If it's the 42nd rerun, then this is the 43rd telling, right?

Scaduto once again taunts me in today's strip with "Ever happen to you?" It seems that every time he uses it, I read the strip, say "No," sigh, then try to put it completely out of my mind.

We're confronted with another case of a) someone being a wimp and b) someone being a bit of a jerk, but not being totally wrong. Yes, the polite thing to do is to just listen to the story again. The smart thing to do is to say, "Oh, right, and then Tom told you about his sister! Great story. I'll catch you later." Yapmore is not totally in the wrong. We all wind up telling people the same story more than once. And really, if he's told you the same story 42 times before, speak up. Point it out. Or, you know, stop having lunch with him.

And...are they supposed to be at work, eating lunch at their desks? Because that looks like a desk lamp next to Unnamed "Victim." We know that Scaduto still lives in the pre-computer age, but did desks ever look as much like school desks as they do there? I'd think that they were students, except for being drawn as adults. I mean--lunch boxes? Apples on the desks? (Maybe they're both teachers!)

I'm still loving the "yak-yak-yak--and more yak ad infinitum" in the dialogue balloon, because it always makes me thinkg that that's actually what he's saying. I also love that he set the bottom panel in a bathroom. Scandalous!

Hope Dragbutt's team is doing better than the O's

Ah, another strip of "living on the edge" today. I will say that Dragbutt certainly pushes the envelope by asking her to get him a beer. I can't deny the urge to just sit and watch baseball all day; I've certainly done it myself, though I usually do try to do other things at the same time (read the paper, pay bills, etc.).

But if Mrs. Dragbutt really wants him to do those things, tell him straight out. None of this, "Honey, maybe you could blah blah blah." Dragbutt seems like someone who needs to be stood up to. She needs to say, "Dragbutt, you need to go do work outside. Here's a radio so you can listen to the game. It's a double-header; it's not like by working outside a couple hours you'll miss the whole thing. Now go!"

I guess that's my problem; I have no sympathy for the people in these strips who just don't bother to speak up. Annoyed with your spouse? Talk to him! Good Lord.

Other notes: Dragbutt is sitting awfully close to the tv...which looks suspiciously like a flat screen. Dang, he must have a good job. Is it just me, or does it look like he has curly hair in the top panel, but straight hair in the bottom? And I guess we're in different rooms--that, or the flat-screen tv turned into a lamp, which would be sad.

And finally, kudos to Scaduto for having the baseball player at least field left-handed. Baseball + left-handed = super sexy. Which is the only time you'll see the word "sexy" in relation to TDIET. (Not that the particular player Scaduto drew is sexy; just that left-handed baseball players = hotness.)

Shockingly, I have no TDIET strips on my fridge

In a nonshocking development, I'm a bit confused by today's strip. How is that a sign of the times? I don't seem to remember there being a time when random photos weren't on a fridge (though mine, admittedly, is covered with comic strips; mostly Pearls Before Swine). In the olden days, what did people put on their refrigerators? I guess I'm lumping in pictures with school papers and such. I don't know. And it's actually possible to put photos in albums and on the fridge. They're called doubles, Al, and they're all the rage!

If I were the kid (Little Jimmer, I suppose), I'd probably have the same expression on my face. Who really gathers around the fridge to look at pictures? And why is a picture of Grandma and Grandpa when they were young "funny"?

At least we managed to get an "Oh, yeah!" in there. It seems like it's been a while since that's been thrown in.

Next time: Killer nanorobots

We have yet another classic name in today's strip: Migraina. That Scaduto is so subtle with the names he chooses! And Scaduto continues to annoy me with "friend hubby." The more he uses it, the more it grates.

I'd probably have the same attitide as Migraina if I encountered someone in a hospital making all that noise. Dude, you're in a hospital. Ask for drugs!

The question is, how did Friend Hubby sustain those injuries? Looks like a broken leg, broken toe, and broken wrist/arm. Car accident? Or did Migraina throw him down a flight of stairs???

