Crap Every Time

End of an era

2008-02-10T21:06:00.000-05:00

It seems somewhat appropriate that the last regular TDIET strip would be a repeat--from last October. OK, maybe less a "repeat" and more a "sequel," as this does seem to be what the previous strip implies. That being said, this is totally valid; I remember being sighed at more than once by my mother because of how I had my stuff spread out over the table when she was trying to put food on it.

That being said, if you kick the kids out of the kitchen, it seems natural they would've disappeared for a bit. For all we know, they're simply dumping their stuff in their rooms...although perhaps that's supposed to be the door to outside that's open in the bottom panel?

If you go to the Times-Intelligencer TDIET page, you'll notice that it says that last strip is actually today's...though I can't seem to access it. Evil! With the strip over, I may go through the archives and add in the strips themselves so we don't lose them, and add tags to the older entries, but I imagine it'll just be housekeeping-type activities from here on out.

So thanks for following along. If you're particularly bored, you can check out my sort of normal blog...though I should warn you, with the baseball season starting, there will likely be a fair bit of posting about the Orioles. (And I am aware that the comments there don't work. It just looks like they should work, and thus they taunt me.)

Is that a green slip?

2008-02-01T12:05:00.000-05:00

You know what's awesome about today's strip? The kid actually making a comment about "growing cobwebs" instead of actually seeing Chumply sitting there, covered in cobwebs. Though, pst, kid--you don't "grow" cobwebs. There's this whole process involving spiders. I do like that we're seeing the beginning of this process.

When I first glanced at the strip, I thought that it was the morning; in my mind, robe = morning or night. It wasn't until I noticed that Chumply was in a tux that I got what was going on. However, this is one of those situations where I can't feel too bad for the husband, because he's obviously been married to this woman for a while; by this point, he should know how long it takes her to get ready for a night out. So Chumply, go grab a book or something while your wife prims up (I always use "primp," but whatever). And stop looking so surprised.

Rhett Butler is dreamy

2008-01-31T11:37:00.000-05:00

Wow. iPods, plasma tvs. Today's strip is just crazy! I can't imagine anyone watching Gone With the Wind on an iPod. My eyes hurt just thinking about it, but then, I don't particularly like watching movies on my computer, which has an 18" screen (yes, making it bigger than the actual television I have sitting next to it).

In fairness, though, it appears that Mom and Junior are watching something else on the 60" tv, so it's not like Dimwitty could watch GWTW on that. And I wonder how much of this is the novelty factor, too. The follow-up to this would be showing that 2 weeks later, Dim's iPod is gathering dust.

Other notes: Why is the salesman in the top panel wearing a ribbon? And shout out to Highlands, NJ. I used to go to a restaurant there somewhat regularly (hey, Bahrs!).

To catch a thief

2008-01-30T13:29:00.001-05:00

I...wow. Is the police brutality in the top panel of today's strip a first? Al did a good job in qualifying it with "wild, resisting villain," but at that point...man, it looks like the cop is just beating the thief about the head with a billy club for no apparent reason. I can't believe that that's the most effective way to subdue someone. (I'd suggest a taser, but don't want to get into that debate again.) Anyway, I always assumed that the way people are put into the police cars is just a continuation of making sure the person doesn't make any sudden movements. Part of it might be to avoid the person bumping his or her head, but part of it was a control issue. I thought, anyway. And really, should we be rooting for the suspect to become even more injured?

Barb embraces technology

2008-01-29T12:33:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed (if you haven't...you're blind) that I realized what the little Blogger icons mean in my "Create a Post" window and have added the actual strip for today. My knowledge of the Interwebs clearly knows no bounds. I was spurred on to this by gallagher's comment yesterday, wondering whether the archives would disappear, rendering my blog completely moot. (Or moo, like a cow's opinion.) I hope that if they do disappear, it takes a while, as I'll make an attempt to go back and add the actual comics. And maybe even add tags for the older entries. We'll see.

Anyway, today's strip. (Yes, I feel the need to link it. I don't know why.) I kind of love it because of the woman in the lower right corner. Her expression makes me happy. Also, that is a tiny pool, which amuses me. I do wonder whether this visitor to Palm City actually heard these people say they were going for a "swim" or just a "dip in the pool." Did these guys actually talk about getting exercise? And maybe they are swimming around a bit. Or it could be therapeutic! My grandmother swims every week because she has a bum hip, but I doubt she's doing laps. Who knows.

Love the guy asking the others where they're going for "early bird." I really hope that people actually do call it that. It would totally make my day.

Her purse isn't even that big!

2008-01-28T13:52:00.000-05:00

Today's strip totally hit home, mostly because I commute to and from work on the bus. I cannot cope with people who don't have their money/farecard ready. I actually have my SmarTrip card in my pocket when I close my front door. Seriously, there is no excuse for these people. I hate being behind them in line, I hate sitting on the bus and watching them take forever. At least most of the time, if they need to search, they do try and step aside and let people ahead of them.

OK, I guess on occasion, I can see not having change ready. But this just speaks to me. Right on, Al and Susan!

Well, if the cartoons are shown in HD, why not?

2008-01-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

Today's strip was another that I had to read a few times to understand. I guess I underestimated how helpful those exposition boxes are. Anyway, looks like we're supposed to be down on Hekkie for suggesting a new, high-def television. I'm not really sure about the snide comments. If his dad is having problems getting a good picture on a tv that's only 5 or 6 years old, then there's a problem. (My tv is about 7 years old now and is just fine, thanks.) And HD is how things are moving; at this point, if you're getting a new tv, it makes sense to buy HD. The prices are coming down and everything's going digital. You're just setting yourself up for becoming obsolete if you go non-HD. (Here I mean for something like the family room's tv. I'd have no hesitation to buy a small, non-HD television for my bedroom or something.) (But really, you shouldn't take technology-buying advice from me. I have the very bad habit of buying this sort of thing impulsively.)

Anyway. Widescreen is a bit much, but what kid wouldn't pull for that? And Hekkie looks older than 8; I'm sure he's watching more than just cartoons. As for the "wrecking crew" comment, I have no idea where that came from. Who are those people in the other room, anyway? Random commentators?

Politeness starts at home

2008-01-24T14:15:00.000-05:00

The thing throwing me off in today's strip is the "(Really)". I guess it's just to set us up for the bottom panel? Or is it just to say that he's super polite only to hot women? Anyway, Lulula, leave him. He clearly has anger issues. If you bump someone and he starts swearing and freaking out, that counts as verbal abuse. Get out.

Bonus points for the "Oh, yeah!" though. Man, I'm going to miss that.

Go Grandma, with the environmentally sound grocery bag

2008-01-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

Today's strip is from the suggestion of pogoer! I'm sure you're pumped to see it, and that you're treasuring the interaction with Al. Do you remember how your worded the suggestion? Honestly, I find that conversion fascinating. Al generally kept things pretty close to the suggestion.

Is the word "wagon" for a grocery cart common? I've always said "shopping cart" and have never heard "wagon." (Well, obviously, I've heard the word "wagon" before. But not in this context.) And really, by the time they've reached the parking lot, I think both Grandma and Biff Biceps have realized that there'd be no wagon/cart. (Side note: I hate those grocery stores that don't allow carts in the parking lot. Insanely inconvenient.)

It is a crap situation, but maybe Grandma should've asked someone when she was checking out. That's normally when you encounter the question of whether you need help. Though I do acknowledge that my purchases are more along the line of Biff's than Grandma's when the issue arises.

Another scary road!

2008-01-22T14:11:00.000-05:00

Today's strip is, not surprisingly, a repeat. And honestly, I don't have much new to add to what I said then. And I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a driver's license on the moon. Astronaut license?

All good things...

2008-01-16T23:10:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of you saw at the Comics Curmudgeon that King Features is ending the strip after the final Al-drawn TDIET runs on February 2. Like Josh, I have mixed feelings. I think it would've been fascinating to see someone else draw it...but at the same time, a more modern sensibility would take away so much of what makes the strip awesome. So it'll be a sad day, and, I suppose, the end of this blog. Well, it's been a good run.

I'm now high-tailing it out of town for a few days...I'll be back on Tuesday to cover the last two weeks of TDIET.

Mmm, meat.

2008-01-15T13:34:00.000-05:00

Looking at today's strip, I again find myself thinking that something about the eyes looks weird. Look at Lulula and Sonny's eyes. Don't they look off? Anyway, the mom is clearly smoking something if she thinks that her son looks "drawn." I mean, honestly. He's hardly wasting away. Are mothers-in-law really like this? I suppose some are, but it's really not something I have any experience with. Does the mother live in the same town as them? If not, why is she talking about her butcher? It's not like Lulula can go there. It's nice, though, if she lives in a place that even still has a butcher's shop...unless she means that he's set up in a grocery store. Hmm.

I could live without the guy spelling out for us what's going on. I got it, OK?

I'm rambly, I know. My apologies.

A thoughtful-ish husband, for once

2008-01-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

Today's strip marks the return to the Great Dishwashing Debates. I can't say I'm surprised; while I haven't been married, I do recall that who washed the dishes was quite an issue when I had roommates and no dishwasher. Anyway. Clearly the problem is that Fauna shouldn't be that nice to her husband. (And honestly, can we take a moment to acknowledge that Nudnik actually does the dishes? It's one of those things that's complained about so often, and I know I shouldn't praise him for something that he should do, but still.) Anyway. If that's how he is, that's how she should be. I know that sometimes I wash dishes as I cook...but sometimes I don't.

But hey, he did cook. And clear off the table. Though, again...what are these people making that they dirty this many dishes??? And what did they have in the top panel that they had so few?

Why is he showering with the door open???

2008-01-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

Is anyone else traumatized by today's strip? I really, really never want to see that much skin from anyone in the land of TDIET again. But it's like a car wreck; I can't look away. This is horrible. There...I can't even comment on that. It hurts my brain.

I also refuse to believe that Migraina would ever be silent for hours. Well, unless she's watching tv. Maybe then. But in general, she's a chatterbox. Anyway, I kind of sympathize. Sometimes something pops into your head and you want to ask before you forget. And honestly, people, they're married. She could just go into the bathroom and ask if it's that important.

...I'm sorry. I can't look at it anymore.

Well, it IS cold in here

2008-01-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

I can kind of get behind today's strip. I get the concept of if you think you're cold, you assume others are cold. Most of us learn that this isn't the case; particularly a woman being cold while two men aren't. Usually, however, this simply results in one person whining about the temperature--something I'm definitely guilty of. The hungry thing...I don't know. She's probably making food less because she thinks others are hungry than the fact that she's hungry and wants food. The dad and kid will probably whine if she makes herself something but doesn't whip up something for them, so she makes a bunch so everyone can eat. Honestly, I don't know. That's not something I've encountered.

Return of the cowboy movie

2008-01-08T12:23:00.000-05:00

Today's strip delves into the world of dating while being a single parent. I love how Winona is a widow, not a divorcee. Because then, apparently, she would be immoral, and not worthy of the eligible bachelor from her office.

