Word of the Day - October 30

Clowns at kid's birthday parties usually are thinking about a smoke or why they got into this business. I like the smug kid to the right. Kids can be so cruel.

caterwaul \KAT-uhr-wawl\, intransitive verb:
1. To make a harsh cry.
2. To have a noisy argument.
noun:
1. A shrill, discordant sound.

Word of the Day - October 29

A scaried, quivering jello = comedy gold.

trepidation \trep-uh-DAY-shuhn\, noun:
1. [Archaic] An involuntary trembling; quaking; quivering.
2. A state of dread or alarm; nervous agitation; apprehension; fright.

Word of the Day - October 28

Nobody likes a complainer but we all do it. Some bring it to an art form and to those of you, I sigh heavily.

kvetch \KVECH\, adjective:
1. To complain habitually.
noun:
1. A complaint.
2. A habitual complainer.

Word of the Day - October 27

This is a very poor woman. Mr. Scientist, youn should be ashamed of yourself.

inchoate \in-KOH-it\, adjective:
1. In an initial or early stage; just begun.
2. Imperfectly formed or formulated.

Word of the Day - October 26

Everybody does this kind of stuff. I chose the toothpast example but I was thinking of doing one involving deodorant but it wouldn't have been explained to well. When you're down to the plastic parts at the bottom of the deodorant but you try to EKE out the remaining, though it's extremely painful. Toothpaste was easier.

eke \EEK\, transitive verb:
1. To gain or supplement with great effort or difficulty -- used with 'out'.
2. To increase or make last by being economical -- used with 'out'.

Word of the Day - October 25

People spend WAY too much time on the computer sometimes. I don't want to be on the computer that much unless I need to get an image or watch something online. I can't see spending hours watching senseless youtube videos.

juju\ JOO-joo \ , noun;
1. An object superstitiously believed to embody magical powers. 2. The power associated with a juju.

Word of the Day - October 24

I like to sleep though I don't get to sleep much anymore. Throwing water is one way of waking someone up. I think an alarm works better.

slugabed \SLUHG-uh-bed\, noun:
One who stays in bed until a late hour; a sluggard.

Word of the Day - October 23

I feel like I'm okay with electronics, mostly because I have a little common sense. Other people try to do one thing and the whole t.v. or computer is pulled apart. Never take the thing apart because it's never going to work the same and when you put it back together there will be extra pieces.

parse \PAHRS\, transitive verb:
1. To resolve (as a sentence) into its component parts of speech with an explanation of the form, function, and syntactical relationship of each part.
2. To describe grammatically by stating its part of speech, form, and syntactical relationships in a sentence.
3. To examine closely or analyze critically, especially by breaking up into components.
4. To make sense of; to comprehend.
5. (Computer Science) To analyze or separate (input, for example) into more easily processed components.
intransitive verb:
1. To admit of being parsed.

Word of the Day - October 22

What makes this funny for me is the blood bag dripping into a mug like coffee. Tiny victories.

crepuscular \kri-PUS-kyuh-lur\, adjective:
1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim.
2. (Zoology) Appearing or active at twilight.

Word of the Day - October 21

Some guys wear shirts that are blinding to the eyes either because they have shiny bits to them or because they are down-right UGLY. I hope I never get to that point in which I'm blinding people with my t-shirt.

coruscate \KOR-uh-skayt\, intransitive verb:
1. To give off or reflect bright beams or flashes of light; to sparkle.
2. To exhibit brilliant, sparkling technique or style.

Word of the Day - October 20

My dog, Heidi (KLUM) Lassen, barked at my grandmother's walker that had tennis balls on it when she first met her. I thought it was because it was a waste of a good tennis ball. I liked the idea and put it in the vault. It's amazing I remembered it.

antediluvian (adjective):
1. Of or relating to the period before the Biblical flood.
2. Antiquated; from or belonging to a much earlier time.
(noun):
1. One who lived before the Biblical flood.
2. A very old (or old-fashioned) person.