I'm certainly not about to mock Migraina's reaction to the television show, as I know I've certainly cried at lesser things.

And yoyoitis ranks right up there with countchoculitis, from The Office.

Ghosts of TDIET past

You have got to be kidding me. Today's strip is just a minor variation on a strip from last Tuesday! He has to have more than eight ideas, right? At least Ragweed's request today is a lot more appetizing than anything we've been treated to before.

Lulula, whom we saw a mere five days ago, sure has changed. I guess Scaduto has a list of names that he uses over and over, because he figures that nobody in the country could possibly have those names. I can kind of understand his thought process, but seriously, get over it. Just because I read a book or comic or whatever and someone in it named "Barb" acts idiotically doesn't mean I take it as a personal offense.

Once again, we have Scaduto referring to a husband as a "friend." Interesting. I had thought, as an anonymous poster suggested, that yesterday's "friend" was referring to the reader; it was just messed up by a grammatical error. But nope. Again, I'm not saying that it's bad to refer to a spouse as a friend; I just find it kind of odd. Maybe because getting somthing from the kitchen is a friendly thing to do?

I particularly like how they both look upset in the top panel. Like, totally put-out by the situation. Bewildering. And their chairs are, I assume, supposed to be next to each other's, but Scaduto (as we learned in last Thursday's strip) has problems drawing anything with depth.(Heh heh. Take that as you will.)

Taking a step back...nothing about this seems unreasonable. It seems that normally, she'll say she's going to get food, and he insists on getting it for her--so now, she probably just expects him to get it for her every time. That seems a bit unfair. Him asking for a snack; no, not great, but he seems to treat her fine otherwise. Get over it, Lulula.

Scaduto made a funny!

I admit it. I laughed at today's strip. Scaduto has hit upon a way to make me laugh at his comic: cause the characters to suffer physical pain. My dislike of everyone in the strip made watching Arfo shriek like a baby fairly enjoyable. And apparently Scaduto likes making them suffer, too; the "heh heh" in the exposition box really make the strip work.

What doesn't work...This situation is not a "dilemma," which is defined as "A situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive." I don't see any choice going on here. It's not like she's trying to figure out whether to spend time to look for the earring, or just wear another pair and get to wherever they're going sooner. It is a problem. Problem does not equal dilemma.

"Friend Hubby"? I guess it's nice that they're friends. I know we've seen Catastra before (mostly because I always read it as "castrate" and get amused for a moment), but again, don't have the energy or desire to see what prior scrapes she's gotten herself into.

I'm guessing that the earring fell with the post straight up and that Arfo stepped on it with his full weight; otherwise, it really wouldn't hurt that much. (God knows I've stepped on an earring or two, and I certainly never reacted like that.)

But now I have to go and bleach my eyes, because I certainly don't want to see anyone from the TDIET universe in their underwear.

You don't see triangular spider webs that much

Does anyone else think that today's strip just goes a bit too far? Maybe I'm oddly sensitive at the moment about this sort of thing. Anyway, yes, that has happened to me. And trust me, the guy answering the phone wouldn't look so happy when he hears that it's Aunt Heppa (what does that even mean???). Because he knows that he's in for an earful of her ailments. I have relatives who are the same way, but you know what? I suck it up. And really, "I just called to see how you are" is an expression.

Yes, I am bit cranky about this. Sera de Leo needs to shut it and enjoy the time she has left with her aunt.

And really, the guy answering the phone totally could've been sitting there, drinking his coffee while Heppa talked. She's the one doing all the talking; that leaves him to do other things. And what an awkward position to remain in so long!

One thing Scaduto does that really annoys me is how, in dialogue bubbles, he'll actually write "etc." (or, in today's case, "etc., etc., and on and on ad nauseam." It's not that hard to put that outside the dialogue bubble. Or just eliminate it! We get the point.

...Wow. I really am cranky about today's strip. Sorry!

