Last Sunday I was in church (First Assembly of God in East Chicago), and after praise and worship and the offering, and before the Pastor's sermon, I announced that I was doing "Afghanistoons" with Edward Zellem to help the Afghan people.  The congregation applauded in approval.

Then came the Pastor's sermon.  I don't remember what it was about but I do remember listening to it and certain things came up in my head.  First came the lyrics to the theme song from the sitcom "The Monkees":

 

Here we come

Walking down the street 

We get the funniest looks from

Everyone we meet

Hey, Hey, we're the Monkees

And people say we monkey around

We're too busy singin'

To put anybody down

 

A little later, up came this section of lyrics from the Saturday morning kids' music show "Kidd Video":

 People say I'm crazy

'Cause I'm always on my own

Hi-fis surround me

Hi-tech just turns me on 

From my video to my radio

 

Last but not least, the opening of the theme song of the sitcom "The Partridge Family" popped up:

 

Hello, world, hear the song that we're singin'

Come on, get happy!

A whole lotta lovin' is what we'll be bringin'

We'll make you happy!

 

As funny as it may sound, I think this was God trying to tell me something during Pastor's sermon but through songs by three made-for-TV rock bands who happened to have hit songs in the real world.

What I got from the Monkees' theme was that people will think I'm weird being who I am and what I do, but keep doing it and don't fall into the trap of putting them down.  From Kidd Video's theme, "Video to Radio", I got the message that it was OK to embrace technology to do my art--my laptop and my artistic software are the "hi-tech" that "just turns me on."  As for "Come On, Get Happy", the Partridge Family's theme, I got that I have to keep giving the world my artwork--online and offline--to make it happy.  I hope I'm making you happy with my work!

Here's my latest work:  an "Afghanistoons" cartoon illustrating a Dari proverb.  I especially liked drawing the hot car--it's based on a red Ford Mustang I saw this week.