Wow, has the year flown by!  It seems like it was only yesterday (or a quick check through the Archives) that we were celebrating at Chateau Morgan ( http://snarkitupfuzzball.nexiliscom.com/?p=1631 )!  We’re still there, in fact!

Fortunately, the Morgans are the socially-climbing couple that doesn’t see the need to invite the comic strip riff-raff to their sexy sexy soirees, leaving them to indulge in ways that comic strip riff-raff is wont to do:

I’m not sure about this one.  I had an inkling about two current storylines because of their similar themes sometime while I was in Las Vegas , but I don’t know if this is what I was going for.  I didn’t have PhotoShop available at the time, and yes, IT WAS THE BOOZE, okay?!

I think I’ve come to the conclusion that a “women in prison” plot isn’t really that interesting, and a “nature writer in prison” is ever less so.  *sigh*

Unlike mopey old Stripey-Butt, however, when Mark sees a problem, he acts on it! Go, Mark, GO!

The past week’s Funky Winkerbean has to do with the high school stigma of not only knowing show tunes, but singing them aloud on school grounds.  I’m not sure where this is going (to hell in a handcart most likely, given the setting), but the singing kid can take some shuddering cold comfort in that a few folks might appreciate his talent:

I’ve heard that associating with people who are consistently negative only serves to drag you down with them.  Meh, I thought, I doubt that.

And then…

…the Susan G. Komen Lisa’s Legacy Walk/Run!

Yes, evidently Westview OH is the only place that ever endured the pain and sadness of someone with cancer.  And. Her. Name. Was. Lisa.

And Les? Oh, he’s a freakin’ saint.  He’ll tell you so himself.

Only not everyone believes him:

Funky Winterbean has temporarily suspended the Vortex of Middle Age Doom to return to the Abyss of High School Tomfoolery and Frosh Torture.  Ah, just like the good old days.

(For a really large, really unnecessary picture of naked Jeffy, try to find the 30 September 2009 Family Circus.  On second thought, you really don’t want to see this. Trust me.)

Susan Smith continues to plead her case for choosing a two-person play that’s frankly a real downer and would challenge the best professional actor to interpret.  Of course, this means lots and lots of words and whoppin’ big caption balloons at the expense of (admittedly dull) cartoon drawings.

How about shutting up, Ms. Smith?  I don’t think you’re really impressing the parents with all your big words and profound insights, and I think you might not be improving your chanced with Les, either…

Meanwhile in Cancerville, Les and Susan are being castigated by the members of the PTA for Susan’s choice of the fall play at Westview High School (Home of the Fightin’ Polyps!).  Eh, who cares what the play really is?  I’ve got a couple of Playbills here that would run rings around just about any choice these dinks might come up with.

CC’s AeroSquid found this likely candidate:

Meanwhile, here’s a tribute to the PTA spokesman, Mr. Buzzcut “Buzz” McHamNads:

[If you want to laugh up a lung with potential play titles and canceriffic high school musical lyrics, check out the comments at The Comics Curmudgeon’s “Cancer? That’s hilarious!” thread, http://joshreads.com/?p=4017 ]

I am officially through with Delilah and Lawrence.  (If they rip each others’ clothes off, if Lawrence has a massive coronary during the family-making, or if Charley bursts into the hotel room for a hot three-way, I could be persuaded to return.)  However, This Story Is Over, whether Moy and Giella want to admit it or not.

I really thought today’s Mary Worth would be a very welcome Charterstone Pool Party (yeah, how sad is that?). Nope, more Delilah and Lawrence.  So, for no good reason than to compare and contrast this tense, unbelievable relationship with another tense, unbelievable one on the comics pages, Ms. Moy’s dialog is surreally dropped into 23 August 2009’s edition of Funky Winkerbean.

Compare.  Contrast.  Hurl.  Do what you will.

Okay, so it’s not dialog you’d find in a French arthouse film or a Bergman classic. Check out The Comics Curmudgeon’s “Friday One-Liners” thread for CC’s very-disturbed (read, my hero!) AeroSquid’s take on those.

Poor Pig! He just wants a little contemplative peace…

Even so, there are a few bright spots in the universe (and the Internet):

Yeah, it’s a big ol’ schmaltz-a-thon for my buds at The Comics Curmudgeon ( http://joshreads.com ).  I did rework this to include some of the classic catch phrases of the site.