I'm having problems getting a feel for this family. It looks like her kids are maybe 10, 13, and 15. I can see a 15-year-old being out of the house a lot, but are 10-year-olds and 13-year-olds really out that much? Is this a weeknight? Because I can see them being out doing various extracurricular stuff (sports, clubs) on weeknights...but if that's the case, then Winona should know their schedules. It seems like those kids have a lot of autonomy. And it's not like she can't control how much they're home; there's this word called "No" that I've heard a lot about.

And really, there's a pretty basic solution: Just go it. Clearly she doesn't keep that close track of her children, so a couple of hours of them alone in the house isn't that bad. And kudos to the youngest kid for sitting between his mom and her date. Well played.

Buck the hair trends, Hek!

2008-01-07T13:52:00.001-05:00

I have to say that in the top panel of today's strip, I kind of agree with Hekkie' mom. It's not that Hekkie's hair is disgusting, but it needs something. Just hanging there, it looks stupid. But may that's how the kids wore it in the 60s. Honestly, though, I think Hekkie should just blaze his own trail and not follow the current hair trends, because they do not work for him. Some guys look great with shaved heads, but he isn't one of them. And is it really a trend? Maybe amongst guys who are balding, but we have no way of knowing whether that's the case when it comes to Hekkie.

That all being said, it did make me laugh. Which is good, particularly for a Monday.

Way too deep thoughts for a Friday night

2008-01-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

Today's strip provides an interesting dichotomy (...or something; I have a headache). Al and his readers acknowledge that nurses no longer dress like Florence Nightingale...but that seemingly hasn't prevented him from drawing them as such. Is it because the typical TDIET reader feels more comfortable with it? Is it just easier to have nurses in the strip wear those outfits, because having to distinguish various color scrubs is a challenge in a one-panel strip? Probably a combination of the two, actually. I wonder if a number of the people writing in aren't ol' time patients, but rather people pointing in the anachronism of the way nurses are portrayed.

I will say that while I can see the scrub top having a design like that, I can't imagine those pants and striped socks like that.

Doctor Cutup would be a surgeon, wouldn't he?

2008-01-03T12:18:00.000-05:00

There are some questions I have about today's strip: Is the surgery elective or not? Is surgery actually elective if you know you have to get it done eventually? Why does a doctor need to come in if he's on vacation to do a surgery, unless it's some rare surgery that only he knows how to do? And if that's the case, is that surgery something that would really be optional for a while? I admit that most of my knowledge in this area comes from the early days of ER and Grey's Anatomy, so I'm hardly an expert, but something about this just doesn't seem to add up.

I would like to point out that the doctor is taking a staycation, which is very "in" for 2008.

I wonder what Woopee Magazine is about

2008-01-02T21:00:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a nice holiday and fun new year.

I love today's strip if only because it introduces us to Barfo Magazine. How cool is that? That being said, I can't imagine being that excited about a new magazine at the doctor's office. Though since spending time in doctors' waiting rooms seems to be a big part of the lives of the average TDIET reader, I shouldn't be too surprised. Again, I will simply say that this is why I always bring my own reading material.

Kudos for having the magazines in the top panel actually say 2008. And now I'm depressed because Al didn't make it to 2008. *sigh*

Good luck at the tolls, everyone!

2007-12-21T12:08:00.000-05:00

Lugbutt's problem in today's strip is obvious--he's used to throwing a horseshoe. As we all know, horseshoes are much heavier than quarters, so he overestimated the effort it would take. Poor guy. But hey, at least he has a first name now! So that's nice. I do admit that this is one of my great fears. Luckily it's not a situation I encounter often, but when I have...yeah, paranoia sets in. At the point Lugbutt's in now, you just give up the quarter you lost and toss in a new one. Very carefully. I'd also like to point out that this strip is timely. AAA estimates that today will actually be the busiest travel day of the year in my area (which doesn't really make sense, but anyway).

Also, I wanted to let you all know that I'm heading across the country tomorrow to visit the folks. I may try and check in next week, but I can't make any guarantees. I will definitely be back January 2. Have a great break, for those of you getting one. And happy new year!

I'm a loser, baby

2007-12-20T12:20:00.000-05:00

First, I wanted to acknowledge reader D.B. Echo, who managed to get an acknolwedgement of Al's passing into his newspaper as a letter to the editor. From him (as originally commented on CC):

I’m still rather pissed about the mainstream media generally ignoring Al Scaduto’s passing. So much so that I decided that if my local paper (which carries They’ll Do It Every Time) was not going to mention it on their own, I would make them mention it.

My plan worked, and my letter made it into their Letters to the Editor page. Unfortunately, some good stuff was trimmed at then end. Here is the letter in its original format, with the edit shown in bold. Please feel free to copy and revise for your own local papers.

Al Scaduto died on Saturday, December 8 at the age of 79.

If you don’t know who Al Scaduto is, turn to the comics section of the weekday version of the Citizens’ Voice and look at the lower left-hand corner. Al Scaduto has single-handedly written and illustrated the one-panel comic They’ll Do It Every Time for the past eighteen years, and prior to that co-wrote it as part of the team of Dunn and Scaduto.

Al Scaduto was a gem of a man, gentle, kind, and polite, as noted on the blog The Comics Curmudgeon (joshreads.com) in comments by his many fans, correspondents, and even several family members. Sadly, his passing has gone almost completely unnoticed by the mainstream media. He was loved, and will be missed.

Thanks for sharing, and great job.

On to today's strip. I'm fine with the premise of the strip (guy never wins anything, but the one time he is chosen randomly, it's to find something bad in his food) (he probably also gets chosen to sit on the jury of the trial that lasts forever, and his employer won't pay him for that time, so he only gets the $15/day or whatever). It's the specificity of him finding a stone in his food. That just seems so bizarre, that I have to wonder whether L. Gerner suggested it. I mean, of anything to find in his food, I wouldn't think "stone." But hey, maybe he can be a winner in the end. I bet that since he obviously needs dental work, he can probably sue the caterer (maybe even the location of the event) and get the money for that, and probably damages to boot. I'd tell him to look on the bright side, but that has to be tough when your name is "Loozer."

10 a.m. isn't sleeping TOO late

2007-12-19T12:22:00.000-05:00

I admit that I don't understand today's strip at all. The mother says that the kid doesn't get enough sleep on school nights because he goes to bed late. (I don't really know what to make of the "And don't stay in bed long enough and sleep"...implying that he gets up too early? Huh?) And when the kid doesn't have to get up...she wakes him up. Which will make him cranky. Which she complains about. So she should let him sleep in, I guess. My question is whether the mother actually wants the son to be doing something, or whether she's just waking him up on the principle that he shouldn't sleep late. If she's just waking him up so he's up, that's stupid. But if he has to do something...well, get up.

Yeah, I don't know.

Reunionate? Really?

2007-12-18T12:28:00.000-05:00

Today's strip provides a nice continuation from last Friday's strip. Sure, Loopina appears to have changed outfits, but that's OK, as apparently this reunion lasted well over a weekend. Such stamina!

I do feel bad for Loopie here, but then, that's the risk you take when hosting people. It's common courtesy to offer to help clean up when you're a guest, but it's something I wouldn't necessarily count on, if that makes sense. You'd think, though, that if people brought food, they'd at least want their dishes back, right? Maybe they used disposable containers, which would make Loopie's job a bit easier, at least.

In the end, I can sympathize with the hostess, but can't back her anger in the end. One of those "Plan for the worst, hope for the best" situations--hope that people will help you clean up, but don't expect them to.

Mind you, I can say this because I rarely have people over, much less host any sort of large dinner.

It's no worse than the "Armada"

2007-12-17T12:02:00.000-05:00

Today's strip confronts the issue of the environment. Huzzah for being topical, I say. It does play into my guilt that I don't use reusable bags. However, I drive a Prius. I'm hoping that makes me better than Gus Greenearth, who hopefully realized the irony of his name when he bought his "'conservation' gas-guzzling huge SUV." I...don't understand the "conservation" there. It's not an adjective. Unless...the SUV is called a "Conservation"? Wow. That'd take some balls on the auto-maker's part.

I also think the kid would've seen the problem in the top panel. He did, presumably, drive to the grocery store in that SUV.

No squid? I'm disappointed

2007-12-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

Today's strip is actually quite appropriate for this time of year--a party! Whee! I'm just having a hard problem figuring out the point. Loopina brought all of her favorite foods, and people are complaining about individual dishes. I...what? I guess maybe it should've been potluck, but people would probably still object to some of the dishes. And the thing is, the complaints (too spicy, too salty, two vegetarians, no fish, no sugar) each apply to only a few of the dishes. Too spicy? Well, have the ham. No salt? Try the turkey. No fish? Ham or turkey. No sugar? Skip dessert. I imagine that the side dishes are mostly vegetarian. It's not like none of these people can eat, and Loopina will have to lug this food home. I guess she doesn't want people whining? Hey, I thought that was what family reunions were about.

Dogs, dieting, fashion, cars...and some meta

2007-12-13T10:05:00.001-05:00

Sorry for my delinquence of late; I know, I've been terrible. I do recommend checking out the comments on the entry at CC about Al's death; some of his family and friends have checked in, and some people have also written some pretty moving comments. I also suggest reading this blog entry by a reader. Both he and Josh have managed to articulate their feelings about Al much better than I. (This is why I'm an editor, not a writer, people!) I will say that it makes me sad that there's been virtually no coverage of Al's death. TDIET is one of the few comics that's carried nationally, and has been around for a long time. You'd think the passing of its artist would merit some attention.

Anyway. On with the show. Four days in brief recap...

Monday. Mrs. Goosegg should rely solely on the dog for vacuuming purposes; I mean, why have a vacuum at all if you have a dog? Also, where did that table come from in the bottom panel? I'm sure you all also saw that this is a CC reader-submitted strip. So exciting!

Tuesday. I can't really fault Ragmop here. Part of the key to losing weight isn't to necessarily cut out all fatty foods; it's just to eat them in moderation. If he can be happy with samples only, more power to him. And isn't Fatburger a real restaurant?

Wednesday. This is awesome for many reasons, except the similarity to last Monday's strip. I love that Migraina actually calls him out for not going with her suggestion, and I love that Al included "send him to the moon" with the "striped shirt" piece. It could've been "The urge to stripe his shirt" or something, but the "to the moon" made it all worthwhile. Awesome.

Today. Oh, kids these days, with their loud music. Maybe Hekkie heard the plinking between songs on his radio. Notice that he never says that the noise bothers him; maybe he's just upset by his car making a weird noise? I know I am. And I applaud him for taking good car of my car.

Rest in peace, Al

2007-12-09T14:56:00.000-05:00

It appears that our friend Al Scaduto passed away this weekend at the age of 79. I definitely recommend reading what Josh wrote over at Comics Curmudgeon, and I can't help but echo his sentiments. While we may enjoy poking fun at the strip, and poking fun at Al for his apparent belief that it remains the 1950s (though it seems more recent strips have been bringing us closer to the present), it remains that from everything I've read, Al was genuinely good person. The way he responded to readers and sent submitters the strips was wonderful.

