Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for September 11, 2017

“Shock Follows Shock.”

Ohsumi Yoshinori wa dare desu ka?

Still the same day…

Instant Bernice anti reaction. Predicted.

But the most important clue to what will be taking place in the future is the Tara like back pat Luann just gave Bernice.

Exactly as predicted! Luann caught in a tug-of-war between Tara and Bernice.

And echos of Gunther dissing Les to Tiff.

So much for thinking Saturday’s strip was the last in that arc.

Yoshinori Oshumi. Bernice mentions a recent Nobel Prize winner? For his work in auto something or other.

Bernice wins this month’s prize for Autosnobery.

Tiffany, surprisingly, was not even in the running.

“My enemy should be YOUR enemy. My judgments should be your judgments. My grudges should be your grudges. BFF code!”

I check our Yoshinoir Oshumi and he won a Nobel Prize in biology basically. Bernice was probably being sarcastically/ironically snarky. Of course the real point is what I and a few others have been predicting since it became clear that Tara and Luann would end up friends—that Bernice once she found out would be very unhappy, and trouble, possible relationship trouble between the two bff’s would ensue. So here we go, lets see what happens.

Yep. This would get Bernice tied up like a pretzel. She will untwist herself and shake sense into Luann because her best friend couldn’t possibly be friends with a criminal – she refuse to let her.

Luann should have been a lot more diplomatic in bringing up Tara with Bernice. Luann already knew the trouble Bernice had with Tara stealing things, and Tara calling Bernice “Bernice the Boss” was not a compliment.

You shouldn’t go to your best friend and say, “Hey, I just met someone who stole stuff from your dorm and has an insulting nickname for you! She’s super fun! I like her!” Luann would have gone over better if her dialogue in the third panel had been something like, “Yeah, she really regrets all the mistakes she made at Moony U. I think she’s trying to turn over a new leaf.”

Uh -oh. In the second panel, Luann is holding a finger pistol on Bernice.

.

The process has already started. You know finger pistols are a big no – no…

We don’t know if Bernice’s dislike of Tara is based on her thievery or if she and Bernice have some kind of personality clash. Either would work, but the personality clash would be more fun.

Luann maybe should have led with something about Tara getting pulled into trouble because she was hanging around with the wrong crowd, rather than blurting out “I like her!” in reference to someone Bernice still believes to be every bit the thief.

Luann could have mentioned how being around Tara brought out how boringly Luann lives life.

Bernice is in danger of turning into Nurse Ratched. Luann should sit down with Bernice and say something like, “Bernice, are you telling me to never associate with anybody who has ever done something wrong?” Then the ball is in Bernice’s court.

Bernice & Gunther are the two most judgmental characters. It seems meaningful that nothing happened between Bernice and Gunther – maybe because they don’t like themselves.

Tara seems like a major catalyst for Luann to expand her consciousness greatly.

I hope that Bernice doesn’t succeed in bullying Luann away from Tara, like Gunther bullied Tiff away from Les. But I have no doubt that Bernice will try her best to do just that.

If Luann insists on remaining active friends with Tara, it will diminish the BFF status for Bernice. I suspect that Bernice will be in the strip for a long time to come, but she and Luann may not remain so closely paired with each other.

Luann should have led off with “Tell me more about the Tara Starr incident.”

Borenice is not a happy camper anymore, I see. smells like the “sismance” between these two may be over

Yo, Bernie the Boss! Time to secure from hissy-cow alert! (Don’t have a hissy-fit!) plus (Don’t have a cow!). Otherwise, you are gonna die from high blood pressure or a stroke or a conniption, etc.

Are we witnessing to rise of the three Uni-teers?

“Jealous,” Bernice??

Bernice has thought Tara was “fun and lively” :

http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2017/08/26

8

On my mid-morning pipe and coffee break…..

Hehe.

I really enjoyed the “Yoshinoir Oshumi” comment from Bernice gave me quite a chuckle! Dr. Oshumi is very important in biology circles, especially for those who specialize in physiology because he discovered and described quite a number of fundamental processes revolving around autophagy. Autophagy refers to the mechanisms that the body uses in terms of breaking down and cleaning up cells that have died. Many of the autophagic mechanisms are actually acts of recycling too… the body will break down cells that die and reuse as much material as energetically feasible in other ways in the body.

