Every now and again I’ll receive an email from someone (or sometimes more!) because (purely by accident!) I’ve offended them with one of my cartoons. Take for example the cartoon below. The day it was published I heard from several upset practicing pagans (which by no means are the only group I have heard from over the years!) who took offense because they thought I was saying that pagans engage in animal sacrifice. I must admit that I do not know any pagans personally so I had very little knowledge of how they practice their beliefs. I did a bit of research and found several scholarly sources in which prehistoric pagans did in fact engage in animal sacrifice. As anyone can plainly see, the characters in the cartoon below are clearly from a time in the distant past, so I was, in fact, accurately depicting what may have actually occurred amongst prehistoric practicing pagans. Naturally, I politely replied to the people I had offended and included in my response the web links/sources I had researched but none of them took the time to write back to thank me. Maybe just I’m old-fashioned (some would say prehistoric!) but I think the very least they could have done was acknowledge my response because as far as I’m concerned good manners are one thing that should never be sacrificed.



It would be my pleasure, and hopefully yours too, if you would kindly visit: www.rubescartoons.com

I was just reading a fascinating article in National Geographic on how animals use camouflage. It’s simply amazing the number of clever ways insects disguise themselves as well as using other “tricks” in order to survive. Particularly interesting was a certain type of caterpillar that munches away around the edges of leaves leaving them smaller yet still symmetrical in shape. Birds which prey on caterpillars look for more obvious signs of caterpillar activity (irregularly munched and damaged leaves) and completely miss the now plump prey. Speaking of hiding out, I will be cleverly disguised as a wacky cartoonist this Friday and Saturday in Sacramento at the California State Fair. Please come over and say hi. (If you can find me!)*

 *Hint! Come meet Leigh in the Author's Booth! (inside the A/B Building) Friday Aug 28 from 10am to 4pm and Saturday August 29 from 4 pm to 10 pm. www.rubescartoons.com

 
Be fair to yourself and visit: www.rubescartoons.com

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that crossword puzzles are not my strongpoint. I find them incredibly frustrating especially when I “know” a couple of words that intersect perfectly but then a third word doesn’t work out at all. Sometimes the correct words are so obvious (after I peek at the answer page) that I can’t believe I didn’t figure them out. Fortunately the only time I even try my hand at crosswords is when I am stuck flying somewhere and I’ve exhausted all of the other reading material in the seatback pocket. Yep, in an act of desperation I’ll even flip through the Sky Mall catalog looking at all the overpriced and stuff and ask myself, “Who buys these things?!” To which I give the same answer as I do to many of the crossword hints...”I haven’t a clue.”

 Find the answer to all your funny needs:  www.rubescartoons.com   

Don’t you just dread those moments when your kids ask you if you did those things when you were a kid that you have told them a thousand times they should never do? It’s just one of the hazards of parenthood you don’t think about when you begin raising a family. It seems as soon as the little cherubs can talk, they start asking more questions than a police interrogator. Things can get a tad uncomfortable. Lying is out of the question, so I figure the best thing to do is quickly change the subject. Of course, this tactic will only work for so long. Sooner or later, they’ll catch on. Hopefully, by that point you’ll be old enough to use your faulty memory as a viable excuse for not remembering any youthful indiscretions which may or may not have occurred: “Gee, that was so long ago. How am I supposed to remember something that far back?!” Hmm, maybe there are some benefits to middle age after all...

 C'mon over to:  www.rubescartoons.com   It's really a trip!  

Why is it that we have to remember so many passwords these days? Why, I’ve forgotten so many of them I can’t even remember how many of them I’ve lost track of. If you do banking, are into social networking, use your credit cards, cell phone, etc., etc., etc., you need a password. Even if I am able to remember them all how am I supposed to keep them straight? Perhaps If I write all of my passwords down and put them in a safe then I’ll have them handy whenever I need them. That is, assuming of course I can remember where I put the key.

There’s no password necessary to visit: www.rubescartoons.com!

 The nice thing about being back home after an extended driving vacation is not having to eat on the road. It’s kinda fun dining out the first time or two but soon the novelty begins to wear thin....not to mention the ol’ wallet. Then there is always the unpleasant drawback of being on a long driving trip and sharing with your family the unpleasant aftermath of a meal that didn’t sit quite right. So, next time I hit the road I think I’ll pack myself an ice chest full of sandwiches and snacks from home. That way when it comes to gassing up I can just stick with fossil fuels.

 Have a gas at: www.rubescartoons.com!

