It was the poor schools that led to the vandalism

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."

Women like shopping, men like sports

I think the big question about today's strip is, Why is there so much red? Both Annoyia and Alf are wearing red, and with one exception, everything in Flo's Boutique is red, or has red in it. I'd accept it if this were the February 14 strip, but...got me. Maybe to Al, we commemorate President's Day by wearing red? It's patriotic, I guess.

(And speaking of Al, faithful reader Setgreen emailed me this link to an article about Al. And seeing that picture of him makes me feel really guilty about making fun of this strip. It feels really mean. So I'm trying to forget I ever read it.) (Hey! I wonder if the strip included is the one from tomorrow! We'll have to wait and see, but I'm excited.)

I'm confused about the timing within this strip. I suppose Annoyia could've gone, bought the gift certificate, seen the dresses, and picked them out. But it seems kind of odd. Clearly she either didn't actually intend on shopping while she was there, or went through the motions of buying the certificate first as a ruse. In either case, there's no way that Alf has already been standing there long enough to have cobwebs magically form on him.

And now I'm totally distracted by the "Dream on, brother," as it's making me think of Desmond from Lost.