FA+
Shop
"Coming Attractions" #73
Posted 6 years agoRecently, I had a visit from Kevin Duane, who had promised to fix my PC - which has been down for over two months. Unfortunately, he'd determined that hardware was compromised, and I would be in need of a new hard drive.
This means that I won't have any new art and/or 'photo-ops' to display once again. However, I hope to present newer journals, as well as lots of 'favorites' to add to my site. Sorry about this... Feel free to visit me; 'comments' and 'shouts' are always welcomed, as usual.
This means that I won't have any new art and/or 'photo-ops' to display once again. However, I hope to present newer journals, as well as lots of 'favorites' to add to my site. Sorry about this... Feel free to visit me; 'comments' and 'shouts' are always welcomed, as usual.
"Just Another Friday the 13th"
Posted 6 years agoI like to compare my life to sitcom characters who seem to suffer all sorts of misfortunes (e.g. 'George Costanza', 'Al Bundy', 'Alan Harper', et al). And, of course, my biggest misfortunes usually take place on Friday the 13th...
On Tuesday, September 10th, my brother Glenn and I went to the T.D. Bank to take out a loan - in order to pay my plumber (the same one who'd fixed my toilets and hot water heater earlier this month) for possible work on my air conditioner. The bank rep said she would notify Glenn (by phone) if I was eligible for said loan, within the next 24-48 hours; Friday (the 13th), the latest.
Sure enough, when Friday came, Glenn contacted me and said that the bank claimed that I cannot qualify for said loan (as I have no 'credit rating'). So, the two of us will have to obtain the loan from another source later this month...
To take my mind off of my bad luck, I'd decided to go to the Margate Public Library, and try to relax while using one of their computers. Taking a free shuttle bus, I arrived at the bus stop near said library, and walked 1,000 feet from there to its entrance... only to see a sign taped to its door, indicating that the facility was closed that day, because ITS air conditioning broke down!
I'd tried to run back to catch the shuttle, but it had already left for its next destination. Disappointed for wasting my time, I was about to walk home (a two-mile trek), when I'd just remembered about another library that was open: the one on the campus at Broward College. But the fare for each bus to get me there was $1.00, and I had no singles in my wallet...
So, I had to walk to the T.D. Bank (the same one where I'd unsuccessfully tried to get a loan), take $20.00 out from their ATM, and had a teller break the bill down into singles.
Walking to the nearest bus stop, I had to wait twenty minutes for the next available northbound #19 (local) bus.
I took said bus to a transfer point, where a #60 bus was already there - waiting to take its passengers to Broward College. I'd reached for the cord and pulled it - expecting the bus driver to hear a bell and a recorded voice that said "Stop requested" - indicating that this was my stop... But neither sound occurred!
I tugged the cord multiple times, and panicked when the bus driver missed my stop. "What's wrong with this bus?!" I'd yelled and turned to said driver. "What part of 'Stop requested' don't you understand?!" Eventually, he pulled the bus over at the next stop... two blocks away! I now had to walk back three-and-a-half blocks back to the transfer point - where, true to Murphy's Law, the waiting #60 bus had already left.
Ten minutes later, another #60 bus showed, but I couldn't board it, as its driver was taking a break. So, I stood outside the bus for another fifteen minutes, while the driver inside relaxed in air-conditioned comfort...
More passengers arrived and waited with me out in the hot sun. One passenger - who was familiar with the #60 bus - approached the middle doors of the rear exit, gingerly pushed them, and was able to enter the vehicle. Seeing this, I'd attempted to enter through the same exit door, but without success. Another passenger saw my plight, and assisted me through those middle doors.
The driver of the #60 bus was still relaxing, when he saw me. "Drop your fare off in the front," he told me. But instead, I sat down in a seat next to the exit door. "Your fare goes into the box up front," the driver reminded me again.
At this point, I'd explained to him all that had happened to me this morning - including the closed library and the #19 bus with its inoperable bell. "Considering what has transpired today, I shouldn't have to pay another fare," I said.
An argument between me and the driver was going to ensue, but the sight of a police car was parked near the bus stop brought things to a halt. The driver returned to his driving seat, while I sat back down by the middle door. Avoiding paying an extra dollar was the only lucky break on this Friday the 13th...
I finally got to the college library, and spent an hour or two there. Finally departing the facility, I had to wait another forty-five minutes for the #60 bus. And arriving at the original transfer point, I'd decided to walk to Burger King for lunch...
Once again, my bad luck returned as I approached the fast food restaurant. It began to rain 50 yards before entering it. I stood there, soaked to the skin, as the only customer (while everybody else was using the drive-thru). I stood by the counter for over ten minutes - deciding to make my order (two tacos) to go, one minute later. (During my wait, the #42 bus I wanted to take drove by.)
I carried my take-out order back into the pouring rain, and had to wait another half-hour in the doorway of a Boston Chicken (to stay dry). By the time I finally got home, I ate two wet and soggy tacos - trying to erase the memories of this really bad day... until the next month when Friday the 13th rolls around.
On Tuesday, September 10th, my brother Glenn and I went to the T.D. Bank to take out a loan - in order to pay my plumber (the same one who'd fixed my toilets and hot water heater earlier this month) for possible work on my air conditioner. The bank rep said she would notify Glenn (by phone) if I was eligible for said loan, within the next 24-48 hours; Friday (the 13th), the latest.
Sure enough, when Friday came, Glenn contacted me and said that the bank claimed that I cannot qualify for said loan (as I have no 'credit rating'). So, the two of us will have to obtain the loan from another source later this month...
To take my mind off of my bad luck, I'd decided to go to the Margate Public Library, and try to relax while using one of their computers. Taking a free shuttle bus, I arrived at the bus stop near said library, and walked 1,000 feet from there to its entrance... only to see a sign taped to its door, indicating that the facility was closed that day, because ITS air conditioning broke down!
I'd tried to run back to catch the shuttle, but it had already left for its next destination. Disappointed for wasting my time, I was about to walk home (a two-mile trek), when I'd just remembered about another library that was open: the one on the campus at Broward College. But the fare for each bus to get me there was $1.00, and I had no singles in my wallet...
So, I had to walk to the T.D. Bank (the same one where I'd unsuccessfully tried to get a loan), take $20.00 out from their ATM, and had a teller break the bill down into singles.
Walking to the nearest bus stop, I had to wait twenty minutes for the next available northbound #19 (local) bus.
I took said bus to a transfer point, where a #60 bus was already there - waiting to take its passengers to Broward College. I'd reached for the cord and pulled it - expecting the bus driver to hear a bell and a recorded voice that said "Stop requested" - indicating that this was my stop... But neither sound occurred!
I tugged the cord multiple times, and panicked when the bus driver missed my stop. "What's wrong with this bus?!" I'd yelled and turned to said driver. "What part of 'Stop requested' don't you understand?!" Eventually, he pulled the bus over at the next stop... two blocks away! I now had to walk back three-and-a-half blocks back to the transfer point - where, true to Murphy's Law, the waiting #60 bus had already left.
Ten minutes later, another #60 bus showed, but I couldn't board it, as its driver was taking a break. So, I stood outside the bus for another fifteen minutes, while the driver inside relaxed in air-conditioned comfort...
More passengers arrived and waited with me out in the hot sun. One passenger - who was familiar with the #60 bus - approached the middle doors of the rear exit, gingerly pushed them, and was able to enter the vehicle. Seeing this, I'd attempted to enter through the same exit door, but without success. Another passenger saw my plight, and assisted me through those middle doors.
The driver of the #60 bus was still relaxing, when he saw me. "Drop your fare off in the front," he told me. But instead, I sat down in a seat next to the exit door. "Your fare goes into the box up front," the driver reminded me again.
At this point, I'd explained to him all that had happened to me this morning - including the closed library and the #19 bus with its inoperable bell. "Considering what has transpired today, I shouldn't have to pay another fare," I said.
An argument between me and the driver was going to ensue, but the sight of a police car was parked near the bus stop brought things to a halt. The driver returned to his driving seat, while I sat back down by the middle door. Avoiding paying an extra dollar was the only lucky break on this Friday the 13th...
I finally got to the college library, and spent an hour or two there. Finally departing the facility, I had to wait another forty-five minutes for the #60 bus. And arriving at the original transfer point, I'd decided to walk to Burger King for lunch...
Once again, my bad luck returned as I approached the fast food restaurant. It began to rain 50 yards before entering it. I stood there, soaked to the skin, as the only customer (while everybody else was using the drive-thru). I stood by the counter for over ten minutes - deciding to make my order (two tacos) to go, one minute later. (During my wait, the #42 bus I wanted to take drove by.)
I carried my take-out order back into the pouring rain, and had to wait another half-hour in the doorway of a Boston Chicken (to stay dry). By the time I finally got home, I ate two wet and soggy tacos - trying to erase the memories of this really bad day... until the next month when Friday the 13th rolls around.
"Still More TV Ads With Animals For 2019"
Posted 6 years agoIt's been a while, but I thought I'd present another five commercials that have animals in them - which you can view at the "YouTube" site...
Bush Beans: "Video Game" (:30): Jay Bush and his dog Duke partake a video game, which 16-bit likenesses of themselves frolic on the TV screen. All this, just to sell beans...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYpM0hEGlaQ
Subaru Crosschek : "Lunch Stop" (:30): As part of their "Dog Tested" series of adverts, Subaru presents another misadventure with that canine family, 'The Barkleys'. This time, they are pitted against a family of 'weiner dogs' at a hot dog stand, with predictable results...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqnmETRgDz4
Kellogg's Frosted Flakes: "Mission Tiger": In a departure from the usual humorous ads, (a CGI version of) 'Tony the Tiger' gets serious as he tries to stop schools from cutting sports from their curriculum...
