I said I would address comments about the boat Arlo and Janis are supposed to have, the boat bequeathed them by Gus, and I will—sort of. First, I want to clarify something. While some of the comments over at the A&J GoComics site tend to be crankier than most here, it isn’t because I moderate in advance the comments made on this site, as was suggested in Monday’s comments. I don’t. A lot of readers post nice things on GoComics, the syndicate Web site, but I regularly get lambasted there for one thing or another. That’s what comments are for, I suppose. And someone asked if the “Schooner Cartooner” survived Hurricane Katrina. Yes, it did. The owners evacuated it from Biloxi in time. Now, about the boat. You know, it’s a much deeper subject than simply the boat. One reason I stepped away from the subject of Arlo’s obsession was that reader comments and “likes” led me to believe a vast majority of readers don’t particularly respond to the subject matter. I cannot stress enough what a terrible method that is for directing the creative process. But there it is. It is so much a part of what we do these days, especially as readership gravitates from print media to digital media. I’m trying to learn to live with it. Of course, the proper thing to do as a cartoonist would be ignore all external influence, but Hey! We have so much fun here, don’t we? So, will the boat show up again anytime soon? I think it will.
162 responses to “Above us, only sky…”
Lily, you certainly have no reason to be ashamed of your figure, judging by what I’ve seen of it. I was just concerned that you might be, which as I said, you shouldn’t be. And there’s nothing wrong with remaining single; I have been my entire life.
And as far as my figure, I’m working on it also. Doing 5K six days a week and some weight work, and I’m closing in on my goal of 195 pounds. I’m sure I’ll never make it to your level as a runner, but then, I do have a few years on you. Make that several. 🙂
Debbe 😉 Didn’t have time to find you tune tonight, hon, but I’ll make up for it later. I hope you have a wonderful Friday.
Good morning Villagers…..
Thanks GR 😉 it has to be better than yesterday….drama day started here in the morning. My nephew-in-law is a very angry young man…has a big chip on his shoulder and I want to knock it off and tell him this is life, get use to it and it’s up to you to use it.
Other than that, yup, it’s payday……
Putting in a long weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, high school kids are off. But if one wants anything done right, you do it yourself.
later…..
ya’ll have a blessed Friday
Oh….Sandcastler AND Loon together….in Russia, would have loved to been a little mouskie.
I’m with you Jeff in Ann Arbor
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7979337216/h8A7C0E69/
JJ,
To paraphrase…” Damn the critics, full speed ahead” boy-o ….Slainte !!
Strip of 05.16.14:
Last summer, I nearly sliced off the tip of a finger with pruning shears.
My wife no longer lets me do any yard work.
My plan worked.
Much poking; never an injury.
Debbe, you can probably buy tapes if any of our rooms were bugged. Have JJ send me your email address and I will link you to our Pinterest trip board. Just be forewarned it is family friendly.
As far as the boat thing goes, it has been Arlo’s dream. My husband also dreamed of owning a boat, in his case a motor boat. We would go to a lake two hours away every summer and he wanted his own boat very badly. People he would talk to in the area would say things like “The two best days in a boat owner’s life are the day the buy their boat and the day they sell their boat”. They would tell him that they were money pits, there was always a problem with them, etc. He didn’t listen. He just wanted a boat. Well, we got one three years ago. It sat in our backyard for a month while we waited for our vacation. He went out and started it every day (yes he had the motor in a tub of water). It would start right up and run beautifully. We were both looking forward to this particular vacation. When vacation time came we went to the lake, launched the boat, and road it the short distance from the boat launch to the motel dock. We also took it out a short distance that evening, but it was really too late to go on a long ride. That was the last time it ever ran right. The next morning we were all ready to go out and the boat wouldn’t run. It would start, sputter and die. We had to have it serviced. Parts had to be ordered. We were three days of our 9 day vacation without it. We got it back and it ran long enough to go out to the middle of the lake and then messed up again. And so the story goes. We tried to enjoy it that Memorial Day weekend after having left it with a boat mechanic after our vacation was over. We never were able to enjoy owning a boat. Everyone was right. They are money pits. We no longer own the boat. It is more economical to rent one believe it or not and far less frustrating. I envision Arlo having similar problems even though his boat doesn’t have a motor. That may not be what you have in mind, but I just thought that I would put in my two cents.
