After the month-long hiatus

Zoe and Greta---coupla years back

The last blog post was a month ago today. Interrupted internet service (nearly three weeks) and a "fried" hard drive were among the impediments to posting.

Last week our surviving doxie, Zoe joined Greta "at the Rainbow Bridge". We were sad to have to let go of our friend, yet we didn't want to prolong her suffering or pain. Zoe seemed spry for a sixteen year old dog, yet we saw signs of aging. In the last few weeks she seemed short of breath and it turns out she had a tumor growing near her heart and lungs.

Today's picture harks to days when both dogs were still playing fetch (or Zoe's variation, which more closely resembled keep away). At the time of this picture, the games were shorter than they were when these two were puppies, but they still loved to play!

As I begin to get back to blogging, I am thinking of some format changes. Preparing daily drawings (that can be posted) proves to be quite a task. Amazing that Gary Larson and Bill Watterson could churn our sheer genius every day for years! My sights are set at 'mildly amusing' once in a while....hmmmm a working title?

No way I'm tall enough to ride THAT emotional roller coaster!

I heard a teenager say these words recently and thought they were brilliant! She says she thinks she might have heard someone else say them. Seems like a very healthy viewpoint to set one's boundaries and keep clear of other people's drama.

Flag day

Marv's retired military

Someone once asked me if my cartoon ideas begin with the words and concept or with a visual. My experience has been a bit of each. This toon started with the little uniformed guy. I decided to draw him saluting...a flag. Then the idea to make the flag a golf flag just popped into my head. The bystanders were a late addition so there would be someone to supply the commentary. Presto.

Bonus points if you spot the "oops" (which when I saw it decided the error was quite funny).

Throwback Thursday-1994

Christ the King Lutheran Church, Tigard, Oregon September 11, 1994

Twenty years ago, I, a newly married, recently graduated person was ordained into the Lutheran Church (ELCA). There, now you know something about my day job.
    Actually, I can't compartmentalize too much as my notes, phone message pads, and even sermon manuscripts are populated with all sorts of little cartoons. It's also true that there's quite a bit of fodder for drawing and commentary doing what I do.
   Oh the picture...I'm the tall guy in the back wearing the red poncho thingee (a chasuble, for you liturgical purists).

School's in

Welcome to the first day of school, kiddies

Maybe I didn't have the most positive of attitudes about school starting back in the day. Not being in school or having school age children, I harbor some schaudenfreude this time of year.

Leave it to mugsy

So I'm experimenting with putting little animals onto the handles of mugs. The idea is to get the figure to integrate with the handle, sort of. If nothing else, I get a big laugh out of making these, and perhaps that's worth something.

TBT:

Keepin' it classy, there bartster

Here is proof positive that middle age men revert to humor from the third grade.Some middle age men? OK one who keeps a blog of sketches and doodles. This toon goes back about six or seven years ago when I first started experimenting with ink washes. Now I notice some compositional choices that that would clarify the joke. Live and learn.