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

Est. 1985

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Great Expectations IV

By Jimmy Johnson

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
Whenever things get real in the strip, someone inevitably chimes in with something like, “Arlo sure is being mean!” Or, “Arlo’s not being very sensitive to Janis.” When I was in the 5th grade, seriously, our teacher introduced us to the two essential elements of fiction: conflict and resolution. If you’re going to write fiction, any kind of fiction, things are liable to get testy. Then, things are put right, or they aren’t. Either way, a story is told. Admittedly, a comic strip is not the ideal vehicle for complex narrative. It unfolds so slowly, and readers, for whatever reason, seem to have well-formed expectations of how the characters should act. Of course, my advice to those who become unsettled by events in A&J is always the same: be patient.

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232 responses to “Great Expectations IV”

  1. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    From her comments, Denise has a husband. If someone attempts to reach her by telephone, it may be better if that someone is a female.

  2. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    You have the intelligence, the professionalism, and you have an all female staff. If you don’t call then I suggest EMB, but I think that you should call.

  3.  Avatar

    Sorry Jerry, I did my very best and was hung up on twice immediately by a female. I asked for Denise and identified myself by name and said I was a friend from A and J but both times hangup was immediate. That number seems to forward to another by the sounds of it.

    I know you dislike me but I have taught phone etiquette to hundreds of florists as an instructor on how to conduct a professional shop, as well as worked as a consultant to shops who hired me for that. That and working almost ten years setting up salesmanship training by phone. I am qualified.

    Whoever is at end of that phone sounded like they are not communicative or happy.

  4. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    I believe that Michigan is in the eastern time zone and that would make it almost 10 pm. We should probably not call this late.

  5. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    I’m assuming that it was a male that answered and you were probably not the first person to call. It is also now 10 pm, but I will try it tomorrow unless someone else wants to give it a try.

  6.  Avatar

    Think I will put a note on my will which Internet groups to notify upon my death, assuming we are all alive still. But not too soon.
    Tomorrow is day I am going for CT scan for my blocked carotid arteries and to see if I have damage from stroke I had last week.

    Then Wednesday I go for orthopedist to talk about knees and rotator cuff, so MRIs. Or are those the things they feed combat soldiers?

  7. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Sorry. You did say a female. But like I said tomorrow, tomorrow. It’s just a day away.

  8.  Avatar

    Jerry, a woman answered. With a tremulous voice and it was 7:45 pm their time. But call yourself. It is only 9 pm here now and they are hour earlier.

    Call is forwarding I believe, there is a strange sound in the lines as it rings through.

    Of course my record for handling daily calls averages under 2 minutes a call from 7 am my time to 7 pm my time calling coast to coast from Florida to California (math with time differences is 9 am Florida to 5 pm Califirnia) About 400 calls per day.

    I know how to do skip trace and obituary look ups as well but I don’t think she is dead.

  9. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    To those few of you who know my identity: If I go “missing”, email me to check. Please do NOT post my name or address or phone number. My heirs will be able to get my email…or I will, if I recover!

  10. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Found her on FB. Sent her a message telling she is missed here, especially by Jerry. Asked her to give us a heads up. She is part of the A&J fan group there.

  11. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    With the discussion of what to do if you can’t communicate online: http://mashable.com/2010/10/11/social-media-after-death/#peJz_rxIlgqd

    Of course, this article is 5 years old, so some of the services might not be around themselves. But do a search and you will find lots of suggestions what to do.

  12. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Good for you Mark and I agree with you EMB. I made a stupid mistake and my name will be available soon if you look in the right place, already is actually, but I don’t want any nutty buddies either.
    Dear not anonymous, I have tried to be nice, but I don’t think that you know where you are yourself. If you’ve had a stroke you need to be seeing someone apparently on a daily basis. I am telling you the truth because I am worried about you, not because I want to make you mad. Like Debbe said I can be persistent even when it’s a lost cause.

  13. emb Avatar
    emb

    Jerry: Nor annoyed but puzzled. Two refs. to me in the last several emails. What is it you agree with me about? My last post was yesterday, to wit:
    “““““““
    ’emb on 01 Nov 2015 at 8:07 pm #

    “Was that on stage or a television performance?” I don’t know, but guess TV. Most live stage performances don’t have cameras in several spots, incl. on stage. Peace, emb’
    “““““““
    Perhaps you are confusing me with c x-p, who did post today. I think both of us would take such as a compliment.

    Ophthalmologist lased crud off the back of my left plastic lens [which replaced the cataract in that eye]. Amazed at how much clearer things are. Grateful to live in an age where so many things can be fixed. And where I can have Bunny Tracks light ice cream before bed. Have to get up early / 6-hour volunteer stint at hospital tomorrow.

    Nighty bunch. emb

  14. emb Avatar
    emb

    Not annoyed . . .

  15.  Avatar

    Well, I think I will continue to communicate with some of you else where. I very much know where I am and A and J causes me too much bad karma like now infortunately. I don’t need that.

    Catch you all on Facebook

    By the way, I have been having small strokes for over 16 years now with blocked carotid arteries, one of which was bypassed 15 years ago. I have one of top cardiologists in state and see him regularly. This is not a death sentence.

    Y’all be sweet, you hear?

  16. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    I have no Facebook account. 🙁

  17. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Debbe 😉 “I like it. It’s got a good beat. I’ll give it a 90.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCROkG4SKao

  18. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Saw a thing on “Face Book” the # of new accounts every day is amazing estimating
    15% of the WORLD population is on “Face Book”
    Semi truck loads of servers installed every day.

    Should have noted the big #s

    Debbe

    Used Tacky Glue and staples when in a hurry then went back and stitched when the girls
    were not so busy. Still have a roll or two of the old canvas belts. Ours were only 60 & 70
    feet one way.

  19. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    I’ve used this one before. We had facebook in high school. We called it the yearbook. EMB, I think that you have a quality. It’s more than intelligence and education. You have class. It shows in every comment that you make, even if I don’t know the operas. I appreciate that you do. I try to know my limitations and not overreach, but there are topics that I am interested in learning more. Someone said that we should keep our mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than opening it and remove all doubt. At this point I can’t type two words without making three mistakes and if I can make any contribution it will have to be with a joke or something interesting or even entertaining. That will cease someday when I can’t type or spell at all. Finally, I want to say that I am not going to be concerned about one person who may be in trouble and not be concerned about someone who is.

  20. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Peas.

  21. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers….

    Jackie, I don’t do Facebook….so you had better stop in here every now and then and let us know how, what and where you are going. When is the penguin trip to Antarctica coming up?? I really would like to hear from you on your travels…..ok dokay!!

    Hard day at the office yesterday (LOL)..took me over an hour to clean up all the egg mess off the packer. No pouring water on my packer, I have to hand wipe everything down. And it’s a two way converyor, that can pack 100 egg cases an hour.

    Old Bear, thanks for the idea of staples….that would work too. Was looking at one other belt yesterday, and it also has a fold in it…The Boss calls such things…so it has memory. When these folds start, the eggs won’t roll on, especially if the fold is facing the cages.

    Dom…glad to hear your arm is improving….will miss all the caps though 🙂 Does get one’s attention!

    Ya’ll have a blessed day…

  22. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    GR 😉 guess who I’ve got….different take in which I like better…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz_CIIooGM0

  23. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Jerry, you have to click on the picture to get the comments, the pic will come up with the comments on the side….glad you liked.

  24. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    WARNING!

    There is a new tool in the online advertising arsenal, ad injectors. They overlay ads on top of your browser where ad blockers don’t reside. Actually, they are more annoying than in browser ads.