One approach would be to put an e-mail address in the print version — a *different* address from any online version. That way, you can tell what the paying customers like, separated from the opinions of the non-paying customers.
I think Janis’s obsessive insecurities of 10-15 years ago were far more grating in the long run than Arlo’s occasional sailboat fantasies. Still, plenty of comics these days take cues from what the readers respond well to, like the crocs in Pearls Before Swine becoming a greater presence, and arguably the entirety of Dilbert (Scott Adam’s blog regularly describes his efforts and savvy in trying to figure out what will be popular with readers so he can do more of it).
Mary,
I am sorry you all had such a bad experience. There can be problems, that’s for sure, and things can cost money. I have owned/restored/sailed a series of sailboats since the mid-80s. We are currently on number 5, which we plan to keep until we get too old to sail comfortably, then I guess we’ll make the transition to “stink pots”. 🙂 That said, it’s all a matter of what you enjoy, and your level of experience, etc. For casual, once-a-year use, or use in a location far from home, renting/chartering makes a lot of sense. I personally enjoy tinkering with the boat and making sure everything works well, and have never subscribed to the old “best two days” thing. I like knowing MY boat inside & out, knowing how it has been maintained, and knowing that she is waiting for me at the marina whenever I want to go sailing again. YMMV, and once again, sorry you had such a bad first experience. 🙁
I am with Ray on Janis, that phase she went thru was more than a little annoying. But I have little sympathy with insecure women with body images. That is not because I have a aged but awesome body but because it is what is inside people that really counts, not the outer shell. (Those were tasty knights weren’t they dragons?)
My husband once sold boats to the half million range (which was about as bad as it usually got in those days) Now we happily play with little plywood boats. It isn’t the shell, it’s the inner peace you get, no matter what size.
Love, Jackie Monies
I guess I don”t remember Janis’ body obsessions. Anybody got a link.?
Body image insecurities? What body image insecurities?
http://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2009/03/11#.U3ZKd_ldWa8
Actually, as I recall, Janis’s insecurities seemed to mostly involve her relationship with Arlo. But that could have been part of it, too.
I’ve always liked the “What’s done is done” cartoon. For some reason.
Hey! Tan inspector…a possible new career track for me.
Here’s some interesting news: http://consumerist.com/2014/05/16/british-library-putting-hundreds-of-important-literary-resources-online/
Perhaps it’s the knowing look on Janis’s face in the fourth panel.
BTW, Jimmy, excellent John Lennon reference in the title. I’m surprised no on else highlighted it. Imagine . . .
Jackie, use you own judgment as to whether your son-in-law who builds artificial limbs would think this cartoon humorous. There are a couple of possible interpretations of it (not surprisingly, as I found it on CIDU), but you’ll understand if I offer no further comment on it.
http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/splinter.gif
Thanks, Ghost. I stay tan, mostly, but I go to the spa and have it airbrushed on. Every summer, my stylist starts whining about how her income drops.
Arlo is actually correct. I have a female friend, in her early forties, who “laid out” and used tanning beds for 20+ years, who is paying the price now. The price being melanoma.
If you must get a tan, I’d suggest you get it the way Lily does.
Yes, my boss’s sister, who is very blonde and has very fair skin went through the same ordeal. Thank the Lord she is cancer-free after 28 years.
My friend is half Asian and not fair complected, so it can happen to anyone. Not cool to be the one in the morgue with the best tan.
Good eye Mark…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwUGSYDKUxU
your may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one……….