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I love seeing April and her friends discussing future goals. It's fine that they're not perfectly sure of what they want to do. Like they said, leave the door open -- and let go of the door knob.
Now if Elly could just do the same thing. Still think she needs something new happening in her life. To set some goals for the empty retirement years. Because from where I sit, they seem really empty and devoid of any purpose.

Mary L, Iowa

I've just figured out what the deal with April is. We've seen her spout off about leading her dreams, talk up the obsolete job of travel agent and make an inane and nonsensical pun about doorknobs. You're doing a plotline about energy drinks rotting her brain, aren't you? It's obvious you're doing a really subtle story about her needing "help" with all those all-nighters and how that help is turning her brains into chunky salsa.

Anonymous, Southern New Brunswick

I am in complete agreement with the poster who said he was offended by the elitist attitude that was portrayed in the "follow/lead" strip. One's ability to lead and one's intelligence has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not one attends college.

Also-- if one wants to be successful, whywhywhy would you have a character suggest a travel agency??? Talk about a dinosaur!

Bev, Washington DC

I REALLY hate that we seem to use this Coffee Talk forum to mostly COMPLAIN about what is wrong in the world of FBOFW because we all know Lynn is amazing and this comic strip is definitely one of the best out there! I am totally guilty of complaining too though, (HATE Liz marrying Anthony!!!) But I think this all goes to show how awesomely real this strip is. That being said, I'm going to complain again! I'm getting annoyed at how "worldy" and "metaphoric" April is getting! Enough with these poignant puns!!!! she's a 17 year old high school kid! These little quips of hers are getting really lame..."I don't want to follow Gerald, I want to LEAD!" and "With Gerald "Mature Student" is an Oxymoron" and today, "You just have to let go of the knob!" Come on! Michael is the writer! Not April! IF I was 17 and friends with April I'd respond with "Gee "THANKS" Emily Dickenson! Get off your poetic little high horse!"

I also hate how everything comes up roses for the Patterson Children. Michael wanted to be a writer since he was a kid...He becomes a best selling writer. Liz wants to be a Teacher since Jr. high...She becomes a teacher. Now April wants to be a Vet. So let me guess...April is goiing to end up a successful Animal doctor? It's DEPRESSING me! Myself and ALL of my friends had goals, talents and interests all our lives and nothing ever became of it! We all work in fields that have ZERO to do with our actual talents! I was an ART major and THEATER minor and I work at a financial company! I feel inadequate next to the Patterson kids!!!! Anyhoo...I love FBOFW and Lynn is AWESOME!!! As I said, I was an art major and I can only DREAM of being as successful as Lynn!!!!!!

Greg, Boston

Your recent strips featuring April and her friends trying to decide what they want to do with their futures is pretty much spot on. All across the U.S. and apparently even in Canada high school students are pressured into deciding what they want to do with their future. I remember when I first entered high school we were lectured that we should have an idea as to what we want to do. In some cases we did, but not everyone did.

The high school has guidance counselors that would advise students as to what their potential career could be if they were undecided, based on their strengths and weaknesses. They would point out different colleges or universities, either in our own state (they tended to favor University of Georgia over others heavily), or elsewhere, depending on who had the best program or department regarding that field.

At one point I wanted to be a teacher, but I wasn't sure. When I was in 11th grade I decided I wanted to be a U.S. History teacher. Unfortunately I didn't get the grades to qualify for the Hope Scholarship, a state-sponsored college scholarship offered to students with a 3.0 GPA, only available in the state of Georgia. I thought I would work a couple of years after high school, and save up the money for college that way. Unfortunately that never occurred either. I'm still working but for a major civil engineering company in my state as an administrative assistant. Do I regret not pursuing my dreams? Sometimes. But one thing I've discovered is there is no better teacher than Life.

Patrick, Bremen Georgia

A small request: Please retire the device of having characters say "an'" for "and". Linguists will tell you that most people do not lean on the final "D" of "and" in casual conversation. However, this device is distracting and makes the characters (most often April and her friends) sound stupid. Which I hope is not your intent!

Katje B, Albany NY

OK, so Gerald wants to take the Summer to tour with Becky's band. So what. These kids have another year of high school left!

I usually defend April, because she's the one who's usually the butt of all the jokes and reciever of abuse, just like that one member of the family who, for unknown reasons, is simply not treated as well as everyone else. Any inquiry into that is met with a snarl, gritted teeth and "Mind your own business!"

However, in this case it seems to me that April is the one who's being immature. Gerald would like to try his hand as a musician for the Summer. Youth and Rock 'N Roll don't last forever.

April is simply jealous, green with envy, that's all!

Joe, Michigan

In some ways, the Pattersons and their friends seem to have been "frozen in time" already....John and Elly aren't losing any sleep over the fact they'll be footing the bill for both a lavish Wedding AND April's University Tuition. Anthony isn't scrambling to meet Mortgage payments and Daycare expenses as he watches his investments continue to disappoint and his "take-home pay" buy him less and less....

But, do we REALLY want FBorFW to redlect today's less-than-rosy realities? Perhaps we all need to be able to picture a magical "Oasis" where wedding gowns and engagement rings are instantly "a perfect fit", and a Family Crisis consists of nothing more than harsh words exchanged over a call to dinner....!

Anna M, Winnipeg

Thanks very much for what you have given to us Lynn. Never, ever should you feel shame over what you do. You have touched so many lives and given us so much to think about over the years.

Kate, Penticton BC

Hello, Lynn and Staff!
I'd like to offer a big Thanks! for all of the cute games on your website! We especially like the "Dig It!" game! You have a unique site, and we appreciate it!

Lucia, Kalispell Montana

Hello! I wanted to tell a true story of myself and FBOFW. When I was away at college, as a sophomore, I developed horrible cystic acne. Not knowing what was going on, I picked at my face and soon I was trying to eat in the caf by myself because I looked like a monster. I covered the mirror on my door with a sheet and tried to hide the mess with my hair down.

Ironically, the April arc where she messes up her face ran at this exact time, and it was a real lifeline to me. I'm not sure how I would have coped if I didn't know that April was having the same problems! Thanks so much.

~Rachel

p.s., now I take an oral antibiotic and am MUCH better. :)

Rachel G, Illinois

Last week's panels (two days) about the tiff between Elly and April was so poignant to me. Any mother who has gone through sending her child to college can surely relate. The year before they leave is fraught with all kinds of underlying emotions on both sides. Especially with daughters. Mothers still wanting to nurture, daughers wanting to be fully independent. Lynn perfectly captured those emotions. Give Elly a break! She knows these last days, in the year before April goes college, are precious. She grabbed her and hugged her at the end of the spat. That says it all.

After reading so many hostile comments, I cut out these two days of strips and showed them to my 17 year old daughter. My daughter is, like April, talented and opinionated. She is also driven academically (has a 4.0) and wants to be a doctor. We go head to head all the time, so I wondered would she be overly defensive of April the way some of these emails are? I asked her her opinion and she said, "Well the mom's just trying to be nice. April was busy, but she was rude." She and I both laughed and agreed that when April is away at university, there will be nights when she will wish someone would offer to bring dinner to her while she works on the computer! Go Lynn! Thanks for exposing these very human, very normal emotions through your art.

Karen H, Cataula GA

I lived in Atlanta, Georgia from the age of 3 to 14, and have grown up with the Patterson Family.

I came back to Japan, where I was originally from, and have drifted apart from the Saturday morning cartoon papers for a long time.

Then, I had a nostalgic moment. I was looking through the books that I loved throughout my years in Georgia, and found a copy of "Keep the Home Fries Burning".

Then, I had a thought. I looked For better or For Worse on the internet, and found this website.
I read every comic strip from the past 5 years, and I couldn't help crying.

Michael was happily married to his first love and Elizabeth was a teacher in Mtigwaki.

I was Elizabeth's age when I started reading the books,and I was deeply moved to see her doing what she has always wanted to do, and loving it.

The Patterson Family will always be a part of my life as it has given me hope for the future, and taught me that love, no matter what the circumstances, is the key for survival and the true meaning of life.

Eri Y, Tokyo Japan

I don't think April was saying only University people can lead. I think she was just giving Gerald some lip in response to his attitude that her life was going to be somewhat dull and mundane because while he was 'following his dreams' she was not. And let's face it. Most of us hope our kids will be college-bound, although of course one doesn't need to attend college to be a contributing member of society.

