Surprise From Mayo Clinic Awhile Back by Rick London

Part of the Mayo Clinic Lucy Medical Library Cartoon Collection

I remember a funny experience with Mayo Clinic back around 2014.  I received a call from the clinic’s librarian who had seen several cartoons we had created which included Mayo Clinic.  

The very nice librarian asked me if I could she could buy the two cartoons to put up in “The Lucy Library” at Mayo.  The library’s founder, a Dr. Lucy, one of the early Mayo Clinic’s doctors back in the ‘50s or ‘60s was a big collector of cartoons,  particularly cartoons that mentioned Mayo Clinic.  Dr. Lucy had a collection that remains in The Lucy Gallery located in the Mayo Clinic Library. I assured her I would donate them to their good cause and did so.

Today, I was reading several articles about laughter, humor, and its effect on the immune system, which has always been of interest to me as an adult.  Humor and faith are two of my coping mechanism, especially as we all make our way into a new world, in hopes surviving what challenges and/or obstacles await us. 

I found myself in a “loop of articles”, and got a chance to learn new information that I did not know.  A little of it I knew, but not even close to what new research has found.  That loop eventually led me to research by Mayo Clinic regarding humor and the immune system.

Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:

Mayo reports on their website that laughter and humor improves your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

 Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.

 Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.

Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier.

According to Mayo’s research, these are short and long-term effects of laughter. 

I’ve also noticed that for the past 1.5 years, in my shops that usually sell T-shirts, mugs, etc., all relatively inexpensive items, now only purchase postcards and occasionally buttons or greeting cards, but mostly postcards. 

I’m fine with that.  I didn’t get into this business for the money; though trying to make a good income was on the radar, I never had the ambition to make enough to fly funny looking rockets into space.

So we’ve lowered the cost of our postcards for a limited time to 50 cents each including free personalization.  If you purchase 2 or more, they don’t have to be the same cartoon card.  Order a bunch of different ones thinking of the type humor each friend or family member has. They won’t forget it.

It can be shipped straight to you or to the person(s) you wish to send.  It is easy to type the message on your keyboard.  We have fonts that look like real cursive writing.

My point is, everyone deserves to have a working immune system.  And if you can find natural methods to boost it to thrive, all the better.  And what better way to send a gift for 50c.  Or 100 of them for $50. Or 500 of them for only $250  Coincidentally, we will be 25 years old in March, 2022.

I founded Londons Times Cartoons & Gifts in 1997. It became Google #1 ranked in 2005 where it has remained since that time.  You can visit my Zazzle Giftshop and take advantage of the postcard sale today. 

Nothing feels better than giving the gift of health and laughter…for under $1.

Nostalgia, Playlists, & Cartoon To Card Or Gift by Rick London

Young Bobbie Gentry Gets Inspired

Walken With Cowbells

I can be such a sucker for “all things nostalgic”.  Especially when it comes to music.  Most old music works just fine with me.   My beloved wife Lee understands as she has her own favorite playlist, which, shares some of my old favorites, but we’ve got our own separate tastes as well. 

When I have the news off, and the music on, it seems to tap something and I tend to get a bit creative.  Please don’t get me wrong; I am not delusional enough to think I’ve become a Twain or Faulkner, but I can finish a sentence. (many tell me “And the sooner you finish the better”) 🙂

I notice when I’m listening to certain musicians or bands, when I like something I hear, I write it down, whether it is part of the music or the vocals.

Since my mind seems to think “in pictures”, it seems relatively simple to transfer the musical emotion I just heard into an “art project” that then becomes a cartoon before becoming gifts. I can draw, but not that well. Hence the LTCartoons.com illustrative team of Tom Kerr and Sergey Rudenko and I run the ideas back and forth. If either feel the idea is a good one, they do it. If not, we don’t do it.

And of course we (try to tackle) all topics from medicine to politics to outer space. We are not confined to the music industry (though I must admit it is one of our favorite industries for cartoon ideas). Maybe because I love music as much as I do.

It is a wonderful way to stay creative, yet it is not rocket-science, so seems to reduce stress/anxiety and lift one’s mind/spirit to be more creative.

I realize this is not the only way to be creative, and there are others far more creative than I am, who have their own methods.

Being autistic with PTSD requires extra concentration and focus, just to get out of bed, much less create anything.  I am older and convinced, now, that anyone can be creative, which will lift ones quality of life. It can be cooking, reading, writing letters, and even the arts.

And so I design fun affordable things like T-shirts, mugs, cards and such, of numerous musicians and/or bands, in hopes other everyone can enjoy their favorites along with further humor (our) favorite bands helped facilitate. 

Aqualung My Ex-Friend

Roy Orbison & Pretty Woman

Frozen Foods At Beatles Grocery

Chicks For Free?

Rick London launched Londons Times Cartoons & Funny Gifts in 1997. It has been the Google top ranked offbeat cartoon gifts since 2005. Please drop by our Cafepress giftshop. Everything is now up to 35% off sitewide. Lots off goodies. Drop by and see what’s new.