Word of the Day - October 19

I knew I had to think of a crazy form of food that wouldn't offend one specific group or culture. Thats why by choosing cannabalism, I'm not offending one specific culture, I'm offending the whole human race. Fantastic.

viand \VAHY-uhnd\, noun:
An article of food, now usually of a choice or delicate kind.

Word of the Day - October 18

I thought of mime right away here but I wanted to put a twist on it. A normal person miming to a mime is my twist.

laconic \luh-KON-ik\, adjective:
Using or marked by the use of a minimum of words; brief and pithy; brusque.

Word of the Day - October 17

Here is last week's words as well as this week's. Sorry for the delay.

Ladies like to think they can change and mold guys into what they should be. Guys just like to be comfortable and have fun. It's this whimsy that made you like us in the beginning.

fulsome \FUL-sum\, adjective:
1. Offensive to the taste or sensibilities.
2. Insincere or excessively lavish; especially, offensive from excess of praise.

Life with Death - October 25

Here is this week's "Life with Death" comic strip published in The Brooklyn College Kingsman. I've been having an ongoing conversation with friends of mine about street meat. One of my friends is seriously addicted to it. It's been like this for more than a semester. He hooked another one of my friends on it and he's trying to do the same to me. I'm scared though it smells deeeeelightful. I still haven't had it but tomorrow, he might try to convince me. We'll see.

Anyway, I like the term 'street meat', it sort of sounds dirty but it's not. It helped me think of an idea when I didn't have one on Wednesday, last week. Next week's strip is inked and sent already. So I have peace of mind until next tuesday or wednesday. Check back next week for the another strip or go find a copy of The Kingsman on campus.

ALSO Word of the Day Cartoons will be worked on and hopefully all posted soon. Things have been CRAZY busy. The work for the show is piling up.

Life with Death - October 18

This week's "Life with Death" published in The Brooklyn College Kingsman is a continuation of last week's strip in which Roger was trying to be a magician and lost the snake that he was suppossed to be pulling out of his hat. After writing the original magician gag, I had a panel in my head of Death saying "Snakes, Why did it have to be snakes?" just like Indiana Jones. I thought it was funny and wrote up another gag which is this one.

Next week's strip has just been penciled and will probably be inked tonight and scanned tomorrow. Roger tries another odd job in a sense and has an unfortunate experience. I liked Roger screaming at Death in this strip so I decided to employ it again for next week. You'll have to check back next week to see what I'm talking about. And as always, you can see the strip and the rest of the paper on the campus of Brooklyn College.

Word of the Day - October 16

AGAIN another word trying to mess up my cartoons. Actually this one wasn't so terribly because I figured out early that if I just draw something really hard to explain in a word or two it would work. I chose a confused teacher because when adlibbing is involved, teachers usually aren't so good. Enjoy.

ineffable\ in-EF-uh-buhl \ , adjective;
1. Incapable of being expressed in words; unspeakable; unutterable; indescribable. 2. Not to be uttered; taboo.

Word of the Day - October 15

When thinking of the word "smithereens", I immediately think of "blown to..." I like the idea of a balloon having fun blowing up his head and he keeps on going and going until POP! Ha ha...Delightful.

smithereens\ smith-uh-REENZ \ , noun;
1. Small pieces; bits.

Word of the Day - October 14

Not that hard of a word but sometimes when you get a word you know about already, you really need to dig deep and think of a good gag that hasn't been done yet. Something thats original. This is nothing of the sort.

hopscotch\ HOP-skoch \ , verb;
1. To journey quickly and directly from one usually far place to another. noun: 1. A children's game in which a player tosses or kicks an object into one of several numbered sections of a diagram marked on the ground. verb: 1. To move or pass through something, as a geographical area or a field of endeavor, making many brief stops.

Word of the Day - October 13

Anytime I get a word about speaking, pronunciation or sounds of words, I feel I'm screwed from the beginning. This time I found a way out of it. Politicians say things wrong A LOT of the time and the press nowadays reacts like this with every flub.

apocopate\ uh-POK-uh-peyt \ , verb;
1. To omit the final sound or sounds of (a word.)

