Written by After a weekend of eating chocolates, I should be thinking about healthier treats, but when prompted with “apricots”, my mind leapt to jelly and then to doughnuts, or donuts if you prefer that spelling. I actually ate a doughnut this morning, felt a bit guilty, and then quickly course-corrected and had a kale smoothie for lunch. This was supposed to be the week I began to focus on lowering my calorie intake so I can drop a few pounds. It’s not that I’m posing for a centerfold anytime soon, it’s just that I want my clothes to fit a bit better. Heading into warmer seasons when more flesh gets exposed is always a bit of a motivator. I see those people with perfect bodies and often envy them, until I realize they’ve made maintaining that body their hobby. I’d really rather paint. Turning myself into a work of art has never appealed to me. Especially, if it means never being able to enjoy that occasional jelly doughnut.
This all made me think about priorities and how I’ve put sketching and painting at the top of the list. Sure, if I invested the same time in working out, I would definitely have one of those specimen bodies. But then I’d have to pose for that centerfold, because how else could I share my art? And I’m rather camera-shy, so that’s probably not the path for me. I prefer sharing my inner self rather than my outer self. Bits of my heart and soul, found in these little posts and in my doodlewashes. I hope that people can relate to the “stuff” I sketch and ramble on about, and that it makes them think of their own stories. This is what drives my passion. I love being the guy hiding in the background, but not in the creepy way that just sounded. What I mean to say is that I love setting the stage and then hoping others will create the show with me. Like when I was a kid, recruiting all of my friends to put on a play in my backyard.
I think that life becomes the richest in the moments when we’re doing what we love. The rest is just filler. Those things that are personally wonderful to us, even if others might choose something else entirely. As a kid this concept made complete sense to me. Sure, I didn’t have to pay a mortgage and do all that other “adult stuff” that can take a lot of time. But, I had homework to complete and lots of chores to do before I got to go outside and play. The thing that made it all worth it was that there was always a sweet reward at the end. These days, I often have to remind myself that things aren’t really any different. Just because I’ve gotten older and a bit more sensible doesn’t mean I have to stop getting rewards for completing my “necessary” tasks. Whether it’s having that little time to paint, or going ahead and allowing myself a wonderful little taste of apricot jelly doughnuts.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Red Orange, Turquoise Green, Phthalocyanine Blue, Sennlier Red, Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Sienna and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Safari Al-Star Fountain Pen – Extra Fine,
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with Platinum Carbon black ink in an A6 
Cheers to the inner self in us all. ❤👍
I love your apricot jelly doughnuts, Charlie! Actually, apricot anything does it for me. But your doodlewash tells such a great story. Of course, so do you! You always make me laugh. I say your perfect just the way you are. And kale smoothies — really was that necessary?
Awww thanks so much!! 😃💕 hehe… you’re too sweet! And actually, it wasn’t just kale… that would be foul… lol … there was fruit involved so it tasted much better! 😉
Yes! Cheers to that!! hehe 😃💕
These look perfect! My fingers are feeling sticky just looking at the doodlewash, and what’s more, there’s none of that guilt here, I can have them all! 😉 I always get so bored when I try and work out or exercise or whatever, so it never lasts long enough to pay off. I guess it’s not a hobby of mine either, so a definite yay to the inner self!
Thanks, Jacob!! 😃💕 Hehe… yeah, it’s just way more fun to focus on the inner self. And of course, eat lots of jelly doughnuts!! 😊
Life’s little pleasures…definitely a necessity.
I always love the way you present your food. The plate, the napkin…perfect! (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe! 😃💕 I love sketching food… it must be because I can’t cook so it feels like my own little way to make it! hehe
I often think your drawings and Jodi’s photos would make a great cookbook!
I know… we should totally get together and collaborate on something!! 😉
You should!
Definitely enjoy filling in my stories with yours! I have apricots, dried, in my cabinets. I eat them as a snack with almonds. Yum. Love your illustration, Charlie O’Doddle!
Thanks so much! 😃💕 YUM! Dried apricots are the best!! I have to be careful not to eat an entire bag once they’re opened though! hehe
These donuts (I prefer the abbreviated version) look delicious! I like to be the one who peeks out from behind the fern, watching everybody else – I hope that’s not creepy, but I’m painfully shy in large groups. So I’ll just stand behind this nice green fern and eat my apricot donut. And one more if you don’t mind. Yum!
Thanks, Sharon!! 😃💕 So glad to know I’m not the only one peering from the background. I really don’t like crowds at all, or mingling, or the dreaded “small talk” which I’m rubbish at. I figure if you don’t have anything to say, then sit silently. lol
Anyone whose mind leaps immediately to doughnuts whatever the prompt may be is a friend of mine…that’s why I love you, Charlie! <3 😉 You will forgive me if the rest of the post is like "blah-blah-blah-doughnuts-blah-blah-blah." Heh heh.
Awww thanks, Teresa! 😃💕 I still contend the fact we don’t live next door to each other is a crime!! hehe… we’d have so much fun!!