It’s Like Lynn Johnston Has a Camera at My Wedding
I have told this story before, but it actually fits pretty well this time. When I got married, it was during a time when it was considered social desirable for the groom to be involved in the wedding planning. It was some sort of crazy idea about how the wedding was his day too, or some such nonsense as that. After all, we guys just love strapping ourselves into uncomfortable formal wear to wear in front of our friends and family. So, my wife and her mother and her step-mother would, from time-to-time, ask my opinion on things. I would give my opinion. They would get a good laugh, and do it the way they planned to do it anyway. But, at least I was included.
I did find out, much to my astonishment, that my future father-in-law’s opinion ranked above my own. And so, in today’s For Better or For Worse, where I see John Patterson informed of the approximate wedding date of his daughter’s wedding before the groom is informed, then it takes me back to those days of marriage yesteryear.
As far as the strip goes, it has been awhile since Elly has thrown something at John’s head for a sexist remark. At least she is going for a softer item this time, than her usual coffee mug. In many marriages I have seen, John’s stance of “I don’t have to do anything” is not only sexist, but also very wise advice. His opinion would be not only not needed, but not wanted. I know if I were married to Elly Patterson, I would stay far away from the planning activities, and simply wait for the orders to come down from Wedding Central as what they wanted me to do. In fact, if I saw a room with Elly, Deanna, Connie Poirier, April, and Elizabeth; I would avoid that room at all costs. It would be a lot safer that way. Can you imagine poor John if he got caught in a discussion about whether or not Meredith or Françoise was going to be the flower girl? Actually I can imagine such a thing and it would be comedy gold. Now, if only Lynn Johnston realized it too.
I did find out, much to my astonishment, that my future father-in-law’s opinion ranked above my own. And so, in today’s For Better or For Worse, where I see John Patterson informed of the approximate wedding date of his daughter’s wedding before the groom is informed, then it takes me back to those days of marriage yesteryear.
As far as the strip goes, it has been awhile since Elly has thrown something at John’s head for a sexist remark. At least she is going for a softer item this time, than her usual coffee mug. In many marriages I have seen, John’s stance of “I don’t have to do anything” is not only sexist, but also very wise advice. His opinion would be not only not needed, but not wanted. I know if I were married to Elly Patterson, I would stay far away from the planning activities, and simply wait for the orders to come down from Wedding Central as what they wanted me to do. In fact, if I saw a room with Elly, Deanna, Connie Poirier, April, and Elizabeth; I would avoid that room at all costs. It would be a lot safer that way. Can you imagine poor John if he got caught in a discussion about whether or not Meredith or Françoise was going to be the flower girl? Actually I can imagine such a thing and it would be comedy gold. Now, if only Lynn Johnston realized it too.
posted by howard at 10:18 PM
14 Comments:
www.kami-horsepower.blogspot.com
Arrrgh!
This glurgy garbage about "seeing Liz married in her grandma's dress" is driving me crazy! Every day I become more and more dismayed at what has happened to FBorFW... I had to comment here because you folks seem to be of a similar mind about the downward spiral of the comic.
I was really upset when I heard that the strip would be ending but now I'm kind of looking forward to the end, so the poor characters that I've loved since I was a kid won't have to suffer any further indignities. Liz's degradation has been the most appalling - she was so independent, open to the world - and now she's going to be married off just to appease all the old folks pining for how things were in the "good old days". I guess Lynn is showing her true conservative colours here.
-A Longtime Reader from Alberta
howard:
I know if I were married to Elly Patterson, I would stay far away from the planning activities, and simply wait for the orders to come down from Wedding Central as what they wanted me to do. In fact, if I saw a room with Elly, Deanna, Connie Poirier, April, and Elizabeth; I would avoid that room at all costs. It would be a lot safer that way. Can you imagine poor John if he got caught in a discussion about whether or not Meredith or Françoise was going to be the flower girl? Actually I can imagine such a thing and it would be comedy gold. Now, if only Lynn Johnston realized it too.
It would probably take a miracle for her to realize the comedic potential in having the Settlepocalypse Coven reach some sort of consensus on how Things Must Be Done. By showing how tasteless monstrosities like the Settlenuptuals are unleashed, she'll not only have gone out with a bang, she'll have done Humanity-at-large a boon.
Tellingly, your list of names in the Room of Emasculation did not include any women from Granthony's side. Have we ever met anyone from his family, even in the old days when he was only a mildly annoying high school dork? Is Lynn holding them back so they can be cardboard villains like Mira that Elly has to overcome in order to Make Everything Perfect? We'll see.
