John Hambrock is a fellow cartoonist who creates The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee. I checked in on John’s site this morning, and he was doing some bragging in his blog. His fine comic strip launched in November of 2006, which led John to calculate that he has drawn over 3,000 daily and Sunday strips that, if laid end to end, would equal the height of three Sears Towers stacked on top of one another (about 4,500 ft.). Well, John’s calculations led me to some of my own. I have drawn over 10,700 A&J strips since 1985, not accounting for leap years, which if laid end to end would extend for 2.5 miles and closely resemble my office floor. Hey, Junior! Come back in a few years, and we’ll talk some more! I must say, I do admire the way he has copies of all his strips arranged in ring binders. And if you read John’s bio, you’ll learn he spent years developing his characters before Brilliant Mind was launched by King Features Syndicate. As evidenced by the above cartoon from the first month of A&J, it wouldn’t have hurt if I’d done a little of that.
434 responses to “A Long Long Time Ago”
Jackie, go get your labs done, young lady.
The problem I have with the “Free the Boobies” movement is that it would seriously impinge on the frequency of appearances of semi-mysterious, tantalizing, imagination-firing pokies. Pokies gotta have something to poke through to be pokies.
Speaking of which, I briefly noted this week the return of two familiar faces to The Weather Channel (“The Cable Network I Love to Hate”). Samantha Mohr, who I always considered the classiest act on TWC, and Alexandra Steele, who, although a bit on the anorexic side for my tastes, seemed to be TWC’s Pokie Queen (as well as a very good weather presenter) back in the day. I have no idea if they were appearing just temporarily, or if TWC has come to its senses and is returning to the concept of “on-camera talent” that actually possesses some talent. Since Jennifer Lopez and Dave Schwartz also seem to have returned, I have some hope that it is the latter.
And Jim Cantore joins Sam Champion on TWC’s “happy talk” AMHQ show next week. Wonder if they will have to enlarge the studio the accommodate those two egos being in the same place at the same time. 🙂
My impression from their TV ads: “Liberty Mutual…Insurance for Whiny People Who Don’t Read Their Policies Until After They Have a Claim”.
Jackie, as one diabetic to another, please, please get those labs done! Your doctor’s going to need the results (Probably an A1c is involved.) to know how to adjust your meds. I had some blood work taken on Tuesday, and Wednesday morning my doctor called me. My numbers were much too high, so he made a minor adjustment to my insulin which seems to have been Just Right. I also have another bladder infection, which may be causing the bad numbers, and I’m taking the same antibiotic that knocked out the last one. At least this time they found it before there were any symptoms!
Jackie, how can you go rescue critters half way across the country but not take care of you?
John in Richmond,,,,, thoughts continue your way
Jimmy.. a 35 year anniversary party sounds like fun. Let us know when to start celebrating 🙂
Hannah has a 6+ mins video at YouTube… GR6, remember to breathe at the 4:19 mark!
https://www.youtube.com/user/hannahfraser
In case any of you are near any friends with this sound
http://www.sca-aware.org/sites/default/files/u1/media/ICD-alarm.mp3
coming out of their chest, please tell them their battery’s running low! Mine’s done that two mornings in a row now, so I’m glad I have the replacement scheduled to go in on Monday.
Aquatic nip-slip? Let’s see…wrap yourself in a big filmy red scarf and gyrate around underwater. What could go wrong?
Well, I guess you’d have to say Hannah won the blog today. I would, anyway.
Reading down through the comments on today’s real time strip, I found a reference to Starrigger, by John DeChancie, so I emailed him the url and told him to look at the comments. He’s going to put it up on his FarceBook page, but I told him to wait until tomorrow so that I can send him a “permalink” to the page with comments included.
In all the confusion in my life I forgot to mention the return of the TWC babes. When I saw Alexander Steele I thought instantly I should mention it, she was always a favorite of Mikes.
You are right about the anorexia however, she is so tiny she wears a size 0-2 at most. Our late troll would have said a good size.
Got my blood all sucked by the ghouls at little effort. so both diabetic doctors will have it by next week. Now this is the weird thing, I was super worried because it was low when I got up, I didn’t eat, drove an hour plus to lab, drove an hour plus back and realized I didn’t have insulin with me, so I ate a tomato juice and four chicken strips, no insulin all day and went and got my hair done, finally made it home and sugars were still totally perfect? No insulin since midnight last night.
So, crazy thought here, maybe I could control it with diet, exercise and less stress in life.
How and where did I read or see a special on the mermaid? I remember they showed the tails and how complex they were to build and how expensive to make them so real. It must have been on a science show on mermaids that Mike was watching. I did say he was a breast man, right? But he liked tails too.
