June 23, 2009
doubting thomas
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[“Confused”. Click on image to enlarge etc.]
I drew this cartoon earlier this evening.
It’s conveys the state I found myself in, back in New York a decade ago, when I was doing what I consider to be my best, or at least, my most formative work.
No artist wants their best work behind them. No human being wants their best days behind them. Yet my my Inner Doubting Thomas keeps telling me, I’ll never be that young again; I’ll never have my work be that fresh & new again. Nor, sadly, will the world, at least to me.
To Hell with it. I’ll carry on, regardless.
And of course, so will you, at whatever insanely impractical path you chose for yourself. We knew what we were doing, when we signed up for this tour of duty.
We still have a few tricks up our sleeves, don’t we?
Doubting Thomas can go fuck himself…
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Tags: Cartoons on the back of business cards, Doubting Thomas, New York
Here here.
A wise friend once told me “turn the dogs of doubt on doubt itself”.
This just hit me on the right day — so I made a post and incorporated it: http://wildwildeastdailies.blogspot.com/2009/06/wondering-stream-of-subconciousness-iii.html
Thanks Hugh
The world is different every day. We just have to remind ourselves.
Doubting Thomas seems to never go away, somewhat like Cher. But you’re right about the last sentence…it’s the only way we get on with it. Also sent today’s post to my mom, who was a nun before a mom, so I knew she would appreciate the religious reference — she loved it. She’s transforming before my eyes.
totally me right now.
Nice that three of the four were transitory. (I assume)
Hugh, you are not Gene Simmons. You will no doubt continue to evolve as a human. You will do better things, different things, some things you won’t be proud of. If you’re not happy with what is happening right now, you have the power to change it.
I am reminded of Rumi’s Guest House and wonder what the next turn is http://www.panhala.net/Archive/The_Guest_House.html
I just recently read a quote attributed to Muhammed Ali that said something to the effect that if you have the same world view at 50 that you did at 20 then you’ve wasted thirty years.
Different is what you were; different is what you are. Enjoy.
I worry I’m obsolete before I’ve even started. It’s all fear and desire driving my internally twisted, externally peaceful, exasperating chasing my own tail, that long tail.
Peace.
AMEN!
well, what we do should be the best part of work we do, and should be maintain like this.
Well, meditation is good medicine for this illnes.
Hugh, I found your blog from Seth Godin’s link.
You got some lifeshaking insight in this blog.
And if you are thinking you have no more important things to say and discover… well, to me, even God have no reached that place yet…
Lucky you.
…there‘s nothing like profanity — the oft‘ well timed expletive to dispel any notion that our glory days have long since slipped the horizon.
That‘s for f*&^$^%#%^ sure.
doubting thomas is just the most natural inbuilt devils advocate.…he plays a mean game of subterfuge to get me working.…if he dies,i die.
Hmm. I’ve always thought you do your best work when you’re working at the edge of your abilities; those abilities in part inborn, in part based on the craft skills you’ve built up.
Inborn stuff doesn’t necessarily change, but the more experienced you get, and the better your craft skills, the harder and further you have to push to reach the edge of and then move beyond them. Keep pushing, and always attempt the impossible!
just when i really needed a bit of a pick me up, as usual you come straight in with perfect sense and give me that push i need. thanks Hugh.
you may never be young again and do that smart/stupid stuff you did before…
but you are wiser now and have more
stories to tell/sell
I want to “cube grenade” that one, if you’ll put it up.
[…] Hugh also tackles the death of dreams in his post ‘Doubting Thomas’: […]