Mysteries of the Universe

[lls_mutant]

How badly can I procrastinate AIL today?

Lissa's Mysteries of the Universe:

1.) What do they put in Moose Munch that makes it so freaking addictive? I swear, once I have a bag open, forget any being left.

2.) Why is For Better or For Worse sucking so much these days? Seriously. It used to be my all-time favorite comic strip. But I'm getting to the point where I want to slap the characters. Especially Mike. Today was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Mike keeps going on and on about how scary home ownership is. Um, not when your parents sell you their house, your wife makes $100,000 a year in a steady job, you've done the homework and are buying in your budget, and you're a supposed up and coming novelist with a $25,000 advance on what really sounds like the world's crappiest book (although it sounds like an Oprah pick, so I can see where it might sell.) Plus, he's been living there since Christmas so he knows exactly what shape the house is in (and it must be reasonably decent). I mean, I understand SOME fear, but when you have two little kids (i.e., major responsibility) and an offer like this and this kind of security, shouldn't the excitement and joy be outweighing fear? When you have a steady income and you're sure you're inside your budget, what's to be so scared of anyway? You KNOW when mortgage payments are due and how much they'll be. He knows the condition of the house. Honestly, I just don't get it, and it makes a character I once liked look really, really, really pathetic and whiny.

3.) Why did I even attempt to post on the Weasley Debate Thread at FAP? I do understand people thinking the Weasleys are flawed, because dude, they are. I do understand when people say "Molly/Ginny/Arthur has characteristics that annoy me in real life, so they drive me crazy on paper." (I especially understand this about Molly, because although I adore her, I can see where she WOULD drive people nuts.) I certainly understand the concept that JKR seems to have some double standards, and I understand that people don't really like some of the things Ginny did in Book 6 because they appeared to be "justified" by JKR (like crashing into the announcers stand. I hated that, and I really like Ginny and have always assumed Harry/Ginny was the given.). But I just don't get the assertation that the Weasleys are essentially evil and no better than Death Eaters. Honestly. It really baffles me. (Incidentally, I totally gave up a long time ago on that thread, because it's focusing mainly on Ginny, which I find dull, and I was really only interested in defending Molly.)

4.) It's been a week since I typed this stupid monologue. Will Remus manage something beyond "guh"? (Unfortunately, I'm not sure he can gracefully leave. I need to find a way to gracefully leave the scene myself.

Comments

[aome.livejournal.com]

Mike keeps going on and on about how scary home ownership is.

You didn't think so, when you bought your first house? I mean, sure, he knows the general condition of the house, but I have to say, even after a lifetime of living in my mom's house, that doesn't mean I could have REALLY told you the condition of it, since my personal expertise isn't home repairs (and neither is Mike's). Can you recite what the average lifespan is of water heaters, furnaces, roofs, siding, etc? And even so - just to KNOW that anything that happens from now on, including just general maintenance like cleaning the gutters and weeding the yard and having the furnace checked yearly - that it all falls on YOU, when it never has before, that's still pretty daunting. He might well be nervous about losing everything to fire again, too. Honestly, I don't think he's being whiny at all. It's a pretty big leap for anyone, no matter what the circumstances. Today's strip isn't one of the real zingers, but it still cracked me up. Who hasn't wanted to keep running away from their stresses?

My 2 cents as a homeowner, anyway.

Meanwhile, Moose Munch = yum and Weasleys = love.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

See, I think the thing about Mike is that even in the monthly letters, he's expressed very little joy about buying this house. It's mostly been absolute fear. Rationally, I know that in a daily comic strip you only have so much time and space, and you can only show so much, but every time "house" comes up, Mike looks terrified.

I do understand that it's a big step. But the way Mike is making it sound, it's coming across only as a giant burden. I'd like to see some more acknowledgement that he's stepping into something that, while scary, is a really good thing for his family. I'd like to see him actually focus on the positive, especially since he IS in a secure situation and he's got plenty of people who would be able to give him good advice around.

I also didn't think it was -that- scary when we bought our house, but I will admit that it was a different situation, since we bought new construction. If something went wrong, it was under warranty for quite some time. But regardless, Mike should have gotten an inspection that would give him an idea of how long he would have on things like furnace, siding, roof, etc.

I have to admit, Mike's been getting to me ever since the Easter strip where Robin was nursing and Mike told Merrie that Deanna made "chocolate" for Easter. Who tells their toddler aged daughter that? It's not that it's obscene, it's that it's a lie- and one he should have anticipated being called on by Merrie. That just really got under my skin with him, and I admit I've been more sensitive to things he does these days. (Plus, the purple prose used to describe his writing honestly reminds me of bad fanfic :) And from what I understand, a 25K advance for a first-time author is pretty much unheard of.)

[misscake]

1.) No idea, but it certainly is addictive!

2.) The creator announced in January that she was scaling back the strip and changing it's focus. I think the fear thing with Michael might be the representation of her fear of letting go somewhat? I dunno, but it's annoying me too.

3.) *coughs* *rolls eyes* No comment.

4.) Hope the muse visits you soon!

[merlinssister12.livejournal.com]

1.) What's Moose Munch?
2.) First time homeownership is scary but let's face it he's buying the house from his parents, it can't get much easier than that.
3.) No comment.
4.) It's a conversation with Greyback, maybe there is no graceful way to exit the scene.

[merrilily.livejournal.com]

I love so hard that you are posting about For Better Or Worse *twirls you*.

I decided that Mike sucked when he wanted to get married without his family present, because he wanted it to be "just about them". I couldn't figure out if Lynn had done that because it happened to her, or if it arose from her characterization of him. If it was the latter, I don't get it.

[annuscka.livejournal.com]

Hi! Came here from not-sure-where, but thought I'd drop a line!

The whole anti-Weasley thing has always somewhat baffled me, even though I'm not that invested in the characters. I mean, I too can understand why Molly would be seen as annoying or why the twins may rub someone the wrong way, but the OMG!Evil!! things escapes me, currently writing profiles on the Lestranges and feeling slightly sick - now there is evil and disgusting for you.
There's a thread at FAP about how people turn the characters and the good/evil spectra right upside down and hang the good side for minor flaws while being DE apologists - it's interesting if a bit disturbing stuff. When I read it the apologists seemed to have managed to turn that on its head too, though...