tomversation

My crazy cowboy boot experience at the airport

I was cleaning out the closet and I came across an old pair of cowboy boots. Cowboy boots! I only wore them once, years ago, and that day I was stopped by the FBI or airport security, not sure who they were.

This was way before 9/11 so flying wasn’t as troublesome as it is today. I was going to a wedding in Cleveland and I had to make one stop on the way – in Atlanta, I was coming from Miami.

I was at the Atlanta airport between flights reading the papers, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, which were two separate newspapers at the time – today they are combined as one. Anyway, I can picture myself sitting with the paper up to my face reading.

Two guys in suits come up to me. I don’t remember the exact words, but they wanted to know what was in my boot! I don’t know if they followed me all the way from Miami or just spotted me in Atlanta, but they saw me reach into my boot a couple of times.

I slowly reached in and took out my wallet! I was carrying my wallet in my boot. Back then I carried a full wallet, sort of like George Costanza’s wallet, and it was more comfortable to not sit on it on the planes.

I explained to them I was going to Cleveland and just holding the wallet there and whatever. They may have felt foolish, but they were being cautious and I understand that.

One of the guys said he wanted to look in my luggage, I guess to throw off their embarrassment. I told him it was on the plane headed to Cleveland with me. And that if they wanted, the could follow me to Cleveland and look at it there.

I remember their final words exactly, “Maybe we will.”

As they walked away, I shrunk back into my seat and went back to reading my newspapers, as all the people in that area of the airport stared at me.

The guys never did meet up with me in Cleveland and that was the end of that story. But that was the one and only time I wore those boots. Not because of the wallet incident, just because they were uncomfortable and I’m not a cowboy.

That was the first and last time I ever took a connecting flight. But I do have a connecting flight coming up in June for another wedding. So let’s see how this trip goes. I’ll let you know.

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‘Modern times’

I got the idea for today’s Tomversation cartoon from seeing old photos.

I follow sites on social media that show images from years ago – the 1920s and even the 1860s. And I stare at them.

Like this picture. It pops up once in awhile. It’s from 1907.

Here’s a closeup. These guys, in their heads, feel it’s the most modern of times. And it was. They are all dressed up, going somewhere or coming from somewhere. The guy in the center looks like the main guy – the boss, the ringleader.

It’s so interesting to look at. What were they talking about? Where were they going? How did it feel being in the new century – all being born in the 1800s – maybe the 1860s or 1870s. Fascinating. They didn’t have radio or tv, just barely had movies, all silent. They didn’t have modern transportation, although they did have subways and to them, they were in “modern times.”

I remember one of my father’s old aunts telling me about the subway opening in Brooklyn in 1905. She remembers that it was free the first week and then it went up to a nickel. “Modern times” for her.

I saw a silent move one time from the early 1900s and I was amazed at seeing people who looked to be quite old, born in the 1830s or 1840s.

This image is from 1908 at Atlantic City. It’s been colorized.

You can almost jump right into the picture. I’ve seen this image often, and I stare at it. These people are all long gone now, but at the time they were at the height of modern times.

Look at the guy in the green. Was that daring at the time? Most people wore black and just a few years before, everyone was covered up from head to toe. Is he wearing the “Speedo” of the time?

This was “modern times” in the 1860s in NYC. Look at the people – look at the carriages. There is City Hall in the background, which is still there, today.

And this is an image of The NY World/Pulitzer building in 1890. Right across from City Hall, which is to the left. You can’t see it, but next to the World was the Sun, the Tribune and the NY Times. The Times building is still standing today, it houses Pace University.

But check out these guys all dressed up in 1890. Part of those old Tammany Hall days.

Speaking of Tammany Hall, the 1928 structure, is at Union Square it’s at 17th Street and Park Avenue/4th Avenue. That was the last place Tammany Hall reigned. It was at a few other places before this.

The Decker Building, on the other side of Union Square on Union Square West, was built in 1892 and it’s still there today. It’s the tall building here. Check out the people walking by in their time period.

Andy Warhol’s “The Factory” was here from 1968 to 1973. This is the building where Valerie Solanas shot Andy. When Andy moved out of this location in 1973, he moved a short block away, still at Union Square. That building is still there. It’s been modernized, but it’s still there.

All these photos were modern at the time the photos were taken. Just like the cavemen in the cartoon above. Just like us, who 100 years from now will be considered cavemen.

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I get cartoon ideas from tv commercials

I keep hearing a commercial for someplace having a Red Dot Sale. It’s a bad commercial because I don’t remember what the company is that’s running the commercial, and I must have seen it 100 times.

But every time I hear it, I think of this – people buying red dots and walking out of the store with them. So I came up with this cartoon regarding that. It was published today at TomFalco.com.

I mostly think of red tag sales and if K-mart was still a thing, they had a Blue Light Special. I remember that from hearing it so much, but I do vaguely remember experiencing it as a kid a few times. I think the store had some sort of noise or siren and blue lights started flashing in the ceiling. I think.

Another commercial, that I don’t know what they are advertising is the “dry scoop” one. At the beginning this guy says, “Always dry scoop before you run!” Like it’s an order.

I came up with this cartoon thinking of that phrase. Then he says, “Listen to me; the hot dog diet got me shredded!” I love the sound of his voice. It’s commanding. And cartoon worthy.

I found the commercial here. Low and behold, it’s for One-A-Day vitamins. But honestly until I looked for this video, I didn’t know what the product was.

I learned in school years ago that the product is the thing when making ads or commercials. These two lose in the product remembrance department, but are great for cartoon ideas.

This cartoon, from an old advertisement is very popular still. It was published a few years ago, it’s a parody of the Progressive Insurance ad where the guy has blue hair and the insurance guy, Dr. Rick, says, “We all see it. We all see it.”

People remember it and to this day still buy cups and things with this cartoon on it and they also buy the actual cartoon at Cartoon Stock. Here’s the commercial.

Speaking of ads. Here is a new one below – Hotels. com – hope you use them when you are looking for travel arrangements. I get a commission on every sale – that’s sale, not click. You need to actually buy something from them for me to get a commission.

I use Hotels.com and have for years. I get lots of points and it pays for hotel nights which I use often.

Anyway, end of commercial. See what I did there?

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I have people who do that for me

I had mentioned in the past that when I was younger, I knew how to do everything. I just grew up that way.

I helped my father with everything around the house, I was the one who mowed the lawn and cleaned the pool. I know how to hang things and fix thing. But over time I paid people and forgot how to even tie my own shoelaces.

Well, I do know how to do that, but, I forgot how to do so much.

My car needed antifreeze, I don’t know why, because most of the containers say its good for 150,000 to 300,000 miles, so perhaps last time I got a tune up, they emptied it and forgot to refill it.

For months, the light was going off. I kept putting it off because I didn’t know how to deal with it. In the past I changed the oil, the far off past with a far off car, but now, I had no clue.

I mentioned it to one of my neighbors a month or so ago, he’s a young fire rescue guy who knows it all. He said he had an extra container of the fluid; did I want it?

I did, but I didn’t take it because I didn’t want to have to try and put it into the car with him standing there watching me.

I attempted to buy the fluid a few times, but something came up and I never got around to it. I finally made it the auto parts store the other day, and it was closed due to an electrical problem.

The other night I asked my young neighbor for the fluid, and he gave me a full container. He asked me if I wanted him to do it for me then and there. I said, “No, thanks, I can handle it.” Which of course, I couldn’t, and I would have loved for him to get it done right then.

The next morning, I attempted the job. I couldn’t find the lever to open the hood, I had to look it up in the car manual, and I finally found it, but then you have to put your hand under the hood and release something. I could not manage it.

Another neighbor, my age, came by and I asked him to help. His wife who was with him asked me, “When was the last time you opened it.” I responded, “Never, I have people who do that for me.” Which came out as the biggest fucking elitist thing to say, but since we are all the same age, she got it, and we all laughed.

My neighbor fooled around with it for a bit, and he finally opened the hood. They went off for their morning walk and I joked that I would be waiting for them to return so he could slam the hood shut for me.

So, I finally got the fluid into the car, and all is well with the world. I bought a new container of fluid, returned it to my other neighbor and that’s that.

For now.

With a car, it’s always, “For Now.”

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House Hunters makes great cartoons

Today’s Tomversation cartoon is about House Hunters. I’ve done quite a few House Hunter related cartoons over the years. They almost write themselves.

For years I’ve seen people on almost every episode say they are going to use the spare room for an office. And they say they love the balcony and they are going to have coffee on it every day.

I have both. My spare room is used as an attic – it’s full of junk. And I have a very large wrap around balcony and I don’t think after all these years I have ever once had coffee out on the balcony. I should, but i don’t.

Over 450 House Hunter episodes are filmed every year! And there are 15 camera crews out filming at the same time.

I don’t think I have ever seen a rerun, now that I think about it.

I love the House Hunters International the best. I like seeing how people live in foreign countries.

My father and I used to crack up at some of the prices being so low, yet people were complaining if they went a bit over price.

Someone would look at a 5 bedroom house in Atlanta, with a pool, a game room, a basement, attic, brand new chef’s kitchen, etc. etc. on five acres and complain because their budget was $90,000 and the realtor said the price was $93,000. Those episodes cracked us up.

Also of course, someone has a budget of $490,000 and the first house they are shown is $699,000. And by the time they get to the third house, they are within budget and I always wonder, why didn’t you show them that house first, but then of course they would not have a tv show.

Spoiler alert: I’ve heard that the people on the show have already bought the house and they are then accepted to be on the show. They sort of mock what they did while house hunting and go to the various houses they had looked at previously before buying the final house.

Other than that, I’ve read it is all unscripted.

My Krazy bookshelf

I have this bookshelf that leans to the right as you can see here. And I keep it that way without repairing it.

Why? Because it reminds me of Krazy Kat‘s world.

From this picture, it doesn’t look so bad, but in person, it is really out of kilter.

I guess I didn’t realize that most of it was probably made from particle board or something like that when I bought it since apparently the bottom base is damaged. But I bought it because I love it. And that was 20 years ago or more, so for most of it’s life, it was perfect.

It got damaged from a water leak over time. There was a slow leak from the roof over the years and it would leak and stop and leak and stop and apparently the particle board, or bottom wood or whatever it is, got damaged and caused the bookshelf to tilt.

I’ve thought of replacing it or having it repaired, but it makes me smile, and sometimes laugh when I look at it. You don’t notice it unless you stand at that one area in the bedroom, so it’s really not an eyesore. And it makes me feel like I am in Coconino County, in Krazy Kat’s world.

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Our TV Channel Shake-Up

We may be switching tv channels again in Miami.

In the 1980s this happened twice, what I mean is that the affiliates – ABC, NBC, CBS changed channel numbers – twice.

Well, not, ABC, that always remained channel 10; but now it looks like Channel 10 will not be showing ABC and the weird thing is that Channel 7 will pick up ABC. The reason it is weird is because Channel 7 is now Fox. But it will remain Fox.

At one point, that song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” played incessantly on all tv channels to tell us about the channel changes and not worry about it.

Channel 7 will remain Fox and Channel 7.2 will become ABC. Crazy, right?

When I was a kid, Channel 4 was CBS, then it became NBC now is CBS again. Channel 6 was an independent channel that showed reruns like I Love Lucy and the Adams Family, then it became CBS and now is NBC. I remember watching Dallas on CBS 6 at the time.

Channel 7 started out as NBC and then became independent and then Fox.

Channel 10 was always ABC and now will be nothing, I guess.

Our PBS stations – 2 and 17, stayed like they were – stable. So far.

I’m in NY a lot and sometimes I’ll put on Channel 2 to watch PBS, but there it is Channel 13. I’ll realize it after a few minutes and then switch over.

The tv channel game.

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A Weekend at the Florida Renaissance Festival

A bunch us went to the Florida Renaissance Festival over the weekend. It’s in Deerfield Beach for eight weekends from February through March. This is their 33rd year.

It’s a trip in time back to the 16th century. Over 100 artisans sell their wares, there is a lot of food and entertainment, too.

Glass blowers, horse jousting, face painting, the marketplace and lots of shows throughout are amazing and always fun. There’s a beer crawl and pub sing, too. We ate and drank ourselves through the park.

Tents are all spread throughout the area and you really fell like you are in another time and place.

Along with the usual fair food – turkey legs, ice cream, gyros, etc., they even had pickle pizza, which I’m sure is a new thing but it was delicious!

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Saying less is more

Do you ever avoid speaking about your favorite movie because it’s your favorite movie?

People bring it up in conversation or online or wherever – for various reasons, to discuss it or ask about it or just ask, “What’s your favorite movie?”

I avoid it for one reason – it’s the answer to so many of my security questions. I don’t want to put it out there what my favorite movie is.

I had one for a long time, then changed it to another. I didn’t do it on purpose, my favorite movie just changed, but it was almost like changing a password.

But here’s what everyone misses, sometimes on Facebook or places like that someone asks what year you graduated high school. I think that’s a red flag, too.

I was thinking when I interview people for my 10 With Tom column, which hasn’t been lately – I ask weird questions like that – not on purpose, I just ask random questions.

Lately, 10 With Tom has been just a list of things because after so many years I am having trouble getting people to answer my request for interviews. I’m not sure why. Maybe people are just being more cautious these days, which is a good thing, except when I want to interview them.

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Ollie and Jacomo are back!

So I decided YES! on Ollie and Jacomo, they are starting their adventures tomorrow, Monday!

My Tomversation cartoon is on hiatus and Ollie and Jacomo are doing their thing now. You can find links below each cartoon for social media sites, if you’d like to follow them daily on Facebook or Instagram and there is also a subscription link, where you can have them in your email inbox daily. Or you can just go to the website and see what they are up to there daily.

We last left them off at the Paris Olympics this past summer, now they are home in Coconut Cove. Today they are dealing with the time change due to Daylight Saving Time, like so many of us.

I was explaining in the last post how I read about a guy pretending to be a cat on Reddit for years and people loved it, they behaved as if he was a real talking cat. I thought that would make a good comic strip, although there is Garfield and Heathcliff, Top Cat and Felix. But I remembered I had animal friends – Ollie and Jacomo, and decided to bring them back.

Hope to see you over there – OllieAndJacomo.com – they are waiting for you!

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