Rhett Butler is dreamy

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!).

I'm trying to sing the ring tone

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.

You DO need to say more

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.

My band now has a name

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.

Kids and repairmen these days

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.

Mmm, meatball sub (not hero)

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.