Short version (:15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih-0NbZLON0
Long version (:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Qdp-u2ZdA
Geico: "The Gecko Makes S'mores" (:30): In a new spot, the CGI spokeslizard describes the benefits of switching to his insurance company, while entertaining human customers around a campfire...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9gQeeTEeUY
Truth: "The March Against Juul" (:30): Even though President Trump was influenced to outlaw E-cigarettes and vaping - most likely by his wife (who, in turn, have a 13-year-old son who wants to keep up with this trend) - this PSA about the dangers of smoking a Juul (flavored and unflavored) should've been a bigger influence. Various talking animals extoll the disadvantage, as others critters proceed with their protest march... Maybe Trump should appear in a future edition of said PSA; Truth could always use an orangutan in their spot!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSfKikyzYgw
As usual, notify me if I had made any mistakes in the links to each commercial, or just type out the name of the product or service on the main page of "YouTube" and hit 'enter' in order to bring up each necessary ad.
Bush Beans: "Video Game" (:30): Jay Bush and his dog Duke partake a video game, which 16-bit likenesses of themselves frolic on the TV screen. All this, just to sell beans...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYpM0hEGlaQ
Subaru Crosschek : "Lunch Stop" (:30): As part of their "Dog Tested" series of adverts, Subaru presents another misadventure with that canine family, 'The Barkleys'. This time, they are pitted against a family of 'weiner dogs' at a hot dog stand, with predictable results...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqnmETRgDz4
Kellogg's Frosted Flakes: "Mission Tiger": In a departure from the usual humorous ads, (a CGI version of) 'Tony the Tiger' gets serious as he tries to stop schools from cutting sports from their curriculum...
Short version (:15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih-0NbZLON0
Long version (:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Qdp-u2ZdA
Geico: "The Gecko Makes S'mores" (:30): In a new spot, the CGI spokeslizard describes the benefits of switching to his insurance company, while entertaining human customers around a campfire...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9gQeeTEeUY
Truth: "The March Against Juul" (:30): Even though President Trump was influenced to outlaw E-cigarettes and vaping - most likely by his wife (who, in turn, have a 13-year-old son who wants to keep up with this trend) - this PSA about the dangers of smoking a Juul (flavored and unflavored) should've been a bigger influence. Various talking animals extoll the disadvantage, as others critters proceed with their protest march... Maybe Trump should appear in a future edition of said PSA; Truth could always use an orangutan in their spot!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSfKikyzYgw
As usual, notify me if I had made any mistakes in the links to each commercial, or just type out the name of the product or service on the main page of "YouTube" and hit 'enter' in order to bring up each necessary ad.
"My Life Is One Big Puzzle"
Posted 6 years agoWhile staying homebound during Hurricane Dorian, I try to keep myself preoccupied by creating new word puzzles for the National Puzzlers' League (which I'd been a member of for over 35 years). These puzzle creations of mine are submitted to this non-profit, in the hope that some of them will appear in their monthly newsletter "The Enigma" - for some of the other NPL members to solve...
My specialty are anagrams, such as the following:
One of my earliest weather-related anagrams had to do with Hurricane Hugo, and the major American location where it had made landfall:
Needless to say, a few days before Dorian became a hurricane, it was a tropical storm - as it passed through Puerto Rico. So, I came up with the following new anagram, which I'd sent to NPL:
Luckily for me, and the countless residents of Broward County (not to mention all those living south in Miami-Dade and Monroe County) Hurricane Dorian turned north and skimmed along the east coast of Florida - sparing millions of lives, and only causing major flooding along its shores...
While staying in my condo, I had followed the storm's trajectory through the Bahamas (when it had reached 'Category Five' status) - watching both The Weather Channel and CNN. After seeing all that destruction and loss of human life, I was once again inspired to create yet another anagram for the NPL…
Here's hoping that one of my anagrams eventually turns up in a future issue of "The Enigma" before year's end...
My specialty are anagrams, such as the following:
DISEASE = A.I.D.S., SEE?
BAD CREDIT = DEBIT CARD
"TUCKER: THE MAN AND HIS DREAM"
= TRUE HANDMADE CAR, METHINKS! One of my earliest weather-related anagrams had to do with Hurricane Hugo, and the major American location where it had made landfall:
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
= HURRICANE HAS TOLL ON COASTNeedless to say, a few days before Dorian became a hurricane, it was a tropical storm - as it passed through Puerto Rico. So, I came up with the following new anagram, which I'd sent to NPL:
TROPICAL STORM DORIAN = MOST RAIN/COLD AIR TO P.R.Luckily for me, and the countless residents of Broward County (not to mention all those living south in Miami-Dade and Monroe County) Hurricane Dorian turned north and skimmed along the east coast of Florida - sparing millions of lives, and only causing major flooding along its shores...
While staying in my condo, I had followed the storm's trajectory through the Bahamas (when it had reached 'Category Five' status) - watching both The Weather Channel and CNN. After seeing all that destruction and loss of human life, I was once again inspired to create yet another anagram for the NPL…
HURRICANE DORIAN IN THE BAHAMAS
= HINT: A RAIN HARMS; RUINED ABACO, EH?Here's hoping that one of my anagrams eventually turns up in a future issue of "The Enigma" before year's end...
"Coming Attractions" #72
Posted 6 years ago My personal computer is still down (and in need of a reboot), and my condo is in need of plumbing repairs. So, until all these things are rectified, there won't be any new visual material from me.
I will have an occasional new journal, every now and then - just to show all of you that I'm still around...
Meanwhile, here's my latest update - as a continuation of my last journal "It Only Takes One..." - https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9250927/
SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Dorian has now exceeded wind speeds of over 157 M.P.H. - reaching 220 M.P.H. - ranking this storm into 'Category Five' status. As you are reading this, Dorian is passing through the Bahamas - causing millions of dollars of damage throughout the various islands. Because of its speed and location, there's a remote chance that Dorian might turn northward, as it skirts the east coast of the Florida peninsula within the next 24-48 hours - beginning somewhere north of Palm Beach County. But Broward County (where I live) will still undergo a 'tropical storm watch'. Further north, in cities like Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, and Jacksonville are under a 'hurricane warning' - and now additional southeastern states Georgia and South Carolina are under threat of Dorian's wrath.
MONDAY & TUESDAY UPDATE: Taking longer than usual to pass through the Bahamas - traveling west to northwest at 1-to-5 M.P.H. (slower than a human jogging) - Hurricane Dorian is now back down to a 'Category Four' storm, with speeds over 200 M.P.H. (President Trump, at a press conference, admitted he never heard of a 'Category Five' hurricane - even though three such storms of this magnitude had already occurred during his term - and was worried that Dorian will be passing through Alabama - which was NOT one of the States being threatened.) It's taking much longer than expected for Dorian to make to turn right in its trajectory to skirt the east coast of Florida - thus worrying residents from West Palm Beach all the way north to Jacksonville (not to mention others from Georgia and the Carolinas). Meanwhile, Dorian has taken its toll in the Bahamas, with six known fatalities, and millions of dollars in structural damage... and the end is nowhere in sight.
I will have an occasional new journal, every now and then - just to show all of you that I'm still around...
Meanwhile, here's my latest update - as a continuation of my last journal "It Only Takes One..." - https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9250927/
SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Dorian has now exceeded wind speeds of over 157 M.P.H. - reaching 220 M.P.H. - ranking this storm into 'Category Five' status. As you are reading this, Dorian is passing through the Bahamas - causing millions of dollars of damage throughout the various islands. Because of its speed and location, there's a remote chance that Dorian might turn northward, as it skirts the east coast of the Florida peninsula within the next 24-48 hours - beginning somewhere north of Palm Beach County. But Broward County (where I live) will still undergo a 'tropical storm watch'. Further north, in cities like Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, and Jacksonville are under a 'hurricane warning' - and now additional southeastern states Georgia and South Carolina are under threat of Dorian's wrath.
MONDAY & TUESDAY UPDATE: Taking longer than usual to pass through the Bahamas - traveling west to northwest at 1-to-5 M.P.H. (slower than a human jogging) - Hurricane Dorian is now back down to a 'Category Four' storm, with speeds over 200 M.P.H. (President Trump, at a press conference, admitted he never heard of a 'Category Five' hurricane - even though three such storms of this magnitude had already occurred during his term - and was worried that Dorian will be passing through Alabama - which was NOT one of the States being threatened.) It's taking much longer than expected for Dorian to make to turn right in its trajectory to skirt the east coast of Florida - thus worrying residents from West Palm Beach all the way north to Jacksonville (not to mention others from Georgia and the Carolinas). Meanwhile, Dorian has taken its toll in the Bahamas, with six known fatalities, and millions of dollars in structural damage... and the end is nowhere in sight.
"It Only Takes One..."
Posted 6 years agoThis week marks the 14th anniversary of the arrival of Hurricane Katrina to south Florida. A 'Category One' storm back then, it passed through my part of the 'Sunshine State', and entered the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico - where it intensified to 'Category Four' status, before making landfall in New Orleans, LA.
And now, another pre-Labor Day storm in 2019 poses a threat to Florida. Hurricane Dorian is slowly approaching the east coast of the state, having passed by Puerto Rico as a tropical storm, before becoming a 'Category One' storm in the Atlantic Ocean. Meteorologists predicted that it will become a 'Category Four' storm by this Monday (or sooner). Where it will make landfall by then is anybody's guess...
