Meaning of Life

May 4, 2013 by deideismusings in art, drawing, humor, life, philosophy, psychology, religion and tagged art, Buddhism, drawing, Enlightenment, humor, philosophy, psychology, religion, social commentary | 4 Comments

Sometimes I wonder about the meaning of life; is there purpose in my existence. Buddha says life is suffering; relinquish your desires to find the way to enlightenment. The Dao says be frugal in thought and action and you will come early to the way which will allow you to immerse yourself in the flow and stay centered.

Maybe purpose has nothing to do with it. Maybe I just need to live my life moment by moment, in the flow, on the path to enlightenment. You know, wake up, smell the coffee.

I think there may be some self-discipline involved here.

Dreams of Nakedness

March 23, 2013 by deideismusings in art, drawing, humor, psychology and tagged art, drawing, Freud, humor, psychology | 2 Comments

Have you ever had one of those dreams, as I did the other night, where you’re out in public going about your business and you’re naked or dressed only in your underwear? Nobody pays any attention to you but you are very aware and uncomfortable with the situation.

The common psychological explanations for such a dream range from feelings of shamefulness or vulnerability to fear of being noticed. Freud thought it was an indication of a desire to return to the paradise of childhood.

In my dream I was playing volleyball with a bunch of naked Barbies; I remember feeling dismayed seeing their emaciated bodies; it made me feel pretty good about myself………….it was uplifting really.

Do you ever get picked on?

February 17, 2013 by deideismusings in art, drawing, humor, psychology, religion and tagged art, drawing, humor, psychology, religion | 3 Comments

I’ve been having problems lately at doll school. This Chucky doll has been making fun of me, teasing me for having a visible fusion seam that runs around my entire body, of being monochromatic, of always wearing the same dress. He’s relentless and I feel persecuted.

But I’ve gotten to thinking about people who have suffered truly abominable persecutions. Take St. Sebastian. He was tied to a post and shot full of arrows and when that didn’t kill him he was clubbed to death-just for having unacceptable religious beliefs. Then there was Giordano Bruno who had his tongue cut out and was burned at the stake just for having the audacity to suggest there were probably intelligent beings on other planets.

Well, I guess I can deal with Chucky. I’ll just ignore him; if that doesn’t work maybe I can get my friend Ken to teach him some manners. I know, I know, retribution isn’t the answer but sometimes it sure is pleasing to contemplate.

Giordano Bruno burned at the stake today (humanisticpaganism.com)

What Hell is like

February 10, 2013 by deideismusings in art, drawing, humor, psychology, religion and tagged art, Dante, drawing, Hell, humor, Inferno, psychology, religion, Satan, Virgil | 1 Comment

I just finished reading Dante’s Inferno. In case you don’t know it’s a book about what Hell is like. In it, Dante tells about being guided by the poet Virgil into the underworld, which is this huge pit containing the souls of all the people who have died and been found guilty of evil doings without having done anything, penitence-wise, that would have maybe gotten them to a more favorable eternal location.

The first level of the underworld is for people who haven’t been baptized and, basically, all they have to do is wait around forever, but as Dante and Virgil go down deeper and deeper they discover each successive level holds souls who have been more evil than the last and are made to suffer worse conditions.

On level five heretics are encased in fiery graves and watched over by the Furies and Medusa. On level seven violent souls are submerged in a river of boiling blood and watched over by the Minotaur so if they come up for air they get shoved back down.

When the poets get to the very bottom they find Satan encased in ice and unable to move, so they climb up his huge body and escape from Hell.

Boy, Dante sure had a good imagination. The amount of detail he goes in to is amazing. He must of thought about Hell for a long time. I wonder if it was because he felt guilty about something or if he was just trying to warn people to walk the straight and narrow.

Anyway, I think people today think differently about what Hell will be like than they did in Dante’s day. It probably will have more to do with the loss of mobile communication devices and reality TV.

Nothing new under the sun

February 3, 2013 by deideismusings in art, art and commentary, humor, psychology, religion and tagged art, humor, psychology, religion, social commentary | 2 Comments

I was reading Ecclesiastes the other day. One verse says: ‘what has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.’ The whole book is about the meaninglessness of life.

From the other side of the aisle, Nietzsche says in an infinite universe with no God to direct it, the finite experiences of human existence must necessarily repeat themselves eternally; over and over and over……….

Seems pretty depressing to think there can never be anything new and fresh. Still, the other day I was having a conversation with my alter ego, the daring flamboyant me who’s always trying to get me to push my limits, to step beyond my comfort zone. Daring me convinced shy, reserved me to accept an invitation to tell my story to an auditorium full of junior high students. When the time came I was petrified but somehow made it through. They even applauded and I felt pretty good about it in the end. It gave me a new found confidence.

Still, I don’t see it happening again. I know my true nature and I’m not talking to her any more.

Looking for work

January 27, 2013 by deideismusings in art, art and commentary, drawing, humor, psychology and tagged art, humor, satire | 1 Comment

It’s time I found a job. The bills are piling up, the rent is coming due, the cupboards are a bit bare and heaven knows I could use another dress. I need to step up, display some confidence in my natural talents. It’s not everyone who can pass for animate and inanimate. I remember, during my childhood, performing, or rather not performing, for the neighborhood children; they always seemed satisfied with the silent, stoic persona I offered. Maybe some sort of acting; I just need to find the right fit; A job with lots of variety, excitement and opportunities for advancement; and of course, health insurance.

I guess I’ve always been a bridge burner………….

December 15, 2012 by deideismusings in art and commentary, drawing, humor, psychology and tagged Barbies, Fred Rogers, humor, Navy SEAL | Leave a comment

I remember, years ago, talking to my aunt (one of the Barbies, I can’t remember which one) about my ambitions to join the Navy Seals. She dismissed the notion almost immediately, telling me that I was not cut out for such an activity; that I should remember myself, who I am, and not fantasize about becoming something beyond my capabilities.

It became apparent to me nearly everyone you grow up knowing has expectations of who you are and what you are capable of and even find it disturbing if they suspect you might be stepping outside the box they’ve put you in.

So, I decided to cut my ties. I burned the bridges to nearly everyone I knew with the exception of my generally tolerant immediate family.

I’m still thinking of the Navy Seals; if Mr. Rogers could make it why not me.

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