Yesterday I didn't write in my blog. Yesterday I went to the zoo with my daughter. We brought our sketchbooks. She's an art student and uses every opportunity to hone her craft, and I want to do a cartoon for my on-line cartoon log called Doggone (http://www.kyotedog.com/doggone.htm) involving Tatiana, the tiger
that was killed at the San Francisco Zoo.
The San Francisco zoo tiger area is still closed, so we headed for the Oakland zoo. It was a beautiful day, crisp and clear, but windy and cold as well. We went slowly around the park drinking in the atmosphere and studying each animal closely. It was so cold that we didn't get our sketchbooks out, even when the pride of lions preened themselves and each other and virtually glowed on the hillside of their enclosure. ("Enclosure" is so much nicer a word than "cage" don't you think?)
Besides, we were there to draw tigers. Except that there were no tigers. The Oakland tigers were either too cold to show themselves, or, well, who knows.
Maybe they escaped.
Anyway, the "no tigers" aspect of our visit was dissappointing, but it felt so good to roam aimlessly around the zoo, to give ourselves the time to enjoy each second and each animal, to move on when we wanted and stay when we wanted. We were both surprised when we came back to the main gate exit, to find that the zoo was closing for the day.
We escaped.
We escaped the habits and routines of being home or working. We gave ourselves permission to be free for a day, and I intend to give myself permission to be free, as much as I can, every day. Sure, there are things I have to do, but waiting to do them until I WANT to do them means I'll be more effective in the doing and happier with the results.
Escape into your life.
Finding Method in the Madness:
