John P. Weiss

Nevada

Cartoonist, Writer and Artist at The Good Men Project

Writer and Artist at Freelance

Articles

Why the Audience Should Come Last

1 week ago | goodmenproject.com | John P. Weiss

I used to waste a lot of time scrolling through my phone, studying the work of writers and artists I admired, and searching for the answers that would ignite my creative work. It never led to much. The more I emulated others, the only thing I achieved was uninspired, derivative work. Sometimes it got attention, but deep down I was never happy. It’s like my heart kept whispering to turn inward, where my authentic voice was aching for release and expression.
Late in the Day

1 week ago | johnpweiss.medium.com | John P. Weiss

For years the ducks have returned to my sister-in-law’s front yard. I don’t know where they go during the winter. I’ve read that a large percentage of the Pacific Flyway’s waterfowl favor the Sacramento Valley, probably because it offers a variety of habitats, including rice fields, managed wetlands, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh, which provide essential food and shelter.
Into the Artifice of Eternity

3 weeks ago | johnpweiss.medium.com | John P. Weiss

Officer Jack Murray slipped off his night jacket and curled it into a pillow beneath the young girl’s head. Freeway traffic beyond the center divider sent gusts of air and occasional pebbles in their direction. The girl’s delicate, dolphin earrings swayed back and forth with the breeze. He figured she was about sixteen years old.
Have You Thought About Your Second Death?

3 weeks ago | goodmenproject.com | John P. Weiss

Père Lachaise cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris, France. Over one million bodies are buried there, including such artistic notables as Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Olivia de Havilland, Jim Morrison, and others. It is the most visited necropolis in the world. One of the benefits of fame is that when you die people still remember who you were. Your name comes up in conversations and media references. Perhaps a statue or memorial will be erected to honor you.
I’m a Loser

1 month ago | goodmenproject.com | John P. Weiss

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, John, but we’re not going to renew your contract next year.”The words stung. What made it worse was that the words came from Roger, who was not only my boss but my friend. Roger was the Residential Life Coordinator for the university dorms where I served as a resident assistant. Resident assistants receive free room and board, and in return, they counsel residents, make referrals, organize events, and generally ensure that residential life goes smoothly.
I’m Tired of Life

2 months ago | goodmenproject.com | John P. Weiss

There’s an old Charlie Rose interview with the late author and political commentator William F. Buckley that is utterly honest and immensely sad. Buckley is in his later years and ailing from diabetes, hearing loss, and other medical indignities. Rose asks Buckley, “Do you wish you were twenty?”“No, absolutely not,” an emphatic Buckley replies, adding, “If I had a pill that would reduce my age by 25 years I wouldn’t take it.”“Why not?” Rose asks.
The Places In-Between

2 months ago | goodmenproject.com | John P. Weiss

I hate flying. There’s just something utterly unnatural about crowding into a pressurized cylinder with wings, blasting into the sky, hurtling over 500 mph at 36,000 feet, and pretending to relax in cramped quarters for hours on end. It may be the safest way to travel, but then, when your car breaks down you can pull over. Engine trouble at 36,000 feet presents few options other than dropping. Of course, air travel offers other charms before you even take off.
Where All Your Yesterdays Are Buried Deep

Mar 24, 2025 | goodmenproject.com | John P. Weiss

It seems I am stranded again. Strangers are prowling around my home, exploring its rooms and decor and circling the backyard pool. They point at things and discuss details. I know this thanks to the security cameras that link to my smartphone. My wife and I recently put our house on the market, having decided to downsize a bit. We seldom use our pool, and we’re tired of the landscaping maintenance and overall expense. We hope to move nearby to a simpler house with a view of the Las Vegas strip.
They Will Be There Long Before Any of Us

Mar 11, 2025 | medium.com | John P. Weiss

We had to say goodbye to our little dog yesterday. He was quite old, mostly blind, and despite a bum ticker that brought frequent fainting spells, his heart held unconditional love for us. And so now he is free from life’s pains and struggles. Free to frolic in that place where all our beloved animal companions go, to play and bark and watch over us. The night before he left us had been a good one. His failing heart required me to carry him outside to relieve himself. Sometimes he managed just fine.
The Day the Muse Died

Mar 4, 2025 | medium.com | John P. Weiss

I had a clear game plan. After 26 years in law enforcement, I was ready to retire early and reinvent myself as a fine artist. Why not? I’d been drawing since I was a boy, and then I moonlighted as an editorial cartoonist for two newspapers during my police career. Then, I dove into landscape painting. I took several vacations to travel to Idaho and study oil painting with Scott L. Christensen, one of the preeminent landscape painters in the country.