I could use a good cocktail myself

The absolute best part about today's strip is the guy in the botton panel who's yawning. I also love that both doctor and wife in the top panel look so alarmed at Barfwell's directins. Quite frankly, if I were in the hospital, even having "just" minor surgery, I'd be happy if my hypothetical husband were concerned about me. I might find it amusing, but unless acting, you know, worried about my well-being is totally out of character for my husband, I wouldn't have that expression on my face. And I refuse to believe a doctor could be shocked by pretty much anything a spouse says in the hospital. Particularly a fairly minor outburst like this.

(And clearly the doctor went into the right line of work. With a last name like Suture, you really have to wind up in medicine.)

The moral, as always, is that people are hypocrites. And whiny. Really, that's all this strip is. Whiny, whiny hypocrites. Yes, it is easy to complain about cost once your loved one is totally healthy again! I get it!

On the other, I'm intrigued by the cocktail circuit. How do I get in on that?

More appealing recipes

Anyone else interested in going over to Scaduto's house for dinner? In today's strip, we have yet another culinary delight: squid, prepared with oregano, balsamic vinegar, and red wine. Served with salad (prepared with "etc."). I realize that the men in these situations are the foils in the strip, and we're not supposed to like them; I guess that's the explanation for the dreadful food. But is Arflo's wife really going to prepare it like that? I admit I'm not much of a seafood fan (other than sushi, strangely enough, New England clam chowder, and fish & chips), but that just seems wrong.

The name Arflo threw me off; isn't it generally Arfo? I'd look through the archives, but then I'd have to shoot myself.

And again we have more helpful exposition--"The urge to overcook his hide." Oh, I see! The wife is annoyed with her husband! I couldn't tell from her expression, so thanks! Seriously, Scaduto underestimates his artistic ability. Or his audience's powers of perception. On the positive side, it looks like she's about to smack him with the spatula.

I will give high marks for the amount of writing in today's strip, and he didn't even have to resort to an "Oh, yeah!"

The moral of today's strip? Men should work until they die, thus leaving their wives to cook in peace.

(Note: Another suggestion from DC! Where are these people reading this strip? Do the Washington Times carry it, and I just don't know?)

I don't, Scaduto

I think the more realistic version of today's strip would be the mother pestering the daughter about getting married, as in the top panel. The bottom panel, however, should be the married daughter getting pestered about popping out grandkids. That's insanely common. I mean, it still wouldn't be funny, but at least it'd be true.

I love how the bride is completely serene; her mother's cries don't make it to her, even though others' reactions show that her mother is audible from that far away.

The positioning of the people confuses me. At first I thought the bride was walking down the aisle; but no, that's not her dad with her. So I guess it's her husband standing next to her. Next to the pews. With a couple standing next to them (and the woman in the couple seems to be going for a "Jackie Kennedgy on the day Jack was killed" outfit for some reason, though her hat is a bit off). Oh! I think they're supposed to be the groom's parents, hence, the woman's corsage. And who's the woman in front of all of them?

I guess it's a timely topic; it's summer, and I believe July or August is actually the most common month to get married in (not June). I actually just attended one this past weekend, which was lovely. And for the record, my mom doesn't pester me about getting married; my grandmother does that.

This strip sure does have a lot of drama queens, doesn't it?

Heavy things are bad, yo

Sorry about the delayed entry today...Blogger was having problems when I tried to post earlier.

Anyway, on to today's strip. Poor Hekkie. He, like every other young person in the TDIET universe, looks like he's 75 when he's still in school. And then Scaduto had to age him!

There's yet more proof to be found that TDIET strips are actually relics from some other time. Another time, when teenagers used words like "Knapsack" (and is that even how you'd spell it?) and "bushed" and would say "Carryin' this thing is murder."

I barely have the energy to discuss the topic. Carrying backpack = pain, because there's no joy in having to bring home homework. Carrying golf bag = fun because golfing is fun. (Apparently.) It's really not that hard a concept. It's like how in gym in middle school, we had to run laps. And I had some friends that I'd run with and we'd whine the entire time. Then, in high school, they joined the track team. Being forced to do something makes it less fun. That's really all there is to it. (Though recreational running still sounds like torture to me.)