Word of the Day - October 12

"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" I'm really happy I went with the crazy position of the head.

retrograde\ RE-truh-greyd \ , adjective;
1. Having a backward motion or direction; retiring or retreating. 2. Inverse or reversed, as order. 3. Exhibiting degeneration or deterioration.

Word of the Day - October 11

If only there was such a drink. This does exist in pill form though.

nepenthe\ ni-PEN-thee \ , noun;
1. A drug or drink, or the plant yielding it, mentioned by ancient writers as having the power to bring forgetfulness of sorrow or trouble. 2. Anything inducing a pleasurable sensation of forgetfulness, esp. of sorrow or trouble.

Word of the Day - October 10

I knew I had to do something other than a couple of guys on the construction site cartoon. I went with the life size lego construction. I'm very happy with it.

bricolage\ bree-koh-LAHZH; brih- \ , noun;
1. Construction or something constructed by using whatever materials happen to be available.

Life with Death - October 12

Here's this week's "Life with Death" comic strip that's published in The Brooklyn College Kingsman. A magical decision by Roger in becoming a magician. I like picking random occupations for Roger and this is one of them. I like that this comic gets worse as it goes on. As more information is given to Death after his sarcastic questioning. I just sent in next week's strip that is a bit of a continuation of this loose snake in the apartment business. The strip doesn't really resolve the snake being loose in the apartment with a knife and no strip will in the future. The snake will just magically go away. Huh, huh. See what I did there? (sigh)

Look for another strip next week right here or go pick up a print copy of The Kingsman on campus.

Word of the Day - October 9

Feel like Bruce Banner? Wanna be the Hulk?

roborant\ ROB-uh-ruhnt \ , adjective, noun;
1. Strengthening; restoring vigor. noun: 1. A strengthening medicine; a tonic; a restorative.

Word of the Day - October 8

I love the drunk wedding toast. Nothing better. Maybe only when secrets come out from the past. It's not a wedding until someone says something inappropriate. That's why I don't get invited to weddings.

wassail\ WAH-sul; wah-SAYL \ , noun;
1. An expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to someone. 2. An occasion on which such good wishes are expressed in drinking; a drinking bout; a carouse. 3. The liquor used for a wassail; especially, a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored with spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc. adjective: 1. Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl. transitive verb: 1. To drink to the health of; a toast. intransitive verb: 1. To drink a wassail.

Word of the Day - October 7

I nearly forgot to draw this cartoon. Right as I was about to relax and try to go to bed at 10 30 or so, I realized I didn't draw it. Yikes. Make my life more stressful. I like the idea of a hero wanting attention and thanks. Most heros are really humble and do it because they can. I like someone getting saved and not really caring or bothering to thank the superhero.

mana\ MAH-nuh \ , noun;
1. A generalized, supernatural force or power, which may be concentrated in objects or persons. 2. An ancient kingdom in Iran, in Kurdistan.

Word of the Day - October 6

This is a bit of a weird one but I really like it. The story is that a fish and fish owner are in mediation over ownership of the fish bowl. The fish desperately wants the bowl because he can't breath too well without it. The lawyers have drawn up the contracts and say you can have it after you sign the paper work. Always like a lawyer to screw over the aquatic community. I know it sounds crazy involved but thats at least how I see it, or thought of it in my head. I really like the stupidity and crassness of it.

acta\ AK-tuh \ , noun;
1. Official records, as of acts, deeds, proceedings, transactions, or the like.

Word of the Day - October 5

Banks always set up booths on campus to try to get people to open a checking account or do business with them. The only reason why people look at them is because they offer free stuff. Have a pen! Have a hat! Want a beach towel? Usually we take the stuff and leave. Remember, nothing draws people better than free stuff, or possibly a pencil.

teem\ TEEM \ , verb;
1. To abound or swarm; be prolific or fertile. 2. To empty or pour out; discharge.

Word of the Day - October 4

I had a hard time thinking of an idea for this. When I finally came to this, I knew I had to have the diver in the cage antagonizing the shark. That makes it for me.

nympholepsy\ NIM-fuh-lep-see \ , noun;
1. A frenzy of emotion, as for something unattainable. 2. An ecstasy supposed by the ancients to be inspired by nymphs.

