61: An act of boldness
This quote is often misattributed to the famous German writer Goethe, but I found out in this article that it’s not his. Since no one really knows who said it I didn’t attribute the quote to anyone. If anyone knows for certain who it is please let me know.
So anyway, I’ve actually been up on a trapeze a couple of times. I was just doing beginner stuff but I got to hang upside down by my legs and be caught by another dude swinging towards me. It was so freaking scary and exhilarating at the same time. My brother used to work for Cirque du Soleil in Macau as a physical therapist (check out his blog is you’re interested in health and fitness) so I’ve seen a few different Cirque shows and I got to go back stage and hang with the artists. The performers are called ‘artists’ which I thought is pretty cool … and definitely true. The trapeze artists really do perform art, night after night, except their bodies are the brush.
- The Road Not Taken print is available for those interested.
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Tell that to Dick Grayson, the first robin.
I’m sorry for being so negative, but I just had to…
No, you didn’t. You made a choice. You may have felt compelled, but you didn’t “just had to.”
And Dick Grayson is a fictional character, so technically, only another fictional character could tell him anything. I doubt Batman had the kind of insight to enable him to ponder such things. Too much loss and obsession in his early life, not enough whimsy.
Take that as a gentle suggestion, sweetie. Pencil, anyone?
Sincerely
The Joker
It’s beautiful, and thanks for sharing your personal story! Keep on trapeezin’
Loved this one. Specially in context of the upcoming Olympics! Nice and uplifting. Keep it up
Trapezing looks like a lot of fun, albeit dangerous, lol
Even though there are so many people on this earth, the world is small. Your brother may know someone I know if he worked at the Cirque du Soleil in Macau
No big deal – but facinating none the less. Thanks for the usual visual food for thought and the insight that the world is not as big as it seems sometimes.
Hi Natasha,
Yes very small world – I’m curious, who do you know that was in Macau??
Trev
This insight into your past and family has just made this comic even greater. Looking into your brother’s blog and discovering the Mallakhamb was fantastic!
Thanks a lot for the great inspiration you give us with each drawing and text.
Hopefully the don’t use the “brush” on the ground”
This one gives me goose bumps! I love how you turn powerful quote into an epic one. LOVE IT!
Great stuff, as always! Made me think of this other quote by Goethe (one of my personal faves) – “Nothing is worth more than this day!”
All the best with making this regular!
Great as always… never disappoint me.. Great job Gav!
Woah, you got to meet with some of the Cirque du Soleil performers? That’s so badass.
I love trapeze, love cirque de soleil, and always love your works!
Keep it up, you’re amazing
They’re just trolling, pay them no mind.
In fact, Gav, if you can, I would delete those comments.
They’re probably from the same person…
Thanks Calibur, should I proud? My first troll
Usually trolls go on popular sites, as far as I know… SO, yes, perhaps you should be proud.
I agree with Calibur – You’re popular enough for trolling! Huzzah!
I agree too, rejoice! You are popular! Someone with your talent deserves to be such, and I’m thrilled to see it.
I’d suggest deleting those too. They really serve no purpose, and can start a flame war. That would be ironic, and sad, on a site like this.
Deleted, thanks – good to know you have my back!
You have motivated me to be bold!
Love the post. Keep doing what you do.
Love the transition fom kid to adult. Good Job.
Another excellent comic! Although… Between “BEGIN IT,” and “BOLDNESS HAS GENIUS,” those look an awful lot like uneven parallel bars.
Which, as a number of years of competitive gymnastics has told me, are for girls… only. One of my favorite events, actually (vault was a close second), but I’ve never seen a guy on them. I’m pretty sure you were shooting for a guy in the drawing, though bodily I didn’t look much different from him back in the day.
Then again, I guess you could make the argument that acrobats/artists practice on whatever they find. >_>
Sorry for pointing it out, it’s just something that made me twitch a lil’.
And congratulations on your first troll(s)! You are now OFFICIALLY an internet phenomenon.
Hey Paz, thanks for clarifying – i didn’t know men didn’t use the uneven bars.
Your comics make me go emotional.. I’m hooked on your site and have many of the favorites saved in a special folder!
Great!
Maybe the quote is from Goethe.
The “Goethe couplet” referred to here is from an extremely loose translation of Goethe’s Faust lines 214-30 made by John Anster in 1835.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._H._Murray#cite_note-GoetheSociety-1
and take a look at:http://www.goethesociety.org/pages/quotescom.html
and great work as always!
I would love a print of this one, if it’s ever created. I’m a professional trapeze artist (doubles and swinging, not flying, though I have tried it) and would love to have this reminder on my wall!
My daughter just started a week of summer “camp”– half day fencing, half day flying trapeze. Gotta’ send this to her
.
beautifully made. inspirational!
Amazing as usual.
Any chance we could see a print of this? I’d definitely buy it
William Hutchison Murray (18 March 1913 – 19 March 1996)
from his 1951 book
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
The whole quote Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
I all the time emailed this blog post page to all
my associates, because if like to read it next my friends will too.