Another Eclectic Collection

Question is . . . or rather, questions are: “Why the skateboarding turtles?” And, “How come you take such a long hiatus between posting to this here blog?”

No simple answers. On the other hand, it's not too complicated either.

Question #2: Been too busy, or at least trying to look too busy.

Question #1: Well, the rapid reptiles are sort of a metaphor; indicating the Encinitas Whiting lifestyle.

You do believe that, don't you?

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Bella has another three weeks to complete her Dog Obedience Course. She'll be so smart we'll soon be doing the obeying. Probably have to get a larger mortarboard for her swelled canine cranium too.

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Speaking of time left, this VINCENT strip is the next to last one which views the waning days of the magic convention. After such a great adventure what can possibly compare for our short sorcerer?

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Next up, the syndicated LI'L ONES and WEE WOMEN. Which is your favorite?

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The fact that you've come back to see what's happening in Jim's Muses makes me glad

and

I hope this final muse will amuse.

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Looking forward to a connection with you in February . . . if not sooner.

Jim

Oh, by the way, I know that older eyes need all the help they can get ... so I hope you appreciate the larger type here. No extra charge.

To Each and Every One

We--being Bernita, Jim (that's me) and Bella (yes, she is our recently acquired canine over whom we get more than a bit silly at times) wish you the very best during this multi holiday season. Please pick one that suits you perfectly.   


Shown here is a card, a sequel to the English version which I did at least fifteen years ago. I believe many a parent will relate to the scene depicted.

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VINCENT continues his adventures at the International Brotherhood of Magicians convention in Portland, where, to my knowledge the IBM convention never actually took place. But hey, this is only a comic strip; anything can happen.

Dogs have been on my mind of late so I dug out another oldie from the AD LIBS file written by Len Bruh (AKA Larry Hurb) and illiustrated by yours truly.

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Not everyone looks upon snow with a negative eye.Here's proof positive (at least 90%)

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In parting-- would you say that my picking up ten pennies while walking with Bella this morning is a sign that the economy is improving?

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WAIT! I almost forgot: The publisher of ComptorEdge.com informed me yesterday that the price of That Does Not Compute! has been reduced just in time for gift giving!  99 cents, fer gosh sakes! More than 150 cartoons about computers and computors . . . oh the trials and tribulations. Please take a look anyway. Jack Dunning wrote most all the gags. I did all the cartoons. Want a sample?

Click here to see the sweet deal:  www.computoredgebooks.com  Or Copy and Paste if need be.

Thanks for stopping by.

Talk to you next year.

Jim

Jim's MONTHLY MUSES

Well, sometimes the muses are fewer than the pictures--which may be be
 photographic or cartoonish. Either of the two latter categories will be
easier for you.  And maybe for me too.

DID WE LEARN ANYTHING YET?

Yes, we did learn something at the PetSmart Pet

Training Program. We learned that teaching a dog 

is not easy. But it's rewarding. And we do believe 

Bella is making progress. We are also.

That's the little lady craming for the final exam 

which took place Sunday, November 6. Note the  look of intense concentration on her face.

Shortly after the ordeal: the Reward.

Now see the proud look of acheivment on her face. Or is it boredom?

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Moving on ---- to Portland, of all places, we catch up with the VINCENT aggregation as they finally enter the hallowed halls

 of the magic convention.

Next, LI'L ONES, WEE WOMEN AND something for the cat lovers watching.

That's it for this time.  Bella just requested a walk. 

Til soon, Jim

Meanwhile

Vincent, the Magician realizes that he and his

entourage, consisting of his long suffering wife 

Wanda and sometimes insufferable maid Agnes,

have arrived at the wrong city. There is no Magic 

 Society Convention here!

Not to worry. A quick trip cross country to New England and Presto!

We'll be staying on target with our friends as they enjoy the next few days in their magical Nirvana.

Meanwhile-----again----it's almost seven weeks since the adoption of our youngster. The three of us are getting along fairly well. Fifth week of Obedience School (for Bella) coming up Sunday. The opportunity to capture a  family portrait hasn't happened yet. But we have plenty pictures of our teenager.

We've not seen a LI'L ONES or WEE WOMEN cartoon in a while, so let's take care of that right now.

 And with that, it's time for me to go as well.

Til soon, friends,

Jim

Gone to the dogs . . . or vice versa

It was just this morning, as we walked toward the court, that my tennis nemesis---when informed that Bernita and I had adopted a dog from the animal shelter in Carlsbad---asked: “Why would you want to do something like that at this stage of your lives?” Thankfully, he didn’t say “ . . . at your age.”  More than once, I’ve mulled that question around in my own skull and finally come to the reasonable answer, “Why not?”


Bella, our two, or three year old---both ages were on the documents we received from the shelter---is obviously happy to have had the invitation to be part of the Whiting household. We don’t know her former owner(s) but I’ll speak well for what training was given our little lady. Bella knows when it’s necessary to “take a walk outdoors” and looks us straight in the eye and vocalizes a most plaintive plea when it‘s time to pee. It was her idea to sleep in our bed, but we nixed that quickly and she’s apparently just as happy on a nice mat at the foot of the bed. She has another pad downstairs which is convenient for daytime naps. There’s no begging at the table either. Well, most of the time. She either sits  a few feet away with a rather despondent dog look on her face or she retreats, defeated, to the under-the-stairway daytime pad. As mentioned, most of the time. Still not comfortable about meeting other canines, Bella will, we hope, become more sociable in that area after some sessions in Sunday School, (dog obedience) which starts at PetSmart in a few days. 

Enough with the words. Allow us to introduce you to Senorita Bella.

We looked at dozens of dogs before two of them made the cut. As we passed the cages the animals seemed to be saying “Pick me! Pick me!”  My thoughts went back to the mid 50s and a cartoon spread which Collier’s published. 

Life---in our case--- has just imitated art, and my mind recalls myriad moments when mammals (dogs, this time) have held center stage. The following examples were taken from files older than you; some of you, anyway.

My favorite . . . though not totally reflecting my sentiments:

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This cartoon suggests a dog's misguided protective instinct.

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And this one shows a dog's complete devotion to his master.

Someone once said ---or might have said, if they were not completely sane--- "One can't have too many dogs." This might be proof.

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A natural response to an overpopulation of dogs

 might be this poor man's.  

                                                           

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We'll catch up with VINCENT the Magician next time.as he enjoys the great Magic Convention 

Remember:

A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue
Til soon,
Jim