Monday Sketchbook: Amazing discoveries

Thank you for indulging me with the trip cartoons. Just be glad I didn't run ALL of them!

We now return to our regular programming, already in progress.

If you have a teenage kid, this has probably happened in your home.

Something's in the air!

I did mention our group consisted of twenty-one girls. That's twenty-one cute girls. There were several boys we encountered who were very interested in some sort of cultural exchange. Luckily, we also had a cadre of very diligent chaperones!

By the way, if you want to see a few photos from our trip, we've got some posted on Flickr.

Double têter?

We're winding down with the French stuff. Today's are both a little lame, so you get not one but TWO lame gags for the price of one!

First, despite all the cultural and historical sites all around us, the most popular thing to do was shop. I did mention it was a group consisting of 21 girls and one boy, right?. For the geeks among you (that would be me) there's also a vague Dr. Who reference in there, Alonzo.

At the Eiffel Tower, there's an elevator that takes you to the viewing platform. However, it doesn't go straight up and down. It goes at an angle. That was a little too freaky for a couple of our crowd. And once on the platform, it was very windy. Not a good combination if you're not a fan of heights.

Luckily, most of us made it back OK.

Off with their Internet!

All I can say is that I was awed by the Palace and gardens at Versailles. The palace is huge and beautiful, the Hall of Mirrors is amazing. But the gardens! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the immensity! We had nearly two hours in the gardens and barely saw a fraction! I can totally understand how the peasants would be upset!

Yet even with all the opulence, there were those of our group who were miffed that there was no wi-fi. How could the Sun King connect his iPad?

Let them eat cake

This is another one drawn from reality. This is what happens when you let them eat pie.

By the way, the names haven't been changed to protect the innocent. Or Molly.

Too nice in Nice

This one is a true story -- the lure of the sea was just too much!

Speak Your Language

I always used Korean as a fallback if they didn't understand the first couple of languages I tried. That always freaks 'em out!

Monday Sketchbook: Taking in the sights

Before we left on our trip, we had my buddy Gary (of newsphotography:exposed fame) give a short workshop on improving one's photographic skills. As a newsphotographer, one of the points he makes is that "every photo should tell a story."

Well, there was this one waiter at our hotel in Florence who made several of the girls all a-flutter, if you know what I mean. The night before we left, we talked him in to posing for a couple of pictures for us. One girl stood apart from the group, yet still had her camera and was still taking pictures.

I asked her, "How could you get a picture of his face from where you were standing?"

She smiled at me a little sheepishly and said, "I didn't want a picture of his face!"

'Nuff said about that!

Amen and amen (and amen, and amen)

We spent a lot of time going through historic and beautiful cathedrals. There was one where they were holding mass as our group was shuffling through. It made me wonder what it would be like to have a group of tourists going through our building, admiring the artwork and architecture and taking photos, while we were holding services. It made me want to be just a little bit more reverent.

Coals to Newcastle

There were no Pizza Huts that we saw, but there were plenty of McDonald's. Our tour group provided breakfasts and dinners, but we were on our own for lunches. We found some really good places, like the creperie in Nice and the foccacia bread place in Florence.

Cultural artifacts

When you go to places like Florence, Venice and Paris, you can easily get overwhelmed with all the amazing art that's there. What surprised me when I first went there was not only how much graffiti there was, but how artistic the graffiti is.

Here are some vandalized traffic signs from Florence and Paris:

You can't take it with you

Everyone we talked to said that we HAD to get gelato EVERY DAY we were in Italy. The best I had was in Verona, from a little shop on the way to Juliet's balcony -- on the very street in the background of this cartoon.

We didn't have anyone try to pack any gelato into their baggage, but we did have one girl get some candy confiscated by Customs because of the way she listed it on her form. Gotta be careful with that paperwork!

Hitchin' a ride

We had one boy on the trip, so you think that would give him pretty good odds. But sometimes, things don't work out.