Word of the Day - October 3

Chameleons are the worst to play hide and seek with.

fossick\ FOS-ik \ , verb;
1. To search for any object by which to make gain. 2. Mining. To undermine another's digging; search for waste gold in relinquished workings, washing places, etc. 3. To hunt; seek; ferret out.

Life with Death - October 4

Here is this week's Life with Death strip published in The Brooklyn College Kingsman. I know I promised I would post this strip last week but it turns out the paper decided not to print since most of their material fell through at the last minute. That only meant that I was ahead of schedule with strips. They will make up the issue somewhere in the semester.

This is the second attempt of career choice for Roger, hibachi chef. I know it sounds so random but thats why I chose it. Roger is the embodiment of what most young people are these days. What am I doing to do with the rest of my life? The only way you find out is experimenting with different occupations. I've never been to a restaurant in which they cook the food right in front of you, (mostly because I'm not to adventurous with different cuisines), but I've always thought it was cool. Every week I get asked whats coming next. What will Roger try out? I know what the next two strips are, (they go together in storyline) but after that, sky's the limit. The writing will come when I need to send in a strip, I'm sure.

Look next week for another "magical" Life with Death strip. (I hope someone picks up on the hint here.)

Word of the Day - October 2

When I saw this word this morning, I knew what I was going to draw right away. I was trying to think Calvin from "Calvin and Hobbes" when drawing the kid. Of course it's no where near as brilliant as the Mr. Watterson's drawing would have been but it's not so bad. I also like the father's expression and demeanor.

mussitate\ MUHS-i-teyt \ , verb;
1. To silently move the lips in simulation of audible speech

Word of the Day - October 1

Dog is a man's best friend and a dog that brings beer brings a tear to any man's eye.

satori\ suh-TOHR-ee \ , noun;
1. In Zen Buddhism, the state of sudden indescribable intuitive enlightenment.

Word of the Day - September 30

Many people think I'm agoraphobic or they like to joke about it. As an artist, we can do most of our work indoors. We don't need to go to an office to draw cartoons or comics, we mostly work from home. I work on many different projects and can go days without leaving the house. If I have enough materials and work to get done, then I'm fine.
Extra Joke: The definition is "avoiding light" and the guy is wearing all black.

lucifugous\ loo-see-FOO-guhs \ , adjective;
1. Avoiding light.

Word of the Day - September 29

I knew I wanted to do a kid doing something outlandish. It's great when a kid (in a cartoon) overpowers the parent. This is very impressive work by the kid. He had to construct that wheel and the latches to hold a human's weight. Plus he's a great shot. I've very impressed.

confiscable\ kuhn-FIS-kuh-buhl \ , adjective;
1. Liable to be taken by an authorized party.

Word of the Day - September 28

I knew I had to do a gag with burning ants with a magnifying glass. I never personally did this because I never had a magnifying glass, but I think it's cruel. I like it when the tables on turned on people like this. He's sizzling ants while someone (maybe god) is sizzling him.

efface\ ih-FAYS \ , transitive verb;
1. To cause to disappear by rubbing out, striking out, etc.; to erase; to render illegible or indiscernible. 2. To destroy, as a mental impression; to wipe out; to eliminate completely. 3. To make (oneself) inconspicuous.

Word of the Day - September 27

I like how people will make crazy complicated machines to do a very easy job. There is something poetic of having a simple job complicated. Plus the machine isn't much of a space saver.

rigmarole\ RIG-muh-rohl \ , noun;
1. An elaborate or complicated procedure. 2. Confused, incoherent, foolish, or meaningless talk.

Word of the Day - September 26

Somedays you eat the bear and other days the bear eats you. This day, this word ate me. HARD to do in a funny way but I think its so corny and stupid with the giant thumbs up, that it actually makes me laugh.
Side Note: I have the name and address of the person who submitted this word and I am going to get my revenge.

aeon\ EE-uhn \ , noun;
1. (in Gnosticism) one of a class of powers or beings conceived as emanating from the Supreme Being and performing various functions in the operations of the universe. 2. eon