A quick update: the wayward shirts have been located. I still have not seen them, but I will this morning. Someone asked if I ever considered a sibling for Gene. Yes, I did. Knowing the way I work, I probably didn’t know myself when I started this little story line so many years ago whether Janis would be pregnant or not. (Spoiler! She isn’t.) The way I work, again, it was never “decided” as such; it just never happened. A sibling would have expanded the strip, to be sure, but I think maybe I didn’t want to be tied to several years of baby jokes.
76 responses to “Great Expectations II”
Well, I guess Luddie is a sibling…of sorts. And you get tied to a week or two of cat jokes every year!
Love them, BTW
One of you who knows my email tells me the “girls are all worried” because I haven’t posted lately. Long story short: 2-3 years ago I had two severe angina episodes, but both turned out to be esophageal, not cardiac. Mon., while working out, very moderate chest pains sent me to the ER [after emailing kids and others] from 2-8 pm, again no cardiac involvement. Perhaps related to anxiety re a talk to the local Adventures in Lifelong Learning [A.L.L.] scheduled for 10 am Tue. [yesterday] on “My Life of Faith and Science” Being on edge in the ER took a lot out of me, and there were still occ. moderate pains, so was not sure Mon. at bedtime if I’d have to cancel. Woke up feeling fine, gave the talk, apparently passed w/ flying colors. Got an email from Lois, secy. at A.L.L. Emailed fam. and friends, excerpted that email below.
“““““““““““““““““““`
All: A guy could get a swelled head. Peace, emb
From: Lois Sent: Tue, Oct. 27, 2015 12:57 PM, To: Undisclosed-recipients: Cc: emb
Reports and Comments October 27, 2015: emb: My Life of Faith and Science [ @ Bemidji Adventures in Lifelong Learning]. 50 in attendance/about 12-14* faces new to Lois. 26 comment sheets 8 new emails, several are from area ministers (Fosston* & where else [I spotted only 2, both UMC] ).*UMC and BSU fans. Comments on Today’s speaker/topic:
“Good sense of humor on a serious subject.”
“Professor emb’s presentation was interesting and engaging. Most importantly, it was thought-provoking.”
“Very thought provoking and interesting;’ would love to hear more from him!!”
“Very well thought out and presented.”
“Stimulating; excellent presentation and topic. Appreciate handouts for further readings.”
“Different but good!”
“Interesting perspectives.”
“Amusing speaker, enjoyable to listen to, knowledgeable but a rambling presentation. Per- haps I am not bright enough to follow his thought process.”
“Excellent: full of examples, excellent answers to questions.”
“Wow! Great topic with a well-informed speaker.”
“Oh, so much to absorb, ponder and figure out where to go from my childhood faith that is no longer satisfying. This fascinating info was very enjoyable.” [Think I know this one. She thinks I walk on water.]
“Refreshing! My kind of evangelist…!”
“I have regular conversations with Evan, He has a wonderful and curious mind.” [Most likely my pastor at BUMC. The Fosston [+ Erskine and Crookston pastor = his wife.]
“Very enlightening, thought provoking.”
“Very insightful, yet kind.” [This is the one I savor most. I’ve no idea who, but am guessing female.]
“Best Ever, Great.” [Presumably in comp. to some other A.L.L. speakers.]
“Outstanding! I enjoyed having intelligent discourse on religion. I found myself in agreement with this speaker –Thanks! (fellow scientist and colleague). [BSU Chem. emeritus, 70ish]
“Well thought out info for a mixed audience! Thoughtful. Excellent.”
“It was very uplifting and interesting. Learned new words today.” [Including ‘None’ = a person who answers “none” when asked religion on a form. emb]
“Wonderful.”
“With thanks for 85 years of pondering and studying both faith and/or religion and science for us juniors to benefit.” [Not sure how much pondering I did before I learned to talk. If all goes well, I’ll be 86 next mo.]
“““““““““““““““““““`
Had a good solid 2 hr. nap after lunch. Haven’t yet looked at TIP today. Btw., we’re having our first snow, less than 1″ predicted. It’s the pebbly rather than flaky sort, typical of barely freezing weather. Will likely melt w/in 48 hr.
Peace, emb
eMb, it’s good to know you are well. I’ve had one or two of those esophageal episodes; NOT fun.