So, I really like that Bernice knows of this important scientist, even though her major interest is psychology. To me, that speaks well of Bernice in her efforts at working towards her educational goals. She has a breadth of academic knowledge and that is IMO a very good thing for an undergraduate to work towards.

Now, onto the heart of the matter though for today:

1. Bernice is unfortunately getting very upset that her best friend (Luann) is befriending Tara. This is understandable from the perspective that Tara has made Bernice’s job as Dorm Assistant much harder.

2. But, at the same time, Bernice has to be realistic… Tara had to go somewhere…. her attending PittCC is an reasonably good indication that Tara is TRYING to still work towards good goals.

3. I believe that Bernice is feeling extreme jealousy though, because Luann specifically is really liking someone who caused Bernice problems. Even though logically Bernice should know better…. the reality is the emotional impact of having a person who hurt you (Tara did in some ways hurt Bernice) be liked by your best friend….. that is pretty damn hard to logically reason through.

Therefore… I understand Bernice’s reaction. Wrong as it may be, it is very understandable.

Pipe and coffee are finished…. back to work!

Lately we’ve had a whole series of strips wherein Luann is pictured as an idiot. She doesn’t know what caviar is, she thinks aging is all great fun, and now her response to Bernice’s quip – “what?” – she clearly doesn’t recognize the reference… Srsly, Evans & Evans? You think this makes enjoyable reading?

Taking a lesson from today’s Atlas Obscura, i submit that we now need this hapax:

Tarafication

What i do not know are the full range of nuances in its definition. Only time and the tarafication of Luann will tell.

Opps, now it is no longer a hapax!

Here comes the blow up!

Here comes the blow up!

Enough of all these snivels and drivels…When does Arron Hill walk back into the scene…(And you know he will….)

Bernice is going to have a conniption!

Here comes the blow up!!

I know and respect that comic strip is fiction but I can’t figure out if Bernice’s character is supposed to be likable or not. She has serious (almost clinical) control issues.

Many thanks to GaryCooper, who corrected my definitions for both Snowflake and antifa: His definition: “Snowflake (and antifa) seems to refer to anyone to the left of David Duke— it’s used as a put down for anyone who expresses a preference for racial and cultural diversity, or who expresses any sympathy for minority groups, or who objects to racism and injustice." – Again, hats off to GaryCooper; the correction is MUCH appreciated!

this going to be an interesting week. I look forward to it!

Sounds like Bernie the boss needs a secretary lover, Pru perhaps?

Yep. The end of the Borenice and Luann “sismance.” 1985 – 2017

Many of the strips honored 9/11. We get these two birdbrains.

Ha ha! (in best Nelson Muntz voice)

Bernie blew a gasket!

Luann has been (metaphorically) seduced by the new Starr of the Luanniverse!

Bernice is ticked … I said just yesterday that B would be less than enthused about Luann and Tara interacting … and here we are! (Just didn’t think it would happen this soon!)

I thought Bernice should try putting down the rulebook she closely held in a Sunday strip months ago, but if ANYTHING, she’s gonna clutch it even more tightly (I am hoping not so). She better start to learn and go out and do stuff, or she will get left in the dust.

Some think that today’s episode signals the cooling off of Luann’s friendship with Bernice. I don’t jump to that conclusion. Bernice has always been quick on the draw when it come to sizing people up; she’s very judgmental. But she comes around when she realizes she’s wrong. She misjudged Pru but Luann’s eventual friendship with Pru did not diminish her relationship with Bern. Bernice has some growing to do and right now she’s jealous and angry that Luann is reaching out to someone that she has judged to be criminal and delinquent. Bernice is due for some guidance from Dez.

The interesting thing is that while Bernice wants to be a psychologist, it is Luann who is more perceptive when it comes to interacting with actual people.

And now for something slightly different. I’m back on line after 36 hours of no power in Central Florida, following Hurricane Irma. Anyone else ride out this storm? There are still strong winds bringing trees down onto power lines, though, so I don’t take it for granted that the gift of electricity will remain mine for the rest of the week…