Love y’all, Jackie
“…maybe I could control it with diet, exercise and less stress in life.” Ya think?
I know you have a lot on your plate, Jackie, but do not neglect any of those three things. They will not only change your life, they can save it.
That’s why I said it was a crazy thought! I have a chance to change my life and no excuses now.
Watched the long video of Hannah Mermaid. That is a totally awesome routine. I have never seen anything so beautiful. It makes every act I have ever seen look so lame and inane that was at aquariums or marine parks. Not to mention the famous WeekiWatchi Springs mermaids in Florida, but for some reason I think she has some history there? Her parents. mother?
That would absolutely have appealed to Mike. I did mention he worked in the very early days with Robert Ballard in Hawaii at Sea Life Park? Mike managed the restaurant after he graduated from hotel restaurant school at University of Hawaii. His office was in front of the big shark tank aquarium windows, he would have loved to have had this in the tank too!
Love, Jackie
We ate the last of our Vietnamese spring rolls with Aflac sauce and they were great. Their homemade but not in this home. My wife knows a Vietnamese woman who makes them. We’ll have to make a spring roll run soon. It got very froggy before dark and has been drizzling since.
Speaking of mermaids, chests, and gyrations – we had the pleasure of seeing Bette Midler in concert several years ago. Even from the nosebleed seats (top row of the old Orlando Arena) she was amazing, including the part of the show that resembled this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_vdlhsvI1M
I am still laughing, Ruth Anne. Thank you, I also watched Bette and the Harlettes do “Boogie Woogie Buigle Boy” in the mermaid costumes. She is a great entertainer and has always seemed to have fun making fun of herself. I like that.
I am going back and watch her and Cher do Trashy Women routine.
Sorry, that was “Trashy Ladies” with Cher in underwear, stockings and garter belts for those interested in such. I would link it but youtube hates me. I feel lucky to be allowed to watch.
Ah, the Divine Miss M.
She and Cher were wearing Merry Widows with attached garter belts, stockings, high heels, feather boas, and, apparently, tassels on their butts…not that I was particularly paying attention to their costumes.
Ghost, and Jackie, was looking at the Nashville news on this station’s site and saw this recipe headlined. Thought you, or someone here, might be interested.
http://www.wsmv.com/story/27928738/aimee-fortneys-hot-chocolate-nightcap-and-bourbon-whipped-cream
Got test results by email, boy was that fast. I think I am OK but two specialists will tell me if I am not. I never, never have some things like vitamin D or potassium because I just don’t seem to “uptake” any despite supplements from doctors. Like 50,000 IUD of vitamin D multiple times per week. And giant potassium pills. Why can’t they make those smaller? I did find out why they don’t ever give me IV potassium, although they have made threats.
Faithful 10# dog is curled up on desk asleep, so I need to eat something to buffer the pills.
Some people have lives and get to go out on Friday night. Lucky people!
Love, Jackie
It has been years and years since I had any bourbon whipped cream but it is divine, like Miss M
and might somehow be connected to same responses.
Mark, this group leads us to sin I tell you, sin, even if it is like our great Southern President Jimmy Carter said, “Only in my mind.”
Thanks, Matt, but the Weight Watchers point total for one cup of that hot chocolate is equal to about two and a half Big Macs from McDonald’s…or about 80% of my total daily allowance for all food. Actually, the bourbon has a reasonably low point total, so I’ll just stick to that for my nightcap. 🙂
Jackie, I usually use Friday nights to decompress and get ready for Saturday night.
Miz Charlotte, are you OK? Hope the flu bug ain’t bit ya.
Like most Southern women who are not of the Baptist persuasion, I consider bourbon, rum and brandy to be like vanilla flavoring and essential to a good cook. Well, port too and cognac.
Not that I mind bourbon and boobs, but here is something completely different:
I just finished the current (February) edition of “National Geographic” magazine. On page 125, writer Laura Parker mentioned a South Miami family who devised a clever name for one of their pet fish in their pond.
It’s a real hoot!
I won’t spoil it for you; look it up.
Dearest Ghost, Thank you for asking. No, I am in fine shape and in fact am never sick (I know, “famous last words”) and I got my flu shot in October. I have read every word of all these comments, and have much enjoyed the wise and witty remarks. Really I am in awe of the knowlegable and kind hearted folks who create such interesting and friendly stuff! It’s better than reading fiction!
Feeling that I couldn’t add much wisdom or adventure to what’s being said; tomorrow I will see if I can sparkle a bit.