January 2009 Archive for Rubes Cartoons - Tales from a Twisted Mind

Well, the 2009 NCBA convention has ended and I head home tomorrow. Had a fun time as always! While setting up the first day I was hanging a poster of the cartoon featured below. A couple of other exhibitors walked by and started reminiscing about how when they were kids they used to squirt the cats (and their siblings), with milk straight from the udder. One of the gentlemen thanked me for bringing back some very fond memories. As I have now learned from a number of people at the show, many, many people did and still do, have squirt gun fights on the farm.  Sounds like and udder blast to me!

(Thanks, Mobile, Alabama!…I say, the more twisted the better!)

Many times I have been asked where I get my ideas. I say that life itself is inspiring. Ideas can really come from anywhere and everywhere, you just have to be open to seeing things in a new light- Even old nursery rhymes…

(Thanks, for yesterday’s comment, James…always appreciated!)

So here I am at the NCBA convention…My fifth year in a row. It’s always a good time seeing old friends and making new ones. I had the pleasure of meeting some of the fine folks from Farm Journal (Try saying that fast five times!) Also enjoyed the live entertainment courtesy of Deputy Boots & Sheriff Britches (www.dreamcamper.com). They are two amazingly talented musicians! Oh, did I mention free beer?  …Two of the most beautiful words in the English language, especially when they are placed side by side. Looking forward to another fun day tomorrow!

Omletting you know right now that if had to get my breakfast this way I’d be a little, uh, well…chicken.

Let's hope it doesn't go this far...

'Nuf said...

Up before the crack o’ dawn today for my early morning Cartoony Show in Denver at the American Library Association conference. Fun time sharing lots of (loud!)  laughs with a lively group of librarians and the best part was that nobody told us “Shhhhhhhh!” In fact many attendees came up to me after the presentation and thanked me for starting their day off with a laugh! I must say, seeing a room full of smiling faces is definitely not usually what greets each morning …But I could get used to it!

Tomorrow it’s off to Phoenix for the National Cattlemman’s Beef Association convention. I always enjoy that show and this will be my fifth year there. If anyone out there happens to be attending please come on over and visit me in booth #1712. Cheers!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog entry, I will putting on my cartoony show at the American Library Association conference in Denver on Saturday morning.  I also mentioned how much I love to read, though I’m not particularly a fast reader. Maybe that’s a good thing too….First came the thought police…could the speed reading police be far behind?

As a kid, my mom made sure I stayed occupied with activities that wouldn’t end up involving me in an emergency room (Mom’s are like that!) She always encouraged me to read and from early on we had a weekly trip to the library. I loved the whole library experience. The quietness, the feel and smell of all those wonderful books, and of course the always helpful librarian.  So what’s the point of this little trip down “Nostalgia Lane” you’re wondering? Okay, I’ll get to the point…

On Friday I leave for Denver as I have been invited to speak at the American Library Association’s mid-winter conference. I am really looking forward to sharing some laughs with a great group of people who like me, have a great love of the written word. I figure if I can keep ‘em laughing they’ll forget all about fine I owe for that overdue book I seem to have misplaced forty plus years ago…

…No cows were harmed during the drawing of this cartoon!

*Special thanks to my brother Paull!

They say that life is full of ups and downs. What they didn’t tell us is that sometimes life’s ups and downs happen at the same time…

I once read a statistic that stated the average elementary school-aged child sees an average of 20,000 30-second television commercials per year. That’s why, being the strict , high achieving parents we are, my wife and I insisted our children watch at least 25,000 commercials a year because, by golly, in our family we don’t just settle for being “average!”

We all have to live with budgets and deadlines. Sometimes I wonder how people may have dealt with these two necessary evils in times past...

 P.S. Dear Waterloo...Perhaps someday someone out there give me an honorary Ph.D!

Judging from the response to yesterday’s "penguin" post it would seem that global warming must be on vacation. (Perhaps having a nice holiday in the Caribbean?) Is it possible that the following presents a more accurate portrayal of the current climate?...

It seems that global warming is quite a, (pardon the pun), hot topic. Why, it could even be considered (again, pardon the pun), polarizing…

In reply to my blog of 1-14-09 a reader who shall remain anonymous, (because that's the name given by the person), made a funny comment which reminded me of cartoon by a certain cartoonist who shall not remain anonymous… (yours truly). At any rate, the comment was, "The Grass always looks a little Greener on the other side, but it usually is not any taller." In my case my neighbor's lawn is always greener and always more manicured than mine... (Sigh!)...

My wife often says I have a job that never ends. It’s true. My mind is always off wandering about trying to think of the next day's cartoon. It's a job with endless deadlines as I have to dream up 365 new cartoons a year...But I am not complaining. I think the following cartoon pretty much sums up my attitude on this somewhat unconventional career I have chosen…