I'm already prepared for Dorian's arrival, stocking up on emergency supplies (food, water, flashlights, spare batteries, etc.). And don't even get me started on the impending arrival of a plumber (to fix my condo's hot water heater and toilets) this coming Saturday - having spent July and August disposing of a majority of clutter, to make room for him to work.
I hope to report on the outcome of Hurricane Dorian next week - keeping in mind that the height of Hurricane Season 2019 is still two weeks away. But no matter how many storms are being predicted for my area - between June 1st and November 30th - it only takes one, to do all that extensive damage...
FRIDAY UPDATE: Due to the potential arrival of Hurricane Dorian, the aforementioned plumber decided to postpone his arrival to my condo until late next week. This will buy me more time to remove more clutter and use special cleansers to remove the dirt and grit from various items in portions of both front and rear bathrooms.
SATURDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Dorian has already escalated to 'Category Four' on Friday (earlier than expected). Its course from the Atlantic Ocean is still very unpredictable, so nobody know where (or when) it will make landfall. But, assuming its target will be north of Palm Beach County, my part of Broward County (south of it) will still be prone to thunderstorms and high winds, which will last throughout the whole week. Dorian (which is now the size of the state of Ohio) might skirt Florida, but its millions of residents won't take any chances, in making last-minute preparations for the impending storm.
And now, another pre-Labor Day storm in 2019 poses a threat to Florida. Hurricane Dorian is slowly approaching the east coast of the state, having passed by Puerto Rico as a tropical storm, before becoming a 'Category One' storm in the Atlantic Ocean. Meteorologists predicted that it will become a 'Category Four' storm by this Monday (or sooner). Where it will make landfall by then is anybody's guess...
I'm already prepared for Dorian's arrival, stocking up on emergency supplies (food, water, flashlights, spare batteries, etc.). And don't even get me started on the impending arrival of a plumber (to fix my condo's hot water heater and toilets) this coming Saturday - having spent July and August disposing of a majority of clutter, to make room for him to work.
I hope to report on the outcome of Hurricane Dorian next week - keeping in mind that the height of Hurricane Season 2019 is still two weeks away. But no matter how many storms are being predicted for my area - between June 1st and November 30th - it only takes one, to do all that extensive damage...
FRIDAY UPDATE: Due to the potential arrival of Hurricane Dorian, the aforementioned plumber decided to postpone his arrival to my condo until late next week. This will buy me more time to remove more clutter and use special cleansers to remove the dirt and grit from various items in portions of both front and rear bathrooms.
SATURDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Dorian has already escalated to 'Category Four' on Friday (earlier than expected). Its course from the Atlantic Ocean is still very unpredictable, so nobody know where (or when) it will make landfall. But, assuming its target will be north of Palm Beach County, my part of Broward County (south of it) will still be prone to thunderstorms and high winds, which will last throughout the whole week. Dorian (which is now the size of the state of Ohio) might skirt Florida, but its millions of residents won't take any chances, in making last-minute preparations for the impending storm.
"Coming Attractions" #71
Posted 6 years agoI'm still busy clearing out the clutter in my condo, and my PC is still down; So, I won't be submitting any new material of mine for a while...
However, this won't stop me from adding a lot more 'favorites' in my site - especially since August is 'fat cat month', and there are lots of anthroartists whose talents are worth sharing.
And, I'll also provide my own images of full-figured felines from the past, along with new quotes, on a daily basis. Feel free to stop by...
However, this won't stop me from adding a lot more 'favorites' in my site - especially since August is 'fat cat month', and there are lots of anthroartists whose talents are worth sharing.
And, I'll also provide my own images of full-figured felines from the past, along with new quotes, on a daily basis. Feel free to stop by...
"Coming Attractions" #70
Posted 6 years agoHere we are, halfway through 2019, and here I am, halfway through my condo clutter clean-up. Between that scenario, and the fact that my computer is still on the fritz, I won't be able to post any new material in my "FA" site during July...
However, I will find the time to transfer my 'photo-ops' from the past six months to my 'Scraps' section. And I will continue to add more stuff (from other contributors) to my 'Favorites' section. And, time permitting, I hope to post some all-new journals.
So, please be patient. Having rediscovered more developed photos and albums from my past, I hope to post more 'photo-ops' (once my PC is finally rebooted).
Until then, take care, and have a safe and sane July 4th!
However, I will find the time to transfer my 'photo-ops' from the past six months to my 'Scraps' section. And I will continue to add more stuff (from other contributors) to my 'Favorites' section. And, time permitting, I hope to post some all-new journals.
So, please be patient. Having rediscovered more developed photos and albums from my past, I hope to post more 'photo-ops' (once my PC is finally rebooted).
Until then, take care, and have a safe and sane July 4th!
"More Animal Ads on TV for 2019"
Posted 6 years agoI saw more TV commercials with all kinds of fauna in them, but I don't have the time to review them (as I have to continue my clean-up - as described in my previous journal).
So, I'll just provide you with the name brand, the title of each ad, the running time of each spot, and the YouTube link where you can view each ad...
Bayer K9 Advantix®II: "Campfire" (:31); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkcuYe9RH7s
Chantix: "Camping" (:47); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuRD7Vetckw
Geico: "Best of Geico Ads Winner" (Kathleen Colon) (:30); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q_yEFHPJQ4
Geico: "Smartdogs" (1:20); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gP4oeXWVbw
Discovery Channel: "Shark Week" (:30); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytjlns9zpo8
And, as an added bonus, here's a compilation of foreign ads for Orangina with various anthropomorphic characters; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrRIX0KNePI
As usual, if I'd made any mistakes with any links, simply type in the name brand and/or the subject matter in the 'search space' on the top of the Home page of "YouTube"... Enjoy!
So, I'll just provide you with the name brand, the title of each ad, the running time of each spot, and the YouTube link where you can view each ad...
Bayer K9 Advantix®II: "Campfire" (:31); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkcuYe9RH7s
Chantix: "Camping" (:47); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuRD7Vetckw
Geico: "Best of Geico Ads Winner" (Kathleen Colon) (:30); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q_yEFHPJQ4
Geico: "Smartdogs" (1:20); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gP4oeXWVbw
Discovery Channel: "Shark Week" (:30); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytjlns9zpo8
And, as an added bonus, here's a compilation of foreign ads for Orangina with various anthropomorphic characters; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrRIX0KNePI
As usual, if I'd made any mistakes with any links, simply type in the name brand and/or the subject matter in the 'search space' on the top of the Home page of "YouTube"... Enjoy!
"Well, It Was Bound to Happen..."
Posted 6 years agoA few weeks ago, the head maintenance worker had to enter my cluttered condo to inspect my apartment's plumbing. He'd found several things wrong with my toilets and my hot water heater. So, he recommended a special plumber to work on my various problems...
Unfortunately, despite discarding various paper and junk on the floor, said plumber couldn't make it through my 'obstacle course', and said that my clutter constituted a potential fire hazard. (In order to work on the hot water heater, the plumber would have to cut a hole in the wall behind it, and remove the insulation within it. Using his soldering tool could result in a possible conflagration with anything on the other side of said wall.)
Long story short, I'll be spending X number of weeks getting rid of papers, toys, and personal possessions on my own; or else, the local Fire Department will discard everything I own (including items I'd spent thousands of dollars on - including books, electronic appliances, art supplies, etc.), plus I run the risk of getting evicted from my condo (after 25 years of living in my Margate, Florida home)!
To further complicate matters, my home computer conked out this morning, and it now needs a reboot - which means I won't be able to submit any new material for a long, long time. (This journal was printed from a tablet.)
My worst fantasy is coming true... I'm reenacting an episode of "Hoarders" - without even being on TV...
Unfortunately, despite discarding various paper and junk on the floor, said plumber couldn't make it through my 'obstacle course', and said that my clutter constituted a potential fire hazard. (In order to work on the hot water heater, the plumber would have to cut a hole in the wall behind it, and remove the insulation within it. Using his soldering tool could result in a possible conflagration with anything on the other side of said wall.)
Long story short, I'll be spending X number of weeks getting rid of papers, toys, and personal possessions on my own; or else, the local Fire Department will discard everything I own (including items I'd spent thousands of dollars on - including books, electronic appliances, art supplies, etc.), plus I run the risk of getting evicted from my condo (after 25 years of living in my Margate, Florida home)!
To further complicate matters, my home computer conked out this morning, and it now needs a reboot - which means I won't be able to submit any new material for a long, long time. (This journal was printed from a tablet.)
My worst fantasy is coming true... I'm reenacting an episode of "Hoarders" - without even being on TV...
"Coming Attractions" #69
Posted 6 years agoAmong the material I hope to post in June will be a new 'fat furry' gag revolving around "National Dairy Month", plus some more 'takes' on Summer and Hurricane Season.
I'll have a few new 'photo-ops' of animals I'd encountered here in south Florida, and a few new 'journals' on miscellaneous subjects.
I'm not going to make any promises, but I hope to come through with some of my newest offerings in my "FA" site...
I'll have a few new 'photo-ops' of animals I'd encountered here in south Florida, and a few new 'journals' on miscellaneous subjects.
I'm not going to make any promises, but I hope to come through with some of my newest offerings in my "FA" site...
"Sad"
Posted 6 years agoBack on Monday, I'd used my 'sad face' avatar for two purposes... (1) To symbolize Memorial Day - in remembrance of all those brave men and women in uniform, who gave up their lives in war; and (2) It was on that day (May 27, 1991) when my RL father - Joaquin Martinez - passed away in our old Elmont, New York home...
Joaquin was born and raised in Vigo, Spain, before moving to the USA. Over the course of time, he had many occupations - from running a dry cleaners place, and managing a restaurant/bar (in the 'Hell's Kitchen' section of New York City), to owing his own school locker service.
