stonesoup

Santa Rosa

At the end of March I travelled to Santa Rosa to speak at the Schulz Museum. Jeannie Schulz invited me to join Lynn Johnston to speak at the major donor dinner, and again the next day to the public. Despite some disappointing rain (Oregonians don't need rain when they visit California. We go there for SUN), we had a great time. Lynn is such a warm, interesting person... with a wealth of cartoon industry knowledge that I love being able to glean from. John McMeel and Lee Salem flew out as well, to hear us talk and treat us to a day trip to Bodega Bay.

(from left to right—John, me, Lynn, Lee...)

Lee Salem is the guy who brought me into the world of syndication. I met him originally at a cartoon conference in San Francisco, where he was part of an industry panel. I'm pretty sure I crossed the rope barrier (designed to keep back hopeful cartoonists) to hand him my work. We corresponded over the years until I finally convinced him I had the "stuff" to make it.

John McMeel is the founder of Andrews McMeel Universal, and the guy who signed Garry Trudeau back when Garry was still in college, the guy who launched Doonesbury. Stuff of legends!

We also managed a visit to San Francisco, where Ted and I stumbled across a show at Live Worms Gallery. Live Worms is on Grant in North Beach. It's a bit like "Brigadoon"... it only comes alive once in a while, and just for one night. We've been lucky to hit it when open pretty frequently, and I love the eclectic nature of what shows there. This last time it was an art show benefit... to raise money for a school. This piece captured my eye, and I should have bought it. If anyone knows this artist, have him or her get in touch! I think the name is CF Zoll.

Furlough Finale

A cartoonist can always find a way to get the last word. My friend Michael T. Gilbert, of "Mr. Monster" fame, and writer/illustrator of Superman, Batman, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comics, is currently working on a Simpson's comic book. He just sent me this— in an email with the subject line "I hear there's been some controversy...?"

The tempest in a tea pot was a result of my being careless in a cartoon, leading some to misinterpret my reference to Furlough Days as a slam on teachers. Oh Woe! I've since explained myself, my readers have been most kind, life goes on.

But there's always room for more humor.

Thanks, Michael. Always an honor to get something from you!

More on the now famous Furlough Day....

The Eugene Register Guard has published a story further explaining the misunderstandings created by my strip on Monday. 

They say that if you don't make somebody mad, you're not doing your job. Sheesh.

Thanks to the Jim Wright at the Register Guard, and to all readers who follow Stone Soup.

Some Don't Get Comics Humor

Furlough Days Explained...

Reader response has led me to clarify the intent of yesterday's, and the next two days’, strips…

 

Believe me, when I put "Furlough Days" in my strip, I was not attacking teachers. "How many furlough days do they get?" refers to the kids being home, not to teachers "getting" something. 

I live in Oregon, where education funding has reached a crisis state. Furlough days have been instated because the schools cannot afford to operate. Our kids are missing valuable education time because the money is not available to keep the schools open. One of our districts will be operating only four days a week for the rest of the school year.

Some readers have interpreted my intent as a way to slam teachers. It couldn’t be farther from the truth. Our schools are expected not only to educate our kids, but manage a large variety of complex social ills. They cannot perform either function at current funding levels.

Furlough days do not equal teacher prep or vacation days… they equal a failure to responsibly educate kids, a failure brought on by a complex set of issues that include inadequate funding.

What can YOU do? Support your schools, work to eliminate poverty among children, volunteer. There's not easy answer, but answers must be found.