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

Est. 1985

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What’s In a Name?

By Jimmy Johnson

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"

My grandmother, who lived with us when I was growing up, actually would ask me this. Of course, it sounded idiotic and embarrassing to me then, but now that I think back it was a more interesting and probably more accurate term than “dating.”

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264 responses to “What’s In a Name?”

  1. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Along comes Nightranger, yeah comparatively laughable, but ‘Sister Christian’ is an OK ballad. Wasn’t old enough to drive, junior high girl I bought the second ticket for didn’t want/couldn’t get permission, I never found out, took the bus into town. I COULDN’T HEAR FOR THREE DAYS… WHAT…. WHAT?… I CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER THE RINGING IN MY EARS… NEVER MIND…. So, I went back to headphones, ticket prices skyrocketed, and by the time I felt old enough to deal with that funny smelling smoke, and had enough situational awareness to feel comfortable in any setting, I found my interests elsewhere. Still love that music though, and as time went on, some new artists did good work, then some original artists did some last-hurrah work that turned out to be just a second act, and started making real music again. It’s been a wonderful ride.

  2. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    So yeah, there it is. I may bring down the average age here, but please don’t think I’m a snot-nosed [insert insult]. Everyone my age says I think/act like an old man. Not fitting in has kind of been a way of life.

    too long; didn’t read [TL;DR]: Don’t know your area or constraints, SF, but refurbished theaters with history are awesome.

  3. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Had to do that in three chunks. Guess I’ll try brevity again.

  4. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Debbe, have a listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJagpyomySE

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Apparently, Giada has a new show…”Giada Entertains”. If she keeps cooking in that oversized flannel shirt buttoned only about two-thirds of the way up, she certainly will. I once heard a guy say he’d been watching her cooking shows on TV for years, and he still hadn’t learned how to boil water.

    Man cannot live by eye candy alone.

  6. emb Avatar
    emb

    Posted w/ only one, non-sectarian comment: This is kinda funny if you read the whole thing through.

    https://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/club-fight-tenn-residents-complain-about-high-school-s-gay-straight

    Pax et Deo gracias., emb [2 new words in my A&J dictionary]

  7. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Peace and God’s grace, to you emb

  8. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Nope, I guess I cannot let it pass. Tried to look at other pages, internally forced to return. Wishing for world peace in general often flies under the radar, but capitalizing Deo with the implied message grace only through Him is rarely received as non-sectarian. Even if it is the truth.

  9. emb Avatar
    emb

    Morphy: The remarks are relatively innocent. But, I’ve lived in N. MN since 1958, and don’t think I’d still live here if the winters averaged what they were like in the early decades. I have posted in the Village, maybe 15+ YA, that I used to tell people the ‘January thaw’ here came in March. This year it looks ~ there w/b 3 of them. It’s about 35F out right now. We’ll surely get more bare pavement and decreased snow depth on the ground today. Have not seen -40 this year, used to get that and colder every winter. Global climate change or not, from a selfish standpoint, I’m grateful. But I worry about my home town, and also JJ’s.

    Symply: Last live music, aside from BUMC [which can be quite good], may have been the Bemidji Chorale’s pre-Christmas concert. Very good group, most often at FLC recently. Has been at other churches [not BUMC, I think] and often on campus. Next one w/b the BSO [outstanding for a largely unpaid orch.] in early Feb., and the G&S Very Light Opera Co.’s “Iolanthe” in the Conn Auditorium, Mpls., in late Feb. or early March.

    All: Most Villagers know I’m a critical Savoyard [G&S nerd], and generally a fan of classical music. Actually, one of the students who lived with us taught me that popular singers could actually sing [e.g., Peter, Paul, and Mary (who is now in the Land of Honey Lee), Chad Mitchell Trio, Clancy Bros. & Tommy M.], but there seems to be less of that lately. She, BTW, is 67 or so, still in touch, as are several others.

    Peace, emb

  10.  Avatar

    Hey y’all we have caught two more cats in the cat trap to neuter spay but first we caught four of the totally domesticated orange idiots we just did! We are after their three predecessors and the last litter, along with Hoochie Mama, the appropriately named producer of all the kitties.

    My personal spay and neuter program.

  11. emb Avatar
    emb

    Even if we report that an atheist said, “Thank God,” we use a capital G, no? I happen to be a somewhat unorthodox but committed United Methodist, but it seems to me “Thank God” is just standard English usage. And I’m guessing “Deo gracias” would be standard Latin.

    Peace, emb

  12. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    emb: now I get to hear your real voice, and it sounds good. Resist the urge to hide behind other articles. The following is a reply I was forming prior to updating the page, so it is now less relevant. I include it to help explain where I’m coming from:

    Look, it’s not your message or opinion with which I have a problem. It is the duplicitous nature of your delivery to which I react. That kind of proclamation/denial comes across as a manipulative tool.

    Out of fear for his safety, and a temporary shortage of faith, Simon Peter thrice denied Him. When that rooster sang, the gospels do not record, he [defecated] his [robes] knowing he missed the opportunity to proclaim truth.

