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

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Rearranged Marriage

By Jimmy Johnson



Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
Today I’m posting a two-fer from 10 years ago. I’ve been doing a lot of this sort of thing myself lately, thinking of ways to expand my studio, which is a small downstairs room in my house that is overflowing with, well… I’m not sure what all this crap is, but suffice to say it’s “overflowing.” In 30 years of drawing Arlo & Janis I have had only one perfect studio space, the entire upstairs of a small Tudor-style house I lived in briefly in the 90s. Of course, this situation is my own doing. My lack of organizational skills and my relative indifference to clutter have turned many an adequate room into a dysfunctional fire trap. Well, if I say so myself, this year’s resolutions are holding strong, and I’m determined to transform my current workspace, albeit small. Maybe I’ll post pictures as I go!

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141 responses to “Rearranged Marriage”

  1. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Now I am getting pop up ads from Duluth Trading Co. Guess it beats the ones from meeting women in my neighborhood?

    My method of staying up and awake until I am exhausted enough to sleep works but now I am waking up by about daylight to 7:30 a.m. with only four or five hours sleep. Not so good. I am not ever going to fall into the drink ’til I pass out method our past “visitor” subscribed to supposedly, especially since I have never liked anything alcoholic in past except really good wines and I sincerely doubt I can operate a corkscrew any more!

    That is a joke folks! And pills, well, that is same situation. I have a medications bag full of them for the assorted diseases I try to control and I promise you, my monthly refills coordination is so hard for correct use of them, no way would I ever become a drug abuser! That and fact I have a lifetime abhorrence of both substance abuse.

    Today is something I have been avoiding and am forcing myself to do, go confront ATT about the darned cell phones and cell phone programs and get those amended, change the wellness center membership over to me and insurance for autos. Since I have death certificates I guess I can change titles and ownership on cars, boats, stuff I have to pay license fees on too.

    I worry about Miss Charlotte, Gal, John in Richmond. I have the therapy of writing, both to you all and for publication, which is quite cathartic I might add. I belong to the “go ahead and say it” club I guess? Gal, John, I am actually a friend who writes to others, should you want an ear of someone who may be a few feet in front already.

    Love, Jackie

  2. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Sand, you are a funny gentleman. As in most amusing and entertaining, not as in strange.

  3. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    -29F now, probably cooler last night, predicted +8 today, -2 tonight, +25 tomorrow. Peace

  4. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    I already know most of the women in my neighborhood.

  5. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    That b&w cat in the next photo to the left in Debbe’s cheezeb. post at least knows how to spell desert as opp. to dessert.

    Debbe: You live in IN, no? That’s pretty cold. Outside thermometer read -27 an hour ago, but it’s suckered to a triple pane glass window, so probably reads a bit high.

    That grey kitten in hand didn’t need clever wurdz, did it?

    I’ll go back and check http://www.nps.gov/features/yell/webcam/oldFaithfulStreaming.html

    Peace, emb

  6. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    GR6, here is hoping the husbands never know.

  7. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    OF: Still Wed. last prediction, but I’m guessing soon; that lady[?] in the red hoody has been standing there quite a while. emb

  8. Nodak Wayne Avatar
    Nodak Wayne

    There are a few Navy vets here that might like the “opportunity” to chip paint and swab a few decks again;)

    http://www.ussorleck.com/2015-field-day-information-registration-form/

  9. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Ghost, I am certain you are equally charming and personable in person, as entertaining as a gentleman of the old south. That said, I think you had a previous life perhaps.

  10. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Mark Twain, perhaps? When I read his “How to Tell a Story and Other Essays”, much of it seemed eerily familiar.

  11. Galliglo in Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo in Ohio

    Hello Village! Guess I SHOULD check in. I have been lurking for the past few days.

    … Here in SE Ohio, at 11:00 AM EST, it is 6 degrees, feeling like -9. Should get up to 11 today! So I have been hibernating. But I am getting stir crazy so should try to get out today. We have about 10″ of snow on the ground, so getting out of my parking lot should be interesting!
    … This weather has given me a good excuse not to be out and visiting people. This quiet time has been healing.
    … I still do not want to actually talk with people. My daughter is very understanding – we do converse. But she doesn’t expect me to be all bright and bubbly. And that is a relief. We did have dinner the other evening with my former brother- and sister-in-law. They were passing thru on their way from Florida to Mansfield, OH. It went much better than I had expected. So that was one hurdle out of the way. It has been 20 years since I was married to his brother. So I guess they have accepted that I have another life now. I probably should appreciate that they still want to be “family”.
    … My prayer life is still active! Have been praying for all of you that are having to deal with the elements – Jackie and her travels – David and his new kidney – John and his dealing with his efforts in dealing with his loss – Debbe and Mindy and their work (and life) situations – all of you in sharing bits of your lives… and your caring…
    … the Village is a nice place to be…

  12. Village Loon Avatar
    Village Loon

    OMG, Mr. Ghost is a reincarnation of Samuel Clemens.

