I love Gary Larson’s work. His book, Prehistory of the Far Side, is the best place to start. It shows drawings he made when he was but a wee child, and they are friggen hilarious. Scenes looking out from the trunk of the car for instance, where he claims he rode on family trips. Another where he’s staring down the gaping mouth of a creature at the zoo. Apparently he always saw the scary side, and the weirdness of his fascination with farm animals doesn’t hurt either.
Naturally I wanted to get my hands on The Complete Far Side, a compilation of every cartoon published (and some non-published) during his entire career. I found the two hefty volumes at the library which is nice since the collection itself is a bit more for books than I usually spend. My librarian, Craig, nearly toppled over when he carried them to the checkout for me. That was my first clue something was amiss.
When I attempted to lift the books from the counter in the usual fashion, they were seemingly stuck to the counter; no, it was just they were heavy as hell-o. I took them home and tried to read them, really I did, but I like to read in bed and Volume I nearly crushed me to death. Volume II was no better. These are table books in the true sense of the word, but that’s when it struck me!
The Far Side Diet & Weight Loss Program: How It Works
How better to start a diet and stay motivated than a healthy dose of Far Side Cartoons and a workout hefting the volumes. You can begin simply by carrying the books from one room to the next. Rinse, repeat. Do this three times a day to build up your strength, and when you’re ready, venture outside and down the street, perhaps all the way to the end of the block. Slowly build up until you’re able to carry the books around like it’s no big deal.
You can hold one and slowly do bicep curls. Put them on your legs and do leg raises, and lie on the floor, putting a book (or two) on your pelvis and then lift, lower, lift, lower. Instant home gym in a book! It’s brilliant. Gary Larson, I tip my hat, and my broken pelvis to you. 😉
All kidding aside, these books are wonderful. Mostly color cartoons, which explains why the volumes weigh a ton.
Oh, yeah, I almost forget, the diet. Just take a healthy dose of laughter before each meal. Experts will say it’s a natural appetite suppressant (sooner, or later, I’m sure they will)
