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

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Sea Fever

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I’m not much of a sketcher. I don’t have a lot of doodles or rough drafts lying around my office. So, what is all this junk lying around? But that’s another topic. I attribute this mainly to being a writer first and a graphic artist second. All my life I’ve had a knack for drawing, but it turned out to be a secondary talent. I marvel at the manic impulse to doodle that possesses so many of my cartooning peers. I wish I were more like that. However, every now and then, I turn out a sketch for the sake of warming up, or improving my chops, or—rarest of all—because I feel like drawing something. Anyway, I drew this one last week; I think it was a subliminal desire to be at the beach. I thought I would share it with you.

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290 responses to “Sea Fever”

  1. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    John is a huge Pratchett fan, owns all the fiction books. I am not sure he has this one that Ruth Anne recommended and I picked it up for him. But also for me to read. Ruth Anne will like that he is also a huge library fan and Denise will like that when he fractured his back, he worked for a couple years as a book seller in NZ, loves bookstores and books more than anyone I have ever seen. While we were in BC he actually read about eight books I think in the two weeks, plus wrote several magazine articles for his own writing. Pretty amazing. I will need to read more, guys.

    Mark, I was actually wanting to hire you to train me and help me pick up needed items to operate Smart phone, tablet, laptop, printer and make me current and knowledgeable. I may yet do that idea, I am smart myself but technologically very untrained. I may yet do that this winter while John goes off to adventure way south of South America where I will not be going. It will take my mind off and stop me from worrying if I am doing something constructive and learning.

    The reason they are going in winter is that obviously an antipodean country is having summer while we have winter. I will know next month exactly what it is they are doing, I do not know now except it is sailing a small boat and a movie and dangerous.

  2. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    No Nook of the North for me…I have one of the old Kindles with a keyboard, but I have the Kindle app on my smart phone and tablet, and Kindle for PC on my main laptop and my emergency back-up laptop. (Remember Dave Barry’s main dog and his emergency back-up dog?) Any and all of my book purchases from Amazon are available on any of the devices at anytime. Once you set up an account and a method of payment, everything is very simple and intuitive, and I’d have to think it is on the Nook, also.

    Perhaps Jimmy just doesn’t have time to draw Janis that busty on a daily basis. 😉 Actually, her legs caught my eye, too, but I’m sure that’s no surprise to anyone here.

  3. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    That drawing would make a good tee shirt or a cover for the new book that Jimmy does that focuses on all the beach and sailing strips. Hint, hint, hint~

  4. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Oh and Jimmy, should you do such a book, I can recommend a couple of good boating magazines that sell special interest boating books and have been begging for some good cartoons. And the publisher of most of the boating and boat building books in America right now who i feel certain would love to have a book of sailing related cartoons for his line. There is a market.

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Debbe 😉 Tight pants on the guys for Jackie and short skirts on the (classic go-go) girls for me.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqJAaO_zoj4

  6. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers….

    I too noticed Lorraine’s cleavage on Janis 🙂 And, yes, it would make a nice book cover.

    Emb…just a test, don’t tease us with just “test”….good to see you’re back.

    Miss Charlotte….good luck with your computer…I’m lucky I have Ian, he’s a geek.

    GR 😉 I needed an earworm today…. enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Nq48sHF8M

    Some much needed heat relief coming in Friday…Amen

    Ya’ll have a blessed day

  7. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Indy Mindy….time for you to check in…..

  8. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    I bet there’s a thong that matches the top 🙂

    https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8514359040/h5DA8AB13/

  9. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    So, British accents aren’t bad either, Ghost. Better hair and pants on your last song.

    Have been running to fast to look at FB last few days but I know Mindy checks in there a lot, I can look for her if you want me to today while running and make sure she is OK.

    Good morning all, back running and back to Tulsa again daily.

  10. Denise in Michigan Avatar
    Denise in Michigan

    As a reader of both books and ebooks, I have to weigh in on reading devices. Not the brand, mind you, but the screen type. I have found the e-ink types much easier on the eyes for prolonged reading (as well as reading indoors and out) than the tablet-like devices. If color e-ink devices ever become a practical reality, I will have nothing left in life to wish for and will die happy. 😉

  11. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Hmmmm, the patio you say. 🙂

  12. Rusty Avatar
    Rusty

    Hmm, tried to post yesterday from mobile, but didn’t go through..

    Love the sketch! I agree with the others – maybe it’s time for A&J to have another extended beach vacation? 🙂

    Rusty

  13. Trapper Jean Avatar
    Trapper Jean

    I thought Arlo was looking for jellyfish, but maybe not. And yes, a t-shirt with this print would be really neat!

    I have the Kindle app on my smart phone, but don’t use it much because the print is too small for comfortable reading over long periods of time. I admit I like the feel of a real book, and the smell of an old, well read and much loved book just can’t be beat.

