For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for May 17, 2018

drat

“the old lady”? When I was growing up in the US, I was always told that while “the old man” refers to your father, “the old lady” refers to your wife or girlfriend, not your mother. Is this different in Canada?

When we saw Gordon at Michael’s birthday party, he was blond. Now he seems to have some kind of reddish-brown hair (at least that how it looks on my screen). Gordon is the first and so far, only friend to come to Michael’s aid. If next door neighbour Lawrence does not show up, then maybe the aftermath of the birthday party continues on.

Back when TV was novel and reading was an option for anyone other than self-proclaimed “nerds”.

Nowadays, children know how to use smartphones before they know how to read. It always surprises me when I see a young child, as little as a year old, riding in a stroller or a shopping cart as they watch videos on a tablet. I understand that their mom is just keeping them occupied, but it still seems a tiny bit off to me.

People who learn life incorrectly from watching television is why the name “Boob Tube” was coined. You are what you watch!

I like the commercials where you have no clue as to what is being advertised.

I would have gotten smacked if I had ever called my mom “the old lady”!

My mother told me that during the first year of life, (in the 50’s), if she set me in front of the TV, I would rock in the teeter babe …UNTIL the commercial came on. Then I stopped and stared intently! Commercials always got my attention. (Did I mention I grew up to work in the field of advertising? LOL)

Nowadays Michael would be streaming shows on Netflix. He wants his House of Cards, darnit!

First it was the tv. Now it’s video games and rap music. What did the Ancient Greeks blame their teenagers bad behavior on, lascivious scrolls?

Well,, you could watch the Stanley Cup playoffs. All sorts of interesting words in a variety of languages.

As if he can’t find offensive words in books? In amateur radio CW, OM means old man, but OW is never used!

And then there is the story about mama walking past her two daughters room, and noted they were tossing about some of the most vile language she had ever heard! “Yikes – where did you pick up such language?” “From Mr. Johnson, next door.” “I don’t buy that – he has lived next door for 20 years and I’ve never heard him swear once – why you little girls have no idea what those words mean!” “Yes we do!” “You do?” “Yes, they mean the car won’t start!!”

Reading is already having an impact. Mike has gone from stoopid to stupid.

You can still “develop your vocabulary” with books – you just have to get the ones they hide behind the librarian’s desk. The restricted collection.

Try “Valley of the Horses” – it’s got some good steamy sections.

When I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, adding swear words to your vocabulary was “cool” and “grown up.” My parents did not agree, however. :D

What? Nobody’s going to comment on the fact that Michael didn’t say, “stoopid”?

“Ha ha,” says Lynn, “children are such stupid hypocrites!” (And way to, like, nail, like, the teenage slang.)

And impossible anatomy on the “‘splainin’ hands” in panel three.