tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65616699070494822432024-03-05T21:38:24.401-08:00Dude and DudeologyDude Stuff by Dude and Dude Creator - Keith PoletiekKeith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-52037028074616195642012-02-18T09:04:00.000-08:002012-02-18T09:34:28.010-08:00Dude Food! – Keep On Truckin’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGOCfFlFeSam7ELTS02blZKnbWhXwpWtyyA9vjc_AzMSsmgsfNipfnJbTOSyNPUmPAA6P1P6IjsekF_C91_2WpSvHLM9ED1y57-s73G6Bo_I_zYVOI7sLb6YteG6On6bvxqQXa1Eca6U/s1600/food-truck-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGOCfFlFeSam7ELTS02blZKnbWhXwpWtyyA9vjc_AzMSsmgsfNipfnJbTOSyNPUmPAA6P1P6IjsekF_C91_2WpSvHLM9ED1y57-s73G6Bo_I_zYVOI7sLb6YteG6On6bvxqQXa1Eca6U/s320/food-truck-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Okay, dudes, I know I’m late on the scene, but I finally experienced my first local <i>Food Truck Rally</i> and left there amazed, stuffed to the gills, in total pain, and a total fan...dude! </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">This <i>Food Truck Phenomenon</i> has become a nationwide cult thing, and here locally they have rolled up, taken the eating world by storm, and appear to be here to stay. Honk! Honk!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Most of you dudes here on the West Coast know what I’m talking about. This food on wheels craze is yesterday’s news to many of you, but for those of you, like me, who have been leery and stayed away until now, it’s time to get your rolling restaurant grub on!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> When I picture a food truck in my head, I have one distinct picture and almost know what the menu consists of. I often thought they were all so similar that they all met at the same place, loaded the same <i>disgusting - but I’ll eat it anyway</i> food, and then headed out into their perspective areas until they fed us all the same <i>disgusting - but I’ll eat it</i> anyway food only to lock and load and return the next day to do it all over again. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Of course, we met them gladly each day to look over the extensive menu and then buy the same exact thing, get heartburn at the same exact time, complain about it to the same exact people, and then be back out there for another greasy, fatty, fried fix at the exact <i>“Same Fat Time, Same Fat Station”</i> tomorrow. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> But, just when you thought you’d die of same exactness, this meal on wheels that has been forging a living by flooring it down a One Way street has just pulled onto the New Truck Food Super Highway where you can now travel your taste buds in any direction you want. Honk! Honk!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Yes, the Food Truck now comes in <i>two</i> varieties. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Don’t worry, you still have, and can rely on, that traditional white, converted motor home version that slinks up behind your offices or bounds into the center of the construction site to offer you that questionable but often good tasting food we have come to know and love (and hope doesn’t kill us). I’m convinced they birthed and mastered the now famous breakfast burrito, and they are not going away anytime soon.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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But, today we are now blessed with a second <i>food on wheels </i>option; one that doesn’t need to sneak around behind buildings or dodge food inspectors, but instead, strolls up bold, brash and brightly colored. They are modern rides that come with catchy names and a diverse menu that give them the courage, and the right, to now park front and center in even the most upscale of malls. They offer first-class gourmet food made by top-notch chefs and are taking the eating establishment on the ride of their lives. This new breed of mobile diner has transitioned into a new choice for not only tasty comfort food made quick and piled high, but also, conversely, produces innovative and healthy menu items in every category of “Dude Food” out there and if you haven’t hit one up yet, the time to seek them, find them and/or chase them down is now!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssE-G90A1kv9D9QhknzM9_9EPDeltF4VKFGabdsyJrnL2pnIcTscMohKr6i4n8fZnORhsIMQIrFr7FZlbPnFAyT9VXnQO3reFn75RMJwObdDOqpWo53B3Hq6RcK5Y_HHlOG5bMBYzMhE/s1600/FoodTruckSushi-vi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssE-G90A1kv9D9QhknzM9_9EPDeltF4VKFGabdsyJrnL2pnIcTscMohKr6i4n8fZnORhsIMQIrFr7FZlbPnFAyT9VXnQO3reFn75RMJwObdDOqpWo53B3Hq6RcK5Y_HHlOG5bMBYzMhE/s200/FoodTruckSushi-vi.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Did I just mention “food trucks” and “healthy” in the same breath? Is that possible? Is that Sushi? Is that Ahi Poke?</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Remember when the most common name synonymous with these beasts of burgers was “Roach Coach!” They were an “avoid at all cost” food source that only offered a few minutes of hunger relief followed by a couple hours of torment on the can! And yet, bad press and all, the mental clock inside my head couldn’t wait for that horn to blare outside my office building and announce to me and everyone, “If you’re any bit hungry and want to scarf something that’s fatty, fried and most likely bad for you, down in ten minutes so you can get back to work and burp it up for the next couple of hours, we are your only option, like it or not!” </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">To which I said, “Yes, please.“ </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Ah, but enter the new breed of Food Truck. I was caught off guard as I rolled into the parking lot.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> “Look at those colors! Look at those clever names, Seabirds, Home Skillet, Tamarindo, Ragun Cajun, Barcelona on the Go, Tacos Maria. Look at those menus! Where did you come from? </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Where did they come from? Who was it that thought they could change the course of the mighty “Roach Coach” and draw a crowd who actually cared what they ate?</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> In talking with a few of the people engulfed in this new food faire, I believe I found my answer. Though there are many factors, three common threads kept creeping into the conversation as I spoke with many of the truck owners, chefs and employees. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> One: People want to experience new foods, healthier foods, and diverse foods. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Two: In this economy, people don’t always want to pay large restaurant prices to have it.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Three: Because people are so busy, if you’re willing to drive and meet them halfway, they’ll show up. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4fVN5J2yvEOyBD9RjX0TK1s8pdsvynxLPu2BgjPxZc40fpPg4jsE78C8sYraCJSYVgtDT5FK27lni1Z4nrsxzgdr2P52nE1OMgOYwBxTMQtzN40Bq08RKw6uiSYhPujX3tcu5h7kzY0/s1600/homeskilletburger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4fVN5J2yvEOyBD9RjX0TK1s8pdsvynxLPu2BgjPxZc40fpPg4jsE78C8sYraCJSYVgtDT5FK27lni1Z4nrsxzgdr2P52nE1OMgOYwBxTMQtzN40Bq08RKw6uiSYhPujX3tcu5h7kzY0/s320/homeskilletburger.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> And show up they did. I watched for a couple of hours as cars unloaded eager people who would either run to their favorite truck in anticipation (veterans of the truck munch), or stroll the entire rally in wonderment (rookie ralliers like me). We were like bees looking for just the right flower filled with just the right pollen, and when spotted, we landed hoping it tasted as awesome as the truck looked!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6DjsrqmFGKvXWwe7lKG1XLzjldmIixl2h_eFv5Pyh76nCetkg3zWaToOJHCCnwUk_PFP3ZCBgcprItqtKQvFBa2TMQBXdsK0NIcTnH_q76xSYEtrCwlDwamy-XVFUBNfEBM3mcDuqao/s1600/seabirdstaco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6DjsrqmFGKvXWwe7lKG1XLzjldmIixl2h_eFv5Pyh76nCetkg3zWaToOJHCCnwUk_PFP3ZCBgcprItqtKQvFBa2TMQBXdsK0NIcTnH_q76xSYEtrCwlDwamy-XVFUBNfEBM3mcDuqao/s200/seabirdstaco.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> I, trying to eat healthier, was here for the Avocado Tacos at Seabirds (<a href="http://www.seabirdstruck.com/">www.Seabirdstruck.com</a>), a food my brother in law said was must for the non-meat eating crowd. I was not disappointed!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> But, they were smaller than anticipated. Probably the proper size for someone wanting to truly eat healthy portions - which was my mindset when the day began. But, after walking from truck to truck, seeing and reading about amazing food options I realized I wasn’t done eating by a long shot! There were far too many good looking flowers for this busy bee. Honk! Honk!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> I followed up my two avocado tacos with a grilled fish taco at Tamarindo’s (<a href="http://www.tamarindotruck.com/">www.tamarindotruck.com</a>), now in my top five, and you know me and fish tacos! </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Then, how could I pass on a roasted pumpkin taco from Taco Maria’s (<a href="http://www.tacomaria.com/">www.tacomaria.com</a>) made by a chef in full chef garb including scarf, hat, bright white shirt and apron and mixing sauces in a skillet like he was an apprentice to Wolfgang Puck himself. Is there such a thing as a 5 Star Food Truck? </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-b5PVR4xu6kiQJRLuUptPmIzmVK7XbvKez0ErMEyYELDtQG-fvRxMoQuoOWhFeHxc3RknU_abg91bQha9Htym03JsPimrauFW76Ed3DYQ2JeoT-ki_BrRdM-yUbltju4DPd3KjvIP10M/s1600/tacomaria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-b5PVR4xu6kiQJRLuUptPmIzmVK7XbvKez0ErMEyYELDtQG-fvRxMoQuoOWhFeHxc3RknU_abg91bQha9Htym03JsPimrauFW76Ed3DYQ2JeoT-ki_BrRdM-yUbltju4DPd3KjvIP10M/s200/tacomaria.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> I was already so full I had to pass on the TOSTADAS de CANGREJO, a tostada made with fresh Dungeness crab, shrimp, avocado and lime juice….what? </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Home Skillet (<a href="http://www.homeskillettruck.com/">http://www.homeskillettruck.com/</a>) was cooking up some crazy food and the line was long.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> “You want the best rib-eye steak sandwich around, you find this truck!” one customer told me. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> By this time I could only handle their sweet potato fries…which were awesome!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> I was finally done eating, I hoped, and could barely move. I never made it to Barcelona On the Go (<a href="http://www.barcelonaonthego.com/">www.Barcelonaonthego.com</a>) for a Shrimp Taco with Chipotle…but there’s always next week!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Yes, there will be a next week, and weeks to come! The great thing about their websites is they list their locations for you so you can plot your eating travels. The other great thing is they seem to travel in packs so the variety is always there.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Dude Food! – Keep On Truckin’ Honk! Honk!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"> </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Dudes, I have found my new source of “Dude Food” and it is definitely worth the short drive. Let all us dudes know if you have a favorite truck we need to track down. Give us the what, where and when.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7gYDp5pgioKJ8fOzffgzBcUE7-m3MWBRILYXskWNb516ymcZkZtU341T37Z2xPqdaQdLtITrmeBDUYz_bxaSXK3Gr0mhWji_Bn5Jd7iVqqjcuOli8hVSrfT4FyPHOHoS5cNsHutjtRA/s1600/Dude_and_Dude_Profile_Pick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7gYDp5pgioKJ8fOzffgzBcUE7-m3MWBRILYXskWNb516ymcZkZtU341T37Z2xPqdaQdLtITrmeBDUYz_bxaSXK3Gr0mhWji_Bn5Jd7iVqqjcuOli8hVSrfT4FyPHOHoS5cNsHutjtRA/s200/Dude_and_Dude_Profile_Pick.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Keith Poletiek is an author, humorist, speaker, cartoonist and creator of <i>Dude and Dude</i> the comic strip seen daily at <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/DudeDude">www.GoComics.com/DudeDude</a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Follow <i>Dude and Dude</i> on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DudeandDude">www.Facebook.com/DudeandDude</a> or on the comics page of Yahoo.com (<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/comics/dude-and-dude-slideshow/">http://news.yahoo.com/comics/dude-and-dude-slideshow/</a>)</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">keith@keithpoletiek.com </div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-4418110177145293902012-01-19T16:37:00.000-08:002012-02-04T13:17:59.075-08:00"Dude and Dude" One Year Anniversary…Dude!<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Fish Tacos & Far Out Friends!</span> <br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Dude and Dude-the Comic Strip by cartoonist Keith Poletiek turned one year old this month and all Keith can say is, “Dude!”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduMGxAYzdMlURFWm18zgGWr5jG9XmkixdeEi1Pe4weNWBbsEbEtEWhXSkzwMfjgFIISaiReBhHB5AwdBoOCFavoqo2LiVUYc-yBERNF6JCzuUaB5v2qKyG1t1FxCF0ueca6q36Tn2MXo/s1600/dd110110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduMGxAYzdMlURFWm18zgGWr5jG9XmkixdeEi1Pe4weNWBbsEbEtEWhXSkzwMfjgFIISaiReBhHB5AwdBoOCFavoqo2LiVUYc-yBERNF6JCzuUaB5v2qKyG1t1FxCF0ueca6q36Tn2MXo/s1600/dd110110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduMGxAYzdMlURFWm18zgGWr5jG9XmkixdeEi1Pe4weNWBbsEbEtEWhXSkzwMfjgFIISaiReBhHB5AwdBoOCFavoqo2LiVUYc-yBERNF6JCzuUaB5v2qKyG1t1FxCF0ueca6q36Tn2MXo/s400/dd110110.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dude and Dude centers around the antics, adventures and laidback lifestyle of two twenty-three </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">year old beach dwellers who look at every day as “Casual Friday,” and strive to carve their niche in society with as little effort as possible.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They aspire only to scrape up enough “fundage” to pay the rent on their one-room converted attic, put a gallon or two of gas in their VW Bus (’72…sweet!), keep a good amount of surf wax around for emergencies and survive on as many fish tacos as they can handle…which is a lot! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throw in a cantankerous old landlord, wise-cracking dog, pretentious cat, good waves and a hot babe or two and you have the makings of cartoon that reminds you to smile because your day can’t be as crazy as theirs. Or, is familiarity the key? Their laziness knows no bounds including not having enough energy to even call themselves by name. All they seem to be able to muster is the call of modern day beach bum….”Dude.” I grew up in Huntington Beach, California, and would have it no other way. When asked by readers the names of two guys I simply reply, “A dude, by any other name, is a dude!” </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comics.com thought Dude and Dude were cool names too. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enough to send out a contract…dude! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dude and Dude was added to the internet cartoon line-up of</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Comics.com on January 10, 2011, the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">online comic website for United Feature Syndicate and then transferred to GoComics.com (</span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/DudeDude"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.GoComics.com/DudeDude</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) in June of this year when distribution rights changed hands from UFS to Universal Press. Since then, Dude and Dude has climbed the subscription charts steadily, adding new subscribers every day. They were also picked up by Yahoo.com in their first month and things keep growing. There is a Dude and Dude page on Facebook (</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DudeandDude"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.Facebook.com/DudeandDude</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) where fans can follow along, add their own thoughts, stay in contact with me about the future of DnD and/or just be part of the Dude and Dude Community.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3m1T8UDhotHwDuNiRoaNE7b-Wk95NyIVPn97mQJGjwSv3Z1oQ1dpuk5ifTwFEhNZ8Ri2xdCO027qWvdqt30nsPK69J5hgYXN9kV-UAaXkOC26qhNL6XpOxaPHqEJ7oaHZKnchBhQIJE/s1600/dd111012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3m1T8UDhotHwDuNiRoaNE7b-Wk95NyIVPn97mQJGjwSv3Z1oQ1dpuk5ifTwFEhNZ8Ri2xdCO027qWvdqt30nsPK69J5hgYXN9kV-UAaXkOC26qhNL6XpOxaPHqEJ7oaHZKnchBhQIJE/s1600/dd111012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3m1T8UDhotHwDuNiRoaNE7b-Wk95NyIVPn97mQJGjwSv3Z1oQ1dpuk5ifTwFEhNZ8Ri2xdCO027qWvdqt30nsPK69J5hgYXN9kV-UAaXkOC26qhNL6XpOxaPHqEJ7oaHZKnchBhQIJE/s400/dd111012.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m also excited to launch the new Dude and Dude website next month which allows readers and fans to follow along on a daily blog, learn about new characters and future themes, and buy signed prints, clothing and other “Dude” merchandise including the first ever Dude and Dude (1 year compilation) book to be released later this year. </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHtsBMmEM2aJ1f4LvgtJ-gP27pSwKdrLQWtryC-TFP8VBhWjnfpd4_nO6HGw_YPbPOBTVLAGpyjtR6T0M3wgIUIfvcWb4a8ji5gJCedmEr9U8NTTTmGOudIrogKf-I8QUvS48zhlnp7w/s1600/dnd.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHtsBMmEM2aJ1f4LvgtJ-gP27pSwKdrLQWtryC-TFP8VBhWjnfpd4_nO6HGw_YPbPOBTVLAGpyjtR6T0M3wgIUIfvcWb4a8ji5gJCedmEr9U8NTTTmGOudIrogKf-I8QUvS48zhlnp7w/s1600/dnd.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHtsBMmEM2aJ1f4LvgtJ-gP27pSwKdrLQWtryC-TFP8VBhWjnfpd4_nO6HGw_YPbPOBTVLAGpyjtR6T0M3wgIUIfvcWb4a8ji5gJCedmEr9U8NTTTmGOudIrogKf-I8QUvS48zhlnp7w/s200/dnd.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started out as an Editorial Cartoonist because I heard that was one way to break into the comic strip world. I was one of those guys that hung out at the Ivy House in Laguna Beach, CA hoping to get feedback from cartoonist greats like Frank and Phil Interlande, VIP, Wright, Lara and all the others. I allowed them to rip my work apart so I could go home, work hard for week only to return and have them do it all over again. I knew I had somewhat arrived as a cartoonist on the day I scribbled a drawing of Ronald Reagan on a napkin and two of the guys fought over who was going to get to keep it. I'm grateful and humbled to have gone on to become an award winning Editorial Cartoonist having cartoons and graphic art seen in books, magazines, websites, clothing and newspapers throughout California. I was fortunate to become the staff Editorial Cartoonist for the Anaheim Bulletin, in Anaheim, CA in the 80’s and having my work also featured periodically in their sister paper, the Orange County Register.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I longed, for 20+ years, to have my own comic strip. I presented a new packet, with a new cartoon character and slant every month, to every cartoon syndicate out there. It was my dream and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I fell in love with Peanuts in the 70’s and I was hooked. Charles Schultz became an icon, Snoopy became my hero, and I wanted to create the next Snoopy and be the next Charles Schultz. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After 4 or 5 years of giving it my all, and coming close, as often happens, life got in the way of my dream. I gave up the chase to focus on my new family, a steady career and more substantial goals to help provide for them. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15RC4W4vBuiD2VPWbNiQ0Lcd-3VnC2Xspax1IpOLN63KJ_mdCeNJ-jw0SO7vGo3Lc5NrDRdcYMRG-abx6dU-iPFV0fG2Q5eR3cH-LYIumz7WfJJH7lepeE06fr4qzIRx6kLqoLOdw56w/s1600/dd111130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15RC4W4vBuiD2VPWbNiQ0Lcd-3VnC2Xspax1IpOLN63KJ_mdCeNJ-jw0SO7vGo3Lc5NrDRdcYMRG-abx6dU-iPFV0fG2Q5eR3cH-LYIumz7WfJJH7lepeE06fr4qzIRx6kLqoLOdw56w/s1600/dd111130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15RC4W4vBuiD2VPWbNiQ0Lcd-3VnC2Xspax1IpOLN63KJ_mdCeNJ-jw0SO7vGo3Lc5NrDRdcYMRG-abx6dU-iPFV0fG2Q5eR3cH-LYIumz7WfJJH7lepeE06fr4qzIRx6kLqoLOdw56w/s400/dd111130.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Twenty years later, okay-closer to twenty-five, I decided to send out just one more cartoon idea. This time the syndicates were few, the newspaper world spiraling downward and the future of the comics’ page was in doubt, but I still longed to make people laugh and what better than with two guys who many “dudes” in their twenties and thirties relate to, as well as, “dudes” in their forties, fifties and sixties (I even hear from old hippies in their seventies). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The success of Dude and Dude will come, I believe, because there are dudes and dudettes of all ages everywhere. The response has been tremendous in this first year with over 4,300 subscribers on GoComics.com. I’m looking forward to year two and seeing where my mind takes Dude and Dude and who will come along for the ride!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This first year has been nothing but “Fish Tacos and Far Out Friends……………Dude!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Join the Dude and Dude Community</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/DudeDude">www.GoComics.com/DudeDude</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DudeandDude">www.Facebook.com/DudeandDude</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/keithdpoletiek">www.twitter.com/keithdpoletiek</a></span>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-496498592861669362011-12-23T07:35:00.000-08:002011-12-23T07:56:35.646-08:00Letting Go is the Hard Part…Dude!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwgitbwDqti4V18QX7AY3B_TkonIgaN9ohe18GHaGVs9mM5VBGyOxbYQ2BC9yq_r5tE2D1radNZCnT2pLh74YlprBCSo_KBVviNPPb6L9VvEIJUQ34lCnhK-Jh0NkHJTHGGl7o0bQn44/s1600/Father-and-son-Warhol--88357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwgitbwDqti4V18QX7AY3B_TkonIgaN9ohe18GHaGVs9mM5VBGyOxbYQ2BC9yq_r5tE2D1radNZCnT2pLh74YlprBCSo_KBVviNPPb6L9VvEIJUQ34lCnhK-Jh0NkHJTHGGl7o0bQn44/s320/Father-and-son-Warhol--88357.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I</span>t’s Saturday morning and, as usual, with sketchbook in hand, and coffee (Peppermint Mocha – love Christmas time) and a bagel I didn’t really need, I’m hanging at my favorite “thought spot” on the pier watching the surfers, checking out the ocean view, studying the early beach dwellers and hoping inspiration happens for my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude an Dude</i> comic strip. It’s hard to stay focused because the view is incredible and the waves are nice due to an offshore breeze - so the surf action is kicking.