Guard your mind...

For November I've decided to use my cell phone less. My creativity, imagination and focus are far too precious.

My cellphone can be a respite from life: "I don't want to clean up my room. Let me check out FB."

This is not a healthy attitude. I bought a flip phone so that I could take a break from the iPhone. I find I've got more clarity, focus and happiness. That said, it can be difficult to live completely without the smartphone (where is the closest Moaz?)

My goal is to use the phone with purpose rather than mindlessly scroll...

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM

Reality Check

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM

Getting back at it...

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM

Flowers of Resentment...

 I don't know where this comes from.

It's just funny to me when things are going well and flowers still manage to find reasons to complain.

It's also funny to see my resentments placed on ungrateful flowers. (We all know how ungrateful flowers are.)

xo,

Natalie

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  Egads! Diabetes: The #rice you eat is worse than sugary drinks: https://t.co/sg6Oq50Jcx @DrJCheungEP

  May 18, 2017, 12:29 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  RT @aparnapkin: i, for one, am looking forward to the first time someone live-tweets their impeachment

  May 18, 2017, 8:53 AM

Daily Diary

Here are some doodles I drew while waiting for baby #2 to arrive.

I drew these cartoons because my body didn't allow me to do much else except draw. Also, being forgetful made me want to document our day to day life with cartoons.

I do not think of myself as a mommy cartoonist or a mommy blogger. The very label makes me want to puke. Being a mom is just a part of who I am. At the same time I'm not going to deny this very cool part of my life to act like it's not happening. I love this phase in my life and grateful for it.

I was reading a book: "Wherever You Go There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Here's a passage:

"Try: Reminding yourself from time to time: 'This is it.' See if there is anything at all that cannot be applied to. Remind yourself that acceptance of the present moment has nothing to do with resignation in the face of what is happening. It simply means a clear acknowledgment that what is happening is happening. Acceptance doesn't tell you what to do. What happens next, what you choose to do, that has to come out of your understanding of the moment. You might try acting out of a deep knowing of 'This is it.' 

Just some thoughts as my family and I add a new edition.

Drawing at the hospital...

xo,

Natalie

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  Egads! Diabetes: The #rice you eat is worse than sugary drinks: https://t.co/sg6Oq50Jcx @DrJCheungEP

  May 18, 2017, 12:29 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  RT @aparnapkin: i, for one, am looking forward to the first time someone live-tweets their impeachment

  May 18, 2017, 8:53 AM

Cartoon on drawing away worries...

Sometimes I feel self indulgent with  my cartoons and wish I could come up with more creative characters. 

But then I heard a podcast by Brian Koppleman (creator of Showtime's BILLIONS and one of my favorite movies, Rounders) where he interviewed author Ryan Holiday. 

Holiday wrote The Obstacle Is the Way and throughout the book gives advice and goads you to keep going no matter what. He revealed on the podcast that like Marcus Aurelius who wrote Meditations, Holiday wrote the book for himself and the challenges that he faced. 

I read The ObstacleIs the Way earlier and now that I know that I would like to go back and see if it's a different experience knowing that Holiday was writing to motivate himself. That from his own challenges and suffering came a terrific book.

So perhaps I don't feel so bad about drawing a cartoon about me.

xo,
 

Natalie

P.S. - Btw, I HIGHLY recommend Koppleman's podcast. He legit gets super excited and happy speaking to the coolest people in the arts, entertainment and entrepreneurship. His genuine excitement makes for one of the most fun podcasts to listen to.

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  Egads! Diabetes: The #rice you eat is worse than sugary drinks: https://t.co/sg6Oq50Jcx @DrJCheungEP

  May 18, 2017, 12:29 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  RT @aparnapkin: i, for one, am looking forward to the first time someone live-tweets their impeachment

  May 18, 2017, 8:53 AM

The Milky Way

Yesterday I posted this picture on social:

And then I got some funny comments:

@NatalieKimNYC or almond/hemp/rice milk! Lol

— Mikael Short (@MikaelShort) May 17, 2016

So I decided to draw few more friends:

xo,

Natalie

Calico Cat

A head of a calico cat. The smartest cat in the world.

xo,

Natalie

Brunch

In one of my favorite books, Kitchen Confidential, chef/author Anthony Bourdain writes about how brunch is the absolute anathema for real chefs. From the unchallenging, cookie cutter plates to the annoying customers, basically he HATES BRUNCH.

I love brunch. SO MUCH. It makes me happy. I love drinking bellinis, I love knowing exactly what the menu is, I LOVE BRUNCH. I'm a morning person and breakfast happens to be my favorite meal. 

So today, I celebrate brunch. And send my apologies to Anthony. :-)

xo,

Natalie

Cartoons about life...

My amazing friends threw me a surprise anti baby shower baby shower for me. I detest baby showers but this was a special gathering of my favorite girlfriends. It was such a special day.

This is my life right now. I'm fine with having random stuff scattered on my floors.

These are my funny friends. They are smart and funny broads.

xo,
Natalie
 

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM

The Adventures of Helena

Helena Yoo Na Chung is an 15 year old Korean/Chinese girl who happens to be very gifted at making swords. I have no idea where this story is going or what century it's in, but it's a fun story to draw/write.

xo,

Natalie

• 
  Natalie Kim

  Just saw amazing work in #joshpais #committedimpulse class. #actorslife

  May 18, 2017, 10:20 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  Egads! Diabetes: The #rice you eat is worse than sugary drinks: https://t.co/sg6Oq50Jcx @DrJCheungEP

  May 18, 2017, 12:29 PM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  RT @aparnapkin: i, for one, am looking forward to the first time someone live-tweets their impeachment

  May 18, 2017, 8:53 AM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  Wading through facts & fiction. This distills what is happening & could happen with #Mueller https://t.co/7pnBCcxUUE

  May 18, 2017, 6:33 AM
• 
  Natalie Kim

  RT @aparnapkin: i bet trump picks out his lies each morning like some guys pick out their ties.

  May 17, 2017, 5:28 PM

Gym Gremlin

On the way to the gym when this happened.

xo,

Natalie

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Having a good day...

Today I'm a little sleep deprived but in a terrific mood. Hoping you are in a terrific mood too :-)

xo,

Natalie

For non-spammy updates on my drawing and stuff, please sign up for my newsletter. I'll only send interesting and valuable information your way.

Morning Ritual Cartoon

Sometimes I wake up in a shite mood. There's no good reason for it and through the years I've learned how to overcome WUIABM (Waking Up In a Bad Mood).

This is a morning ritual I use daily:

1. Wake up and drink a tall glass of water
2. Meditate (20 min)
3. Write morning pages (source: Julia Cameron)
4. Write what I'm grateful for
5. Take a walk
6. Read inspiring and sometimes spiritual literature. Right now I'm listening to Deepak Chopra and Oprah 21 Day meditation CD. (There really is nothing you can't accomplish when you have Oprah in your corner.)

Each morning when we wake up there is a gravitational pull that can make us go negative. We need to purposefully and intentionally combat this gravity. 

It's not some deep, dark and terrible thing. It's simply a matter of shaking out the cobwebs out of our heads.

Do you have a morning ritual? What helps you get the engine revving in the morning?