I am not feeling particularly ambitious today. It’s the last day of my journey up to Oregon (again!) and back. So in keeping with the tradition of many past Mondays, I’ll take the easy way out. After all, it is in fact Pun-day and I’m feeling like a bit of a lazy boy.

 
Go ahead, visit www.rubescartoons.com (no ambition needed!)

With the state of the economy the way it is many people will now be working longer and postponing retirement. Some folks that are already retired are seeking at least part time work to supplement their retirement incomes. Yes sir, all of those “bones” that many of us had thought were safely buried have simply disappeared. It seems to me that if many of us old dogs are ever really going to successfully retire we better be willing to learn some new tricks.

 Have a ball and roll on over to:: www.rubescartoons.com

Vacations are always a welcome break from the normal routine. Adventure and exciting new places to explore are out there awaiting us. But just getting ready to leave on a trip is quite an adventure in itself.

There are numerous tasks (too many to mention here!) which need to be done so that I can really “get away” when I’m away. It’s quite a sense of accomplishment to (temporarily) catch up on everything so I feel comfortable enough to put up the “Gone Fishin” sign for a week or two. Still, there is always a sense of unease that creeps in no matter how much fun I’m having while I’m gone. I just never know what might be lurking around waiting for me when I return...

Take a break from the norm and visit: www.rubescartoons.com

Middle age is an interesting time. You still think you can do what you did when you were younger, and maybe you can, but it definitely takes more effort. Just yesterday my wife, my 14 year old son and I did two moderate hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, one in Washington and other in Oregon. It amazes me to see how my son effortlessly bounds up the trails while mom and dad, chugging along, hearts pounding away, seem to be more like The Little Engine That Could (“I think I can. I think I can.”) Were the hikes worth it? Absolutely! At the top of each trail we were treated to some phenomenal views of the Gorge. In fact, they were so stunningly spectacular they literally left us literally(gasp!) breathless.
 

 Hike on over to: www.rubescartoons.com (It’ll take your breath away!)

What’s with all the yelling these days? Can we not just have a civil discourse when it comes to political issues? It’s amazing that anybody can still speak after all the raised voices and heated debates. I swear, (no pun intended), when it comes to all the anger and noise sometimes I just can’t bear it!

 Grin and bear it at: www.rubescartoons.com

When I was still in single digits, my grandmother gave me my very first cartoon book. It was a collection of Peanuts comics and I was instantly hooked. I must have read that book hundreds of times and laughed over and over again. In the mid '80s I had the privilege of meeting Charles Schulz in his Santa Rosa studio and was instantly impressed by what a gracious guy he was. I’m not the kind of person that usually gets starstruck, but that meeting was definitely an exception. On Saturday, August 8, I will be visiting Santa Rosa again, as I have had the honor of being asked to be the artist in residence that day at the Charles M. Schulz Museum. If you happen to be in the area or have friends in the area, I will be putting on my cartoony show from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. (http://www.schulzmuseum.org/) Gosh, just thinking about going there makes me feel like a kid again. I think I’ll go reread that book. (Yep, I still have it!)

 
For a little comic relief, visit: www.rubescartoons.com

We take so many things for granted...clean water, an abundant supply of food and modern medical care. But what about those things that we so often overlook? Little things, you know, like paper plates at a picnic or those handy, little, moist towelettes they give you when you order ribs at your favorite barbecue joint. Some anonymous soul had to think of those things. Let us take a moment to give thanks and show our appreciation for all those unheralded heroes who have worked tirelessly just to keep our lives easily rolling along.

                
Roll on over to: www.rubescartoons.com

We’ve all heard that a good exercise regimen and a proper diet are two major factors in living a long and healthy life. The third component in achieving longevity is genetics. You either have good genes or you don’t. I like that, nice, simple and good genes require no effort whatsoever. My parents are now in their eighties and both in good health and I couldn’t be happier. Speaking of happiness, what about the humor gene? Laughter must play an important role in longevity, right? After all, just look at Milton Berle. He lived to be 94. Oh, and what about Bob Hope and George Burns? They each lived to be 100. So it seems to me that humor just might be the most important factor of all....and that's nothing to laugh at.

Laugh your way into a long life at: www.rubescartoons.com

The government is bailing out companies left and right. Ever wonder where all that money comes from? Doesn’t it seem that eventually even the government might run out of cash? Oh and where exactly do they find the money to pay it back? I don’t know, but doesn’t it seem that maybe the whole thing is like a big, well, you know, pyramid scheme?

 No money but plenty of funny at: www.rubescartoons.com