BE LIKE BOB

I like Bob Ross. No, I love Bob Ross. Not only do I watch his program because he's an awesome painter, but I sometimes watch him to fall asleep at night.  I have bouts of insomnia and his voice and the 'tap, tap. tapping' of his brush on the rough canvas are enough to lull a death-row prisoner to sleep. 

I was watching Bob last night, that's what I call him, Bob, and I was thinking how different the world would be if everyone were like him. Even if 50% of the population were like him, we'd all be so much better off.  Even if the other 50% of the population had the personality of the love child of Vladimir Putin and Roseanne Barr. 

Bob's a calm guy; nothing ruffles his feathers.  Someone came into your studio and painted a portrait of Kim Jong-un over your happy trees? Not to worry, we'll paint happier trees over Kim.  We'll paint a happy stream over his huge forehead, and a happy meadow over his bad 90's haircut.  Kim Jong-un won't get us down because we're Bob Ross.  

Imagine all the different scenarios in which having the personality of Bob Ross would come in handy...

You're rear-ended at an intersection. Ask yourself, "What would Bob do?"  Bob would say "That dent adds dimension to the bumper.  I was thinking of painting a panoramic landscape there anyway, and that dent will make the perfect dormant volcano crater."

Your loser roommate drinks all of your booze.  What would Bob do?  "No worries, bro.  I have a fifth of tequila I've been saving for a special occasion, and if running out of beer isn't a special occasion, I don't know what is.  Cheers, bro.  Drink up."

Your neighbor's dog thinks your yard is a giant toilet.  "That poop will fertilize the lawn and help grass and plants to grow.  Plants and flowers bring bees and hummingbirds.  Bees make honey, which is delicious, and hummingbirds, well, they're just so damn cute, aren't they?  Circle of life, man.  Poop is part of it."  

Your favorite sitcom is cancelled.  "Now I can buy it on DVD, watch it anytime I want to, and with no annoying commercials.  There's a director's commentary AND bonus features? Score!"

I want a bumper sticker with a silhouette of Bob and his awesome afro and the text will read "BE LIKE BOB."  That's how much respect I have for him. Is he a little "different?"  Hell yeah, he's different., but awesome people usually are. 

If you think you're a freak, or a nerd, or a geek, so what?  Look at Bob's damn hair; how many white people have the guts to have that hairdo?  Not many.  Bob doesn't care, Bob likes his hair.  Bob made a name for himself doing what he loved and not giving a shit what people thought about his hair, or his happy trees, or anything for that matter.  Bob didn't care if people thought he was a sissy, or gay, or a freak, or weird, or different because Bob was too damn busy doing what he loved to do and having a ball doing it.  

Do what you love, don't worry what other people think, love yourself and love life, and above all, remember; the world would be a better place if we could all just BE LIKE BOB.

Bob Ross, painting a picture.

©2013 Kari Potochnik

*If you want to use my cartoon, don't steal it,  just ask. I'm pretty cool like that.*