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">But, there are cartoon deadlines looming, and so, I must “find the funny” out here somewhere and capture it in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">comic strip </i>form so I can continue to convince myself I’m chasing my dream of being a full time cartoonist. A dream I’ve been chasing for over 30 years…dude.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HC76jh-CA29OVjm27zNT6XzENIvDrJ51kNws_4xPzH6nQkbxw45SAPHNc5DpOsFkbx6QisqHSx120YPeylGQIxQ7M94vv7uHSNHsgdA5bgdn4nocDQO6yLhBjcUysobFucytNxK88DM/s1600/Keith+Drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HC76jh-CA29OVjm27zNT6XzENIvDrJ51kNws_4xPzH6nQkbxw45SAPHNc5DpOsFkbx6QisqHSx120YPeylGQIxQ7M94vv7uHSNHsgdA5bgdn4nocDQO6yLhBjcUysobFucytNxK88DM/s200/Keith+Drawing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s a dream I still aspire to today for a couple of reasons - One: Because I flat out love doing it, so I motivate myself to keep trying every chance I get to be better at it, and grow a bigger audience. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Two: Because of all the encouragement I have received over the years to keep going, even as I tirelessly shoved drawing after drawing in the face of anyone I knew, and even some I didn’t, asking if what I had just scribbled on whatever piece of paper I could find had merit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Do you get it?” I’d ask, agonizing at the thought of rejection. “Do you know what it is?” Hoping it was drawn well enough there would be no doubt. “Is it funny?” Lie to me!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Self determination and a push from those around me have been the keys to my chasing this insurmountable goal all these years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Which I realize is no different for many of us, is it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m reminded of this as I watch the surf action happening below me.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFtmD4QqkRoBn4LvFhzPmPtUZg4sIKdTaCxFS9j8iZhYjc_K4FDH5SLVbIqGJNjNrs_C7zwUOveRV_rojyKaDxf6ScO6DVcbJkC3Y6ICwlPGnaHPUaifzTd-TDF7-3JHYdedzKwJ5RPY/s1600/1Paul%2526DaughterLauren%25286yrold%2529SurfingHBPierNorthsideHB001A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFtmD4QqkRoBn4LvFhzPmPtUZg4sIKdTaCxFS9j8iZhYjc_K4FDH5SLVbIqGJNjNrs_C7zwUOveRV_rojyKaDxf6ScO6DVcbJkC3Y6ICwlPGnaHPUaifzTd-TDF7-3JHYdedzKwJ5RPY/s320/1Paul%2526DaughterLauren%25286yrold%2529SurfingHBPierNorthsideHB001A.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enter, Lauren, a bleach blonde surf chick. Not uncommon here. There are lots of girls, world champions, who began their careers surfing in the waters below me. She had on a traditional wetsuit but rode atop a <i>pink and purple</i> girly looking surfboard. "That’s different" I thought. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In fact, there is a lot about Lauren that was different from all the other surfers as I watched her more closely. One of the more glaring differences I notice was, unlike everyone else, Lauren had a surfing chaperone. A man in a wetsuit, wading alongside her and assisting her as she paddled over wave after wave to reach a key spot in the surf to catch waves. He didn't leave her side and guarded her against the on slot of water looking to topple her over with each surge.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72o27db6I0LiuPsV-YnsPt53XhlKeXTpZZOP-XOIH4Q61_TYATYK3z8ogR2p9RJGJOtp1ScHLNR69FEI3-nXcn6vgGerL7dwx5xhjGgdZ77dkmu_NEjTh_1ObKL3wVy0pTIvXq1zigvI/s1600/11Paul%2526DaughterLauren%25286yrold%2529SurfingHBPierNorthsideHB003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72o27db6I0LiuPsV-YnsPt53XhlKeXTpZZOP-XOIH4Q61_TYATYK3z8ogR2p9RJGJOtp1ScHLNR69FEI3-nXcn6vgGerL7dwx5xhjGgdZ77dkmu_NEjTh_1ObKL3wVy0pTIvXq1zigvI/s200/11Paul%2526DaughterLauren%25286yrold%2529SurfingHBPierNorthsideHB003.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why he was so protective soon became apparent. Enter dad. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You see, the other noticeable thing that separated Lauren from the rest of pack was her age. Lauren is only six years old, and at a point in her young surf life where she still needed some extra strength, direction and guidance. Someone to put in the time to help her reach her try and reach her goal, and who better than dad himself! Everyone watching this budding superstar could tell dad must have put in many hours before this day too because this girl knew what she was doing once she stood up. I started to consider the "dad" hours it would take to get a six year old (who might have started at four or five) up and riding a surfboard, and this guy slowly became a hero to me, and all of us…a dude!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Way to go daddy-o! You are full-blown awesome!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I spent the next two hours (yes, two hours) watching dad line her up with an oncoming wave, give her a slight push, watch her take off, stand up and ride the wave to its end. Dad would flash a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thumbs up</i> and then swim in to get her and bring her out again as she paddled vigorously to meet him.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiK_LO7Y9vv_ToSqrXlY2miqs9rG3yXbSYmpAnwxZASoUOEEWVPb2TSBmE_5-4JIIgdNetecIJOR20W3wAA5fWdh2GXwJ04n2bfXFtYwpctO4xlTYCumbde6pgf3T-az_AjByWB4cXUg/s1600/12-17-11HBPierNorthside6yr.oldLauren%252CLearninghowtoSurf..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiK_LO7Y9vv_ToSqrXlY2miqs9rG3yXbSYmpAnwxZASoUOEEWVPb2TSBmE_5-4JIIgdNetecIJOR20W3wAA5fWdh2GXwJ04n2bfXFtYwpctO4xlTYCumbde6pgf3T-az_AjByWB4cXUg/s200/12-17-11HBPierNorthside6yr.oldLauren%252CLearninghowtoSurf..jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I watched carefully to see if this seemed to be more of a dad’s dream than Lauren’s. Was she being forced, or pushed, to do something against her will? I’m kind of an expert on spotting these parental parasites, having raised a figure skating daughter. Watching for nine years as figure skating parents, who have so much time and money invested in their future Olympian, would demand they continue and improve <i>or else</i>. What they usually got was not an Olympian, but instead, a son or daughter who ended up hating figure skating…and their parents. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And trust me, having also raised a childhood actor, I realized a lot of the reason they end up such a mess is the true driving force behind the insanity – a stage mom or dad who sees dollar signs (for themselves) in little Billy’s talent. They push and push…but they rarely let go, and when they do, the child actor ends up on a road to destruction.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOSnRLVKU7adW_sIEZk3SXVpShZE7kuB_kIJqMITY89bxNVQmdaV_5LyuAjC5xZwRusynsj3I8w2kTGk3YYQAfweNPBOFHmyXKcp1Kw3roCinHxAuu-Fs1myAC37n7IbSGpnshcdPI2U/s1600/1Paul%2526DaughterLauren%25286yrold%2529SurfingHBPierNorthsideHB001B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOSnRLVKU7adW_sIEZk3SXVpShZE7kuB_kIJqMITY89bxNVQmdaV_5LyuAjC5xZwRusynsj3I8w2kTGk3YYQAfweNPBOFHmyXKcp1Kw3roCinHxAuu-Fs1myAC37n7IbSGpnshcdPI2U/s200/1Paul%2526DaughterLauren%25286yrold%2529SurfingHBPierNorthsideHB001B.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But, none of that was happening here. The photographer (Bobby Z) who took these pics for me had a camera that could zoom in so close to Lauren I could see the color of her eyes clearly. I could also clearly see the giant smile on her face. A face filled with the joy of doing what she loved and was glad it was dad there to send her off in the right direction wave after wave.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That was a defining moment for me that morning. Watching, as a dad myself, as Paul would line Lauren up, aim her and then, whether he wanted to or not, let her go and let the wave take over, hoping the whole time he had shown her enough and put in enough quality time to feel somewhat certain she could attack the wave on her own. All he could do was watch and hope she’d be okay. What a helpless feeling as his little girl would be swept out of his reach and have to go it alone! What a life lesson for all of us!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dude, have we done enough? Have we put in the time? Quality time? Dad hours? Mom hours? Grandpa hours, Neighbor hours...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are you ready to help make someone’s dream come true while you’re chasing your own? Talk about hard! Talk about commitment...dude! But, the reward is so great. Dudes, we need to focus on the reward!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09mR2HwlM2_R6FTFzkE2F1HO5uxhy7jiWKQFiGsWskzPJBRsJU6R5JWT9Yy_oCHOWdRRFJGUMOIK7BErvPWDFnk9MdWnemoejq_bY2vbi9nsMYUGoU9wuQmMs0axxPanil3SwxTaIFkg/s1600/dad+and+son+skate+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09mR2HwlM2_R6FTFzkE2F1HO5uxhy7jiWKQFiGsWskzPJBRsJU6R5JWT9Yy_oCHOWdRRFJGUMOIK7BErvPWDFnk9MdWnemoejq_bY2vbi9nsMYUGoU9wuQmMs0axxPanil3SwxTaIFkg/s200/dad+and+son+skate+2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My next door neighbors are both avid surfers. I think they even met surfing. They have two young boys. One is three and the other is one. There are lots of reasons to be tired here, and yet, every day, in the afternoon and on weekends, you find dad with the three year old watching him ride a bike with furry, encouraging him, and teaching him how to skateboard. At three the dude can already pop an impressive Ollie. Mom usually has the other one in a stroller and it’s off to the beach for a walk or to check out the sunset. Total “put in the time” parents. Oh, and he’s a full-time Algebra teacher with over 200 students at the local Jr. High and she’s a full-time attorney. Where do they find the strength?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s in the reward!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That morning, as I watched from the pier I realized what kept dad going. It all came down to the thumbs up between him and his daughter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You did it, Lauren!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No, we did it, dad!”</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GKFKYcltgdHXKOFikoFre3TCMpcD78j1Jpxpj-TpadOsTI0My4p5srKtQI6MSuSV4POI4u0fE1WcsdwOX3N1-xREfuYi3akNPoNQIFxgMheGV8lQ-nrqGGjW02sMQmQ8AkaM90skfMI/s1600/mom+and+son+on+scooter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GKFKYcltgdHXKOFikoFre3TCMpcD78j1Jpxpj-TpadOsTI0My4p5srKtQI6MSuSV4POI4u0fE1WcsdwOX3N1-xREfuYi3akNPoNQIFxgMheGV8lQ-nrqGGjW02sMQmQ8AkaM90skfMI/s200/mom+and+son+on+scooter.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t know if you’ve been checking out our world lately, but it’s getting kind of crazy, and yet, kids, our kids, want to attack it! Now, more than ever it’s time to find the time and put in the time! Find that extra hour or two to help make someone’s dream come true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trust me, with love in place, lining them up, aiming them and directing them will be rewarding and seem easy.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Letting go is the hard part.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photos of Lauren and Paul are courtesy of photography icon, Bobby Z of Bobby Z Images. His incredible photos can be seen throughout the surfing and sports world. Have him capture your little Lauren chasing a dream with the eye that only a pro photographer can do...dude.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Contact Bobby Z: bob.surfcity@yahoo.com or 714.742.3404</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keith Poletiek is an author, speaker, graphic designer, Award winning Political cartoonist and creator of the daily comic Dude and Dude (</span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) Distributed by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate.</span> </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/DudeandDude"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.Facebook.com/DudeandDude</span></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">keithpoletiek.blogspot.com</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">keith@keithpoletiek.com</span></a></div><br />
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</div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-77221269494003271842011-11-29T17:15:00.000-08:002011-11-29T17:41:57.869-08:00Skateboarding, Like Life, Is All About Balance!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImFtaEE135eYC0zhHNvKaoVpgR23gCgh49-Ri5E1wn5zrEnrqQIgWU2uiVB4SGHsFVKk8tTwxV_unAX1l8iqQHRmCT-qMfbBawoGyQ1VSPbAZmE_dCtYaAyRC5LWDBz1EeyZlD7kuBrM/s1600/boy+skateboarding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImFtaEE135eYC0zhHNvKaoVpgR23gCgh49-Ri5E1wn5zrEnrqQIgWU2uiVB4SGHsFVKk8tTwxV_unAX1l8iqQHRmCT-qMfbBawoGyQ1VSPbAZmE_dCtYaAyRC5LWDBz1EeyZlD7kuBrM/s200/boy+skateboarding.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3K8JQ9b6U1ZmLc24Sl1xWgy8Dy7D_ad3nKwreeKOO4PIM3_Qpc52YK3IlByJeQC2ncSVMlVZEWecZCliGXqcm-AUnfwW2OH8LKwLqHbSYokKvjxsT2Ugr6dqiuAGQhuG3ItKI-w9yD4/s1600/2+boards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3K8JQ9b6U1ZmLc24Sl1xWgy8Dy7D_ad3nKwreeKOO4PIM3_Qpc52YK3IlByJeQC2ncSVMlVZEWecZCliGXqcm-AUnfwW2OH8LKwLqHbSYokKvjxsT2Ugr6dqiuAGQhuG3ItKI-w9yD4/s200/2+boards.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the corner of my office are two skateboards sitting side by side. A modern board and a replica of the same exact board I rode as a kid. Boards from two different eras and with two different approaches to skateboarding, but a common goal – Go! Go hard! Go BIG, and don’t let anything stop you or get in your way. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dude, I was a hardcore skateboarder when I was a kid. I could do all the tricks like roll on the sidewalk, roll down the driveway, and roll in the street. I was totally wicked! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that doesn’t sound like much in the way of far-out tricks, but in the 1960s it was all I knew, and all my hard wood, metal wheeled Roller Derby TM skateboard could do. The only time I ever caught air was when I hit an unforeseen rock or crack in the sidewalk. My board would stop abruptly, but I wouldn’t, and the momentum would send me flying. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the sixties, catching Big Air on a skateboard was not a good thing. It was not a killer trick - though it could end up getting you killed. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhlLuHb0dCpDZIxv5qZEGmI9GahsHGI4T6y9v9T2q6sDJpSRAUWURJjBLlOXN7sgtzfxgzJt6onICifLVjUqYzlAJySbY4sHAVIRZrnE1_RWA1uN_ON9jifTALCU0wHHFw_bLIGi36_Y/s1600/70s+skateboarders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhlLuHb0dCpDZIxv5qZEGmI9GahsHGI4T6y9v9T2q6sDJpSRAUWURJjBLlOXN7sgtzfxgzJt6onICifLVjUqYzlAJySbY4sHAVIRZrnE1_RWA1uN_ON9jifTALCU0wHHFw_bLIGi36_Y/s200/70s+skateboarders.jpg" width="186" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2e5yTxnv_fz4MrNG4D3Urm9Z9Lck9ScnAFNBl0pU3hCnKBtsliaxD1JlieuMWgbIgYj816Z_SnBGgeiO9yvpKn4OnpwhSmLt4qD8-VvQx5VwQgbdcBMYRXLzicNfU2MIAGhCOvmWdDk/s1600/black+knight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2e5yTxnv_fz4MrNG4D3Urm9Z9Lck9ScnAFNBl0pU3hCnKBtsliaxD1JlieuMWgbIgYj816Z_SnBGgeiO9yvpKn4OnpwhSmLt4qD8-VvQx5VwQgbdcBMYRXLzicNfU2MIAGhCOvmWdDk/s200/black+knight.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most of the time it just left you lying on the sidewalk scraped, bruised and embarrassed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t until I got my first skateboard with clay wheels, in the late 60’s or early 70s, that I even attempted anything but just rolling. My new board was a Black Knight TM. It too was a wooden skateboard, but it now had wheels that could take a bit more punishment and would allow me to actually jump off curbs and live to tell about it. This opened up a whole new world of skateboarding. Leaving the ground for a brief second and then negotiating a safe and balanced landing was cool…dude! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cool until that one wrong landing which sent the ball bearings in one of the clay wheels flying into the street, again bringing the skateboard to another fatal and abrupt stop! Now the scrapes were coming from the asphalt in the street…bigger, more painful, and took longer to heal. Like the metal wheel board, catching Big Air still meant catching some kind of injury, and those darn rocks and cracks were still in play! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t until the mid 1970s, that skateboarding really took flight…and on purpose this time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8b0JKn23nS5W5359GrBXuTycytnkhpFVY6LiOmFNb0AhhBQwCGgDWYCD44QugK7sajknFPNbW2CKnFuXj23yqle_Mb5RNML0OW-jVmby2uyH7rPK5IHycIx6Fwf9yvMdrH6FcjhFq-DA/s1600/air+skateboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8b0JKn23nS5W5359GrBXuTycytnkhpFVY6LiOmFNb0AhhBQwCGgDWYCD44QugK7sajknFPNbW2CKnFuXj23yqle_Mb5RNML0OW-jVmby2uyH7rPK5IHycIx6Fwf9yvMdrH6FcjhFq-DA/s200/air+skateboard.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With the introduction of the urethane wheel, skateboards could now go where no board had gone before and skateboarding would never be the same, and never look back. I can remember saving up for a set of Cadillac Wheels TM, which came in a variety of cool colors. I’d buy four different colors (that’s what was up back then), attached them on my board early Saturday morning and then by gone for hours. Go, Dude, Go! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Skateboarding was no longer just a street sport. The best of the best were now attacking drainage ditches, reservoirs and swimming pools. Catching Big Air was now not only the thing to do, but the bigger, the better! Dudes were going for it and people were digging it. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who would have thought that even today, forty years later, the “Big Air” movement would still be alive and even carry over into so many other sports like it has? Vert Ramps, Super Vert Ramps! Bicycles, motorcycles, snowboards, snowmobiles, jet skis, snow skis, water skis, and even surfing today are all about “Big Air!” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Life has become one huge, concentrated effort of attempting to fly. Trying to break barriers and not hold back. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Catching “Big Air” has even transcended sports, and become the battle cry of anyone wanting to exceed at whatever their attempting in life. You want to accomplish something – “Go Big or Go Home! Right?...Wrong!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The "Go For It at Any Cost!" mentality now has too many people moving way to fast and getting caught up in the stress and worry that comes with trying to succeed at all cost! Check yourself and see. Are you so busy trying to create incredible moments <em>for</em> your life that you’re missing out on incredible moments <em>in</em> your life? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I now Thank God for the unforeseen rocks and deep cracks in the sidewalk of my life that stop me in my tracks, allow me to slow down, re-evaluate, get things prioritized and bring me back to earth. Sure there are bumps and bruises along the way, but it always seems to followed by some incredible healing.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvkNeXBryFPXYKncbSAlcmEasIStlF8pmYIt7tHlEEu9NBEFaJwZIPJhBMJyKeNb5J3h0fjiMejn57J5hQb45Y4p0IxI9eXjqtDzLptw0KenYnhI2SfGZi6ERnCwa2v41Td8t7i5Ptyc/s1600/1129011316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvkNeXBryFPXYKncbSAlcmEasIStlF8pmYIt7tHlEEu9NBEFaJwZIPJhBMJyKeNb5J3h0fjiMejn57J5hQb45Y4p0IxI9eXjqtDzLptw0KenYnhI2SfGZi6ERnCwa2v41Td8t7i5Ptyc/s200/1129011316.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dudes, I pray that you achieve all your dreams. That you set goals and you reach them. Just don’t kill yourself trying. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think I’ll keep those two </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">skateboards, from two different eras, next to each other for as long as I can. A reminder that there are times to sore and times to just roll through life! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Skateboarding, like life, is all about balance!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keith Poletiek is an author, speaker, graphic designer, Award winning Political cartoonist and creator of the daily comic Dude and Dude (</span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) Distributed by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgAK56n68iZacmTtGtmwsf2UU9Ss6q5Obzmw41xOMEVnaYoxh1Bh2RvK5Lv1f_m85x_WyYMr6dhEbe3-UrWhgXD6pfVfr0xC4toOMUpIbU2sEGFiB9SYLRKF79SOSVJHbNAjt8gmUkQw/s1600/metal+wheels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgAK56n68iZacmTtGtmwsf2UU9Ss6q5Obzmw41xOMEVnaYoxh1Bh2RvK5Lv1f_m85x_WyYMr6dhEbe3-UrWhgXD6pfVfr0xC4toOMUpIbU2sEGFiB9SYLRKF79SOSVJHbNAjt8gmUkQw/s200/metal+wheels.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">keithpoletiek.blogspot.com</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">keith@keithpoletiek.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-36710447167694964462011-11-04T15:30:00.000-07:002011-11-04T15:30:07.920-07:00A "Cool Dude Moment" - Can't We All Just Get A Long...Board?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeBOqIfNxu0iBK80EAyPKxWrJPQ4-fnO3eQ0jyjCWE1WyjhyFXZ98kNXxkotQ-dEvKemONpQ4eFk0NKE-Tf8jtHtwUTdBO44W6d5a1m3SM0s3VXAmEi_MxoA6GjWC4F5XTVmPBnFEYdQ/s1600/piersurf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeBOqIfNxu0iBK80EAyPKxWrJPQ4-fnO3eQ0jyjCWE1WyjhyFXZ98kNXxkotQ-dEvKemONpQ4eFk0NKE-Tf8jtHtwUTdBO44W6d5a1m3SM0s3VXAmEi_MxoA6GjWC4F5XTVmPBnFEYdQ/s320/piersurf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I’m sitting on the pier, watching the surfers below me tear up the waves. It was a good day for surfing, and the sun was out early. Sets were decent and the water was smooth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> This spot on the pier, along with a Starbucks nearby, are my “go to” locales where I take my sketch pad and write ideas and concepts for my Dude and Dude comic strip (See <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</a> ). There’s no better place to pick up some humorous material about dudes than by hanging in the midst of them…dude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Anyway, on this particular day there was good mix of long boarders and short boarders. All types of dudes catching their fair share of waves. Everyone was in harmony with each other and it created good energy and a cool vibe. I was glad I was there, even if the cartoon ideas were not going to flow that day. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0GXMbY4_-zHHfDv6EpKhA4SpUcHbtM-kyqsUiokx3iD11ASiXQvAZ2RObGkb15CyZdgELbNnlXp4yXNfAmBynmowk_NvRSkjqkSXKzxL2IpqVsiq9XDTQ5iNrwaXNQdJzZwIra27byM/s1600/headstand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0GXMbY4_-zHHfDv6EpKhA4SpUcHbtM-kyqsUiokx3iD11ASiXQvAZ2RObGkb15CyZdgELbNnlXp4yXNfAmBynmowk_NvRSkjqkSXKzxL2IpqVsiq9XDTQ5iNrwaXNQdJzZwIra27byM/s320/headstand.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> There were young groms, old souls, and even a guy on a throwback, plain colored long board doing headstands. Yes, headstands! Some rides that went for 50 feet or more. He got hoots from the water and the onlookers standing next to me on the pier. Yes, I hooted. It was impressive, and I soon</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> found myself actually following him in the water to see what he might try next. Hanging ten wasn’t out of the question for this longtime surfer; and I think, if there had been a girl swimming in the water nearby, he might have tried tandem. He was a standout. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> There was another standout in the water below me that day, but not because of his surfing skill. On the contrary, it was his lack of skill that made him a standout. He was an older, pale man in his fifties, if not older, wearing a bright blue wetsuit and lying awkwardly on an equally bright blue soft board (both rented for sure). He was flailing in the whitewash, trying his best to catch what I believed to be his first wave ever. He had no skills, no timing, no sense of direction, and when he fell off the board it was quite a scene watching him track it down (no leash) and try to remount before another wave came crashing down, separating him from the board once again. He was a fish out of water, or non-fish in water.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I had just started to feel sorry for him when a great moment happened, a “Cool Dude Moment” in my book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Following another money ride, headstand guy spotted “pops” attempting, unsuccessfully, to catch any water that moved and, instead of laughing him off, headstand dude paddled over and began to talk with him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> You couldn’t hear the conversation from where we were, but you didn’t need to hear what was being said to know what was going on. The body motions and hand gestures of headstand guy were plainly giving out instructions to pops in an attempt to help him possibly achieve his objective that day - the chance of actually becoming one with a wave long enough to stand up and be counted. To accomplish something he had maybe planned to do for a lifetime. To check one more thing off his bucket list. Reach the ultimate goal in ocean waves…surf. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Dude, it was an amazing sight to watch two people who, by appearance, age, tan lines, and the social barriers we tend to put up far too often, come together in one spirit and with one purpose. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Headstand dude, who had been showing off most of the morning with his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">check me out</i> maneuvers, had now decided to take the backseat and help pops go from accountant (look at me labeling, my bad!) to surfer! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe headstand guy reflected back on his first attempts to surf, or maybe he was just trying to make the water around him, and everyone, safe from the on slot of man and board that continually flew dangerously in their direction. Whatever his motivation was, his efforts and instructions began to payoff. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GyDjEitMZKud6yy96GqWXia7xZFv-Hlib9iu_BVTnTYgHngrhNhC_-vf04cs9KopbQ_CkzO5ehCn7E73IVK22YF3U1SumPJaBS67wpbk6WL_yldaI8IPyBkHQpQJT3SOkTSZm-4xs00/s1600/huntington-beach-us-open-pier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GyDjEitMZKud6yy96GqWXia7xZFv-Hlib9iu_BVTnTYgHngrhNhC_-vf04cs9KopbQ_CkzO5ehCn7E73IVK22YF3U1SumPJaBS67wpbk6WL_yldaI8IPyBkHQpQJT3SOkTSZm-4xs00/s200/huntington-beach-us-open-pier.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Soon, I, and most of the guys around me, had forgotten about all the good surfing going on. We didn’t care who was ripping it up out there, or who the next big name was. We were watching eagerly and silently cheering for pops! Go Big Blue!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> It took time, and repeated failure, but, with the unyielding efforts of daddy-o (he needed a cooler name), and the encouragement and instruction of his newfound surf coach, he actually stood up on the board, rode for 30 feet, raised his hands in the air as if he had just conquered Everest (which he had), and shook his fists in triumph at the people on the beach. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> We actually cheered from the pier.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> He then wiped out violently trying to look back and thank his mentor for helping him accomplish what he probably had determined was not going to happen that day, or any other day. He couldn't wait for the ride to end, he had to look back right then and say with just the look on his face, “Thanks, dude!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Daddy-o pushed his board back out in the water and stroked over waves with pride. He had a new look and swagger to his paddling and he drove his arms in the water pulling him further away from the shore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> “He’s got the surfing bug now!” I thought. “He’s heading out for more.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> No, he was paddling hard, but not for more waves, he was trying to reach his mentor as fast as his arms would let him. A stranger just minutes ago who had bonded with him in the waves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> It was a memorable scene. Old and young, skilled and unskilled coming together…dude and dude!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aw4EOZnLDihnSTX6LAngXzt-T6ka-fCqJohwNsjRrsjAaikOZwpRZc3o-pObAS1uTGjw1WLUQSCgDWHKmXBmnaryUahRNogfSXoM3R-zk4MbVlBgstpeE0WfPn562txBSrcoqgcQdLw/s1600/surf+buddies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aw4EOZnLDihnSTX6LAngXzt-T6ka-fCqJohwNsjRrsjAaikOZwpRZc3o-pObAS1uTGjw1WLUQSCgDWHKmXBmnaryUahRNogfSXoM3R-zk4MbVlBgstpeE0WfPn562txBSrcoqgcQdLw/s320/surf+buddies.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> As he neared headstand guy, again, I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I knew, we all knew what was going on. Daddy-o then reached up and gave headstand guy an energetic high five, falling off his board in the process. Still more to learn about balance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> A wave came along, scooped up the unleashed board and carried it to the shore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Headstand guy then scooped up Daddy-o on the front of his board and gave him a free ride to the beach. They talked for a bit and then Daddy-o headed up on the sand and headstand guy went back out in the water. Both were now on familiar ground, but for a minute or two that morning, all differences aside, they shared common ground. A surf lesson for us all. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was a “Cool Dude Moment.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Share a "Cool Dude Moment" in your life with us all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Or, better yet, go out and create a new one today. Break down some walls. Hang with someone different. Exchange valuable insight with each other. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">The greatest thing one dude and do for another is to help them to stand!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Become a Follow Keith's Dude and Dudeology Weekly Blog <a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.blogspot.com/">www.keithpoletiek.blogspot.com</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keith Poletiek is the cartoonist and creator of Dude and Dude, a daily comic strip Distributed at GoComics.com by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate. It is also seen daily on the comics pages of Yahoo.com</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a></span><br />
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</div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-34250055509305198522011-10-19T11:01:00.000-07:002011-10-19T11:01:06.002-07:00Dudes...the New Bohemians<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6OiOcBz-JGekp5KVxnnjBrp-MCLri9pu7wnp5cC-U4oAem6TbVPJ8X-FRE-OAAx2HmDH2WDSg4vbqxDp9MDjAVAU9CWpJuBTNuO0K6ghqJo209jP4msIh4WWw0sFfsig-xo6uKnbbpM/s1600/street+musicians+1975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6OiOcBz-JGekp5KVxnnjBrp-MCLri9pu7wnp5cC-U4oAem6TbVPJ8X-FRE-OAAx2HmDH2WDSg4vbqxDp9MDjAVAU9CWpJuBTNuO0K6ghqJo209jP4msIh4WWw0sFfsig-xo6uKnbbpM/s320/street+musicians+1975.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">bo-he-mi-an</span></strong> <br />
<span class="show_spellpr" sizcache="141" sizset="50" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron">boh-<span class="boldface"><strong>hee</strong></span>-mee-<em><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="ital-inline">uh</span>n</span></em></span><span class="prondelim">] <strong><em>noun</em></strong> - </span></span><span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">a</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">person,</span> often <span class="hwc" style="color: #0055bb; cursor: pointer;"><span style="color: black;">as</span></span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">an</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">artist</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">or</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">writer,</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">who</span> <span class="hwc">lives</span> <span class="hwc">and</span> <span class="hwc">acts</span> <span class="hwc">free</span> <span class="hwc">of</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">regard</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">for</span> <span class="hwc" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">conventional</span> <span class="hwc">rules</span> <span class="hwc">and</span> <span class="hwc">practices.</span><br />
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<span class="hwc"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">dude</span></strong> <span class="show_spellpr" sizcache="12" sizset="51" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron">dood</span><span class="prondelim">] <strong><em>noun</em></strong> - See bohemian!</span></span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Being born in the 60's, I was alive during the heart of the "Hippie" movement. Dude, all I remember is that it was a colorful time. I actually recall my favorite pants, in 2nd grade, being a pair of purple bell bottom chords...dude.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> And, though I was alive during this "free love" and "flower power" era, at ages 5-10 my purpose in life (or lack of purpose), spiritual direction, political views, taste in music, art, and my love for nature had not begun to define me, or molded me in any way...and recreational drug use, a big part of the culture, was not yet an option. There were no kids dealing on the kindergarten playground (that I knew of). Now that I think of it, there was that one kid who always had money? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-whu5RCKv6NGxpBnVrArDxtXXebzNJPYsOxeXhGSHQcbiSm8FLI__aZz7uF68p2DsLsld4ZnhOqCp40yHw5EUoqfqr2v4ZRKl9k_vbuFpEJG_dwjTGIY1PAgB_1IOUboILsy5sBl6bvA/s1600/dudes+with+hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-whu5RCKv6NGxpBnVrArDxtXXebzNJPYsOxeXhGSHQcbiSm8FLI__aZz7uF68p2DsLsld4ZnhOqCp40yHw5EUoqfqr2v4ZRKl9k_vbuFpEJG_dwjTGIY1PAgB_1IOUboILsy5sBl6bvA/s320/dudes+with+hair.jpg" width="213px" /></a></div> I guess, looking back, I wasn't so much "living in" the Hippie movement as I was "living beside it".<br />
By High School, in the late 70's, things began to change. I had finally become opinionated (too opinionated for some) on just about every topic imaginative; including whether recreational drug use was going to be an option or not. There were no playgrounds, but this time there were plenty of dealers. It gave a whole new meaning to "High" School...dude, you know, if you were there.<br />
As I reflect back, I remember being too concerned about trying to do all I could to be the best at everything I did, and that left no time for drugs, or drinking to get drunk. Sports, art, music, faith, classes, grades, and acceptance were more on my radar, one just as important as the other. I thought if you had to go to school, why not give it your all. As a new freshman, I figured everyone forced to wake up that early everyday, and attend school because the law required it, must feel the same way as me, but, dude, I couldn't have been more wrong. It took a couple of months into my freshman year to get the lay of the land, and as my awareness of all that was going on around me kicked in I began to notice a group of people that, though they attended school everyday, were definitely not <em>into</em> school. I also noticed something else about them...in the eyes of many, they were considered very cool.<br />
Wait! That was my goal! Was I running in the wrong direction? This "cool" group was doing everything they could not to run, in any direction, and yet they seemed to winning on every level. Do you remember this group? Were you one of them? Are you one of them? Dude!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHEP8pxg_zWuvU6x4MGrKE6k6ClMSYp8BPxvyAjB2lIz0w5RhXtCTDgJFOxrrzUW4VxcHzB20vv7ShMc9H2GgnpBEHjoCsxfb93lruBYKratnoxarLkmgyYFDmWhUT_E9qos67PUgKWM/s1600/big+hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHEP8pxg_zWuvU6x4MGrKE6k6ClMSYp8BPxvyAjB2lIz0w5RhXtCTDgJFOxrrzUW4VxcHzB20vv7ShMc9H2GgnpBEHjoCsxfb93lruBYKratnoxarLkmgyYFDmWhUT_E9qos67PUgKWM/s200/big+hair.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div> They were an intimidating group of kids, for sure, who had turned apathy for just about everything important, and energy for things that seemed to have no significant purpose, into a lifestyle that many, myself included, long to be apart of. These were definitely the "cool kids" on campus. They always hung out at the same place, talked about the same things, made fun of the same people - kids who were running around trying to do it all (like me). They even somewhat dressed alike, though there was no rhyme or reason to what they wore. Back To School shopping probably took all of ten minutes. Mine was a calculated search for everything I would need to wear to look somewhat "in" everyday, and yet, a stretched out Hang Ten t-shirt, faded jeans and sandals or faded tennis shoes with holes in only the coolest places, were all the <em>threads</em> those guys ever needed: and the girls wore those amazingly tight jeans and...well, that's all I remember, those amazingly tight jeans! Can I get a witness?!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> This group of non-conformists only strolled to class, slowly and flashing the finger, when pushed by the campus patrol.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7TArFC8pLmthevt6bWnKQ5escqFU4AAePuuYZfd3j5cGRte3ZKW4UrtmBmCGphpt1p_wmnU16XFN8MIpwxXXXDIv22bDaT0DIrLqdCFgVJl-fgBnRGRi1u0AM2y0XPdgSQFpg9BpvEE/s1600/surfers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7TArFC8pLmthevt6bWnKQ5escqFU4AAePuuYZfd3j5cGRte3ZKW4UrtmBmCGphpt1p_wmnU16XFN8MIpwxXXXDIv22bDaT0DIrLqdCFgVJl-fgBnRGRi1u0AM2y0XPdgSQFpg9BpvEE/s200/surfers.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> They were what I would call today a new breed of bohemians. </div>Feel free to listen to Edie Brikell and the New Bohemians while reading if this helps set the mood. <br />
<a href="http://edie%20brikell%20%22what%20i%20am%22/">Edie Brikell "What I Am"</a><br />
What is a bohemian? The definition at the top of this article defines them well in just a few words.<br />
The name originates from a culture of people who lived in 19th Century (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemianism">Bohemianism</a>), a people group that had gained a reputation as those set on counter-culture thinking. An anti-social group with little regard for place or position, a strong anti-establishment approach to politics and social commentary, and yet, very much in tune with, and recognized for their love of music, poetry, and the arts. Bohemians also had a lower regard for appearance and physical hygiene.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZGQ5n8O8Igo7EnDNzFRZn-VbasHtHhmGeUMWR3YXjV17n4UsczY6_KrELZuVloDwTlQkiuse3CzbBhtfpKZnB_gkNEvGnD33Zl-qMM7NW6MfZ9VtHFnmRsuS5FMJH_3vqNjZYzFZgBs/s1600/sidewalk-surfer-huntington-beach-1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZGQ5n8O8Igo7EnDNzFRZn-VbasHtHhmGeUMWR3YXjV17n4UsczY6_KrELZuVloDwTlQkiuse3CzbBhtfpKZnB_gkNEvGnD33Zl-qMM7NW6MfZ9VtHFnmRsuS5FMJH_3vqNjZYzFZgBs/s320/sidewalk-surfer-huntington-beach-1976.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div> I don't know if this group of cool kids I went to school with cared about their appearance, but I do know they looked good - but in a carefree, "I didn't really try" kind of way. The guys were chick magnets and the girls were what most of us outsiders dreamed of. They had a way of making messy hair work, they made layered clothes - that as individual pieces probably didn't match - come together with such disregard...<em>that it set trends</em>. Whether they smelled bad, I never knew. I was never allowed to get close enough to them to find out. Most of them, when not at there cool location on campus, hung out at the beach, surfed, skateboarded, played guitar and could look like gods and goddesses in the glow of a fire ring. Pissed me off! <br />
Bohemians, Flakes, whatever you thought of them...they were dudes and "Dudes Most High"!<br />
Dudes, by my definition are still today's modern bohemians, and are alive and well and growing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> You can spot them today in two familiar groups. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJy0boGfFHoOvZcK0xcRBQYC9bTlkeTYAlS6Aca3wGDDZuKd6Mx_RZ8joaQZlleXq3vqSTthxdUxBcN-98C6IhIrBTYdPa0YRcAmem2wl4neRQkU09XPJfEUJ3z8T2dS4AQdvRcwKaMM/s1600/cool+beach+crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJy0boGfFHoOvZcK0xcRBQYC9bTlkeTYAlS6Aca3wGDDZuKd6Mx_RZ8joaQZlleXq3vqSTthxdUxBcN-98C6IhIrBTYdPa0YRcAmem2wl4neRQkU09XPJfEUJ3z8T2dS4AQdvRcwKaMM/s200/cool+beach+crowd.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div> First, there are the bohemians of the 60's and 70's that somehow defied the partying, the drinking, the drugs,and made it out alive. They beat the odds and didn't let too many drugs, and excessive partying take them away in their teens.You know, the "old souls" who walk among us today. Those who set the bar low back then, and set the bar wherever they want today as to continue to live life at their pace. It's the guy with the constant tan that you never see working a job but always seems to have enough money to make it. Many of them own their own businesses and let others run around while they reap the benefits...dude. He has enough friends to laugh with everyday, and enough life in him to make you want to know his secret. Some might call them slackers, but they call you and I suckers for chasing after the American Dream while their dreams are still more vivid, mellowing and truthful than ours. Their only stress is hoping they have enough wax for their board on the day that big set comes in. They also still make messy hair look good and still look like gods and goddesses in the glow of a fire ring. Still pisses me off!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eEj5Poj5Nt9OFncRxUxTufWR1_BjEbde1ueFmGxV97BeBscJ-4cmVIJKzHC1B4p5Sk3fCXGBwwjgQa2DMeBl8CfMy9Topt0OkMFHBKrHHR0aL77BvFGO6eet9uSkbQO6FdOUAErlw8Q/s1600/college+crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eEj5Poj5Nt9OFncRxUxTufWR1_BjEbde1ueFmGxV97BeBscJ-4cmVIJKzHC1B4p5Sk3fCXGBwwjgQa2DMeBl8CfMy9Topt0OkMFHBKrHHR0aL77BvFGO6eet9uSkbQO6FdOUAErlw8Q/s320/college+crowd.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div> Secondly, I have also enjoyed following this latest and younger generation of bohemians, or dudes, as they attack life at a snails pace, yet seem to be embracing the modern world, technology, life and love as if they, once again, know something we don't...and maybe they do. This twenty-something, Generation-Why crowd, many the by-product of the "old soul" crowd, are, like their predecessors, gathering together, dressing alike, talking alike, and, with all the apathy they can muster, <em>dictation the future</em>. They are musicians and poets with a voice (and Record deals). They are artists whose "Street Art" sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Their fashion sense rocks the fashion world, and their political and spiritual philosophies are changing the course of governments and religious institutions one blog, website or YouTube video at a time. They are the modern bohemians...the ones I look at from a distance today, because, once again, it's intimidating to get too close!<br />
The ones we stare at and say, "Dude!"<br />
I was a late bloomer as a dude and still haven't tasted fully from the "dude" cup. I still, all too stressfully, run around chasing the American Dream, but I'm learning to relax. Finding a way to be stress free, having never practiced it when I was young, is exhausting...dude. My wife asked me last week, "What's with all the Soft Jazz music on your radio dial?" <br />
"I'm just trying to stay mellow enough to not want to strangle anyone, honey!"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2zBywvWG9G4xhum_lT4mvWUQshMX62dBgl_vQsQFWDEciIajlz3JEu9R6fctvnVcEMKjC7odbhy_0ZqbQax38MbGqqXOMsX6tHJoDSyCapTu75lQRvOIyEHWeq1IeDI7S-sMqtUaDGk/s1600/surfer+dude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2zBywvWG9G4xhum_lT4mvWUQshMX62dBgl_vQsQFWDEciIajlz3JEu9R6fctvnVcEMKjC7odbhy_0ZqbQax38MbGqqXOMsX6tHJoDSyCapTu75lQRvOIyEHWeq1IeDI7S-sMqtUaDGk/s200/surfer+dude.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div> I guess I'm just trying to <i>slow down</i> so I can <i>catch up</i> with this new crowd of bohemians. I know they are looking at you and me, and probably making fun of us as we run around trying to do it all..again. My goal now is to try and find an hour or two a day to spend with these dudes, practice doing what they do best...surfing, skating, or nothing. <br />
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Having a daily cartoon strip about dudes (<a href="http://www.gocomics/dudedude">www.Gocomics/dudedude</a>) has become a great stress release and escape for me as I slip into my studio (dudeio) and just think about all things dude and the humor and insight that comes from it.<br />