My big question is about the guy Hekkie is playing golf with. That's probably how I'd be, if I were out on the course. But I really don't think you'd see anyone behaving like that. I could be wrong. I avoid non-miniature golf.

The edge of a smackdown

I'm trying to focus on the content of today's strip, I swear, but my eyes keep going back to whatever Leadbutt is watching on tv. Is it cricket? The "uniform" is totally throwing me off. Fishnets with a knee pad, a t-shirt, a fanny pack (that looks like it has pouches in the front and the back), a baseball cap, and batting gloves. Scaduto, if you're trying to convey baseball, it ain't workin'. It also looks like the batter is holding the bat over his head; maybe he struck out and is about to throw the bat down in disgust? And...fishnets? Really?

Moving on. OK, to the "Quite a number of wives all over U.S.A.": If your husband tries to pull that crap on you, just say no. I might be willing to go so far as to grab him an apple, but he's more than capable of doing the rest. It reminds me of that horrible frozen pizza commercial, where the husband is, for some reason, watching television outside with his friends, and calls his wife to "order" a pizza. And she, for some reason, actually brings it to him. Spraying him with the hose isn't proper retribution. Just don't bring him the pizza!

I don't know. Maybe I'm just a wacky feminist with crazy notions of how a marriage should and should not work. But I'm certainly not planning on allowing my future husband pull any of this crap.

And why is "They'll do it every time" a postscript? (Perhaps to annoy Martin?) And why is this "Living on the edge"? Maybe by "the edge," Scaduto is implying that the wife is going to put cyanide in the sardine sandwich.

At my house, the closets aren't mini-size

I came thisclose to having my entire response to today's strip be, "Nope." Because...nope, never noticed that. Even in the places I've lived where I haven't had much closet space, I always had more than when I've stayed in a hotel. Maybe, just maybe, the closets in motels seem bigger because there are fewer clothes to put in them!

(Side note: And is this supposed to be the same guy in both the panels? Seems like the hair is two different colors. And we can't judge based on clothing, because sweater vest is one of the few outfits anyone in this strip ever wears.)

Which leaves me to contemplate the clothes this man has. There seems to be both men's and women's clothes in his closet, all mixed together, which is odd, because I have yet to encounter a couple who don't keep their clothes separated--at least, "This is my half of the closet, this is his half of the closet." And yet it seems like there are some men's jackets in between that bright pink checked shirt (dress???) and the pink striped jacket. That lime green jacket on the wall is definitely tailored for a woman. I mean, who knows? Maybe this guy just likes to wear women's clothing sometimes.

And I like how he has to specify, "Stay overnight at a motel." As opposed to all of you harridans renting by the hour.

Eye of the beholder, etc., etc.

I guess the lesson of today's strip is that not everyone has the same concept of what makes a member of the opposite sex attractice. Which, duh. I'm shocked that "the guys" had the same image of a "knock-out."

I'm amused at Scaduto's image of said knock-out; sure, she seems pretty enough, but she's still dressed just a tad conservatively. And her breasts seem a bit lopsided. She's actually very disproportionate.

Anyway, how horrible that Yappley found this woman attractive! I guess we're supposed to think that she's completely ugly, but no more so than pretty much any other woman in this strip ever is. She doesn't seem particularly unattractive. And also, "the guys" aren't exactly lookers themselves. They also seem rude; I mean, the first guy has problems getting out a "How do you do?" while the second guy is just standing there, horrified.

Shut up, guys. Shut up, Scaduto.

(And I notice it's another "No Name Please." Shut up, "No Name Please." Don't judge who others find attractive.)

Bad touch! Bad touch!

I haven't actually read today's strip yet, but as soon as the image came up, I got confused. At first I thought it was because the strip was in color, but no, the strip is always in color. No, what threw me off was that all of the people in the strip are in color--none are in the black-and-white background. And there are so many of them, fairly close up.

