Mug in a mug on Monday

Hello, out there!!!

I had a coffee on the run a while back. You probably know the provenance:) After I peeled back the detachable coupon, a little white space appeared and virtually begged to be occupied. So this little funster is peeping out from coffee land to wish you a happy day.

My mom told me about a news feature extolling the virtue of doodling. Who knew?  Check it out...
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-higher-purpose-of-doodling/

Mug o Mischief

April Fool's Day is coming...what to do?

How much conniving and contriving go into welcoming April? Somewhere along the line someone must have decided that during Lent and with winter's persistent grip (in this hemisphere anyhow) we need some levity. I'm not sure practical jokes cut it for me....maybe a good sitcom, a funny movie, a joke, or even savoring the work of some of my favorite cartoonists would be my idea of celebrating "April Fool's".

Memo to Winter: Please proceed to the nearest exit

This way, please...other seasons are waiting

Late March and my hands and feet are FREEZING! Even though we're above zero (F) we're not above freezing.

Sipping and sketching

I kept this tumbler....they're durable!

I went to an event months ago and the hosts provided these sturdy 'go cups'. I decided to be frugal and put a label on mine. The cup still works, so why not keep it?

Some days require a major jumpstart

an encore drawing

Time Warp Tuesday-Neighborly faces

Circa 1981-82

What a nice group of guys...My friend Rich (pictured front row left) sent this and I posted it in the blog quite a while ago. As I look at these youngsters, it's quite amazing to think about where life has taken them. There are three or four who are medical doctors...Rich does medical research and enjoys his fine looking crew of grandchildren. There are teachers in this group...business execs, accountants and a guy who doodles and makes pottery for fun in his spare time. And good old Brown Hall has gone through a couple of reno's since this picture was taken.

trading the pen for dancing shoes

Dancing with the Pastars

Imagine pairing dance professionals with Lutheran pastors for a competition very similar to "Dancing with the Stars". Luther Village, the outdoor ministry in our area staged the second annual fundraiser, "Dancing with the PaSTARs" event this past weekend. Who knew fundraising could be so much fun!

I forgot pen and paper that night (a colleague asked if I planned to doodle when I wasn't dancing). Even so, a little bit of drawing found its way into the dance routine! Besides learning a dance, I spent time drawing up and painting a car (my first attempt at drawing flames on a vehicle). That preparation was a lot of fun and likely foreshadowed the laughter and fun that would follow. As my partner and instructor Deborah Gaynor Martens and I rehearsed and prepared I think we laughed more than we danced!

  We danced a  merenge rock style to a song from Grease-- "You're the one that I want". We "drove away" as the music faded and the dance came to an end. Ours was one of about a dozen dances including dazzling demos by the dance professionals....we were treated to tango, salsa, samba, waltz, foxtrot, rumba and more! I know I have smart and caring colleagues---and now I learn these pastors really know how to dance!
 A special cameo appearance by "Kevin Bacon" lured the crowd onto the dance floor and we all got Footloose!
   The spirit of fun and laughter was life giving.  For our part, the crowd and the judges said they really enjoyed our dance and the fun we had presenting it. There might be some video forthcoming on a future post.

It's D (dance) Day!

Today is our "Dancing with the Pastars" fundraiser. I'll look to this funster for inspiration and we'll let you know how it all turned out in a future post.

How quickly did "party like it's 1999' become living in the past

Is it Spring yet?

It's today right? Huh? Huh? It's spring? Right? Huh? Huh?

Winter stays a l--o--n--g time up here. Even when the weather warms, the swings from warmish to arctic are whipsaw so one doesn't really know which season to dress for. At least the calendar says it's spring....

Don and Herman

You look funny....in a good way

Part of the reason I like going to my barber is that she has a comic book by Jim Unger (Herman). I don't mind waiting for other customers to be tonsured because I can study these great cartoons. I haven't figured out how come Mr. Unger liked the heavy dark patterns on the clothes as the faces nearly get lost in them.
Earlier in the week I was thinking about how much I enjoyed Don Martin's cartoons in Mad Magazine. His sound effects were unique and those feet with the hinges were genius! Many a happy hour has been spent poring over those great cartoons.
 Then I wondered what it would have been like had Don Martin's characters met up with "Herman" and the gang. That would be my version of an "all Star" game.

But the face is familiar

Here's another instance where I just started drawing. I'm toying some some techniques and doodling. In the end this guy looked familiar to me. Any ideas whom he resembles?

Looks sort of like the bald guy from "Lost"

Time warp Tuesday-From the Barnyard

Circa 2007-8

The dialogue still makes me chuckle. You can see I was experimenting with ink washes (my first foray) at the time.

Mug O' Monday (happy St. Pat's to yerself)

A melange o' mugs

Top of the mornin' to ya

Who ordered cabbage and corn beef?

The waitress's name tag reads, "Hon"...it didn't come out so clearly. This hard working hash slinger is inspired by the work of Jim Unger, who drew those wonderful "Herman" cartoons. His brushwork was amazing and his wit quite ironic.

I've been thinking--sort of

What did I mean to do before I plopped down on this cold rock?I turned off the stove...did I forget my wallet? My watch? My cellphone? Maybe I'm just overthinking this whole thing.

How cartoonists do 'selfies'

I saw a photo taken of me when I was about ten...the profile was such that I could quickly draw the lines and then extrapolate (yeah, add forty plus years) to come up with this caricature. I scrawled it out using a not so great pen....Might be worth practicing and polishing for a business card or something.....

Time Warp Tuesday-Subject to interpretation

Circa 1962? Bustin' a Move?

Maybe I was practicing for "Dancing with the PaSTARs" coming up this month. It's possible I was also practicing my boxing--Dad bought us boxing mitts when we were kids thinking that would be a good outlet for energy.  Meanwhile the older brothers focus intently on something--maybe a comic  book?. It would be interesting to know what was 'playing' on TV when this pic was snapped.

Waking up is hard to do

For Lent, maybe I'll give up getting up early to go to church

We'll make it through the time change, right? More daylight DOES make it easier to get up and get going. Good thing, with our being in the fifth full month of winter (and I'm sure at least another month to go) rolling into the morning routine and getting out there isn't always easy.

More Day light!!

Set those clocks ahead for Day light "getting" time

A Packa Alpaca

Some friends have asked me to draw alpaca that might find their way onto some mugs. I'm practicing....

Thursday's Thought

Sometimes the simplest pleasures are the most precious

Happy birthday to my brother who turns 28 (give or take a few trips around the sun)

Winter slings eternal

If I wish this winter away, I end up wishing away the next seven months!

Time Warp Tuesday-A New Book Title for the Befuddled

Circa 2010-11

I can see lots of changes I would make to this toon if I drew it today. The joke might mean something to those who read those inspirational books about adapting to change and finding one's niche in the world.
The adapting and niche seeking aren't as easy as it seems.

Monday's Funny

Medical Exams in Canada

BRUSH WEEK: Saturday

I like the title because it sounds like "rush week". I'm not condoning, endorsing or dissing the Greek system in universities and colleges. I just like the way the words sound.

Well I Do Believe March is Coming in Like a Saturday