Lighting it up

Sketchbook: What's in a title?

About this time every year, I get to thinking about Captain Moroni's Title of Liberty. Based on several of the addresses from April's session of General Conference, this seemed appropriate.

Keeping the monsters at bay

You didn't see this

Here's another fun thing I've been doing at work. We're hosting a national conference next month — for auditors. And not just any auditors: these are auditors from departments of transportation across the United States!

Word is that auditors have a bad rap. They're actually a fun bunch. When they get together they really let their hair down — they not only look at each other's shoes, occasionally they make eye contact!

Our audit folks thought it would be interesting to add a little bit of fun to the conference. Being in the Pacific Northwest, they came up with the idea of having Sasquatch make a few appearances! These are a few drawings and illustrations that we're using in the program (which goes to the printer on Tuesday).

See? Auditors can be fun!

Hearing voices

I think it would be wrong for me to say that this is based on a real life experience.

Steadfast and immovable

Each person in the ward has an important role to play.

But what's the handbook say?

The Missionary Handbook lays out rules, guidelines and expectations for missionaries. A lot of the rules are in place to help protect the missionaries from themselves — after all, most of the elders are from a demographic that's notorious for doing dumb things.

The lesson here? Don't steal sheep. Don't mess with missionaries. Especially if they have swords and slings!

As it says in Jacob, "O, be wise; what can I say more?"

See yourself

Most of the time I draw my cartoons for fun. Sometimes I want to comment on some current event. From time to time I get ideas that relate to lessons, studies or sermons. Then there are those occasions  when I feel impressed that there's something I should draw. That's how this came about.

Nephi exhorts us to liken the scriptures unto ourselves. One way we can do that is to imagine what it would be like if we were there, whether as a member of the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount or standing next to Nephi. It's a technique that puts a whole new perspective on the scriptures.

Sketchbook: Becoming one with the scriptures

OK, this isn't necessarily true... Maybe that's why it stayed in the sketchbook!

Early morning meetings

You've gotta go where the customers are!

What's your style?

I thought this might be good thing to share for Father's Day weekend. A few years ago I worked on a handbook for teens, "How to Raise and Train Your Parents."

One page showed examples of different styles of parenting. The top example is "Do as I say, not as I do." Below is "The involved parent."

There are two other types that we listed: "The invisible parent," who is  never there, and "The Cleavers," parents who live in La-La Land.

The text asks kids to identify what kind of parents they have, and what kind of parent they want to be. It's all part of a bigger plot to help guide youth to become well-adjusted adults.

You can see the full page by clicking on the bottom photo.

The man's got a reputation

There's a reason not many people messed with Abraham!

From the folks who brought you the gas tax

Here's something a little different.

This is a still from a video project I've been working on (I did the illustrations and the animation). It's about a new concept we at the Oregon Department of Transportation are testing, replacing the gas tax with a per-mile fee.

The gas tax is an idea that's past its prime. The first gas tax was enacted  in Oregon back in 1919. Back then it was a great concept, and fair to most motorists. Nowadays, however, vehicles are more fuel efficient, and some cars — like electronic vehicles — don't pay any gas tax at all.

Mileage is up, revenues are down, costs for road maintenance and construction are up. A per-gallon gas tax is not a sustainable solution. As a nation, it doesn't even generate enough money to allow us to even maintain our roads and bridges at their current level of service.*

That's why we're trying something new: OReGO.

This video describes the program we're testing. It's an interesting concept, and if I say so myself, a pretty good video. Check it out!


*I've made a couple of cool infographics about those very ideas. I'll have to show them sometime!

Time to play

Not all father-son relationships in the scriptures were exemplary. 

And not a rest area in sight!

I've taken trips with kids and pets. I'll bet there were days when Noah was ready to park the ark and throw everybody off!

Sketchbook: Fatherly advice

It's Father's Day week, so I've been thinking of good father figures from the scriptures. One of those is Alma, who took on one of the toughest jobs that a father has: telling his kid that he messed up. Good ol' Alma didn't stop there, though — he got down to the root of the problem. And Corianton became an awesome guy afterward!

Inasmuch as you share your cake

It's all nourishing and strengthening... we hope!

We just had the missionaries over for dinner the other night. This might have been Elder Thompson's silent prayer!

Coming soon to a theater near you

Never mess with a raptor carrying popcorn.

Metaphorically speaking

How much oil does it take to run an iPhone?

And they're off!

Today is the last day of school in our district. And I know, I know... I left quite a few things off the teacher's summer to-do list — I only have so much room for the caption!

Here's to all the teachers who do so much for each of our kids! You're amazing!

In a related note, if you haven't signed up for French Camp yet, there are openings still available!

She's baaaack!

Sis. Kerry Jo is back with some of her missionary stories that wouldn't make it in the Church magazines!

If you ever worked with — or in — the mission office or mission home, you'll understand.

Sketchbook: Do not procrastinate the day of your laundry!

In a lot of our missionary homes, we had someone who did our housekeeping — the cooking, the cleaning and the laundry. It was really a challenge to move from one of those areas to another where we had to do all that stuff ourselves!

Writing

It's not in the rhyming dictionary, either.

What's on deck

 ...and isn't that what June is all about?

Made for your sister missionary

Who's watching whom?

Quite often it seems to be the youngest who's in charge!

Storing the essentials

My grandma always made sure she had a year's supply of chocolate — which lasted until the grandkids came over!

Bath time!

Sketchbook: Up the wrong tree

As summer approaches, it's getting close to time for Young Women's Camp, the Young Men's Camp, Scout Camp, youth treks and other things — many of which have themes that play on a variation of this year's YM/YW theme.

But nothing for dogs. Rats!