Anyway, the actual contents of the strip. Wow. I...don't even know what to say. I guess those folks in the background (including a woman at a typewriter, giving us further proof that Scaduto believes it's the 1950s) are stand-ins for the audience. How else to explain their exposition? This seems like such a departure in form.

Also, "If Joe was askin' for a touch"? "Askin' for a touch"??? I can't be the only person out there with a dirty mind (I guess we're not supposed to read TDIET). Just say "reply," Scaduto. It'll make it easier for all of us. And "trick names"? Gah.

And why is this guy (I can't quite make out the name on the postcard) getting personal mail at work? Right there is a clue into who sent it.

I'm bewildered what makes this, in particular, a "local irritation," as opposed to anything else we've seen in the strip. And yes, it actually has happened to me, but that doesn't make today's strip any less bewildering.

Seriously, people, I'm at a complete loss. There's so much about it that makes my head hurt.

Maybe she's at the Costco pharmacy

Wow! Today's strip actually includes the phrase "they'll do it every time." That used to be a lot more common, but Scaduto doesn't do it too terribly often. I feel that it would be a bit more powerful without the ellipsis after, but what can you do? (Well, not use the ellipsis.)

I appreciate that we're apparently so unobservant that we wouldn't realize that the woman was surprised at the very large container she's being handed. That arrow sure clears it up! Actually, it would be helpful if Scaduto always used that sort of thing to help clarify the joke for me. Because, really, it's not always that obvious.

Anyway, I may be wrong, but if you're getting a huge jar of pills from a pharmacist, isn't it usually the doctor's fault? I thought that prescriptions themselves stated how many doses should be included. I could be wrong, though. The strip does seem to indicate this is the pharmacist's fault.

And I wonder if we're supposed to gasp in horror at the price, as well. Man, I'd be happy to get that many pills for less than $50. I once got a prescription for something to help me with a sore throat; I got, like, 5 pills and it cost me $25. And hey, she could always just sell them on the black market (like the episode of The Simpsons where Marge sells all of their extra pills in a garage sale).

So should Mazdas actually say "Phoom, phoom, phoom"?

I can't let it go anymore. The caption in today's strip is just too much. "High-schooler Hekkie's grades are not so hot...In fact, they are, like, we mean awful..."

First off, there should, at least, be a comma between "mean" and "awful." Second, I'm assuming that this is supposed to mimic how teenagers talk. Only, why? We know that the strip isn't written by a teenager. Seriously, Scaduto, you don't need to fill up all that captioning area. White space isn't necessarily wasted space!

As for the second panel..."out-I.Q.s Einstein"? Really? Because I'm pretty sure that you don't need to be a genius to pass the driver's license exam, even if it is, as you claim, "very tough." (Which...not so much, in my experience.) And really? 82 questions? Dang. Of course, I got my license in Montana, so who knows.

I'm kind of disturbed by the fact that Hekkie and his dad are wearing matching outfits. Maybe it was twins day?

Also amusing is that the "speeding" car in Hekkie's daydream is making a "Phooom" noise. Not "Zoom." "Phooom."

To finally direct my attention to the actual point of the strip, I'm not sure why the dad is surprised that his kid does well on a test on something that interests him and directly affects his life. There are lots of kids out there like that. If I were the kid's parents, he possibly wouldn't be allowed to get his license (or drive much, or something) until he pulled his grades up. But that's not the point here.

Deja vu

The saddest thing about today's strip is that it's essentially the same joke from a strip just a bit over a month ago. I kind of wish Scaduto had just gone ahead and had it be the same hypocritical couple (or "nerds" as the June panel called them), but no such luck.

Also, "frowzier"? I actually would probably spell it "frowsier," but would still pretty much never use that word. And they're trying to act "nifty"? What? They're trying to act "snobby" or "hoity-toity," even. But not "nifty."

