Then came college. The importance of specializing became even more important though it was demanded of me to pick a major and minor which I did about ten times at four different colleges. I didn’t finish but I did study hard and a lot of subjects. I was always a hit at cocktail parties because I learned words like “ethnocentric” and “Kierkegaard” and phrases like “To thine own self be true”. I stopped using that Shakespearean gem as it seemed to depress most of my fellow college students (including me) as, which of us was truly being true to ourselves if we were sitting at a desk listening to the most boring professors on the planet? Do as I say, not as….

In my twenties I simply decided to go out and conquer the cold cruel world and almost did so a few times. I worked on a few major projects for others and a few of my own and learned a good deal about how the world works. Of course the more I learned, the more I learned I needed to learn.

The years passed and early important lessons never left. “Learn to do one thing and do it very well”. I learned to do a few dozen things and none of them all that well.

I went back to school in my mid-40s and everything had changed. The new mantra was “Be flexible. Learn to do a lot of things because things are changing so fast you are most likely to be doing something else tomorrow”. In fact none of the nearly 100 hours I had accumulated my first time in college applied (even though I didn’t need to take the classes again as I was tested for life experience and apparently had learned my lessons). But the new pragmatic (right in your face) lessons were harder than anything I could imagine. But some of them manifested and transferred into the workplace.

Do I do any one thing very well? Not really. I co-create Londons Times Cartoons with my very talented team. I founded it in 1997. I founded several funny gift shops which feature my cartoon products with an inventory of over a quarter million of them.

I founded ShoesThatAmuse.com in 2007, the world’s only famous love quote shoes. APWire and USA Today wrote a very nice story about them.

This past month, I launched ABoyNamedSushi.com a division of ShoeShies which are sushi shoes and gifts and I enjoy that very much though sales are far from brisk, but then again inventory is far from full. So I keep plugging away.

Sadly, most of my early professors who (not on purpose) misled me to do one thing and do it well (how in the world could they see how technology would change our lives and future) are now deceased.

My more recent professors and students from Western Governor’s University are now on Twitter and facebook and, like me, are attempting to become more renaissance every day (as am I). We all have so many balls in the air, at times, it looks like an online juggling convention.

My wife Lee started with a simple photography blog HikeOurPlanet.com which has turned into a very popular nature wildlife blog and she makes her own line of gift and home decor products, LeeHillerDesigns.com.

On the way to doing what we do now, Lee and I did what we had to do to survive; that is, SEO, article marketing, blogging, promoting on Twitter and other social networks; you name it.

We do all this and still have time for our favorite charities and causes such as wildlife, environment, Japan recovery, domestic animals and much more.

We’ve learned to do a lot, and though we may have received an “F” for that 40 years ago in college, it is what is the norm today.

Times change and so do people. I was thinking recently if Einstein came back and lived in our generation, a 6th grader would have to not only have to teach him how to work a PC, but tell him what it is.
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Rick London is the founder of Google’s #1 ranked offbeat cartoons, Londons Times and its licensed shops such as The Rick London Collection which is currently seeking associates. There is no fee (EVER), our manufacturer Zazzle pays YOU for sales, you never pay us a penny. You visit my Zazzle Shop, sign up for a free shop and affiliate account.  Post items you like from my shop, promote, sell, earn. Just like in the olden days.  To sign up CLICK HERE.
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Click To Enlarge

Above was our 1st Londons Times Cartoon logo. I remember thinking “This is brilliant”…proof, there was much work to do!!

I do now understand a little more how the cartoon became successful (there were two main elements) 1. Hard work. I mean relentlessly hard and not giving up when obstacle after obstacle arose, and they did, often fast & furiously. I couldn’t have done it alone.

I had and have an amazingly talented creative team, and supportive friends (some call them fans, but they are real friends) who are very loyal. That part often seems strange. I think it was the struggle of getting 20 people per day to visit at the start which was difficult to now; having had 8.7 million visitors since January 2005. One can imagine the surprise. Anyone would be.

Click To Enlarge

Above is our current Londons Times Cartoons & Gifts logo. Maybe not brilliant, but doesn’t it beat that Partridge Family looking thing???

By the same token, everything I’ve learned in school tells me, it would have been even more surprising if we’d not had the result not have been as it turned out. All the elements were in place. Everyone involved worked and work very hard. I am surrounded by talent I believe to be way out of my league. It works. My wife Lee is very supportive and offers consistent support. I’m grateful every day.

14 years ago, I was on the floor of an old tin shed in rural Ms. begging artists and web people to work with me for peanuts.

