I’m still mining Sundays from 10 years ago. I thought you might be interested to know that the big Web-page makeover that I’ve talked about recently (and have talked about off and on in the past) might really happen this time. If it doesn’t, I just wasted money on a retainer I paid to some fine young people who’re going to help me put it all together technically. Of course, I learned I’m still going to have to provide the content. Sheesh! It isn’t scheduled to roll out until spring, possibly even late spring, and I have no idea what it will look like, because I’ve yet to come up with a concept and the artwork to support it—that “content” bugaboo I mentioned. However, I will keep you posted as events warrant.
Literary Achievement
By Jimmy Johnson
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442 responses to “Literary Achievement”
…. “you Promise?” 🙂 today’s is a good one. The stack of ‘good ones’ is might tall- THANK YOU!
My Book? Is that some kind of new e-reader?
Jimmy, f you are still taking suggestions for the Web-page makeover…I had never viewed cartoons on Yahoo Comics until Jackie mentioned it recently. One feature that struck me was that they “stack” the current cartoon on top of some older ones. Having that available (for the past two or three day’s cartoons, perhaps) would make it easy for us to catch up with the Days of our lives, if necessary. Not that *I* would ever need that feature, of course. 🙂
Continuation from “yesterday”: I vaguely recall that, when first released, TBLWIT (the movie) aroused the ire (or something) of a number of socially-conservative folks, due to its theme and setting. Ironically, if released today, I suspect it would attract the ire of many socially-liberal folks… due to its theme and setting.
My wife recently wanted to update her website and they told her that her format was no longer supported, even though they still advertised it on their web page. So once I equipped her with our old monitor so that she could see her old website on it while populating the new one on her laptop, it has progressed well. I don’t think that she has finished but then she has a 9 to 5 job AND writes about 4-5 books a year. I have taken over cooking duties, but there are only so many hours in a day. It is a new world where authors need to promote on social media in order to be successful and even that is not the monetary success like it was 20 years ago.
Jimmy was way ahead of the curve by creating this blog for his fans. The interaction not only gives him promotion, but also feedback on his work. I know how hard it is to be creative and so this blog, so I can be patient.
Lived with Arlo for 48 years. Wait, I am supposed to be forgetting how long and years, right?
Lived with Arlo.
Not to criticize Go Comics but I have always chosen Yahoo over them for reasons Ghost gave. I can easily read what I missed, no matter how long I skip. Easier to navigate site and they get the strips sooner than Go Comics usually, allowing me to stay up and read the dailies.
Best Little Whorehouse was controversial all the way. Miss Mona was created for my friend’s daughter and when she didn’t get movie role that was a big disappointment`but it is still a fun movie. Somehow I could not believe all the Aggie stuff in film? Broadway was non-committal.
Love, Jackie
Jackie, that is a whole bunch of wonderful news on your health and your plans! It’s gray and cloudy today here in Michigan, but when I read your post, the sun came out in my heart!
Debbe, I have caught straying canaries (and even an injured seagull) by throwing a cloth over them. Chicken-wrangling sounds a lot tougher.
Today’s real-time strip made me realize that I haven’t heard anyone ask for or offer a doggie bag for quite awhile. Everyone has switched to the terms “carryout container” or “box”.
Brother Jimmy, while I always enjoy strips from the archives and your commentary thereunto, it still remains that you left a story-line hanging. Mean Girl Susan was leaning in on Gene at the movies, and it wasn’t to get popcorn. Surely the denouement of that scene is somewhere in your archives (and hopefully not Over the Rainbow.) Pretty please with sugar on top? *Puss In Boots Eyes*
I am reminded of watching a local newscast about an event at a school, and the video did a tracking shot that moved from the floor to about shoulder high as the action passed. I knew the fellow that took the video and remarked that if that had been done in Hollywood, it would have been done using a crane, but as it was, I knew he was just using his knees and back! “Arlo and Janis” is similar, in that Our Humble Author uses some pretty innovative framing and flow in his work, but since he is just “using his knees and back” and not being showy, it is often missed. Well, regardless of how it is done, good visuals are good visuals, and the attention to the craft is so skillful that it calls no attention to itself on most occasions.
Or as Opus says, “Bill the Cat ate it.”
You know, Denise, I just realized I too started asking for a “carryout container” some years ago, without really thinking about why I made the change.
From the Department of Marginally Useful Information: Does anyone know how to capture escaped helium balloons that are resting out of reach against a high ceiling? Shoot them.
No, really…with a water gun. With a little water adhering to their skins, they will get heavy enough to sink to the floor.
Caution: Do not let your 8-year-old child or grandchild try this at home. If you do, you will likely end up with a ceiling that drips more moisture than the Speaker of the House.
GR6
Tennis ball works – or the pink stick ball. Haven’t seen one of those for awhile.
Your alternative is too squishy – well maybe not for when you first start.
Of course it is a good line “I am conducting physical therapy research”.
OB out ( I hate it when they say “over and out”)
Scientific knowledge of helium balloons depends on if latex or Mylar and atmospheric pressure combined with climate/temperature/heat. All knowledge gained from being one of first shops in Houston to offer balloon bouquets and becoming a balloon artist for what the heck to do to get more money for these things?
Abrupt changes in hot/cold will cause them to sink or explode on their own, along with improper sealing of closure. Latex will just leak through the balloon’s skin.