Sadly, one of Dad's vices was cigarette smoking - which resulted in his getting cancer of the larynx (in the early 1970s), and having his vocal cords removed. As a result of his being a laryngectomy, he had to sacrifice several luxuries (an above-ground pool, a motor boat, etc.) in order to survive. His doctor only gave him a few months to live; he was off by nearly twenty years! To compensate for not being able to water ski, he substituted snow skiing as an active interest. As for the pool, the area it took up in our backyard was used for a fruit-and-vegetable garden.
Joaquin was so resourceful, that during the 'energy crisis' of the late 1970s, he'd installed a wood-burning stove in the basement (to heat up the whole house), and acquired lots of out-of-state lumber as fuel. I'll always remember him for moments like that...
This is why I'd decided to leave a 'photo-op' of me and Dad - taken in Margate, Florida - in my 'Profile I.D.' (for the balance of the week) in his memory.
Joaquin was born and raised in Vigo, Spain, before moving to the USA. Over the course of time, he had many occupations - from running a dry cleaners place, and managing a restaurant/bar (in the 'Hell's Kitchen' section of New York City), to owing his own school locker service.
Sadly, one of Dad's vices was cigarette smoking - which resulted in his getting cancer of the larynx (in the early 1970s), and having his vocal cords removed. As a result of his being a laryngectomy, he had to sacrifice several luxuries (an above-ground pool, a motor boat, etc.) in order to survive. His doctor only gave him a few months to live; he was off by nearly twenty years! To compensate for not being able to water ski, he substituted snow skiing as an active interest. As for the pool, the area it took up in our backyard was used for a fruit-and-vegetable garden.
Joaquin was so resourceful, that during the 'energy crisis' of the late 1970s, he'd installed a wood-burning stove in the basement (to heat up the whole house), and acquired lots of out-of-state lumber as fuel. I'll always remember him for moments like that...
This is why I'd decided to leave a 'photo-op' of me and Dad - taken in Margate, Florida - in my 'Profile I.D.' (for the balance of the week) in his memory.
"Fur-One-One" for May, 2019
Posted 6 years agoDEVELOPING STORY: Disney has been in the news a lot this year. For example, earlier this year, 'The Mouse Factory' officially finalized its deal - acquiring Fox Entertainment, which means that some of its own animated fare will show up elsewhere. (For example, "Family Guy" is now airing on FreeForm - an ABC Network, owned by Disney). And now, word has it that Disney has just acquired the streaming network Hulu (which was partially owned by NBC/Universal)... But the latest news from Disney is that it's going to have its own streaming channel (to compete with Netflix, Amazon, et al). Called Disney+ (Disney Plus) - scheduled to debut on November 12th - said channel will feature its entire library of animated fare from Disney and Disney-Pixar, along with other entertainment from Marvel, "Star Wars", and National Geographic. As for new fare, made for this streaming network, production has just begun on "Monsters at Work", a Disney-Pixar made-for-TV spinoff of the original film "Monsters, Inc." (picking up where the story ended, months later). Billy Crystal and John Goodman will reprise the voice of 'Mike' and 'Sully' (respectively). "MaW" is scheduled to premiere in 2021... Meanwhile, Disney theatrical releases for 2019 include live-action versions of "Dumbo", "Aladdin", and "The Lion King" (while a proposed live-action "Lady and the Tramp" is in the works for the next decade). And animated fare include more sequels: Disney-Pixar's "Toy Story 4" and Disney's "Frozen 2" (with one or maybe two "Zootopia" sequels in development)…
TELEVISION: Juvenile cartoon fare with all sorts of weird animals includes "Go Away Unicorn!" (from Nelvana of Canada) and two new series "T.O.T.S." and "Amphibia", along with new episodes of "Duck Tales" (now and in September), all on Disney Channel and new episodes of "Puss in Boots" and "How to Train Your Dragon" (from DreamWorks Animation), plus a new series "Norman Picklestripes", all on Universal Kids... For adults, I'd recommend Netflix reruns of "Bojack Horseman" on Comedy Central, and "Laser Wolf" on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" block... PBS went positive about human lifestyles on the season premiere of its animated series "Arthur". In the new episode, 'Mr. Ratburn' gets married, and eventually everybody discovers that the school teacher is gay, when they find out that his betrothed is a male aardvark!
BOOKS: James Patterson - the co-author behind "By Word of Mouse" (with Chris Grabenstein as the other co-author) - does it again with his newest literary work (under 'Jimmy books') for kids, "Dogg and Katt" (Little, Brown) - the story of two anthropomorphic families (one canine and one feline), and how one of each family member ends up lost in a forest, and must resort to cooperating with each other, in order to survive. Good luck with that!...
MOVIES: Besides the usual Disney cartoon fare, other animated features coming to theaters and/or released on Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Media during 2019 include "Wonder Park" (Paramount/Nickelodeon), "Ugly Dolls" (Alibaba Pictures), "Farmegeddon" (Aardman Animation) with 'Shaun the Sheep', "Abominable" (DreamWorks Animation), and "The Secret Life of Pets 2" (Illumination Animation)… Films that combine live-action with CGI animation include "Pokémon: Detective Pikachu" (Warner Bros.) - with Ryan Reynolds voicing the title character - and "Sonic the Hedgehog" (Paramount) - the latter work co-starring Jim Carrey as the Bad Guy...
TELEVISION: Juvenile cartoon fare with all sorts of weird animals includes "Go Away Unicorn!" (from Nelvana of Canada) and two new series "T.O.T.S." and "Amphibia", along with new episodes of "Duck Tales" (now and in September), all on Disney Channel and new episodes of "Puss in Boots" and "How to Train Your Dragon" (from DreamWorks Animation), plus a new series "Norman Picklestripes", all on Universal Kids... For adults, I'd recommend Netflix reruns of "Bojack Horseman" on Comedy Central, and "Laser Wolf" on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" block... PBS went positive about human lifestyles on the season premiere of its animated series "Arthur". In the new episode, 'Mr. Ratburn' gets married, and eventually everybody discovers that the school teacher is gay, when they find out that his betrothed is a male aardvark!
BOOKS: James Patterson - the co-author behind "By Word of Mouse" (with Chris Grabenstein as the other co-author) - does it again with his newest literary work (under 'Jimmy books') for kids, "Dogg and Katt" (Little, Brown) - the story of two anthropomorphic families (one canine and one feline), and how one of each family member ends up lost in a forest, and must resort to cooperating with each other, in order to survive. Good luck with that!...
MOVIES: Besides the usual Disney cartoon fare, other animated features coming to theaters and/or released on Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Media during 2019 include "Wonder Park" (Paramount/Nickelodeon), "Ugly Dolls" (Alibaba Pictures), "Farmegeddon" (Aardman Animation) with 'Shaun the Sheep', "Abominable" (DreamWorks Animation), and "The Secret Life of Pets 2" (Illumination Animation)… Films that combine live-action with CGI animation include "Pokémon: Detective Pikachu" (Warner Bros.) - with Ryan Reynolds voicing the title character - and "Sonic the Hedgehog" (Paramount) - the latter work co-starring Jim Carrey as the Bad Guy...
"Coming Attractions" #68
Posted 6 years agoFirst of all, my apologies for not posting all the material I'd promised back in April. I was going through a severe case of 'writers' block' and 'artists' block' last month. I did have several ideas for "EFF Limerick" and "EFF Haiku" gags for "National Poetry Month", but I never found the time to follow through this year...
I also had plans of posting an extensive edition of "Fur-One-One" (with lots of new anthropomorphic news), but I ended up procrastinating on said info, too.
All that said, I hope to be a lot more comprehensive during May (which I like to treat as a 'sweeps month' - just like the major American TV network do). Besides comic gags and doodles, I'll have a lot more 'photo-ops' of animals (taken with the digital camera feature of my smartphone), and all-new 'journals' about my life, plus reviews of new TV commercials with various fauna.
So, please be patient with me. Like the saying goes, "All good things come to those who wait"...
I also had plans of posting an extensive edition of "Fur-One-One" (with lots of new anthropomorphic news), but I ended up procrastinating on said info, too.
All that said, I hope to be a lot more comprehensive during May (which I like to treat as a 'sweeps month' - just like the major American TV network do). Besides comic gags and doodles, I'll have a lot more 'photo-ops' of animals (taken with the digital camera feature of my smartphone), and all-new 'journals' about my life, plus reviews of new TV commercials with various fauna.
So, please be patient with me. Like the saying goes, "All good things come to those who wait"...
"Coming Attractions" #67
Posted 6 years agoApril is here! And during this latest month of 2019, I hope to post some new material in my site...
That includes "Extraordinarily Fat Furries" comic strips, "Front & Back" gags, 'photo-ops' (of various animals, yours truly, "Zootopia Mementos", and miscellaneous stuff), etc.
And since April is "National Poetry Month", I hope to create and post some new 'Limericks', 'Haikus', and 'Acronyms' for many 'fat furry' characters. Also, watch for newer journals (than just one or two of them).
As always, your 'shouts' and 'comments' are welcome...
That includes "Extraordinarily Fat Furries" comic strips, "Front & Back" gags, 'photo-ops' (of various animals, yours truly, "Zootopia Mementos", and miscellaneous stuff), etc.
And since April is "National Poetry Month", I hope to create and post some new 'Limericks', 'Haikus', and 'Acronyms' for many 'fat furry' characters. Also, watch for newer journals (than just one or two of them).
As always, your 'shouts' and 'comments' are welcome...