Click To Enlarge

Above is the View From My Hot Springs, Ar Home Office

Today I’m looking up in my office at numerous cartoons (two of which just appeared in the Jerusalem Post; one they left up for a month), and several that are in the permanent collection at Mayo Clinic Medical Library, and one that Barbara Orbison, widow of the late great Roy Orbison has placed permanently in the Roy Orbison Archives.

Click To Enlarge

This Londons Times Cartoon (and one other) is part of the permanent collection of Mayo Clinic Medical Library

We received an email from them several months ago requesting signed copies for their Medical Library which we sent. It is part of their permanent collection. The Library’s founder, Dr. Polly was “a cartoon fanatic” (in their words).

In 2001, I launched Cartoonists Against Terrorism to raise funds for the families of fallen 9/11 responders. A heart attack and resulting bad literary economy afer 9/11 put that effort on hold, but cartoonists worldwide have contributed and we are building a 9/11 Memorial Shop which will open in September 2011 to benefit 9/11 families.

Click To Enlarge

This Londons Times/Panel Hollywood Cartoon is in the permanent collection of the Roy Orbison Archives

The above cartoon is part of our “Panel Hollywood” series. It is now a permanent fixture in the Roy Orbison Archives at the request of his widow, Barbara Orbison.

My loving wife Lee is a wonderful wildlife/nature photographer. She has the popular Hike Our Planet nature blog with incredible photos of Hot Springs National Park.

Click To Enlarge

Above is the logo of Photos4Japan.Org founded by my wife Lee-Hiller London (Lee Hiller). Her user name is @LeeHillerLondon on Twitter to follow her updates.

She recently launched Photographers For Japan in which some of the best nature photographers I’ve ever seen have contributed photos to help raise money for our favorite charity Mercy Corps.

I was briefly involved with a Mercy Corps project in which both Lee and I were very impressed.

Above is a graphic of the cover of our 1st book “Londons Times Cartoons 13th Anniversary available at Lulu.com as a coffee table book or download cartoon E-book at Lulu.com and soon at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc (6-8 weeks from now).

I decided to launch Cartoonists to help Japan, starting with cartoons from our Londons Times collection, and placing want ads on various artist websites recruiting others (worldwide). We also placed a Mercy Corp donate button and it is becoming a popular site.

This is the logo for our Cartoonists For Japan blog. On Twitter, the user name is @cartoons4japan in case you would like to follow; we’d be honored.

Click To Enlarge

This Londons Times Cartoon & One other appeared in the Jerusalem Post Feb 2011 (stayed up a full month)

The above cartoon and one other appeared in The Jerusalem Post in February 2011. They ran this one for an entire month in their online paper during the Egyptian uprising. The other cartoon appeared for a day in their paper edition.

I sit at my desk in my Hot Springs, Ar office which overlooks the mountains of Hot Springs National Park. I think back to the start and it all seems like a blur. I can remember how few believed the project would ever work. I tended often to be on their side. My own belief in it was slim to none. But there were a few who felt I might have some talent and encouraged me. I remember them as if they are family A few are no longer with us but their spirit is. Without them, we would not have these cartoons.

Now it is too late to turn back…too late to throw in the towel. Not that I’d want to. Every day I feel like the adventure has just begun.

I’m designing shoes at my Shoes That Amuse famous love quotes shoes shop. I go hiking and absorb and enjoy nature with my wife Lee as she snaps some of the most fascinating photos I’ve ever seen. And we’re happy. Next week is the Royal Wedding of William & Catherine. Everyone is very excited so I designed a lot of gifts and collectibles with a caricature of them we created plus designed several styles of shoes. Its all available at our Shoes That Amuse Shop.

Click To Enlarge

Above is the lace-up style of Royal Wedding Shoes I designed on U.S. Keds. (Champion Keds for women). I also made tees, mousepads, etc and two slip on shoe designs at our ShoesThatAmuse.com shop.

Click To Enlarge

Looking back and seeing what happens (when one gets out of one’s own way), one can easily have faith that God really does want us to be happy. I happen to believe that; not to worry though, in case you don’t share that belief, it doesn’t matter to me. I wish everyone joy, happiness and laughter. Get your work done, but go out and play, no matter what your age!!

Above was our 1st Londons Times Cartoon logo. I remember thinking "This is brilliant"…proof, there was much work to do!!

      I do now understand a little more how the cartoon became successful (there were two main elements) 1. Hard work. I mean relentlessly hard and not giving up when obstacle after obstacle arose, and they did, often fast & furiously.   I couldn’t have done it alone.

