Go Grandma, with the environmentally sound grocery bag

Today's strip is from the suggestion of pogoer! I'm sure you're pumped to see it, and that you're treasuring the interaction with Al. Do you remember how your worded the suggestion? Honestly, I find that conversion fascinating. Al generally kept things pretty close to the suggestion.

Is the word "wagon" for a grocery cart common? I've always said "shopping cart" and have never heard "wagon." (Well, obviously, I've heard the word "wagon" before. But not in this context.) And really, by the time they've reached the parking lot, I think both Grandma and Biff Biceps have realized that there'd be no wagon/cart. (Side note: I hate those grocery stores that don't allow carts in the parking lot. Insanely inconvenient.)

It is a crap situation, but maybe Grandma should've asked someone when she was checking out. That's normally when you encounter the question of whether you need help. Though I do acknowledge that my purchases are more along the line of Biff's than Grandma's when the issue arises.

It's no worse than the "Armada"

Today's strip confronts the issue of the environment. Huzzah for being topical, I say. It does play into my guilt that I don't use reusable bags. However, I drive a Prius. I'm hoping that makes me better than Gus Greenearth, who hopefully realized the irony of his name when he bought his "'conservation' gas-guzzling huge SUV." I...don't understand the "conservation" there. It's not an adjective. Unless...the SUV is called a "Conservation"? Wow. That'd take some balls on the auto-maker's part.

I also think the kid would've seen the problem in the top panel. He did, presumably, drive to the grocery store in that SUV.

Losing wallets, losing patience

The thing in today's strip that's annoying me is something that pops up in a lot of the strips: The bystander who has a look of shock/horror at the main action of the strip. When I'm stuck behind someone at the grocery store who's taking a long time, I don't have a look of shock on my face. My face probably mirrors the clerk's in this one--eye rolling. Meanwhile, most clerks in real life would be bored more than eye-rolly. If that makes sense.

And of course the wallet fell to the bottom. It's probably the heaviest thing in the purse.

And Al? Please stop with the cobwebs. She is obviously moving.

Just give those kids some Lemon Drink

Today's strip kind of makes me want to go to a grocery store and check this out. I will say that while I love things called "Lemonade Drink" and "Cheese Food," I don't fool myself into thinking that they're in any way healthy. I don't think this means we're "losing it" or "wot"-ever. Hey, points for originality, I guess. As long as this doesn't evolve into "How come we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway?" strip.

Yesterday's strip again examines the family dynamic. Honestly, it just isn't fair to hold how people acted toward their parents as teenagers against them when they're adults. Also, there is a huge difference between parenting a teenager and parenting a small child. Al and Jill, I don't know if you've heard, but traditionally, teenagers go through periods of rebellion as they learn to become adults. This isn't really an issue for a 6-year-old. (Or four.) And why is Mom/Grandma upset that the kids are being told to do as she says? Wouldn't that be helpful?

Apparently that bistro isn't the best

I don't get yesterday's strip. I guess the submitter is just confused by advertising in general?

I'm disappointed that Al doesn't explicity state that the Barfos are in a bistro in today's strip. (And also, I thought "Barfo" was the first name.) Now, I know that I've seen this strip before, but can't seem to find it in my archives. (I really need to go back and tag all of my entries.) Anyway, I'll give Mr. Barfo a pass, as he just says that the food isn't as good as it used to be. That doesn't necessarily mean that the food is bad; it just isn't "as good." Mrs. Barfo, though? Not cool. However, I'd probably eat mediocre food over trying to figure out what to cook for dinner, too. Probably, ha. I totally have. Though I don't loudly comment about how bad the food sucks before I ask for a box.

Rerun: Eating out after shopping

Interested in today's strip and my thoughts about it? Why don't you go and check out the strip and my comments from February 1.


I will say that (a) those kids should help put away the groceries, and (b) if Dragbutt wants a feast fit for a king, he can feel free to make it himself.

When carts attack cars

I don't mind today's strip. (How's that for a glowing recommendation?) I don't think I've ever seen anyone just push the cart away like that; usually the problem comes when the cart is left in the front of a parking spot. You don't see it, so pull in, only there's a cart blocking the front third of the space. I hate that.

No, what really sells me on this strip is the passer-by who comments that it's the same guy who takes up two parking spaces. What a jerk. I also like "a pox on." You can't lose with that phrase.

The urge to barf his bits. Ew.

