ADVICE FROM THE OLD MASTER

THIS MONTH I AM MARKING MY 20th ANNIVERSARY AS A CARTOONIST WITH EXCELSIOR NEWSPAPER. (2006-2026)

I started back in August 2006 and it's been a long but interesting journey.

Here are some shots of me acting as if I am hard at work at several work stations. The great advantage of being an editorial cartoonist nowadays is that you can work remotely and send your work via email. Before the internet, I had to deliver all my artwork in person every day!

 

Fake book cover! 

Nonetheless, I'm hoping someday I can write my real memoirs 

as soon as I have some interesting memoirs to write about!

No, I was never on the TODAY SHOW! However, I did visit the exhibit at Rockefeller Plaza. 

 It won't be on my resume, though!

A nice little desk at some open house I was visiting. 

This was my first drawing board. It served me well for more than 30 years until I had to give it away and replace it with a smaller and more functional desk. 

IT'S ONLY MONEY...RIGHT?

And you keep wondering "where did it all go?"

GOOGLE ANSWERS

AGAIN, MORE SENIOR MOMENTS

Somehow, as you grow older, you learn how to maneuver in order to keep things

 from falling off your decrepit old hands!

A SENIOR JOKE

This began as a private joke made by my grandson Antonio about me during one of my many mishaps with my family in NYC, but I can totally see this becoming a regular series: “The misadventures of Señor Citizen” coming to a bookstore and nursery home near you!

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE VS REALITY

 

 

The real me and my AI self

 

Another version of me and my AI self.

 

Real images in a collage and the AI version

Real image against the artificially generated one. (Something here seems slightly askew!)

     

Marilyn and me...real and Manga style.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science focused on building machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intellect, such as reasoning, learning from data, understanding natural language, and making decisions.  In this case, I used Generative AI which consists of systems (like large language models) designed to create new content, such as text, images, or audio, based on patterns learned during training. The result, amazing as it may be, still leaves something to be desired. In none of those AI images do I look like myself but instead, I am depicted as a standard clichéd stereotype nondescript character that could be anyone.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON MY B'DAY!

I celebrated my 75th birthday yesterday and it was a nice and warm feeling to receive so many greetings and congratulations from family and friends. To all of those who remembered me, I say thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to send me a comment. Hope to hear from you again next year...if I make it!

75th BIRTHDAY!

A 75th birthday is widely celebrated as a Diamond Jubilee. It represents a lifetime of strength, wisdom, and resilience. Diamonds are used to symbolize this milestone because the gem is formed under deep pressure and lasts forever, just like the memories created over 75 years. (At least, that's what they say!)

       

My 75th Birthday cartoon reimagined as a 3D CG Image!

SUMMER VACATION HIGHLIGHTS

SONS OF THE DESERT 24th INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

 

The 24th Sons of the Desert International Convention was held from June 20th to June 25th, 2026 at the Legacy Resort Hotel & Spa in San Diego, California.

It was a memorable experience for me since it had been 44 years since I attended my last SOD Convention which was in 1982 at Detroit MI!

 

With Cassidy Cook, granddaughter of Lois Laurel and Great Granddaughter of Stan Laurel.

Marcia Opal from the Chicago Bacon Grabbers, a dear friend from way back!

Kevin Mulligan, another dear friend from many Conventions ago!

Mr. Jamie McKenna and Mr. Bill Leavy, excellent Laurel and Hardy impersonators

 added a fun touch to the proceedings

With Bob Satterfield and Marcia Opal having lunch at San Diego's Rudford's restaurant. 

We hadn't seen each other since 1982!

Gary Cohen caught me doing my editorial cartoon for the day at the Convention Dinner Cruise

 with City Experiences (formerly The Hornblower).

   

 

With Tracy Tolzmann from the Block-Heads Oasis #3 of St. Paul, Minnesota, recreating our pose from the 1980 Hollywood Convention!

The next convention will be held in Minnesota hosted by the Minnesota Block-Heads headed by

 Tracy Tolzmann in 2028.

And hopefully, I'll be able to make it there too!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY 2026!

Wishing all fathers, cartoon or otherwise, a very happy Father's Day!

ON MY WAY TO THE 2026 SAN DIEGO CONVENTION!

 

The 24th International Sons of the Desert Convention runs from June 21–25, 2026. It is hosted by the Saps at Sea San Diego Tent at the Legacy Resort Hotel & Spa in San Diego, California. The theme for the convention will be the Centennial of Stan and Babe working as a team at Hal Roach Studios (1926–2026).