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

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

More Computer-Generated Humor

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
Judging from the appearance of this simple Sunday cartoon from May, 2007, I was in a hurry when I drew it. Believe it or not, it happens. Its saving grace is the joke, though; I like it. It’s humorous and—I like to think—original. That’s what you shoot for. Many times over my career, I’ve had conversations with people who ask a variation of the question, “So, you could, like, draw six months ahead and take six months off?!” Technically, the answer is, Yes. The question almost always is asked with the breath of incredulity, and I know they’re wishing they could work that way. Perhaps they could. I can’t. I can’t get so much as a week ahead, and I do try. For 30 years, I have tried. At least I am reconciled to the fact that’s the way it is. I’m just lucky to have this gig at all.

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221 responses to “More Computer-Generated Humor”

  1. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Best lamp chops ever: came from New Zealand, was prepared by an English chef, all in Xian China. The following morning had breakfast with officials from the local providence to kick-off an exhibit. It is those lamb chops that stick in my memory.

  2. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    I’m more a porterhouse/leather jacket kind of guy than I am a lamb chop/wool cardigan one.

  3. emb Avatar
    emb

    Haven’t read this morning’s post yet. TIP comic and BlogSpot are identical:

    http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/

    Peace, emb

  4. domaucan1 Avatar
    domaucan1

    Mark,
    I have an old cassete tape in a clock radio that wakes me every AM with exactly what you described. Great piano music, Beethoven, etc., with bird sounds and waves hitting the shore. I don’t need it to sleep but it is nice to wake to in the AM. Not sure what the tape is. It’s decades old.

    Prayers and blessings for everyone.

  5. emb Avatar
    emb

    Lamb chops, rare. Only thing better is mutton chops, rare, 70 yr. ago, Keen’s English Chop House, midtown Manhattan.

    Got here today by standard route! Grateful.

    Peace, emb

  6. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    GR6, one must adapt when staying in at a Golden Lotus in western China. Was also the trip where the homemade dumplings (Chicken, pork, and shrimp) all tasted identical.

    Told long ago it was okay when eating in a village to ask for seconds, just never ask what it is. 😉

  7. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    In many villages, that is sage advice.

    Jonesing for some gyoza.

  8. Mindy from Indy Avatar

    Congratulations Steve!

  9. sideburns Avatar

    AHA! Things are fixed! For at least two days, all I’d get was JJ’s comment in bold and all-caps, and no word wrap. Hope you’re all doing well out there.

  10. emb Avatar
    emb

    In today’s comic [30 Mar.], where has Janis gone in the 4th panel? And yes, March usually goes out like a lion in N MN.

    Peace, emb

  11. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Except my comments about lamb chops, rack of lamb and healthy eating all vanished? I don’t think I said anything more offensive than normal in the comment.

    Maybe I did?

  12. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Except my comments about lamb chops, rack of lamb and healthy eating all vanished? I don’t think I said anything more offensive than normal in the comment.

    Maybe I did?

  13. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    March came in like a lamb leaving like a lamb here. Well yesterday was a corker – Wiinndy.

    Congrats Steve

    Hard to find lamb in this area – grew up with it – was easy to get in North Jersey.

    emb – nice thing about watching on computer – you can watch till you nod off and then come
    back later. There was no NT stuff in that program.

    I’ve learned…. That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so
    spectacular. AR

  14. Charlotte in NH Avatar
    Charlotte in NH

    Boy, was I happy this morning when I got to this page right away! I kept trying all day Sunday — the 29th — and never did reach it. I really missed you guys an awful lot.

    Steve in Royal Oak, you sure are an inspiration! Hoping you have no ill effects from the tough workout.

    Ghost, thank you for the interesting stories from your earlier life. Lots of fun to read about. (How is your eye today?)

  15. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    I miss all of you terribly as well, so we are bonded it would appear. Heading back to Louisiana for a day or two, then back here. My next scheduled trip is back to Louisiana for the Bayou Teche Wooden Boat Show down in Franklin, LA. New boat is far from finished, I will probably take something I already own of course. I go to this one for the friends and a good time, a great Cajun party. Nothing to impress anyone with, just a wooden boat so I have excuse to go.

    Have changed color and name on my micro-cruiser and have to notify company before it is too late. She is now known as “Cowboy Cookies” and will be dark chocolate brown with a mocha cockpit and lower bottom edge, tan sail and brown or mocha travel cover. The other boat remains “Bottoms Up!” and color is not determined yet.

    Think I will take my Kiwi Duck, “The Wooden Duck” because I can throw it in back of my pickup truck and not use a trailer.

    Life should be a series of adventures and trying new things. It keeps us mentally and physically awake.

  16. Steve from Royal Oak, Mi Avatar

    Was that inspiration or perspiration? Just thanking God it was not Expiration! Thank you for the shout outs. I could have walked a couple miles today, but instead I was raiding the Peanut M&M jar. Maybe tomorrow. It is supposed to be 70° by Thursday. I definitely will be out walking then!

  17. Steve from Royal Oak, Mi Avatar

    Oh yes as I was logging the miles in my logbook, I always put the weather conditions. Saturday the temperature at the start of the race was 15°, the all time low for West Lafayette. No wind and by the end it was up to 38°

  18. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Steve must have foreseen the…

    Thought for the Day: Aspire to inspire before you expire.

    Also, in case you haven’t heard, Steve, the FDA has reclassified Peanut M&Ms as a vitamin. 🙂 Speaking of which, I’ve heard that there are now white chocolate M&Ms but have not seen any. Anyone tried them?

    Miz Charlotte, the results of my eye procedure have already exceeded my expectations and yet continue to improve.

  19. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    “Cowboy Cookies”, Jackie? Is that code for something? I was afraid to look it up on Urban Dictionary.

  20. Ruth Anne in Winter Park Avatar
    Ruth Anne in Winter Park

    Speaking of trying new things, 42 might not really be the answer to “life, the universe, and everything” but it IS the number of days I have left as an employee. Looking forward to my series of retirement adventures!

  21. sideburns Avatar

    Ruth Anne, the Ultimate Question, of course is, “What do you get when you multiply six times nine?”

  22. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo from Ohio

    Congratulations, Ruth Anne! I tried to retire 9 years ago… then again last fall. Still working on how to do this! LOL

  23. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    I will give you the recipe link in a minute, guys. Code? Yes and no. They are large chocolate chip cookies I am famous for baking my entire life. People have been known to come from foreign countries to sample them, the official food of Sail OK.

    The boat will instantly be recognized as mine by everyone in small boating world and it was that or “My Time”, so this has a touch of humor and a fun pun about it. She will be known as Cookies I feel sure, just as other boat has already become Bottoms. Also a pun, of course.

    The color scheme is to resemble dark chocolate and brown sugar, although I did consider Brown Sugar as a name too. Love both versions of that song.

  24. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Congrats Ruth Anne. Hope you do better at it than me. I have retired three times, never could make it stick.

  25. TruckerRon Avatar

    GR6: Nice to know someone else is wild about gyoza! We make it at home when we get up the energy. Few restaurants have it around here.