Today's strip is one of those where I don't object to the overall message of the strip, but the execution just makes me say, "Come on!" The husband wants something called "Barf Bits"? Seriously? No. No company would ever sell that as a product for people to purchase and consume. I could see some company selling that as a gag (*rim shot*) gift, but that's it. No husband would be complaining that he couldn't eat his barf bits. No no no. And why does the mother look so upset in the top panel? Is it because she knows that her family is going to complain as soon as she gets back? If that's the case, then she should say, "OK, nobody has any suggestions. So don't complain when I get home and haven't bought the snack you like."

Interestingly, it seems the family is bothered that she got something similar to what they like, but not quite the right item. Either she doesn't know that Wheat Crums and Pistachio Wafers and Barf Bits are their favorites (doubtful), or she chose those possibly generic items to save money. Or she just enjoys pissing her family off, in which case, kudos to her. They seem like brats.

And really, it seems that they were all at home when she went shopping. They could've come along.

I like how we just have a "The urge." It's not "the urge to" do something specific. Just an urge.

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.

Patience is a virtue, Frank

I admit that most of the time, I don't even notice the "Oh-h-h yeah!" that Al generally throws into the strips. But in today's strip, I just couldn't ignore it. And it made me laugh. It's such a cliche for him to throw it in totally randomly. I think that's why I loved it.

Also awesome is that there's really so little to this strip. I mean, look at the acknowledgement box. It's ginormous! And instead of the usual "Thanx to" we get a huge "So sez."

I can get behind the general concept here, but not the way it's drawn. Four people lined up isn't good, but what's odd is that there aren't any other lanes open. I guess it's a fairly quiet time of day. And it looks like Dragbutt there was herding carts, which also needs to be done. I can get as impatient as the next person when it comes to waiting in line, but usually I can see that it's because there aren't any available employees.

And it doesn't even really look like the women in line are that impatient (and isn't it nice that is't only women? Because men obviously don't go to the supermarket) (although I'm happy he called it a "supermarket" not a "soopermarket"). None look happy, but the women at the front of the line has the same general expression as the rest.

The manager should also know that it's totally unprofessional to chew out an employee in front of the customers like that, too. Really, a simple, "Hey, Dragbutt, the line's getting long; go open another register" would've sufficed.

Invest him to the moon

Maybe it's just that I'm oddly cranky today, but today's strip totally makes me want to smack someone around. So much stupidity. Look, Al, there's a difference between being able to analyze financial investments and being able to divide. Knowing about how to invest does not make you a "mathematical whiz." (I'm rereading Confessions of a Shopaholic at the moment, about a financial columnist who can't manage her own money, which is more ironic than this situation.)

And where the heck is Theo a columnist? Between the typewriter (*sigh*) and the light hanging precariously over his desk, I can't imagine that it's for any sort of major newspaper or magazine, despite the assertion that he advises "millions." Right. Seriously, what has a circulation of millions? I thought for a moment that perhaps he's freelance (ooh, he might be syndicated!) and is working from home, but how does he get those columns in? I refuse to believe he has a fax machine, and what editor would accept a column that was faxed in?

And really, what financial columnist refuses to get with the times like this? How can "adequate returns" be "bullish"? Are these all for the same column?

This makes no sense. And I really don't feel like even having to think about finance stuff at the moment. I will say that those are some darn cheap oranges, though. And way to dress up to go to the grocery store, Theo.

A lesson in weight loss

Today's strip marks the reappearance of Rotunda, last seen almost a month ago. She sure has lost some weight since then (and remember, kids, that it's not healthy to lose weight that quickly!). I wouldn't say that she's "gorging" herself on those free samples; it looks like she took one from each. Of course the samples are things that aren't good for her (clotted cheese?), but you know what, Al? That's OK. The thing with trying to lose weight is that you don't necessarily have to cut unhealthy food out of your life altogether. It's all about portion control. There's nothing wrong with having a cookie or two; you just want to avoid having, you know, 10 or 12. It's one thing if Rotunda is actually on a "special strict diet," but I get the feeling that N. Fioretta isn't talking about people on particularly strict diets. Weight Watchers does allow for pizza, folks.

I do love the return of the totally insane food, though. Sausage pizza? Good. Normal. Tasty. But "sauteed squid and clotted cheese wrapped in pork rind with mayo and bacon sauce"? Awesome. I've heard of clotted cream, so I supposed clotted cheese is possible, but what is it with Al and squid? It's like his go-to nasty food (because he apparently hasn't tried calamari). But at least that's something that they really would have to give out samples of in order to convince people to buy it. Or is that a recipe you'd make at home? I'm trying to imagine what the product would be called.