All posts by jd67

The Animals Are In The House

Before I explain the background behind this episode of the finest cartoon extant, I’ll have you know I re-pinched my nerve in my neck and shoulder for about the 20th time. So, despite massive, shooting pain and an uncharacteristic abstinence from the codeine-centric pills that litter our medicine cabinet, I cartooned away valiantly over the past 2 days. To my beloved wife’s chagrin. Now to the story.

The Animals Are In the House. Ok, so when I wrote the script for this one, many ideas went through my head, and then when exhaustion and desperation set in in equal measures, we got the cool, laid back bear, who will pay his share of cable and the phone bill.  Sharing space with our woodland friends brings us closer to nature. Perhaps too close. Especially if this bear sheds and clogs the drain after he showers. A real possibility.

Now, the inspiration for the bear came from my brother-in-law Sparky (his suggestion, not mine), who if you know him personally, is only slightly less hairy than the character in the comic. My sister can attest to this, especially when she applies sun tan lotion to his barrel-chested upper tree-trunk sized chest. But I digress.

So now we have a new character and for how many episodes no one knows. Least of all me. I am sleep deprived and feeling a cold coming on, so it’s entirely likely, nay, dare I say probable that I will dream about how the story goes further. But I will still work in the iPad or iPhone joke I have had rattling around my memory for a while now.

Grilling Adventures

OK, so here is the continuation of the story. We see our main character really getting into getting off the grid, being free from the oppression of the evil utility companies, and gaining energy independence. By decimating a forest.

Have your cake and eat it too? Sure, let’s all clear cut and see what soil erosion looks like.

Well, all I can say is that there will be more woodland creatures in future episodes of this story line. And possibly a reference to the iPhone. But that is 2 posts away at the earliest.

So enjoy the forest clearing and the grilling. And the steaks. I know I will.

Ok, time to go to sleep so I can be semi-functional at work tomorrow (actually today – it’s after midnight).

Living Off the Grill


OK, so this is where the story is going, and it’s going some place off the gird. Or in this case, it’s “off the grill.” The pun here has to do with the term “living off the grid.” For my parents’ generation, skeptics and general hermits without an Internet or TV hookup, this refers to:

Part of Speech: adj
Definition: not requiring utilities such as electricity, water, etc.; also written off-the-grid, also called off grid, off-grid
Etymology: referring to grid, electrical interlocking system of transmission lines and power stations
Dictionary.com’s 21st Century Lexicon
Copyright © 2003-2010 Dictionary.com, LLC
Cite This Source

In the last while, I have heard people from all sides talk about global warming, being green, using ethical energy, and other such terms. I have also heard lots of opponents to living off the grid, saying it’s a load of garbage. Just ask my dad, my cousin and others in the minority.

From my point of view, I can use it as a source for comic material, so I will reserve my opinion. As long as I make someone laugh or insult someone, then and only then will I feel as if I have done a good job.

Oh, and I feel I should add, my electrical bill is roughly that of a small, impoverished African nation when the winter rolls around — yes, I am complaining about my awful house again. It’s cold and although it may look like a house, it’s actually just bricks and cheesecloth.

Ideas never cease

Ok, there is no comic for this post, but there are ideas that are a-brewing. And frankly, I can’t mention most of them in public or even to my family, and especially not my wife. I keep those BAD ideas for me. But I am working on new series of cartoons for the coming weeks after this storyline is done. When i get back, I’ll try and make up for lost time.

But just jumble these together — deer, weight issues, contributory negligence, the iPhone, and hunting.

This should make for some good cartoon fodder. At least in my mind it should. And that is what counts.

So, I am off to dinner and look forward to returning home to Canada.