Zen and a New Yorker cartoon

I did this cartoon back around 2007, AND had the nerve ( OR STUPIDITY, I don't know which ) to submit it to the keeper of the gate, Bob Mankoff, ( as he's been often referred to ). 

 Of course, it was rejected . . . ANYTHING I send him goes directly into the "NO" pile to return immediately with the standard light yellow rejection slip, back to the NY'er wannabe cartoonist. ( Over 19,000 cartoons, by my count have been rejected, funny ALL rejected for the SAME reason . . . " NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR US . . " No shit.

Maybe this time around, he may get up the nerve to throw it into the " YES " basket . . .

Ask any shrink, it is healthy to not take yourself too seriously . . . they will ALL say, something like " Take your WORK seriously, but DO NOT TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY.

Man, lighten up, these are ONLY chicken scratchings on pieces of paper . . mostly sent by people you'e never met and some probably who really ain't crazy to meet you either, anyway. 

After all, it's not that it is a matter of life and death . . . just ONE time, go look in the mirror and say loudly: " I AM AN ASSHOLE. " . . . I am going to die like everyone else, that is why, according to some brilliant Zen philosophers like Alan Watts are telling us that that is why we are all assholes . . . think about it . . .  What difference does it REALLY make ?

It's time to take my Lithium and see my therapist, gotta run . . .  you lucky bastards . . .   See you tomorrow, right here !

Peter Plum