Two of My Favorite Things

The May 19, 2020, Hi and Lois cartoon strip hit home especially for me.

FIRST FRAME:

Lois is inside a store and speaks to someone else:  "It's great to see  a new brick-and-mortar business back in town..."

SECOND FRAME:

She finishes by say, "filled with paper and ink."

The owner of the store looks at her and says:  "Bookstores are back."

********************************

I sure am going to miss brick-and-mortar stores.  I love to walk around and look.  You never know what you're going to find.  Plus, I really like bookstores.  I am a book freak, even if I don't usually read all of them, I love them.

I still miss my McHenry Borders and then the nearest Barnes and Noble to me in Crystal Lake, Illinois closed down. Even though they are Big Box stores, they had that little book store feel, plus, of course, music in the form of records and CDs.  My other favorite thing.

--RoadDog


LAUGHTER HELPS WITH THE "V":  "We all owe an apology to 2019 for what we said about it."

JSS: Dumb Commercials-- Calvin & Hobbes-- Butterflies & Humming Birds

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  DUMB COMMERCIALS--

 How dumb is that Pepsi commercial with Nate and Kate as taste buds in your mouth?  Way too much flirting and stupid dialogue.  How much longer must we be subjected to it?

Plus, that weird little Prince-ish guy for Diet Dr. Pepper.

2.  CALVIN & HOBBES--  I sure wish the creator Bill Watterson would bring it back.  But, I go to Go Comics every day and see am old one.  On August 6, 2019, we see Calvin talking to his tiger, Hobbes, and saying:  "Dad might be a secret super hero but driving a car that isn't cool.  I know, ours doesn't even have a cassette deck."    Kind of dates the comic strip.

Today's kids wouldn't even know what a cassette deck is.  Shoot, in Chevrolets, you can't even get a CD deck anymore.  That will be a big problem when we buy our next Chevrolet.  I have to have at least a CD player.  Last year, we sold our '03 Malibu which had both a CD and a cassette player.  Now  that was a great sound system.  Our '11 Malibu at least still has a CD player.

3.  BUTTERFLIES & HUMMINGBIRDS--  Well, butterflies might be endangered now, but I sure have a lot out in the yard.  As a matter of fact, I usually have several fly into me whenever I'm outside.  I especially have a lot of monarch butterflies.  I also have several hummingbirds (even though I don't feed them) that scare me badly every time I see see them.  My first thought is, "Look at the size of that mosquito!!"

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog

STATE OF THE JOKE:  INDIANA--  What is the difference between Indiana sports fans and puppies?  Answer:  Eventually, the pups will grow up and stop whining.

JSIS: $15 Minimum Wage-- Shoe-- Potholes

JSIS--  Just Some Interesting Stuff

1.  $15 MINIMUM WAGE--  I don't agree with this at all.  The idea for those low-paying first jobs is for a person to get experience and then go on to something bigger and that pays better.  Not for it to be an end-all.  I started my first job at age 16 at Burger King in Palatine, Illinois, for $1 an hour.

2.  SHOE--  From Fen. 19:  In Roz's Roost.  Roz is reading a newspaper (newspaper?) and says, "I think politicians should be limited to two terms."  The Professor, also reading a newspaper, replies, "So do I.  One office term and one prison term."

Anybody besides me wondering how so many politicians become so rich while and after they leave office?

3.  POTHOLES--  One result of that super cold we had earlier  in February is a bumper crop of potholes.  They are almost everywhere.  The poor tires are taking a beating.  Officer, I was just trying to avoid the potholes.  That is why I was swerving.

--RoadDog

I Know the Feeling

From the February 9, 2017, Zits comic strip.

1.  Mom is thumbing her idge phone on the sofa.  Her son Jeremy is looking over her shoulder from behind and says:  "Mom, you need to update your phone software."  His mom replies:  "I don't want to."

2.  Mom:  "Everytime I do one of those updates my phone gets all weird."  Jeremy says:  "I'll walk you through it."

3.  You see the installing thing.

4.  Mom is now holding a frog instead of her idge phone.  The frog says, "Ribbit."  Mom says, "See?"  Jeremy says:  "They're probably working on a fix for that."

