in Illustration
2019
Eat Street Diners Club #15
in ESDC
Relax: Chapter 6—LITTLE LESSONS IN LAZINESS
in Illustration
Time out, please. Your worries have vanished, little annoyances don’t get your goat any more, you feel quite, you look better, you’re nicer to live with, you’re making more progress. Not yet? It will come.
Anyway, you may still be making extra work for yourself. You may still be less lazy than you should be.
Now don’t let anyone kid you about laziness. It pays! But you’ve got to be lazy in the right way. That is, never too lazy to do what you should, but always too lazy to do what you shouldn’t.
The best proof is the greatest body of laws ever written. Only two of the Ten Commandments tell you to do something. Eight others tell you what not to do. And you had better now, either, if you want to avoid tension.
As it happens, the bad thing — morally, mentally, physically — is always the unnecessary, the undesirable thing. It has no place in the scheme of intelligent laziness. Yet let’s try a sampling of how much tense effort you may waste every day. If you know how to be lazy, you can answer “no” to each of these questions:
• Do you press down so hard that you frequently break off the points of pencils as you write? If so, you are entirely too tense and are working too hard. Learn to write with the minimum of pressure.
• Do you find yourself standing or pacing about when you could just as well be sitting? It’s easier to sit than to stand. Be lazy and sit down when you can.
• Do you talk or argue more than you listen? See how many things you can safely leave unsaid. Besides saving your voice and energy, it can keep you friends.
• Do you put off doing disagreeable tasks? Be too lazy to carry them in your mind any longer than you must. Do them first and get them over with. You’ll be surprised to find how much tension you’ll avoid.
• Do you try to hide your mistakes? It takes more time and effort than frankly admitting them as soon as you can. Don’t add a heavy conscience and jumpy nerves to your burdens. Own up and see how relaxed it makes you feel.
• Do you always write out your name and address on packages, letters and postcards? Discover the rubber stamp or treat yourself to printed letterheads or labels. Save work.
• Do you try to dodge creditors? It’s more fun to play tag with the children, probably a good deal less strenuous and certainly very much easier on your nerves. Tell your creditors the truth and see what happens.
• Do you strain your mind to remember things, and get all worked up when you can’t? Ge the habit of jotting down memos, and spare your mind. As one profound philosopher has noted, “A short pencil is better than a long memory.”
• Do you keep imaginary pets called “grudges”? Try a different kind of pet for a change. Even a wildcat can do more good. Ask your enemy what all the fuss is about and clear the atmosphere. You’ll feel easier.
On the positive side, here are some questions to which your answer should be “yes”:
• Have you discovered the effort-saving utility of marketing carts for you shopping, or wheel trays, toy wagons and baskets for carrying things around the house?
• Are you a work-planner? Before starting to work on a job, are you careful to see that you have on hand all the tools and materials you will need, to avoid losing time and temper in looking for them later?
• Are you a step-saver? Do you organize your activities to avoid needless trips, especially up and down stairs? Do you keep ladders, tools, ash-trays, lamp bulbs, searchlights, etc., always ready where you are most likely to need them?
• Are you a stock-taker? Do you avoid household scenes and flurries of excitement by keeping a simple inventory of necessary items such as toothpaste, shaving cream, razor blades, and so forth so that you never run out of them?
Life can be easier and lazier in lots of little ways that total big relaxation. Try them and see.
Miss Minneapolis Flour
in Illustration
Miss Minneapolis was a flour mill in the Twin Cities that was in business from around 1920 until the mid 70’s.
They had the best logo, and ran the Miss Minneapolis beauty contest. Second place won a 50 pound bag of flour. Classy.
The below recipe is nearly 100 years old, and came from a Miss Minneapolis booklet of recipes.
I used coconut milk, but you can use the milk of a cow if you prefer. Moo.
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lard
1 cake of yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
6 cups MISS MINNEAPOLIS FLOUR
Put liquid, salt, sugar and lard into a bowl, stir until salt and sugar and lard are dissolved. Mix these with lukewarm water. When the first mixture is of the same temperature, add yeast to it. Add half the flour and beat well, then all the remainder of the flour, making batter a stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, place into greased bowl, set in a warm place and let rise for about two hours. Mold into loaves, place in a warm place, and let rise for one hour. Pre-heat oven ten minutes and bake 50 minutes.
Reverend Carpenter by Michael Homolka.
Holy Hannah!
in Holy Hannah
Thanks to all the book lovers who bought out all the copies of Holy Hannah at Moonpalace books last Saturday.
You too can get a signed copy. I promise a cool drawing and to spell your name correctly.
Eat Street Diners Club #13
This month the Diners Club goes to Cheng's Garden Chinese Restaurant!
Subscribe to have the comic sent to your email inbox.
Or explore the archives, if you prefer to try before you buy.
eatstreedinersclub.com
Holy Hannah: Book Release
in Holy Hannah
Join myself, M.S. Harkness & Tom Kaczynski for a mind-bending comics reading and official release party for my graphic novel, Holy Hannah.