Unfortunately, Lynn doesn't seem to think that the characters actions are awful at all; she is still trying for that Normal-but-saintly thing that she has had going the last three years. Her "humor" seems to consist of jokes on bodily functions and big honkers.
I truly can't even relate this Liz of the last two years to the previous character. She has not simply regressed; she has actually decompensated. Liz was more independent and spirited when she was sixteen. Now she seems like a desperate little twit who can't get three steps away from momma.
A Longtime Reader from Alberta,
Welcome to the Howard Bunt Blog.
Liz's degradation has been the most appalling - she was so independent, open to the world - and now she's going to be married off just to appease all the old folks pining for how things were in the "good old days".
Lynn Johnston has revealed in interviews that Elizabeth’s marriage and choices are in many respects modeled off her own. Elizabeth’s time in Mtigwaki was modeled after Lynn Johnston’s time in Lynn Lake. Elizabeth’s decision to move from Mtigwaki back to Milborough was similarly motivated as Lynn’s decision to move from Lynn Lake to Corbeil. Much of Elizabeth and Anthony’s courtship (having a date at someone’s wedding, comparing lists of desirable attributes) were taken from Lynn’s courtship with Rod Johnston.
I believe the reason that many people are appalled by Elizabeth’s change is that Lynn portrayed Elizabeth wanting the independent outdoorsy life of Mtigwaki and gave her a job she loved and where she appeared to be adored by the community. In other words, she gave Elizabeth the character everything that she said she wanted. From the perspective of the reader, Elizabeth would be a fool to give that up. In contrast, Lynn has said in interviews she hated living in Lynn Lake, because she was a city girl at heart, and Lynn Lake is definitely not city. That’s why the choices made by Elizabeth (via Lynn’s life) seem so jarring.
dreadedcandiru2
It would probably take a miracle for her to realize the comedic potential in having the Settlepocalypse Coven reach some sort of consensus on how Things Must Be Done.
I expect there will be at least one strip showing Elly and Elizabeth at odds over something, where Elizabeth will realize Elly is right. I like the idea of a Settlepocalypse Coven a lot more than that idea.
dlauthor,
Tellingly, your list of names in the Room of Emasculation did not include any women from Granthony's side.
It is surprising that we have not seen any yet. Even in the case of Mike and Deanna’s wedding, we had the opportunity to meet the Sobinskis well before the wedding.
Have we ever met anyone from his family, even in the old days when he was only a mildly annoying high school dork?
I cannot speak for the high school days. Perhaps someone with a collection from those days can. These are the references I can find to Anthony’s parents in the on-line archive.
Reference to New Years’ Eve party made up of Anthony’s dad’s business associates, but no picture.
Panel 1, lady kissing Anthony on the cheek at his wedding.
Panel 4, lady on the left sitting on the chesterfield at his baby shower.
Reference to mom taking care of his kid, but no picture.
Is Lynn holding them back so they can be cardboard villains like Mira that Elly has to overcome in order to Make Everything Perfect?
Lynn does not really have enough time left to do that properly. My guess is that Anthony’s parents are either dead, or will simply walk in and worship the Pattersons.
Debjyn,
She has not simply regressed; she has actually decompensated. Liz was more independent and spirited when she was sixteen.
Liz has definitely hit some lows in the last few years. In particular, I remember her in the fetal position on her bed in her mom’s house holding her stuff animal.
Now she seems like a desperate little twit who can't get three steps away from momma.
It is quite a contrast from the days when Elly complained she couldn’t get any information out of Liz about her romantic life.
Lynn does not really have enough time left to do that properly.
I disagree. It took about two strips for her to paint Shawna-Marie's mother as Sub-Pattersonian. I'm sure the Caines could be done the same way.
dlauthor:
It took about two strips for her to paint Shawna-Marie's mother as Sub-Pattersonian. I'm sure the Caines could be done the same way.
With them getting uglier with each panel they're in.
News Flash:
This just in from the Foob site:
It's "Tell, don't show" now, "Tell, don't show" tomorrow, "Tell, don't show" forever.
Thanks for link dreadedcandiru2-- interesting indeed!
Anon NYC
dlauthor,
I disagree. It took about two strips for her to paint Shawna-Marie's mother as Sub-Pattersonian. I'm sure the Caines could be done the same way.
I stand corrected. You are completely right.
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