Jump Start (8/18/09)

After a lovely, temperate start to the summer, it’s gotten downright nasty in Chicago these past few weeks. We’ve seem heat, humidity and the types of thunderstorms that only make it seem muggier. So while I sympathize with the boy in this strip and his desire to keep summer vacation going just a few weeks longer, I’m also having trouble believing that fall is truly around the corner. And truth be told, summer isn’t the season I long to hold onto; rather, autumn, with its gorgeous colors and its promise of cold dreary months to come is the time of year that most brings to mind Goethe’s immortal quote: “Stop, moment! You are beautiful!”

Jump Start (8/31/08)

Despite graduating from college five years ago with a degree in film, I managed to avoid seeing any of the Godfather movies until earlier this summer. When I finally did see the original, I was surprised by how familiar it felt thanks to pop culture references like today’s Jump Start. I was also surprised by the enduring popularity of a movie that holds such a dim view of humanity. That said, I enjoyed part one a whole lot more than part two, which I thought was overly long and plagued by dense storylines. I have part three on my end table right now and am somewhat reluctant to watch it.

Jump Start (7/17/08)

That’s a cryptic sign if I ever saw one. Are employees being instructed to abandon the formalities of the modern washroom or does the sign refer to a broader, more existential form of calling it quits (i.e. washing one’s hands of the entire modern world and venturing out to live in the woods)? Assuming we’re just talking about soap and water, it’s worth asking why the sign is posted above the sink where unhygienic employees are sure to miss it.

Jump Start (5/5/08)

It’s been argued that contemporary society has fractured to the point that pop culture has become obsolete. If there are thousands of choices in movies, music, and television, then how can anyone hope to stand out? It’s a compelling argument, but there are exceptions to the rule. ESPN, for example, seems to have changed the way we think about a whole range of subjects. It’s like rock n’ roll in that it’s crept into every corner of American life, from the boardroom to the operating table. Booya!