Dotty, why are you doing this?

I think my Mission doodle pretty much sums it up, but the simple answer is: I feel compelled to do something. I know that starting a doodle-blog isn’t going to change the world or prevent Donald Trump from destroying it, but it’s something, you know? And if even five people find their way to this site and feel less alone, I have done something.

Dotty, where did you learn how to doodle?

I come from a long line of doodlers. My great-grandmother on my father’s side was a renowned doodler in 19th-century Lithuania. My father went through a prolific doodling phase when he was eight. I began doodling soon after I received a Crayola Caddy on my ninth birthday. It seems that the “doodle gene” has been passed on to my six-year-old niece (who puts me to shame with a Crayola marker).

Dotty, what is a doodle?

I believe that a doodle is an artistic expression of the inner psyche that is created by someone with marginal drawing skills in less than an hour using art supplies available at your local drug store.

Dotty, I’ve been feeling really low today. What do you do to cheer up?

First off, I’m sorry that you are feeling low. There are a lot of people that are feeling low these days. I know that probably doesn’t make you feel better since that’s a pretty depressing thought, but maybe it makes you feel better to know that you are not alone.

Now, what to do about it. My go-to strategy is to incorrectly google the name of my blog (dottysdoodles.com) by leaving off the “s” which brings me to dottydoodles.com.  There I spend time admiring the pictures of the adorable labradoodles in Dotty’s current litter and fantasize about meeting “Pippa” (Dotty’s breeder) on Old Fallbarrow Road in *Bowness-on-Windermere to receive my pick of the litter.

*A tourist “honeypot” according to Wikipedia

Dotty, my IBS has really been acting up lately. Any suggestions?

FERMENTED FOOD. Repopulate that gut of yours with healthy bacteria. Yes, you’ll have a lot of gas at first, but it will be worth it. Trust me. Kimchi, kefir, kombucha, yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut. Start with a little each day and then build up to a serving at each meal. If kombucha seems too “Whole Foods” for you, have a hot dog loaded with sauerkraut. You have a brain in your gut! You must feed it!

Dotty, I, too, am very concerned about the world. How can I make a difference?

First of all, give yourself some credit. You are making a difference by just being here and not falling to pieces in the midst of all the worldly chaos that is surrounding you on a daily basis. That, in and of itself, is a remarkable feat.

Next, do something. Create a doodle-blog. Write a song. Solve a math problem. Take a bubble bath. Smile at someone you pass on the street as you walk by them. Bake cookies for your neighbor. Just try and do one little thing every day that shows that you value yourself and/or someone else. It may seem insignificant, but every small act of kindness we show ourselves and others really does make a difference in the grand scheme of things.

And get a labradoodle.