Al wasn't the first person to draw TDIET, and we'll have to see whether King Features decides to continue with the strip. As has been said before, it's doubtful that the new artist could truly replace Al Scaduto.

As for this blog...well, obviously, we'll just have to wait and see. I'll continue to comment on the strips, but it'll be with a heavier heart.

Lack of truth in advertising? Say it ain't so!

2007-12-07T12:22:00.000-05:00

Today's strip illustrates a valuable lesson: Commercials don't always show the truth. Now I realize that you're all shocked by this revelation, but it's true. Maybe I'm just cynical, but I can't work up much sympathy for our protagonist. With something like car repairs, you don't go to the place with the good commercials. You do research, you ask friends and colleagues. And when it comes to car repairs, "reasonable" does not necessarily equal "low, low." Some things can be fixed fairly inexpensively. But not everything. And since I have no idea what's actually wrong with the car...I can't judge. It's bad form for the guy to say "Big bucks," but we all know how Al doesn't want to use actual numbers.

Anyway, J. Wurshell, you can just take your car to another shop. He gives you the option. And if it needs to be towed...so be it. But it's not like there's nowhere else in Cleveland to get your car fixed. And don't blame your television for commercials. Your television loves you!

In yesterday's strip, a couple shows up unexpectedly and is shocked that the couple they've stopped in to see isn't available to socialize. Well, duh. If you stop by to see someone without calling ahead, you're taking a chance that the person is going to be out or busy. My friends know that they're more than welcome to just pop on by anytime, but that doesn't mean that at any given time, I'll have the time to talk. How far away is the couple coming from, anyway? Honestly, do people do this that much? I can think of one time when I was driving by a friend's house and stopped to say hi. He wasn't home. I certainly didn't get upset about it. It happens, you know?

The growling dog does make the strip, though, I think.

STILL can't make it on your own

2007-12-05T15:07:00.000-05:00

Today's strip totally threw me off, as I was convinced it was a repeat of the strip from November 12. It's not quite the same, but I had to look at this before I discovered the difference. The premise is the same, though--wife loaded down with groceries who has to open the front door herself. NOOOO!!!!!! Anyway. I still lack any sympathy. Do people really expect their spouses to be waiting by the door when they go grocery shopping? I understand that this is probably frustrating, but who knows what Mr. Cat was doing. And now that he's actually at the front door, he can help bring the groceries in. It's all good.

I do wish that Al would space these sorts of things out better, though.

The urge to buy some merch

2007-12-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

Today's strip is another that revolves around working at home. This honestly blows me away. I guess more of the TDIET audience than I thought works from home. And miraculously, it even looks like that's a computer monitor in the bottom left of the panel! I'm just going to give Al the benefit of the doubt on that one. But honestly, are we sugpposed to feel bad for Dragbutt? I mean, who's fault is it that his office is cramped? Just organize a bit, throw some stuff out, invest in some filing cabinets, and you're golden. Quit whining. It's true that crap grows to fill the space, but it doesn't need to be so messy.

I hope you all saw the need t-shirt being offered by the Comics Curmudgeon. Need to let others know that you want to do something horrible--or just completely nonsensical--to them? Then that is the t-shirt for you.

I don't want to see Alf in his undershirt

2007-12-03T14:38:00.001-05:00

I'll admit that Al threw me for a bit of a loop in today's strip. I was sure that the bottom panel would show Migraina in the pink dress, saying that she sent the other one back. Migraina doesn't care about her husband's opinions! Ha ha! As it is, though...I don't know. Clearly Alf doesn't really care which dress she keeps. Is this a financial thing? Another, "Oh, women, with their spending money on clothes!" gag? I don't really see an impetus for her to take one back if she likes them both, unless there are other things going on here. Just bizarre. And while the pink dress is OK, the one with the bow looks more suited to a 10-year-old.

I realized this morning who the target audience for TDIET is (other than us, of course): Andy Rooney. Thanks to The Amazing Race coming on directly after 60 Minutes, and football frequently delaying the start, I keep catching Andy's rants. Have other people seen these? They're crazy. He did a whole segment on people who bring books to work, asking them whether they read on the clock. Apparently he doesn't understand the concept of reading on the subway. Or during lunch. Bizarre.

There are better ways to knock local newscasts

2007-11-28T12:28:00.000-05:00

Again, today's strip, with the "J'ever notice?" No, I have never noticed that. Admittedly, I don't watch the news that much, but this doesn't seem to mesh with what I have noticed. Local news does cover some worldwide events, but the vast majority of it is stuff like, "Fire in local neighborhood!" That way, the station can have a reporter standing in front of whatever they're talking about. Local news likes that sort of thing. And I've never seen the news interrupted for something like that. And I doubt the anchor would say, "Flash." On the other hand, it does remind me of this time in February 2002, when the emergency broadcast system started to go off, and it didn't say that it was a test. I started freaking out, but it turns out that it was started because of a major snowstorm moving into the area. But yeah, not that similar to this situation.

Oh, and I hope everyone saw the comment about Monday's strip in the Comics Curmudgeon. Very interesting!

I'll be gone tomorrow and Friday for training for work. Huzzah. I'll catch you all in December!

Ah, good ol' college days

2007-11-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. The arrival of my family meant I missed last Wednesday's strip, which was submitted by a reader, if I recall. MWGallagher, can you remember what exactly you sent to Al, and how it compares to the final strip? I only hope you like beans...

In today's strip, we deal with what appears to be a college student. Have we encountered one of those before, in his natural habitat (i.e., a dorm room)? This may be new ground! How exciting! I don't think I ever heard of anyone who had a "no shoes" rule in college. That seems wrong. I'd accept this more easily if Hekkie was post-college. (His room seems less dorm-like and more like a first apartment, but what do I know?) I'm too distracted by his mom's feet in the bottom panel to give anything else much thought. What are those lines? Is she supposed to be wearing socks? You'd think she'd be wearing stockings, as she's wearing a skirt. Or she'd be bare-legged, but she wouldn't be wearing socks. Seriously, what are those lines???

And ew, cigar ashes. How is he talking in the top panel? And are they leaving their shoes in the hallway? From the top panel, I guess so. I guess shoe thievery isn't really an issue wherever they are.

I'm trying to sing the ring tone

2007-11-20T13:42:00.000-05:00

The most surprising thing about today's strip is that I didn't already have a Lugnut tag. I'm sure that's because I've just missed it in the past; I feel fairly confident we've seen a Lugnut before. Anyway.

When I think of things about cell phones that annoy me, their tendency to ring in the middle of a joke certainly doesn't pop to mind. Clearly the joke-teller in this strip needs help with his delivery (here's a hint: Pausing to say, "Wait'll you hear this!" is a sign of bad delivery); judging from the end of the joke, he probably could've finished it before the phone rang. Anyway. Admittedly, it is very bad form for Cell Phone Guy to tell other people to be quiet--he's apparently in some sort of restaurant (a party? I mean, what's with the guy standing up?), so proper etiquette is for him to take it outside.

On the other hand, I don't have much sympathy for the spectators. The one making a snide comment about Cell Phone Guy's wife is particularly out of line. And I love how everyone apparently knows him! I guess everyone knows everyone in TDIETland.

Ironically, as I was typing this, I encountered what's probably my #1 problem with cell phones: People who leave their ringers on at work. I've accepted that people will have their cell phones on at work, despite the fact that they're sitting next to another phone. But why can't they turn them to vibrate? Hey, at least my coworker went out into the hall to talk.

Losing wallets, losing patience

2007-11-19T12:16:00.000-05:00

The thing in today's strip that's annoying me is something that pops up in a lot of the strips: The bystander who has a look of shock/horror at the main action of the strip. When I'm stuck behind someone at the grocery store who's taking a long time, I don't have a look of shock on my face. My face probably mirrors the clerk's in this one--eye rolling. Meanwhile, most clerks in real life would be bored more than eye-rolly. If that makes sense.

And of course the wallet fell to the bottom. It's probably the heaviest thing in the purse.

And Al? Please stop with the cobwebs. She is obviously moving.

You DO need to say more

2007-11-16T13:33:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest problems with today's strip is that it's labeled as "sign of the times," and yet everyone in it looks like they belong in 1956. Just having the kid say "like" and "awesome" doesn't make him contemporary. Of course, I don't get this at all. So is the implication that the popular hairstyle today is insanely short? Is that...bad? And what does the "Tomahawk cut" remark mean? It looks like someone who's been scalped?

I just don't know. Al, you continue to confuse.

Just give those kids some Lemon Drink

2007-11-15T12:33:00.001-05:00

Today's strip kind of makes me want to go to a grocery store and check this out. I will say that while I love things called "Lemonade Drink" and "Cheese Food," I don't fool myself into thinking that they're in any way healthy. I don't think this means we're "losing it" or "wot"-ever. Hey, points for originality, I guess. As long as this doesn't evolve into "How come we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway?" strip.

Yesterday's strip again examines the family dynamic. Honestly, it just isn't fair to hold how people acted toward their parents as teenagers against them when they're adults. Also, there is a huge difference between parenting a teenager and parenting a small child. Al and Jill, I don't know if you've heard, but traditionally, teenagers go through periods of rebellion as they learn to become adults. This isn't really an issue for a 6-year-old. (Or four.) And why is Mom/Grandma upset that the kids are being told to do as she says? Wouldn't that be helpful?

At least the movie isn't about doctors

2007-11-13T12:19:00.000-05:00

Today's strip is so blandly inoffensive that I'm having problems focusing on it, other than it was submitted by "Paula and Paul" which is just wrong. I'm kind of grateful that there isn't a male version of my name so I don't have to worry about that sort of situation.

The situation here is somewhat universal; it's not like it's the "salesman" (I've always thought of them as "clerks"; I mean, in the movie Clerks, one of the guys worked at a video rental place!) at the "film rental shop" (is it OK to still call them "videos" if they primarily rent DVDs?) is the only person who recommends movies you don't enjoy. Even the best of friends don't necessarily enjoy all the same movies. You do run into dull movies now and then.

Man, this strip is putting me to sleep. But I gotta ask--Why are there actual pillows on the couch for Mom and Dad to be sleeping on?

Sometimes you have to make it on your own

2007-11-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

Wait. So I'm supposed to feel bad for the wife in today's strip? Really? Her husband hears her coming and gets the door for her once, and we're supposed to condemn him for not standing near the door forever after? Good God, woman, just put the bag down and open the door yourself. I mean, really. Is he supposed to know that she's gone out shopping, estimate how long it'll take, and be on the lookout for her? Whatever.

Hey, Donna. Maybe you should've hung out with me at my old apartment. If I got the closest parking spot, I had to walk maybe 10 yards from the car to my building (not the 2 feet it looks like in the cartoon). Then I had to unlock a door, go up some stairs, open another door, then unlock my apartment door. Doesn't that sound super fun if you've gone shopping and thus have to make multiple trips?

No sympathy whatsoever.