It help makes me feel young again! I think it would be worth it for all of us, especially today with all the reasons to be stressful, to study how today's bohemians, young and older, approach life. Borrow some ideas, find some escapes, learn something about going at life on your own terms...and someday, just maybe you'll look good with messy hair (if you have any left) or, at least, halfway decent in the glow of a fire ring! <br />
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Dudes...the modern bohemians, watch out world, they're coming on slow!...dude.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Comment and share your dude secrets, your escapes, your ways to relax! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKOFE9H_UxUxwxTdb0bxYn9jYINwPiIdl33Ug6uydKy437QQmfFEBWwEQEfGIJc982DBWH6VGiw3W6fmwrGU340HYvzzWnELPDg2Qz66E4pQtOhTSiMWFe1KCLdcmP70KTfwTDt70ags/s1600/Dude+and+Dude+Color+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKOFE9H_UxUxwxTdb0bxYn9jYINwPiIdl33Ug6uydKy437QQmfFEBWwEQEfGIJc982DBWH6VGiw3W6fmwrGU340HYvzzWnELPDg2Qz66E4pQtOhTSiMWFe1KCLdcmP70KTfwTDt70ags/s200/Dude+and+Dude+Color+Logo.png" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
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Keith Poletiek is an author, illustrator, speaker and cartoonist. Creator of Dude and Dude, a daily comic Distributed by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate at <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</a><br />
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Contact/Follow Keith:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/keithpoletiek">www.Facebook.com/keithpoletiek</a><br />
<a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/keithdpoletiek">www.twitter.com/keithdpoletiek</a><br />
<a href="http://www.dudeanddudecomics.com/">http://www.dudeanddudecomics.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/DudeandDude">www.Facebook.com/DudeandDude</a><br />
<a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/">http://www.keithpoletiek.com/</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-86045720957409456982011-09-22T18:14:00.000-07:002011-09-22T18:14:38.668-07:00Duke Kahanamoku - The Original Surfer Dude!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EZLe7Z92ffvociexrKdOzIzlaLtlfmSReh7YO1qKy05K0H7Znq1E5_w8paPSJIFQ2WMr6UCBwFTB_qqdlzpZxrhEPyV7F3lWGDTsOkM_YmrqWyFdDx1ob9SQowCe2TMLjcM7LAO7F5k/s1600/duke3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EZLe7Z92ffvociexrKdOzIzlaLtlfmSReh7YO1qKy05K0H7Znq1E5_w8paPSJIFQ2WMr6UCBwFTB_qqdlzpZxrhEPyV7F3lWGDTsOkM_YmrqWyFdDx1ob9SQowCe2TMLjcM7LAO7F5k/s1600/duke3" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Out of the water, I am nothing." - Duke Kahanamoku</em></span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Obviously, that wasn't at all true of this pioneer of the art of surfing; but it is that mindset that makes Duke, to me and many others, an ultimate Dude; and arguably the original and most recognizable Dude of all time! Yes, he was a five time Olympic medalist in swimming (3 Gold, 2 Silver in 3 Olympics; 1912,1920,1924), an actor, lawman and early beach volleyball star, but it was his bringing surfing from his native island of Hawaii to mainland California that truely gave him, and gives him today "Dude" status! Born Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 - January 22, 1968), - Dude! - he took on the name Duke from his father who was given the title himself by a European dignitary who was visiting the Hawaiian Islands when Duke, not known as Duke, was just a boy. Confused? Me too!<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TKeThMHx3vHFedSsXjoJh44Db_f-4x7qODV_PWmXd6h02e-gqKrwxIF06HeYZanCPSHhRkvFQaGL6jtGmNKzUgxi9RZ0RZGIQhEh5hrPnPRxuvvQt75-2CTdtYzPI58zlFoa_1onvjc/s1600/duke4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TKeThMHx3vHFedSsXjoJh44Db_f-4x7qODV_PWmXd6h02e-gqKrwxIF06HeYZanCPSHhRkvFQaGL6jtGmNKzUgxi9RZ0RZGIQhEh5hrPnPRxuvvQt75-2CTdtYzPI58zlFoa_1onvjc/s200/duke4.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PkJTg-UDg-6bT5dbFxqGEoSQ9f0VsAQ_KSIwcVdRkkecyMzkmQzfwHO7tCda6U3-rtWTC4qHc-7DnEvzr_gW8QP3kruNg1VZI1cVlLwGSalDNz5LN-85roGwPZ66yN4FS08ddDx1tO4/s1600/Duke1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PkJTg-UDg-6bT5dbFxqGEoSQ9f0VsAQ_KSIwcVdRkkecyMzkmQzfwHO7tCda6U3-rtWTC4qHc-7DnEvzr_gW8QP3kruNg1VZI1cVlLwGSalDNz5LN-85roGwPZ66yN4FS08ddDx1tO4/s200/Duke1.jpg" width="170" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Many have thought, over the years, with the name Duke, he must be of Hawaiian Royalty, something he used to laugh about. He never went out of his way to say or act like he was more than what he was. His humble, mellow, approach to life(attributes he learned from his very religious mother), even after all his accomplishments , also makes him a great Dude in my book!</span> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There are many of stories of which island, and city, Duke was actually born on, but his answer is always the same, Honolulu, where he and his six brothers, three sisters and 31 other Paoa cousins (dude!) all learned to swim and, most important, surf. As a young boy he moved to the outskirts of Waikiki to stay close to his mother and family, and this is where Kahanamoku spent his youth as a bronzed beach dude</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtt-SkeA-SGSARrBxBeP1XtCXD8HMiDKJGmHG1I8vv8X-Q1NL6qPsVK8RPXYuKP46t-9NfL3cV7eLTRpviOyACgELpm_yFlWC4q11uruegm7UA5BGPgAdDt9VkJCtOGlLEnzekvvhhOs/s1600/duke2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtt-SkeA-SGSARrBxBeP1XtCXD8HMiDKJGmHG1I8vv8X-Q1NL6qPsVK8RPXYuKP46t-9NfL3cV7eLTRpviOyACgELpm_yFlWC4q11uruegm7UA5BGPgAdDt9VkJCtOGlLEnzekvvhhOs/s200/duke2.jpg" width="148" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUd3gW5iOgwDB_zQqICvnPxZsF7KaSMiRDf-_GQCioe0iJUig19rP1IsdPlgL0f1XtthC_m39qIJn28TPlHa7f4RfHxbFB6GBzIgPXblc1ii-zbq6tdLr2ktiQPIryBzRd0avvE87N23g/s1600/tom+and+duke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUd3gW5iOgwDB_zQqICvnPxZsF7KaSMiRDf-_GQCioe0iJUig19rP1IsdPlgL0f1XtthC_m39qIJn28TPlHa7f4RfHxbFB6GBzIgPXblc1ii-zbq6tdLr2ktiQPIryBzRd0avvE87N23g/s200/tom+and+duke.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was at Waikiki Beach where he developed his surfing and swimming skills. In his youth, Kahanamoku preferred a traditional surf board, which he called his "papa nui", constructed after the fashion of ancient Hawaiian "olo" boards. Made from the wood of a <span style="color: black;">koa</span> tree (What? No Clark Foam?). It was 16 feet (4.8 m) long and weighed 114 pounds (52 kg)....dude! </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Throw that up on mom's station wagon and watch her scream! The board was without a skeg (fin), which had yet to be invented. In his later career, he would often use smaller boards, but always preferred those made of wood. His Qlympic fame and world record swimming times made him an international figure and he traveled the world promoting swimming, surfing and I like to think, dudeism! </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwprznl9C9QF89Z85w6aeqvTEwN83FcyRLcARsLZkmMcdB2f_6di3Nq-EsrzDTdApN1bBYnQTco7EcJI2IH7egflzd2eHNuRY5OvQLZY1zG5c9FZBMVhtbpty_Tf6VnS7HuHJ0ykHPX74/s1600/duke6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwprznl9C9QF89Z85w6aeqvTEwN83FcyRLcARsLZkmMcdB2f_6di3Nq-EsrzDTdApN1bBYnQTco7EcJI2IH7egflzd2eHNuRY5OvQLZY1zG5c9FZBMVhtbpty_Tf6VnS7HuHJ0ykHPX74/s200/duke6.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As if he hadn't done enough to be considered one of the greatest dudes of all time, in 1925, while living in southern California, he again generated national fame by using his surfboard to rescue eight people from a boat that had capsized </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">in </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Newport Harbor, California. Lifeguards throughout California, Australia and the world soon added the use of surfboards as a key part of their water safety training; a practice they still use today! The dude does it again! Amongst his many accomplishments he was also the first person inducted into both the Swimming Hall of Fame and Surfing Hall of Fame.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He is also in the Olympic Hall of Fame, has many events, statues and venues named in his honor including the title of "Surfer of the Century" by </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxLEQRRpwUIsaHY2L68vDViFiv4Xqk0ILK21UUePjBqB-2Ujuxtl0yHq9_mZ-OBtfiyutPDt_5DE4J0a6hJLEfAqP3WmGLhRveyTsGrfohIFx01hQ8er2QomEZNq7PU12N2HyGrNHgJk/s1600/duke5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxLEQRRpwUIsaHY2L68vDViFiv4Xqk0ILK21UUePjBqB-2Ujuxtl0yHq9_mZ-OBtfiyutPDt_5DE4J0a6hJLEfAqP3WmGLhRveyTsGrfohIFx01hQ8er2QomEZNq7PU12N2HyGrNHgJk/s200/duke5.jpg" width="181" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Surfer Magazine as well as other organizations and periodicals. Along with all those awards, I would personally like to name him now as one of, if not the greatest dude of all time! Duke "Dude" Kahanamoku....dude.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>"In water, or out of water, Duke, you were something!" - Keith Poletiek</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Who is your ultimate dude? Let us know! Become a Follower of this </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">weekly blog by Keith Poletiek directed at searching out, finding and sharing all things dude!</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Keith is an award winning cartoonist and creator of "Dude and Dude" a daily comic strip distributed worldwide by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate at </span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.Gocomics.com/dudedude</span></a></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dude and Dude daily emails: </span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.Gocomics.com/dudedude</span></a></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Email Keith: </span><a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.keithpoletiek.com</span></a></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Follow Keith on Facebook: </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/keithpoletiek"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.Facebook.com/keithpoletiek</span></a></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Like Dude and Dude on Facebook: </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DudeandDude"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.Facebook.com/DudeandDude</span></a></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Follow Keith on Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/keithdpoletiek"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/#!/keithdpoletiek</span></a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-58197983470498111302011-08-24T16:54:00.000-07:002011-08-24T16:57:43.993-07:00Sandals - Not Shoes - at Work!...Nice!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_5TNsA2P_9JSzGboJXoxL8JVctYf48-LaBA-MPkzPWvsOrz4L5ojR9NQl4Gmx_8H8L9xHdw9B-dXVuxqci2fSqFnD8wz7DbApl05W5a1cNs33fzbSZ1xYLG11mxXhUbgq0By97_ldkE/s1600/sanuk+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_5TNsA2P_9JSzGboJXoxL8JVctYf48-LaBA-MPkzPWvsOrz4L5ojR9NQl4Gmx_8H8L9xHdw9B-dXVuxqci2fSqFnD8wz7DbApl05W5a1cNs33fzbSZ1xYLG11mxXhUbgq0By97_ldkE/s200/sanuk+ad.jpg" width="178px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Wearing sandals at work is no problem if you work in the beach industry, or at the beach, or for a total awesome dude, or, in some cases, happen to be a women! What is it with the ladies being able to pull of sandals in the work place and not us dudes? I've seen many a lady walking around in dresses, skirts or whatever wearing something that looks very much like a sandal but has maybe an inch of lift in the back, sometimes less, and they call it an open toes dress shoe. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I would think to myself, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5Wno5xJUp8NjummluUl1UHIsdslqaEkqN0TsnT5QBOjT4wajXKuhk6JY9F0F5Q1asig3-SPOngbH226BSWZJPuNuAFIAEBf122CTQMvRS1aj31pDVAz9e1p4mq3RbuhrFaN5_he7L9o/s1600/sanuk+man+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5Wno5xJUp8NjummluUl1UHIsdslqaEkqN0TsnT5QBOjT4wajXKuhk6JY9F0F5Q1asig3-SPOngbH226BSWZJPuNuAFIAEBf122CTQMvRS1aj31pDVAz9e1p4mq3RbuhrFaN5_he7L9o/s200/sanuk+man+2.jpg" width="146px" /></a>"Totally unfair!" as I waited to get home (or even the car sometimes) to kick off my "feet choking" shoes for a cool pair of "Finally my feet can relax" sandals. The equivolent of finally pulling off that tie at the end of the day, if you have to wear one. Thank God I don't! I'm not much of a tie guy, and my middle-of-the-road salary will always reflect that.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Actually, I admire the ladies industry for having been able to pull off this "sandals as shoes"ploy for years! But that didn't help my, sweaty, stinky, tight shoe problem that has been a hassle for me most of my working life...until now.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">That's because, FINALLY, some cool sandal companies have come on the scene and created sandals that look more like, and wear more like, SHOES!...Yes, all the feel and freedom of sandals has arrived! Dudes, are feet are saved.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUCC_eUrsnsWUejakhpqrQEzb2VdiJhizqMqnwmzG68Z_pQt-pApHuj98mF3jE-3EU15gzx68UcLkYZpIUqaszS3xfM-HlWKDmKJNogRzYDlRU60TEFfPp7u7qdhyphenhyphen4Mn5ihPY6eWE3sI/s1600/sanuk-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUCC_eUrsnsWUejakhpqrQEzb2VdiJhizqMqnwmzG68Z_pQt-pApHuj98mF3jE-3EU15gzx68UcLkYZpIUqaszS3xfM-HlWKDmKJNogRzYDlRU60TEFfPp7u7qdhyphenhyphen4Mn5ihPY6eWE3sI/s200/sanuk-logo.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>Right now, I'm wearing a new pair of Sanuks (<a href="http://www.sanuk.com/">http://www.sanuk.com/</a>). If you're any kind of a dude, you have either seen these or already own a pair or two. For those who don't know of them you need to bust over to your local surfwear shop or location and check them out!<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yes, they make the traditional sandals that will have your boss saying, "No beuno in el officio!" But, they also have a style they call their "Sidewalk Surfer" line that look enough like shoes that you might just get the okay to wear them in the work place.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsVrmHXt9h_DtYdvKicNICSlG7iHzepbUyFqFD3wJ6bmzJKdGIydcVOAJSRqW0m6HPeH_pCtFfLn-JmKBQoTCgyFMWPVgS_RtuVQR7Eatl6B20NtWXT5nm4L7xNfokdp-hrn75eCxniU/s1600/0824011446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsVrmHXt9h_DtYdvKicNICSlG7iHzepbUyFqFD3wJ6bmzJKdGIydcVOAJSRqW0m6HPeH_pCtFfLn-JmKBQoTCgyFMWPVgS_RtuVQR7Eatl6B20NtWXT5nm4L7xNfokdp-hrn75eCxniU/s200/0824011446.jpg" width="200px" /></a>Here is the pair I've been sporting all summer and my feet thank me everyday! The best $60 I've spent in a long time. Mine can look a bit on the slipper-side, but Sanuk does offer some that look even more shoe-like for those harsher bosses. Check them out! They are totally Dude Shoes!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsAXv0lruktCK_fWb6hMxrNty3dxz0rugbcnAEDC93gOLS2ylA0mQbHu6cVW8pSv7D8shV6_Vz0EPeZ5RAFJty24iIDt0vx8utdxOWxV97DA5WF5ymZpjjtPJfJnAn278rNJz5qFXQ5E/s1600/dudeshoes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsAXv0lruktCK_fWb6hMxrNty3dxz0rugbcnAEDC93gOLS2ylA0mQbHu6cVW8pSv7D8shV6_Vz0EPeZ5RAFJty24iIDt0vx8utdxOWxV97DA5WF5ymZpjjtPJfJnAn278rNJz5qFXQ5E/s200/dudeshoes.png" width="200px" /></a>Speaking of Dude Shoes, our friends across the pond in the UK have a line of shoes that feel like, wear like, but don't look like sandals at all. They have the total shoe look with the total sandal feel and they are appropriately named, you guessed it, "Dude Shoes!" (<a href="http://www.dudeshoes.org/">http://www.dudeshoes.org/</a>) Shoes for the total dude! I just ordered my first pair under the advisement a great "Dude" friend who is already on his second pair! You can see their whole catalog and order online. Tons of styles and colors to choose from. Average cost is 45 pounds sterling and 12 pounds to ship ($85 all total). That's dress shoe pricing.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dudes, your feet have been crying out to you for years. It's time to save them, rest them and get them to stop smelling so bad...dude. Your boss might even thank you for switching!!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One of the women in my office looked at my Sanuks and tried to play the, "He's wearing slippers" card!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B1mQfXffBOqfYY2XaaBAvT3oh8Lg43tjgUuHpS-JKUWoxfquSoeulscszr5MTJrnFe9oiVVJirpmJE9Y1eZJvyk5TLMETtPmXpNCzJ642a4AKZAyp5ebfY_BJXXrMVBDGGdsxUC0wBw/s1600/sanuk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B1mQfXffBOqfYY2XaaBAvT3oh8Lg43tjgUuHpS-JKUWoxfquSoeulscszr5MTJrnFe9oiVVJirpmJE9Y1eZJvyk5TLMETtPmXpNCzJ642a4AKZAyp5ebfY_BJXXrMVBDGGdsxUC0wBw/s200/sanuk.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She, of course, was in open-toed sandals that didn't even have any extra heal to make them look more like shoes. She knew this was the first step in men taking back some well hidden, comfortable feet time and I could tell she didn't like me discovering this long lost ancient secret held tightly by women for so many years. Well, move over ladies, we're here,</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">walking in relaxed, and we're here to stay, comfort and all....dude!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you know of other dude shoes we dudes should know about, let us know in the comment section. We, and our fett, will thank you....dude.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Keith Poletiek is the cartoonist and creator of the daily online comic strip "Dude and Dude" Distributed by Universal Uclick at <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</a> for United Feature Syndicate. All Rights Reserved.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/keithpoletiek">www.Facebook.com/keithpoletiek</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/dudedude">www.Facebook.com/dudedude</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/keithdpoletiek">Follow Keith Poletiek on Twitter</a> </div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-68550843739302012622011-08-09T14:28:00.000-07:002011-08-09T14:28:57.965-07:00Creating Dude and Dude: Life in the "Dudeio"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUik9VCxcP1tT9yTQ4lQmhXWYREHM9WX6LyEgaDjClIPZNj0ydGehBpBpU_YDT_HxSo0_X4MNjCf0hOyrqJJGIZmQqUlSIEOx9hH6Dk9QtSFfdk1S0rzhcp7O9AVN91hK-dUrJpR6ySs/s1600/keith+combo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUik9VCxcP1tT9yTQ4lQmhXWYREHM9WX6LyEgaDjClIPZNj0ydGehBpBpU_YDT_HxSo0_X4MNjCf0hOyrqJJGIZmQqUlSIEOx9hH6Dk9QtSFfdk1S0rzhcp7O9AVN91hK-dUrJpR6ySs/s400/keith+combo.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>Many of you dudes - that know I wear a few hats - have been asking how it's possible for me to draw a daily comic strip and still find time to write & promote my kid's books, travel & speak, handle marketing/publicity & sales for a local camp, do freelance cartoons and graphics, manage a home life as a husband, father and now grandfather, and keep my sanity. Dude, it's easy, you just do it!<br />
<br />
Does the phrase, "Jack of all trades - Master of none" come to mind!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Actually, it is a very hectic life and finding the man hours can be brutal. Many days I'm left with getting up at 4a.m. to get a little time in the "dudeio" (what I call my studio) creating Dude and Dude or finishing up a T-shirt design or logo for someone. If much needed sleep wins out on a particular morning (dude, I don't know who is coaching sleep, but he has a great won-loss record), then late night "dudeio" sessions become a must with deadlines creeping up on me like a cheetah near the watering hole. Not good!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPaPLNsUpeDx_uHlvy3ktG-wur7EKGup_eN14E2dpQFS7k4fFhd96sEyHNzNYBhfnwfg7AvqUveUmj7LrGAoZxPt8mFhw4I_U_7mNV50IZ73W8M-7-SUraMvyQRsPKSULfWzR7-jLABI/s1600/Keith+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPaPLNsUpeDx_uHlvy3ktG-wur7EKGup_eN14E2dpQFS7k4fFhd96sEyHNzNYBhfnwfg7AvqUveUmj7LrGAoZxPt8mFhw4I_U_7mNV50IZ73W8M-7-SUraMvyQRsPKSULfWzR7-jLABI/s200/Keith+1a.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Subsequently, I've had to come up with a quicker method, for now, to produce Dude and Dude, using a bit more technology than I would like, and a little less, time consuming, freehand drawing to create a finished cartoon. If Dude and Dude continues to grow an online audience (3,400 subscribers at <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/">http://www.gocomics.com/</a> to date with over 100,000 individual hits weekly), and if print syndication is an option in the future, then less hats means more freehand sketching of the comic strip....The goal!!</div><br />
