Returning Those Defective Holiday Gifts

Old Advertising Illustration for Kaleidoscope at the Hub

While looking through old files I came across this detailed advertising illustration I had created many years ago for a local mall that was celebrating its 10th anniversary. I have no idea how much I was paid for it but can only imagine from the looks of it....that a lot more time went into it than I was paid for.__Anyhow, it's kind of fun to rediscover things like this.

My first ever autograph from a famous Cartoonist

Last night I found the first autograph I ever received from a big-time cartoonist! It was in 1982, during my junior year of college, my then sister-in-law got the autograph when she lived in NYC.

It is from famed MAD MAGAZINE cartoonist and one of the Usual Gang of Idiots, GEORGE WOODBRIDGE. Sadly, George is no longer with us but his talent endures....and his note to a young college kid with dreams....meant the world.

There's a chill in the air...and a stench

This is such a beautiful time of year. All the late autumn colors and decorations. And the scents of the season are so unique.......including that burning pile of dog poop on the front porch.

Thanksgiving Night

A picture describes how I feel better than words could...

Art Gallery Participation

For the first time some of my work is hanging in an art gallery. THE AVENUE art gallery is having an open house tomorrow and I will be there drawing cartoons for several hours. It should be fun!

She's responsible for how I turned out!

We have absolutely enjoyed having my mother visit us this past week and will be greatly saddened when she flies back to her home tomorrow. My brothers and I are truly blessed having her as our mom, and her as a Grandmother to our kids and a wonderful ma-in-law to the daughters-in-law. She's just the best! Hands down!

Happy Birthday,Maxwell Byrne Jones!

Today would have been my son, Maxwell, 22nd birthday! Max was born prematurely on October 7, 1988. He was with us for a glorious 14 hours before he left us. His life changed my life and my world...forever. I miss him, still, and always will, but will be forever grateful for how he touched our lives.__Happy birthday, Max. I love you, son.

Icky Taste

Ahhhhh, come on.....you can't tell me that, sometimes, when a cat is cleaning itself its tastebuds don't come across something really gross! ___I'm just saying.

Lizard Tongue Action!

So, like, this lizard dude was, like, chilling by dis wall and then this, like, lizard chick walks by, and what does he do? I swears to ya, he spits out his mile long tongue and wraps dat babe up....like she is gonna be totally, like, cool with dat. Dang, ain't the animal kingdom something?

The Nightlife of Wildlife...

Workplace Safety- Croc Delivery Dock

While working on 'Workplace Safety' cartoons, I was watching a wildlife TV show about the birth of crocodiles. Seems I let the latter sift into the former....the cartoon is the result of that.

Early Bird Gets.... A Clean Newspaper

Life in a birdcage must be tough. I mean, if you're the second one to get to the morning paper....chances are it's already been @#$% on. ___And that sucks.

Bizarre Doodle

Some of my absolute favorite creations are my undirected doodles. Drawings that start out with no direction and just create their own course. Here is today's such creation!

Meet Dexter!

Meet Dexter! A Yorkie with his own youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/DextersRuffLife) and twitter (https://twitter.com/DextersRuffLife)! I had the fun pleasure of creating his little cartoon profile pic. Pay him a visit___he's quite the little character!

Stinky Hinny

Having a terrible sense of smell, like I do, is something I usually consider a bummer. But tonight

while dining in a very nice restaurant with my daughter and lovely wife, who happens to have a heightened sense of smell, our meal was interrupted by what can only be described as, 'The Gas from Hell'...or in other words, 'The Lady Behind Us Cutting Loose with *ss Bombs.'

My poor wife and daughter could hardly enjoy their meals....while I, on the other hand, not being able to smell anything, enjoyed my meal immensely.___How sad is that?

Watch Your Step!

My son went back to college earlier this week, which means that the 'dog doo clean up' duties fall back to me. Oh the joy...ugh. Anyway, this recent cartoon for my Petcartoongifts.com business seemed timely. Apparently this clients' cat ALWAYS seems to step right in their dog's poo out in their backyard. ___Unfortunately, I know the feeling.

Vacation '10: Shark Experience!

During our recent family vacation in North Carolina, my brother, Robby, had the exciting experience of catching a four foot shark in the surf in front of where we were staying...and in the area we had been playing all week! Here he is dragging it onto shore.___What an Ol' Fisherman Stud!