Since I missed the previous posting (making apple butter with my younger daughter) I will add one small comment to the “bi-uni-sexual” conversation: those who watch Doctor Who and Torchwood will remember Captain Jack Harkness, who was said to be “omni-sexual”-‘he would go for humans or aliens, and even once a French poodle’.
Ghost: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-28/ibm-agrees-to-acquire-weather-channel-s-digital-assets
emb, glad it was nothing serious. You would be missed over a long absence. Maybe you should designate Lois to post a note here when you will be out of touch for a while.
Today’s TIP BlogSpot is neat. Peace, emb
http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/
JJ, this is a good one. A man and his cat.
Me, I couldn’t wait to get fixed but I had my two before doing so. Think joke back then was American family was 2.5 children.
Skinny Ludwig waits with Shaggy Arlo for Big Hair Janis to bring the news. Ah, how time flies…
Actually, Anonie, I believe 2.4 children is what was used as an average for some time, whether actually accurate or not. My sister and I called our four-tenths sibling “Shorty”.
So The Weather Channel is selling off the portion of itself that has real value. Sounds about right for them. Oh, and “Internet of Things”…is that what they are calling Skynet now?
So here’s a little inside-baseball question…
I think a lot of the strips that syndicates are looking for today have their content dictated by the syndicate, so that they can be niche-marketed to target a specific demographic. “Childless couple” strips, to appeal to that demographic. “Office humor” to appeal to another. “Family humor,” “Retiree humor,” and so on.
Comics have always had such niches, but nowadays I suspect they’re actually contractual. In an environment like that, a creator might not have the leeway to add or subtract characters – or even to pursue whatever storyline they wanted!
Has A&J ever had that kind of limitation loom over it? Or have you pretty much had free rein to go be funny as you saw fit?
News update. You did not see me pitching in last nights World Series. Have a torn shoulder muscle, primary diagnosis. Out shopping for an MRI.
Just read some of yesterday’s late posts. Appreciate the concern and c x-p’s mention of the paper. I’ve been writing for it longer than many of their employees. About
https://i.chzbgr.com/full/8504152832/hA9958F18/
How do get 7 cats to stay there all at once, or is it photoshopped?
Peace, emb
emb, I fully expect to hear such wonderful things said about me someday, assuming ghosts can attend their own funerals. How nice to have it happen now!
Having driven 90 miles to let the vampires suck some blood on an empty stomach I suppose I should go offer it up a couple of days early.
Spellcheck changed that to later. Perhaps precognition?
sand, considering the WS game lasted 14 innings, you likely could have pitched had you been there. Hope you are just joking about a torn shoulder muscle. If not…ouch!
I once pulled a groin muscle…but it wasn’t mine.
If you live near Lancaster, PA, lookup in the sky. NOWADAYS has lost a survallince balloon, it has been sighted near you. http://www.mediaite.com/online/breaking-runaway-norad-spy-blimp-adrift-somewhere-above-pennsylvania/
GR6, not joking. Trying to schedule an MRI.
“didn’t want to be tied to several years of baby jokes.” — Thank you, JJ. Thank you, thank you.
Looks like the rain in South Alabama was pretty heavy last week: http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/10/flooing_turns_up_a_shark_in_wo.html#incart_m-rpt-2
This beta keyboard does strange things.
I type NORAD and it hands out NOWADAYS. Have to wonder if it knows about an ultra secret government project.
sand: Ouch!
Just heard a media report that the runaway blimp is filled with “highly flammable” helium. Therefore I’m rooting for the blimp over the media.
Run, Blimp! Run like the wind!
Having lunch and breakfast (I can hear Ghost all the way up here scolding ) sitting next to creek and waterfall in bar of my favorite restaurant listening to The End of the World as we know it.
Lobster bisque and Bleu cheese salad with strawberries. Rough life.
Funny thing Sand, next week I have to see my orthopedist for MRI but I know I have torn rotator. Question is will I repair it?
I keep thinking the media is fairly ignorant, then they hit a new low: “highly flammable” helium indeed!
https://twitter.com/HarrySmith/status/659451612046430208
Maybe it’s not a blimp?
This evenings Republican debate should be a tad more lively, how to handle runaway blimps.