"More TV Animal Commercials For 2019"
Posted 6 years agoI have another assortment of TV animal advertisements for this year - all of which can be viewed on "YouTube". Enjoy this latest 'best of the bunch' (which I will briefly review)…
Carfax: "Disguise" (:30): In this new spot for the car acquisition site (mainly narrated by its CGI fox character), a human customer was so embarrassed by his last bad car deal, he was forced to go 'incognito'. (Sorry, I couldn't find the sequel commercial, in which another customer was forced to not only wear a paper bag over his head, but placed a huge paper bag over the crappy car that he'd bought!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdWw41v5QXU
Wells Fargo: "Sashimi's New Digs" (1:00): A female husky gets to narrate an ad for the nationally-known bank, on how she convinces her owner to take out a loan, in order to acquire a new home to live in. (I couldn't find the thirty-second spot, which features the link www.wellsfargo.com/woof/ …I kid you not!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9NDFx4DZCo
Chantix: "Slow Turkey" (1:00): This remedy (not a cure) for a cigarette-smoking habit, uses a CGI anthropomorphic turkey to convey the message on using this product properly...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oVH1dRgHYY
Lunchables: "Mixed-Up Oil Change" (:30): Once again, 'Platy' and 'Jacky' (the platypus and jackalope duo) are up to mischief, as they cause havoc in a gas station - much to the chagrin of its female customer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJR-6jl12k
America's Best: This time, the wise owl with specs on gives advice to onlookers - on how to save money on a new pair of eyeglasses. The first spot finds said owl chatting with a street performer, while the second ad finds our feathered friend taking a bath while conversing with a lady...
"Busker" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw3SEcsY29A
"Bath" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA9WwtydnIM
Geico: Three new ads for the insurance company once again feature talking animals, interacting with humans. The first spot finds a chatterbox lobster sharing a hot tub with a human couple; The second ad finds our gecko mascot in a diner - comparing its 24/7 hours to the same sort of service Geico provides; Last, but not least, said gecko gets to provide commentary to an NCAA Basketball game (as Geico is a proud sponsor during "March Madness").
"Lobster" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80klgcnfP2E
"Diner" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NpUs7T1FPY
"NCAA Basketball Game" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS9r7Il2NaE
As usual, if I'd made any mistakes in the links to any commercials, type in the name of the product/service in the open space on top of the main page of "YouTube". And watch for more animal commercials from me in a future journal...
- - - - - - - - - - Carfax: "Disguise" (:30): In this new spot for the car acquisition site (mainly narrated by its CGI fox character), a human customer was so embarrassed by his last bad car deal, he was forced to go 'incognito'. (Sorry, I couldn't find the sequel commercial, in which another customer was forced to not only wear a paper bag over his head, but placed a huge paper bag over the crappy car that he'd bought!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdWw41v5QXU
Wells Fargo: "Sashimi's New Digs" (1:00): A female husky gets to narrate an ad for the nationally-known bank, on how she convinces her owner to take out a loan, in order to acquire a new home to live in. (I couldn't find the thirty-second spot, which features the link www.wellsfargo.com/woof/ …I kid you not!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9NDFx4DZCo
Chantix: "Slow Turkey" (1:00): This remedy (not a cure) for a cigarette-smoking habit, uses a CGI anthropomorphic turkey to convey the message on using this product properly...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oVH1dRgHYY
Lunchables: "Mixed-Up Oil Change" (:30): Once again, 'Platy' and 'Jacky' (the platypus and jackalope duo) are up to mischief, as they cause havoc in a gas station - much to the chagrin of its female customer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJR-6jl12k
America's Best: This time, the wise owl with specs on gives advice to onlookers - on how to save money on a new pair of eyeglasses. The first spot finds said owl chatting with a street performer, while the second ad finds our feathered friend taking a bath while conversing with a lady...
"Busker" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw3SEcsY29A
"Bath" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA9WwtydnIM
Geico: Three new ads for the insurance company once again feature talking animals, interacting with humans. The first spot finds a chatterbox lobster sharing a hot tub with a human couple; The second ad finds our gecko mascot in a diner - comparing its 24/7 hours to the same sort of service Geico provides; Last, but not least, said gecko gets to provide commentary to an NCAA Basketball game (as Geico is a proud sponsor during "March Madness").
"Lobster" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80klgcnfP2E
"Diner" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NpUs7T1FPY
"NCAA Basketball Game" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS9r7Il2NaE
- - - - - - - - - - As usual, if I'd made any mistakes in the links to any commercials, type in the name of the product/service in the open space on top of the main page of "YouTube". And watch for more animal commercials from me in a future journal...
"Coming Attractions" #66
Posted 6 years agoWith Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere) just around the corner, and the temperatures in my part of Florida already getting hotter (no thanks to 'global warming'), I'm already beginning to get new material ready for March, 2019...
Among my stuff will be new "EFF" and "Front & Back" gags, plenty of 'photo-ops' of dogs and other critters (real and anthropomorphic) for "Throwback Thursday", and additional 'journals' (on all kinds of subjects)…
And, coming in April, will be all sort of material for "National Poetry Month" (including "EFF Limericks", "EFF Haikus", and "EFF Acronyms").
As always, your 'comments' and 'shouts' are more than welcome!
Among my stuff will be new "EFF" and "Front & Back" gags, plenty of 'photo-ops' of dogs and other critters (real and anthropomorphic) for "Throwback Thursday", and additional 'journals' (on all kinds of subjects)…
And, coming in April, will be all sort of material for "National Poetry Month" (including "EFF Limericks", "EFF Haikus", and "EFF Acronyms").
As always, your 'comments' and 'shouts' are more than welcome!
"Where's C.J.?"
Posted 6 years agoAs I've mentioned time and time again, I play no favorites, when it comes to many of the anthroartists in "Fur Affinity. I enjoy the characters of many contributors to this site - whether they are drawn normally, in 'fat furry' mode, or as a 'macro' version of itself.
One such character I especially enjoy seeing is 'Christopher Theodore Snuggleskunk' - the creation of
CJShadorunner - who had been rendered in a variety of shapes and sizes. The big green skunk even inspired me to drawn his likeness in a PSA sketch called :Hug A Skunk" - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10785818/ !
Well, earlier this week, I thought I'd pay Chris a friendly visit, only to discover that his site was closed down. What I'd like to know is, what occurred that caused said anthroartist to leave "Fur Affinity"? Did some other visitor say something insulting to him or his various characters? Or did he decide to abandon his post in the website?
If anyone who knows Chris personally can fill me in on the details, please let me know ASAP. I'm hoping that the talented artist can part ways with all of us in a more dignified manner.
ADDENDA: Chris and his art is still around with his alternate "FA" site
TheStuckSkunk…
One such character I especially enjoy seeing is 'Christopher Theodore Snuggleskunk' - the creation of
CJShadorunner - who had been rendered in a variety of shapes and sizes. The big green skunk even inspired me to drawn his likeness in a PSA sketch called :Hug A Skunk" - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10785818/ ! Well, earlier this week, I thought I'd pay Chris a friendly visit, only to discover that his site was closed down. What I'd like to know is, what occurred that caused said anthroartist to leave "Fur Affinity"? Did some other visitor say something insulting to him or his various characters? Or did he decide to abandon his post in the website?
If anyone who knows Chris personally can fill me in on the details, please let me know ASAP. I'm hoping that the talented artist can part ways with all of us in a more dignified manner.
- - - - - - - - - - ADDENDA: Chris and his art is still around with his alternate "FA" site
TheStuckSkunk…"New TV Animal Commercials For 2019"
Posted 6 years ago2019 is only eight weeks old, and already a variety of new commercials with animal characters are popping up all over the airwaves. Here are some of the best ones you can see via "YouTube"...
Charmin Bathroom Tissue: Loosely based on the British series of animated adverts, here are two such commercials with the colorful bears who are comforted by the Proctor & Gamble brand of soft toilet paper...
"I'll Pick It Up" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lOlZzVGPYY
"Can't Keep Their Paws Off" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtWLhs179n4
Robitussin Cold and Cough Medicine: A bear and an orangutan are featured in some ads for better relief from this well-known name brand medicine...
"Robitussin Honey Window" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HKqwX8vLtM
"Robitussin Honey Window" (:15): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYVRoOIhDl8
"Relief Finder" (each :30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZAlStsULfA
Geico Insurance: Next, a walrus and the familiar gecko returns in a pair of commercials for 75+ year-old insurance company. 'Nuff said?...
"Walrus Goalie" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egfKEpSLZak
"Yard Sale" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mklyd3FELos
Metro/T-Mobile: Various fauna appear in a series of ads promoting the cellular phone service that had made a major merger last year...
"Watering Hole" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cuRhu8rVWc
"Bears" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmoHWU1G4MA
"Otters" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDcbkxSZWvE
"Penguins (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIUNhH6ZuFg
"Penguins" (:15): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XOyG3atXQQ
Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal: Saving the best for last, a pair of anthropomorphic cats (fursuiters?), appearing in a commercial for cat litter, makes one wish they'd put in an appearance at a future 'furry con'!
"Cat Litter" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdx045o8WFA
Be sure to let me know if I'd made any spelling errors in the links to any of these "YouTube" ads. I'll have more animal commercial links in future journals...
- - - - - - - - - - Charmin Bathroom Tissue: Loosely based on the British series of animated adverts, here are two such commercials with the colorful bears who are comforted by the Proctor & Gamble brand of soft toilet paper...
"I'll Pick It Up" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lOlZzVGPYY
"Can't Keep Their Paws Off" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtWLhs179n4
Robitussin Cold and Cough Medicine: A bear and an orangutan are featured in some ads for better relief from this well-known name brand medicine...
