O.M.G.! Just… No: Funny January Reflection

O.M.G.! Just… No. January arrived, as it always does, full of cheer and unsolicited advice.

Monk painting that says: Just...NO to January

“New year, new you,” it proclaimed.

“Time to set goals,” it insisted.

“Have you tried a green smoothie,” it asked, as if the answer mattered.

“Sunrise meditation is life-changing,” it added, cheerfully oblivious.

The monk was not impressed. By the time I began painting him, he had already staged a full-on protest. One hand lifted, steady and immovable, and his expression read like a manifesto: Seriously, again. I said no last year too. Do we have to. He squinted at the sunshine, grimaced at the cold, and muttered things under his breath that would have shocked anyone else in the room.

I eventually named the piece “O.M.G.! Just… No.” Not loud, not dramatic, just firm, calm, and unshakable. January could take its resolutions, its kale smoothies, and its sunrise ceremonies and go somewhere else entirely.

What you can't see in the painting is that while I painted, he grumbled continuously. It was January. The robe itched. The paintbrush tickled. The floor was too cold, the room too bright, and he was fairly certain the universe had skipped his coffee. He may have skipped his morning prayers that day, preferring instead to stand still, scowl at nothing, and catalogue everything wrong with the month. Occasionally, I chuckled internally at the funny January reflections, I imagined him holding an invisible picket sign that read, “Stop. Just stop.”

He has endured Januaries before. He remembers every resolution that flared brightly and disappeared by February, every planner abandoned mid-month, every sunrise meditation replaced with snoozing. He remembers the well-meaning advice that starts with you should, the pep talks that demand enthusiasm, and the persistent optimism that tries to force him into cheerful compliance. He does not forget. He does not forgive. And most importantly, he does not comply.

If you told him your ambitious plans for the year, he would nod politely. Smile faintly. And then internally lift that hand again. A quiet, unmistakable nope. He is not being difficult. He is practicing protest. He is being cantankerous with purpose. Calm, measured, slightly sarcastic rebellion is his art form. Saying no can be a practice. Refusing to play along can be wisdom.

By the time the painting was finished, I realized I had not captured despair. I had captured rebellion. Quiet, controlled, irritable, and perfectly January-proof. He is the kind of monk who would scowl at a motivational poster, sigh at a sunrise, and still manage to be dignified while muttering, Seriously, can we stop already?

Here is a January creative prompt. Draw, paint, or write about a moment you quietly protested against a task, a rule, or even just the calendar itself. Bonus points if a hand gesture, a scowl, or an imaginary picket sign is involved.

Next month will not be quieter. February brings its own absurdities. But for now, the monk holds his ground, hand raised, expression steady, muttering softly and mutinously, silently chanting

OMG. Just… NO.

If you to follow along, calendars featuring this artwork and more can be purchased at Street SmARTs Gallery, a place to bring these little moments of joy into your everyday life.

Thanks for reading The 3rd Flamingo — a blog for art lovers, creative wanderers, and anyone who’s ever made a beautiful mess.