HALLOWEEN 2023

THE RETURN OF THE CLARINET!

After more than 30 years of having abandoned it, I finally got another chance to play the clarinet thanks to a much welcome recent birthday gift.  But of course, it has been so long, I have to remember how to play the instrument, so I'm back to my beginner's days and dusting off those old clarinet courses, charts and tutorials. I'm back to square one with embouchure, fingering, tone and reed control.

Will I ever attain professional status?  Of course not! Will I become the next Benny Goodman? Never! 

But the point here is to just have fun and play to myself trying not to squeak much and flub as less as possible.  Music, maestro, please!

My first year trying to get some decent sound out of the instrument!

After much practice, I was proficient enough to get a gig on stage at a small dinner theater, playing

 "As Time Goes By" and "St. Louis Blues" in a musical show!

The day I got my new clarinet, 30 plus years after I had abandoned the instrument.

Back to the Clarinet Player Starter Kit!

Hopefully, this won't ever happen...but you never can tell!

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING PANTS!

It is no mystery your body goes through many changes during your lifetime...but that doesn't mean you have to understand what's going on there!

THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SHOW!

On this day in 1958, The Huckleberry Hound Show premiered in syndication! It's what put Hanna Barbera on the map creating characters we all know and love like Yogi Bear, Hokey Wolf, Pixie & Dixie & Mr. Jinx, and of course Huckleberry Hound lasting 3 seasons ending in 1961. 

I remember the excitement and anticipation at the news of  The Huckleberry Hound Show premiering back in 1958. I was 7 years old when I first saw the inimitable Huck Hound coming out of the circus door after the Kellogg's rooster knocked.  The cartoons were quite different from all the others I had seen up until then, when the regular cartoon TV fare consisted of full animation cartoons from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. To me, the look, design, stories, music and overall atmosphere was something else and I became hooked watching every cartoon show churned out by the Hanna-Barbera animation factory.  Up until Jonny Quest started the downhill fall into formulaic, unfunny shows and non descript characters, that is.

Ah, but the Huckleberry Hound Show was something else! My childhood was so much happier with this

old hound and his pals coming at my screen every week! Delightful memories I will always treasure!

With Wee Willie.

The complete Season One of The Huckleberry Hound Show was released on a DVD set several years ago but the Second and Third Seasons are yet to see the light of day! Why? Big mystery that probably has to do with copyright holders and, um, like that type of things, yuh know.

FYI: I'm Deactivating Accounts!

I have nothing against Elon Musk personally but Twitter, now X, has become too toxic, too full of hate and bigotry, too irrelevant, too stupid and too superfluous in my life that I have no choice but to deactivate my accounts there. Nothing will be lost, no one will miss me there and I won't miss anything therein either. So, farewell, ex-X!

YOU KNOW YOU'RE REALLY OLD WHEN...

As you get on in years, you find yourself a little clumsier, a little more absent-minded and a little more klutzy in every way there is. Don't worry! As an old man, you're expected to drop things, fall constantly everywhere, make inappropriate comments and generally, making a nuisance out of yourself. In short, you become a master of low comedy. That's life!

Reaching the 72nd Mark!

 

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                         But in real life...it was a great celebration with my son and grandkids!

THE FLOOR IS LAVA!

Recent activity from the Popo volcano, about 32 miles from my home, have set the red alert warning all over the area. Of course, no lava yet in my living room which, incidentally, is on a third floor.

SENIOR ROAD RUNNER

Try running after your four year old granddaughter when you are 71 and you will immediately

 sympathize with Wile E. Coyote's efforts to catch the Road Runner!

HAPPY EASTER 2023!

I thought the Easter Bunny came to hide the Easter Eggs but as it turns out, there's also an Easter Egg who delivers Chocolate Easter Bunnies!

But never fear...the Easter Bunny is still here!

The perfect Holy Week vacation!

Oh, yes! I'm having the perfect Holy Week vacation!

THE AIRFLIGHT EXPERIENCE

 

Life's Most Humiliating Moments!

 

ACTING! Part 2

 Pretending you're a Champion Runner...

...one minute before you get charley's horse!

Valentine's Day, 2023!

ACTING!

With the Academy Awards Ceremony coming up next month, it is with great joy and pride that I submit my nomination for acting in a real life drama.

Trying to watch the Green Comet...

The Mr. Magoo Cameos

 I love the cartoon character of Mister Magoo. I remember watching his antics at the movie theater and later on television. He's not the usual cartoon type of character. For one thing, he's a human. Not many human beings were featured as stars in those old classic animation shorts so it was kind of a departure.

WIKIPEDIA describes him like this: "Mr. Magoo is an elderly, wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of comical situations as a result of his extreme near-sightedness, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem".

Mr. Magoo was also featured in a series of comic books throughout the 50s and 60s,

and for a while, was even published as a syndicated comic strip. The strips were then compiled into a paperback which has been the only source I have relied upon to read them. 

Quincy Magoo was also prominently displayed in several General Electric ads:

So for me, it was only natural to include him as a cameo figure in several of my newspaper cartoons:

Even his nephew Waldo made an appearance!

Oh, Magoo! You've done it again!