Edit. I just saw that this was submitted by a Comics Curmudgeon reader. As such, I can only hope that this was a one-time occurrence, and as Donna simply sighed and wished that her husband would open the door for her, she also thought that hey, this would be good to submit to TDIET! As drawn, though, I remain firm in my "no sympathy" stance.

This is another case where I wish I could see what she actually submitted. I assume most people who write in are actually much more mild than the vitriol-spewing folks we usually wind up seeing in the strip.

The Al hatred boils over

2007-11-09T12:25:00.000-05:00

I went digging through the archives a bit to find the strip that today's strip repeats, but couldn't do it. Honestly, as soon as I saw "Florence Nightingul" I wanted to just write "Screw you, Al," and be done with it. (And...am I blind? I'm not seeing a contributor. Huh. So this one is all Al.) Maybe it's that I started working with a lot of nurses and for nurses, but, dude. Not cool. I see how it's annoying, but it's not like the nurses ganged up to most inconvenience the patient. What, like they're supposed to stop treating other patients during an emergency so they can pop by? I guess this patient could've been having an emergency (what exactly was he buzzing them for, anyway?). But, honestly. Shut it, Al. I'm not in the mood.

...Sorry. I imagine I'll be less cranky on Monday.

TV > Church

2007-11-08T13:01:00.000-05:00

I kind of love today's strip just for the "Amen." at the end. But N. Fugazy, you want to know why Wombo can stay still to watch television for hours at a time but can't sit still at church? For one thing, television is a lot more interesting to him than church is. He also probably has a lot of pent-up energy after sitting still for so long. Maybe Mom and Dad could encourage Wombo to do some sort of physical activity instead of sitting in front of the tv. (Although, for all I know, he does a lot of energy-sapping stuff and is watching tv in his down time.) (And wow, that's a big screen.) Besides, don't most churches have Sunday school for the kids to attend? I know we always left before the sermon, and the beginning part of the service was varied enough to keep most kids' attention.

But ultimately, why? Because he's a kid, genius. Sheesh.

Ragweed and the closet. PLUS! Pushover mothers and

2007-11-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

From the name of the wife (Nubbia? Really?) to the concept, I don't get today's strip. I mean, I do to a point--you think getting more closet space will lead to having more room, but it still fills up! But why does Ragweed look so upset in the bottom panel? It's really those Disgust/Anger Lines over his head that confuse me. Ragweed, dude, if there's not enough room in your closet, it's your fault, not the closet's. Just go through and get rid of whatever you don't wear. (And judging from the suit in the top panel, he should also get rid of the stuff he does wear.) I mean, both Ragweed and Nubbia look mad in the bottom panel. Why? Also, it doesn't look much worse than before; it looks the same.

Are there honestly parents like the mom in yesterday's strip? I cannot imagine telling my mom that I didn't want to eat when she called me for dinner. (And Alonzo looks like a teenager; aren't teenaged boys always hungry?) At the very least, I'd have to come down and sit at the table, and probably pick at my food. I'm assuming that Mom tells Alonzo that he can find his own food at this point, because if I were her, I certainly wouldn't be serving him anything. Or telling him he would just have to wait until breakfast, if this is something he pulls with any regularity. There is absolutely no reason why she should put up with this behavior.

In Monday's strip, we're again in an office. [Insert usual comments about lack of computers, etc., here.] I'm kind of at a loss for words. "No alibis"? Shouldn't that be "excuses"? Except, of course, that it was used in the expo box. Not that it makes it better. And Honcho is smoking in his office? I don't think that's legal in many places. Honestly, I think this would've worked better if it had just been that Honcho insisted on punctuality, but was still late in getting shipments out. Ha ha! The company is clearly headed down the tubes! Oh, yeahhh! Honestly, though, I wouldn't think that Boss Honcho would be in charge of making shipments, would he? That seems to be a bit below his pay grade.

In praise of the RSS

2007-11-02T19:01:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder that if you don't feel like actually having to come here, you can always sign up for the RSS feed. I follow about 20 sites on my Google Reader, and I've been nice and set it up so you don't even have to come here to get all the content (unlike some other blogs...). I'm just sayin'.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I may or may not post on Monday; I have the day off work because my employer rocks and gives us our birthdays off. My birthday is Sunday, so I get Monday off. Woo!

Carrying the golf bag probably isn't good for his back

2007-11-02T15:35:00.000-04:00

Anyone else think that today's strip should've appeared either in December or in April? I mean, Al could've held on to this for a month, and it would've been better. (Much better would be holding onto it until April, but I'll let that slide.) There's also a real disconnect between what Annoya is saying and her expression. If someone just included the dialogue box, I'd just assume a low level of passive-aggressiveness, trying to keep Arfo at home. (It's the "take it easy" that's throwing me off.) But her expression...that's blatant hostility. I guess I just wish I knew why she wants him home. Is she just trying to stop him from having fun, or is there more to it than that?

Not surprised it was submitted by a Texan

2007-11-01T11:35:00.000-04:00

Today's strip encapsulates one of the things that bothers me most about football--how the last few minutes take forever. I admit that I don't like football; I'm a baseball girl. And while baseball games aren't exactly quick, either, there's no clock telling me how long it takes to get through three minutes of play. The lack of a clock is one of the things that I love about baseball. Anyway. You'd think that Drusella would've realized by this point in her life that the typical football game is going to run about three hours. The bottom panel just doesn't bode well for either Dru or Dragbutt--she's clearly pissed off and he...good Lord. It's another case where I debated whether to use the "abusive husband" tag because he is just losing it. I'm guessing that it's a close game and so he's tense (if it's not close, he should just miss the end of the game to eat dinner), but that doesn't excuse the expletive-filled tirade.

I really can't figure out how Al feels here; the "and don't try to explain" kind of throws me off. I admit that Dru clearly isn't the brightest if she still hasn't grasped the basics of football when her husband is clearly a big fan...but is that supposed to excuse how Dragbutt reacts? I'm thinking that if he had just looked a bit exasperated, I might've been more sympathetic. But it's not happening today.

The urge to stop rerunning ideas?

2007-10-31T12:26:00.000-04:00

Today's strip is a slight variation on a strip from May...to the point that just now, I couldn't remember which one was today's and which one was the older one. (Hint: The nurse in today's is blonde.) For pete's sake, it's boiled scrod instead of roast beef in both of them! We learned from helpful reader rowboat last time that hospital patients in Germany do get to pick off of a menu, and that they usually get what they want. And again, it's a case of complaining. If Fignewt can't have roast beef because of dietary restrictions, yes, someone should've told him. But in general, I can't get worked up about this. Mostly because I'm spending my time comparing the two strips. I think the old one is better.

And Happy Halloween, all! I wish Al would get on the bandwagon of themed strips. Ah well.

My band now has a name

2007-10-30T12:14:00.000-04:00

I'm in love with today's strip because of three words: "faraway ranch people." It really can't get more awesome than that. Anyway, this strip reminds me of this one, and my commentary from then remains pretty similar. This has absolutely nothing to do with how physically close to a doctor you are. I don't even see how that figures into the equation at all. The doctor doesn't really care about travel time. He didn't then, he doesn't now. The underlying issue is how soon a person can get an appointment. And back in the olden days, I don't think you necessarily made appointments with doctors. Seriously, the more I think about this, the more my head hurts.

Also? "Yesteryear in the good old days"? Kill me now. There's...I have to stop looking at this strip. It's driving me up a wall.

They didn't even mention the dinner at 4 that afternoon

2007-10-29T13:31:00.000-04:00

I can certainly see the truth in today's strip, though it's hardly something that happens every time. My grandmother moved into a retirement community (though one not far from where she lived her entire life; she didn't move away) and seriously, folks, she is busy all the time. Card clubs, trips to Ocean City, etc., etc. She has a bunch of friends and they're always doing stuff. I'm convinced that for her, it's like college without the hassle of having to go to class and worry about what to do with your life. On the other hand, my other grandmother moved into a similar community, and really doesn't like it. So. Does happen, but not every time.

I've decided that Gram and Gramp moved down from Baltimore, judging solely from the "Hon" in the top panel. Also, my grandmother is from Baltimore, and I call her Gram. But can anyone tell me what a Jazzaria is? All I can think of is a cafeteria where you jazzercise.

Yes, old people can have fun too. But why shouldn't their kids be upset? Gram and Gramps are clearly moving far away, and the kids are worried about their welfare. Oh no! The horror!

Now we know who's causing global warming

2007-10-26T12:38:00.000-04:00

I really don't know what to make of today's strip. I feel bad trying to say anything bad about it, because pollution is bad, mmmkay? But it's just so bizarre. Isn't smoking pretty much already prohibited in all workplaces already? I've encountered a few places (like my old job, for example) where there was a smoking lounge, but most places don't have anything like that anymore, much less allow people to light up at their desks. Or assembly line station. And would a boss try to ban it because it pollutes? Most people ban it for, you know, health reasons. Not that air quality doesn't affect our health, obviously, but I've never heard of this sort of correlation.

Man, I just hope Honcho is doing something about that pollution from his factory. Honest, guys, I just don't know what to say here. Well, except that "diffo" is just wrong. As is the hyphen between "cigarette" and "smoking." (And does that mean that pipes and cigars are A-OK?) And also, use different words in the expo box and how people are coughing. That's just lazy.

Is that a hanky on the nightstand?

2007-10-25T12:39:00.000-04:00

How could I not be happy with today's strip? It has both Migraina and Dragbutt? It just perks up the day. Add in the scandal of the two of them in bed, and it's like a perfect storm. I actually would've loved it if they had separate twin beds, like on tv from the 50s.

Anyway. I can sympathize with Dragbutt in the top panel, as I've had similar things happen to me. (Know what's unnerving? Being woken up by your sister hitting you in the face with a pillow.) (And my snoring has gotten better, thanks.) Although, really, this seems like something that would've been addressed earlier in the relationship. Of course, after 50 years of marriage, my grandparents used to complain that the other snored, so maybe not. (For the record, they both snored.) ANYWAY.

Dragbutt, just do the same thing to her. Honestly. Quit yer whinin', man up, and buy each other some nasal strips or whatever. Don't passive-aggressively whine about it. And again, isn't he used to this after years of marriage?

But does she have the urge to scream?

2007-10-24T12:47:00.000-04:00

I admit that today's strip made me all warm and fuzzy--it was submitted by a teenager! There's hope that TDIET will live on. I don't care if she's reading it ironically, it still makes me happy. Not that Loopina looks like a teenager in the strip; maybe a tweener. The bow in her hair reminds me of the year (fifth grade, maybe?) that I wore a headband every day. Good times.

I guess the moral is that Loopina's mom is crazy. Look at all Loopie has to do in the top panel--she's lugging a huge box, there's a broom behind her and other boxes and piles all around. This seems like a major project. Is she cleaning out the garage or something? Why is her dad just sitting around? (Oh, right. Because he doesn't have to worry about cleaning, or intervening on behalf of his daughter.) Are the two jobs comparable at all? Is this something that happens often?

