Engineering on Friday ‘toon: Yes, but...

I was talking with my car friends this past week about getting an engine into my 1986 Toyota Corolla hatchback. Yes, I have a car with no engine. I’m shocked at how little I know about cars/engines… How utterly hopeless I feel getting that set up and on the road.

Every time I think I understand it all, I learn about another port, device, component, or a build technique; cars remain a mystery. I almost want to just go all in on cars, quit everything else. Become a mechanic, quit all jobs. The wrench, the fuel, praying to the V8 god like Mad Max: Fury Road. Something so pure about it.

If it isn’t cars, it’s something else. I’ve heard people say they wanted to make video games, but ended up website developers. One wanted to work in film, but ended up in insurance. An EE wanted to make the next hot device, but now works for a patent attorney. They can’t go back now. This is skill or knowledge so vast they needed to dedicate their whole life to it — but now they don’t have the time left to do so.

What’s the phrase… “Hey, maybe in another life.”

I used my version of my son in this week’s cartoon. It’s funny how I’ve drawn him aging over the year… he’s getting too big!

You’re probably thinking, “that left frame looks familiar.” You’re right. It’s an homage to Atari’s Basic Programming game art. I’ve had this cartridge on my desk for years. I see it every day.

I was always fascinated with the cover art for Atari games. The art was so enchanting, so interesting. Like little worlds of their own. The art was detailed and complex, with profound gravitas that stood in complete opposition to the actual game. Usually.

“Game Program Basic Programming Use with Keyboard Controller,” the whole title reads. I was particularly captivated by the cover to this one. Being calmly in control of a futuristic city with buttons and switches. I think the two seven-segment displays on the cover read 85 or 95. A reasonable future from the perspective of 1978, the publish date of the game. Did I think the future would be like this? I think we all did.

The Atari cart will remain on my desk. That depicted future is almost here. I can feel it.

When I was drawing this, I kept thinking of the Paul Simon song Cars are Cars. But, I was equally thinking about how this song was supposed to be part of a Simon & Garfunkel reunion album. Something they wanted to do, but didn’t for whatever reason. Sounds familiar, eh?

For those who don’t know, they did sing it together. Take a listen above.

“…if some of my homes were more like my car, I probably wouldn’t have traveled this far.”

See the rest of my cartoons in the Engineering on Friday comic gallery.