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

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

No Guarantees in Life

By Jimmy Johnson

April 19, 2004


If I am correct, the year 2004, when this strip appeared, was a leap year, so Arlo not only lived out the year but got an extra day. I know blog updates have been spotty lately, and I apologize for that. I ask that you consider my fallback excuse. This truly is a personal effort, one I have maintained in one form or another for almost 20 years. No one does anything for me. Nothing is done in advance. And, as I suppose is evident at times, I don’t put a lot of thought into what goes here until I sit down with my morning coffee. The point of all this is, sometimes life gets in the way. This has been especially true this spring, with beautiful days to perform so many tasks that were deferred during an unusually damp and cool winter. Better yet, vaccinations have made possible outings and travel that also were deferred for a year. The blog has suffered; even my current Arlo & Janis work has felt the pressure of the competition of corporeal life. However, experience has taught me this will ease up, and things will settle back into place. The blog isn’t going anywhere.


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57 responses to “No Guarantees in Life”

  1. DJJG Avatar
    DJJG

    Jimmy, we love A&J. We love this blog–no matter about the timing. Not to worry! Btw, to what street address should I send a letter about A&J? I sent an email to a Mr. Glynn, but got no response. (Nor from your old email.) I very much wish to send it. I had time to write it, now that I’m retired.

    1. Jimmy Johnson Avatar
      Jimmy Johnson

      I’m very glad you enjoy “Arlo & Janis!” You can email me at jimmyatarloandjanis.com. If you still need it, I’ll email you back a snail-mail address. Thanks!

  2. carl Avatar
    carl

    please tell me that Arlo is going to go on a bike tour!

    1. Jimmy Johnson Avatar
      Jimmy Johnson

      Mmm, I’d like to, but…

  3. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Glad to hear the blog isn’t going anywhere. As far as I know, neither am I.

  4. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    Some days I’m not going either….Metamucil seems to help.

  5. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    You KNOW how limited I am and Ghost because of me. I want so much to drive to Louisiana and Mississippi to put flowers on graves for Mother’s Day.

    If you can, remember your mother’s, those alive and those passed on.

  6. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Jimmy
    I hope A&J is not “Not going anywhere” – We want A&J to go forward.
    .
    EXCELSIOR.
    .
    I have a mundane existence – I am still me. 🙂

  7. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    My existence can’t be too mundane – My post disappeared so far and
    I am non existent or is that a-nonny-mouse.{^Âż^}

  8. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    I seem to be Trucker Ron, and I never even try to save name/address!

  9. emb Avatar
    emb

    The original Decorah eagle nest is unoccupied this year & webcam operator has been alternating btw views of the general area & of a displaying mourning dove on a nearby limb. Don’t know its sex nor what it’s [free lesson] saying, but it’s neat. Peace,

    https://explore.org/livecams/birds/decorah-eagles

  10. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo from Ohio

    Jimmy… we love you – Arlo & Janis – and the Blog! My day is not complete until I read the daily strip and come here. I don’t post very often, but I read every word! I have met so many nice people here. Thanks Everyone – luv yah!

  11. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Did my first PT today and I am doing so well that orthopedist put me on full weight bearing. I am wsy ahead of schedule. Will see how long it takes to get broken leg made dominant leg.

    Lucky me, tooth and bridge did not break so dentist smoothed down toogh and they leaned my teeth. It was amazing to see all my friends there. Over 25 years doing my dental work.

  12. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Friend of mine at a financial institution getting some information from an elder gentleman applying for a loan: “Have you lived in this county all your life?”
    Elder Gentleman: “So far.”

  13. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Re 4-27-21 real-time cartoon: If the photo was taken shortly after they met, they must have hit it off quickly, as it appears Arlo may have accidently donned Janis’s cut-off jeans and tank top that morning.

  14. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Wasn’t Gene cute?

    Thanks Arlo! Janis seemed curvier in that photo. No wonder she was neurotic about her body shape!

  15. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    “I wonder if they’re willing to guarantee that.”

    Proverbs 27:1 – Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

    For me, that’s a hopeful statement.

    In my mind, the next *second* is promised to no one.

  16. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    When I first saw this ‘oldie’ the thought was Arlo has Siri or Alexa now. Then the dateline revealed my false thought, the voice is from a clock radio.

  17. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Tornado warnings for last 30 minutes to pass over us. I have a 12 # dog merged into my head and shoulders

    1. Ghost Avatar
      Ghost

      The weather seems to have moderated considerably in the Greater Eufaula area.

  18. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Both Jackie and I agree that our electronic bathroom scale seems to have lost its little electronic mind. Our weights seem to have no relationship at all to what various medical office scales show. And the variations in readings from week-to-week (or even day-to-day) seem to be, to put it mildly, unlikely. So I’m shopping.
    I see that some models actually “talk” to you when you step onto them. Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t want to start my day with the scales chiding me, “Please! One person at a time!” Or even worse, “OW! Get the **** off of me, you fat *******!”

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      What would be fun would be for one of the scale companies to create a cellphone app that would show your weight over time, and give you a fortune or something else fun, like the old coin op scales you used to find in stores. Make the experience fun instead of annoying.

  19. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    I want simplicity in a scale. This one keeps records for more than one, body fat, eyc. And memory. How else could I weigh 212.8 pounds for three weeks?

    I am wearing clothes that wouldn’t even come over my butt when I broke my leg!

  20. Sideburns Avatar

    Back in early March, I lost one of my hearing aids. I finally had an appointment with an Audiologist down in Albuquerque to get my ears recalibrated so that I can get it replaced. It used to be that you’d have to get both of them replaced, but this time I’m only getting the one. It should arrive in the mail in two to three weeks. At first the two of them will work independently, but I’ll go back down in early August to have them programmed to work together. Albuquerque is about 250 miles away, so each trip down takes two days; one day down, and one back, with the appointment coming on either day, depending on what time of day it is. The VA pays me $.43/mile, which is more than it costs, including the overnight stay, which is nice, as I might not be able to afford it otherwise. More news about this as it happens. Stay healthy, everybody!

  21. Crab from Grapeland Avatar
    Crab from Grapeland

    You sure do get around. About hearing aids I take what I can get. A friend gave me one that was left over when a squirrel ate its mate. I’ve used it for years, works pretty well. We have a good (and inexpensive) audiologist in Tyler.

  22. Meri Avatar

    Saved as a favorite, I really like your blog!

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