And really, they don't appear too "frowsy" (with an "s," Scaduto!), which means "unkempty; slovenly." The husband hasn't shaved, and it looks like their car is having some problems (mechanically; it's also packed pretty tightly), but the couple themselves seem fine.

Not that this makes criticizing dust on a doorhandle OK. (And the door is open, so how is there dust on there? Wouldn't the opening of the door knock the dust off?) I will say that I like the name of the hotel, and appreciate that it has a dining room.

I know someone who IS "non compos mentis"

In a shocking turn of events, I actually I agree with the basic concept of today's strip. It kind of reminds me of my father, who can come up with random baseball statistics (e.g., we were at a game a few weeks ago and he mentioned the name of the umpire from the 1976 World Series) but can't remember how to spell my middle name. I'm going to chalk this up to a bit of exaggeration and assume that there was a good reason Lugbutt (I swear, it's the names that will drive me insane) took such close notice of this man running out of the bank. Possibly because there was a man running out of a bank--I'd find that a bit shady, myself.

In other notes, I somehow doubt that this man's wife is his "bridey," which to me implies that they're newlyweds. Not that "wifey" is better, and Scaduto certainly likes using that term.

Facial reactions: Is that "bridey" in the top panel, looking so surprised at Lugbutt's detailed description? If not, why does she seem so caught off guard? And why is the customer/shop assistant so amused-looking in the bottom panel?

And I never really thought of TDIET's target audience as being particularly, um, educated (Hi! I'm a snob!). Why the Latin? (Assuming that actually is Latin.) "Non compos mentis"? And according to Wikipedia, that means "not having a sound mind" or "not sane." Informally, it's more like, "I'm a bit out of it." I'm not sure that's what Scaduto was going for. Just because a guy is an idiot who can't describe his wife doesn't make him insane.

Day of rest

I've decided not to respond to TDIET on Sundays. The reason for this is twofold:

1. The Sunday strips consist of a bunch of situations. I think I'd get an ulcer if I tried to deal with that much TDIET at one time.

2. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer doesn't make the strip size bigger. I can make out what it says, but barely. And I'm too lazy to look for another website that features TDIET on Sundays (the Houston Chronicle only has it Monday through Saturday). Plus, again, ulcer.

So take a break. Let the bile level fall. Enjoy the outdoors--it's gorgeous around here.

He's gonna be in grad school forever with a name like that

I'm started to get really ticked off with the names Scaduto is giving the subjects in the strip. I mean, Student Buttbrain in today's strip? Buttbrain? Really?

Anyway, I've never seen a situation like this. Ever. If someone comes out of an exam convinced they've failed, they're usually pleased with a decent grade. I can only assume that Mr. Buttbrain looked over his exam and noticed that he should've gotten a few more points on a question or two, thus bumping his grade from a B+ to an A-.

My other question is whether the exam was proctored by a substitute or what, because in the top panel, it looks like they're coming out of a classroom with a man in the background. But the teacher giving the tests back is definitely female.

I enjoy that Scaduto felt the need to point out that Student's whining coming out of the exam was verbatim. Thanks, I was worried you were just paraphrasing!

Caution: Big words ahead

You have to feel sorry for the police officer in today's strip. His last name is Bunion. Nobody should have to deal with that.

And apparently Mr. Scaduto didn't do too well in English, either. As an editor, seeing "thru" makes my skin crawl. Anyway, I can't imagine that Office Bunion failed English every year, as I'm pretty sure that's something you need to graduate from high school. And a high school diploma is, I believe, necessary to become a police officer.

Even if he didn't have the largest of vocabularies, he gets a pass. When you start a job, you pick up a lot of the jargon. And really, what are the big, confusing words he uses? Disarmed, machete, alleged, emerged, apprehended, incarcerated, disorderly, consort, promptly. Of those, I'll say that consort is probably a bit much. But the others? Not really that advanced.

This is another case where I wonder whether the parents watching the news knew Bo Bunion already. Did they go to high school with him? Or does the caption to the panel not actually apply to them?