Boy, Do I Know This.  --RoadDog

Living in Today's World-- A Proper Super Bowl Menu

From the February 5, 2017, Rhymes With Orange comic strip.

THE ULTIMATE SEVEN-LAYER DIP

This consists of:

Chex Mix
Hot wings
Meatballs

Jalapeno poppers
Chili
Cheese Doodles
Sliders

No Argument From Me.  --RoadDog

Tornado-Proof Your House

From the December 27, 2016, Bizarro.

Two farmers are on the front porch of a farmhouse.  One looks out into the other's cornfield and sees a mobile home and says to the other:  "What's with the abandoned mobile home in the middle of your cornfield?"

The other one says:  "Keeps the tornadoes away from the house."

Good One.  --RoadDog

Living In Today's World: About Those Commercials

August 5, 2016,  Mr. Boffo.

More proof weird things are happening everywhere with no explanation.

Mr. Boffo is sitting in his easy chair watching TV and says to his wife, sitting next to him:   "I haven't seen my favorite commercial in over an hour."

Is it me, but there do seem to be a lot of really good commercials on TV (although way too many) these days.  Some of them are very funny while others are very touching.  I like the one  with the little horse being ignored by the big horses and the lady buys a pet door for him to come in and he gets rubbed to the tune of "Little Man."  Which by the way, was on the WLS charts 50 years ago today.

I also like the one where the little kids misses his dad who is deployed overseas and send the paper airplanes with messages across the fence into his neighbor's yard, who collects them. sends them in a package to the kid's dad who makes his own paper airplanes and sends them to the neighbor who throws them back over the fence.

Commercials like  this will always get me to watch them.

--RoadDog

SIGNS AND NOTICES:  Official sign near door:  "Door Alarmed."  There was a handprinted sign nearby which read:  "Window Frightened."

Living in Today's World: Speed Bump

From the August 24, 2016, Speed Bump comic strip.

One panel.  No talking.

A father and his daughter are entering a corn maze.  The father looks up and just over the tops of the corn he sees a giant mouse in a white lab coat writing on a clip board.

Turnabout is fair play, I guess.

Of course, within a few miles of us we have Richardson's Corn Maze, reputed to be the world's largest, which draws thousands of people every fall.  This year's theme of their maze is the 50th anniversary of "Star Trek."

--RoadDog

Living in Today's World: Dustin-- The Comic Strip Pages Don't Crash

From the August 21, 2016, Dustin comic strip.

Dustin and the young neighbor friend are lying on the floor in the living room reading the comics in the newspaper.

Frame 1:  Dustin:  "It used to be the way we all read the comics."  Friend:  "Wow!"

Frame 2:  Dustin:  "Pretty cool, right?"  Friend:  "The weirdest thing is ..."

Frame 3:  Friend:  "... no pop up ads."  Dustin:  "Plus, it never crashes."

I remember anxiously waiting to get the Sunday comics from my dad as I was growing up and then reading them on the floor.  And, I still get most of my regular, non-blog, news from newspapers.  Few things finer than sitting out on the front porch, gazebo or back deck with a cup of coffee and today's newspaper.

I am sure going to miss it when the time comes and there are no longer any print newspapers.

--RoadDog

MORE SUTHEN-ISMS:  All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is.  They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.

The "Idge Phones

From Speed Bump comic strip for June 12, 201,

Some people call them smart phones.  I have my doubts about that.  I think perhaps the term idiot phones "idge" my be more appropriate.

The Devil is standing with a newly arrived person in you-know-where.  He had his arm around the new soul.  Meanwhile, there are seven other people in you-know-where completely absorbed with their "Idge" phones.

The Devil says to the new guy, "Oh, this isn't their hell.  It's yours."

I Agree.  --RoadDog

AIN'T IT THE TRUTH:  Gone are the days when girls used to cook like their mothers.  Now they drink like their fathers.

A Different Kind of Driver Education with Dad

From the May 19, 2016, Hi and Lois comic strip.

Hi's oldest son is learning how to drive.  Dad is in the car with him.

Frame 1:  dad says to son: "No texting, tweeting, chatting or skyping."

