Mark Armstrong Illustration Specializing In Content Marketing Advertising Editorial Infographics Animation Videos and Social Media

I do cartoons for Fiddler Magazine.

Am I a fiddler? No. Just a hack guitarist. But I love reading about fiddlers and their music. Fascinating people, and a truly unique niche.

My latest cartoon had some fun with a famous Mother Goose rhyme:

Hey, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

The Fiddler cartoons are published in B&W, but I decided to add color to this one, and offer it as a print in my online store.

Bad cow! Blaming the fiddler for his moon-jumping obsession… for shame! : )

I got thinking about obsessive behavior, and decided I’m a lot like that dumb cow.

Why? Because I check email probably 20 times a day– or more!

It’s almost always spam and other junk– so why do I check it so often?

Have you ever heard the expression dancing to someone’s tune? It means to always obey someone who has power over you.

I decided I’m dancing to the tune of FOMO: the Fear Of Missing Out. Sometimes you see it expressed as a hashtag: #FOMO. It’s the same fear that salesman play on when they tell us: “You must act now!! Offer good for a limited time only!! Don’t wait, call now!!”

I decided to turn the cartoon into an infographic to remind myself that constantly checking email is a big waste of time– time I should be spending on assignments, marketing, networking, and other goals.

I’m taking the pledge: I’m through being a dumb cow and a slave to FOMO and checking email– no sir, I ain’t gonna do it no moo!!

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Any other email addicts out there? Do you have a coping mechanism? Please leave a comment.

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You might also enjoy this post about why it pays to “think funny.” Humor can help us solve problems by freeing us up to think more creatively.

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About Mark: I’m an illustrator specializing in humor, branding, social media, and content marketing. I create images that get content seen and shared.

You can view my portfolio, and connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Questions? Send me an email.

Follow @mrstrongarm