Here is a quick overview of the process for creating the comic strip for those who asked or are curious or just a dude with some time to kill.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">WRITING THE GAG</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWD2SqTgAZpc0SBII1BbHZkJukjIkwBcLORUvjmReoYxGi0r04w6zJK3aojCG_zI-CnXOmE3HE10JvLPCYnoYOzEXWW_6yvSd3WxQ3xZdQwDAxPCnd9lMAUtpGuNkWZzZCfRuOdNqsppc/s1600/pad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWD2SqTgAZpc0SBII1BbHZkJukjIkwBcLORUvjmReoYxGi0r04w6zJK3aojCG_zI-CnXOmE3HE10JvLPCYnoYOzEXWW_6yvSd3WxQ3xZdQwDAxPCnd9lMAUtpGuNkWZzZCfRuOdNqsppc/s200/pad.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>I spend as much time or more coming up with, writing, editing and fine-tuning each comic as I do drawing and creating them. If you see me around town I usually have a sketchbook or scratchpad with me wherever I go. I will acually designate certain coffee shops, beach locations or dude hangouts to hangout at in the hopes of having a quick nugget of an idea pop into my head. I jot it down quickly, these nuggets leave rather fast! Dude!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">SKETCH</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dF5ZhTyA4qcOWSvc-UrIWvaZNSN3QnaF8TniHHojZfU8tPdFoTu-4w316_YXeMkUm49hB8Dr-Bfw7LzKTN7iezImyjZQD6aPfiRttbK4XVc1Q65SL22T2grow48PX6lQW3vMAbfKyng/s1600/dude1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dF5ZhTyA4qcOWSvc-UrIWvaZNSN3QnaF8TniHHojZfU8tPdFoTu-4w316_YXeMkUm49hB8Dr-Bfw7LzKTN7iezImyjZQD6aPfiRttbK4XVc1Q65SL22T2grow48PX6lQW3vMAbfKyng/s200/dude1.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>It all starts with sketching and inking the characters who will become part of the Dude and Dude community. In this picture is the actual first sketch of Dude and Dude. They were created in an airport terminal in Phoenix, AZ where I had just spent a week in 117 degree temperature speaking at a conference. As I sat, waiting for my flight home, all I could think about was being back in SoCal, near the beach and never wanting to leave the sand and surf again....thus, the two "Dudes," with the same mindset were born.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">FINAL ART</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3aJFivIMqB6ibMB7k-3QtC7TBxy_AsAw3XJSLMbtvXsszzUI4sdxVbdgWlcpS-G2XWXuOjGQR4ZHhmaiQdixmJJmBwNxjj9-VK7SNLo0uWEk74KWAjzQCVdrnRilJJfAJPIN9BQ0SZQ/s1600/dude3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3aJFivIMqB6ibMB7k-3QtC7TBxy_AsAw3XJSLMbtvXsszzUI4sdxVbdgWlcpS-G2XWXuOjGQR4ZHhmaiQdixmJJmBwNxjj9-VK7SNLo0uWEk74KWAjzQCVdrnRilJJfAJPIN9BQ0SZQ/s320/dude3.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">From the sketch, I do the final blackline inking, then I scan the image into my computer, bring it into my art program and add color. Once the character is comic ready, I copy and paste the image into that day's cartoon keeping a copy of the image saved in the library of art that surrounds the work station of each page I work on. Pulling from the library of characters, objects, backgrounds, etc. saves a huge amount of time and makes a daily comic possible at this point. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HwLBTEuumjU4P4aDbevpsvkWYFqroLQuOu4b1j_x6AC7qJe431RP4w1BqbkmQhHe5_d4NqE-BXXnG0fMascQKHTe7xkdkt3QW8l32wUyRF4Mm6YUkVNwiXsjkr3zKZL6hSvEw0BgD-0/s1600/dude8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HwLBTEuumjU4P4aDbevpsvkWYFqroLQuOu4b1j_x6AC7qJe431RP4w1BqbkmQhHe5_d4NqE-BXXnG0fMascQKHTe7xkdkt3QW8l32wUyRF4Mm6YUkVNwiXsjkr3zKZL6hSvEw0BgD-0/s200/dude8.jpg" width="200px" /></a>The purist cartoon critics blast me for not drawing everything fresh, and comment negatively at the similarity of backgrounds, character, etc. To them I say, "One, I agree, and Two...Dudes, lighten up!" Writing sells comics, not appearance! Abide, and go with the flow until time allows. Is it funny, satirical, slightly humorous and/or remind you of yourself, or days gone by? Then this comic is for you and all those "Young and Old Souls" out there that look at everyday as casual Friday!</div><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">FINISHED PRODUCT</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A_Q30bfDbUZnLg-ZVIp6PwhFxoJ5eP0CUsj5VANm0Z4TQR7Y2gIhF6diBPBdSoBNGCVbEp_gwhm5E71od_yajXRgGTyjDEz6A3WJkZ_gYr0po-q2pDzfVzyr9Ie4GBwobnm4liLmPeI/s1600/dude6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A_Q30bfDbUZnLg-ZVIp6PwhFxoJ5eP0CUsj5VANm0Z4TQR7Y2gIhF6diBPBdSoBNGCVbEp_gwhm5E71od_yajXRgGTyjDEz6A3WJkZ_gYr0po-q2pDzfVzyr9Ie4GBwobnm4liLmPeI/s320/dude6.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>When the panels are complete, the coloring is done and the gag in place, I save it all and prep it to send through an FTP site to Universal Uclick at Universal Press which now handles the electronic Distribution of Dude and Dude for United Feature Syndicate. I try to send a few weeks at a time and stay at least a month or more ahead on finish comics...that cheetah (deadline) is in the tall weeds staring at me me, waiting for me to fall behind the herd!<br />
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Dudes, if you have questions about what art format<br />
I use, what pens, paper, etc. Contact me anytime<br />
by email or Facebook. Please send me comments and testimonials as well for my promo file. Send me ideas, dudeisms or just your thoughts about Dude and Dude. I'd love to hear your best dude stories as well. Sign up to get Dude and Dude emailed to you daily for FREE (while the offer lasts) at <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/">http://www.gocomics.com/</a> Join the Dude and Dude Facebook community at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/dudeanddude">www.Facebook.com/dudeanddude</a> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtwPMJhBznWE1WaEWN6tihEEC0OS1zBu9Xn1OLP0ANrMVKZmbWh98b0sC1YG2RaRT7d2gO7n5L-cB7wgxXYDTJolbOL8SMOn-Co2tZQIpPgWfXb3SayTIUGBeX_oiOT35BC1GH9JnYHU/s1600/dd110124+framed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtwPMJhBznWE1WaEWN6tihEEC0OS1zBu9Xn1OLP0ANrMVKZmbWh98b0sC1YG2RaRT7d2gO7n5L-cB7wgxXYDTJolbOL8SMOn-Co2tZQIpPgWfXb3SayTIUGBeX_oiOT35BC1GH9JnYHU/s400/dd110124+framed.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>The new website DudeandDudeComics.com is underway. We're hoping to launch it in September. News, Updates, Books, Products, Everything Dude and Dude will be there!.....Dude!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Keith is the cartoonist and creator of Dude and Dude. A daily comic strip Distributed world-wide by Universal Uclick for UFS on Gocomics.com - All rights Reserved</span><br />
<br />
Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
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Dude and Dude Facebook Page; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/dudeanddude">www.Facebook.com/dudeanddude</a><br />
<a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/">http://www.keithpoletiek.com/</a><br />
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Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-29585897576336737222011-06-24T15:17:00.000-07:002011-06-28T19:38:26.615-07:00"Dude Food" Series: Fish Tacos...Where Do You Hook a Good One?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdaEboFgGoy5tohRAUMyZeTgU7H5x-4v90048LJeL-l0TiXYVHDipyRCkmWV5SOMk-2xz9XyGGSczesSYs_StYKxSnAeiWeHppXr2xAzofchyphenhyphenZSaBYMl62tKECYYVDXxbGOkSx8oAcpM/s1600/fish+taco+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdaEboFgGoy5tohRAUMyZeTgU7H5x-4v90048LJeL-l0TiXYVHDipyRCkmWV5SOMk-2xz9XyGGSczesSYs_StYKxSnAeiWeHppXr2xAzofchyphenhyphenZSaBYMl62tKECYYVDXxbGOkSx8oAcpM/s1600/fish+taco+1.bmp" /></a></div>When I think of total, great tasting, well seasoned, got to have it, "Dude Food," my first thought is always Fish Tacos! <br />
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If you are a follower of my Dude and Dude comic strip (<a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</a>) you know by now that it is the only food necessary for sustaining total dudeism in the eyes, and stomachs, of Dude and Dude. I tend to agree! They crave them, as do I, on a daily basis and the Dudes will do anything, EVEN WORK, to scrape up just enough fundage to score one, two or twelve whenever possible. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For them, there is no place better to make that score than Tina's Taco Shack where they don't dare miss a Taco Tuesday. Tina's place sits on the sand of Beachtown, USA. Her fish is delivered fresh daily from the docks nearby, her Secret Fish Sauce is awesome, and Tina is a hottie! A great combination!! This place is Dude Heaven!...But it's also fictional, so I'm posing the ultimate "Dude Food" question to all you Dudes out there...WHERE DO WE GO TO GET THE BEST FISH TACOS?</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdowWQpFXSvrKhQiAiLjRcS7IYRnMP6g8GaWO9H81cuqbvICw-BtunQcPJPm20KJCFy1mv1Bazf_XxHtqiJRTteeQcVvIn-fM_D0MnaGVj_rwEEj5YRVyLn1otUBoYntPJnZE7to2MxJA/s1600/fried+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdowWQpFXSvrKhQiAiLjRcS7IYRnMP6g8GaWO9H81cuqbvICw-BtunQcPJPm20KJCFy1mv1Bazf_XxHtqiJRTteeQcVvIn-fM_D0MnaGVj_rwEEj5YRVyLn1otUBoYntPJnZE7to2MxJA/s200/fried+fish.jpg" width="200px" /></a>I know that everyone's favorite place will most likely be location based, from your present or past, and we may have never heard of your places, or you of mine, but we all need this crucial 411! So, take the time to describe why we should go out of our way to get to your "Fish Taco - Dude Heaven." Give us contact info like websites and Facebook sites as well. I'm a Left Coast, OC guy, so my favorites all come from my turf - but I'm always traveling, and when I come into a town I'm usually hungry and would love a local's insight on where to score a good fish taco or two, or twelve...wouldn't you!?!</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My Top 4 Dude Food Fish Tacos Come From:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIdVGWTYSUSAyKuaPHO2As5fC7t8iDSSHsPlsN590RtDEw5zLpNCWHigyeNz5kIRbeY_Z9lEfxxs3wxFaCRjxTs7D7OrPWQTioaBVvCyBu9nU9RA4OVJDe-hgzAlfQGObYlRF67QNIZ8/s1600/rubios+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIdVGWTYSUSAyKuaPHO2As5fC7t8iDSSHsPlsN590RtDEw5zLpNCWHigyeNz5kIRbeY_Z9lEfxxs3wxFaCRjxTs7D7OrPWQTioaBVvCyBu9nU9RA4OVJDe-hgzAlfQGObYlRF67QNIZ8/s200/rubios+logo.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>#4 - Rubio's Baja Grill (<a href="http://www.rubios.com/">http://www.rubios.com/</a>) 200+ Locations throughout CA, NV, AZ, UT, CO<br />
The grilled fish tacos are excellent. Great sauce and not too much cabbage. A bit pricey, so be prepared. Their fried fish tacos are cheap on Tuesday's ($1.50) but you get what you pay for. These are small 3 biters with not much inside. Not bad, fourth place. Dude worthy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ISOD6NCtcTCjNVkcMpaGfmgi9OAPZ9w_wDXRAGWH95-SWxHldZ_7K3zVZ8p_Bfa-sFzGJBIPpvsCf7BEGgrVREW-ho93gwdjmHODAyKCf6l-HW4KSbKxmoQZEZRQBknAzhuKBz2Obgc/s1600/wahoos01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ISOD6NCtcTCjNVkcMpaGfmgi9OAPZ9w_wDXRAGWH95-SWxHldZ_7K3zVZ8p_Bfa-sFzGJBIPpvsCf7BEGgrVREW-ho93gwdjmHODAyKCf6l-HW4KSbKxmoQZEZRQBknAzhuKBz2Obgc/s200/wahoos01.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>#3 - Wahoo's Fish Tacos (<a href="http://www.wahoos.com/">http://www.wahoos.com/</a>) 54 Locations throughout CA, CO, TX<br />
All the food is fresh and tastes great. The Blackened Spicy Fish is the best. Order them with the White Spicy Beans (they're not too spicy) and you've ordered a "Dude and Dude." Pricing is medium sized and so are the tacos. Just ask for a Dude and Dude (then explain what it is so you get what you want...it's gonna be a thing someday!). The Bronze!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgYd4-WuU6ecd_hrF37HFCv3mIGmhvEI9GrPq5O80YZUyqMLw2fvrE4qo21U6y17syzraIzIyQq4gyfBbMkA8RcrFNqtb34Sqxu1gtlE3cta0a5by2-B9JNQCxPy6vbrUjVbw-e-tUDY/s1600/chronic-tacos-85286873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgYd4-WuU6ecd_hrF37HFCv3mIGmhvEI9GrPq5O80YZUyqMLw2fvrE4qo21U6y17syzraIzIyQq4gyfBbMkA8RcrFNqtb34Sqxu1gtlE3cta0a5by2-B9JNQCxPy6vbrUjVbw-e-tUDY/s200/chronic-tacos-85286873.jpg" width="197px" /></a></div>#2 - Chronic Tacos (<a href="http://www.eatchronictacos.com/">http://www.eatchronictacos.com/</a>) 36 Locations throughout CA, NV (1), ID (1), Canada (2)<br />
Get ready America (and Canada) these little whole in the wall restaurants are popping up everywhere, and for good reason...The Food Rocks!! They almost take first in my "Fish Taco - Dude Food" search. You can get them grilled or fried, they're both awesome. Lots of fish and the Baja Sauce for these is so good you could put it on anything and it would taste better, even brusselsprouts! Middle priced, and you get to decide what to put on them. They were doing this long before Chipotle showed up. Way to go, Chronic! I close second!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESPGQoT-PvXuFoH_MX0daNT_OXCur2h3eBGtoahYlPRS5nzTyKBS-y6sfyEzsihhOCuOYktIAyx_X29ug3jXdYGWb7Dqg9Jvjqj8ZHhX4PckbKyvsf6TmRUigcbDyMZOWjQgId1uDaDg/s1600/sharkeez-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESPGQoT-PvXuFoH_MX0daNT_OXCur2h3eBGtoahYlPRS5nzTyKBS-y6sfyEzsihhOCuOYktIAyx_X29ug3jXdYGWb7Dqg9Jvjqj8ZHhX4PckbKyvsf6TmRUigcbDyMZOWjQgId1uDaDg/s200/sharkeez-sign.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>#1 - Baja Sharkeez (<a href="http://www.sharkeez.net/">http://www.sharkeez.net/</a>) Only 6 Locations in So Cal.<br />
Man, I wish there were more of these out there for all you dudes to experience, because these tacos are the ultimate Dude Food and my Number One choice for the best FISH TACOS I've ever tasted. They offer 3 varieties and all are great, grilled, blackened and Baja style. I can't even remember which way I ordered them last time, because they are all soooo good. Lots of fish, cooked just right, with plenty of sauce dripping all over. They even do a Lobster Taco that kicks!! They are all $2-4 on Taco Tuesdays. Three will be a chore to finish! I've run over people on the streets trying to make sure I get there in time. Those who have been to Sharkeez know what I'm talking about. Great vibe there also. Big Screens everywhere, great people, great fun! A total winner. Thanks Sharkeez!! You Win!!! Do I get FREE FOOD?...dude.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cJHZE6voYNIpetpumK7L2RmVW3fFfXW10W5FwcBMV_YAyhxEMH5_LThMp9_ZFNAadVWEpXNauDy9ApcJilbV3ZOnQmDT_rdN_C-oQiZiMLMWEZbVZnwxWEKFMhye-GgmTgZvNTxzKL8/s1600/grilled-fish-tacos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cJHZE6voYNIpetpumK7L2RmVW3fFfXW10W5FwcBMV_YAyhxEMH5_LThMp9_ZFNAadVWEpXNauDy9ApcJilbV3ZOnQmDT_rdN_C-oQiZiMLMWEZbVZnwxWEKFMhye-GgmTgZvNTxzKL8/s200/grilled-fish-tacos.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>There are my four winners. Now, show me, and all us dudes, what you've got! Get us "hooked" on your fish taco place. I need Dude Food travel info from you Dudes who know! Peace!<br />
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Keith Poletiek writes and draws Dude and Dude, a daily comic strip seen at <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">www.GoComics.com/dudedude</a>, Distributed by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate. All Rights Reserved.<br />
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Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-43872598472510892702011-06-09T08:48:00.000-07:002011-06-09T08:48:39.233-07:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 7 - The VW Van (Surf Bus)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslbdk_gZWRDjo7l9o6tgvxNPG8a69pjTN6qMA-IrVD8EFpkdrv0CQ8tUNaLRhYgwkVICyvnMXfiYqvZ716trja_xZJfUd4kD9JsNrmz3YGxDlRYCL_MO_PNNbhWjU-CmOlcf5OgeOf_U/s1600/surf+bus2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslbdk_gZWRDjo7l9o6tgvxNPG8a69pjTN6qMA-IrVD8EFpkdrv0CQ8tUNaLRhYgwkVICyvnMXfiYqvZ716trja_xZJfUd4kD9JsNrmz3YGxDlRYCL_MO_PNNbhWjU-CmOlcf5OgeOf_U/s320/surf+bus2.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dude, they still turn heads! The VW Van, Surf Van, Hippie Van, Surf Bus, Kombi...call it what you will, it still remains the signature vehicle of dudes throughout the world and that's why it's No. 7 in my Awesome Dude Series. It doesn't matter if it's old, rusty and beat up, or cherried out. It doesn't matter if it's original looking or decorated in the most funkified way, the VW Van has been and always will be one of the best looking vehicles on the road.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-13BpDkgMGiXamX_tMF1rY6noQJ-y5EB587jqKqlzaPdddJ_4xPj6lRWxYcQJn4I__TYJoUne3ZV4RYmvcVa1z3p4Gj125RPJhP5Tt_sia_9bKY8X3fZNuuDzxvHydY24C_qoPYxom6o/s1600/flower-power-VW-camper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-13BpDkgMGiXamX_tMF1rY6noQJ-y5EB587jqKqlzaPdddJ_4xPj6lRWxYcQJn4I__TYJoUne3ZV4RYmvcVa1z3p4Gj125RPJhP5Tt_sia_9bKY8X3fZNuuDzxvHydY24C_qoPYxom6o/s200/flower-power-VW-camper.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a>Designed in the 50's, adopted by hippies in the 60's, sought after by "Surfing Safari" goers in the 70's, hard to come by in the 80's & 90's, and still the coolest thing on the road today! What is it about them that make them so popular? Dude!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbblFhnkNco5V8kZoLhNzIPS-grNTJ6hDyKTl5ALhWsW-7MxH0AXqfXbqUJt6FpHUblJugf9Q4cu-CbBIKvmdCLCNlWuxkvz1KB-uPkGTmOYv-XoSQUhAfao1oTQq6IdCFAf2B1y8Qpq0/s1600/kombi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbblFhnkNco5V8kZoLhNzIPS-grNTJ6hDyKTl5ALhWsW-7MxH0AXqfXbqUJt6FpHUblJugf9Q4cu-CbBIKvmdCLCNlWuxkvz1KB-uPkGTmOYv-XoSQUhAfao1oTQq6IdCFAf2B1y8Qpq0/s200/kombi.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I see one all tricked out or completely restored, I say to myself, "I want to drive it!"</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I see one all oxidized, rusty and dinged up, I say to myself, "I want to fix it up...then drive it!" </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dudes, you know what I'm talking about. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgB1HemYmpGllUK3d8JKMCYfpQcxL6W1or75qZHQbnakTMw3ojuX867Jd3eajHmqAwSggfDqEb114a20ObcNsROmVR8nrBFdhCfF_HNhm5sfoYFikZVf7wnOngraXNRV7VfYSOS6xdP-M/s1600/short+bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgB1HemYmpGllUK3d8JKMCYfpQcxL6W1or75qZHQbnakTMw3ojuX867Jd3eajHmqAwSggfDqEb114a20ObcNsROmVR8nrBFdhCfF_HNhm5sfoYFikZVf7wnOngraXNRV7VfYSOS6xdP-M/s200/short+bus.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a>Whenever I pass one on the road (they rarely pass you), I wonder where the dudes inside are going. I always imagine it's a much better place, and better time, than I'm going to have. I've never seen anyone driving one that looks bummed out or even angry. These babies just go with the flow. If everyone owned one I think road rage would be replaced with, "That's cool, man, take my lane." VW Van drivers know it's all about the journey, not just the destination.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VUreJzE1abAvLVTB5yTE10Z5E7vhboCFUEerrQNxHdKqvimAovBvN5lT8B851lJTLn5xDzUXlMIdxNDHKsD8hwI5m0EuF6jchuXLSmR0VEWgzSYtFd_18dh3UpZ4hfxbtiRt3MSTPfI/s1600/vw-bus-limo-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VUreJzE1abAvLVTB5yTE10Z5E7vhboCFUEerrQNxHdKqvimAovBvN5lT8B851lJTLn5xDzUXlMIdxNDHKsD8hwI5m0EuF6jchuXLSmR0VEWgzSYtFd_18dh3UpZ4hfxbtiRt3MSTPfI/s200/vw-bus-limo-3.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One of it's great features is it's ability to be personalized. No other vehicle is open to free expression more than the VW Van. Paint it up yourself in psychedelic spender, get it professionally done with an amazing graphic, shorten it, stretch it...whatever you do to make it your own usually has people saying, even today...Far out!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I still want to own one today, as a second car, or weekend travel car...don't you? Do you stop and check out everyone with a FOR SALE sign on it and dream? As an artist, I start designing the finished product in my head knowing I can't afford it and don't have a place to park it. That's what this Van does to you! Right?!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGEcaj6T9bTPsmFuHPj02SAY1ELUQnw_PEOz_7hsUuR7mjZd0olHRHfBtzq1TwoxnNGPar_0Deo5bO5Crblt8hcO1c0bluJit2uUCJrS0DYWpiESJzRAAf07y1WWWn7bPOTMwczleCaA/s1600/back+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGEcaj6T9bTPsmFuHPj02SAY1ELUQnw_PEOz_7hsUuR7mjZd0olHRHfBtzq1TwoxnNGPar_0Deo5bO5Crblt8hcO1c0bluJit2uUCJrS0DYWpiESJzRAAf07y1WWWn7bPOTMwczleCaA/s200/back+view.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a></div>Here's all the interesting facts and the history of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Type_2_(T2)#T2">Volkswagen Type 2 Transport Bus</a> (Surf Van) on Wikipedia (A good read!).<br />
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Send us a pick of your VW Surf, Hippie, Kombie Van, so we can all envy you...dude!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Keith Poletiek is the creator and cartoonist of Dude and Dude, a daily comic strip about two dudes who look at everyday as casual Friday, on </span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.GoComics.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> - Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sign up at GoComics to receive your personal email comics pages with Dude and dude along with your choices fromm 300+ other great cartoons like Calvin & Hobbes, Peanuts, Bloom County, Get Fuzzy, Pearls Before Swine, B.C. and more!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dudedude">Dude an Dude at GoComics.com</a><br />