I'd also like to point out that, from the way it's drawn, it looks like the cup of coffee the man is drinking is saying "Huh?" Which is pretty awesome. I'm gonig to assume that the coffee is confused by the people's reaction to a press conference.

Kitty cans for America!

When I first glanced at today's strip, the words "Feed the kitty can" jumped out at me. Something to do with cats? I wondered. No such luck. I have heard of things like, "Put money in the kitty," but I never thought of it in terms of charity. (Usually in terms of gambling, right? Just me?) And certainly have never seen a can actually labeled "kitty," but then, I've never lived in Maine. Perhaps it's common there?

And second of all, shut up, TDIET. Clearly if someone doesn't put money in a can next to a sign saying "For the boys" (because, obviously, there are no women in the armed services), that person is a Bad Person who doesn't Love America. Because why donate money to a known entity through a verified source when you can stick a buck in a can and assume it'll make it to the right place? For all we know, this guy is on his way to help put together care packages with the USO. (Oh, except men don't do that. The USO is for us wimmin-folk.)

I'm certainly not going to get on a guy's case for wanting a job done right. He's probably a bit of a stickler and certainly could've been more polite about it, but when I shell out good money to have my car washed, I like it done right. Of course, I also hate confrontation and so would never do anything like that. But still. I can get behind the principle of the matter.

Catching up

Though I wasn't away for a happy reason, the lack of TDIET in my life for the last few days has made the days just a bit sunnier. Let's take a look back...

Monday's strip found a family movie on at 3 a.m. I'm having a hard time believing they couldn't find anything comparable to Fat and Skinny in 'Playground Frolics' on tv at normal hours (assuming they have cable). I'm not saying it's easy to find family programming (not that I try), but watching something starring "Fat and Skinny" doesn't seem particularly educational or whatnot. And judging from the video box (courtesy of Frankie Machine), I'm not going to go out and recommend it. My reaction no doubt echoes the reaction of most everyone else who saw this strip: DVRs. Netflix. Look into it.

Tuesday's strip is, I think, trying to say something about modern medicine (or the U.S. healthcare system), but I'm not sure what. It seems to imply that neither prescription medicines or various home remedies work. I think the sarcastic "Ri-i-i-i-ight" is in response to the guy recommending gargling salt water (which does work, albeit briefly). And naturally Home Remedy Guy has to thrown in the trademark "Oh yeah" at the end of his recommendations. But the caption seems to imply that the home remedies work. I'm confused.

As for today's strip, we learn that it's bad to exercise and be wealthy enough to have a cleaning woman. While I realize that cleaning is a good way to burn calories, a lot of people find jogging and going to exercises classes a lot more enjoyable than cleaning (I am not one of those people, mind you; unless there's someone chasing me with a knife, I won't be running). I have mixed feelings about the employer, because the comment in there about window cleaning being good for the woman's arthritis does seem wrong. But why is the cleaning woman so upset about her employer asking her to clean the windows? Her job is to clean the place. I would hope that there's another means of employment this woman can look into if cleaning is too hard for her, but as long as your job is to come and clean someone's house, actually cleaning the house doesn't seem like an outrageous request.

Or I'm just incredibly cold-hearted and stomp on the downtrodden. One or the other.

Be right back

Due to a family situation, I'm going to be away for the next couple of days...I should return Tuesday or Wednesday. Sadly, your TDIET-mocking needs will have to wait until then.

I guess the grass ain't greener

I guess the "they" in "They'll Do It Every Time" refers mainly to people who whine, as today's strip once again highlights whiners. The person who suggested it is from Florida, so I'm thinking that this H. Lash just needs to vent about people moving to his neighborhood and saying they miss snow.

What's interesting is the one couple who look so surprised (and is it just me, or does the man who's giving the double-take to the audience look like Hitler--like, he didn't die in that bunker, he moved to Florida?). Did they know the Foghorns back in Frostville? If not, why are they so surprised?

Question: Anyone have any ideas about what the guy walking up to the table is holding?