Soooo...are you "self isolating" during this Corona thing?

[Jerry Oz]

No BS whatsoever, but I'd gladly read a book or watch a movie about your life. You're one of the most fascinating people I've "met", even if we only converse virtually.

[robb_k]

No BS whatsoever, but I'd gladly read a book or watch a movie about your life. You're one of the most fascinating people I've "met", even if we only converse virtually.

Just remember that not only is the grass not always "greener" on the other side, it is almost never greener - just different. Everyone has an unique road to wander. We're all born, live a short while, get old [[if we're lucky), and eventually die. By the time we get to the end, most of us think it was way too short. If we think it was too long, we've suffered too much [[mainly during old age) and forgotten how good youth was. If one travels all over The World most of his life, chances are, he hasn't settled down, and had the security and great feeling of support a spouse and children can bring [[especially in old age). I have to admit that I'm a bit jealous of people who have raised children to become good people, and solid citizens, and to have watched them develop, and to enjoy grandchildren and great grandchildren.

There are only a fixed small amount of hours, days, and years in a Human life, which flies by very fast after age 45 or so, and gets exponentially faster each year after. If you fill your life with only a few different kinds of so-called "interesting" happenings, that time isn't available for other things. One non-harmful activity isn't inherently better than another. What matters is that you enjoy what you are doing, are comfortable with what you do, and yourself, and help The World rather than hurt it [[give back as much as you take or use). If you can look in a mirror and think "I'm an okay person, after all!", that's all that matters.

I tried to compete in the business world, but it was too competitive [[vicious/dog-eat-dog), so I quit, and became an environmental consultant, writing reports on UN development projects, trying to save trees and animals, and keep the developers from cementing over the Earth. But, the developers ALWAYS won, and were never forced to follow our recommendations, so I gave that up after 20 years, went to art school, and became a cartoonist. And, I could see that THAT was what was meant to do, because I love every minute of it. It makes me feel so good to see the joy in kids' eyes when I draw them an original drawing, after they've told me they really enjoy reading my comic book stories, or watching a film I worked on. I would have LOVED to meet the artists who drew the comics I loved to read as a young child, back in the late 1940s and early 1950s. That was our main evening entertainment, as there was no TV or electronic games, or electronic toys in people's homes back then. Travelling a lot over the years may sound "interesting" to you because you've led a more balanced life. EVERYBODY who has lived a long time has traveled a long road, which is usually interesting because, even if they got married, raised children, stayed in the same job or field all their adult lives, they lived through several different eras when The World was different, and they had to adapt to it in their unique way.

I've rarely met an old person whose life wasn't interesting if they were willing to talk about it in some detail. My father was a grocery store owner most of his adult life, until he finally owned an ran a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. That might sound dull to some people. But, he lived through the hard times of The Great Depression as a teenager, and at the age of 23, he was in The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, who were in the first wave who stormed Juno Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944, where 60% of his unit was killed on the first day. He witnessed a lot of them being killed. He was wounded a few months later, and was in hospital for several months. I never even had anything to do with the military. He was a very good youth hockey player, and had wanted to go to university to become a college hockey coach. After returning from the hospital after The War, he had a hard time thinking due to his head injuries. He attended U. of Manitoba for a year, but couldn't hack it. So, my grandfather bought him a ma and pa-type small grocery store. He had one in Winnipeg, then The South Side of Chicago, and, later, one in The Crenshaw Area of L.A. And yet, overall, he led an interesting life. He was so well-known and well-liked in his L.A. neighbourhood, that rioters left his store alone during the burning and looting during The Watts Riots. He may not have had a career that was interesting in and of itself, but he had an interesting life, and lots of great stories to tell. I used to work in his stores until I graduated college. In Chicago we had a lot of famous singers [[local Chicagoans AND stars travelling on The Chitlin' Circuit) and sports figures who came into the store. Same in L.A.

My cousin-in-law fought in Vietnam. He became addicted to drugs he took for pain. He went to Rock concerts. He had a wild youth. He ended up having his own truck and a bar supply business for 40 years. He had a lot of great stories. An older cousin of mine with whom I grew up in the same house [[like a brother to me) was always very sharp. He started running rackets even in elementary school. He had a ridiculously high-stakes floating poker game during high school. He became a pool hustler. Later, he moved to Las Vegas and became a poker dealer. He also has had an interesting life [[but NOT one I'd want to live).

I love to hear stories old people tell about the old days. Just about everybody who is old has a long, winding road they followed, with interesting events, and twists, and "what ifs". What is interesting is that it is different from yours, and you can learn things about "humanness" from how people reacted to different situations to which you can relate, and then you can understand a little more about humans, and yourself.

When I was a little kid, I always liked talking to my grandparents and their generation, and even more to the few people I met in the generation before them, to find out what life was like way back in the past. I still do like talking to the generation before me [[the few that are still around). But, I also like talking to people from my own, because their experiences were different from mine, and also taking to young kids, because the "Bizarro World" of today is so very different from my experience that I like to get the kids' take on it.

[nativeNY63]

Well put, sir. You are a national treasure here. Someone said in another thread: " You are our Sage." And again I wholeheartedly agree.
If it's not to much to ask, could you post a link and/or pics of your cartoon work? Please? I had a comics/art club in high school [[1976-1981). Which morphed into our own comics titles. So you work/ experience in that field deeply resonates.

[robb_k]

Well put, sir. You are a national treasure here. Someone said in another thread: " You are our Sage." And again I wholeheartedly agree.
If it's not to much to ask, could you post a link and/or pics of your cartoon work? Please? I had a comics/art club in high school [[1976-1981). Which morphed into our own comics titles. So you work/ experience in that field deeply resonates.

We had a thread with a lot of my drawings in 2002-2004. But, I think it got lost when Lowell had to change platforms because we grew too big for the old one.
Here is a link to my drawings gallery page on The Disney Comics Creators' [[artist & Writer) pages, with a few examples of my work. Unfortunately, the main amount of pages of my work index, with the list of all my stories, and covers, and the first page of each story, are down for ALL creators right now for updating and maintenance:

https://inducks.org/creator.php?c=RKl&showScans=1

My complete stories and covers Index is down for maintenance/data additions, but my "most popular stories" section IS available, so click on that prompt after you look at my "Gallery".

And I will put up links to my 2 graphics hosting pages, below, which also have some drawings by me, but also other images. Many of my drawings have my signature on them. All the pencil drawings in light blue and carmen red pencil are mine, as well as some inked drawings. Most of the Disney characters are mine.

Here's my Imgur Gallery [[please scroll down all the way, more of my own drawings are nearer the bottom):

https://robbk2.imgur.com/all


Here is my ImgBB Gallery:

https://robb-k.imgbb.com/

Here are a few of my drawings:







Attachment 17232

[nativeNY63]

No BS whatsoever, but I'd gladly read a book or watch a movie about your life. You're one of the most fascinating people I've "met", even if we only converse virtually.

I second that! Whatcha say, Robb? Put pen to paper for you adoring sd family? Don't seem like you memory is deteriorating to me.