Big players in the 1996 strips about the budding romance of Gene and Ruth were Ruth’s parents, especially her mother. Her name is “Jade.” Actually, her name was never mentioned; I just made the name “Jade” up. But I’m the cartoonist, so “Jade” it will be. Ruth’s father was, of course, the other parent. His role was there from the beginning, too, but as the ex-husband of Jade his was mostly an off-screen presence. Readers liked Ruth, and I did, too. Don’t you find it strange that with the ease and extent of social interaction these days she has never turned up? I do.
93 responses to “Conditioned Response”
Whoa!! Is JJ using the strip to invite us to suggest names for the farm stand??? Gene said, the name “will come to us.” What do you think, villagers?
In that case I nominate Poke Salad.
Or Pokie.
Ghost you are right on all counts. The only way I have lost and kept it off was to write it down and exercise daily. No matter the program that is how it works.
Funny one here, this crazy guy was jokingly hitting on me in a convenience store yesterday, half drunk I’d say. Bragging about how old he was and all he knew, asking if I were single. I said yes but I was too old for him at 72.
That sobered him up enough he looked closer and said honey you have taken good care of yourself, you could teach me things I suspect.
The sad part is I haven’t taken care of myself but it still made me laugh.
Since I had my lower teeth removed – and don’t yet have usable replacements – I have lost 15 lbs. Moreover, as of yesterday, my HbA1c = 5.5. Doc threatens to take me off my diabetes med on the grounds that I may not be diabetic!! I can stand that kind of “threat”.
He was 60 by the way with his girlfriend who really was in 40s probably but not in good shape.
I suspect that when Lou said “It’ll come”, Jimmy was having her be unintentionally ironic. I also suspect that he himself was being deliberately ironic, knowing that between the Village and TDS there will likely be no shortage of suggestions for the name of the stand. Look, here’s one now…”The Garden Spot”*.
And so begins Meg’s climb to becoming the CEO of the multinational conglomerate “Meg’s Eggs”.
* Those of you males of a certain age may recall what the word “spot” meant in reference to girl watching in high school and college. And yes, it is related to the infamous “peek”.
c ex-p good for you! Keyboard stuck. almost sent goo for you, which might be correct at the moment without lower teeth.
Jackie, in that photo with the t-shirt, you don’t look anywhere close to your calendar age. Keep it up.
How about JJ Kale?
JJ could have them sell fresh seafood then they could call it Turf and Surf.
Sixty-five to seventy seem to be the ages at which many people look older than they are, and a considerable number look younger.
Found a great product for the rode side stand, spreadable beer marmalade. Nothing bespeakes tourism like tshirts, tomatoes, and beer marmalade.
http://boingboing.net/2016/04/06/spreadable-beer.html
RIP Merle Haggard. Checked out on his 79th birthday.
I’m going to weigh in for the first time. a&j.com is like having reruns of the best episodes of a long-running hit show. The characters have changed over the years, and the current storylines and areas of humor are less wide-ranging without:
1. Gene’s cluelessness growing up
2. Gene’s awkward-for-everybody teen years
Bringing Gene and his family back every so often is reassuring that the family is still whole, if not all in one geographic place. Of course, if the farm stand (soon to be named) were to fail, perhaps there could be short-term comedic gold if Gene’s family moved back in. But, if you decide to do that, make sure that first they get a dog named Beethoven.
Got the book; guess it’s time to buy a tee shirt.
Yep, The Okie from Muskogee has left the building.
“I’m proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where even squares can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white lightnin’s still the biggest thrill of all”
Beer marmalade on homemade cat-head biscuits, washed down with Bloody Marys. That’s what I call good drinkin’, I mean, good eatin’.
I thought that he would make it until December. This has been a rough year and it’s only early April.
Jerry in FL, you echo the comment of someone from the AL.com website, who said 2016 has been brutal for performers so far.
On the road again, Jackie’s on the road again. Watch out, Texas!
Found my way to something not an interstate. Driving by compass, turned GPS off. Blue bonnets and wild flowers
Lots of road conztruction.
Guess Merle won’t be doing that show in Muskogee
Flags should be at half mast in town.
We’re safe as long as Jackie stays around Round Rock. Should she start showing up near Round Top, then it is time to hunker down in place.
Happy tartan day! For those interested, today is a GREAT day for browsing the nets for fetching lads and lassies in their finest tartan. My third favorite holiday. 🙂
Decided to look for a beer marmalade recipe and found one even better! http://gardenandgun.com/article/recipe-tomato-grilled-cheese-beer-and-bacon-marmalade
RA, I added a Bacon Marmalade recipe to my collection a couple of years ago, when it was a topic here, and I will definitely add the Beer and Bacon Marmalade one. Thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DED812HKWyM
As long as she doesn’t end up at Rocky Top. Knoxville is a long way from where she is now! But you know why a compass is better than GPS? A compass doesn’t talk back.
Debbe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iukUMRlaBBE&nohtml5=False
Ghost: I’ve made bacon marmalade and I think I used your recipe. It was really good, but I want to try this one too.