"Robitussin Honey Window" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HKqwX8vLtM
"Robitussin Honey Window" (:15): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYVRoOIhDl8
"Relief Finder" (each :30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZAlStsULfA
Geico Insurance: Next, a walrus and the familiar gecko returns in a pair of commercials for 75+ year-old insurance company. 'Nuff said?...
"Walrus Goalie" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egfKEpSLZak
"Yard Sale" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mklyd3FELos
Metro/T-Mobile: Various fauna appear in a series of ads promoting the cellular phone service that had made a major merger last year...
"Watering Hole" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cuRhu8rVWc
"Bears" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmoHWU1G4MA
"Otters" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDcbkxSZWvE
"Penguins (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIUNhH6ZuFg
"Penguins" (:15): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XOyG3atXQQ
Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal: Saving the best for last, a pair of anthropomorphic cats (fursuiters?), appearing in a commercial for cat litter, makes one wish they'd put in an appearance at a future 'furry con'!
"Cat Litter" (:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdx045o8WFA
- - - - - - - - - - Be sure to let me know if I'd made any spelling errors in the links to any of these "YouTube" ads. I'll have more animal commercial links in future journals...
"Coming Attractions" #65
Posted 6 years agoWell, here it is - February, 2019 - which I usually declare as the latest 'sweeps month' for my "FA" site.
Usually during this winter month, I try to offer more material than in other months of the year. And I'll try not to disappoint all of you this time around...
In addition to my art offerings (all-new "Front & Back" comics, "EFF" gags, "Rob Cat" strips, and "Throwaway Gags"), there will be more 'journals' and 'photo-ops' than usual (as I'll try not to procrastinate, like I'd done back in January).
I'll also try to cover some of the main February events, including Valentine's Day, the Lunar New Year (the "Year of the Pig/Boar"), and President's Day.
BTW, it should come as sheer coincidence that this is the 65th edition of "Coming Attractions", because the day after the end of this 'sweeps month' - March 1, 2019 - just happens to mark my 65th birthday! Therefore, I hope to have a special drawing to commemorate this rare occasion for yours truly...
Lastly, I'd like to remind you to visit the "GoFundMe" page of Philadelphia native Ray Rooney - so that some of you might be able to help this 'funny animal' expect raise funds for his impending move this coming March. For more details, visit my journal titled "Help Ray Rooney"… http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9027999/
Usually during this winter month, I try to offer more material than in other months of the year. And I'll try not to disappoint all of you this time around...
In addition to my art offerings (all-new "Front & Back" comics, "EFF" gags, "Rob Cat" strips, and "Throwaway Gags"), there will be more 'journals' and 'photo-ops' than usual (as I'll try not to procrastinate, like I'd done back in January).
I'll also try to cover some of the main February events, including Valentine's Day, the Lunar New Year (the "Year of the Pig/Boar"), and President's Day.
BTW, it should come as sheer coincidence that this is the 65th edition of "Coming Attractions", because the day after the end of this 'sweeps month' - March 1, 2019 - just happens to mark my 65th birthday! Therefore, I hope to have a special drawing to commemorate this rare occasion for yours truly...
Lastly, I'd like to remind you to visit the "GoFundMe" page of Philadelphia native Ray Rooney - so that some of you might be able to help this 'funny animal' expect raise funds for his impending move this coming March. For more details, visit my journal titled "Help Ray Rooney"… http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9027999/
"Help Ray Rooney"
Posted 7 years agoOver 25 years ago, before moving down to Florida, I'd spent one year living in Reading, Pennsylvania - not too far away from my good friend Philip B. Smith...
Once a month on a Saturday, Philip and I would drive down to Philadelphia, for meetings of the PAS (Philadelphia Animation Society), to view all sorts of cartoons - both domestic and imported. We were in the company of various anthroartists and writers - some of whom would eventually join "FA".
One of the regular attendees at said meetings was Ray Rooney, who's been into 'furry fandom' for a long time. (Philip and I first met him in New York City, when he would make an appearance [once in a while] at similar anime meetings at the Polish Democratic Club in lower Manhattan.)
So, you could imagine my surprise, when Philip contacted me recently, with some troubling news about Ray...
(Quote) ...Ray Rooney’s (Philadelphia) house is slated to be demolished in March to make way for some spiffy new condos.
Since he has limited funds for a move, Ray has set up a GoFundMe page to raise at least $4000:
https://www.gofundme.com/ze2t2-save.....B6haw9jVqE2XII
Currently, he is halfway to his goal, but we can’t quit now... (End of quote)
So, if some of you know Ray, and care about him in his current plight, just consider going to the above site and check out the details. Hopefully, I'll provide a 'progress report' on his situation, later in February (one of my 'sweeps month')...
Once a month on a Saturday, Philip and I would drive down to Philadelphia, for meetings of the PAS (Philadelphia Animation Society), to view all sorts of cartoons - both domestic and imported. We were in the company of various anthroartists and writers - some of whom would eventually join "FA".
One of the regular attendees at said meetings was Ray Rooney, who's been into 'furry fandom' for a long time. (Philip and I first met him in New York City, when he would make an appearance [once in a while] at similar anime meetings at the Polish Democratic Club in lower Manhattan.)
So, you could imagine my surprise, when Philip contacted me recently, with some troubling news about Ray...
(Quote) ...Ray Rooney’s (Philadelphia) house is slated to be demolished in March to make way for some spiffy new condos.
Since he has limited funds for a move, Ray has set up a GoFundMe page to raise at least $4000:
https://www.gofundme.com/ze2t2-save.....B6haw9jVqE2XII
Currently, he is halfway to his goal, but we can’t quit now... (End of quote)
So, if some of you know Ray, and care about him in his current plight, just consider going to the above site and check out the details. Hopefully, I'll provide a 'progress report' on his situation, later in February (one of my 'sweeps month')...
"Coming Attractions" #64
Posted 7 years agoAs 2019 begins, I thought I'd take a brief look back at the past year. For the balance of this first week of January, I'll be reposting photo-ops and artwork (in the "Featured Submission" and "Profile I.D." sections), that will represent the various moments of 2018 - including pictures of me with some unique people who has (sadly) passed on - such as Mort ("Beetle Bailey") Walker and Fred ("Rowrbrazzle") Walker.
As for the rest of the month, I hope to post material I had meant to display in December - including belated holiday humor, new 'fat furry' gags on "Fat Tuesdays" and lots of new unseen 'dog photo-ops' on "Throwback Thursday". (Between sending out Christmas 'snail mail', and other preoccupations, I didn't get to post said material I'd promised in "Coming Attractions" #63 - http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8964759/ - let alone present newer journals. I hope I can pick up the slack in January.)
Also, I hope to reprise my lettered Sudoku presentation, featuring various Disney characters (for those of you who are into puzzles and cartoon trivia), and a few other surprises.
And watch for more new material in February (my first 'sweeps month' of 2019) and March (when I hit the big 'six-five' on the first). Later!
As for the rest of the month, I hope to post material I had meant to display in December - including belated holiday humor, new 'fat furry' gags on "Fat Tuesdays" and lots of new unseen 'dog photo-ops' on "Throwback Thursday". (Between sending out Christmas 'snail mail', and other preoccupations, I didn't get to post said material I'd promised in "Coming Attractions" #63 - http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8964759/ - let alone present newer journals. I hope I can pick up the slack in January.)
Also, I hope to reprise my lettered Sudoku presentation, featuring various Disney characters (for those of you who are into puzzles and cartoon trivia), and a few other surprises.
And watch for more new material in February (my first 'sweeps month' of 2019) and March (when I hit the big 'six-five' on the first). Later!
"Christmas In Margate"
Posted 7 years agoI know that spending Christmas in south Florida doesn't have that same holiday impact as being in a snowy region elsewhere in the USA. But I try to make the most of it somehow...
I'd watch on TV the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center in New York (where I used to live). I'd watch Food Network, featuring shows about the best recipes for Christmas fare (including gingerbread houses, mince pies, egg nog-flavored desserts, etc.). But it's not just the same, from the confines of my condo...
I'd fantasize being in a big specious park - communing with nature - only, instead of being at Everglades National Park (with alligators and spoonbills), I imagine myself in Rocky Mountain National Park (with deer, buffalo, and marmots), when I'd visited it back in the mid-1980s. But now, going to any national park on Christmas might be out of the question, as many of their employees are forced to work for free (or not show up for work at all), because of the 'shutdown' across America - imposed by our President (who, in turn, blames it on the Democrats)…
And as decorative as our shopping malls are, it's not the same visiting them... not so much because of the last-minute rush from shoppers, but due to familiar stores that are either shutting down, or already 'out of business', with other shoppers using the Internet to buy their holiday presents from the confines of their homes...
So, instead, on Christmas Day, 2018, I try to look back on this past year in Broward County, Florida, in a search of what I've got to be grateful for...
And believe me, I've tried. The new year was barely six weeks old, when fifteen minutes away from the town of Margate, seventeen individuals from a high school (nobody's ever heard of, until Valentine's Day) weren't even going to see their next Christmas...
Even the condo complex where I live was going to have a memorable year, but for the wrong reasons. Nearly halfway through 2018, a landscaping service employee would perish right behind my building - when he got struck by lightning. Several other severe rainstorms caused numerous floods - turning my backyard into a swamp, and parking lots into canals. And earlier this month, an explosion from the transformer behind my building knocked out the power for me and my neighbors for several hours...