Yeah, Loopina's mom sucks. OK.

At least it says to keep the kids and pets away

2007-10-23T13:37:00.000-04:00

Reading today's strip, I just kept having to repeat to myself "Exaggeration." Mind you, a lot of what the directions say doesn't seem that bad--wear gloves and a face mask, spray liberally in baseboards and cracks, etc. That's logical. If you have an infestation, you have to go to lengths to get rid of it. And obviously you aren't going to spray pesticide on food or silverware. I think it really comes down to what exactly you're dealing with--is it a huge problem?

I love the shocked expressions of the mother and son. I imagine they'd have that reaction to the complete instructions of many household items.

The return of Rachael Ray

2007-10-22T12:49:00.000-04:00

At least in today's strip, unlike the last time we explored this topic, the at-home chef managed to complete the recipe in the correct amount of time. That being said, we have seen the insanely large numbers of dishes before. Honestly. The woman making the recipe obviously knew how many dishes she was dirtying. If she glanced at the recipe beforehand, she knew there'd be a ton of them. But really, how are there so many dishes? I just don't understand. There are piles of them everywhere! It looks like some have even snuck into the living room. How could that meal require so many dishes? This just makes no sense to me.

Blah blah, exaggeration. I understand. But there's a limit, people. That being said, I love her agreeing with the television. "Me, too!"

You'd think food would bring them running. Though it is TDIET food.

2007-10-19T12:11:00.000-04:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged that people gather in the kitchen, so today's strip is something that people will pretty much do every time. I'm not really sure of the complaint here. Is is that everyone is in the kitchen, or is it that they all then disappear when dinner is actually ready? We always got kicked off the kitchen table shortly before dinner (so we could set it), and thus kind of had to scatter. So I'm not really sure which is the problem. I think it's that everyone is around, then disappears right before the food arrives. Well, I guess that could be annoying, but it just leads to someone yelling "DINNER!!!" really loudly.

Yeah. I'm not feelin' this one.

Also, at first I thought that the girl behind the mom was, like, her sister, but I think she's supposed to be a teenaged daughter.

Congrats, Fifi--you got your own tag!

2007-10-18T12:23:00.000-04:00

So the premise of today's strip is that if a couple only goes out to eat once a month and eats very casually at home...they should have low expectations? Honestly, if I only go out to eat once a month, I want it to be nice. And waiter, rolling your eyes if I complain about wilted lettuce is not going to help your tip. I also wouldn't be happy with lukewarm water and dirty napkins. Most of these aren't unreasonable complaints! It really shouldn't matter how people eat at home; if the people at the next table eat off their fine china every night, but have similar complaints, are those valid? Fifi sure does seem to have an issue with messy people. Particularly people who are messy in private, but want things neat in public. I don't really consider that hypocrisy, but it sure does piss Fifi off.

Also, what does "live like they're camping out" even mean? They only have hot dogs, hamburgers, and smores to eat? They sleep in sleeping bags on the floor? They need to leave the house to use a bathroom?

Do most TDIET women have jobs outside the home?

2007-10-17T12:10:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure that I totally get today's strip. Obviously, I understand the premise. She's didn't put much money in, but wants to benefit as well. There are a lot of problems, though. This is TDIET. What are the chances that Annoya has a job outside the home? Probably slim. So really, Barfo's money is hers, anyway. Do they actually have their own checking accounts? And even though Annoya didn't put a lot of money in there, she did put the occasional coin in there. But it could've added up over time. So how can this be divided fairly? And I'd like to point out that unless that's all pennies (clearly not--the coins are silver), a jar that comes up to Barfo's waist should hold WAY more than just $205. I have a mug that I put my spare change in. It maybe comes up to just above my ankle. It probably has a good $10 in it. And that doesn't have any quarters in it. Presumably, Barfo's jar does. And honestly, if Barfo didn't want Annoya to get her hands on that money, he should've done something else with his change.

Yesterday's strip is yet another foray into the world of people who work from home, combined with the perennial favorite of retirement. (Probably just to contradict my assertion above about women not working in the world of TDIET. But Annoya was wearing an apron. I rest my case.) Anyway, at first I thought it was just about Fignewt having to deal with his wife entertaining while he's working. I just hope his office has a door. As for errands...well, no, Mrs. Fignewt shouldn't expect him to have the time to do that. But one of the benefits of working from home is that you can. I'm just saying. In any case, clearly he need to explain to his wife--again--the concept of working from home. And if it doesn't work out...well, they need to figure something out.

Fondue is food, not a name

2007-10-15T13:38:00.000-04:00

I'm really impressed with Fondue in today's strip--he appears to have landed an airplane into some sort of blue void. Is there an airport there? Similarly, what in the world is that on the table in the kitchen? Is that lemonade coming out of the mug? What's in the green container, relish? Mysteries abound.

I'm not sure how this situation leads to the conclusion that one is "losing it." It does make one pause that this guy can fly a plane but can't work a microwave...particularly if it's a microwave the family has had for any period of time. Some of them are confusing, but if this isn't the first time or two that Fondue has tried to heat something up, then he gets no sympathy. But hey, I'd rather he be really good at flying planes than operating a microwave, quite frankly.

It's not "folksy" to leave off the "go," Al

2007-10-12T15:10:00.000-04:00

OK, while today's strip doesn't happen every time, it sure does seem to be something that happens frequently. Although it's usually car repairs that eat up that extra money, not television repairs. Do people even repair televisions anymore? This does seem to have something to do with an HDTV, so, maybe. And honestly, if I were getting an HDTV repaired, I'd be grateful that it was only $100. But if you substitute "car repair" for "television repair," this situation happened to both a friend and I earlier this year. So...valid entry.

I do wonder what the chances are that the repairman overheard Mr. Idiot TV Owner thank his aunt for a gift of $100. I mean, who says that? Most people would just say, "Thanks for the check!" The head swivel is also freaking me out.

Artwork on vacation

2007-10-11T15:30:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the absence yesterday. I returned to my office and turned on my computer...which promptly went "Pop" and started emitting a foul odor. Needless to say, it was not long for this world. I didn't get another one until 4, then had class, then had to do work at home! Fun! Anyway.

OK, I know that I've been away too long when I actually find the name "Pablum Pistachio" in today's strip to be somewhat endearing. However, I've fallen into the trap of actually remembering that the strip is called "They'll Do It Every Time" (emphasis mine, obviously), and I can't believe that every artist and every person who advocates a clutter-free lifestyle is actually a slob--possibly to the point of having some sort of psychiatric problem with hoarding. I do love Al's take on art, though. Always a good time.

Yesterday's strip offers a take on travel. The whole thing is intriguing. Mr. Annoya (why not Annoyia again, Al?) clearly has been hearing about Palm City for ages. He doesn't look even a little excited to go. Does he know what he's in for? And do women really insist that their husbands come shopping with them? I hate shopping with other people (most of the time). Unless she thinks he'll spend the entire time on the beach leering at nubile young women? Actually, that's a possibility. Feel free to speculate about the story of that mother and her son in the front of the panel--he looks quite displeased, and she looks upset. Maybe she just told him that she and his father are getting divorced. Any other theories?

No, it's OK, I'm fiiiine. Just go.

2007-10-09T10:35:00.000-04:00

I refuse to believe that there are still husbands like the one in today's strip. Who would actually believe a spouse who includes something like, "No need to stay home for me!" in granting permission to go away for the weekend? I'm not one to condone passive-aggressiveness, but that right there is classic, and should be recognized by everyone. The guy is pretty much screwed at this point, and clearly has to do something to make it up to the wife--even though, honestly, he did nothing wrong. But that's just the way this works. Unless he does this regularly and is secretly having an affair. I doubt that's the case, though.

And submitter? I don't think it's something that just fishermen deal with.

Maybe it's time for the waiter to retire

2007-10-08T20:43:00.000-04:00

I'm baaack! Thanks for your patience--it's been a crazy few weeks. But now I'm back (literally and figuratively; I was actually in Atlanta for a conference last week). Whee! I'm just happy I return to a restaurant strip instead of a medical one.

And we have a waiter with some major anger issues. He should only be pissed if Daffeen (why not Daffina, Al? Or Daffia?) and Mr. Daffeen didn't tip him, and even then, the cursing is entirely inappropriate. I can only hope that the couple at the next table, who apparently has been staring in horror for the entire evening, is horrified at the waiter's reaction, not at Daff ignoring her food. Or maybe the waiter is just upset about wasting food.

Obviously this is not something that happens every time. People send food back fairly regularly, and this waiter should be used to it. Heck, I don't know if I'd tip him much--check out the sneer in the top panel! And what's "modom"?

Also, I don't think the woman can be sent "back" to the moon, as I doubt she was ever there in the first place.

Resurfacing briefly

2007-09-19T22:49:00.000-04:00

Yes, I realize that I haven't posted in, and I'm estimating here, forever. I haven't died or fallen off the face of the earth. Work, however, has been insane lately, due to an upcoming conference. I've spent the past week or two helping other people prepare for it, leaving me next to no time to do my own work, let alone post about TDIET. However, I'm sure that if you randomly choose a posting from the archives, there's a good chance that the concept is the same as the strips that I haven't had a chance to recap. I should get back to a more normal posting schedule around Columbus Day.

Technology and Mary Worth

2007-09-12T12:30:00.000-04:00

Are we supposed to feel bad for Fignewt in today's strip? Look how huge the "Batteries Not Included" notice is! It's on the front page of the instructions! He's an idiot for not noticing! In looking, though, I'm thinking we're not supposed to feel bad for him. You can see the instructions in the top panel, with cobwebs attached. Although what is it with the toys that require assembly in this strip? A couple weeks ago, it was a crane. Today, a truck. Kid, in my days, we pushed the truck. That's how we made it go. What a brat.

I know I've seen yesterday's strip before. It seems like a long time ago, though, and I don't have the time right now to hunt for it. I wonder whether Dorkley actually tries the suggestions he gets. And does it seem weird to anyone else that he would blow the money on doctors, but not actually get the prescriptions? It's like he's a hypochondriac, but can't fully commit to it. I'd also like to point out that in today's Mary Worth that Vera has what could possibly be a computer monitor on her desk at work. Mary Worth, people. Admittedly there doesn't appear to be a keyboard, but it's a lot more advanced than TDIET.

Well at home, you know it's a telemarketer

2007-09-10T12:08:00.000-04:00

The most confusing thing about today's strip is the waiter's expression in the bottom panel. He looks, at the very least, amused. I mean, he's smiling. Maybe he figures that if these people are on the phone, they won't bother him too much? And God knows if I were a waitress, I wouldn't want to deal with the folks from TDIETland.

Anyway, I'm not so sure this is the case. There is a grain of truth in it, but I don't know that people who were adamantly anti-phones at dinner are now OK with being on their cell phones at restaurants. I do love the "Hee hee" when the woman realizes that both she and Lula are eating dinner.

