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

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.

It's nice that someone was transcribing the birthday party

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.

HDTV, but no computers

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.

Migratory complaints

I'm not entirely sure I understand today's strip, although I do see that it was submitted by a cranky Florida reader. If they're not careful, they're going to get their own tag. My biggest point of confusion is whether the Arfo and Elpie own two homes--one in the south and one in the north. The expo box isn't sure ("To visit old friends or what?"), and she says that they come up every year. If they're staying with friends, that is a bit obnoxious. But if they have a place to stay, what's the big deal? It seems logical that a couple might want to go south in the winter, and north in the summer. Lots of retirees do it; my grandparents did. And if they came north just for a vacation, is there even an issue here? I guess this might be a "grass is greener" situation.

I only just figured out the "They usta say it's not bad" comment. What the heck is "usta"? Al frequently tries to write things phonetically, but he fails miserably here. "Usta" does not mean "used to." Ever, pretty much. And people who scoff at the "dry heat" comment need to feel what 95 degrees feels like in Arizona, then feel 95 degrees in DC in July. They're very different.

Of course, this doesn't make sense if Arfo and Elpie moved to Florida. You can't say that the heat in Florida is dry. And why is the Florida person complaining? It means that people leave in the summer, which you think would make them happy.

Now I have a helpful egg cooker!

I'm trying to figure out why it's important in today's strip that Fignewt is retired. It's highlighted in both the expo box and Elpie saying that he needs to get a life (when she actually means he just needs to stop bothering her--which, really, would be what most people would say). I guess we have to assume that when he had a job, he wouldn't hover that way. Probably because he came home and found dinner on the table, as it should be.

I kind of feel bad for Fignewt, though; look at his face in that top panel. He doesn't look demanding or anything, just a bit sad. Aww. Maybe that's why it's important he's retired--he doesn't really feel a sense of purpose in his life, so tries to help out. Sure, what he's saying is annoying, but now I feel bad for him.

Same with the bottom panel. If they'd chosen something other than fried eggs, I might be less sympathetic, but I have major problems with them myself (mostly flipping them, to be honest). And Elpie is just pissing me off. And what's up with the layout of the house--the bedroom open to the kitchen like that? Particularly since it doesn't look that way in the top panel.

I always seem to wind up sympathizing with the wrong person in these things, don't I?