In September, I killed time while waiting for a hurricane to hit.  Of course, if I was 18 years old instead of 83 years old I would be killing time on my iPhone, playing a digital game. 

A wild pig at the gated entrance to our TGO community – I will  show you later the original photo

Guess what, this old dude can use digits to kill time too – we all can. On the internet I found this story.  Over in Paris and Singapore they are Doodling and using the digits of Facebook to share the doodles.  Here is one story about Singapore doodlers:

“When commuting on trains or buses in Singapore.  Erwin Lian whips out his trusty fountain pen and sketchbook and starts doodling away.

While other commuters take naps or busy themselves with their phones, the 37-year-old Lian sketches to kill time. His creations, which can sometimes take up to 20 minutes to complete, typically include the people he sees on public transport.  He says “The public commute presents a unique and safe setting to practise what I love.”

In Singapore – the “Commute Sketchers”

The adjunct lecturer at Singapore’s Ngee Ann Polytechnic is part of a small group, known as the Commute Sketchers, who document their surroundings while traveling on trains, buses and other forms of transport.

Then they digitize their doodle sketches and share them world-wide on Facebook.  Some of their sketches have gone on display at several train stations and bus interchanges. And their sketches and doodle art may soon get even more exposure on the internet!

We all have waiting time to kill – waiting for an event we know will happen to us. The northeast folks were told of an impending Nor’easter days before it hit.  In Florida, we are told of the Hurricane days before it hits us.  I flew for my job in the 1980’s  – every week I sat for hours on planes heading to Europe or California – lots of time to kill. On Drummond we stand and wait for the old-fashioned credit card machine at the grocery store to process our card.

A typical doodle at the grocery story – I add doodles every time I go there

The store owners Dale and Kelly, put an 8 x 10 card on the shelf that we will use to sign the receipt. Some of us doodle on the card while waiting for the receipt we need to sign.  

Today I am waiting in Florida again. I am just killing time until Monday when I go to the hospital for a heart valve replacement procedure.  

So, how do I pass time?  I DOODLE.  But this time, waiting for Monday to arrive, I am even more modern than the commuters in Singapore or the doodlers on Drummond Island. I digitally Doodle.  Often, starting my doodle with a digital photograph.  I will show you a few digital doodles I did just this week:

I like traveling to see the pyramids – abstract digital doodle

For Halloween –  abstract digital doodle

For me –  abstract digital doodle

For you –  abstract digital doodle

Air travel digital doodle – On my napkin over Bangor Maine – I shared my doodles with a number of passengers. Plus, each week I gave the hostess some form of a Doodled napkin – She hung them in her child’s room she said.

While driving into TGO the other day I saw the wild pigs. They quickly ran away – somehow they knew I was getting a new heart valve – I tried to tell them mine was going to be manufactured using only cow tissue.  But, they did not trust me.

Oh my! – Perla and a third pig watching it all – Perla and the third pig stuck around on my digital photo doodle

Yep – this is Perla – I thinned her down a little and colored her hair – Digital doodle

Portrait of Perla – Digital doodle

Not Perla – but I like this digital doodle I did

As you swing thru life waiting for an event – whip out that paper pad, iPhone, iPad, or napkin – and doodle a story – you will never have to kill or murder time again – you will be nurturing time instead. – smile and go digital.