My 2013 Resolutions.

Here's my top ten New Years resolutions for 2013; I'm trying to focus on the important stuff, but I also want to be realistic.

The most challenging thing on my list is number 3. I still need to get better at saying "no". If you had to pick one personal goal for 2013, what would it be...?

Happy New Year and all that sparkly rainbow bubbly stuff.

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No means NO.

Last week, we got the dreaded phone call from the high school. Our fifteen year old daughter had been in an accident.

Seems she was just on her way to class, when a friend approached her in the hall.

He went to pick her up. She said "No".

But he continued.......and lost his balance.

She landed on her head, twisting her neck. He then fell backwards onto her.

Our daughter said she remembered saying "no" and then finding herself on the floor, unable to stand. She couldn't remember how she got there. We took her straight to hospital. Luckily, she "only" had a mild concussion and a wrenched neck. But she had to miss school and man, was she pissed about that!

It could have been so much worse...

My intention here is not to demonize the friend; he's genuinely sorry. But I'd like to use this story to open up a discussion about boundaries, respect for personal space, and the meaning of the word "no". When a person says "no" why doesn't it matter? No means NO.

Have you had an experience where your personal space was not respected?

I drew this one on the go, in Paper, on my iPad.

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9 Ways To Say NO.

Are you tired of being asked expected to work for free? Here are nine ways to say NO.

1. The Demure Negatory. If you throw in a little something shiny, they won't even know what hit them.

2. Shock and Disbelief. Trust me, you won't even need to fake it.

3. Rage. No one will mistake this for a "yes".

4. The Element of Surprise. Catch them off guard with a Cirque move!

5. Run Away Screaming. I tried this last week and it works amazingly well.

6. Over My Dead Body. This one's a little old school, but it's perfect for repeat offenders. Plus you can always throw in the threat of haunting to spice things up.

7. The Jedi Wave. Some folks simply don't get that they should pay for commercial services; they really feel entitled to free drawings and stuff, no matter how you explain it. And they even get kinda mad when you just say no. It's far better to hypnotize them. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobe, you're my only hope.

8. Mirth. Burst out laughing. Especially effective if someone offers to pay you with tweets.

9. If all else fails, Spell It Out. If you view these two drawings in the Lightbox skin, you can animate them and say the word "no" at the same time. TRY IT - just click on the drawing.

I may publish a collection of some of the more absurd emails asking me for free drawings. I'll even pay myself to illustrate it - oh, the irony!

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