I think the characters Arlo and Janis are very real to people. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t be here still. But as Ludwig the cat acts like a real cat but not exactly, Arlo and Janis act like real people, but not exactly. This is because they are cartoon characters, of course! Their thoughts and actions would, in reality, be histrionic or just plain ridiculous, but ideally we don’t really notice, because, at the same time, we recognize and identify with what’s going on. This is illustrated in the above classic from 2002. I know. I’m stating the obvious. My only defense is, It’s Friday. And as promised, the art sale is over.
Shopping Is Shopping
By Jimmy Johnson
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40 responses to “Shopping Is Shopping”
I stopped at the big box hardware store and got “stuff” too. My wife is in NYC and so I am going to replace the carpeting in the basement with laminate floating flooring. Man those boxes are heavy! I am hoping that my son will come over to help me move the rest of the furniture and help me decide if I want to put the flooring over the carpeting or try to pull it up. They used a commercial adhesive and frankly I am not strong enough.
Pull it up, Steve. Or you will probably have troubles with the wood flooring ever after. That carpeting will absorb moisture and leach it into the wood, with no good results.
Thanks. I probably will rent a floor stripper (Stifle your thoughts Ghost) as it is glued on pretty strong. I should be able to get most of the furniture moved tonight and have my son help me move my old big screen TV in the morning.
Would it work as a “table stripper”, also? 😉
“Where are you going?”. “Out”. “What are you going to do?” I used to get questions like that all the time. The real answer is that you just want to go out for a while, to wander and do whatever occurs to you without planning the invasion of Normandy. But that is no answer your spouse will likely accept, so like Arlo you come up with something that makes sense to the other person.
“Arlo and Janis act like real people, but not exactly…Their thoughts and actions would, in reality, be histrionic or just plain ridiculous…”
I think you underestimate yourself. That, or I suffer from being ‘histrionic or just plain ridiculous’. If so, and some in my life have said as much, it isn’t so bad. But it is bad when you are proud of it. I am so very bad.
I can identify with Arlo and Janis, who I’ve always suspected was just you and your life in ink. So many of your comics are pictures of me and mine. I suspect I am not the only one, and that we, the ‘histrionic and just plain ridiculous’ are more than you think. That’s why you get more ‘Likes’ than any other on GoComics. I think when a person does something good, they should let it go to their head. You should.
Think this is the kid, still hanging in the ‘hood. Maybe hunting its own prey birds by now. Believe both parents have more rounded cheek patches than this bird.
https://explore.org/livecams/birds/falcon-nest-cam
Peace,
Calif. Condor brunch:
https://explore.org/livecams/birds/condors-castle-nest
I was once blessed to have a condor pace my truck as I crossed the Mojave. 🙂
I have been following Arlo and Janis for more than 15 years and they do indeed seem real. Over the years they seem to have experienced so many of the same situations I have been in or thought about and handled them with a lot more humor and good spirits than I would have.
I was wrong. This is the kid. Other was a parent, perhaps the tercel.
https://explore.org/livecams/birds/falcon-nest-cam
Peace,
Nile crocodile. When reptiles have nothing to do, they don’t do anything. Don’t give it something to do.
https://explore.org/livecams/african-wildlife/african-river-wildlife-camera
Peace,
Janis’ expression is great! I just wonder if she’s really that impressed, or if she’s hamming it up (maybe to imitate Arlo’s reaction to some of her new clothes).
Today you made me think of Lou Grant and “I hate spunk!”
For those who imbibe and want to experience longterm space flights:
http://www.astronomy.com/news/2019/07/compound-in-red-wine-resveratrol-could-help-astronauts-walk-on-mars
In lab animals, at least, resveratrol prevents muscle loss in low or zero gravity environments.
Magpie on bison’s back.
https://explore.org/livecams/bison/plains-bison-grasslands-national-park-cam-1
“Funny” how the number of childhood buddies keeps decreasing. On one block near my home during grade school years, there were 10 schoolmates. As of last week, I know of only 1 left (and, admittedly, 2 I’ve lost track of). The lone survivor was the nicest guy in the bunch, and the second nicest was the fellow who just passed away. I first met them in 1945 or 1946.
I always found it amusing that, with his bachelor’s degree in education in hand, the deceased began his career by digging clams. He stayed with it, too, and eventually had his own seafood company.
Just reminiscing – all the more since a cousin also died only 2 or 3 weeks ago.
Re 7-27-19 real-time cartoon: “Believe me, perky is way overrated.” True, but not that there’s anything wrong with it.
Also, Janis is mistaken if she thinks walking around like that (in panel 4) will help…that’s what push-up bras are for.
