A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Days of Auld Lang Syne

By Jimmy Johnson

And this was 15 years ago!

Here it is, the last day of 2018! I’m having a good overall run, myself, so I’m always leery of saying anything that can be construed as complaining. However, 2018 was not the best of years for me personally, but it’s getting so much better all the time, and the year’s not even out yet. I’m looking forward to 2019. I enjoy the challenge of keeping a 33-year-old comic strip as relevant and entertaining as I can. It isn’t easy, but I take pride in where we are. My resolution is to be a better cartoonist, for you. Thank you for reading Arlo & Janis.

Today's "Arlo & Janis!"

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46 responses to “Days of Auld Lang Syne”

  1. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    You’re welcome. It has been 33 years of joy, entertainment, and good laughs. Wish you another great 33 years.

    1. Jackie Avatar
      Jackie

      Hey Sand! Does Ghost know you are here? Hang around. We have missed you so much!

  2. dave Avatar
    dave

    33 years, wow! It’s still the one comic we look forward to reading every day!

    Happy New Year!

  3. DaveP Avatar
    DaveP

    Thanks for your hard work and great strip Jimmy.
    Looking forward to the next year’s strips!
    Be safe, warm, and loved.

  4. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Thank you for giving us something worth reading, Jimmy.

    That might not seem particularly remarkable, but these days it is.

    1. Jackie Avatar
      Jackie

      I’ll join and echo Ghost. You and Monty are only thing I read and I often have to read him in a marathon.

      Thanks for being here.

  5. hc Avatar
    hc

    I’m not going to last another 33 years – but I hope you do!
    Happy New Year – and best wishes for good health to all

  6. Bob in Orland Park Avatar
    Bob in Orland Park

    I haven’t been following A & J for 33 years but the last few have been quite enjoyable even with you peeking in the window.

  7. PGratz Avatar
    PGratz

    Thanks for the last 33 and here’s to another 33+!!
    Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2019!!!

  8. Richmond Steve Avatar
    Richmond Steve

    A&J is the posting I make on FB that ALWAYS gets laughs. Typically prefaced with: My life, part 452. Happy New Year and thanks for writing my daily diary.

  9. emb Avatar
    emb

    Perspective, courtesy of Mother Gargle. Actually, I’ve seen him only once, and it was not the time he flubbed the beat because of the extra second that New Year’s Eve.
    https://www.gocomics.com/the-born-loser/2018/12/31
    Peace, have a blessed 2019, and a designated driver.

  10. emb Avatar
    emb

    JJ: “better cartoonist”. Not sure that’s possible, Here. Maybe There, but there w/b competition. Mauldin, for instance, and Kelly. Maybe there’s no competition There. We’ll see, I think. That’s as theological as I dare get, here.
    Peace,

  11. Debbie from Alabama Avatar
    Debbie from Alabama

    A hometown guy who shares glimpses of us all.
    Thank you, Jimmy. Happy New Year.

    “May you stay forever young”

  12. Steve from Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    Not only thank you for your creativity over the past 33 years but your energy in keeping the ol website alive. I like to think that having us around keeps you “in the loop” Doing your strip takes a lot of solitude, but you have to interrelate with people in order to create the strip. I remember a few years ago when you had stories take place around the office, but since you have not been in an office for a while, it got harder to write. But even without that element A&J is still peaking into our windows. Still crazy, after all of these years!

  13. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    May 2019 be your best year ever.

    And, now, speaking selfishly, don’t ever hang up the cartoonist’s nibs.

  14. Symply Fargone Avatar
    Symply Fargone

    Symply great 33 years of fun, Gayle can Symply read them on her Boston Globe now too, me I still catch them on the Fargone net…have a Happy Safe and Healthy New Year to all the village denizens!

  15. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Thank you for your hard work keeping us entertained and informed. Your strip does not get dated. Yes, some of the background things are influenced by the time you drew and wrote them, but the basics of the strip don’t age. The goofiness of Arlo, the counterbalance provided by the down-to-earth Janis, and their joyous relationship. Your art might get better technically, as might your tech skills in the blog, but how do you improve on the excellent quality the strip already has?

  16. emb Avatar
    emb

    I had a couple of uncles who didn’t have to get drunk. Nice guys otherwise.

  17. emb Avatar
    emb

    Whoops.
    http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/

    “The goofiness of Arlo, the counterbalance provided by the down-to-earth Janis.” Close. Arlo has it almost as good as I did.
    Peace,

  18. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    I have noticed, for some time now, the well-known phenomenon of acceleration of the temporal succession with age. That is, time passes increasingly rapidly as I get older. The weeks slip by, and, with them, the months. Years still seem fairly slow-moving, though I find it difficult to realize that I retired more than 16 years ago!

    I see this in trivial weekly things like taking out the garbage: “Is it garbage night again, already?” or “Oh, yeah, that meeting is tonight, isn’t it?”

    Your slopes indicate this very observation, JJ, and I can only imagine how steep a slope we currently have.

    1. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
      Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

      I don’t have too much longer before I reach the edge of the abyss.

  19. Jerry ford Michigan Avatar
    Jerry ford Michigan

    Congrats Jimmy! I’m not sure if I have followed you the whole 33 years, but pretty darn close. Even on my roughest days, you help me at least get my morning off on the right foot. Thank you! Peace, and happy new year!

  20. Ruth Anne in Winter Park Avatar
    Ruth Anne in Winter Park

    We’ve had some pleasant rambles,
    And merry Christmas gambols,
    And roses with our brambles,
    Adieu, old year, adieu!
    – George Lunt,1801–85 (from yesterday’s Old Farmers Almanac email)

  21. Galliglo of Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo of Ohio

    I started following Arlo & Janis because Arlo reminded me of my beloved brother-in-law. I am not sure how I found the Blog! But I am so thankful I did. I have come to know you, JJ, and the many wonderful contributors. I have never met any of you in person, but we meet almost every day here. Thank you – all of you – for broadening my world and providing many smiles – and also some loud chortles! We all different, but very much the same.

    Love you all – and I hope you have a HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!

  22. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    Why, thank you, Galliglo! While I don’t know you except through this medium, you’re probably a genuine “keeper”! Be blessed in the forthcoming year.

    1. Galliglo of Ohio Avatar
      Galliglo of Ohio

      Thank you, c-X-p! Your comments are always a delight.

  23. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    We are friends that have not met yet.
    (Some have) (and gone beyond friends)

    Keep up the good work JJ – as long as there is human nature
    and you can look in windows you will not run out of material.

    Happy New Year

  24. emb Avatar
    emb

    Bedtime. Bonne Année. And 5 Jan, the sunrises will start getting earlier. Peace,

  25. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Happy New Year, all. I have another 9 hour work day tomorrow, so the only thing i’m going to watch drop is my eyelids. Good night and have a safe New Year’s.