In summary, Shut up, waitress

2007-09-07T12:40:00.000-04:00

Holy crap. What are in the after-dinner mints in today's strip that a handful of them contains 3000 calories? I would really, really love to know what the actual suggestion was for today's strip. Because I could see someone declining dessert and then taking a few mints, and I could also see how a waitress/waiter might look askance at that (if the waiter/-ress was, you know, judgemental). But honestly, declining a dessert that's hundreds of calories vs. grabbing a few mints that might be a hundred calories total? There's no real comparison there.

And do restaurants honestly have signs that point out that they have mints? I've never seen that before. Most people are observant enough when it comes to those things.

Frantic catch-up

2007-09-06T12:07:00.000-04:00

Today's strip strikes as kind of completely bizarre. Garbage cans? The kid who's clutching his mother in fear totally makes the strip. Clearly Dad has rage issues. You'd think he'd plan ahead when taking the garbage out, but apparently not. I kind of want the passer-by to lecture him on raccoons. Or, have a raccoon attack him! That would be awesome.

Yesterday's strip delves into a side of the medical world we rarely see--how doctors relate to their spouses. I'm kind of disappointed it's not more like Grey's Anatomy. Epsom is no McDreamy. The issue is Mrs. Epsom's expression in the top panel. I'd imagine that she's been sick before and dealt with his treatment (or lack thereof); her expression in the top panel should be more ironic; at least a smirk. I guess she doesn't want to know what a crap husband Epsom is.

In Tuesday's strip, we delve into the fascinating world of mommy issues. Love how Ragmop says "Ohh yeah" not once, but twice. Excellent. I'm also fascinated that he actually knows how his mother made this mystery concoction--honestly, the men in this strip don't seem that perceptive. And again, it's like Al can't say "divorce," but has to keep saying "Grounds for you-know-what." Unless by that he means "murder." Hmm. And again with all the dishes! Geez.

Newsflash in Monday's strip: Boys will do things for the girls they like that they complain about when their mother wants them to do it. (Man, what an awkward construction. My bad.) Although, honestly, it looks like Yorkie and his girl are planning to hike the Appalachian Trail, given the size of those packs.

And I do recommend that everyone check out Sunday's strip. As reader Cedar pointed out, it contains so many TDIET highlights--squid, yoyoitis, an odd highlighting of technology (i.e., CDs), "Oh, Daddy, what you said!" We also get a glimpse of how Al draws cats. It's...neither pretty nor realistic.

Almost a feel-good Friday

2007-08-31T12:16:00.000-04:00

I admit that I stared at today's strip for a few moments, uncomprehending. Wow, I thought. So today's strip is just giving credit to someone doing something nice? That's...kind of cool, actually. And it would be. Most of the topics are about the tiny, petty little things that tick people off. What a great change of pace, to have a strip like this! Of course, upon examination of the strip, I found that while it's partially a "Good job!" strip, it's also a subtle complaint against the people who gave the PILES of presents that need assembly. Do that many toys really require assembly? Would a steam shovel like that be something that someone puts together at home? I don't know. Instead, I'll ignore the complaint, as it's a bit subtle, and focus on the cake. Mmm, cake.

Yesterday's strip is also a bit confusing. Once again, it's not the concept that I have a problem with ("They can sleep through a loud tv program, but not a bug flying around the room!"), but the execution. The top panel is the real culprit. Is that kid sleepwalking? And just have the mom be sleeping, not yawning. With her eyes closed. But for content? I don't really have a problem. I should say that I don't really see an issue of sleeping through a tv show but being bothered by a mosquito (which, duh, yes, kill it!). Things like that happen to me not infrequently.

And I'd like to point out that this is at least the third Fifi Meisner-submitted strip (the other two). I really should look her up.

Apparently that bistro isn't the best

2007-08-29T14:10:00.002-04:00

I don't get yesterday's strip. I guess the submitter is just confused by advertising in general?

I'm disappointed that Al doesn't explicity state that the Barfos are in a bistro in today's strip. (And also, I thought "Barfo" was the first name.) Now, I know that I've seen this strip before, but can't seem to find it in my archives. (I really need to go back and tag all of my entries.) Anyway, I'll give Mr. Barfo a pass, as he just says that the food isn't as good as it used to be. That doesn't necessarily mean that the food is bad; it just isn't "as good." Mrs. Barfo, though? Not cool. However, I'd probably eat mediocre food over trying to figure out what to cook for dinner, too. Probably, ha. I totally have. Though I don't loudly comment about how bad the food sucks before I ask for a box.

Lu's mom is as busy as my grandmother

2007-08-27T12:27:00.000-04:00

Parts of today's strip make sense...but parts just confuse me. Really just one part--the "and often" in the bottom panel. I guess Mom frequently guilts Lu into calling, but also has a social life. I guess I just don't see the disconnect there. I wish my sister would call more, but that doesn't stop me from going out with my friends. Of course, I also don't leave her messages like that. I think Al should've had the message include the mother saying something like, "Is it asking too much to call your poor mother, all alone? I sit around and look forward to talking to you, etc." It would've come together much better, I think.

And Al, you don't "turn on" your "voicemail," particularly when by "voicemail," you mean "answering machine." Lu isn't on a cell phone, dialing into her voicemail. She's hitting "Play" on her answering machine. There's a difference. Al, feel free to drop me an e-mail, and I can go over the details.

(Although, honestly, it's stuff like that that makes reading this strip so charming.)

It was the poor schools that led to the vandalism

2007-08-24T11:56:00.000-04:00

Clearly I've just been trying to avoid TDIET lately.

I feel like I'm the one missing something about Wednesday's strip. I guess it's upsetting that schools need money? More money than they received from a lottery? Are we supposed to get worked up about asking for more money for schools?

Yesterday's strip just completely blows me away. I'm kind of gobsmacked. Have we ever seen juvenile delinquency like this before? Al is clearly still in the 1950s--when was the last time anyone had to write lines? (Other than Harry Potter in Order of the Phoenix.) Seriously, the vandalism. It just keeps throwing me off. It's idiotic, though; Hekkie should be using a pseudonym (like the rash of "Borf" graffiti in the DC area a while back) (hmm, I should look to see whether "Borf Hates Bush" is still up next time I Metro into the city). What's getting to me is the color, honestly. The bright red and yellow of the graffiti just really stands out. I definitely think Al should do more criminal-themed strips.

I'm not sure what to make of today's strip. Clearly we're supposed to take Fignewt's side. It looks like Annoyia is wearing a robe--but it could be anything, really. And she does go back on saying that she wouldn't care. It looks like she very well may be the type of woman that you look at and go, "Well, no wonder he wants to stay late at the club." (And are there "clubs" like this anymore? I'm sure it's where Fignewt hangs out with other members of the Loyal Order of the Caribou, but why not just say "bar"? ...Because bar = bad and club = respectable, of course. What was I thinking?) Does he go out every night? Why? And how late is late? I really feel like I need the full history here. And also, don't use "friend wife."

Rerun: Eating out after shopping

2007-08-21T13:07:00.000-04:00

Interested in today's strip and my thoughts about it? Why don't you go and check out the strip and my comments from February 1.

I will say that (a) those kids should help put away the groceries, and (b) if Dragbutt wants a feast fit for a king, he can feel free to make it himself.

I don't want my car to have a specific make, Al!

2007-08-20T12:13:00.000-04:00

In today's strip, we learn that people treat themselves differently than they treat their cars. Shocking. I guess it's bad because Barfwell treats his car better than he treats himself? Eh. I don't understand why Mrs. Barfwell is all, "How could you?" I mean, he's eating a lot--and randomly (oysters, chili, hot dog, and custard pie? Barfwell's going to live up to his name real soon)--but it's not something to get that worked over. I guess it'd be a concern if he always ate like that, but it almost seems like Mrs. B is more upset about him looking gross in public. That could just be my take, though.

And shouldn't it be "What kind of gas and oil I put in this car"? It's not like you put gas or oil in a car; you put in both.

Also, "din-din" is what a dog eats. Most of us humans have "dinner."

Kids and repairmen these days

2007-08-17T12:14:00.000-04:00

Not surprisingly, yesterday's strip is essentially a repeat, though I can't find earlier incarnations at the moment. I call foul on this, though. Admittedly there's already a pile of dishes there, but in this case, wouldn't it make more sense to order pizza or go out or something for dinner? I mean, why dirty more dishes when you know you won't be able to wash them? But yes, we get it, repairmen never come when they say they will, inconvenience, blah blah blah.

I can only assume that Wombo, in today's strip, is graduating from 5th grade, because that's about how old he looks. OK, maybe middle school. But readers, get ready for a shocking revelation: Sometimes people look different in pictures than they do in person. I know! I wouldn't believe it, either. Particularly when the photo in question is a formal shot like a graduation photo. What, you mean Wombo doesn't always walk around in a suit with neatly done hair? I am shocked and horrified! (Well, I am kind of horrified by his shirt--what boy who's older than 5 will willingly wear a shirt with a teddy bear on it???) I'm just going to ignore the, "Like yo, you guys!" Al, stop trying to write slang. It doesn't work.

It's nice that someone was transcribing the birthday party

2007-08-15T12:21:00.000-04:00

While I'm not a huge fan of today's strip in general, I am impressed with Al playing around with the format a bit. The flashback? Very nice. As for the content...it's strange. I kind of understand where Migraina's coming from; when you get a present, you don't open it and say, "Yuck! How awful!" On the other hand, she could've just said, "What a lovely top! Thanks so much for thinking of me" instead of detailing what she dislikes. And honestly, the clerk at the store doesn't really care why she's returning it. Is it in any way torn/stained/etc.? No? Then he doesn't care. I admit that sometimes I feel the need to justify why I'm returning something, though. But I'm weird like that. And I doubt Migraina is acting out of guilt, which is why I do it. (I have an overactive guilt complex. No, I'm neither Catholic or Jewish.)

In fairness, that is an awful shirt. But honestly, I'm not going to knock Migraina too hard. She was polite to her family members and not particularly rude to the clerk, so I'm good with her.

Side effects for TDIET include nausea

2007-08-14T11:44:00.000-04:00

In today's strip we learn that side effects of medications are scary. My solution to that is to just not look at the side effects. Seriously. I'd comment on the potential side effects, but that'd just get annoying. I honestly can't read them all at once, because my eyes roll too much and that doesn't do good things to my contacts. Although I will say that pizzaitis of the pepperonitis doesn't sound bad. Mmm, pizza.

I will also give kudos. The wife's comment in the background is a pretty good one.

What's up with the blue seat in my car?

2007-08-13T12:44:00.000-04:00

I love the guy in the top panel of today's strip who's so enthusiastically saying, "It's so easy to read!" Wow, thanks, random guy! Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to figure that out. And of course it's easy to read. It's a town sign. The problem in the bottom panel isn't with the sign itself; the problem is with the grass blocking it. The expo boxes acknowledge that; hence the condemnation of the town for blowing big bucks. And I kind of hope it was the town that spent the money, not the county.

I feel bad for the kids in that town, unless the schools aren't "Dorksburg Middle" and "Dorksburg High." Can you imagine the rivalries? Poor traumatized children.