    The problem with having a husband who works with computers all day is that when he comes home he doesn’t want to look at whatever problem my computer is having. sigh…

  14. Steve from Royal Oak, Mi Avatar

    What is about funerals that are like a convoluted time machine? In many ways I was transported back to when I was 15 or so. I drove thru my home town of Fort Wayne and while many things have changed, many old buildings and houses remain the same. At the Funeral Home (or my brother’s sister) I saw many old friends and cousins. One cousin is only a couple months older than me as I caught him up on my family, he started to laugh. In 1979 he was offered a job as a Seat Engineer at Ford Motor Company and 31 years later my son accepted a job as a Seat Engineer!

    What really brought me back was going to the church that I grew up in. They have totally revamped it, but some of the old parts remain. I converted to Catholicism when I married, but I told my wife that two things Methodists do well is sing and potlucks. The food really brought me back. The post funeral meal is heaven. Ham, potatoes, green beans, Ambrosia salad and red velvet cake. I may have to re-write my will to make sure we have that at my funeral…only if I could take some with me!

  15. domaucan1 Avatar
    domaucan1

    Glad to see everyone doing well. Been absent for a while. Grand kids in and out. Almost all gone on different trips now. One left here for the night. Put me down as liking Jimmy’s sketch. It reminds me of Orange Beach and Panama City and our many family trips. Great memories for me and my family. Wifey and I just celebrated 51 years last week. Blessings on everyone.

  16. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Congrats domaucan1, not an easy feat.

  17. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    GR6
    On your 11:56
    Football (soccer) player signed for 100,000 Lb – today it is multi millions

  18. NDK Avatar
    NDK

    Looking at this, I can feel the breeze and hear the waves. You are a multi-talented gent! 🙂

  19. emb Avatar
    emb

    According to the soprano in the 4th movement of Mahler’s Sym. 4, you will have all the red velvet cake you want in the Hereafter.

    The drawing at top: lovely, but JJ set himself up [That’s ok, “Even Homer nods”] for a Betty Burckmeyer critique [my Cornell U. drawing teacher], thus:

    Viewer is standing on the beach just above sea level. A calm sea horizon is always at the viewer’s eye level, whether sitting or standing. Janis’s ankles are in the water and her eyes are just below the horizon, so she’s about the same height as the viewer. [Actually, she’s in a low spot; that water is a bit deep for being so close to the water line.]

    Arlo is right at the water’s edge, so he must be tiny. To be a bit taller than Janis, his usual height, his eye level should be a bit above the horizon.

    Easy to spot with an ocean scene. Dealing with the perspectives [there are two] in Matisse’s naughty “Picnic on the grass” is harder. [I think it’s Matisse.]

    Peace, emb

  20. emb Avatar
    emb

    Where is everybody?

    Some of you seem to have given up on Brooke M. As you might imagine, I’m trudging through scads of email, and just reached the 9CL for Sun. 21 June. It’s a hoot, and also brings back fond memories.

    Peace, emb

  21. Charlotte in NH Avatar
    Charlotte in NH

    Awfully glad to see you are back in the Village, emb! My own problems continue … everything was very slow to load this morning, and I went to this site first … it’s good because it has no ads or “clutter”, and of course it’s the most important to me. Once I submit this post probably won’t be able to do anything, same as yesterday. My “guru” phoned and will be here later today to see what he can do. Hoping for good results!

    Thanks to all who offered suggestions; the “uninstall Chrome” I have already tried, but it’s not on the list, since it was never installed, so there’s nothing to click on. A different idea from I forget who, I’ll write down for the guru to see; can’t do it myself. Will look back after submitting this.

    Wonder how Indy Mindy is, and hope she is keeping her head above water (only figuratively!)

  22. Denise in Michigan Avatar
    Denise in Michigan

    I missed you, emb! You often send me scurrying off to research things further, and I love it. I don’t know where everyone else is, but I was out messing around in the garden today.

    I wish you many more years together with your good wife, domaucan1. My husband and I are coming up on 30 years (but he says 33 because he counts from when we began dating).

  23. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good afternoon Villagers…

    Emb…a very detailed critique…I’m so glad to see your post again 🙂

    I hate the mail…and the Health Market Place…just really po’da’ me today and they’ve already changed my insurance carrier….premiums lwent.
    up 33%..I loath the guberment, and I VOTE 🙂

    Husband was surprised my ‘ranting and NO phone calls…..prescription meds really do help.

    Thank you for letting me share this with ya’ll…..

  24. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    emb

    Arlo is just a little further behind Janis than the water line would indicate.

    Arlo has 4 fingers & a thumb on his left hand and
    Janis is practicing “Live long and prosper”
    AND she has a belly button 🙂 eat your heart out Genie