2010 Top Ten, part 1

Now what we've all been waiting for...the Top Ten of 2010!

No. 10


No. 9



No. 8


No. 7


No. 6

Year end countdown: Runners-up

It's time for the year-end review! Before we get in to the Top Ten of 2010, here are some of my personal favorites, the runners up:

• from Zarahemla Times:

The girls' camp series was fun...

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• From Good Heavens:

A lot of these seemed to be commentary on current events...

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• ...and from Beckstrom Buzz:

Whatever it takes

This was inspired by either:
(a) The Princess Bride: "Unemployed...in Greenland?!" or
(b) Brett Favre on the injured list

Winter cold

Monday sketchbook: Culture of celebrity

This past year has seen a number of disasters -- everything from the earthquake in Haiti to the BP spill in the Gulf to the tipped kick in the BYU - Utah game. Many of those disasters were man-made, some of them self-inflicted (witness Mel Gibson and Lindsay Lohan). It's this last category that inspired today's sketch.

Year end clearance!

This is an old gag that I wrote way back in high school. After having it sit in my files for a few years, I figured it was about time for it to see the light of day!

The Story of the Nativity VI

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

Merry Christmas!

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The Story of the Nativity V

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The Story of the Nativity IV

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

The Story of the Nativity III

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

The Story of the Nativity II

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

The Story of the Nativity I

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.



* Follow this link for a good resource for scriptures about the birth of Christ

While shepherds watched

I often wonder what it would have been like to be one of the shepherds. The announcement of Christ's birth probably came as a big surprise to many of them!

Looking for some good Christmas resources? Music, videos, stories and more!

Always willing to help

This is a card we did one Christmas for the Utah Department of Transportation's Office of Community Relations. Kind of went crazy there with the MUTCD.*


*Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the standard for signs, signals and pavement markings in the United States. Now you know.

Nativity preview

Tonight and tomorrow night, our stake is sponsoring a live nativity, complete with Nigel the camel and Barney the donkey. One of my tasks as a committee member was to come up with a page that kids could color and take home as a momento. Well, I always have to overdo, so I made three: Isaiah from the Old Testament and Samuel the Lamanite, both of whom prophesied the coming of Christ, and one the Nativity itself.

Feel free to download them, color them and tape them on your fridge.

You're more than welcome to stop by and get one in person; it's at the LDS stake center on the corner of Eola and Doaks Ferry Road in West Salem. It runs from 5-ish until 8:30 or so. We've also got cookies. It'll be fun!

Hanging in a row

I had a friend who gave his kids rutabagas for Easter. I think it would be much worse to get a stocking full of vegetables at Christmas!

Elves and elves alike

Hey! This isn't a cartoon! It's a "spot the difference" puzzle!

Winter hygiene

And we can't have snowmen with bad oral health care now, can we?

Monday sketchbook: Holiday mixup

Sometimes a cartoonist has to be careful. Often there's a fine line between a cute little joke and blasphemy (witness the reaction to my Darth Vader PPI cartoon in Meridian). But in dealing with the Nativity, the Wise Men seem to be fair game. This one went a little too close to that line for my comfort, so it stayed in the sketchbook.

Good tidings we bring

I don't know about you, but as I kid I thought that figgy pudding sounded vile. I certainly didn't want any!

The weather outside is frightful

The project was actually finished in the fall, so it wasn't really suspended. I just thought this was a cute idea.

Dessert!

No, you didn't really see this.

Wider. Wider.

Guess where I get to go today?

That special time of year

I ran this last year in Good Heavens. I don't know how it is in your family, but every time we watch It's a Wonderful Life, someone always winds up ringing bells all over the place at the end of the movie. It always makes me wonder if they get an overabundance of wings up in the celestial realms whenever that happens.

Nice ice, baby

This is another idea from the mind of my apprentice.

Monday sketchbook: Training

We had a staff training this week. Luckily, not everyone I work with is an alien.

Watching the flock

There was a sister missionary from Virginia in our mission who found out her father worked for the CIA when one of the members of her ward mentioned it in sacrament meeting. She was shocked, and her father was not happy. I understand he was a good home teacher. He kept an eye on his families.

Setting the bar

I got that line about expectations from someone I dated. "It was better than I expected," she said. Hmmm.

All's well that ends

Hey, I'll have you know this was cutting edge humor when the strip originally ran!