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<a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-54293692420119074132011-06-03T14:04:00.000-07:002011-06-03T14:04:27.085-07:00Dude and Dude's New Digs at GoGomics.com....Nice!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisren7sx8nKLPtlhbqHOjGbAtidsHiYPkqUwwQZRzCpEq0Ib-iJ0iU7OxT__sMAeY1_MKd3phsOvLREBO7KyZ0d96FdcF3e9uKOvrBGA8c_50S57a67XOaQBmV8Bw3ksQtUOdSnGHYAeg/s1600/Dude+and+Dude+Color+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisren7sx8nKLPtlhbqHOjGbAtidsHiYPkqUwwQZRzCpEq0Ib-iJ0iU7OxT__sMAeY1_MKd3phsOvLREBO7KyZ0d96FdcF3e9uKOvrBGA8c_50S57a67XOaQBmV8Bw3ksQtUOdSnGHYAeg/s200/Dude+and+Dude+Color+Logo.jpg" t8="true" width="140" /></a>Dude, if you're a fan, a subscriber, faithful follower or friend of Dude and Dude, then you are totally aware of the transition that just took place on June 1st. If you're not aware, or you're new to Dude and Dude, here's the 411.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">United Feature Syndicate, who held the online distributing rights to DnD, sold the distribution rights for Dude and Dude, along with over 100 other comic strips, single panel and editorial cartoons, to Universal Uclick, making UU the largest single cartoon syndicate-mecca in the world!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It also sent the Dudes packing and off to new digs on the cyber super highway and their home on the www is now at GoComics.com( <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/dude-and-dude">www.gocomics.com/dude-and-dude</a> ) instead of Comics.com (United Features closed site).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry6Z6NC-lB1IQYdvEhJvHeuPVIgNeQ7j-VEWqzZnJ8fVqQpiiPc-MFU-yPe0UkevGNduOJOMsR0mjB0MnO8PUMzzBuLSx2-0VrqO7BOEoO6UyeRpGZNTmsLD8_31evgpiJAQyQ6jDC_Y/s1600/man-reading-newspaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; height: 149px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 201px;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry6Z6NC-lB1IQYdvEhJvHeuPVIgNeQ7j-VEWqzZnJ8fVqQpiiPc-MFU-yPe0UkevGNduOJOMsR0mjB0MnO8PUMzzBuLSx2-0VrqO7BOEoO6UyeRpGZNTmsLD8_31evgpiJAQyQ6jDC_Y/s200/man-reading-newspaper.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is awesome news, especially for a newer comic like Dude and Dude, who now share a site with over 300 of the best cartoons in the business - Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbs, B.C., Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy, Fox Trot and Bloom County.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCH_uGhwCfMfjqAnwdi6DcGykvLtyC_IHN1ToSmSpM6TtKq01PWBLsQQxSJ5iLXqX2oiscVI_Y7uj6OuzDRIlUcc14hJCzAggdEyx-vRlU-CDRgjKMN1RhmW6n85llYpW48FqvDpmwV0/s1600/girl+computer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCH_uGhwCfMfjqAnwdi6DcGykvLtyC_IHN1ToSmSpM6TtKq01PWBLsQQxSJ5iLXqX2oiscVI_Y7uj6OuzDRIlUcc14hJCzAggdEyx-vRlU-CDRgjKMN1RhmW6n85llYpW48FqvDpmwV0/s200/girl+computer.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a>We all know newspapers are suffering in this electronic age, and comics pages in print are slowly dwindling, so websites like GoComics.com are the strongest presence right now and for the future of cartoonists everywhere. The more they grow, the more the readership, the better for Dude and Dude to become a household name...The goal, dude!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Will newspapers survive?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I believe they will, just like bookstores will always be around. I just think they will have to redefine themselves, find an audience, become more local news driven and carry great comics and editorial cartoons.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmVaUNIht64pNrhU3OUFFLxWmYQ4ZfReu1mxS_TDkD3tkWeD7R9fpsR6tdgP75yBnbMmcOe2m_m9f-CzdUhStmdh0qMwwWyHg_xSPl0s1msUtP7ucr1teHad-wYGVg1i8EJ-vdRQyqwc/s1600/man+reading+comics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmVaUNIht64pNrhU3OUFFLxWmYQ4ZfReu1mxS_TDkD3tkWeD7R9fpsR6tdgP75yBnbMmcOe2m_m9f-CzdUhStmdh0qMwwWyHg_xSPl0s1msUtP7ucr1teHad-wYGVg1i8EJ-vdRQyqwc/s200/man+reading+comics.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Advertising sales have been dropping steadily for the past few years, but I believe they will level out and keep the hope of syndication alive for myself and other aspiring cartoonists. Dude, what would life be like without the funnies?! Not fun!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Where do you see the newspaper business going? Will all our news come from the internet, TV, smart phones? I'd love to hear what you have to say. So would the Dudes!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Keith Poletiek is the cartoonist-creator of the daily comic strip Dude and Dude, available for viewing at GoComics.com and Distributed by Universal Uclick. All rights reserved. Subscribe to Dude and Dude and build your own personal comics page from over 300 other great cartoons at </span><a href="http://www.gocomics.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.gocomics.com</span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287">Dude and Dude Facebook Page</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/">http://www.keithpoletiek.com/</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-75548410138951052022011-05-12T10:08:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:22:43.987-07:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 6 - Naugles Restaurants (Bring Them Back!)<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kt8-zn6BHbhLXCeK1b9ae3_BA84aY4ijBrC8p-l9Z-DEcPqY5CMELkNESp6qiOPSuj81tDKzs_e2BPyceR6NbM3eIAFXBgDBWglysy50cArDsrI-_UENqfvzMZGhg99HfgCwGBmIy5A/s1600/naugles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kt8-zn6BHbhLXCeK1b9ae3_BA84aY4ijBrC8p-l9Z-DEcPqY5CMELkNESp6qiOPSuj81tDKzs_e2BPyceR6NbM3eIAFXBgDBWglysy50cArDsrI-_UENqfvzMZGhg99HfgCwGBmIy5A/s1600/naugles.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><strong>Naugles Run!!!!!!!!</strong></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was the call of the wild when I was in High School! When starvage hit me, or anyone, it was grab anyone’s ride and get there! Naugles was also the most popular hangout for dudes after a Friday night football game, or any night you wanted to hang with friends and eat awesome Mexican food! Big food! It was also a cheap date, and a way to impress the ladies because they dug Naulges also! I had a friend actually get the okay from his Prom date to make Naugles their dinner option before the Prom! Dude, stories like that, the great taste and the memories are what make Naugles a member of my <b><a href="http://keithpoletiek.blogspot.com/2011/01/awesome-dude-series-no-1-jeff-dude.html">Awesome Dude Series!</a></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My favorite was the Macho Combo Burrito, double wrapped, extra cheese! Dude, beans, meat, cheese, more cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, Macho sauce and more cheese heaped high in two warm, monster flour tortillas (it took two to hold everything in)! Awesome!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBqFwcqKcrNPQYgrc3qc_4jLQtt-nYNwCEkN-RHNZlHXjRc128ECmUet7WKhSfbE-cP8GqWXxzfXTN0MhBsdUicDO4rfA0OBTbLOVS8Nm01qhe5UjMnNuBEKmZHwOKKngjD_NkOOoOqk/s1600/naugles+menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBqFwcqKcrNPQYgrc3qc_4jLQtt-nYNwCEkN-RHNZlHXjRc128ECmUet7WKhSfbE-cP8GqWXxzfXTN0MhBsdUicDO4rfA0OBTbLOVS8Nm01qhe5UjMnNuBEKmZHwOKKngjD_NkOOoOqk/s200/naugles+menu.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of cheese, they also had the only Cheese Burrito known to man! And what about their famous Egg Burritos! I can remember sitting in the parking lot for 15 or 20 minutes until 11pm hit, just so I could score one or two of those bad boys!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.deltaco.com/">Del Taco</a>, who bought the Naugles franchise in 1986, has now become my favorite late night munchies option, and I know that Del Taco kept many of the Naugles favorites on their menu, but, dude, it’s just not the same!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For my readers who never had a Naugles in your area…total bummer! For all of you who missed out, and for you Dudes outside the US, here’s the scoop on a So Cal fast-food icon from the 1970s and 80s!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Naugles 101:</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Naulges</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> was a Southern California <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast-food" title="Fast-food"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">fast-food</span></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_food" title="Mexican food"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Mexican</span></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurant_chain" title="Restaurant chain"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">restaurant chain</span></a> that existed from 1970 to 1988. It was founded by former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Taco" title="Del Taco"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Del Taco</span></a> employee Dick Naugle. The first <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=fourteenth+st+and+brockton+ave,+riverside,+CA&aq=&sll=37.926868,-95.712891&sspn=37.88489,73.740234&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Brockton+Ave+%26+14th+St,+Riverside,+California+92501&ll=33.978456,-117.383037&spn=0.010249,0.018003&t=h&z=16">Naugles Restaurant Location </a> was at the southwest corner of Fourteenth St. and Brockton Ave. in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=fourteenth+st+and+brockton+ave,+riverside,+CA&aq=&sll=37.926868,-95.712891&sspn=37.88489,73.740234&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Brockton+Ave+%26+14th+St,+Riverside,+California+92501&ll=33.978456,-117.383037&spn=0.010249,0.018003&t=h&z=16" title="Riverside, California"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Riverside, California</span></a> (now a Del Taco). Dick's motto was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Prepare food fresh, Serve customer fast, Keep place clean!"</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></b></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSipdH0X98mhOzW4RNxqSLmqoXEY9rTpHQrc_b1iU2_zb28oOZ8GSEkNO0KLTihGjJmFArJhqZ2De2g5SgHG9FIwPkoy994Ahu-H3VzhNuKAo8keGiEEygn0CPzvjYgKiqkLWdAdg5Re4/s1600/naugles+food+ticket.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSipdH0X98mhOzW4RNxqSLmqoXEY9rTpHQrc_b1iU2_zb28oOZ8GSEkNO0KLTihGjJmFArJhqZ2De2g5SgHG9FIwPkoy994Ahu-H3VzhNuKAo8keGiEEygn0CPzvjYgKiqkLWdAdg5Re4/s320/naugles+food+ticket.bmp" width="320px" /></a></div><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Butler" title="Harold Butler"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Harold Butler</span></a> purchased Naugles in 1979 when the chain consisted of three restaurants. Butler built Naugles up to 225 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurants" title="Restaurants"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">restaurants</span></a> by 1986, when he sold the chain to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Collins_Food_International&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Collins Food International (page does not exist)"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Collins Food International</span></a>. Naugles merged with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Taco" title="Del Taco"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Del Taco</span></a> in 1988. A few of the Naugles menu items, such as those with the "Macho" designation, found their way into the regular Del Taco menu. Also, the Naugles Taco Sandwich (Del Taco called it a "bun taco") can still be ordered from Del Taco even though it does not appear listed on the menu. A few independent franchises kept the Naugles name until 1995.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Email Del Taco and tell them to bring Naugles Restaurants back!! I contacted Del Taco to inquire about a Naugles return. I’ll have the results in another blog after they get back with me. </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBqm032S_XfjIcg76u1B0StL6BAAmDy4wFRx5jJv0wU5mTOZHFDXOsNS1Zuw564fJOHPIxFSuEycFROuPhfQEu3nmejXaNQDJphO7ApHdg5Ld6Ugb67oUafA8gDztrAfwn53BU2duK9M/s1600/naugles+pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBqm032S_XfjIcg76u1B0StL6BAAmDy4wFRx5jJv0wU5mTOZHFDXOsNS1Zuw564fJOHPIxFSuEycFROuPhfQEu3nmejXaNQDJphO7ApHdg5Ld6Ugb67oUafA8gDztrAfwn53BU2duK9M/s200/naugles+pin.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">NAUGLES FANS:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> I know many of you dudes have Naugles stories that we all want to hear! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tell us your favorite Naugles story. What was your favorite Naugles Menu item? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where was your Naugles hangout? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><strong>Also: Facebook is looking to remove or archive the Naugles Fan Page. Say NO to FB, keep the page alive! Naugles Run!!!</strong></em></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Keith Poletiek is the creator of Dude and Dude, a nationally produced comic strip distributed by United Feature Syndicate and seen daily on </span><a href="http://www.comics.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">www.Comics.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Follow Keith and Dude and Dude on Facebook.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.comics.com/dude_and_dude">Dude and Dude Daily Online Comic Strip by Keith Poletiek</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287">Dude and Dude Facebook Page</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/keith.poletiek">Keith Poletiek on Facebook</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-28387737419197214892011-05-03T10:53:00.000-07:002011-05-03T10:53:40.221-07:001986 OP Pro Riot at Huntington...Dude, I was there!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu99ZIkYLhGJEWIT3xX-LPZxNkfQHxqb_oSIRujzhtnATU4Rq7mbwyzcAdwHJy9-6L16BGoj_9Oj6_frBJ4AlzI_3cooO0odQouxEzbRfYZOzpcS1VLfry9qd6fQKWvKQwZoCuTvZPp-8/s1600/riot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu99ZIkYLhGJEWIT3xX-LPZxNkfQHxqb_oSIRujzhtnATU4Rq7mbwyzcAdwHJy9-6L16BGoj_9Oj6_frBJ4AlzI_3cooO0odQouxEzbRfYZOzpcS1VLfry9qd6fQKWvKQwZoCuTvZPp-8/s400/riot.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As a kid, the Op Pro Surf Contest in Huntington Beach (my hometown) was always a WILD event to attend for all of us. But, in 1986 it went from an event to a full blown RIOT! In the seventies, young beach kids from my neighborhood would flock to the Op Pro! It was an awesome chance to see our favorite surfers up close and watch them rip it up. We only saw snapshots of them in magazines otherwise! I was luckier than most kids when it came to seeing all the action. Most people had to hang out and watch from the bleacher on the sand, or be at the beginning of the pier looking out or at the end of the pier looking back. The prime location was near the lifeguard tower at the middle of the pier, but that place was saved for VIP's only. Or, for a young grommet like me and a couple of friends who were tight with the head of Parks and Rec - who gave us passes every year to go wherever we wanted. Dude, we were hooked up! We would stand for hours, hanging over the rail just below the tower and cheer for pros right in the waves below us. David Nuuhiwa, was my idol at the time. I even had Dyno David Nuuhiva Surfboard that I couldn't surf because it was too short and too fast for me. Everyone wanted to buy it off me. No way, dudes!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsFCHSSVecmevmmjHfBhid8FLh3OPmFR0XfdqFU7XTbkz1l-esHcKGTy_WCl2bOEwXLMQJS5WJd4HV1046U5OHqinosTEqAJcH_V9rSSTBSpLblLXpWUETOjsh3HfJDRA5_YvmcZZc4o/s1600/huntington-beach-us-open-pier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsFCHSSVecmevmmjHfBhid8FLh3OPmFR0XfdqFU7XTbkz1l-esHcKGTy_WCl2bOEwXLMQJS5WJd4HV1046U5OHqinosTEqAJcH_V9rSSTBSpLblLXpWUETOjsh3HfJDRA5_YvmcZZc4o/s200/huntington-beach-us-open-pier.jpg" width="200px" /></a>I watched as the Op Pro swelled with people every year, and the numbers did tend to get out of control. Then there were sponser changes, I grew older, I went off to college, got married and didn't make the scene for years. I even lived "inland" because of my job location. I should have stayed at the beach and commutted for sure. Once you have that salt air in your system, it's hard to get rid of. I'm back in Huntington Beach now...Amen!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaE8Qj8DaDhm_3Ah9GJ-QBrDa9X5y3XNe0vCKP1KXocwGdmwLsE-RBbOJ9W0YiQu6EyyARJNRdbZW7w9NKheWlW1SKNX6_5XQJxlNF6hcCjJjgayy7ItGW1wOsPiVw1iZL1rK1PJjBQIA/s1600/HB+Black+%2526+White+Woodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaE8Qj8DaDhm_3Ah9GJ-QBrDa9X5y3XNe0vCKP1KXocwGdmwLsE-RBbOJ9W0YiQu6EyyARJNRdbZW7w9NKheWlW1SKNX6_5XQJxlNF6hcCjJjgayy7ItGW1wOsPiVw1iZL1rK1PJjBQIA/s200/HB+Black+%2526+White+Woodie.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>In 1986, my newlywed wife and I decided to brave the Op Pro once again. It had been a long absence. Too long! My wife's family had a friend who owned a home on PCH right next to the Wind and Sea surf shop and he was hosting an open house if we'd like to come down....Yes!<br />
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We watched some great surfing. Watched the crowd grow. Felt the heat rise. Then headed back to get some food. My wife wasn't interested in staying for the Miss Op Pro Contest, and for the first time ever, either was I. Marriage will do that to you!<br />
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The rest of the event, and that whole day, is still kind of a blur. From inside the house we could hear people shouting, then screaming, then running by the house in panic. Someone ran upand yelled, "It's all kinds of crazy at the pier! It's a riot and it's out of control!"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx83Kfc6VUC7QWRAxEUyJtDc-IsOp0uceiorfdwy6HO82KjAV3eM5jn8zwaiuvU0oBY2JTAUaEsypwvjlPLKTJ4E0YdGHSS4k3j_vq3dRu8L5rnvj7TFKeUbL-IRksHFKPoprw0V4azn8/s1600/riot2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx83Kfc6VUC7QWRAxEUyJtDc-IsOp0uceiorfdwy6HO82KjAV3eM5jn8zwaiuvU0oBY2JTAUaEsypwvjlPLKTJ4E0YdGHSS4k3j_vq3dRu8L5rnvj7TFKeUbL-IRksHFKPoprw0V4azn8/s320/riot2.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Though the stories differ from one person to another, the best analogy we gathered was that some girls on the pier decided to show the crowd that their racks were just as hot as the Miss Op chicks, who were getting all the attention, so they flashed everyone. The crowd called for more and the girls responded until the police decided to put a stop to it, and when they did, the crowd decided to put a stop to the police for putiing a stop to the show and "Boom" it all went crazy!<br />
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I watched in horror as people fought police and lifeguards, police cars and ATVs were turned upside down and lit on fire. Bottles flew over the house I was in, breaking on the asphault and on cars in the parking lot. People pushed one way, then riot police with shields push the other way. I've only been scared a few times like this in my life! Thank God the crowd didn't decide to trash our house and our cars. Some dude walked up to me and said, "Do you have a band-aid, man. I cut my foot on broken glass." His foot had a 3 inch slice that almost went to the bone!<br />
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"Dude, you need more than a band-aid! Get to the hospital!"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkoSoPwKdlWDMzi4-Dl-kRaxhXZm2JQqaoHbKU7jZvDViBb4_Xnq_ARDpOSR2U7RUz2Tlv9eyvhMzogXmNg3S7rMFX1prPcvgpjGph2rwlNZQmsLxGHLO21YYuBLzIuTlue-5AZEQvjE/s1600/surfer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkoSoPwKdlWDMzi4-Dl-kRaxhXZm2JQqaoHbKU7jZvDViBb4_Xnq_ARDpOSR2U7RUz2Tlv9eyvhMzogXmNg3S7rMFX1prPcvgpjGph2rwlNZQmsLxGHLO21YYuBLzIuTlue-5AZEQvjE/s200/surfer.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>Believe it or not, while all this was going on, there was still a surf contest happening! Here's a trivia question? Who won? I think it was Occy, but I'm not sure! Not many people cared! "Live now, surf later!"<br />
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Arrests were made. The contest was cancelled for awhile. New rules were put in effect. I believe the Miss Op Contest went away, and I was left with an incredible surfing memory that is still talked about today, and still makes me say...dude!<br />
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Where were you Labor Day, 1986? Were you there? What do you remember?....Dude, we'd all like to know!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Keith Poletiek is the creator of the Dude and Dude comic strip. A daily cartoon distributed by United Feature Syndicate and seen on the web at </span><a href="http://www.comics.com/dude_and_dude"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.Comics.com/dude_and_dude</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Sign up and receive your "daily dose of dude" each day along other great comic strips on your own personal comic page email.</span><br />
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Contact Keith: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
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Dude and Dude: <a href="http://www.comics.com/dude_and_dude">www.Comics.com/dude_and_dude</a><br />
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</div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-88330979327814501092011-04-19T16:26:00.000-07:002011-04-19T20:09:45.098-07:00Surfer Steve and Hank Cutter Join "Dude and Dude"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFFAG3HxouU6LnpJ_cXkMKxAu59ySuxwqZEqvOuNuVza0Nr_TC4gjJLJax9Wgt6MVNOiESnZKcvfayYwyMSWOupYV_3_LsUBwh7wrT79eH-7IUpl3oQ63eBS24Tar8Go9bEgOyIjwjU4/s1600/Dude+and+Dude+Color+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFFAG3HxouU6LnpJ_cXkMKxAu59ySuxwqZEqvOuNuVza0Nr_TC4gjJLJax9Wgt6MVNOiESnZKcvfayYwyMSWOupYV_3_LsUBwh7wrT79eH-7IUpl3oQ63eBS24Tar8Go9bEgOyIjwjU4/s200/Dude+and+Dude+Color+Logo.png" width="200px" /></a></div>Writing and cartooning Dude and Dude, the comic strip, has given me a fun outlet to create a community where two guys (dudes) can live, think, explore and enjoy life. <br />
How much do they resemble my past? <br />
What part of them is a good representation of my present?"<br />
All the good parts," is what I'd like to say.<br />
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But, unfortunately, most of their mishaps; their poor attempts to impress the ladies, their longing to appear younger, hipper and cooler to their peers, and to this new, emerging generation, parallels much of what I battled with at age twenty-three...and still wrestle with today.<br />
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As humorous (I hope) as they are, they would not be nearly as funny if it weren't for the bizarre group of people I have surrounded them with in Beachtown, USA. A mixed bag of nuts for sure.<br />
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With nuts in mind; two characters I am looking forward to introducing more are Surfer Steve and Hank Cutter. They represent key people we all seem to run into in our lives - whether we choose to or not.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVomx_Z7wOJ2qeOOI-9mX3h0Sd9Hyh-N8Fg9iigepQ5bSbm5Rp7n8YtqaZCKZmfrv9f53J2-wa4AFd8mxeRZ6_BGm3s9hABnH1rt5LTJlxATRDcQKgSlsJjDI9qtFNZJ-L1_xWPyyJvA/s1600/Surfer+Steve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVomx_Z7wOJ2qeOOI-9mX3h0Sd9Hyh-N8Fg9iigepQ5bSbm5Rp7n8YtqaZCKZmfrv9f53J2-wa4AFd8mxeRZ6_BGm3s9hABnH1rt5LTJlxATRDcQKgSlsJjDI9qtFNZJ-L1_xWPyyJvA/s200/Surfer+Steve.jpg" width="174px" /></a></div>Surfer Steve, though he has appeared in earlier strips, will be playing a bigger role in the future of Dude and Dude because he carries with him flashbacks of the 80's and 90's, a time when I began to seriously think about the direction for my life - including the possibility of life as a cartoonist. <br />
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He is also an ex-Pro Surfer ( the ultimatedream) who partied himself into what would appear to be a less than glamorous lifestyle. But, he is at peace with himself, we think. <br />
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I pass by a large group of "Old Souls" nearly everyday. Surfers who gather to surf for a few minutes and then talk for hours about the past, about life, about that killer 8 foot set they conquered, and about anything that makes them laugh and say, "Dude, I know what you mean!"<br />
I'm not sure many, if anybody, knows exactly what Surfer Steve is ever talking about when he speaks; but he does, and that's fine with him, and whoever else is in his head. Some say he's a wise guru, others - a loon.<br />
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Hank Cutter, the newly appointed Captain of the Lifeguards at Beachtown, represents all the pretty boys who took our woman, and our self-esteem, every weekend with their muscles, their confidence and their fake charm. Hank's ego is almost as big as his biceps, and the Dudes thought they were rid of this gas-bag from their high school days until he walked into Simmer Down Coffee Shack, where the Dudes work, and announced that he was back in town, incharge of their beach, two percent body fat and that chicks still dig him. A blast of hot air that bellows as loud or louder than it did in years past and, unfortunately - rings with truth. It took Hank all of two minutes to line up a date with Dude's number one hopeful, Tina....dude!<br />
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Check out Dude and Dude the comic strip at <a href="http://www.comics.com/dude_and_dude">www.Comics.com/dude_and_dude</a> and give me some feedback about the community we are creating here. Sign up there to receive Dude and Dude by email everyday and get your "Daily Dose of Dude." Vote each day and Comment with other dudes. Let me know what characters from your past, or present, need to meet the Dudes! Join our Facebook community, that has just begun, by a LIKE at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287?sk=wall">Dude and Dude on Facebook</a><br />
