I don't want to see Alf in his undershirt

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.

Artwork on vacation

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?

I'm all about the disclaimers today

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!)

Also note that she changed skirts in the car

I definitely think that I've seen today's strip before, but I can't find it. I hate when that happens. I just feel like there are so many more ways that people are annoying; it bothers me that we so often just see variations on a theme.

This is one of those ethical dilemmas. Should she go back and say something? Most of us wouldn't. I wouldn't. I admit it. If it was over probably $5 or so, then I'd go back. But $3? Yeah, not so much. And I kind of admire Migraina, in the abstract, for watching the purchases ring up and actually know how much things cost. Mind you, if I were behind her in line, I'd probably hand her a dime myself and tell her to shut up. (OK, I'd want to, but I wouldn't actually do it.) So...maybe not something they'll do every time, but something I can relate to. Because I, apparently, am a Bad Person.

And I do need to point out that Migraina is shopping in the 50s. I'll ignore the outfit of the cashier, as everyone seems to wear old-fashioned uniforms in TDIETland. But check out the cash register. I originally was going to posit that the $.10 difference was because Migraina hadn't swiped her discout card, but clearly this place isn't set up to handle such technology.

Say hi to the random spectator!

I really have nothing to say about the content of today's strip. The inclusion of the "Living on the edge" tag is worth noting. I really wish that Al would reserve it for situations where one of the people involved is clearly about to lose it and go absolutely nuts on the other person. And no, making a grown man cry does not count.

That cash register thing is intriguing

Today's strip leads to the question, Are there many couples who go grocery shopping together? I know my sister and her husband do, but I can't really think of any others. Anyway, I hate strips like this because I really don't have much to say about it. Yep, that would be annoying. At least the "The urge to" makes sense.

But Elfa won't be complaining if they win $1 million!

He'd buy it off an infomercial, not in a store

Really, the problem in today's strip is one of customer service. Are we supposed to blame the salesman at the...what kind of store is that? He's wearing an apron! Anyway. Are we supposed to blame him for trying to sell this guy a product? It's his job. The problem is his craptastic attitude in the bottom panel. People who work with the public really should never say, "Tough!" like that to a customer. And a lot of times, companies still have replacement parts on hand, even if the item itself has been discontinued. But really, what salesman would include "replacement parts" in the pitch?

Yeah, that's all. Sorry for the lateness and the brevity; work today was kind of crazy.

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.

The key is to pick up an easy meal while you're shopping

The big mystery in today's strip is the spelling change in Migraina's name to Mygraina. Is Al trying to trip us up so we no longer see the connection to the word "migraine"?

I will make a confession. I totally do this thing all the time. I'll go through my cookbooks, find some recipes, do a big trip to the grocery, and come home and have, like, a hot dog. Or order Chinese. This is possibly because I tend to do my shopping after work, so after all that, it's like 8 and I really don't feel like putting any effort into cooking. There was an episode of a British show called Bob and Margaret (which I totally miss) that was basically this--a big trip to the store, followed by going out to eat.

Anyway, kudos on an idea that actually does happen with a fair amount of regularity. I'm going to ignore the fact that we're clearly supposed to be exasperated with My/igraina. My only disappointment is that we don't know what she's making for Fignewt. It obviously involves squid, but I'd love to know what else. (Also, "fixins"?)

Why is there so much swearing in TDIETland?

The thing that most intrigues me in today's strip is the fact that Mom's hair is colorless. I'm thinking that the colorists used up all their coloring with the yellow expo box and thus didn't have time to color in Mom's hair. I find it oddly disturbing. It's possibly the juxtaposition of the very bright pink shirt.

But ack, another "Living on the edge" that doesn't fit the mold. Obviously Dad is frustrated and is taking it out on Mom, which is wrong, but I don't feel that anyone's about to get a beat-down. I think most of us have been where Dad is now, and I can feel his pain.

And need I say more about the fact that Al, for some reason, needed to add something after "Need we say more?" Nooo....enough said.

Anyway, like so many others, I'm going away for the holiday and have no idea what my computer access will be like. I should be back and posting next Thursday, though. Happy holidays!