Veeblefester Is Always Harsh

May 24, 1966

BUG MUSIC!!?!! Well, it is the sixties. Sadly, Dobie Portacio will not be at the level of such acts like The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkle, the Rolling Stones, or Jan and Dean, but maybe he'll still be a more local celebrity. (probably not)

I can also catch just as many flies with one of those things with sugary water where they can go in but can't come out. Which reminds me, I need to contact the Department of Labor and see if I can start sealing the doors closed during work hours. Surely we're over that shirtwaist claptrap by now.

I apologize for not posting yesterday's classic comic and bringing up this classic image in comparison.

Check In

May 10, 1966

Better nothing than this:

While the sketch above is from 1983, a continuation was made in 1987 that had a song with it. It's strange how it's still relevant.

People talking in movie shows

People smoking in bed

People voting Republican

Give them a boot to the head!

If Brutus isn't working, then what is he doing? Is he writing a story? Drawing penises on the desk? Wait. I know what he's doing:

Cool S

He's my post about what's going on with Brutus' office.

Tuesday Quickies

November 30, 1965

Who's Princie? Another kid? A dog? It's not like you are moving at a high rate of speed, just open the door and lean out.

Gladys couldn't just leave the mail in the box outside their house? Maybe it needs a stamp.

Brutus is in the doghouse and he didn't even do anything. Even whatever is in his mug is scared.

Yum. Diner Seafood

November 15, 1965

Albert's just doing what kids do: Eating cake that has been left out on the table hours before it is actually needed. I feel we can assign blame equally in this comic.

If only he had cut the cake out of the middle...

I have a coworker who goes out to eat every day for lunch. Every. Day. He goes to McDonald's. Every. Day. I wish I could do that, but doesn't that get expensive? I also don't think he really cooks dinner. I think he eats out for every meal. Whatever. Not my place to judge.

I bring this up because Brutus eats at this diner (nearly?) every day and each visit is a new worse experience. Is there no where else to eat nearby? What does Brutus get out of this?

Salad and Water...Again

November 9, 1965

Is there something funnier about being bad at playing the saxophone? Is it because of I Love Lucy? Is it just funnier because it's a squawky, annoying musical instrument when played poorly? That woman on the right is not having any of this. She is seething at looking at that saxophone.

You could put some ham or grilled chicken in that salad. I'd even take a couple hard-boiled eggs. Oh, well. I guess I'll just be hungry when it's time to go to bed.

2022.

Number 2

October 1, 1965

You may know "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life" (not to be confused with the Roald Dahl collection of stories titled the same thing) by its opening lines. Check out this beatitude memory pop:

This is from the 1935 film version of Naughty Marietta, based on the 1910 operetta of the same name. Marietta is deemed "naughty" because she refuses to get married.

Okay, so if this makeshift raft can hold two people and tuba then that door could've held Rose and Jack.

Of course you didn't get the job, Brutus. You weren't qualified. Why would you get a job that you weren't qualified for? Wait. That happens all the time. My mistake, I'll leave you alone.

At least Brutus got a participation ribbon. I barely get an email sometimes.

Jackie Torrence

Jackie Torrence, The Story Lady, was born in Chicago in 1944 but was sent to live with grandparents on a farm in a small town in North Carolina. It was there she developed a love for stories and telling stories. When school started, she moved in with an aunt in Salisbury, North Carolina.

She left college to get married to a minister which took her all across the South to impoverished churches. Sadly, the marriage ended in divorce and Jackie back in North Carolina with a young daughter. She took a job at the library in High Point where, after telling a couple of children a story, her life changed. She soon became known for her storytelling, the way she told them, her gestures, and facial expressions. She quickly learned that she could make some extra income telling stories at birthday parties, book groups, and schools. After an appearance at the National Storytelling Convention, Jackie was soon traveling across the country to tell stories. She had newspaper interviews and appearances on late-night talk shows alongside her usual appearances at schools, conventions, and corporate retreats.

Sadly, Jackie Torrence died in Salisbury, North Carolina, of a heart attack in 2004. She was only 60 years old. She has a story, written by but not read by her, in our school district's eighth grade Language Arts textbook. We read the story, discussed it, and then watched a few videos of her actually telling a story. The students enjoyed the stories we watched, were surprised to discover that she was Black woman, and that she died relatively young.

Here are two stories from Jackie Torrence. One was one that we watched, The Golden Arm, and the other is a special presentation episode from 1981 that aired on CBS, Two White Horses: A Mountain Tale.

And that, is the end of that.

I Mainly Listen to White Noise

Does anybody remember that "Pure Moods" CD that was sold on TV and, eventually, stores? I loved that CD and would listen to it all the time. I need to get a new one. You can find close facsimiles on Spotify but it just seems different somehow.

What I love about the last panel is that you can imagine it in one of two ways. One, Brutus is so boring that he just faded away. Two, it's now an hour or so later and he just left this guy's office. Either way, it's perfect.

Oh, Won't You Come With Me...

I am impressed that Wilberforce, who at this point would be born in about 2013, knows what a record is.

Anyway, here's the entire song.