And don't even get me started on the Midterm Elections in my county, resulting in several days of 'recounts' (reminiscent of the Presidential election of 2000 A.D.)…
Luckily, the weather for this yuletide season had just improved (following an unexpected storm front that stretched across nearly the entire Eastern Seaboard), and I'd managed to take a Christmas Eve stroll through my neighborhood - just to see some of the gayly decorated houses. Lots of lights, giant inflatable characters (including 'Mickey Mouse', 'Homer Simpson', 'The Grinch', and even a 'Darth Vader' with a Santa's cap on), falling snowflakes (projected on a garage door), and colorful neon signs (with messages ranging from "Noel" to "Ho, ho, ho") on unmowed lawns (instead of snow-covered grass) did its best to cheer me up.
Christmas Eve did have its one memorable moment that restored my faith in humanity. My brother Glenn, who lives in another condo building within 'walking distance' from mine, came by my place to serve me a simple holiday dinner (of take-out fare from a nearby Boston Market). He'd spent most of his year helping out his neighbors (since he became his building's president, two years ago), and yet he found the time to stop by and see me. And he had been unemployed since 2015, and haven't regained employment since then...
My younger sibling engages himself in a variety of unselfish acts for his fellow condo residents - ranging in ages from the mid-fifties to a few centenarians - and still manages to share a little 'quality time' with me, once in a great while...
And so, on this December 25th, I hope to spend a little more 'quality time' with Glenn, just to let him know how grateful I am - not with presents (although he is getting a few of them from me), but just to know that he's my brother, and I care for him very much...
To all of you at "Fur Affinity", here's hoping that each and every one of you have something to be grateful for on this special time of the year...
ADDENDA: It is with deepest regrets that I have to add some sad news... My sister Rhonda of Wantagh, New York - who had owned three papillon dogs (that Glenn and I got to see back in June, 2017) - lost her third and final dog on Christmas Day, 2018. I hope to pay homage to 'Chewbacca' ('Chewie' for short), who was 17 at the time, in a future journal... - R.C.
I'd watch on TV the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center in New York (where I used to live). I'd watch Food Network, featuring shows about the best recipes for Christmas fare (including gingerbread houses, mince pies, egg nog-flavored desserts, etc.). But it's not just the same, from the confines of my condo...
I'd fantasize being in a big specious park - communing with nature - only, instead of being at Everglades National Park (with alligators and spoonbills), I imagine myself in Rocky Mountain National Park (with deer, buffalo, and marmots), when I'd visited it back in the mid-1980s. But now, going to any national park on Christmas might be out of the question, as many of their employees are forced to work for free (or not show up for work at all), because of the 'shutdown' across America - imposed by our President (who, in turn, blames it on the Democrats)…
And as decorative as our shopping malls are, it's not the same visiting them... not so much because of the last-minute rush from shoppers, but due to familiar stores that are either shutting down, or already 'out of business', with other shoppers using the Internet to buy their holiday presents from the confines of their homes...
So, instead, on Christmas Day, 2018, I try to look back on this past year in Broward County, Florida, in a search of what I've got to be grateful for...
And believe me, I've tried. The new year was barely six weeks old, when fifteen minutes away from the town of Margate, seventeen individuals from a high school (nobody's ever heard of, until Valentine's Day) weren't even going to see their next Christmas...
Even the condo complex where I live was going to have a memorable year, but for the wrong reasons. Nearly halfway through 2018, a landscaping service employee would perish right behind my building - when he got struck by lightning. Several other severe rainstorms caused numerous floods - turning my backyard into a swamp, and parking lots into canals. And earlier this month, an explosion from the transformer behind my building knocked out the power for me and my neighbors for several hours...
And don't even get me started on the Midterm Elections in my county, resulting in several days of 'recounts' (reminiscent of the Presidential election of 2000 A.D.)…
Luckily, the weather for this yuletide season had just improved (following an unexpected storm front that stretched across nearly the entire Eastern Seaboard), and I'd managed to take a Christmas Eve stroll through my neighborhood - just to see some of the gayly decorated houses. Lots of lights, giant inflatable characters (including 'Mickey Mouse', 'Homer Simpson', 'The Grinch', and even a 'Darth Vader' with a Santa's cap on), falling snowflakes (projected on a garage door), and colorful neon signs (with messages ranging from "Noel" to "Ho, ho, ho") on unmowed lawns (instead of snow-covered grass) did its best to cheer me up.
Christmas Eve did have its one memorable moment that restored my faith in humanity. My brother Glenn, who lives in another condo building within 'walking distance' from mine, came by my place to serve me a simple holiday dinner (of take-out fare from a nearby Boston Market). He'd spent most of his year helping out his neighbors (since he became his building's president, two years ago), and yet he found the time to stop by and see me. And he had been unemployed since 2015, and haven't regained employment since then...
My younger sibling engages himself in a variety of unselfish acts for his fellow condo residents - ranging in ages from the mid-fifties to a few centenarians - and still manages to share a little 'quality time' with me, once in a great while...
And so, on this December 25th, I hope to spend a little more 'quality time' with Glenn, just to let him know how grateful I am - not with presents (although he is getting a few of them from me), but just to know that he's my brother, and I care for him very much...
To all of you at "Fur Affinity", here's hoping that each and every one of you have something to be grateful for on this special time of the year...
"Merry Christmas!"ADDENDA: It is with deepest regrets that I have to add some sad news... My sister Rhonda of Wantagh, New York - who had owned three papillon dogs (that Glenn and I got to see back in June, 2017) - lost her third and final dog on Christmas Day, 2018. I hope to pay homage to 'Chewbacca' ('Chewie' for short), who was 17 at the time, in a future journal... - R.C.
"Coming Attractions"#63
Posted 7 years agoAs we approach the end of 2018, December will be packed with more new material in my "FA" site (I hope)…
Among the proposed artwork to be featured are some new "EFF" ("Extraordinarily Fat Furries") and "Front & Back" comic gags, and a few other colorful surprises. As far as 'photo-ops' are concerned, I'll have a new edition of "Spot The Error" (where a major spelling mistake is presented), more animal pix, and some more special photographs from my past...
And I hope to also include a lot more journals than usual - including my list of "The Best of 2018" (in terms of 'faves' in art and 'photo-ops'), my final "TV Commercials with Animals" presentation, and some more personal observations of my life in south Florida...
So stop by, every now and then, and check out what I have to offer - to end the year on a positive note!
Among the proposed artwork to be featured are some new "EFF" ("Extraordinarily Fat Furries") and "Front & Back" comic gags, and a few other colorful surprises. As far as 'photo-ops' are concerned, I'll have a new edition of "Spot The Error" (where a major spelling mistake is presented), more animal pix, and some more special photographs from my past...
And I hope to also include a lot more journals than usual - including my list of "The Best of 2018" (in terms of 'faves' in art and 'photo-ops'), my final "TV Commercials with Animals" presentation, and some more personal observations of my life in south Florida...
So stop by, every now and then, and check out what I have to offer - to end the year on a positive note!
"35th Annual Miami-Dade Book Fair"
Posted 7 years agoDuring my nearly twenty-five years of living in south Florida, I partook many unique events, including the "Coconut Grove Art Festival", the "Winterfest Boat Parade" (in Fort Lauderdale), the "Air & Sea Show" (also in Fort Lauderdale), the "Delray Beach Crafts Fair", and many others.
But my personal favorite annual event is the "Miami-Dade Book Fair" - held in and around the Wolfson Campus area of Miami Dade College. The 2018 edition (celebrating its 35th anniversary) was held from November 11th to November 18th. I had been to this fair numerous times in the past, mainly to see what sort of books to buy... but also, to see what familiar celebrities I could meet.
I had the rare opportunity of meeting some familiar names, and had my picture taken with them. Here's a list of links of past 'photo-ops' of me with "Book Fair" guests:
Richard Belzer: www.furaffinity.net/view/1968333/
Terry Jones & Douglas Adams: www.furaffinity.net/view/2249675/
Mike Maihack: www.furaffinity.net/view/21943404/
Eddie Pittman: www.furaffinity.net/view/21943603/
Among this year's celebrity guests/authors were baseball great Felipe Alou, actor Justine ("Family Ties") Bateman, NPR host Peter ("Wait... Wait... Don't Tell Me!") Sagal, et al. However, the days and times these personalities would appear would have a conflict with my scheduling, especially since my commute to the fair would be a long one - taking my bicycle from Margate to the Cypress Creek Tri-Rail train station, taking said bike on said train, transferring to the Metrorail station, and finally getting off in downtown Miami.
I could only afford to travel to the "Book Fair" for one day. Ms. Bateman and Mr. Sagal were appearing on a Saturday, and Mr. Alou was appearing on Sunday. I'd chosen the latter individual, in the hope of getting my picture taken with him (so I could share it with my brother Glenn - who is the 'sports enthusiast of the family). But, as it turned out, Felipe's 11:00 AM lecture coincided with another lecture at the same time. That was a lecture about cartoons drawn exclusively for "The New Yorker" (magazine).
The day before I'd left, I discussed this situation with Glenn, who (in turn) told me, "You like drawing cartoons. Go to that lecture... and if you can make it to the end of the other lecture, you can get Mr. Alou's autograph (or have your picture taken with him) afterwards."
That said, I was considering bringing some of my 'funny animal' art to show off to "The New Yorker" lecturers. But since said art was scattered all over my cluttered condo, the only thing I'd brought along instead was a small box of my handmade holiday greeting cards (many of which you might have seen in the 'Gallery' section of my "FA" site)...
Having arrived at the "Book Fair' between 9 and 10 AM, E.S.T., I'd chained up my bike, and had a quick breakfast at McDonald's, before paying my 'Senior Citizen' fee ($5.00) at the easternmost entrance.