MoonPalace Books
Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 9th
4PM
Relax: Chapter 5
in Illustration
Relax
Written by Leonard M. Leonard
Designed + Illustrated by Will Dinski
Original Copyright 1952
Chapter 5
Mental Fire-Traps That “Burn You Up”
One good turn deserves another. Try non-resistance on the other mental states that make you tense.
It’s the same deal. If you hate something you’re resisting its presence. If you suspect someone, you’re resisting what he may do. If you envy someone, your resisting her success. If you’re jealous of someone, you’re resisting that person’s attractiveness to others.
When something riles us, we say that it “burns us up” – which comes pretty close to the actual truth. As we have already noted, the scenes and actions which negative thoughts bring to your mind are telegraphed through your body. You fight battles, suffer heartaches, engage dangers in make-believe enactments that “burn you up” or wear you down.
Don’t wait for the doctor to tell you that your blood pressure has gone up, that your heart’s overworked, that an ulcer is on the way, or that you need a good rest. Rest? You can take i on your feet, if you’ll take it in your head. Give up your mental tug-of-war!
The idea, of course, if not to take the fight out of you, but to leave the fight in you. Every so often, something happens which calls for all the resistance we can muster. Why waste it, for example, against the sound of someone chewing popcorn in the movies?
These days, we Americans are doing a lot of proper bragging about Freedom and Independence. But here’s a question: how free and independent are you when you give to every petty annoyance, every disappointment, every person who crosses you the power to disturb you, to control your moods, to upset your digestion, to make your heart beat faster or your blood pressure shoot up?
Again we say it: be willing to let things happen. Stop resisting so much, and relax.
Cults?!
in Holy Hannah
I made a playlist to go along with my graphic novel, Holy Hannah.
You can listen to it here on Spotify. (Or scan the above image.)
Not on the playlist is a song by the band Holy Hannah!. But maybe there should be.
Also, pre-order Holy Hannah from pretty much everywhere. Well then!
In shops on Oct 30th.
$24.95
Eat Street Diners Club #11
This next Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of of my recent comic, the Eat Street Diners Club. 120 pages so far. What?!
This comic is the most fun I’ve ever had as a cartoonist. It’s fun to draw, it’s fun to write, it’s fun for me to re-read. It’s a daily challenge, but the kind that reminds me why I love comics in the first place.
Unfortunately, I don’t think a lot of people are reading it. I’ve lost the gusto for comic-book-promotion that I used to have (that energy is going into my design business), and the rate that I’ve been creating, and the nature of the project doesn’t mean I can make books, which I think is how the casual comics reader will ultimately enjoy these stories.
I send one email a month—on the first Wednesday of the month. Comic book day.
It’s just 10 pages of a funny (I hope) comic about eating, drinking and being merry.
The Content Technologist Is Here
in Illustration
Deborah Carver is a Content Technologist, digital strategist, snappy dresser and all around wonderful partner. As a Content Technologist, she helps companies find the right content and marketing technology for their business.
I draw things! You can see some of these drawings in the latest issue of the Content Technologist newsletter.
Autoptic TV
in Autoptic
Autoptic TV: A Live-streaming Fundraiser
Saturday, August 17th, Noon-5pm.
Autoptic festival funds itself from the table fee’s paid by the exhibitors and the time donated by its board. However, to reserve our space at our new TOTALLY BEAUTIFUL VENUE:
… we need to reserve our space by August 1st. The need: $1,500. Help us make it happen!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE.
Autoptic 2020 | August 15th | The Great Hall of Coffman Memorial Union
Any additional funds will go directly to coordinating the mission of the Autoptic Foundation, which works to be an advocate for independent, creator-owned artwork and creative expression from across the country.
Joyce Schulz Syrup Pancakes
So I got this book from 1966 called “The Cartoonists Cookbook” because it had a recipe from Charles Schulz. Well, really it’s from his (first) wife, Joyce. I guess Chuck wasn't much of a cook.
I learned recently that the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum has the original drawing that is included in the book.
They're pretty good. Here’s the recipe if you want to make some breakfast.
Joyce Schulz Syrup Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour (Gold Medal)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
Sift dry ingredients. Mix egg, milk, butter and syrup and add to flour mixture.
Stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Bake on lightly greased griddle. Makes approximately 25 three-inch pancakes.
CHAPTER 4: How To Take A Mental Anesthetic
in Illustration
Written by Leonard M. Leonard
Designed + Illustrated by Will Dinski
Original Copyright 1952
You know that when you want to cut cord, you you make it taut and more resistant to the knife? The limp string is always harder to snip in tow. And there is a lesson for you. If you don’t bend, you may break.
Ben Franklin quotes a piece of advice he received in his youth: “You are young and have the world before you; stoop as you go through it and you will miss many hard thumps.” The point was to be humble, but it might just as well have been to relax, to yield.