Rain. That's a Pretty Good Sign of Spring

Spring is here.
Spring is here.
Life is Skittles
And life is beer.

I thing the loveliest time of the year
is the Spring, I do.
Don't you?
Of course you do.

No, It Is a High Price

I didn't get anything written for today because I'm busy writing things. It's a vicious roofie circle. Anyway, here is a video on anti-homosexual propaganda from Sid Davis. This "mental hygiene" film, "Boys Beware" warns teens about the dangers of the homosexuals. While this could be a good warning to children about staying away from strangers and child molesters, it mainly warns of the dangers and mental sickness of homosexuals.

Stay away from those public restrooms, kiddos!

If you would like to support my writing or research, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-Fi.

"Seventy-five dollars!? I can get a lifetime supply of Ferrero Roche at the CVS down the street for that kind of money."

Please Don't Touch the Inner Children

Had Mother Gargle been standing there, she would've went "It looks like Brutus ate his inner child!" If Wilberforce was standing there, it'd be "I'm going to have a baby brother or sister?!" Either one is better than what we got going on here.

What is kind of funny is the pause Brutus and Gladys are doing while Kewpie is thinking. Gladys finishes her sentence and they just freeze while we focus on Kewpie for a few seconds and then they start talking again. Have you ever seen those clips of The Big Bang Theory without the laugh track? It's like that.

66

Happy birthday to Harry Anderson, who would've been 66 today. Always and forever an inspiration to me. In remembrance, here is an appearance Anderson made on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson from 1988.

Well, since "Take Me Out To the Ball Game" is normally sung in the seventh inning then it would be sung at a football game in the third quarter--probably when the home team has the ball.

Interestingly, my last football game I went to in person popped up on my Facebook memories. It was cold, rainy, the game had to stop because of lightning, and we lost. Perfect.

Check out them seats: Row ZZ.

If you would like to support my writing and research, you can buy me a cup of coffee on Ko-Fi.

Triple Decker Catch-Up

If you are a football fan and have to ask "what position is that?" then it's pretty clear that the position is made up, right? I'm surprised the coach even gives Wilberforce the correct days for the games anymore.

It is interesting that the coach tries his hardest to keep Wilberforce from being included in any of the plays when it's clear that the entire team is the problem. Maybe he should play Wilberforce, he couldn't possibly do any worse.

This is the second time in about a week that Brutus has gotten clobbered by a golf ball. At least this time it is because of someone else and not his own bad playing. I don't understand why any word can't be a word of warning in golf.

If you would like to support my writing and research, you can buy me a cup of coffee on Ko-Fi.

It Was Just a Bunch of Birds In a Trenchcoat

You would think there would be some kind of bonus in the contract for landing big clients--or any clients at all really. Maybe you have to include that kind of bonus when you write up the contract and that sounds like something Brutus would forget to include.

I looked up Fitzbew just to see if there is anyone with that name in the Cleveland, Ohio area and apparently 'fitz-bew' is the sound the Willow Flycatcher makes.

Market Price

Wow! Those are some fresh scallops!

I've discussed this before here. Do I really want to eat something that was pulled out of Lake Erie? Thing is, I found a list of best places to eat scallops in Ohio and a lot of those places looked really good so maybe I do want to eat something that was pulled out of Lake Erie.

It Was Her Fault for Asking How Mark's Day Was

Blondie

Mark Trail

"I didn't choose the wild and crazy nature writer life, it chose me. I warned you, when you're with Mark Trail, every day is a Jason Statham movie."

Funky Winkerbean

Everybody in the world has some sort of foible. Sometimes it's a foible that someone is just particular about but sometimes it's a foible that the person can't really control. No matter the reason, Tom Batiuk makes his character's foibles mind-blowingly annoying. Always. It's quite a skill when you think about it.

Post-Christmas Quickie

Dennis the Menace

Why is Margaret looking at Ruff in that creepy way?

The Born Loser

No, I'm pretty sure I gave him a list of orders.

Blondie

What the hell kind of video game is that? Wait. Is that...? Is that a Tiger Electronic Handheld Game?!!

Christmas 2016

I've always been a huge fan of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It's part of the reason that I try to be a decent human being. The thought of possibly being shackled with heavy chains in the afterlife does not thrill me, I don't care if I am a ghost. My favorite versions are the Mister Magoo version and this one. It's only 25 minutes and it won an Oscar. Enjoy and then head down to the comics.

Funky Winkerbean

"Well, my friend and costar didn't kill herself so let's go to Coronado Island. We need to get away from the stress of Los Angeles."

Slylock Fox and Comics For Kids

I guess you could put a tarp over the artifacts or maybe you should've driven something that was a bit more enclosed. Or just bury everything, I guess that works too.

Rex Morgan, M.D.

I would've rather seen Rex read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to Sarah but her coming out of her coma is good too, I guess.

Beetle Bailey

Lawyers...The Only Thing That Frightens JJJ

Amazing Spider-Man

Yes! Finally the team-up we've all been looking forward to. Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson versus the biggest threat to humanity ever known. Estate law.

Scary Gary

So close...

Mary Worth

Tommy is the chair.