Above us, only sky…

by Jimmy Johnson

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I said I would address comments about the boat Arlo and Janis are supposed to have, the boat bequeathed them by Gus, and I will—sort of. First, I want to clarify something. While some of the comments over at the A&J GoComics site tend to be crankier than most here, it isn’t because I moderate in advance the comments made on this site, as was suggested in Monday’s comments. I don’t. A lot of readers post nice things on GoComics, the syndicate Web site, but I regularly get lambasted there for one thing or another. That’s what comments are for, I suppose. And someone asked if the “Schooner Cartooner” survived Hurricane Katrina. Yes, it did. The owners evacuated it from Biloxi in time. Now, about the boat. You know, it’s a much deeper subject than simply the boat. One reason I stepped away from the subject of Arlo’s obsession was that reader comments and “likes” led me to believe a vast majority of readers don’t particularly respond to the subject matter. I cannot stress enough what a terrible method that is for directing the creative process. But there it is. It is so much a part of what we do these days, especially as readership gravitates from print media to digital media. I’m trying to learn to live with it. Of course, the proper thing to do as a cartoonist would be ignore all external influence, but Hey! We have so much fun here, don’t we? So, will the boat show up again anytime soon? I think it will.

162 responses to “Above us, only sky…”

  1. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Lilyblack, are you part of a group that does face-to-face gaming or are you online-only? i used to play various role-playing games from the late 80’s to the late 90’s (played AD&D when it was the new game in town). But I can’t seem to get into that type as on online pastime. Before I got into role-playing I was playing board wargames and they are still my favorites. And I have found I can enjoy them on player vs computer nearly as much as I did with a human opponent. Big plus, no setting up and putting away hundreds of counters and the cat can’t knock the board off the table.

  2. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    One of my HS history teachers was Gene Tierney, and I knew a Jane Russell.

    As a native English-speaker, I always found foreign names intriguing and, occasionally, interesting to pronounce properly. Alex Trebek I am not, but I think it courteous to try for correct pronunciations of names.
    Most [transliterated names] from the Far East or Middle East are OK for me, but some Polish or Lithuanian names have been difficult. Even some Swedish letter combinations can be a challenge.

  3. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Mark, the one and only computer game I ever bought was many years ago, and would, I’m sure, be laughable compared to what is available now. It was an F-16 simulator, and being a pilot I was good at take offs and even landings (when I remembered that a Fighting Falcon burns a lot more fuel than a Piper Aztec). And I could really blow $#!+ up on ground-attack missions. But enemy bogies were a lot harder, because they didn’t just sit there like ground targets.

  4. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    c ex-p, I went to high school with a young lady whose last name was Przybyszewski. She was a lot prettier than her surname. BTW, it’s pronounced “Pshebeshevski”. If that helps.

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Lily, this will undoubtedly get my male chauvinist permit suspended or even revoked, but I’ll share a secret with you…sex is not the most important thing in the world.

    Mind you, I’m not saying it’s unimportant. We (humans) wouldn’t be here without it. 🙂

  6. TruckerRon Avatar

    When I was on the road, sex wasn’t important at all. I’m afraid I once upset a young woman who approached me at a truck stop while I was hammering on a faulty pin release mechanism and asked if I “wanted her.” I screamed “No!” and continued hammering. Of course, whenever I made it home, its importance increased dramatically and was almost always at the top of both my wife’s and my lists of things to do.

  7. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers…

    Thanks Mark for the tune…really liked the (I’m assuming it was) oboe instrumental…bookmarked it under Tangerine Dream…getting to like their music.

    Sandcastler…what’s in a name…thanks, interesting reading. I study the horse, the jockey, and when I’m at the track, the racing form is my ‘bible’…no disrespect there. I picked 3 out of the 4 that finished the Derby 🙂 The Belmont stakes could prove to be some ‘dirty’ racing as there are those who would do anything to keep CC from becoming a triple crown winner.

    Indy Mindy…Andrew show up with the boss’s son-in-law yesterday…so I guess he’s coming back to work…didn’t show up here last night, so I’m assuming he’s staying with the boss’s daughter and son-in-law…which I’m fine with, as long as I get to see Brooklynne Rose this weekend.

    Well, my other nephew-in-law showed up last night and told me what my two surprises were…..a 1998 Baldwin Spinnette upright piana (I took 5 years of lessons from a nun!!) and a c-3 Hammond organ with a tone cabinet. I’m going to take the piano, but does anyone here know of someone who would like Hammond Organ??? Otherwise, they’re going to burn it….both came out of a Weslyan church.

    Thanks Lily….you’re a sweetie 🙂

    today’s grin: http://cheezburger.com/8185859328 (loved the lynx one TR)

    gptta go…

    GR 😉

  8. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Steve…I liked your video 🙂

    and a big welcome to you, Ludwig 🙂

  9. sandcastlerâ„¢ Avatar
    sandcastlerâ„¢

    GR6, your flight sim story reminds me a Cobra pilots comments after a productive day over Laos.

    As to today’s strip, our cats have us trained too. 😉

  10. Harland Mihm Avatar

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