Exploding a large balloon bouquet in presence of Robert McNamara or General Westmoreland may get you shot and at least result in guns being aimed at you. Running through security with 200 inflated balloons for CBS will result in same actions if done during a shuttle launch at NASA.
Carrying a couple hundred inflated balloons and setting off the fire alarms in a major hospital will result in complete evacuation and a fire drill in parking lot.
I do not make these things up, I just report them.Ghost, you and I may make an interesting pair? Not the exercise balls, not that kind!
Love, Jackie
It’s been so warm and pretty around these parts for the past two or three days it actually gives me hope that sundresses may soon begin to appear. Even if they are flannel ones, like Jean’s. Here are a couple of reasons why I hope so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPyKletQKy4
Now, I wonder where that physical therapy equipment idea that popped into my head came from…
Jackie, it may (or may not) surprise you to know that I have some experience with Mylar and latex. Balloons, that is. I was once general manager of a firm with a female owner who sent out so many balloons bouquets to clients that it became cost-effective for us to make our own. (Come to think of it, I had an all-female staff there, too. Are you noticing a trend?) So we outfitted a storage area with baskets of balloons, dispensers of ribbons, a Mylar sealer, helium tanks, etc.
I’m sure our amateur efforts wouldn’t have held a candle your professional work, but we did get so we could do some pretty impressive ones. One thing I do remember is that the trick to keep latex balloons inflated longer (helium molecules being so small they easily pass through latex) was to squirt a shot of some rubber cement-like liquid (don’t remember what it’s called) out of a gallon pump bottle into the balloons to coat their insides and slow down the leakage.
There is a commercial product for said squirting which I am sure is still available, although balloon efforts are easier now than they were in Dark Ages. It squirts out of a large gallon container with a pump and bears a striking resemblance to a body function that sometimes ends on hands as well but I will not name, as Jimmy is trying to run a decent family blog site here despite yours and my best efforts to lead people astray toward “sin”.
We used to use a lot of that on the original big latex balloon creations for parties, like arches and pillars. It does add a little weight as well. In old days we often inflated with nonhelium gas to prolong for days leaking/gas loss but these balloons do not float.
Once bitten, twice shy, I only did one funeral show and balloon show on same day. Mike swore I invented the concept of balloon releases for funerals, possible? We were not environmentally aware in those days.
As I said, Ghost, you and I might consider collaboration on that book? But YOUR mother is still with us and I hope for a long, long time more.
Love, Jackie
Take another balloon. Tie lots of string to it. Put some tape sticky side up on the top of the balloon. Let the balloon rise and maneuver it until it contacts the balloon you what to bring down. Tape sticks. Haul everything down.
QED
WANT not what.
All thumbs
not QED
Jackie, when I said I didn’t remember what that liquid was called, I of course meant its official name. Its unofficial name (and what we called it) is what you are thinking about. Got more than one lovely blush from the cute-but-not-really-so-innocent little high school DE student who came in afternoons and did a lot of our balloon work, just by looking at her and grinning when she got some of it on her.
BTW, my observation is that groups of females, left to their own devices, can be just as ribald and lecherous as a group of males, if not more so.
Damn, I was spending today in yesterday.
Sand, that is what those flashbacks will do for you.
Ghost, you are one interesting person and I cannot believe the shared experiences? Women are funny if you give us a chance to be.
I only went through a fairly brief attempt to be a Stepford Wife and then gave it up as too boring to call living.
sandcastler ™ , practicing for getting older?
Ghost, I like your idea of hand therapy, but I would use the ball for most of it and save the paired version for special occasions. And I agree with you on females left to their own devices.
Who me? Alfred E. Neumann?
You all are not going to believe this but during the Clinton and Lewinsky relationship issues and impeachment, I actually thought of the balloon product! We hated having the retardant squirting job and getting it on our clothes and hands. I do not know why some spin doctor like the Ragin’ Cajun did not come up with a balloon coating explanation for Miss Lewinsky’s dress?
OK, here is a sunken bit of knowledge from the bilge water of my brain that just surfaced.
HI-FLOAT http://www.hi-float.com/instructions/faqs/
Have promoted and demonstrated their product for the company in floral and balloon shows. I called it by its’ correct name and smiled charmingly while demonstrating for large audiences without once losing it or snickering.
Product still available and in use.
No one said anything about my attempts to assassinate government officials or NASA astronauts with helium balloons. Think what would happen to me today!
And oil refineries. Women loved to send balloon bouquets out to the refineries and even oil rigs where my female employees had to don hard hats and climb the ladders to deliver them. Now they’d suspect a terrorist attack disguised as a blonde in pants and a hard hat.
Love, Jackie
Jackie and Mark, thanks. Is great to know your support team is behind you, even if they are shouting encouragement from outside the blast radius.
“Damn, I was spending today in yesterday.”
sand: Whatever time-travel method you’re using, go back to when you invented it and make sure you hold the patent on it.
Jackie, interesting proposal for Clinton Oval Office spin; however, I don’t believe it would quite work. In other words, close but no cigar.
Dang, I could NOT think of a way to work that cigar into it and now Ghost zings me with it.
Smarter than me? I remember licking cigars and dipping them in brandy. Who me? I totally gave up cigars when I quit smoking, in all forms, but cigars were still a big deal in wine industry for so long and restaurants carried expensive ones to go along with haute cuisine and gran cru wines.
Spell check doesn’t like me any more than youtube does.