Checking out some of the tented venues, I came across a few books I was interested in, including more 'animal stories' by Thornton Burgess - which inspired two of my 'fat furry' renderings of two of his characters:
'Little Joe Otter': www.furaffinity.net/view/11012391/
'Peter Rabbit': www.furaffinity.net/view/11345710/
(And I'm hoping to render newer 'fat furry' drawings of more of Burgess's animal characters in the not-too-distant future.)
Looking at my smartphone, I saw that it was 11:00 AM, and I'd finally ventured to the "Magic Screening Room" (Building 8, First Floor), where "The New Yorker" lecture took place. I'd managed to find an empty chair in the front row, so I could take some close-up digital pictures of the invited speakers.
First up was cartoonist Bob Eckstein, who used a special computer to project some of his previous comic entries to the magazine. In addition to this talent, he's also the author of two books: "The World's Greatest Bookstores: 100 Postcards" and "The Illustrated History of the Snowman". He discussed the latter title in detail, showing off photos of snowmen (some dating back to the 1800s), and talking about even earlier manmade creations from foreign countries...
He was immediately followed by the main guest speaker, Bob Mankoff, "The New Yorker" cartoon editor (who just retired in 2017). He talked about the many works of legendary contributors (e.g. James Thurber, Charles Addams, George Booth, etc.), funny stories about modern-day comic gags (including one that was the inspiration for the "Seinfeld" episode "The Cartoon"), and his current variation of the magazine's "Cartoon Caption Contest" (in which he offers a $100 prize for the best caption). On top of all that, Mr. Mankoff is the author of "The New Yorker Encyclopedia of Cartoons: A Semi-serious A-to-Z Archive" - a very large collection of comic gags, in order of their subject matter (i.e. 'panhandlers', 'desert islands', 'animal cartoons', etc.).
When the lecture was over, my mind was finally made up. I'd bought a copy of Bob Eckstein's "...Snowman" book, and (inspired by his lecture on the subject) I'd decided to give him three of my full-color handmade greeting cards of animals building snow replicas of themselves:
"Snow Leopard": www.furaffinity.net/view/1793740/
"Snow Beaver": www.furaffinity.net/view/12279194/
"Snow Porcupine": www.furaffinity.net/view/18570543/
Mr. Eckstein was so blown away by my artwork, he wrote a special autograph inside my copy of his book:
"To Jed, I really like the snowman cards! It was a delight meeting me! Best, Bob"
And he even threw in a tiny snowman drawing underneath said autograph.
Then, Mr. Mankoff looked at me and asked, "How come you didn't buy a copy of my encyclopedia?"
"I would be more than happy to buy it," I replied, "except for two things; (1) I don't have enough money on me, and (2) I came by bicycle. If I'd carried your book in my backpack and rode the rest of the way home, I'm liable to get a hernia!"
But I had promised him that I'd buy his encyclopedia at my nearby Barnes & Noble store (in Coral Springs) before year's end.
Finally, I got a passer-by to use (the digital camera portion of) my smartphone, and have her take a 'photo-op' of me and the two Bobs - which you can see in my "FA" site at this link: www.furaffinity.net/view/29480725/
(Regrettably, I couldn't make it to the other lecture room to meet Felipe Alou, but I'm sure that my brother Glenn would understand.)
After checking out the rest of the venues throughout Miami Dade College, I'd managed to take my bike, and my backpack full of purchases, and me, all the way back home (with only a 45-minute delay at the Metrorail/Tri-Rail transfer stop slowing me down).
All in all, I still had a good time at the "35th Annual Miami-Dade Book Fair", and I'm hoping to have more time (and money) to take in the 36th edition (and whatever celebrities will be there) in November, 2019!
But my personal favorite annual event is the "Miami-Dade Book Fair" - held in and around the Wolfson Campus area of Miami Dade College. The 2018 edition (celebrating its 35th anniversary) was held from November 11th to November 18th. I had been to this fair numerous times in the past, mainly to see what sort of books to buy... but also, to see what familiar celebrities I could meet.
I had the rare opportunity of meeting some familiar names, and had my picture taken with them. Here's a list of links of past 'photo-ops' of me with "Book Fair" guests:
Richard Belzer: www.furaffinity.net/view/1968333/
Terry Jones & Douglas Adams: www.furaffinity.net/view/2249675/
Mike Maihack: www.furaffinity.net/view/21943404/
Eddie Pittman: www.furaffinity.net/view/21943603/
Among this year's celebrity guests/authors were baseball great Felipe Alou, actor Justine ("Family Ties") Bateman, NPR host Peter ("Wait... Wait... Don't Tell Me!") Sagal, et al. However, the days and times these personalities would appear would have a conflict with my scheduling, especially since my commute to the fair would be a long one - taking my bicycle from Margate to the Cypress Creek Tri-Rail train station, taking said bike on said train, transferring to the Metrorail station, and finally getting off in downtown Miami.
I could only afford to travel to the "Book Fair" for one day. Ms. Bateman and Mr. Sagal were appearing on a Saturday, and Mr. Alou was appearing on Sunday. I'd chosen the latter individual, in the hope of getting my picture taken with him (so I could share it with my brother Glenn - who is the 'sports enthusiast of the family). But, as it turned out, Felipe's 11:00 AM lecture coincided with another lecture at the same time. That was a lecture about cartoons drawn exclusively for "The New Yorker" (magazine).
The day before I'd left, I discussed this situation with Glenn, who (in turn) told me, "You like drawing cartoons. Go to that lecture... and if you can make it to the end of the other lecture, you can get Mr. Alou's autograph (or have your picture taken with him) afterwards."
That said, I was considering bringing some of my 'funny animal' art to show off to "The New Yorker" lecturers. But since said art was scattered all over my cluttered condo, the only thing I'd brought along instead was a small box of my handmade holiday greeting cards (many of which you might have seen in the 'Gallery' section of my "FA" site)...
Having arrived at the "Book Fair' between 9 and 10 AM, E.S.T., I'd chained up my bike, and had a quick breakfast at McDonald's, before paying my 'Senior Citizen' fee ($5.00) at the easternmost entrance.
Checking out some of the tented venues, I came across a few books I was interested in, including more 'animal stories' by Thornton Burgess - which inspired two of my 'fat furry' renderings of two of his characters:
'Little Joe Otter': www.furaffinity.net/view/11012391/
'Peter Rabbit': www.furaffinity.net/view/11345710/
(And I'm hoping to render newer 'fat furry' drawings of more of Burgess's animal characters in the not-too-distant future.)
Looking at my smartphone, I saw that it was 11:00 AM, and I'd finally ventured to the "Magic Screening Room" (Building 8, First Floor), where "The New Yorker" lecture took place. I'd managed to find an empty chair in the front row, so I could take some close-up digital pictures of the invited speakers.
First up was cartoonist Bob Eckstein, who used a special computer to project some of his previous comic entries to the magazine. In addition to this talent, he's also the author of two books: "The World's Greatest Bookstores: 100 Postcards" and "The Illustrated History of the Snowman". He discussed the latter title in detail, showing off photos of snowmen (some dating back to the 1800s), and talking about even earlier manmade creations from foreign countries...
He was immediately followed by the main guest speaker, Bob Mankoff, "The New Yorker" cartoon editor (who just retired in 2017). He talked about the many works of legendary contributors (e.g. James Thurber, Charles Addams, George Booth, etc.), funny stories about modern-day comic gags (including one that was the inspiration for the "Seinfeld" episode "The Cartoon"), and his current variation of the magazine's "Cartoon Caption Contest" (in which he offers a $100 prize for the best caption). On top of all that, Mr. Mankoff is the author of "The New Yorker Encyclopedia of Cartoons: A Semi-serious A-to-Z Archive" - a very large collection of comic gags, in order of their subject matter (i.e. 'panhandlers', 'desert islands', 'animal cartoons', etc.).
When the lecture was over, my mind was finally made up. I'd bought a copy of Bob Eckstein's "...Snowman" book, and (inspired by his lecture on the subject) I'd decided to give him three of my full-color handmade greeting cards of animals building snow replicas of themselves:
"Snow Leopard": www.furaffinity.net/view/1793740/
"Snow Beaver": www.furaffinity.net/view/12279194/
"Snow Porcupine": www.furaffinity.net/view/18570543/
Mr. Eckstein was so blown away by my artwork, he wrote a special autograph inside my copy of his book:
"To Jed, I really like the snowman cards! It was a delight meeting me! Best, Bob"
And he even threw in a tiny snowman drawing underneath said autograph.
Then, Mr. Mankoff looked at me and asked, "How come you didn't buy a copy of my encyclopedia?"
"I would be more than happy to buy it," I replied, "except for two things; (1) I don't have enough money on me, and (2) I came by bicycle. If I'd carried your book in my backpack and rode the rest of the way home, I'm liable to get a hernia!"
But I had promised him that I'd buy his encyclopedia at my nearby Barnes & Noble store (in Coral Springs) before year's end.
Finally, I got a passer-by to use (the digital camera portion of) my smartphone, and have her take a 'photo-op' of me and the two Bobs - which you can see in my "FA" site at this link: www.furaffinity.net/view/29480725/
(Regrettably, I couldn't make it to the other lecture room to meet Felipe Alou, but I'm sure that my brother Glenn would understand.)
After checking out the rest of the venues throughout Miami Dade College, I'd managed to take my bike, and my backpack full of purchases, and me, all the way back home (with only a 45-minute delay at the Metrorail/Tri-Rail transfer stop slowing me down).
All in all, I still had a good time at the "35th Annual Miami-Dade Book Fair", and I'm hoping to have more time (and money) to take in the 36th edition (and whatever celebrities will be there) in November, 2019!