Kid:  "What's left."

Frame 2:  Dad says, "Driving while driving.

It Is So Sad I Could Cry.  --RoadDog

YOU'RE OLD IF YOU REMEMBER:  When nobody owned a pure-bred dog.  Mutts for Me.

Ain't It True: Cosmo Gets Sick

From the March 11, 2016, Shoe comic strip.

FIRST FRAME:  His nephew Skyler comes into the room and sees his Uncle Cosmo sitting in his easy chair and looking ill.
Skyler:  "Are you ok Uncle Cosmo?"
Cosmo:  "No, I'm feeling queasy."

2ND FRAME:
Skyler:  "Is it a side effect of your medication?"
Cosmo:  "No."

THIRD FRAME:
Cosmo:  The side effect of watching medication commercials."

It sure does seem like every other commercial is for a miracle drug.

Laughing Till I cry.  --RoadDog

JSS: No More Snow-- So Sad, Part 1-- So Sad, Part 2

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  NO MORE SNOW--  As of this morning the last of the snow we got last week has officially melted here at the house in Spring Grove, Illinois.  Let's hope that ends it for the season.

2.  SO SAD, PART 1--  I saw the video of the fan keeping the youngster from getting hit in the head by a bat at a spring training game.  The kid was completely oblivious of the bat coming at his head as he was, you guessed it, completely absorbed in his cell phone.  Smart Phone Indeed!

3.  SO SAD, PART 2--  The Feb. 25, 2016, Speed Bump comic strip showed seven 4-5 year-olds sitting and one standing, all eyes glued to cell phones.  You see the word "Duck" six times above them in balloons and the word "Goose" once.

Oh, Woe Is Us.  --RoadDog

Hey, Comics Talking About Me-- Part 3

From the December 7, 2012, Chicago Tribune.

SHOE

FRAME ONE:  A highway patrol officer has Senator Belfry pulled over.

Belfry looks out the driver's window and says: "Do you have any idea who I am?"

FRAME TWO:  The officer looks at him and says:  "No, but at your age..."

FRAME THREE:  "Memory loss is a common thing."

Now, Why Was I Typing This?  --RoadDog

Hey, Comics Talking About Me-- Part 2

From the December 7, 2012, Chicago Tribune.

BLONDIE

FRAME ONE:  Dagwood is talking to a department store Santa Claus in a diner and asks, "Are you having a good year?"

Santa:  "Despite havin' to bust my 'bowlful of jelly' for eight hours a day, I think it'll be okay."


FRAME TWO:  Santa:  "Parents are ordering online, but kids still order on-lap.  So I guess you could say that I'm the Original Laptop!  Ho! Ho!"

FRAME THREE:  Dagwood's back with Blondie and walking by the Santa with children in line and one on lap and says:  "Did you know Santa was the original Laptop?

Blondie is looking puzzled at him.

It's a Technology Thing.  You Wouldn't Understand.  Me Neither.  --RoadDog

Hey, Comics Talking About Me-- Part 1

From the December 7, 2012, Chicago Tribune.

FOR BETTER OR WORSE

FIRST FRAME:  Ellie and friend are out shopping with their kids.  Her friend's son is looking at a rack of war toys, pointing and saying  "Mom! Mom!--  I Want Dat!!"

SECOND FRAME:  His mom says, "No, Christopher-- I will not allow you to own toys that promote violence."

THIRD FRAME:  Walking away, Ellie's daughter, Elizabeth sticks her tongue out and says, "Nyaah, Nyaah."

FOURTH FRAME:  The boy was holding a pet monkey toy and hauls off and whaps Elizabeth on the back of her head with it.

I don't know, I always had war toys and played with them all my youth and I don't think I turned out so bad.  And what about the video games these kids will be playing.  You want to talk about your graphic violence.

Toy Gun No Good.  Mortal Combat OK.  --RoadDog


WISDOM OF CHILDREN:  Felt-tip markers are not good to use as lipstick.

Now That Football's Over, Some Funnies

There was a funny Jan. 26th, In the Bleachers comic:  It showed a church with a sign out front that read: "Sunday Football: Big Screen TV, Buffalo Wings, Brats + Beer, Nachos, Free Sermon!"