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Peace, Love, Dude!<br />
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<a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-57651896089323929142011-04-06T09:30:00.000-07:002011-04-06T09:30:26.366-07:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 5 - Larry "Rubberman" Bertlemann<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-CcAuPaTKBQDeOGFAnx9jxT3uoyavEexuulLqDh5JYxHsJE8CFX52LoHcxRoWcyZVw5Zrhe5Max-vI_9dy10ymtMyP_RTmLJLE3DmvV9ZzvZiFfNFOAr0Xz-HsChiMWv7_g8As_xJX4/s1600/bert+lip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-CcAuPaTKBQDeOGFAnx9jxT3uoyavEexuulLqDh5JYxHsJE8CFX52LoHcxRoWcyZVw5Zrhe5Max-vI_9dy10ymtMyP_RTmLJLE3DmvV9ZzvZiFfNFOAr0Xz-HsChiMWv7_g8As_xJX4/s320/bert+lip.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>I was about 12 years old when I and some buddies were riding our bikes down to the <a href="http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_America/USA/California/Orange_County/newport_beach_river_jetties/">river jetties</a> (the most consistent spot to surf in Newport Beach, CA) to check out the surf action. In those days (the early 70's) the short board had just arriving on the scene, although most surfers were still riding larger or mid-size boards. Back then attempting to mimic more of a Gerry Lopez style of surfing - being more in harmony with the wave was more popular. Kind of like a team, rider and water, working together to create a sense of oneness.<br />
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Well on this summer morning, some DUDE was breaking all those rules. In fact, this guy wasn't into peace and harmony with water at all, this dude was going out of his way to cut each wave he caught into pieces. This wasn't oneness, this was man versus beast, and MAN was winning. All of us on the shore just stood there watching this guy, and we ooh'ed and ahh'ed at every maneuver he did to continue his assault on one unsuspecting wave after another. He shot upward, forward, backward, downward, slicing the bottom of the wave with a violent slash, then tearing the lip off the wave with a powerful rising burst.<br />
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"Who is this guy" we shouted? He was hawaiian looking for sure with two distict features I remember; a stronger build than most of the slimmer surfers in the water, which gave him the strength to do what he was doing to each wave he attacked, and a giant, unforgettable, and awesome, brown fro so intimidating that even the ocean water couldn't knock it down on his head, or tame it.<br />
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Then someone shouted, "It's Bertlemann!"<br />
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"Whoa, Bertlemann ( I still use that same expression when I think of him today)!" This was the guy who in my estimation single-handedly changed the way surfing was done back then, at least for me and all my friends, and he was here in our backyard! This guy was the best, and that's why he makes my Awesome Dude Series for sure...dude!!<br />
His full name, Larry Bertlemann. His nickname, "Rubberman"! Why? Because he could turn himself and his body in such obscure directions while riding that you thought at times, "That's not possible! No one with a skeleton could ever bend like that!" But Larry could and he did; and he changed the way an entire generation of surfers surfed. Out went the longer boards and in came the short boards. Out went one fin and in came boards with twin fins, tri fins, whatever it took to be able to maneuver a surfboard on water in any direction desired, and all being done so someone could say they pulled a "Bertlemann!" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFlB0yVWzuQ">Larry Bertlemann Footage</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVGeBAHfTVJmCVqjF3rLq-pLrj0v4lfloR2IxuLsLOk1m78d42bUQksgCCwdtUuLHij29cmmH6dvV_t37Kgo3x-PEbhFbecSdUTix9lFKDifQx-fSyTPUk8EKD-bLXoHXhz_68tJuQcw/s1600/bertlemann+skate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVGeBAHfTVJmCVqjF3rLq-pLrj0v4lfloR2IxuLsLOk1m78d42bUQksgCCwdtUuLHij29cmmH6dvV_t37Kgo3x-PEbhFbecSdUTix9lFKDifQx-fSyTPUk8EKD-bLXoHXhz_68tJuQcw/s200/bertlemann+skate.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>There were two defining factors that made Larry surf the way he did. One: As a youth he found a 9'6" board in the bushes near his home, and he surfed it night and day until one day when he snapped it in two. Instead of chucking it, he took the smaller front of the board, glassed a fin on it, turned it backwards and "tada" the short board, for him, was born. Two: Larry was an avid skateboarder and longed to attempt the maneuvers he could pull off on land in the water. This new short board finally made that possible and so he would invision himself skateboarding while attacking waves. His moves were so influencial, that even in the 2001 Award-winning documentary Dogtown and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephyr_skateboard_team">Z-Boys</a>, with legendary skaters Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta and Jay Adams referred to their slide-out turns as "Berts."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtac1DvTjojk5WVehJU16j8CZ2bPBqaKZU5S4UaxiXBlDQ_PWwryVOqurCswlwJiVexEvKlK6vQNPQJh274l-6ghgO2150H9p5UBiterubVkkjeWCts82mlT6OB980yKavLpC3ER7FfSM/s1600/bert+surfer+mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtac1DvTjojk5WVehJU16j8CZ2bPBqaKZU5S4UaxiXBlDQ_PWwryVOqurCswlwJiVexEvKlK6vQNPQJh274l-6ghgO2150H9p5UBiterubVkkjeWCts82mlT6OB980yKavLpC3ER7FfSM/s200/bert+surfer+mag.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>Though he didn't dig the competitive side of surfing much, he knew that was where the money was and so he turned pro and finished in the Top 16 in 1976 & 1979. He also was seen on 9 cover shots for surf magazines between 1974-1984 (most by any surfer), and the endorsements came in which not only made him not only a household name to surfers everywhere, but also very rich (Sponsors included Op, Toyota, United Airlines, Southwest Air).<br />
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Another thing that truly makes him a "Dude" is that in 1980, at the peak of his popularity and success, he vanished off the surf radar. Rumors of where he might be fluctuated throughout the surfing community, with no one actually sure where he was, or if he was even alive.<br />
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He was alive alright, hiding out in Florida, surfing in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Rio and being a totally, kickback, don't hassle me, "Where can I get a good fish taco?," Dude!<br />
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Today, he continues to shape surfboards and skateboards, having contracts with Rebel Boards and Santa Cruz. He also continues to get in the water and surf, but does more "cruising" than "slashing." I can't picture that! The most progressive surfer of our time will never just ride waves, he will always own them...dude!<br />
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Who's your surfing legend?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Keith Poletiek is the creator of "Dude and Dude," a daily comic strip distributed throughout the nation by United Feature Syndicate. Check out Dude and Dude at</span><br />
<a href="http://www.comics.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.Comics.com</span></a><br />
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<a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287?sk=wall">Dude and Dude on Facebook</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/keith.poletiek">Keith Poletiek on Facebook</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-76056167560005530062011-03-25T17:05:00.000-07:002011-03-26T09:33:53.570-07:00Inside SIMMER DOWN COFFEE SHACK<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhot-Sw3FopCf0ktJ8500glDRyf93EyG6vfBGGswGDylAdntCzCOfGMgWMLsK1W-0lLfB8_HaKOwymqZTj7zJT44iR0oIsGwSFDk7H7swYiE5OfYP6L9rkc_1FQzMSlG5QG87tm5ZaxB6A/s1600/Dude%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" r5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhot-Sw3FopCf0ktJ8500glDRyf93EyG6vfBGGswGDylAdntCzCOfGMgWMLsK1W-0lLfB8_HaKOwymqZTj7zJT44iR0oIsGwSFDk7H7swYiE5OfYP6L9rkc_1FQzMSlG5QG87tm5ZaxB6A/s320/Dude%2521.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dude!...Dude and Dude have had to give in to the "Man" and seek jobbage to help fund their new, independent lifestyle. Bummer! Recycling bottles and cans, and walking dogs, were providing all the "Fish Taco Fundage" needed before; but with their new pad, and a need to meet and impress chicks, more income is now required.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Fortunately, they stumbled into a start up business on a corner of their beach, SIMMER DOWN COFFEE SHACK. A cool new coffee hangout owned by laidback Mr. Perkins, an attorney who sold his practice for the stress-free life of having a cool hangout away from the courtroom and near the sand. For Dude and Dude fans: Here is a breakdown of their new employment "digs" where they now wear the title of baristas; a name they dispise. As they put it, "Baristas? We don't want to wear frilly dresses and dance on tables? We just want to serve coffee!" If they don't know the correct term for today's coffee maker, I imagine the coffee is below average for sure...dude.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">SIMMER DOWN COFFEE SHACK</span><br />
1.<strong> <span style="color: yellow;">LOGO:</span></strong> Not only a great look, but a well thought out tool for marketing T-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads and anything else I think you'll buy! :)</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>MR. PERKINS:</strong></span> Don't let the name fool you. He knows as much about coffee as the Dudes do. He's looking for others to do all the heavy lifting for him from now on. Hiring Dude and Dude may not provide the laidback lifestyle he's looking for, but he enjoys a good laugh! The Dudes are all that and a good law suit waiting to happen. This ex-attorney just might be called back into service!</div>3. <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>DUDE & DUDE:</strong></span> Two baristas in over their heads, but backed into a financial corner, where, unfortunately, employment seems their only escape. <br />
"Working for the man...Drag City!" <br />
They aren't, however, looking for advancement, management, bennies or a company car. Just enough fundage to support their fish taco fetish, pay for their new digs, and impress the ladies - if they don't accidently poison someone first.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>CUSTOMERS:</strong></span> This will continue to be a barrage of over-worked, stressed out, "Got to have my morning cup or I'll kill someone!" people. Anybody, from local business people to tourists passing through all have an equal chance of being the butt of high comedy. <br />
<em>Side Note: If you're a good friend of mine, and you see a character that resembles you getting used and abused...it was a mere coincidence!</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5. <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>COFFEE STUFF:</strong></span> All just a great mystery to the Dudes who are learning on the fly. Put some stuff in, pull a lever, turn a handle and hope the drinker doesn't drop dead, at least until they are outside the establishment. It's all really just smoke and mirrors to them. They don't understand how these machines can make a beverage that soothes the savage beast, but they're glad they do, and if they don't, they'll slip in a little something extra.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6. <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>TEAS:</strong></span> The mellowing agent of the Coffee House world. They push this stuff like crack to a junkie. Their goal is a mellow atmosphere, and a strong tea concoction can stop a rhino in his tracks! My favorite (small print) is Emp-Tea, which runs $0.00 a cup.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">7. <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>NEVILLE:</strong></span> Mr. Perkins son. A wise cracking, sarcastic thorn in the side of the two Dudes. Being the owner's son gives you certain priviledges. Being hired by dad to deliver coffee orders locally puts him in direct contact, and harm's way, with the Dudes. A rich kid with attitude and a quick wit. I'm afraid the Dudes have no chance, and Neville knows it!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8: <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>OFFICE:</strong></span> The main place of escape where Mr. Perkins spends most of his time, only peaking out occasionally to make sure the Dudes haven't burnt the place to the ground or left the door unlocked and the cash register unattended. A quiet haven...for now.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">9: <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>HANG:</strong></span> The kickback lounge at the front of the shack where people relax, mingle and blow off the stress of the day. It's also a great place for the Dudes to make their moves on the ladies. If only they had some moves.<br />
10:<strong> <span style="color: yellow;">THE COUNTER:</span> </strong>This acts as a buffer between disgruntled customers. It also doubles as a hide away to catch up on some much needed sleepage!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">11: <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>TIP JAR:</strong></span> Never a huge return at the end of the day. Tips are based on level of service and the quality of the product. Nuff said.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">12: <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>NO SHOES, NO PROBLEM:</strong></span> Remember this is a beach community where footwear is optional. Simmer Down is a "Come as you are as long as you leave when you're asked" establishment. No Shoes, No Shirts, No Hangups, No Bothering Mr. Perkins, No Promises on Food Poisoning.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">13: <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>LEGAL STUFF:</strong></span> Be sure to Register at <a href="http://www.comics.com/">http://www.comics.com/</a> and sign up to have Dude and Dude emailed to you everyday. Become part of the D&D Community on the Dude and Dude FB site. Keep up on what's going down in their lives.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">14: <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>VANITY</strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/keith.poletiek">Keith Poletiek</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/keith.poletiek#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287?sk=wall">Dude and Dude</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/">http://www.keithpoletiek.com/</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://dude%20and%20dude%20on%20yahoo.com/">Dude and Dude on Yahoo.com</a></div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-90486857243434445572011-03-15T10:36:00.000-07:002011-03-16T10:38:01.999-07:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 4 - X-GAMES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnHaYwXcaTighILZECnT6fZiPf0_7Qb1UDEJcRFGAV1AtWdbR6-6ddWGnFv4CPLH1isBtq6pjE5u43n24iuYT1txFdWbDQp3M0eo7orxWEoF9L69mcIHUWZWS5y3xQvUe1ZHy9qHWy9A/s1600/x_games_bmx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnHaYwXcaTighILZECnT6fZiPf0_7Qb1UDEJcRFGAV1AtWdbR6-6ddWGnFv4CPLH1isBtq6pjE5u43n24iuYT1txFdWbDQp3M0eo7orxWEoF9L69mcIHUWZWS5y3xQvUe1ZHy9qHWy9A/s200/x_games_bmx.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>When an entire competition has you watching people do the most amazing, death-defying fetes - because they dig living on the edge - and you find yourself staring at the Tv and saying "Dude!" over and over again...then that competition, to me, is a Dude!<br />
Yes, I'm giving the entire X-GAMES, Winter and Summer, Dude status! A tribute to an all-in-one group of people who have taken their sport to the ultimate extreme...and then come back each year with even more!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVtlO6vuaKSCKZLoZwhFA22vFNwM-k84DcUoIp7Oc2yLDOEdd9_xPZA2RK3mIZsaYpMPCZQJQN34VfYMAxiresk_g1bNrih9F2w7-_ApN34of3NC_2Dr2RbrYB0RBiyhDqz_Dayh5tMU/s1600/snowmobile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVtlO6vuaKSCKZLoZwhFA22vFNwM-k84DcUoIp7Oc2yLDOEdd9_xPZA2RK3mIZsaYpMPCZQJQN34VfYMAxiresk_g1bNrih9F2w7-_ApN34of3NC_2Dr2RbrYB0RBiyhDqz_Dayh5tMU/s200/snowmobile.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>If I had to made all of you "Dudes" that make up the X-GAMES individually, I'd be sending out blogs forever. <br />
From skateboarders attempting tricks on ramps the size of mountains, to motorcycle dudes flying fifty feet in air hanging off the back of their bikes attempting to look like (and probably think they are) Superman, to flips on snowmobiles, cars that don't much care how they get there, just as long as they get there fast, and having that scary feeling that someone's not leaving here alive....It's all one big, over the top, outraegeous, glad you want to do it and not me, DUDE!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIPYWmAosQpmzSuLO7waYyydVY3hRKSeh6iyhQr-FhizuKHq3LhOsPDc2MWoax94l1q1Pl3xTYDXHqcYqrX85gEwhK-CquIDLg0j6yITyTpQcQ3Kpdo6DyjLRRxjz8nzN79c9dgV7hwI/s1600/X-Games-Wrap-Up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIPYWmAosQpmzSuLO7waYyydVY3hRKSeh6iyhQr-FhizuKHq3LhOsPDc2MWoax94l1q1Pl3xTYDXHqcYqrX85gEwhK-CquIDLg0j6yITyTpQcQ3Kpdo6DyjLRRxjz8nzN79c9dgV7hwI/s200/X-Games-Wrap-Up.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>I mean how high can a "Flying Tomato" go before he leaves the Earth's atmosphere?....Dude!<br />
And then there are the WIPEOUTS! The attempts that just don't quite exceed, or miss badly! When someone has to be taken away by stretcher, don't you stop what you're doing and send everyone home? Not these dude. They whisper, "Bummer!" under their breath and then step up to the ramp for their turn to avoid killing themselves...again I say, Dude!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCoYyMQ1vaIoPLl4j-3gAU63EPHY031v-rOGSMDXP3Y9YuJrp6ASUqntW_px4PJ4QPqMEjjvqBofdLLbmI3-Ftii2xSddWceRmo1O63sIgu9JPMVkDMw6wm6rm_J77iVRMtTX3WeZwCA/s1600/xgames+car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCoYyMQ1vaIoPLl4j-3gAU63EPHY031v-rOGSMDXP3Y9YuJrp6ASUqntW_px4PJ4QPqMEjjvqBofdLLbmI3-Ftii2xSddWceRmo1O63sIgu9JPMVkDMw6wm6rm_J77iVRMtTX3WeZwCA/s200/xgames+car.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Here's to all of you thrill-seeker, dudes who only want to breathe "Big Air!" You humble us, entertain us, inspire us and makes us want to be like you! You are all total Dudes!<br />
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Share your favorite X-GAME moment! Tony's 1080? The first motorcycle back flip? Who was that guy?<br />
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Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
Website: <a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/">http://www.keithpoletiek.com/</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/keith.poletiek">keith poletiek</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287?ref=ts#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287?sk=wall">Dude and Dude</a><br />
Dude and Dude: <a href="http://comics.com/dude_and_dude/">Dude and Dude Comics on Comics.com</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-57606572956081971532011-03-04T09:11:00.000-08:002011-03-04T09:11:10.910-08:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 3 - Joe Cool & Charles Schultz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6-LdVYvsl087Bpx7-gFxihqSSh0-WnbTeO5rWH7pP1Gi7kB29GLsIJ9vyfcWRQSBGqFGKM9fypcKk1K1J-MIabafmrF8bbfnmweNLV3jSTWudQ8MMGAsHg9mxsVT62YQ-dCwzosVAJw/s1600/snoopy-joe-cool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6-LdVYvsl087Bpx7-gFxihqSSh0-WnbTeO5rWH7pP1Gi7kB29GLsIJ9vyfcWRQSBGqFGKM9fypcKk1K1J-MIabafmrF8bbfnmweNLV3jSTWudQ8MMGAsHg9mxsVT62YQ-dCwzosVAJw/s200/snoopy-joe-cool.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>Dude, is there anybody cooler than Snoopy when it comes to comic heroes? No!<br />
<br />
And when Snoopy takes the personna of "Joe Cool", it fit like a baseball glove on Good ol' Charlie Brown's hand. Actually, that's not a great analogy, because Chuck's glove was repeatedly knocked off of him, along with most of his clothes, by a screaming line drive fired back at him on the pitcher's mound.<br />
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As a kid, I wanted to Snoopy to be real! I couldn't get enough of him. I read every comic in the newspaper, bought every new Peanuts paperback book (the day it came out), and planned my holiday schedule around which Charlie Brown special would be showing that season. Snoopy, owned many of the great scenes in those holiday classics. <br />
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Snoopy, alias The World War One Flying Ace, alias Joe Cool is, and always will be a "Dude!"<br />
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That makes this Awesome Dude Series choice kind of a two-for-one, because if you're going to make Snoopy a dude, you have to make his creator one also. Joe Cool could only have been drempt up and conceived from the mind of a total dude; so Charles Schultz was, is, and forever will be a dude also.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUDOIwrgSVpGSMF_lznO4NvK5vYu72ElzIGnf0f5VuGIdDZSE_CJkMouAb-Mj_IGWAA4gvIhDoIqqePzyz2AvzzS6MRR5CgB8lOE_LAGN5CfJjNAiSGhxyTp2HvdcF4I8yN2qmb0903M/s1600/charles+schultz.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUDOIwrgSVpGSMF_lznO4NvK5vYu72ElzIGnf0f5VuGIdDZSE_CJkMouAb-Mj_IGWAA4gvIhDoIqqePzyz2AvzzS6MRR5CgB8lOE_LAGN5CfJjNAiSGhxyTp2HvdcF4I8yN2qmb0903M/s200/charles+schultz.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>Of all the "Dudes" in history, Charles Schultz is one I would have liked to have met and spent time with. Just hanging out in his studio, watching him create his unforgettable characters, and, at the same time, creating a lifestyle that allowed him to express himself in his own way. He set his own daily schedule, he worked at his own pace and relax when he wanted to relax...dude. That's the total definition of the "Dude" lifestyle!He was also banking more money than most doctors were pulling in the 60's. Can you say, "Fish Tacos for Everyone!" <br />
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Charles Schultz and "Joe Cool" might just be the original "Dude and Dude!" They have totally been an influence on my approach to cartooning, my "Dude and Dude" comic, and the way I'd like to see my lifestyle to be. I don't need a doctor's income, just enough fundage to live at dude status. I do hope my "Dude and Dude" end up somewhat as cool as these two dudes!<br />