    If you believe your opinion proclaim it. If you fear the room doesn’t want it, don’t. Strike that balance for yourself. Nobody else would know. Going halfway does not help your message, or the listener, but hurts yourself when you realize the disappointment of ‘I could have done better’.

  13.  Avatar

    Oh well, I could speak for the witches and druids but I dont

  14.  Avatar

    Really believe that either. How about I respect everyone’s faith., should they have any and not care how they express it?

    Seems fair to me, it’s yours, not mine, I am happy you have it, I will never believe but I will not try to change or criticize yours?

  15. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Jackie, there are many things in Wican (?) that have merit, and some were adopted by missionaries looking to expand the flock. This really cannot be disputed. If my conversation is disrespectful, I apologize. I’m trying to work with emb in his chosen world. Yes I believe personal religion is an expression of free will. I’ll try not to take much longer.

    Deo gracias may be standard Latin, my education didn’t cover that. Gracias appears Spanish. In modern American style English saying grace and giving thanks are synonymous, leading me to the assumption there is a lost, shared root. Latin is a language for the Romans, Jesus and the people he spoke to used other languages of the area. For my convenience, I appreciate the long train of studious people who have translated the Word through many iterations, eventually resulting in the NSRV used in my church. Although I had been instructed through the KJV, and sometimes slip into that outdated language.

    Better?

  16. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    Debbe:

    “Jefferson Airplane…..ahhhh, the seventies….”

    Wow, you must be a good deal younger than I.

    I associate Jefferson Starship with the seventies and the Airplane with the sixties.

    (Parenthetical comment: The sixties were unpleasant, and I’m sorry that I had to live through them.)

  17. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    The Latin would be “gratia”.

  18. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    c xp: Does gratia cover both concepts of grace and thanks or do I err?

  19. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    got it, c xp, thanks. I looked at Wictionary, which of course had _an_ answer, I was looking for more. Like is having the queen’s grace, a royal way of communicating ‘she says thanks’. I suppose a lawyer with a historical bent may be more helpful.

    OK, emb, we will simply coexist in the village, truce? I had the vibe there was an irritation. I tried to address it in I way I had not observed used. I hoped you would recognize there are others who believe similar to you, that do not stand on the temple steps to be observed by others, but will engage in a discussion of unknown trajectory when the subject arises. I apologize for taking up this fine, really it’s beautiful out, Saturday afternoon. I have become the irritation, so will recede.

    thread relevant [TR sometimes stands for this]: Arlo taking a moment to add to Janis’ bath enjoyment, instead of interrupt or divert? Pure magic.

  20. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Morphy, it also allows Arlo enjoyment of his own, both to serve and observe.

  21.  Avatar

    I actually only know a couple of warlocks and witches, but I never discuss religion with anyone. It’s like politics, best not discussed. I try to avoid that too although I am never not amazed at what we vote for and elect. I mean back to the beginning we’ve had debatable presidents.

    My mom won the prize, I had a beautiful portrait of Jefferson in the office, I think his most famous. Mama wanted to know if it was Mike’s ancestor. Despite being on $20 bill she had no idea what Jefferson looked like.

  22. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Thanks for jumping back in. Silence is communication, I prefer words.

    A thought on my handle I hadn’t shared, because I didn’t make the connection. I’ve never visited NOLA, but that was Paul Morphy’s home. He is entombed in one of the famous cemeteries, and at one time was still famous enough for his home or apartment to be a tourist item.

    Question for natives: NOLA is easy to type, but it just _sounds_ wrong. I have a feeling it’s like saying ‘San Fran’ when you mean ‘The City’. Am I close? Or is everyone just really happy with all the attention, even ten years after Katrina. Kind of like ‘call me anything but “late for dinner”‘.

  23.  Avatar

    Time to go get in a bubble bath a la Janis but with unsweetened iced tea and no wine. I love wine, there is some white something from New Zealand or Australia in fridge. I have never tasted anything from either and I have two cases in there. Assorted. It will stay like that.

    Dickens wandered off and in looking for him I had to see just how bad my yard is. Shreek ! Screem! Hissy fit! Spit! Spit!

    Have been trimming mums two or three minions were assigned to do going back to early fall. Found none were planted, just stuck into plsnter. Twenty of them. Plus a dozen huge overgrown ones. The rest can wait for morning.

    I see no evidence of plants that were to be planted. Did they throw them away? Can’t find the bulbs although there is beginning of large bulb hole.

    Bath time. Wine time or at least tranquilizer.

  24. Morphy Avatar
    Morphy

    Jackie, there are three kinds of ‘minions’ in my world: all the variety that fit the term before 2010; the hilarious little yellow guys I enjoyed before my children outgrew ‘kids stuff, dad’; and your own particular sort. At times, I’ve thought they have been a blessing. Other times, I think they can’t possibly be all that bad, Jackie’s being unkind. (VERY out of character, you barely ever even reach ‘bless your heart’ level of unkindness.) But then, the evidence smacks you in the face. Sometimes no help at all, or just tell me you don’t know how, would be preferred. Enjoy the bath, heads can roll later.