I had and have an amazingly talented creative team, and supportive friends (some call them fans, but they are real friends) who are very loyal. That part often seems strange.  I think it was the struggle of getting 20 people per day to visit at the start which was difficult to now; having had 8.7 million visitors since January 2005. One can imagine the surprise. Anyone would be. 

Above is our current Londons Times Cartoons & Gifts logo. Maybe not brilliant, but doesn’t it beat that Partridge Family looking thing??? 

     By the same token, everything I’ve learned in school tells me, it would have been even more surprising if we’d not had the result not have been as it turned out.  All the elements were in place. Everyone involved worked and work very hard.  I am surrounded by talent I believe to be way out of my league.  It works.  My wife Lee is very supportive and offers consistent support. I’m grateful every day.

      14 years ago, I was on the floor of an old tin shed in rural Ms. begging artists and web people to work with me for peanuts. 

       Today I’m looking up in my office at numerous cartoons (two of which just appeared in the Jerusalem Post; one they left up for a month), and several that are in the permanent collection at Mayo Clinic Medical Library, and one that Barbara Orbison, widow of the late great Roy Orbison has placed permanently in the Roy Orbison Archives. 

The above cartoon is one of two we did about Mayo Clinic. We received an email from them several months ago requesting signed copies for their Medical Library which we sent. It is part of their permanent collection. The Library’s founder, Dr. Polly was "a cartoon fanatic" (in their words). 

       In 2001, I launched Cartoonists Against Terrorism to raise funds for the families of fallen 9/11 responders. A heart attack and resulting bad literary economy afer 9/11 put that effort on hold, but cartoonists worldwide have contributed and we are building a 9/11 Memorial Shop which will open in September 2011 to benefit the families. 

The above cartoon is part of our  "Panel Hollywood" series. It is now a permanent  fixture in the Roy Orbison Archives at the request of his widow, Barbara Orbison. 

      My loving wife Lee is a wonderful wildlife/nature photographer. She has the popular Hike Our Planet nature blog with incredible photos of Hot Springs National Park. 

Above is the logo of Photos4Japan.Org founded by my wife Lee-Hiller London (Lee Hiller). Her user name is @LeeHillerLondon on Twitter  to follow her updates.  

       She recently launched Photographers For Japan in which some of the best nature photographers I’ve ever seen have contributed photos to help raise money for our favorite charity Mercy Corps. 

       I was briefly involved with a Mercy Corps project in which both Lee and I were very impressed. 

Above is a graphic of the cover of our 1st book "Londons Times Cartoons 13th Anniversary available at Lulu.com as a coffee table book or download cartoon E-book. 

      I decided to launch Cartoonists to help Japan, starting with cartoons from our Londons Times collection, and placing want ads on various artist websites recruiting others (worldwide).   We also placed a Mercy Corp donate button and it is becoming a popular site. 

This is the logo for our Cartoonists For Japan blog. On Twitter, the user name is @cartoons4japan in case you would like to follow; we’d be honored. 

The above cartoon and one other appeared in The Jerusalem Post in February 2011. They ran this one for an entire month in their online paper during the Egyptian uprising.  The other cartoon appeared for a day in their paper edition. 

      I sit at my desk in my Hot Springs, Ar office which overlooks the mountains of Hot Springs National Park.  I think back to the start and it all seems like a blur. I can remember how few believed the project would ever work.  I tended often to be on their side. My own belief in it was slim to none.  But there were a few who felt I might have some talent and encouraged me. I remember them as if they are family  A few are no longer with us but their spirit is. Without them, we would not have these cartoons.

     Now it is too late to turn back…too late to throw in the towel. Not that I’d want to.  Every day I feel like the adventure has just begun. 

      I am working on my second book Londons Times Generation Two Cartoons which should be out before the 2011 holidays. 

      I’m designing shoes at my Shoes That Amuse famous love quotes shoes shop.  I go hiking and absorb and enjoy nature with my wife Lee as she snaps some of the most fascinating photos I’ve ever seen.  And we’re happy.   Next week is the Royal Wedding of William & Catherine.  Everyone is very excited so I designed a lot of gifts and collectibles with a caricature of them we created plus designed several styles of shoes.  Its all available at our Shoes That Amuse Shop. 

Above is the lace-up style of Royal Wedding Shoes I designed on U.S. Keds. (Champion Keds for women). I also made tees, mousepads, etc and two slip on shoe designs at our ShoesThatAmuse.com shop.  

      Looking back and seeing what happens (when one gets out of one’s own way), one can easily have faith that God really does want us to be happy. I happen to believe that; not to worry though, in case you don’t share that belief,  it doesn’t matter to me.  I wish everyone joy, happiness and laughter.  Get your work done, but go out and play, no matter what your age!!