With apologies to any vegetarians/vegans/PETA members out there, downtown Eufaula OK is redolent with the aroma of smoked pig. Beginning yesterday at 4 PM, twenty large meat smokers were set up on Main Street and began cooking overnight as part of the annual Whole Hawg Days™ weekend sponsored by the Area Chamber of Commerce. At 4 PM today, the judging was held to determine the winner, and at 5 PM, the contestants began giving their smoked pork loin and pulled pork away to the public. Yesterday at 7 PM, there was a parade. Tonight, classic cars will be “cruisin’” Main Street. Also tonight, the annual local rodeo wraps up its third and final night. Needless to say, things have been jumping this weekend in this small town. And happily, at our boutique as well.
If I were there, I’d love some smoked pork. But think I’ll stay here. Pred. lo tonight is 58F. Three slightly open windows will bring house temp down from 74 to 72 or 71 [nights are often windless]. Tomorrow before church will open several windows wide, shut all down when it gets warmer out than in, repeat Sun. evening. Have AC, but haven’t used it this summer. Have tolerated up to 78 in house a few weeks ago.
Peace,
EMB, must be nice! Down here, 78 IS the daytime AC thermostat setting for our house. Have had summer electric bills >$400 just to run the air conditioner. We had a “cold” front earlier this week– all time record low for July hit 63 degrees. Daytime highs normally in the low 100s. When it is “hot” the temps approach 110!
Ghost did not mention that before the “official: pork giveaway we werr given a pound or more by the smokers by our shop. It was delicious.
In appreciation we sent pig hats to team with inscriptions like “I Like Pig Butts and I Cannot Lie” and “I’ll Smoke That”.
I’ve had smoked whole hog a couple of times. It was amazing! I smoke pork butts/shoulders and ribs and I’ve made cold-smoked bacon a few times. More than about a 7-8 pound butt ends up either wasted or has to have frozen left-overs.
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My preference for pulled pork is to toast the buns, apply a copious amount of smoky shreds, sans sauce, then top with a sweetish cabbage slaw that includes bits of chopped apple. The pork may be allowed to have a dollop of a sweet, molasses-heavy, sauce, but should not be submerged and sauce-soaked. A lot of roadside places have buckets of chopped pork drowned in sauce. The only thing you really taste is the sauce.
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Good pulled pork conveys the flavor of the pork and smoke, without heavy sauce and extra spices. If you prefer spicy, then a dash of a vinegar-based pepper sauce on the pork is appropriate. Of course this is only my opinion… it’s like certain bits of human anatomy– everyone has one.
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I have to agree that if you can’t taste the pork and smoke, you’ve got too much sauce! Also, there are many foods that don’t need sugar added to make them better.
For me, if the pork is done right, it doesn’t need sauce at all. In any case, sauce should be a condiment not a main ingredient.
I agree on the sauce comments! Especially since I have to watch for sugar content.
FWIW, the pork loin and pulled pork gifted to us by the very canny smoker contestants were sans sauce.
Comforting: a high level of Village agreement—little or no sauce. Pulled pork is heavenly. Will miss some at BUMC Wed. because our turn at a Bemidji Area Church Musicians summer recital [pulled pork lunch to follow @ $6 per] conflicts with Sanford Health Fdn annual taco feed down @ Bemidji Water Carnival’s tent, $10 per. Ret. MDiv. son, frau, & I are going to that. Eat the ice cream 1st, before it melts. Likely mid 70sF, w/ breezes off Lk. B.
Peace,
We have several pork loins in freezer we need to cook. We sent remainder of pork from festival home with Roberta after we closed. So no left overs.
I rarely put sauces on any meat of any kind. I like to taste meat.
Weirdly. I all myself a semi vegetarian because meat is never my focus in eating. I love and crave fruits and vegetables.
Massage pork loin with sea salt and coarse-ground pepper, then oven roast. Easy-peasy.
How do you pick out the vegetarians and vegans in a crowded room?
Easy, they tell you.
I have been a Chegan for over five years for health reasons, I can’t give up Ice Cream.
Maybe the meat that I have tasted was not done right, but I almost always need a sauce on mine. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but usually it is needed.
I did not have to rent a stripper (for my carpet) after all. I asked my son to come over to move a couple large items and started yanking on the carpet and it came right up. It had been there for a while, so the adhesive had crystallized. Putting down the laminate was a different story. It has very exhausting. I had recently done floors 4 years ago and did not realize that it was so demanding. I got about 60% of the floor installed. I will do a little each night and then have my son come over to assist with some special cuts around the doors. It really wasn’t too bad, but occasionally the boards would not quite line up and my right arm is weak. I see the Dr. on Wednesday and while my blood work has already comeback normal, something isn’t right.
Steve, I hope the issue that you are facing isn’t major.
Thanks. I’m sure part of it is just getting older.
Yeah! Isn’t it a bummer when what was at least fairly easy four years ago, isn’t at all now!!