And hey, Trumbull should be lucky that the sign is that big. From what I remember of the "Welcome to Ridgefield" signs when I lived in Connecticut, they weren't nearly as easy to read as that sign is.

Can you make goulash out of a hide?

2007-08-10T12:02:00.000-04:00

The most confusing part of today's strip is the heading "Grounds for you know what". No, actually, I don't know what (not personally, anyway! *rim shot*). Divorce? I wouldn't really call this grounds for divorce. That's extreme. And why the heck was Drusilla making appetizers? It'd be one thing if she thought the boss was supposed to be coming to their house, but that doesn't seem to be the case. (Also, Al, don't use the name "Drusilla" again, as it only makes me think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dru would clearly do something insane in revenge, which would be entertaining, but doesn't really fit with the strip.) I mean--look at all that food. That's only for Drusilla and Knotop? That just seems extreme.

If Knotop had any brains, what he would've done is come home and lied. He should've said that as he was leaving, his boss invited them over for dinner, and of course Knotop couldn't say no. Everybody wins (unless Drusilla says something about a "last-minute invitation" while at dinner). At least Knotop looks a bit sheepish. I would, too. Look at all that food! Well, at least Drusilla can bring the pie with her as a hostess gift.

Really, do women spend their whole days preparing a meal just for their husband when it's not something like their anniversary? Also, Al, a side salad doesn't take very long to whip up.

Except Brian IS perfect

2007-08-09T12:24:00.000-04:00

Today's strip illustrates why people who are infatuated shouldn't marry anyone. No sane person believes that they like everything about a potential mate. And what is it with introducing a fiance/husband to the parents so late in the game? But really. If you seriously think "I love everything about this person," you're not mature enough to get married. Nobody's perfect. I mean, I'm sure that even though I currently think Brian Roberts is perfect** (cutest boy in the world!), when the day comes that we actually meet, then proceed to fall in love, etc., I'll find out that he has some habits that bug me. (Probably.) And I know that my parents each do things that annoy the other, but they're coming up on 40 years of marriage.

Anyway. I understand that Al is going for the contrast with "love everything about him" but all of those "hate"s in the bottom panel are a bit disturbing. I guess I should just be happy that she isn't telling him directly that she hates him--just all of his habits.

I can't feel too much sympathy for Nudnik, though. Clearly this was rushed, and he should've paused at his fiancee using the "love everything about him" line. He was just as deluded, and doesn't get any sympathy.

**I'm kidding. I know that he isn't perfect. If he were, the Orioles would probably be doing a bit better. Not that a .314 BA is something to scoff at. That being said, if any of you know him or have ties to the O's, send him my way! We're clearly Meant To Be.

Dumpy lawn, dumpy clothing

2007-08-08T12:38:00.000-04:00

I kind of love yesterday's strip. It rags on the submitter and has snarky neighbors. Awesome! Honestly, though, if that happened to me and the talk of the neighbors was getting to me as much as it seems to be affecting that guy, I'd just suck it up and bring all the trash back to my garage. (Well, OK, I might leave some of the furniture out there. That would only look slightly dumpy.) And honestly, what was this guy doing that he was throwing all this stuff out? I can only assume that he just thoroughly cleaned and evaluated his house. Well, good for him. But hee hee. Judgmental neighbors. Love it.

And how awesome is Al's portrayal of "casual" work attire in today's strip? The only real difference between what Ragweed is wearing and what everyone else is wearing is the jacket. The other men (because women don't belong in the office, of course!) (except as secretaries) all have shirts and ties on, but the ties are a bit loose and the shirts untucked. That's not casual. Khakis and a golf shirt is casual. And I love the fuzzy pink sweater for casual Friday. I'm kind of torn on how I feel about the bottom panel. If this were a normal situation, I'd be all, "Well, tough, Ragweed, you shouldn't have ignored the e-mail." But this is TDIET, Land of No Computers, so it's quite possible that he just literally didn't get the memo about J.P. Honcho visiting. I do feel a bit bad for him; it does seem the sort of thing that could happen to anyone. Though again, we don't need to diss his coworkers. It easily could've been "Ragweed always makes an effort to look his best, but on a normally casual Friday..."

Return of the killer squid (casserole)!

2007-08-06T12:24:00.000-04:00

What's bizarre about today's strip is Al's need to point out that Dragbutt is recently retired. It really has no bearing on the strip, which is more about a married couple and a division of labor. Maybe he needed to say this, because otherwise his readers would get up in arms at the thought of a working husband having to clean up a kitchen. (Of course, this is patently untrue, as it appears that the readership of They'll Do It Every Time consists of Comics Curmudgeon readers.)

So why did Catastra have to use all those dishes to make a casserole? Honestly, if she did dirty all those making the casserole, then it's not "simple" and she and Dragbutt are about even on the labor division, I'd say.

Seriously--where did all those pots come from? The more I look, the more I wonder. And if they've been left there for ages as part of a nefarious plot to get Dragbutt to wash them...well, good for Catastra. Dragbutt deserves it if he hasn't been in the kitchen for that long.

Mmm, meatball sub (not hero)

2007-08-03T12:16:00.000-04:00

Today's strip is a sad one, as it appears that something's wrong with my car. Boo! That being said, P. Manchester, you didn't pull into a "service station," you pulled into a "gas station." Not all gas stations do repairs. It's possible that every single gas station used to do repairs; I don't know. I do know that you can very quickly tell whether or not you can get your car serviced somewhere because places that do repairs have a shop.

And Al and P. Manchester, there is nothing wrong with a gas station also having various snack foods. If you don't agree, then clearly you've never been on a road trip of any length.

And if this were an actual sign of the current times, you would not see a gas station employee in a uniform like that.

A pinnacle in TDIETland

2007-08-02T12:33:00.000-04:00

I am in love with today's strip. It's not that I can't relate to wanting someone to break up with their current partner; I totally get that. I do think it's a bit much to sit there and be all, "Good riddance!" as they break up. Particularly when it's your child. She's probably going to be upset about this, Mom and Dad. Of course, she looks way too old to be living at home, so she deserves some judgement from the folks.

But there is nothing that is not awesome about the guy she brings home. First off, that they're married! Excellent! He's writing an autobiography! They're going to live at home! He's, like, 70! He calls them "Mom ol' gal" and "Pop person"! He has a ponytail! I really hope that this is the first time they've met and it's 2 weeks after she broke up with the guy in the top panel.

Kudos all around.

At least he's not bashing his wife's food

2007-08-01T12:35:00.000-04:00

We find ourselves back at a bistro in today's strip, where Al continues to show that his idea of a bistro and mine are quite different. I'd actually be pretty disturbed by Luglow's behavior. Not necessarily the swinging from "Love it" to "Hate it" on the food, but more how much he loves/hates it. That's just scary. He seems a bit bipolar.

But then, so do many of the people in these strips. They just go insane over the smallest things. Scary.

Of crappy husbands and crappy cousins

2007-07-31T12:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's strip continues the recent thread of retirement and dealing with a retired spouse. I honestly have nothing new to say about this (other than "The urge to retire him to the moon" actually makes some sense, so good job, Al!). I am kind of curious about the top panel--what does Dragbutt thinks his wife does all day that will go away once he's retired? And why does she seem pleased by that? You'd think that she'd realize that cooking, cleaning, etc., doesn't go away when someone retires. I don't know.

Man, I really feel bad for Arfo in today's strip. That's just a crappy situation that Fignewt left him in; even Mrs. Fignewt's expression seems to imply that she knows that this sucks. This is a situation where I really feel like I need more information. Did Fignewt really have to go to his mother's? Why? I don't think I can make a judgment without that information. This really all depends on the personalities involved. I just want to know why it's "Living on the brink." That's just silly.

I'm all about the disclaimers today

2007-07-27T12:04:00.000-04:00

I admit that today's strip ventures into completely unfamiliar territory for me. I can't remember the last time I went to a yard sale. It's extremely possible that it was over 20 years ago, but it may have been a touch more recently. But don't most yard sales get more people than that? From what I've read (...in humor columns), there are people who spend their Saturday mornings going to yard sales and snatching up all the good stuff. But, as I said, I have no idea. I'd like this strip more if the woman were saying something like, "What? How can you not have [insert something insanely specific/hard to find]?" That seems to be a touch more realistic, but still humorous. Well, as humorous as these ever get.

But for all I know, this could be a completely realistic situation. I do love the moose head in the background. I would totally buy that!

(Side note: Is that a computer monitor I see? It might be a tv, but looks more like a monitor than a tv. Stop the presses, if it is a monitor!)

Not so great with the pop psychology

2007-07-26T12:50:00.000-04:00

I'm confused by the wife in today's strip. She seems rather nonplussed in the top strip. Maybe she understands that it's silly to get a new car every 4 years? Although, you know, it's really not bad, assuming that they're leasing it. If you want a new car that frequently, I imagine that leasing would make the most sense. As for furnaces, well, I have no idea how long the average lifespan of one of those is. For some reason I'm thinking 25 years, but I could be completely off. But I live in an apartment, so I don't need to know!

But no, I don't know why Fester (no relation to the Addams Family, presumably) would think of 19 years as "practically new." It could be psychological. Maybe he and Mrs. Fester were the ones who replaced the furnace, and to admit that 19 years is a long time, he'd have to admit that he's old. Or something.

What kind of home office doesn't have a stapler?

2007-07-25T12:18:00.000-04:00

Today's strip alerts to the fact that it's apparently "Strips about working at home" week in TDIETland. It's almost like Al has only recently been alerted to the fact that people work at home now (though I'm fairly sure there have been strips here and there about it in the past).

Well, at least the bottom panel indicates that Al does realize that women have careers and such nowadays, though I can't help but notice the haircut of the wife. I almost feel like Al is making a statement, but I could very well be overanalyzing.

Again, this is a case where the guy working at home needs to say something. I know that it's hard to convince someone dropping by or your wife that you need to do work--it's very easy to say, as I sit in an office, right? I would hope, though, that Fondue pointing out that he's trying to, you know, make money, might help him persuade his wife to leave him alone for a while. I feel more sorry for him than I do for the woman in the top panel. I know that it's insanely frustrating to do housework while someone's just lounging around, but him watching tv doesn't stop her from doing what she needs to do. And she could, you know, tell him to get his own lunch if he's so hungry. And also maybe do chores of the sort mentioned in the bottom panel?

HDTV, but no computers

2007-07-24T12:30:00.000-04:00

I love the juxtaposition in yesterday's strip between the plasma HDTV (and wow, correct terminology throughout! Al must've had an assistant help him with this) and the actual image we see on the tv. It's in a shade of gray, and the ancient-looking ballplayer is tossing the ball in some random fashion. It doesn't look like he's throwing the ball on a play; maybe they're just tossing the ball around the horn after a strikeout? Anyway. The strip. Some of the set-up Junior is going on about isn't required for having a plasma HDTV (not that I do know what is required, seeing as I have a 27" regular tv). But home theater and DVR? Nope, not necessary. My parents just got an HDTV, and I don't believe they have a DVR. They certainly don't have a home theater system. I do like how Al not only had to write "Dunce" on the dunce cap, but tell us that this means "Dummy." Thanks!

