Another Boy Scout Joke

It's never a good thing to feel the need to explain a joke, but apparently The New Era didn't get it--they didn't buy this (or if they did, they didn't think it was funny). Anyway, from what I remember from Boy Scouts, I had to have my parents or my Young Men leaders stick my feet to the fire if I was to accomplish anything. So when I heard that there was a merit badge named "Personal Management," I laughed to myself. Boy Scouts earning a Personal Management merit badge, as if.

Then again, maybe I'm not the best person to judge a Boy Scout's internal drive. As it has been mentioned in the comments of this blog several times, I never advanced to Eagle Scout (as I type this, my head is hung in shame).

Hopefully, I won't have to try and find a new job while the economy is in its current state. According to every story I heard in Boy Scouts: during the depression, earning your Eagle Scout was the sole difference between getting a job or not.

Missionary Conversations

When you spend 24 hours a day with a person, you end up covering a wide range of conversations. And, hate to say it, but 19 and 20 year old boys aren't always the most stimulating of conversationalist. I don't remember if I ever had this particular conversation on my mission, but it wouldn't surprise me--there's only so many times you can discuss the merits of Optimus Prime versus Voltron in a steel cage battle to the death.

The Deep Doctrine

This one is based on a true story. A couple of weeks ago, I was trying to build a cabinet-thingie that we'd purchased over the internet that came in a big box and required some assembly. I spent a couple of hours in complete frustration as I attempted follow the instructions in putting the thing together.

It was in the midst of some dark thoughts about the furniture, my skills as a carpenter, and the universe in general; that I came up with this gag. And, suddenly, my struggles were worth it.

And it wasn't until my wife helped me with the cabinet that we were able to finish it. Encouraging me that maybe I could make it to the Celestial Kingdom (but I couldn't make it there alone).

Mormon Cinema

My sentiments are with Elder Toms all the way on this one.

If you've never seen The Phone Call, I recommend you check it out. I'm convinced that it is the major influence behind Napoleon Dynamite.

The Singles Ward

Now it's been a while since I was in a singles ward (thank goodness), but I assume the bishopric in singles wards today want their congregation married off as badly as the bishoprics in my wards did. So, here's a suggestion to expedite the process.
You're welcome, and, yes, I do expect an invitation to all the weddings my change in policy will produce.

The Wordless Gag

I have a huge amount of respect for syndicated cartoonist Mark Tatulli, who's comic strip Lio is completely wordless. It's a rare, rare event that I can come up with a gag so perfect that it doesn't require the written word. This is probably why I'm so fond of today's strip.
Of course, if we're talking cartoonist who can sell a gag without words, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my cartooning idol: Sergio Aragones. For nearly 50 years, Aragones has been providing wordless gags to Mad Magazine. His gags have run in the magazine's margins as well as on pages dedicated solely to him. Aragones also created my all-time favorite comic book Groo the Wanderer. He's the cartoonist I'd like to be when I grow up.

Best. Gag. Ever.

In interviews with creative types you'll read all the time that asking them to select a favorite movie/project/album/etc. would be like asking them to pick a favorite child. That they appreciate every thing they've done equally and that together every movie/project/album represents the artists' progression, blah, blah, blah...

Now, maybe I'm not creative enough or maybe they're a bunch of liars, but I've never had a problem ranking my favorite works. And right now, I think today's comic is my favorite gag I've ever done.I love the simplicity of it. And I think it works on many levels. (Of course, knowing my luck, I may discover in posting this that one of the Bagleys, Grondahl, or Beckstrom already came up with this joke ten years ago.)

Snow

We Utahn missionaries always had fun at the expense of the Southern Californian missionaries after the first snowfall. (Fortunately, for all of us, we weren't in an area where the missionaries had cars.)