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Who are your favorite dudes from history? Let me know! Every new dude I meet, make my day better!<br />
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Check out my 2 dudes "Dude and Dude" at <a href="http://comics.com/dude_and_dude/">Comics.com - Dude and Dude</a><br />
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Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
Website: <a href="http://www.keithpoletiek.com/">http://www.keithpoletiek.com/</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/keith.poletiek">Keith Poletiek</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287?sk=wall">Dude and Dude</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-47486142769700383212011-02-16T11:50:00.000-08:002011-02-28T11:21:37.451-08:00The "Dude and Dude" Studio (The Dude-io!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwH368K-1E9PFE2qAQI5KJ0q1MZ-UaulmZZw8ZdnVXycIS-OL6HmvYjuHAvWzMV4snXEnHfyPiqDg45xan-_sHWdypTjAKkwmqs31ZKJV-KKb4hga8HLij0GWqryjQZBpawX8oQ4kI1os/s1600/office+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwH368K-1E9PFE2qAQI5KJ0q1MZ-UaulmZZw8ZdnVXycIS-OL6HmvYjuHAvWzMV4snXEnHfyPiqDg45xan-_sHWdypTjAKkwmqs31ZKJV-KKb4hga8HLij0GWqryjQZBpawX8oQ4kI1os/s320/office+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Dudes have been asking, so...here it is, </div>the <span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Dude-io"</span></span> <br />
This is where most of the drawing, creating, preparing and sending of my <em>"Dude and Dude"</em> comic strip ( <a href="http://comics.com/dude_and_dude/">Dude and Dude at Comics.com</a> ) happens. <br />
A small, little studio/office in Orange County, CA (The OC). It is actually my office for the camp I work as Marketing Director for (the camp I grew up going to), so <em>Dude and Dude time</em> is in the off hours and weekends!<br />
The pics aren't great because I shot them with my non-Smart phone. I apologize, I haven't moved into the world of using a phone for everything but calling someone yet!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHqbP_edWucoh3JRVs1qfiRJTw-FL9zTmBW-1Nftny0TP9Gpe228mikP5qDXVoW2mLYGuG-ngtrRajkCiqCPST-xpbuyuBgWjXiF1F46LFvPgTP8HuNkHTVnh7HjUZ2-VgbCmLM0LG4c/s1600/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHqbP_edWucoh3JRVs1qfiRJTw-FL9zTmBW-1Nftny0TP9Gpe228mikP5qDXVoW2mLYGuG-ngtrRajkCiqCPST-xpbuyuBgWjXiF1F46LFvPgTP8HuNkHTVnh7HjUZ2-VgbCmLM0LG4c/s200/books.jpg" width="200" /></a>You also see bits and pieces of my writing and speaking career, mixed in with my likes and hobbies. But, my favorite spot is "The Chair" (dude, awesome chair!), where I sit, think, relax and fall asleep trying to conjure up the daily cartoon concepts that will hopefully keep <em>Dude and Dude</em> relevant, entertaining and funny! Heavy emphasis on the "funny"! I'm sure as soon as it isn't, or if it isn't to you, you'll let me know!</div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcpKlwG6ISW-UMv74yC2SzUeRXtOHAAZFNRdalIk6ETWUsE2CE3X78kb5z5wA_WKXfMozgU91wOyf0OcLjuGeaXW9UL7s-qFGPcwYE_JGhR3x_BlgD88D_1DhvAOq19rBrJ-Gyl8Cn_4/s1600/relax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcpKlwG6ISW-UMv74yC2SzUeRXtOHAAZFNRdalIk6ETWUsE2CE3X78kb5z5wA_WKXfMozgU91wOyf0OcLjuGeaXW9UL7s-qFGPcwYE_JGhR3x_BlgD88D_1DhvAOq19rBrJ-Gyl8Cn_4/s200/relax.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> Fans have asked if I prepare my comics differently from other cartoonists because the colors seem more vibrant and backgrounds tend to be repetive and similiar. You dudes are sharp!<br />
Because I wear so many (too many) hats, my cartoons are prepared in a less conventional way compared to most daily cartoonists, whose work pays all their bills. They have the time to, and luxery of hand drawing the majority of their work, where I must settle for reusing characters and backgrounds from a preserved library that floats around the edges of each new cartoon, just waiting to be called into action.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2imxLp_Ni2BUHGr6jPrjwS2ful6bv7UAwsPNvsMgdgZEb8sKHsE418P_maW6whBt9YhBd_XLsJVKB1XxkURQgd99YyrgT9mOZtf1UbeUWbkSah7bMnXc-a9sNf6_QJyYqd3_lWHqQIVc/s1600/dd+bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2imxLp_Ni2BUHGr6jPrjwS2ful6bv7UAwsPNvsMgdgZEb8sKHsE418P_maW6whBt9YhBd_XLsJVKB1XxkURQgd99YyrgT9mOZtf1UbeUWbkSah7bMnXc-a9sNf6_QJyYqd3_lWHqQIVc/s400/dd+bw.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Trust me, every new character, setting, background, building, piece of furniture, coffee mug, etc., at one point, is either hand drawn or created in a computer graphics program by me. I'm not that far removed from the fact that I am a cartoonist. I'm just using what's out there to save time right now.<br />
If you fans decide to make <em>Dude and Dude</em> my one and only source needed to survive, trust me, I'll adjust....dude!<br />
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I love talking cartooning and all things "Dude!" Let's talk!...I'll be over in my chair waiting to hear from....ZZZZZZZZZZZ<br />
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Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/keith.poletiek">Facebook: Keith Poletiek</a><br />
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<a href="http://comics.com/dude_and_dude/">Dude and Dude at Comics.com</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-11198821436091224972011-02-08T12:19:00.000-08:002011-02-08T15:03:45.308-08:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 2 - Bhutan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcqEdj1zkuKj5FdygWPJz6OkSFNos26fidAmnYzrVdSEoEgdGVFN0Tg5JzrlX7gfNEMzbAcyfoaXuKPAwQ4i3y-_VYIsKDCzRvWO2RlmKxFI6FuwVuIKqN-bXaSW6j4AZ74Qy7hQHRfY/s1600/bhutan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcqEdj1zkuKj5FdygWPJz6OkSFNos26fidAmnYzrVdSEoEgdGVFN0Tg5JzrlX7gfNEMzbAcyfoaXuKPAwQ4i3y-_VYIsKDCzRvWO2RlmKxFI6FuwVuIKqN-bXaSW6j4AZ74Qy7hQHRfY/s200/bhutan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Bhutan? No. 2 on my <u>Awesome Dude Series</u>?<br />
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You're thinking, "Dude, Bhutan is a country, not a dude! A country can't be a dude, can it?" <br />
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I beg to differ, dude!<br />
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I say, if a country announces that its' Gross National Product is "Happiness", then makes casual robes on men the required dress of the day, and demands that relaxation be included in every work day, then they are a dude!<br />
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Bhutan even became a country by a large group of dudes slipping away from the big country they were apart of "The Man" and found a place so remote, they're hard to find on a map. <br />
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Bhutan is also so casual that they don't promote tourism. They'd rather be left alone to live the life they want, at their own pace, their own way, with their own kind; the very definition of a dude! They actually didn't even introduce tourism as an option until 1971when they were being hounded, daily, by hippies (dudes) looking for a place to disapear, check out and grow old. Their government still fights for allowing the Bhutanese to "keep on keepin' on" in their own mellow lifestyle by charging tourists $200 a day just to hang out. Discourage City, or what!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_F6EkxD2wsUH3guE5Zkvca_97bph9fr75GN6EzyGg1kzdKWvvaSBU9PphoLbzlvrQng2dmNhx_N7xOTrlkd7OyzMRUUZANFSix5iv2WFlnGQsm3RWnGu8ofTEMSw7GQ2OxTJ8KZplDQ/s1600/bhutan+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_F6EkxD2wsUH3guE5Zkvca_97bph9fr75GN6EzyGg1kzdKWvvaSBU9PphoLbzlvrQng2dmNhx_N7xOTrlkd7OyzMRUUZANFSix5iv2WFlnGQsm3RWnGu8ofTEMSw7GQ2OxTJ8KZplDQ/s200/bhutan+shirt.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Dude, there number two sport, right behind archery, is <em>darts!</em> How kickback and non-confrontational is that! Peace, Love, Bhutan!<br />
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If you want to know where Bhutan is, sorry, dude: You'll have to look it up yourself. Us dudes never give away a secret spots where dudism can flow. All I can say is, find the Himilayas and go left!<br />
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For a great read about all things Bhutan, check out Lisa Napoli's book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Shangri-Learned-Happiest-Kingdom/dp/0307453022">Radio Shangri La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth</a> and when you're done, you'll realize what I did; that a country can be a dude, and that Bhutan is one.<br />
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Tell us about your secret "dude" getaway spot (and don't charge us<br />
serious fundage to go there!). We won't let anyone but a dude check it out!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Keith Poletiek is the creator of Dude and Dude, a daily comic strip, distributed by United Feature Syndicate at </span><a href="http://www.comics.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.Comics.com</span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://comics.com/dude_and_dude/">Dude and Dude at Comics.com</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-13464027690699136382011-02-07T13:34:00.000-08:002011-02-07T13:34:59.155-08:00"Dude Digs"If you've been following along, Dude and Dude are on the search for their own digs, "Casa de Dude". Their motivation to move out of the convenient confines of mom and dad's place, like much of their motivation, came from good old dad himself. Wanting to <em>kick</em>-start their lives - he politely <em>kicked</em> them out. Dad then <em>kicked</em> in $250 a month to help. Money the "Dudes" feel will be enough to secure a great pad with plenty of living space...and an ocean view. Enter a serious dose of reality!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZVcKLTa32PSY18b8I_xT9IsyFg4NqcUCmvAqZBbx6ipmhSZ35cNktpDA4eUW1yWdacM7DtGzDJuRuEwywNHy7OXgS42V_s3kNvd6Gsjiz0p9CvHctmVgyjh7jdisRYfoK_RKPfqyDTg/s1600/%2524250+Score%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZVcKLTa32PSY18b8I_xT9IsyFg4NqcUCmvAqZBbx6ipmhSZ35cNktpDA4eUW1yWdacM7DtGzDJuRuEwywNHy7OXgS42V_s3kNvd6Gsjiz0p9CvHctmVgyjh7jdisRYfoK_RKPfqyDTg/s400/%2524250+Score%2521.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Time to wake up, indeed. You can just imagine, and will soon learn if you follow along, that the neighborhoods that can provide a two-man, personal dwelling for $250 a month are not neighborhoods you want to walk around in at night (or during the day, for that matter).<br />
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Where were you when the "It's time for you grow up a bit, get out there on your own and learn some responsibility" monster came knocking? If you were caught off guard, totally bummed, fought it at first and are maybe still fighting it, then you just might be a "dude".<br />
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My "Get a full-time job, go to school full-time, or get out!" speech came at age 19 from my dad, attempting to motivate me in any direction. His approach, following many subtle hints for months, was finally a yelling match across a dining room table. A table that kept us from probably having our first fight ever that would involve physical contact. I love that table today; my dad would have creamed me!<br />
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What did I do? What would a dude do? I took all that anger towards my dad, the confusion and the spite, went out into the world and...got a full-time job as an editorial cartoonist and graphic artist for a local trade publication in 4 days. I never thanked my dad properly either...dude.<br />
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Their eventual humble dwelling, "Casa de Dude", came to me following a conversation with a person who works at a small natural food place (The Stand) in Laguna Beach, CA who rides a bike to work, is saving money to travel the world playing guitar, and rents a room in the hills of Laguna from an older woman who converted a <em>closet</em> into a bedroom for just such an occasion...dude! A closet is a "Casa de Dude" for sure!<br />
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I hope you're living where you want to be living, no matter how humble! If it works for you, it's right!<br />
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Follow the dudes as they find their digs and jobs and attempt to scratch out the living they desire! Sign up today at <a href="http://www.comics.com/">http://www.comics.com/</a><br />
<br />
Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a><br />
<a href="http://comics.com/dude_and_dude/">Dude and Dude at Comics.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Dude-and-Dude/111669062221287">Facebook: Dude and Dude</a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-29393811593619864672011-01-28T09:01:00.000-08:002011-01-28T13:58:25.975-08:00Awesome Dude Series: No. 1 - Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5o-wrSt8tN4Ck8CC4hLdDh8ZMHuunyVbZUWmR6lM__BrIanhDACyZ3FAVFjf184HkByFY9xhzn8JcE4TW_9I6083p99dX9OnY48hYzxjDkDnWkIZVq5eHj04THhybLMHzdNGZ0V6iPOY/s1600/Abide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5o-wrSt8tN4Ck8CC4hLdDh8ZMHuunyVbZUWmR6lM__BrIanhDACyZ3FAVFjf184HkByFY9xhzn8JcE4TW_9I6083p99dX9OnY48hYzxjDkDnWkIZVq5eHj04THhybLMHzdNGZ0V6iPOY/s200/Abide.jpg" width="136" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Beginning a biographical series on great "Dudes" in history with a fictional character might not seem like a good approach, but, dude, Jeff Lebowski (played by Jeff Bridges), the star of the Coen brothers 1998 comedy film, <u>The Big Lebowski</u>, so much sets the standard of <em>dudism</em> that I had to put him in the lead-off position. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Besides, according the Coen brothers, Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, was very much based on two real life dudes from their past, Jeff Dowd and Peter Exline (who now teaches at USC...dude). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> These were two dudes that lived by simple means, put out only enough energy to sustain a laidback SoCal existence, and were self-assured enough to walk to the slow-groove beat of their own drum, mostly Creedence, according to the Coens, and become, in my eyes as well, full-blown, self-made, dudes!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> What is a dude <em>in my eyes</em>?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> A dude is someone who can relax when everyone else is running around. He (or she) can find greatness in simple ideas and live life with an "Every day is casual Friday" attitude. They usually land on their feet, gain a loyal following of friends, and enjoy just <em>being, </em>or<em> "abiding," </em>according to Lebowski, who when asked who is "The Dude?" His answer was simply, "The Dude Abides," which is now a cult phrase to all Lebowski followers, of which there are many. Enough for Lebowski Festivals, so named "Lebowski-Fest's" to pop up annually across the nation and in Canada (even in Europe, I've heard).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Though appearing to be laidback and apathetic, another key that draws me to a true dude is they can tend to make a name for themselves without really trying. And when they do try, they do it short spirts, as not to get over worked or "Sell out to The Man." </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhbzk7iDzcAYabUxoPUe6Mq1xCMsyzXYj60UpbgeHr3wep3598q-ODZFieHVuHKwbCDN2YCQpXrQHk-agDXUIoZU_BJPgQYXMJVYfOgsVFkM-acdtR042f12dH789m6zOx9DePPuu_V0/s1600/starvage+dude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="120" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhbzk7iDzcAYabUxoPUe6Mq1xCMsyzXYj60UpbgeHr3wep3598q-ODZFieHVuHKwbCDN2YCQpXrQHk-agDXUIoZU_BJPgQYXMJVYfOgsVFkM-acdtR042f12dH789m6zOx9DePPuu_V0/s400/starvage+dude.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> That's also the reason I went with Jeff Lebowski as No. 1 in this Awesome Dudes Series, because Jeff Bridges himself, in my estimation, is a dude. He approached Hollywood with an, "I'll work, and work hard, but only when I want to work and only play roles I want to play" mindset and even walked away from "career launching" roles only to have his career launch to super stardom anyway. If you get a chance to see his biography in the American Masters series (I caught it on PBS), you'll agree that this Academy Award-winning actor is a dude for sure. His home is his own Casa de Dude with a walking labyrinth and maze of hedges and mirrors in the backyard for him and his family to go and get lost in their thoughts, tune out, hang out and escape. The true makings of a real life dude.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> As the creator and cartoonist for my own comic strip, titled <em>Dude and Dude</em> (</span><a href="http://www.comics.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.comics.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">), you'll find that I consider myself somewhat of a dude also. A dude always looking for new material to use as ideas for the two dudes that star in my comic. Send your dude comments, dudisms, or let me know who you believe to be a full-blown, self-made, righteous dude and maybe they'll make it into one of the Awesome Dudes Series! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Also, like a true dude, I'm always on the hunt for a great fish taco, so send me, and all of us, your favorite taco shack so we can score one too....dude.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Email:</span><a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">keith@keithpoletiek.com</span></a>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6561669907049482243.post-88649607831571795812011-01-25T11:13:00.000-08:002011-02-08T15:05:40.566-08:00Dude and Dude - Creating the Comic Strip<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Having watched cartoons religiously as a child; enjoyed a well put together comic book collection, and dabbled in drawing cartoons for most of my life, I, like my blog title announces, seem to have always been “Character Driven”.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when you decide to tempt fate and create your own voice in the comic world, you look to the masters for advise; and when they, Charles Schultz, Johnny Hart (B.C., Wizard of Id), Gary Trudeau (Doonesbury), repeatedly tell you to, “Write what you know,” you dig deep to find that one part of you that you know you could write about, share, and exploit with humor, everyday for the rest of your life.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude and Dude</i>, by process of elimination, have become the two characters that I believe will be that voice, or two of the voices, ready to be exploited at every turn. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Partnering to help make this happen is United Feature Syndicate, who have decided to take the dudes to the cyber-world by distributing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude and Dude</i> world-wide through their online website Comics.com…dude!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude and Dude</i>? </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because they represent a large portion of the people, or kind of people, I’ve met, been friends with and/or hung out with all my life in the beach community I still live in today, Huntington Beach, Ca.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spend ten minutes in the older downtown area, or a couple of hours around the HB pier and you’ll hear the word repeated so often that you’ll leave not only having it ringing in your ears but also coming out of your mouth….”Dude!”</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has become, in my world, the universal greeting label for anybody worthy of its status.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scott F. Kiesling wrote in his speech, entitled “Dude,” to the University of Pittsburgh, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“dude has become unconstrained – a sign of inexpressiveness in which one word is used for any and all utterances.”</i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Dude, this dude hit the dude right on the head…dude!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times, it represents, acknowledges, announces, confirms, recognizes and states our innermost thoughts and feelings, “Dude!” Then it flip-flops and does the complete opposite and announces our apathy, lack of drive and longing for a break from society, the day and “The Man”, “Dude!”</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9CooxEk1BMZOBvf6tpKgPgcHzF71SDBalHeSpfeCpOT73RmiI1lj_ulk9wL1C8SPumPFv9jjG8mlW2TcgCQLRdfkP2SV97tWOaZwWwD73pSo3_lC2CKkFKajAcujvIA2_tHIojwDWPA/s1600/Dude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9CooxEk1BMZOBvf6tpKgPgcHzF71SDBalHeSpfeCpOT73RmiI1lj_ulk9wL1C8SPumPFv9jjG8mlW2TcgCQLRdfkP2SV97tWOaZwWwD73pSo3_lC2CKkFKajAcujvIA2_tHIojwDWPA/s400/Dude.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Like the Coen brothers, who based the their character, Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski (in their 1998 comedy, “The Big Lebowski,”) largely on a couple of guys they hung out with early in their career and in college, Jeff Dowd and Peter Exline, I too have based <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude and Dude</i> on a combination of many people I either grew up around or hung out with that measure up (or down) to the level of an “official, flow blown, righteous dude!”</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you’ll follow along, check in on, become a daily fan of, and soon relate to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“the dudes”</i>; if you’re not a dude already. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sign up and build your own personal comic page using <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude and Dude</i> a variety of other favorites in the Comics.com bullpen. They email your custom comics page to you daily, and it’s FREE…dude!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d love to hear your comments and suggestions as you follow along and become part of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dude and Dude</i> community.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, go take a nap. You’ve already read more than enough for one dude in a day. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then scrape together some change and go scarf and fish taco or two....dude. </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email: <a href="mailto:keith@keithpoletiek.com">keith@keithpoletiek.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Keith Poletiekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938562408888209160noreply@blogger.com0