Spinning it

You may have wondered why a couple of weeks ago I ran a bunch of Good Heavens strips about being on vacation. Well yes, it was spring break here in the northwest, but that wasn't the only reason.

For spring break, my wife and I chaperoned twenty-two high school kids on a ten-day trip through Europe, starting in Venice and working our way up to Paris.

Twenty-one of those students were girls.

It was an adventure; we survived. I'm going to post a few of the cartoons from our trip, those that may have more universal appeal. In the meantime, I'm still in recovery mode (so THAT explains all the lame gags lately!).

Salut!

Monday Sketchbook: Zombies avec fromage

It seems like all the zombie things I've ever seen are set in either North or South America. In an apocalypse, wouldn't there be zombies everywhere?

Actually, this is a harbinger of things to come. Stay tuned to find out more!

Once a month, that's all we ask

I've noticed this same thing happens with me. There are days when I'm so busy doing something that I don't notice that I haven't eaten, but there are so many times on Fast Sunday that I feel famished while it's still early. What's up with that? And why am I writing about going without on the day before taxes are due?

Turning the tables

We have a guy in our ward who used to be a Pentecostal minister. His favorite thing to do is meet with the new missionaries and put them through the wringer.

You are what you eat

There's ample scientific evidence that shows what a person eats can affect how one feels. For example, as a missionary in Korea I tried a snack called bundegi (silkworm larvae) and it definitely had an effect on how I felt!

Who's that knocking at my door?

This may be a little more appropriate for Halloween, but I thought I'd run it anyway...

Statistically speaking

OK, so the deserted island is a staple in the basket of cartoon cliches, as is home teaching in Mormon humor. So why not combine the two?

Painting the town

I can think of nothing more boring than being a fish stuck in a bowl...unless you had a group like those in the tank of Finding Nemo!

Monday Sketchbook: It's (finally) Conference!

I have to apologize. As I alluded to last week, I was out of town and couldn't get Conference (except for a little bit of Priesthood in the wee hours of the morning), so my Conference sketchbook was delayed.

It may be a little late, but perhaps it will give you a chance to review and see how much you've retained over the past seven days!

I think I was a little jet-lagged still during the Saturday morning session; that's why there are only two sketches that made the cut:

Of course the missionary choir had to sing, "Called to Serve!" I also think that it's cool when Pres. Uchtdorf reads the names for the sustainings.

Priesthood is always a favorite meeting. They have the best stories.

I loved the Sunday sessions. I'm sure Pres. Uchtdorf's talk has already become a bumper sticker -- I think I've already seen it on Pinterest. I also liked Elder Nelson's exploding print shop analogy.

I wanted to do something with Elder Zwick saying the opening prayer, but that just seemed wrong (I used to work for him back in the day). I also got poked a couple of times during Elder Ballard's talk about asking for directions. What's up with that?

Happy Easter!

First the secular, then the sacred:

The ears are always the first to go. On chocolate bunnies, at least.

---

Because that's what Easter is all about! Enjoy!

Nice peeps

Crystal clear

In some families, they mistake volume for quantity.

Everyone loves it!

Was that a groan I just heard? Sorry!

Look out the window

I've tried several gags based on the Primary song, "Popcorn Popping." This, I think, is my favorite. What a nice surprise!

Gettin' dirty

I know that's why I do it!

Monday Sketchbook: It's not what you think...

Let me start with an apology. Normally I run a sketchbook recap of General Conference the following Monday. However, due to circumstances not entirely under my control, I'm unable to do that today.

Please come back next week, and I'll have it then. Thanks for your patience!

Conference Enhancement Tips

OK, I have to admit I stole this idea from Pinterest. In fact, they have dozens of ideas of things to do to help your kids (and others) stay focused during conference. Some are a little more practical than others, of course. Check it out.

And, by the way, if you want to catch any sessions you may have missed, it's posted on the Church website within just a day or two.