Here is an interesting fact and a valuable tip to go with it: if you are stiff, tense and nervous, you are likely to be much more sensitive to pain than a relaxed, calm person. Therefore, teach yourself to “let go” when facing a painful ordeal.
Having your teeth filled is anything but a painful ordeal these days, yet many “he-men” dread the thought of going to the dentist. You are afraid of being hurt, and are already anticipating the suffering from the drill as you sit in the waiting room. By now, you know why – you are resisting the operation. Well, next time, try giving yourself this mental anesthetic:
When your turn comes in the chair, note the tenseness throughout your body. Probably all your nerves will be taut and alert, as though prepared for battle instead of a filling. Let them go limp. Instead of fairly rising out of the chair, let yourself sink into it as the work proceeds.
The minute you are willing to be hurt, something happens. Your never and muscles relax. They are, in a sense, too limp to flash pain messages to your head. You may not enjoy sitting in the dental chair, but you’ll find that it isn’t nearly so bad as you had expected.
Blue Plate Special
in ESDC
Kimchi
in Illustration
COMICS READ LIVE
in Holy Hannah
On June 15th at 7PM, the cartoonist Sean Knickerbocker will be kicking off the release of his new book, Rust Belt at Moon Palace Books.
As part of the event, Sean, myself and M.S. Harkness will be reading comics live. I’ll be reading from my upcoming graphic novel, Holy Hannah. See you then!
How I Survived The Winter
in Illustration
I’ve read that sauna is good for your immune system, and can help you live longer. I’ve also heard that there is no reliable research to back up these claims. However, I can say for sure that sauna helped me to survive the winter.
Most days I can be found at a YMCA sauna, but I’ve also paid the $25 for “event” sauna with friends at the 612 Sauna Society.
Sweat it out.
Eat Street Diners Club #8
This month the club eats empanadas!
Join the club, and have Eat Street Diners Club sent to your inbox on the first Wednesday of every month. Like a comic book.
Worry And What To Do About It
in Illustration
Relax , Chapter 3
Written by Leonard M. Leonard
Designed + Illustrated by Will Dinski
Original Copyright 1952
What do do about worry? Volumes have been written on the subject. But as Sherlock Holmes would say, the answer is elementary – very, very elementary: You can do something or nothing.
Are you worried because you’ve been careless with your work? Start being careful with it. Are you worried about a pain in the chest. Have it diagnosed and treated. Here are two kinds of worry that you can do something about. Action can get rid of them by the roots.
But most of our worries probably aren’t that kind. We worry about things which may happen in spite of us, or which already have happened in spite of us. Our worries are “untouchables” flying into the unborn future, or falling into the long-dead past.
The thing to do about such worries is the very most – and also very least – that can be done about them. Nothing. Nothing at all.
And that means not worrying, either. For worry is anything but passive. It is a strenuous effort.
Every play tug of war? You remember how you braced and stiffened your body to resist the pull of your opponents. That’s the kind of work you do when you worry. You tense up to resist something you don’t want to happen. It follows that if you just didn’t resist, you just wouldn’t worry. And from this comes a top-flight technique for peace of mind and body.
Stop resisting. Be willing to let things happen. This was the keynote of Annie Payson Call’s method of relaxation. She was among the greatest teachers of relaxation, and among her pupils was George Bernard Shaw.
When you resist the possibility of something happening, she taught, you tense up, function less efficiently and thereby invite the catastrophe you fear.
Take the matter of catching a train, for example. On the one hand, you want to catch it. But if on the other hand you’re afraid you’ll miss it, you set up a force of resistance. You are so busy resisting the idea of being late that you become panicky and clumsy. Everything seems to go wrong. And so you are late, after all.
Probably you have had this experience. You are in such a fearful rush that you fumble around buttoning your shirt. You put your socks on the inside out. you nearly fall down the stairs in your haste. Then you find that you forgot something and have to rush back. The cause of your inefficiency is not your eagerness to be prompt, but your resistance to the idea of beng late.
It is quite the same with other things. When we are fearful of any consequence, we dilute our power to avert it. But when we are quietly willing that it occur, we instantly lose the tensions of fear which direct us toward it. Relaxing, our minds our bodies function freely and effectively.
What is resistance? In physics it is defined as a force tending to prevent motion. It may very well be the force with is holding you back right now.
Are you worried that you’ll fail – on the job, at the social function, in a game or sport? Are you haunted by worries of sickness, accident, catastrophe? Unlock your tensions with an easy willingness for anything that may come. You will be better prepared to cope with any emergency – and meanwhile, you’ll feel better!
This is a prescription for relaxing and a philosophy for living. Calm thoughts, quiet confidence, steadier nerves and better achievement are the seeds which you can sow with less resistance.
What should you do about worry? Nothing. Nothing, that is, but to stop doing. Stop resisting so much, and be willing to let things happen.
