A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

A Remote Possibility

By Jimmy Johnson

Recent Posts

Ghost of Christmas Past

This holiday Arlo & Janis comic strip from 2022 is similar in concept to the new strip that ran yesterday. I thought the latter ...

Spearhead

I have produced a number of comic strips related to Veteran’s Day. Especially in latter years, I have tried to emphasize the universal experience ...

Dark Passage

Remember: it’s that weekend. The return to standard time can be a bit of a shock in the late afternoon, but I rather enjoy ...

What’s old is old, again

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to build a web site, but there are similarities. Everything needs to be just right, or ...

Back to the ol’ drawing board

I don’t have a lot of time this morning. I wasn’t going to post anything, but I’m tired of looking at that old photograph ...

Thursday’s Child

On Sunday, I teased you with the suggestion there are more changes coming here. There are. They will appear soon, and I think you’ll ...

26 responses to “A Remote Possibility”

  1. David in Austin Avatar
    David in Austin

    I give up easily on the remote. I keep spare batteries right next to the remote.

  2. Judy in Conroe Avatar
    Judy in Conroe

    If Arlo’s remote is like the Logitech my husband uses (I swear he changes the programming periodically, or maybe my brain changes its programming) if you hit the button in the wrong sequence, not only will it NOT turn off the TV, you have to hit a different sequence to get it to do ANYTHING. Surprisingly, I often find other things to do when my husband and I are not watching TV together.

  3. Lost in A**2 Avatar
    Lost in A**2

    To answer the questions from yesterday: I used to drive a taxi, and sometimes a limousine, and sometimes a wheelchair-lift van. Sometimes, all three in the same day. Then the company went belly-up and I had to find a new job. Now I drive a wheelchair-lift van for a company that does non-emergency medical transportation. We sometimes take people to the theatre or shopping, but most of the work is medical.

    I said I use an iPhone. Except when I want to comment: typing on an iPhone is slow. So my comments usually wait until I get home and can use the desktop machine. By then, the conversation has moved on, so I don’t comment often.

  4. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    “So my comments usually wait until I get home and can use the desktop machine. By then, the conversation has moved on, so I don’t comment often.”

    ^ This…

  5. DJJG Avatar
    DJJG

    Jimmy, is Arlo and his remote anything like your work on this website?

  6. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    I usually try to squeeze the last bit of “juice” out of batteries. When I perceive my mouse or remote as not being up to par, I may remove a battery and rub the terminals vigorously on my flannel [for its roughness] shirt or even use an eraser on ’em. In either case, if there is just a smidgen of corrosion present, surprisingly often the treatment works. If I can get a few days more use that way, it is worth it; I don’t always have a fresh one on hand or the desire to find a store. Eventually, of course, replacement becomes necessary.

    Don’t ask me about replacing ball point pen ink cartridges.

    1. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
      curmudgeonly ex-professor

      The terminals in the device may also get the eraser treatment!

  7. TruckerRon Avatar

    Then there’s the matter of squeezing out the last few drops of ointment or toothpaste from a tube… Would Arlo use a vise?

    1. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
      Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

      Jimmy did a strip about that. The punch line was “There’s no such thing as an empty tube of toothpaste” or words very close to that.

  8. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    It’s funny you should run this retro today Jimmy. A couple of days ago I posted another of your remote strips to the Classic Comic Strips FB group. That one was where Arlo was sitting in the chair repeatedly pushing the buttons and grumbling. Then Janis comes in and asks if anything is wrong. Arlo answers “No, why?”. And she says, “Well, you are sitting there opening and closing the garage”.

    By the way, I need to correct what I said about my monitor. It is 22 inches, not 32. Still a very nice size to see things clearly, like your comic strips!

  9. Charlotte in NH Avatar
    Charlotte in NH

    Lost in A**2, your job sounds kinda fun. Except cold snowy days, and kneeling down to unfasten the wheelchair, and all that. When commenting, I’m home all day but don’t use the desktop till after supper, so I don’t join in till often it’s too late, same as you.

    1. Galliglo of Ohio Avatar
      Galliglo of Ohio

      Charlotte, I was unable to respond timely to your reply on my post. That was when I/we could not read comments! Thank you for your kind thoughts. I consider myself blessed to have known, and loved, Jerry. We did not have much time together – in the grand scheme of things – but it was time enjoyed… even when he was so ill. I finally learned unconditional love. And I am thankful.

  10. joedon Avatar
    joedon

    After checking in a couple of times on Saturday to find the note that said check back later, I almost expected the same reply today. Maybe the batteries needed changing.

  11. Ruth Anne in Winter Park Avatar
    Ruth Anne in Winter Park

    JJ: a note in the latest newsletter from the Florida Retired Educators Association reminded me of you. Referring to “the tedious and seemingly never-ending task of up-dating our website and database” (with professional help, I’m sure), they said, “There is light at the end of the tunnel, and we are now fairly certain that it is not a train.”

  12. emb Avatar
    emb

    Returned late Fri. from a truncated 15-day round trip vacation to Austin w/ elder son and DIL. They drove the Prius, me, and my credit card. Trip shortened to 13 d. to get home before latest winter storm hit. Couldn’t have gone to church today if I’d wanted to; The Meadows got plowed out during this afternoon’s nap. Down to PO tomorrow to collect 2 week’s worth of mail, replenish groceries en route home.

  13. emb Avatar
    emb

    How does one go back to earlier posts on this revised website?

    1. David in Austin Avatar
      David in Austin

      EMB, on the main page there are links to previous pages as numbers on the bottom left. From there you can choose the comments. On each comment page there is link below the post, but above the comments, that give you the option to go back (or forward if you are already back).

  14. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    Being the 5th child of seven of parents that grew up during the great depression I hate to throw out anything. Shampoo has to be completely empty, my shower has several slivers of soap and I even clean off Utensils while cooking even though my dishwasher is plenty big.

    Batteries in remotes must be used to the last drop!

    1. TruckerRon Avatar

      And there are also devices for squeezing out the last drop of toothpaste, though you could just move a vise in from the workshop:

      https://www.walmart.com/ip/3-Ez-Plastic-Tube-Squeezer-Toothpaste-Dispenser-Holder-Rolling-Bathroom-Extract/171478842

    2. Sideburns Avatar

      I’m of your generation, Steve, and I hate leaving behind those little bars of soap and other toiletries in hotels or motels. Considering how often I’ve had to make overnight trips to Albuquerque lately, I’d have a lifetime supply of them by now if I followed my impulses.

  15. Anon E Mus Avatar
    Anon E Mus

    emb
    Go back to Home Page and click Next.

  16. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    And the worst part of the Spring time change is yet to come. Trying to get to sleep an hour early when your body is programmed not to be in bed that soon. That’s why I’m always dragging for the first week or so after it goes forward.

  17. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Steve f R/O

    Grand mother tool 2 wash cloths sewed the edges and put
    slivers inside – had to resew – now would put flapper like sandwich bag.

    NO food goes to waste – it gets eaten. All organics go to compost or field. Even before
    before it was popular or had a name.

    1. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

      Yeah we had a compost pile in the back. With seven kids and a septic tank, there was no way that we were getting a garbage disposal. My mom would sometimes make maple syrup with maple flavoring and brown sugar. Now that am into cooking I realized that she didn’t render the brown sugar long enough as it was quite watery.