Spring Showers

March 20, 2015:  Barry Cauchon

Finished 008 - Why Weathermen are Often Wrong (July 1990)

This is one of the cartoons I took to a finished state.  It’s No. 8 of 31.  This idea came to me while I was on a cross country flight from Toronto to San Francisco with the President of our company.  I was doodling to pass the time and he took an interest in what I was doing.  He basically put me on the spot and said “Draw something funny”!  LOL … no pressure.

Well, the cartoon gods must have been on my side that day.  I had been looking out the window at the white billowing clouds and this idea just came to me.  So I sketched it out quickly (see original below) and I have to say the President was impressed.  But not half as much as I was.  I guess some people work better under pressure.

Why Weathermen are Often Wrong (20Jul90)

Have a great first day of Spring and don’t forget your umbrella.  The meteorologists could be wrong!

🙂

Barry

The Stand Up

March 19, 2015:  Barry Cauchon

105. The Standup (25Dec89)

Well, the history on this one is interesting.  When I was younger, I wanted to try my hand at stand up comedy but my shyness kept me from it.  Funny … since then, I’ve done a lot of public speaking, acting and even singing on stage in front of crowds of strangers.  So why was getting up in front of an audience to tell jokes so difficult for me?  I don’t know.  To this day, I still have not prepared or done a stand-up performance, but the bug is still in me.

In the 1980s, I started writing jokes, sketches and other comedic endeavors in hopes of one day using them in an act.  It never happened, but I kept the joke file.  And today, that joke file is as precious to me as are my sketch books.

In December of 1989 I took one of first jokes I ever wrote and put it into the cartoon above.  As you can see, I was very proud of that joke and thought it would get a huge laugh.  Well … how time changes one’s perspective … LOL.  Back then, I really believed it would have killed and perhaps it might have … BACK THEN!!!!   Nowadays, I feel a groan might be more appropriate.  Hmmm.

Have a great day.
🙂

Barry

Cat Insomnia

March 19, 2015:  Barry Cauchon

Why Cats Can't Sleep (10Mar15)

This is clearly a self-portrait of me.  I confess that I am guilty of waking up my cats from sound sleeps only to satisfy some uncontrollable urge I have to pat them.  And what about that annoying cat “baby talk” I use on them (ooogie, woogie, poogie) … oh man … that’s even worse.

YOUR HONOR, I’M GUILTY AS CHARGED!
My only defense is that they are just so damn cute!

Wait a minute!  Ooops, gotta run.  The cats are falling asleep and I’ve got some patting to do!
Bye!

Meow.

Barry

 

Walrus Bedtime Business

March 18, 2015:  Barry Cauchon

103. Walrus Tusk Fairy (16Mar15)

Although I just drew this cartoon a couple of days ago, the original idea came to me on November 13, 1990.  I found a written note in one of my sketchbooks which simply stated “Walrus Losing Baby Teeth (Tusk). Put tusk under pillow”.  At that time, I was generating a lot of great ideas and so this one got pushed aside and lost in the shuffle.  I never did more with it until this week.  Although I feel that my drawing skills are sorely out of practice nowadays, the idea did translate nicely into this cartoon.  I hope you liked it.

Have a great day.

🙂

Barry

Night Shift

March 17, 2015:  Barry Cauchon

100. Hockey Player on Way to Work (03Feb90)

I lived for many years in Toronto, Canada before moving back to the United States last year.  Toronto is a city of about 2.8 million people and is considered the 4th largest city in North America (behind Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles).  The one thing I can tell you about Toronto is that it is a ‘hockey-crazy’ city.

I lived in the suburbs so taking the train into or out of the city during rush hour was a blast.  Experiencing the hustle and bustle of the morning or evening crowds as they went to and from their offices was both invigorating and exciting.  I drew this sketch on February 03, 1990 and remember how the idea came to me.  At that time, the Toronto Maple Leafs still played at Maple Leaf Gardens at Yonge Street and College Avenue (now replaced by the Air Canada Centre).  I asked myself how hockey players might make their way to work.  After all, the Gardens was their ‘office’ and so I assumed, like everyone else, that some might take the train or subway and then walk the rest of the way.

In truth, I never did see one for myself but I’ve got to assume they were there, happily shuffling their way to the Night Shift.

🙂

Barry