  13. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    While I am not old enough to have actually known Mr. Clemens, I have always loved him. I once owned an entire collection of his published books, courtesy of a lending library in Sunflower, MS that apparently shut down sometime in early part of 20th century. So, I have actually read every printed book. Do wish I had not sold those darned things?

    The closest I have ever come to Mr. Clemens was several times seeing Hal Halbrook as the great man. Once my seats were literally front row in Houston, at his feet, so it was like being in a living room with him alive, if you could shut out those around you in the cavernous theaters in Houston.

    I would put Mr. Clemens on a short list of historical people I would enjoy as a dinner companion.

    Some of his writing was/is cynical and jaded but that is OK, he made up for it in wit and charm.

  14. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    As a boy, I had a friend who lived in the ground floor apt. of a 3-story house on the SE corner of 9th St. and Fifth Ave. in “the Village” = Greenwich Village, in Manhattan. Like many 18th and 19th century houses in NYC, Boston, Philly, etc., it had a substantial stoop leading up to the first floor entrance, which allowed for a basement apt. with plenty of windows. A plaque by the main entry said it was Mark Twain’s NYC home for a time. Maybe some of it rubbed off. I hope it’s been designated as a historical landmark.

    Bob was also a Stuyvesant H.S. buddy, and my roommate at Cornell U. for 4 yrs. Has a Ph.D. from Cornell Med. and an MD from NYU Bellevue, both in NYC. Mostly did and supervised pharmaceutical research, is now retired in Palo Alto. Stuyvesantians get around.

    Peace, emb

  15. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    emb, look familiar?

    http://www.marktwainsnewyork.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/21fifthav.26704745_std.jpg

    From Wikipedia: “Mark Twain’s last New York home (1904-08) was the substantial house at Fifth Avenue and East 9th Street. Its demolition in April 1954, despite strenuous protests, cost New York an irreplaceable landmark but helped spark the modern historic preservation movement.”

  16. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    For anyone who cares, the Decorah pair of bald eagles brought forth their first egg of the season yesterday. Mom-to-be is busily warming and tending it. It’s on USTREAM. Looks as though the bald eagles were successful in fending off the pair of Great Horned Owls which coveted the nest earlier this year. The GHO are formidable, but, in a confrontation with eagles, would probably be lunch.

    At Berry College in GA, both tiny eaglets have hatched and seem to be feeding well.

  17. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Old Bear, in regard to your comment about an old friend stepping on the rainbow yesteerday, an appropriate photo: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=43615

  18. Ursen Avatar
    Ursen

    5.5 days snowed in now, no ones killed anyone so we are ahead of the game. Running outta kitty food and milk but otherwise no biggie. My spouse will be able to walk down the hill Saturday so my brother an take her to get meds and kitty food so all is well. No one is going up or down my hill in a motorized vehicle for at least another 5 days. I LOVE being snowed in. Ran out of bread so baked corn bread yesterday and biscuits today. May bake bread later.

  19. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    OF due 1450-1510 CST. emb. Lunch is in M’wave. By then I hope to be napping.

    http://www.nps.gov/features/yell/webcam/oldFaithfulStreaming.html

  20. John in Richmond Texas Avatar
    John in Richmond Texas

    Jackie about U of H – right now, everyone wants audits of U of H, seems there was massive overspending and unforeseen costs for what else? a new stadium, raised tuition 45 a semester for 25 years to supposedly cover it, heck, they’ll want a couple more stadiums in 25 years. … … ..all the stuff about putting things in your name, I’ve got the big important stuff done, but there’s all this little nitpicky stuff, I have to make an appointment with Social Security for April ! I have to go get my $255 death benefit, which I could live without, but I have to get a letter from them telling the bank that I can have the last check they sent. … ..my work is silly, I have maybe two hours a day of work, I guess my job description is to just be here if the president wants to ask me something, I’m hourly, so I’m just saving the company money if I’d take off. I’m close enough to my life plan of quitting, I could stop working, but I’m only 56 so there’s no point in using up my funds to pay the electric bill yet. Who knows? maybe I’ll find a fully restored Auburn, Cord or Dusenburg to buy, but all I want to do is volunteer at the science museum or a hospital or something

  21. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Thank you for that Ruth Anne.

  22. NK in AZ Avatar
    NK in AZ

    Oh, Ruth Anne–a lovely piece of writing indeed. It was also posted on Facebook this morning by a writer I follow, but I hadn’t read it yet. How very inspiring. Best regards, Nancy Kirk