Today's strip confuses me. Who are the two women in this strip? Is the woman next to Ragweed someone who works in his "home office"? Is she a maid? What's going on there? And really, this shouldn't come up. Mrs. Ragweed should say, "I'm sorry, my husband is working right now." If the jerks go into his study and start talking to him, he should just say, "I'd like to chat, but I'm really busy and possibly broke, as this 'Past due' invoice indicates. I'll give you a call later." If they won't go away, just don't engage. Continue working as though they weren't there, and they'll get the hint. And honestly, does this happen? Do whole families stop by in the middle of what's presumably a workday? If he's doing work on a Saturday, then I can see an issue. I feel bad for Ragweed and His Ladies, but they need to grow a spine, as is the case in so many of these strips.

When carts attack cars

2007-07-20T13:49:00.000-04:00

I don't mind today's strip. (How's that for a glowing recommendation?) I don't think I've ever seen anyone just push the cart away like that; usually the problem comes when the cart is left in the front of a parking spot. You don't see it, so pull in, only there's a cart blocking the front third of the space. I hate that.

No, what really sells me on this strip is the passer-by who comments that it's the same guy who takes up two parking spaces. What a jerk. I also like "a pox on." You can't lose with that phrase.

Annoying friends, underage drivers, and a decent strip

2007-07-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

So apparently there are times when I actually have to work at work, and work at home. So today is catch-up day!

I suppose the top panel of today's strip has happened to me--we've all experienced boring people who talk our ears off. I don't think I've ever heard any of them ever say anything like, "Let me go," though. The rest, sure--they've got stuff to do, etc. (Which does rightfully make you roll your eyes.) I could almost see the "Let me go" comment if the person saying it was joking, but that obviously isn't the case here. I also think Al needs to cut back on the use of cobwebs; he's been using them a lot lately.

Yesterday's strip was frustrating because there is NO WAY that Junior looks anywhere near old enough to drive. Al drew him the same way he draws small children, so Junior looks like he's maybe 10, which just makes the strip frightening. As for Junior's predicament, it's a tough one. Honestly, if I were him and found talking on the phone to be that much of a distraction (and I admit that I do occasionally talk on the phone while driving), I'd just let it ring and deal with the consequences. Obviously his mother won't be happy, but the alternative is getting smooshed by a huge truck while ramming into the side of another car. And what is up with the seat in my car? It looks like a couch cushion.

Tuesday's strip was, as I know, submitted by a reader of the Comics Curmudgeon. You can tell because it's a decent concept, and is even well executed. I think we can all relate to that, though in my experience, the beginning of the message isn't so much a person saying "ah" and "um" a lot so much as rambling about whatever pops into the person's head. The buttons on the right side of the phone/answering machine confuse me a bit, but I'll give props to Al for actually drawing a cordless phone. Good work!

I don't think the golf clubs fit in my car

2007-07-12T15:59:00.000-04:00

What impressed me about today's strip is that it's actually season-appropriate. Spring has come and gone. Anyway, I can't get particularly worked up about this. Was Mrs. Arfo particularly counting on those vegetables, or is she just annoyed that Arfo is all talk, no action? If the latter, then it's probably just the latest thing in a long line of disappointments. I feel bad for her, but she's probably used to it. I like how Al is piling on Arfo--not only did he not plant the garden, but he's a crappy golfer, to boot. At least he drives a nice car.

On a different note, I'm taking a short break. I'll be back Tuesday. Tomorrow I head off for a long weekend with my sister and baby niece!

Return to Rachel Ray

2007-07-11T12:16:00.000-04:00

Should we look at today's strip, or should we simply flash back to last October? I'm at the point where I kind of hope that Al looks at his suggestions and is all, "Seriously, another one complaining about tv chefs? I just did a strip about that! Don't you people have anything original to complain about? *sigh* At least it's not about waiting at a doctor's office."

Well, at least Al could be a bit original about it. But he's not. He uses the "turn the egg whites inside out and beat counter-clockwise" in both strips. And for some reason, Mrs. Barfwell is confused about the "counter-clockwise" part. If it were me, I'd be hung up on the "inside out" part of that instruction. I'm just happy that in today's strip, there is a valid complaint in that the chef actually said that the recipe would be simple, and it apparently isn't. That beats the previous strip, when the home chef just thought it would be easy. Although I will say "zucchini pot pie"? Ew.

Anyway, just check out what I said last October. Who knew this would get easier as time went on? This is going to get to the point where I just have to link to previous entries.

There's a grass joke in there somewhere...

2007-07-10T13:43:00.000-04:00

Honestly, strips like today's strip are the kind that I like the least. I can't get annoyed with Al going over the same material over and over. There's no particularly egregious grammar. There's no "Ohh yeah!" or "to the moon" or "the urge to" or "living on the edge." (OK, I admit "hose water" is kind of bizarre.) It's the kind of strip where you look at it, and go, "Yeah, that sucks." I can't relate--I live in an apartment, so I don't have to worry about the lawn. Honestly, I have nothing to say about this. If you have any amusing comments about rain, or fertilizer, or grass seed, feel free.

Cleverness in der strip

2007-07-09T13:05:00.000-04:00

I...I'm not sure what to say about today's strip. I saw the top panel and got annoyed--another strip about waiting to see a doctor? Al just did a strip about it last Wednesday! It hasn't even been a week! And then I got to the bottom panel. And I admit that I was impressed. It perhaps isn't the most original joke, but it shows a degree of cleverness that's usually lacking. So, kudos to Al and Mark S.! I hope Mark is a reader of this blog or the Comics Curmudgeon, as that would help keep my worldview somewhat intact. I mean, I will say that Lugger needs to calm down a bit if the wait has had such an effect on him. But still...amusing.

I do need to briefly mention yesterday's strip. I usually don't even look at the weekend strips, but an anonymous comment sent me there. And oh, so worth it, and not even just for the mention of the Loyal Order of the Caribou. There's also the hobo from the 1930s, transported to the current day to beg for coffee money. (Honestly, that look is out-of-date even for Al.) There's a mention of belching and a jackass husband who goes to mind-numbing meetings to get away from his wife (and there's no "c" in Yakeena, Al). There's a wife by the name of, God help us all, Nudella. But no, the best part is Knockwurst von Smeek, whose wife rolls her eyes as he breaks his neck. That might be mild concern, but...I'm still a bit scared. There's too much ambiguity there.

Flashback to last summer

2007-07-06T14:52:00.000-04:00

I saw today's strip and immediately thought, "I've seen this before." And not in an "Al has used this general concept before" way. No, in a "Seriously, this is an actual reprint of another strip." Well...I was almost right. I spent a couple minutes staring at the two of them and wondering why Al actually went to the effort of drawing another strip when he had done this before, almost exactly. Maybe he just wanted to work on the bottom panel of the strip from last year a bit more, so focused solely on that. So since I'm already a bit cranky because it's Friday afternoon and I'm at work...just go back and read what I wrote (and what you said) last August. It'll save us all time.

He is 14 going on 15...

2007-07-05T12:26:00.000-04:00

OK, there is no way that the kid in today's strip is either 14 or 15. He looks maybe 10. Every now and then Al shows that he can actually draw people somewhat well, but for the most part, we get this. The strip itself doesn't make sense. It would be fine with just the "You're too young to go!"/"You're old enough to do that!" contrast. Honestly, as drawn, if I were Junior, I'd wondering whether my mom knew how old I was. I can see how this situation might be frustrating, but there's a huge difference between going to a concert and being able to keep your room neat. But seriously, if my kid looked like that, I wouldn't let him go to a concert, either. Oh, and Mom, here's a thought--let him go to the concert if he keeps his room neat. See how that works? (I'm a great mother in a hypothetical world.) What's particularly disturbing is how the mother's hair recedes a few inches between the two panels. Scary!

I had considered commenting on yesterday's strip, until I looked and noticed that it was just about waiting at the doctor's office. Shocking new material. So I'm skipping it.

What is that on Loafly's shirt?

2007-07-03T12:35:00.000-04:00

I glanced at today's strip, and before reading it, figured that it would be something about how the boss is shocked that a slacker worker like Dragbutt would expect the boss to hire his lazy son. (I wouldn't hire someone named Loafly, either.) Of course, in that instance, if Dragbutt is such a crappy worker, the boss should've fired him ages ago.

Mind you, that isn't the situation. I guess the strip makes as much sense as my scenario. (Work's been crazy today, OK? My brain isn't functioning too well at the moment.) In either case, I really hope the boss doesn't hire the kid, and not only because his name is Loafly (which I'm now reading as "Low-fly"). I mean, the kid says "Duh" when being introduced to a potential employer. This does not look good.

I like how the employees are staring, stunned, at what Dragbutt is doing. I'd be horrified, too. They appear to work at some sort of factory, and I have to think that Loafly would increase the likelihood of an industrial accident.

I will comment that at least the phone on Mr. Bigwig's desk isn't rotary.

I didn't even realize I had a "hair" tag

2007-07-02T12:16:00.000-04:00

I just don't get today's strip. Usually the hypocrisy in TDIETland is a tad more subtle--Fignewt is upset at his wife for spending money on her hair, but then he blows a ton of money on his clothes. Or something. I suppose the reason that it's so blatant is because it was sent in by a barber; he probably saw wives get scolded for spending money at his place, then the husbands come in and get the full treatment. Though it's not often that a "barber" would offer expensive frills; when I think "barber," I think your basic shop where a man can go in and get a shave and a haircut. The kind of place depicted in the strip would employ "hairdressers."

This bothers me, though, because as soon as Fignewt got home from the salon, his wife should tear him apart. He obviously knows that the hairdresser doesn't simply "comb your hair." It's been a while, but this kind of strip annoys me. The wife just needs to not accept that kind of crap treatment from her husband.

And why are the people who work at his salon all French?

That all having been said, I did kind of chuckle at "Headicare."

At least the doc would up on the latest technology (if there is any in TDIETland)

2007-06-29T12:28:00.000-04:00

Today's strip is a perfect example of why I get frustrated when I see that a strip is set in some sort of medical environment. Seriously, a strip about doctors who look young? It was annoying enough in a recent episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I mean, I shouldn't be surprised to see it here--it's certainly something people have been joking about since the 1950s. It's just so over the top. For an artist who has problems making kids look young, Al sure does a good job here of making this guy look about 12. Why can't he do that more regularly???

And the comment of the nurse in the background just puts it over the top. Obviously this kid isn't ACTUALLY 15 or whatever. Although it's not like people in their 20s (...and 30s and 40s) don't play video games. But I imagine if a kid is a doctor at a young age, he actually is aware of his responsibilities.

This would make me happier if the doctor didn't look particularly young; it's just that the patient, in fact, just felt older. I mean, I look at college students and think they look young, when obviously they looked the same when I was in college. It's just that I got older.