Feeling Good About Leaving
As I was sitting down to write my last Howard Bunt Blog before I leave for Thanksgiving, I briefly thought to myself, “What if Lynn Johnston breaks her newly-established habit of one month Hybrid and one month new strips? What if next week is all new, and I am going to miss it because of Thanksgiving?” I now have something new to thank someone for. Thank you Lynn Johnston. With another week of reprints on the way, I have no feelings of guilt for missing this week of For Better or For Worse.
As for the strip itself, I remember seeing my daughter at age 2 having a fall like that off a climbing ladder on a piece of playground equipment. I remember very well the horrifying thoughts that passed through my brain as I rushed over to get to her. “Will she be brain-damaged? Will she be paralyzed for life? Did she break her neck?” Fortunately, she was relatively uninjured; but this was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the strip.
Naturally my daughter was crying immediately. The fall in the strip, with the way the arms and legs are rendered, is clearly a takeoff on the old Peanuts falls, where Charlie Brown or Linus would flip completely over if someone yelled really loudly. They don’t translate to For Better or For Worse’s more realistic style, even though it is clearly intended to. We are to get the idea that little Lizzie experiences the comedy gold of stars and lines around the head, but that she saves the crying for when she manages to make it to the top of the stairs. I have seen kids restrain their crying for effect before, but not after such a serious fall.
As for the strip itself, I remember seeing my daughter at age 2 having a fall like that off a climbing ladder on a piece of playground equipment. I remember very well the horrifying thoughts that passed through my brain as I rushed over to get to her. “Will she be brain-damaged? Will she be paralyzed for life? Did she break her neck?” Fortunately, she was relatively uninjured; but this was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the strip.
Naturally my daughter was crying immediately. The fall in the strip, with the way the arms and legs are rendered, is clearly a takeoff on the old Peanuts falls, where Charlie Brown or Linus would flip completely over if someone yelled really loudly. They don’t translate to For Better or For Worse’s more realistic style, even though it is clearly intended to. We are to get the idea that little Lizzie experiences the comedy gold of stars and lines around the head, but that she saves the crying for when she manages to make it to the top of the stairs. I have seen kids restrain their crying for effect before, but not after such a serious fall.
posted by howard at 10:39 PM
5 Comments:
We're good for another two weeks of Liz remembering things she couldn't and coming to conclusions she shouldn't so you can enjoy a well earned break and spend time with family in the sure knowledge that you aren't gonna miss a thing. I'd say that next new-new material will be in December.
My cousin who is deaf is married to a man who is also deaf. Their children didn't cry much even when they were very young. Clearly, getting attention is an important part of why we produce sound when we cry.
Like lighting and thunder, I remember my daughter falling but not hearing her cry until she saw me.
Anon NYC
*Clearly, getting attention is an important part of why we produce sound when we cry.*
And, remarkably, children who are not indulged are much quieter than those that are.
-Non-indulgent mom
Friday 23rd
Wow-I miss you guys. Can't believe how addicted I am to this blog . . . Happy Thanksgiving all (but please come back soon!!)
Anon NYC,
I had heard the business about deaf parents before and their nearly silent children. However, since children cry at birth (when they don't know about the attention part) and I sometimes still cry today (when I am definitely not trying to attract sympathy or attention), I know there is more to it than just attention-getting.
Post a Comment
<< Home