Bearded Beach Bums

My family and I just spent a great week on the beach with my mom, my brothers and their families! The Jones men tend to be 'Facially Hair Challenged' but we like to have a little friendly competition before meeting on vacation, and we won't shave for several weeks before gathering. Thus, when we meet we all have a good laugh at our 'attempts' and then we shave it off the next day. Well, except for Scott, the oldest, his is permanent these days...and looks good on him...unlike myself. (Pictured L to R: Scotty, Robby & Bucky)

Sister Bucky

I am not a nun, but I play one...in my office.

Not So Smart Phone

As someone who is not into electronic gadgetry and wouldn't know an IPhone, IPad, App, Etc. Etc. from a whole in the wall...I realize I am behind the times and thought of as one of those, Not-So-Smart Phone people.__I can live with that.

Light a Fire!

My mind has been all over the place lately...making accomplishing anything very frustrating.
So today I need to light a fire under my bum to get motivated to see things through!

Talk About 'Bad Hair Day'

Prison Scene

Being slight of build and a little man....the idea of being stuck in a prison courtyard.....well, not so pleasant.

Monday Morning Quandry

So how come it's not gross if you're doing it...but it's gross if someone else is?
I'm just asking.

Soap on a rope....for my dog!!!

I absolutely love my dog, dearly. Seriously, she just makes me smile every time I see her and she lifts my spirits each time she wonders into my office to say hi....but...WOWZAWEE does she smell....and not in a good way. I can't really change that, it's the breed (basset hound)...but the occasional bath helps....for about 8 hours...then the musky basset smell comes back to smack you in the nostril.____Good thing she's so dang cute :-)

Signing the contract

Working out contract negotiations is definitely not my favorite part (nor my strength) of my freelance business.
Ugh!

Drawing Cartoons for Elementary School Kids

Today I got to do one of my favorite things.....draw cartoons for and with kids at Jensen Elementary School (where both my kids attended when they were younger)! I was a presenter as part of their Fine Arts Day, and today's theme was following your dreams....mine being, to grow up and be a cartoonist. It is always great fun for me to be back at Jensen where I have so, so many fond memories, and to reconnect with some of the teachers and faculty.__More than anything, just being with the kids and having fun drawing cartoons with them always makes me feel great! Thanks, Jensen Elementary School!

Freshwater Fishing=Freshwater Mermaid

With all this unusually warm Spring weather it makes an old man's thoughts turn to fishing...among other things :-)

Monday Morning Deep Thought

Crazy Monday morning!!! No time to write up a thought-provoking, indepth, intellectually stimulating blog post...which I never do, anyway...ha. So, I'm just going to share one of my favorite old doodle sketches. Analyze this!

Survived St. Pat's!!!

My St. Patrick's Day was nothing to write home about. It passed quietly without much fanfare....and I actually managed to not lose any clothes.__Hey, for me, that's saying something!

St. Patrick's Day Fun!

For those who will be 'partaking' this St. Patrick's Day...have fun...be careful...and know when you need to be 'cut off.'

Hawkeyes Look For The Right Fit

The University of Iowa fired their mens basketball coach, yesterday. It appears they are now looking for the right fit, brain, to insert into their men's basketball program to try and breath new life into the program. It'll be interesting to see where they end up. Good luck, Igor,...I mean, Herky.

Dancing Into A New Week!

I've been known to 'cut a rug' on stage from time to time.
It's not always pretty...well, seldom, actually.....but still...what better way to start the week than by
throwing it down? Now, if these old kneees would just hold up :-)

SPRING BREAK...for others.

Well, it's Spring Break Time here where I live. Many, many families are off on adventures involving travel, motels, hotels, wining, dining, fun in the sun, etc. etc. Many families, but not ours. We're here at home, taking care of business as usual...and that's okay. We'll get our fun in...eventually. So everyone on Spring Break, have a great and a safe time!

Computer Troubles Took Me Away

Sorry for the apparent recent absence from this blog. It wasn't intentional. I had computer troubles that left me without a computer for several days...thus, no blogging. I can't really make up for it...so, here...chew on this...ha!

Office Politics

Podcast Interview on PetLifeRadio.com!

As mentioned earlier this week, I had the enormous honor and pleasure of being interviewed by renown pet expert, Arden Moore (www.ardenmoore.com), as part of her podcast, OH BEHAVE!, featured on www.PetLifeRadio.com. That interview can now be found at http://www.markiac.addr.com/PET_LIFE_RADIO/behaveep103.html . I hope you'll enjoy listening to me stutter and stammer my way through this fun interview with Arden. She was a doll and treated me great!

