk in their shoes.  BUT it does not give someone permission to be mean and nasty to others. We all suffer. If you want to spend precious time forwarding e mail about 
terrorism and race issues. Then so be it. BUT do not forward them to me. Like blowing on a flame. I do not want to be an intentional  part of anyones suffering on this planet!  
As a cartoonist I would say to everyone. DRAW. You get better and your doing what you love and you never know! BUT who cares! You are doing what you love. When I draw I smile on the inside. 
That's enough reason for me.


I am  thankful for Leonard who took Squiggy, the instant bonding was peace of mind.  I know he is going to a new home where he will be loved.


I am most thankful for having my guys with me this Thanksgiving day , we don't hang out all the time together but just having them near me makes me feel better. That includes 'Chef Mike' (best stuffing ever!) 
I am thankful that the dishes are done!!
I am going to draw now. xox<><

1. I give thanks for my family, 2 legs and 4.
2. I give thanks for my home, comfortable and warm
3. I give thanks for  my son's medicine, that helps him control his pain.
4. I give thanks that I do believe.  I have faith. 
5. I give thanks for water & food on our table. More than many ..


It is Friday and the sun is shining! GIVE thanks!

I am so blessed. When I draw I am free.  I struggle with drawing some days! 
I have to force myself.  I'm not always in the mood, believe it or not ;-) 
But once I start, my mind goes... it runs free! Off in many directions. Most positive.   It is PEACE for me.  Peace from pressures of daily life and then some.  Time to forget about troubles. 


I am doing exactly what I want to be doing. 


I am BLESSED. 

I actually do research for my strip the happy Hippie!  LOL - no NOT that kind of research.. For today's cartoon - (on the Happy Hippie page - bottom) called '0 deaths'  I was curious  how many deaths due to alcohol
and this is what I read:
Alcohol can be blamed for 100,000 deaths each year.  How?

5% of all deaths from diseases of the circulatory system are attributed to alcohol.

15% of all deaths from diseases of the respiratory system are attributed to alcohol.

30% of all deaths from accidents caused by fire and flames are attributed to alcohol.

30% of all accidental drownings are attributed to alcohol.

30% of all suicides are attributed to alcohol.

40% of all deaths due to accidental falls are attributed to alcohol.

45% of all deaths in automobile accidents are attributed to alcohol.

60% of all homicides are attributed to alcohol.

;-(  All I have ever witnessed with Cannabis is giggling, pain release and perhaps a nap and munchies.  On the other hand I have had my share of alcohol. It made me miserable, regret, ruined relationships, was surrounded by lies, made me and many others VOMIT. AND then suffer the next day too!  It is legal???
Come on people re-think! Believe and stand up for what you believe. If you don't who will!?

Education is the key

Met a wonderful Dr. today.  Mostly because he made me laugh. 
Listened and gave me hope.  Botox'd the twitch . Lets hope it works!
Driving home I felt a huge weight being lifted.  Today is a new day.
I  am inspired to draw.  I shall sleep better tonight.  


Thank you! 

Quiet in myself. Lost in thought.

I woke up today angry ;-( Could be several things.  But I'd have to say I am upset by the news someone I know has only been given a couple of weeks to live. Her name is Michelle Rainey . She is a Cannabis advocate. She is another person who has suffered a very long time.  She is beautiful - physically and mentally and I believe she has been a powerful force in helping to educate people in the Cannabis Awareness Crusade!


I wrote her when all this began, I had read one of her articles and thought she sounded like an intelligent, compassionate woman. I was right, she phoned me and helped me, answered questions and also sent my son some very cool gifts ;-) Making his day!  Sometimes this is a stressful situation 
(I can attest to that) and we have fear about our MEDICINE.
If your child was on morphine you do not have to worry about him/her being picked up by the police, even beaten up for it. 
WHY SHOULD I?But I do.
A PLANT. A choice that should be anyones - do they want a chemical solution or a natural one!?


I heard a neighbor (love thy neighbor) judge me for allowing my son to use "grass". Yet, she knows nothing of the screaming pain my son has endured for YEARS- since he was born, the Dr.s appointment  or the diagnoses on his records that says Progressive to Terminal, NO treatment no cure! Or the slow painful progression we watch helplessly continue.  PUT YOURSELF in our shoes for only a second. 
You might just start to think. That is all I can ask.


Something in me has snapped this morning. 
I am NOT ashamed of my sons medicine! I thank GOD every day for it! 
Unless you are a mother and have lived with what my husband, son and myself are living with. 
How dare you judge me or anyone else for not wanting to suffer.


Because of your ignorance I thank you! I am stronger today then yesterday.
I have but one judge... and your not it!
xox<>< 

As long as I live and breath and think, I should be able to get ideas. Everything happens for a reason and we must try to find humor in everything or we will surely go mad!
It might not seem funny at the time. 
The hardest thing for me is recording them! be it a two word ote or fast sketch. If I did this I would have tons of material. I need a nice simple recorder with easy playback.  Then watch out! ;-)


Ideas like miracles are everywhere. Look and listen.
<><