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

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Cookie Mobster

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I’m sorry! It’s been a very busy few days. I have not abandoned you here. In fact, the new Web site of which we spoke earlier this year is going into production finally. We’ll see. I actually have a cookie jar such as the one above. It’s battery operated and plays a recording of a chattering dolphin when opened. I’ve had it for years, and I love it. Unfortunately, I don’t keep many cookies in it anymore. It has occurred to me that much of the furniture in Arlo & Janis is similar to pieces in my own household: the sofa, the orange table with the Queen Anne legs, the simple mannish bedroom furniture, all exist in my real world. I guess that makes sense. The sofa I don’t actually have any longer, but I did have one very similar when I began to draw the strip. It turned out to be such a good comic-strip settee—low, simple, easy to render—that I’ve kept it all these years. It probably could use re-upholstering by now!

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327 responses to “Cookie Mobster”

  1. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    emb

    Don’t know if you get channel 17 (PBS life) but Nature – The Nest will be on Sunday
    night 7pm
    I heard the Red Squirrels will drive out Grays.

    C in NH
    The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
    Mark in TT
    Local Area Network in Australia – the LAN down under.

    Sand & Loon
    They are from a list:
    “Puns for those with a higher IQ”
    And I might add “The Village”

  2. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Mark
    Add my thanks for “Morning”

    Read somewhere (here?) that humans are predisposed to find faces. I know I am.

  3. emb Avatar
    emb

    “many a mangers’ meeting presided over by various vice presidents.” “manager’s”, right?

    Reminds me of an insightful A&J strip years back: Arlo, with another male at the office, asks a new black female, “How many ceiling tiles are there in the main conference room [exact wording may differ]?” She says, “42.” Arlo: “She’s one of us!” Lovely.

    Predisposed: especially of Jesus. How do we know it’s him? Looked him up in the Nazareth H.S. Yearbook, AD 18. Just started reading Bart Ehrman’s “How Jesus became God” [404 pp.], for a UM summer theology workshop. Will let the Village know how it turns out, if I remember.

    Peace, emb

  4. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Yeah, “managers”. Remember, I’m currently running with one and a half eyes. 🙂

  5. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Jackie, as I’ve said before, from ’67 to ’84 were my dark years. There were two Vietnam tours in there, some other fun things. 1977 was when I met Loon. From 1985 to 2006 was the years of special projects with a mix of retired and reserve personnel. Since 2006 it has been contract work for a search engine company.

  6. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    emb, Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything is 42. 😉
    Begs the question, is Jimmy channeling Douglas Adams through Arlo?

  7. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Thank you Jackie. I am glad you liked the music. I first heard Gordon Bok played on the Pandora music streaming service. I have British, Irish and Scottish folk on the list and I think that’s why it picked him for me. Great tunes and a nice voice. He does one called the Sailor’s Carol, or something similar about Christmas on a sailing ship at sea. I really like the song but haven’t caught the real title yet.

    When I was on the Oklahoma City, my favorite thing was to go out on the deck at night and listen to the wind and waves. That far out to sea, you know you don’t have any light pollution and you can see the stars very well, too. Very peaceful.

  8. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Forgot can’t do 2 links

    Jackie

    Here is one for you:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5RhWVlXF0Q

  9. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    looooong day tomorrow – back late Monday

  10. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Thank you, Old Bear and Mark and Ghost and Sand and all the Village. I do not know what I have ever done in life to deserve love from people like you but I cried and cried tonight listening to the music and knowing it was sent with love. I don’t deserve it but I have never been more grateful in my life to receive it and I return it with all my heart. Thank you. Love, Jackie

  11. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Mark, your comment reminded me of one of the best nights for star gazing that I have experienced. The night after Hurricane Ivan there was no light pollution from the ground and the stars were brilliant.

  12. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Village….

    Mark….the chicken church is cute 🙂

    This is day 18 and I am taking tomorrow off. We lost one high school teen, he is a senior and is going to college to be a pharmacist…he took a part time job at Walgreens Pharmacy…good for him. I will miss him, but his little 14 year old sister is training under me. Tomorrow, she will work with Ian. I told The Boss she was a little apprehensive working with ‘Skittles’ and Ian. My Boss assured me he has a zero tolerance for those who harass the younger girls. He is going to call her Dad and assure him of this. Ian looked at me and said “well, what if she comes on to me?” with a grin on his face. Andrew and I just mockingly laughed, I beat on the hen house door…still mockingly laughing…..Ian takes jokes on himself well.

    gotta go……

    Happy Caturday…………………..

    Oh, and Ruth Ann, I’ve been going back to the previous strips on “Breaking Cat News”….it’s cute.

  13. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Mark…see if you can find Tull’s “Thick as a Brick” album/video for Jackie, that is if she hasn’t already ‘discovered’ it.

  14. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    It’s raining. No new strip today. The cats have had breakfast. My work is done. ZZZZZZ

  15. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Debbe, I have been listening to it repeatedly already. I love it. I have decided this is as close to opera as rock ever got. Mark has greatly increased my music tastes and I cannot thank him enough for some of the wonderful music I now listen to, all because of Mark. Mark, are you listening to me? You may have married the wrong woman and I freely admit to marrying the wrong man but someone let a truly good man get away.

    Each time you send me music it becomes part of me. I cannot tell you how much music means to me and always has. To have been without music for so long has starved my soul as well and the Village brought that back to me.

    And yes, I loved Old Bear’s music as well, Ghost, I have listened to everything that has been offered and the diversity has broadened my life. This is a special group of people who exist in a tiny micro climate, a climate change I wish extended to the world.

    Love, Jackie

  16. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo from Ohio

    Mark – Thank you for introducing me to Gordon Bok! He soothes my soul…

  17. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Debbe, what beautiful music from Fleetwood Mac as well. The photos were stunning. My friend, I have not forgotten my promise to come pick you up and kidnap you at least one day and the chickens will have to survive alone. Gary said the other day that 3000 miles was a bit far to come to get to meet me but Indiana is too close not to drive up and take a road trip with you.

    Two twisted sisters, indeed. We might as well go on over to Ohio and get Gal, heck what’s one more state down the road?

  18. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Jackie and Galliglo, you are welcome. One of the real joys of my life is sharing what I like with others, and enjoying what they share with me. Everybody enjoy your weekend, if you don’t have to work. If you are working, find a way to have fun, even if it’s in your head.

  19. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Thought for the Day: A rut is nothing but a grave that is open at both ends.

  20. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Looks like today’s Poli Sci 101 class has convened over on TDS. Who didn’t see that coming?

  21. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    I use to work for someone who asked at the end of each day, “Did you learn anything today?” The standard reply was, “Yes.” To watch he said, “Good, your not as much of an idiot as when I got you.” I feel like everyday in the Village is an enlightening experience that leaves me less of an idiot. Thank you JJ and all.

  22. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Today is National Pet Day. I mention that just in case anyone here might be like, you know, interested in that.

    So give your pet a hug today. Except for goldfish. And porcupines.