Never done drugs...I swear!

I swear, I have never done drugs. Oh, I'm not bragging or preaching...I'm just saying.__ But folks often find this fact hard to believe when they see sketches of mine, like the one attached. ____ Listen, if this is what comes out of my mind without drugs...I shutter to think what might happen if.......

Breakfast with Ed

I had the privilege of having breakfast this morning with my long-time and mega-talented friend, Ed Baker. I first met Ed back in 1986 when he was still in high school and I was just starting out on my freelance career. We've been friends ever since and have supported and encouraged each other through out the years, be it career or family matters. He now lives in Minnesota with his wife and daughters, where he works out of his home as an Emmy award-winning Storyboard Artist (Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends).__So, thanks, Ed, for taking the time out to share the Breakfast Special with me this morning at Dahl's! Good guy!

A Warm Spring Drive

Okay, I realize it's not officially Spring, yet,....but with temps forecast to reach 40 degrees in my area within the next few days...believe me, that will feel like Spring after the winter and the frigid temps we have endured for months. Makes a guy daydream about warm car rides with the top down. Now, if I only had a convertible.

Interview for OH BEHAVE on Pet Life Radio.com!

This morning I had the great, and fun, pleasure of being interviewed, via phone, by my good friend and very talented writer, Arden Moore. I have had the good fortune and honor to have illustrated a number of Arden's pet related books. Arden interviewed me for a episode of her OH BEHAVE program that airs on Pet Life Radio.com! I will be sure to let you know when the interview will air! __Thanks, again, go out to Arden Moore! Visit her at http://www.ardenmoore.com

The Old Water Hole

While looking through samples for a presentation I will be giving this weekend I came across a lot of work I had done for Children's magazines that I had forgotten about. For instance, this Water Hole/Crossword Puzzle piece done for Crayola Kids Magazine! This was fun stuff to work on!

I Need A Drink...ing Cartoon!

Just received news that a sizeable freelance job I was counting on got the axe, due to budget cuts. OUCH, THAT HURTS!
I'm not a huge drinking man...but this almost calls for a drink...or a drinking cartoon, anyhow.

Today's 'Social Networking' Gag Cartoon

In this day of Social Networking you really need to make sure you communicate clearly and articulately.

Back when I was pregnant!

Ha! I was looking through some old photo albums recently when I discovered this polaroid taken when I was 24 weeks along in my pregnancy back in 1989. __Okay, so I wasn't preggers, but just having some fun with my wife (and dalmatian, Samantha) in the nursery before we started decorating it.___Oh, I felt it kick!

Hanging with the boys in Lincoln, NE!

This Friday I will be hitching a ride over to Lincoln, NE, with my friends, Tom Richmond and Cedric Honstadt! We are part of the North Central Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society, and on Saturday we will be doing some serious judging of a particular category for the NCS Reuben Awards (to be held later this year in New Jersey). But first we have to get through (survive) our social time Friday night!___I can't wait!

A new gig with AdMavericks!

Check it out! I'm lucky enough to be working with the AdMavericks now!
http://admavericks.com/2010/02/16/ad-mavericks-buck-jones/

My Wife, The High School Softball Coach

Not only am I crazy about my better half, I am also extremely proud, very happy and excited for her as she was named the new Urbandale High School Varsity Softball Coach earlier this morning!___UHS is her alma mater....and even though she'll wanna beat me up...here she is in her softball uniform, circa 1977!

Valentine's Day and more snow!

Okay, it's Valentine's Day, my wife and I exchanged Valentines, shared a hug and a kiss...and then headed outside to, ONCE AGAIN, shovel and snowblow five driveways. It's cold, sweaty work, but both of us are able to appreciate the beauty that is winter.__ That's not to say that looking at this photo of our backyard from last May, didn't make us not look forward to Spring! Oh yeah, we're looking forward to it!!!

Be My Valentine!

This was a doodle that evolved out of itself the other night. Just start doodling the fat mouse and the rest just happened. Anyway, it was befitting Valentine's Day and thought I'd use it to wish...anyone...that actually views this blog, ha...a VERY HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY tomorrow!

This weather has everything grounded!

This ongoing bad winter weather is the reason behind my canceled trip to see my friend this weekend. The bad weather also reminded me of this cartoon about the Flying Nun...when she gets old and how she is forced to be grounded, too.__Lovely, I know.