House Almost Full of Music
I remember Kindermusik. It’s a program for young children to learn the basics of rhythm and music. Oftentimes rhythm instruments are used and at the end of a series of sessions, the parents are given the opportunity to buy the instruments used in the class for their very own home. We bought a nice drum with soft mallets that we have to this day, and some maracas and a triangle that are probably hidden in a box somewhere. Both my son and my daughter participated in Kindermusik, but looking at their website, they don’t operate in Canada, just the US, New Zealand and Australia. How odd. I blame the French.
As I looked at the array of instruments Michael Patterson collects together in today’s new-run in
, my first thought was, “That’s a lot of instruments for a family who complains about the expense of things.” I have never seen them before, and yet at the mere mention of Uncle Phil and his trumpets, the kids decide to pull them all out and play them. Lynn Johnston is going for a cute moment and, for reasons I don’t understand, completely misses the opportunity for real cuteness.
In real life, my kids pull out the instruments either when (a) they happen to see them and remember that they like playing them or (b) someone suggests it. This strip actually would have made more sense if Uncle Phil was there playing his trumpet and he asked Michael or Lizzie if they played an instrument. Then Michael and Lizzie pull out these 12 instruments and have a jam session with their uncle. If Elly pulled out her old guitar and John played a kazoo or something, then we would have a moment of cuteness and family warmth with the whole family. Today’s strip isn’t bad. I just don’t understand how Lynn could write in one panel that Uncle Phil would play his trumpet while he is there, and in another panel show the kids playing their instruments, and not realize both of those things go together. I don’t have to think about it hard, and it immediately came to me. Why not Lynn?
As I looked at the array of instruments Michael Patterson collects together in today’s new-run in
, my first thought was, “That’s a lot of instruments for a family who complains about the expense of things.” I have never seen them before, and yet at the mere mention of Uncle Phil and his trumpets, the kids decide to pull them all out and play them. Lynn Johnston is going for a cute moment and, for reasons I don’t understand, completely misses the opportunity for real cuteness.
In real life, my kids pull out the instruments either when (a) they happen to see them and remember that they like playing them or (b) someone suggests it. This strip actually would have made more sense if Uncle Phil was there playing his trumpet and he asked Michael or Lizzie if they played an instrument. Then Michael and Lizzie pull out these 12 instruments and have a jam session with their uncle. If Elly pulled out her old guitar and John played a kazoo or something, then we would have a moment of cuteness and family warmth with the whole family. Today’s strip isn’t bad. I just don’t understand how Lynn could write in one panel that Uncle Phil would play his trumpet while he is there, and in another panel show the kids playing their instruments, and not realize both of those things go together. I don’t have to think about it hard, and it immediately came to me. Why not Lynn?
posted by howard at 10:09 PM
6 Comments:
howard,
Today’s strip isn’t bad. I just don’t understand how Lynn could write in one panel that Uncle Phil would play his trumpet while he is there, and in another panel show the kids playing their instruments, and not realize both of those things go together. I don’t have to think about it hard, and it immediately came to me. Why not Lynn?
She's up to her old "make children act like adults" tricks again, isn't she? A dull-witted adult would haul out musical instruments when they hear a musician is coming and she thinks children behave the way they do because they're too stupid to act like the little adults she thinks they're supposed to be so this makes sense to her.
Not bad, but an "undermining" flavour in the connect-the-strips game. There was a Christmas strip: single panel, grandparents say "now, we told them they only work outside" as Mike and Lizzie gleefully unwrap a big drum and cymbals.
First, that old strip has more humour if they don't have a ton of instruments and permission to play them indoors. There was tension - Elly and John weren't stricken, but you could tell they knew that the kids having fun could mean a racket they wouldn't like.
Second, I find the implied "they will make noise" more interesting than the spelled-out version here. You don't just see them playing in the new strip, LJ drew them pulling out the instruments, too. I could have figured that part out.
I think even a "meh, OK" interpol-quel can undermine an original-run.
Well, perhaps they thought of the instruments because Phil had given them to the kids on previous Christmases/birthdays, in an effort to get them into music.
DreadedCandiru2,
She's up to her old "make children act like adults" tricks again, isn't she?
I don’t know if it’s so much the kids acting like adults. Even the adults would probably wait until “picture time” with uncle Phil before pulling out the instruments.
InsertMonikerHere,
There was tension - Elly and John weren't stricken, but you could tell they knew that the kids having fun could mean a racket they wouldn't like.
That seems to be the more common Elly and John opinion, if all the strips involving April’s band are included.
Snow,
Well, perhaps they thought of the instruments because Phil had given them to the kids on previous Christmases/birthdays, in an effort to get them into music.
That could be the case with Michael. We didn’t see his first several Christmases or birthdays in the strip. Little Lizzie is just a little older than one year supposedly, so it is less likely with her.
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