Jan 24th Argyle Sweater:  A surgeon was at the operating table and saying to an assistant: "Yes, I know the procedure is running long!  But stop referring to it as 'sudden-death overtime!'"

Funn-knee!!  --RoadDog


OVERHEARD IN 1955:  Who would ever think gas would cost 25 cents!

JSS: Boating-- Raking-- New Gas Station

JSS--  Just Some Stuff


1.  BOATING--  A bit windy, but still got our first day out on the boat since Oct. 4th yesterday.  Planning on boating over to McDonald's in Fox Lake for breakfast this morning.  Every year, we shoot for a minimum 40 times out on the boat and thought it would be easy to make until the summer's drought and the cold and rainy fall weather.


2.  RAKING--  Went out yesterday and raked the pine straw up from the two pine islands.  I am not a fan of raking, but would hate to see all that free mulch cut up by the lawnmower.


3.  ON THE SUBJECT OF RAKING--  Saturday's Bliss comic strip summed raking up very well.  You see husband and wife standing before a huge accumulation of leaves and he says "We're going to need a bigger rake."  Not a bigger boat!!  I laughed till I raked.


4.  NEW GAS STATION--  They've been working on it for the last several months, but yesterday I saw that the new Marathon station at the corner of US-12 and Spring Grove Road here in Spring Grove, Illinois, was finally open.  There was a Citgo there, but the owner didn't pay his sales tax.  Hopefully the new place will keep prices cheaper than the Citgo, which was always 10-20 cents higher than the surrounding area.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog

I Feel for You, Dag

As I have oft-mentioned, I am more than a little bit behind the times when it comes to new technology.

More than a little, little, little, little as it were or is.

I had to chuckle at the July 6th Blondie comic strip in the Chicago Tribune.

Dagwood is walking into his house and the young boy, Elmo, comes up to him at the door.

FRAME 1: 
Elmo:  "Poor Emory got grounded, Mr. B."
Dagwood:  "That's too bad, Elmo...so are you looking for another friend to play with?

FRAME 2:
Elmo:  "Nah...That's so 20th century!  I've got Emory on Skype video from his room!"
Emory from the laptop: "Hi, Mr. B.!!"

FRAME 3:
Dagwood is inside and turns to the viewer and says, "It's amazing how outta the loop I am."

I Feel For Ya, Dag.  --RoadDog

JSIS: Buffett-- No Turkey Legs-- No More "Hell"-- No More Vocational Ed

JSIS--  Just Some Interesting Stuff


1.  BUFFETT--  Parrotheads here in te Midwest are pretty happy Jimmy Buffett is returning to the Tinley Park, Ill., amphitheater after being at Toyota Park since 2008.  They're getting ready for tailgating and partying.  He performed there from 1995 to 2007 and the village even has a Caribbean Beach Block Party celebration every year.

Liz and I are BIG JB fans, but haven't been to one of his concerts since the late 80s when we used to see him at Milwaukee's Summerfest.  I do have probably every one of his albums on either vinyl or CD.


2.  NO MORE TURKEY LEGS--  I see that there will be none of those huge bbq turkey legs at this year's Taste of Chicago.  Tim McGivern, the Man Behind the Drumstick, since the earliest Tastes in 1981 is sitting this one out for health issues.  Oh well, we don't go to the Taste anyway.  But, I do love one of those big ol' legs.


3.  NO MORE "HELL"--   I see that Matt Groening is ending his "Life in Hell" comic strip after the 1,669th one.  It started in the late 70s and was popular among alternative news-weeklies.  But, declining syndication money has brought it to this.  I rarely had the opportunity to read it so wasn't much of a fan.  However, I am a big fan of another of Groening's works, "The Simpsons."  I wasn't until about six years ago, however.  I was a teacher and then there was Bart.


4.  NO MORE VOCATIONAL ED--  Time Magazine ran an article on the loss of vocational ed classes at public schools.  I always thought that was a big problem losing these programs because not every kid should be going to college and there is big bucks to be earned in vocational fields such as electricians, plumbers and mechanics.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog