Tomversation by Tom Falco

The lost car, that wasn’t

My neighbor, Marsha (not her real name), who is always out doing something, was taking an Italian class the other night and she “lost” her car. She couldn’t remember where she parked it somewhere in downtown Miami.

She ended up taking an Uber home that night.

The next morning, she asked if I could take her back to the college area where the class was and see if we can find the car. Downtown is only two miles from where we live, so it was no big deal, except for the fact that it was downtown and a traffic mess.

She told me she couldn’t remember if she parked in a lot or on the street, we would have to just park near the college and wander the streets until we spotted the car – a daunting task.

So, we headed out. Downtown was a mess as usual. Lots of traffic and rude drivers cutting in and out of traffic. Since things were so backed up, it was easy to search the streets since we were barely moving. But we couldn’t find the car. Was it towed?

We circled the area for quite a while and then proceeded to look for parking so we could get out and start walking around the blocks to search the blocks.

It was impossible to find street parking, so I parked in a random parking lot we passed along the route. There was no attendant.

We got out and Marsha went up to a City of Miami truck that was in the lot and started telling the guy in the truck her problem. I don’t know why, because he didn’t appear to work in the lot, but he did have a City of Miami emblem on his truck. He didn’t seem to be interested in much but he kept telling us to pay for parking, which I assumed was a meter since there was no attendant.

The guy in the truck was polite enough to listen, but I don’t think he knew what to suggest. The night before, Marsha went to a police station and told them her story, they didn’t seem to care or have a solution either, and then she told her story to her Uber driver, who was nice enough to drive her around, but no luck, so she just came home.

Marsha talked to the guy in the truck in the lot for a bit and I finally, said, “Let’s go and start searching.”

As we were about to start walking the streets, looking for the car, Marsha says, “There’s my car!”

“Where?” I asked.

“Right there!” I was standing in front of it. It literally was parked right next to where I parked my car.

When Marsha originally got out of my car, she had to be careful as to not hit my car door into the car next to me, which was her car! Yet neither of us noticed the car right in front our our eyes!

We both started cracking up over the whole situation. Of all the parking lots in in the city of Miami, I had picked that lot and parked right next to her car. I guess I should thank St. Anthony for leading us right to the “lost” car. St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost items.

The interesting part is that when we entered the lot, I didn’t just take the first empty spot, I drove around for a bit and then chose a random spot, and I guess we were meant to park right in that random spot – right next to Marsha’s car.

As we drove off, the guy from the City of Miami truck kept yelling over at us to pay for both parking spaces, only I ignored him since he had a leaf blower in his hand and he had nothing to do with the parking lot – he was clearing leaves for the city, and knew nothing about anything having to do with the lot. He ended up being a maintenance man for the city – not a parking lot attendant.

Marsha and I went for coffee after that. In separate cars.

I told her I wrote this blog story in my head as I drove. It sort of wrote itself.

Till next time . . .

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Rabbit stew, Art Grant and Josh Groban

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Subscribe via email to my blog and cartoons here – the cartoons will arrive each Friday plus occasional short blog posts are sent during the week.

If I could see, I wouldn’t be here

I went to get new eyeglasses.

After most of my life wearing contact lenses, I felt that eyeglasses were the way.

For one reason, bifocals are needed to see distances. With my contacts, as friends know, I would slide one of the contacts to the side to be able to read things. Yep – I would literally slide the contact away from my pupil so I could read close-up things.

But as time went on, lenses are needed for close-up viewing, too. So, it’s eyeglasses with bifocals – the old man way.

I went to a well-known eyeglass place, and the lady asked me as I entered, if I was there any of their deals. Of course, I said yes, what else was I going to say?

I told her I was there for the deal that gives two pairs of glasses and an exam for $79.00. She replied with something like, “Well pick out what you like on that back wall over there. You see it?”

I replied, “No, I don’t see it. That’s why I’m here.”

While other people that were there, laughed at what was my idea of being funny, she took it seriously and apologized for saying that. I had to tell her it was a joke.

In the end, I left with one pair and paid $190.00. So much for the $79.00 deal that shows on my tv every few minutes. All lies, I guess, including another promise broken – the one-hour production time, turned into 2 weeks for some reason. So I actually paid $190.00 and left empty-handed.

I’ll show you the look when the glasses are ready. In two weeks.

Till next time . . .

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Transforming spaces with unique cartoon wall art

Doing my thing at the beach house. The art on the wall says, “I think my favorite color is ocean.”

So I started something different – I’ve been selling my cartoon wall at – it’s pop art images of my cartoons, framed and in large formats.

Picture it – large pop art images, pop art decor, which are cartoons – cartoon wall art. These are small and large unique art for homes and unique art for offices, as well. It’s playful and whimsical interior design. But it’s also minimalist pop art for home or office.

I’m not sure where the idea came from, but I’m loving it. I have a friend who does large modern abstract pieces who mentioned the cartoon art to me a couple of years ago. I wasn’t quite sure what he was talking about at the time. I thought he was saying I should draw my cartoons on large canvases like he does with his abstract work.

I then thought he meant I should draw cartoon characters on top of his abstracts, which would be an interesting concept. I pictured myself with a black marker, or with black paint, drawing cartoon characters on top of his finished work, but I didn’t think that is what he meant. It was sort of like putting graffiti on top of his already completed art. But maybe that’s what he meant, I never did ask him or get into the whole concept of what he was talking about.

But now I’m doing large frame prints of my single panel cartoons, and these large pop art images look incredible in the right setting. It’s art for offices, art for bars or art for coffee shops or basically anything. There are many pieces that are pop art for summer houses and cartoon wall art for beach houses and art for kitchens and art for restaurants and just about anything. The art literally adds character to any space – cartoon characters!

At times, people would reach out to me asking for licensing permission to use certain cartoons for their businesses – they wanted to print the cartoons on business cards and mailings and promotional items. They just emailed me out of the blue asking to pay for licensing permission to use my work.

This Flintstones parody was one of the first that sold to realtors and such. They loved to use it on promotional material. Now it’s wall art! This image for instance would work well as art for realty offices or art for architectural firms or pop art for mortgage brokers or even art as housewarming gifts for new homeowners.

This coffee print comes in square and long and thin, in the original comic strip format.

Maybe 15 or 20 years ago, I would see a guy at art festivals all over South Florida, where he would show and sell his comic art that was in the form of short comic strips and images in small frames – maybe 8″ x 10″ size.

They were unique pop art cartoons based on professions – art for dentists, art for medical art for doctors, art for lawyers, and so on. And he sold a lot an his booth was always crowded at these festivals. I haven’t seen the guy in many years, but what I’m doing is sort of that. Only with a single panel blown up.

Right now I’m selling on Etsy, and eventually, I’ll have the wall art on my own website. But right now, I like the idea of strength in numbers. With all of the traffic Etsy gets, I’m more apt to be seen.

I know I should get off my ass and do art festivals and shows. But that’s not me. So for now, I’m selling online.

As they sell, I’ll perhaps add personally signed pieces. For now I am offering unique art for offices and wonderful fun unique art for homes.

Anyway, here is the link to some of the stuff up and selling right now.

I’ll let you know how it all goes as time goes on.

Till next time . . .

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Summer is here!

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CLICK HERE FOR THIS AND MY OTHER CARTOON WALL ART.

Subscribe via email to my blog and cartoons here – the cartoons will arrive each Friday plus occasional short blog posts are sent during the week.

CLICK HERE FOR MY CARTOON WALL ART.
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How ‘The Voice Kids’ Germany captivates audiences and judges

I’ve been watching The Voice Kids Germany. Yes, Germany. Oh mein Gott!

No, I don’t speak German, and to be honest, most of the show is in English. It’s amazing and humbling how much of the world speaks English in their own foreign countries. Actually, most of the judges are from other countries and every language seems to be part of the German version of the show.

I started flipping through Instagram when I first wake up in the morning, and the videos from The Voice and America’s Got Talent started showing up and one after the other, they popped up. And I watch them for maybe an hour before I get out of bed. It really is a great start to the day. It’s so uplifting.

Anyway, these kids are fantastic, amazing voices. Aside from hearing them, the reactions are priceless. The reactions from the kids when they finally see the judges all staring at them, and the judges turning around and see small kids at time with such huge voices. The reactions are sometimes just as good as the performances.

Three judges stand out for me. – Lena, Alvaro and Leony – all amazing and very kind to the performers and into it. And it’s amazing how they all speak many languages, not just German and English.

Some of the kids/contestants seem to sing Lena’s songs – she loves that.

And the fact that many of the kids also are so into their performances that they don’t notice that all four chairs turned around until the end – then these little adults turn into kids again. Their expressions and glee and jumping around is priceless.

I love how the judges run up and hug the kids at the end of a lot of the performances.

“Oh mein Gott!” as one of the parents said who was watching his daughter from the wings get all four coaches/judges loving his daughter’s voice.

You can see a bunch of the performances here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ojhH5-Ekc

Till next time . . .

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Are EV chargers essential in modern condo living?

It used to be about parking spaces, now it’s about having EV chargers for cars.

I got the idea for this cartoon from my condo building.

A few neighbors have electric cars (electric vehicles or EV’s for short) and they have adapters to charge their cars. One or two of them happen to be near an electrical outlet, so it’s just a matter of having the adapter and they’re all set.

Recently another neighbor got a new EV and I guess it came up as being a good idea to outfit the parking garage with EV chargers.

Electricians spent a whole day here last week installing the apparatus, and now we are up-to-date regarding the EV world.

I’ve been toying with the idea of getting an EV and I park a foot or two from an electrical outlet, so I never considered not having easy access. But now the whole building has access. And that makes a difference for everyone.

I’m also toying with the idea of moving, although I always say that, but if I were to move and if I were to have an EV, what would I do about charging it? Would I ask about that when condo shopping? It’s like asking about the parking space situation when house hunting or if there is a washer/dryer with the unit. Now it’s all about the EV charging station. Does the building have them? Is it something every modern building needs now?

Private homes can do what they want, but condos and apartments may need to modern up the place in order to keep buyers and tenants.

One of my neighbors said, “It’s good for resale value.” He always says that when we do something new and/or expensive at the building.

But the EV charger situation is something to think about these days when apartment or condo shopping.

Till next time . . .

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Board meeting, stippling and everything in between

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Subscribe via email to my blog and cartoons here – the cartoons will arrive each Friday plus occasional short blog posts are sent during the week.

Cutting the cord

I’m having issues with ATT Unverse and one of my tvs. First world problems.

I noticed that they do anything they can to avoid having the tech come out, even if they are charging me $150.00 for a “house call.” Even though I pay them a lot of fees every month for their service, or lack of it.

When you call them, they try to have you fix the problem yourself over the phone. I never know what they are talking about and while I understand most English accents, they use another country to answer calls and I can’t understand most of what the people on the other end of the phone are saying.

But they tell you dumb things, like, “Go to the other room and disconnect the box and see if it works in the room where you are having issues.” Or this one guy told me it was my tv that was the issue, it wasn’t their box.

In the end, when the first tech finally arrived a few weeks ago, he assured me, it was the cable box and nothing was wrong with the tv. To be fair, the idiot on the phone did tell me he had a list of issues he was reading from. He wasn’t a tech, he was a guy reading a list in order to keep the tech from coming over.

But the problem existed and I had another tech come out a few weeks later. I literally had to beg them to send him out.

I know I need to cut the cord. I have to. But I don’t like change – so I pay ATT through the nose not to have to change.

Interestingly enough, I also pay for a lot of streaming services, aside from the cable company, but I don’t usually watch the streaming services. They are just sitting there, waiting to be watched.

I’ve switched from Adobe to Affinity, now it’s time to charge from the big phone and tv companies to something else.

But herein lies the rub – I finally had someone at ATT tell me what it’s all about. The tech that came out yesterday told me they are doing away with ATT Uverse, it’s something they don’t want to deal with anymore.

He said the reason they charge me so much each month is so I will drop them for another service! Instead of just asking me to move to DirecTV, which is the service, they want me to move to, they screw me with high fees.

This is ATT for you. Horrible.

So the one great thing that came out of the second ATT guy’s visit was that he told me that the cable box is going the way of pay phones. He said I should switch to DirecTV and I will pay one third of what I am paying for cable now.

I finally had a guy who looked me in the eye and said, this is the way – I’m overpaying for an obsolete thing and if I make a change, I could save tons of money and will no longer have tv issues. And I should stop watching tv and start reading books. Just joking, he didn’t say that last part.

I checked online, I could literally save up to one quarter of what I am paying now! And it’s all digital, there is no cable box and it works via wifi. I will look into it this week. It’s time to join the 21st Century.

Till next time . . .

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Everybody’s working for the ‘Weeknd”

Subscribe via email to my blog and cartoons here – the cartoons will arrive each Friday plus occasional short blog posts are sent during the week.

Subscribe via email to my blog and cartoons here – the cartoons will arrive each Friday plus occasional short blog posts are sent during the week.