Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for November 29, 2019

Calvin is putting this time to good use by preparing himself for marriage.

my, this will be a fine dinner conversation with Dad when he gets home form the office

Oh man….i still do this…..so many times…..just nod at the last minute….

“Mom’s never been as big as a galaxy.”

She was when she was pregnant with you. Badum tish!

It just goes in one ear and out the other with Calvin.

I have a reverse problem : I , the son I’m unable to be heard by my 85 years old mother . Seems that what I say enter in her ear and get off directly from the other .

Mom really believes that Calvin was listening?

Remember this day and what you did with Mom for future conversations.

“We had this little talk?” I don’t think so.

I bet Calvin heard his mother in the same way that Peanuts kids hear adults.

… and Calvin is glad he nodded his head at the appropriate time.

Calvin has clearly been lectured before.

I used the same tactics with my piano teacher when she was bawling me out for not practicing (her opinion only, as I practiced all the time, and just got nervous with her leering over my shoulder during lessons.) She was NOT a nice lady.

I give Calvin credit for sitting there patiently without fidgeting. Shows small signs of maturity in any event.

In one ear and out the other. Better not let those habits continue if you expect to get anywhere in life. You don’t want to be standing in front of your boss or a judge getting a lecture. Listen to your mother boy!

Content sensing squelch control.

He has two ears, one – things go in and the other – to got out!! He heard nothing!!

Calvin’s got this routine down to a science now!

Calvin listens about as well as Homer Simpson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgJZ28RuJaw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG63ZfcNY7A

EVERTHING considered, Calvin’s still adorable. He’s the kid that you judge other kids’ normalcy by.

What if Mom said that now he has to do homework for 5 hours each day and Calvin just said yes?

Nod too vigorously and Mom may get suspicious.

“Now, tell me what I just said, Calvin.”

Someday, he’ll make some lucky lady a good husband!

This strip is an excellent example of why I consider Bill Watterson to be one of the greatest artists to draw comic strips (another great is Charles Addams). Few artists I believe, or at any rate, that I have seen, could draw somebody actually nodding and convince the readers that the character is doing so. He’s even drawn Calvin BLINKING before. With very few lines or details Watterson captures animation in comic panels, and that’s quite a feat.

Horrible but true! :D

A talk? Yes. Communication? No.

I’ve tried this technique with Mrs. Baker. Unsuccessfully.

The response of every living child to a parental lecture.

Calvin, quit giving away all my strategies!!!!!

I remember lots of these talks with my folks as a kid,I got pretty good at tuning it out!!

There’ll be a test on this in five minutes.

Wow, THIS was one of those “past-life-flashing-before-my-own-eyes” strips. I remember a lot of parental lectures going almost exactly like this one…maybe that’s why it took me into my 20’s to realize that maybe Mom and Dad weren’t that wrong after all.

This applies to children’s and husbands to a large extent. Mothers and wifes have this inherent annoying habit.