Christine, E Durham NY

Why are the hairstyles here always so wrong? I have a teenager at home and amongst her and her friends I have never seen them wear their hair like April (that style is for a 40 yr old mom...I often do my hair that way) Girls right now flat iron their hair. They do pull it back sometimes, in a ponytail with long straightened bangs in the front pulled way past the forehead from a side part. Really! As for Liz she doesnt look like a young teacher with that old bun on her head. What is up with that? None of my kids teachers wear buns! Occasionally french braids down the back but never a bun. Long and layered seems to be the look for them, or medium length and feathery. Elly is also kind of strange with her bun. I dont know a single 50-ish woman who would wear a bun. I think they all have fluffy around the face hair. Deanna looks weird with her little boy hair cut, is that attractive to Mike? I cant imagine. Oh well anyway, I hope to see some makeovers one day!!!

Jane, CA

The strip where April did not come to dinner brought up images of my mother. She is in her 70's now and is getting slower. But to her way of showing us she cares is to make sure we are comfortable.

Then, when I remember times with my own kids grown, or in college now. I remeber getting them from doing their homework to have a family meal. It is a stress reliever and it helps them relax. I was even able to get them to talk. To slow down so they were able to share what they were doing so when they went back to school work. They had a fresh mind and view. In some cases, my kids were able to do even better.

So even today, my mother, when I have to travel to her area, has dinner waiting and we have dinner together. And sometimes I do not have enough time, but I still make time for family meal. It is more important than getting in a report to the office. After all, the report will be there when dinner is done.

Tara, Vacaville CA

Dear Lynn,

As you have Ellie struggle to figure out her identity and her changing role at this point in her life - I wonder if you are thinking about your own changing role at the same time. Ellie is (almost) ready to move on from her role as primarily mother to her kids. They can largely take care of themselves now. Maybe you are thinking about being done 'taking care of' the Pattersons? We would all understand if you move on to something else. Although, I do agree with the writer a few days ago who asked you to give us some closure on the storylines before you move on. It would be great to see the strip end with April graduated, Elizabeth married (or whatever), and Ellie finding something satisfying to focus her ambition and attention on.

John B, Detroit

To Frank from Minehana Ainrofilac, Boof, Norway

I think the 'clownlike' character you see is the back of a woman walking to the left. She's got a bun in her hair (Lynn seems to like to draw women wearing buns) that looks like a nose.

Cheers!

Katie E, Quebec City

Haha wow... after reading another comment, I went back to 4/21 strip, and it DOES look like there's a weird clown stalker in the last panel. I think it was supposed to be someone blowing a bubble-gum bubble, but that was really funny.

And everyone needs to stop hating on April, and taking things out of context- she's observed the way Gerald works- he's often a less-than-favorite character of mine- and I don't think she's wrong in thinking that a back-up plan is good. There are a lot of drummers and bands out there, after all, and even the really good ones don't always make enough money to live off of. Doesn't hurt to have something to fall back on.

Mari

I think the last strips of April, Gerald and her friends are right on. She is a bit jealous of Becky and Gerald's choice would prompt a snitty response - very typical. She has done some looking into what it would take to be a vet, and is about as decided as the rest of her friends. It's a big choice that often changes after a person gets into university and realizes the different directions a career field can take. University broadens your experiences, and allows for greater change. Who's to say April couldn't be a vet by day and a musician by night.

Marsha, Reno NV

Has April been retconned to be a year older? The way she and her mates are talking, it sounds like their graduation is imminent. They don't sound like juniors, with more than a year to go, vaguely tossing ideas around.

(I'm not being snarky here: I really am curious. Have we jumped a year?)

And I just don't understand why April would be so righteously indignant about Gerald's toying with the notion of spending a summer playing music and maybe making a career of it one day.

Whom, and to what, does she intend to lead, by the way? Will she be going to vet school to become the Canadian Hillary Clinton?

JRI, NYC

AAAAHHHHH!!!!! This is driving me crazy! I can't believe Anthony and Elizabeth want to WAIT!They've waited for years! When will we know when this wedding will be!???!!! I don't mind if they wait here for several months, but I just want to know WHEN they get married! Please tell us-and HURRY!!! (By the way, she looks great in Marian's wedding gown!)

Jessie, Trenton ON

I have to say today's strip felt like a slap in the face to me and about 90% of my graduating class that didn't know what they wanted to do after graduating high school. Because of this we should have all looked to a person like April with wide-eyed admiration? I don't think so.

Christine, Ohio

I read the comments every day and lately I think some people are missing the point about how annoyed myself and others can get over "human" characters. It's not that I'm mad about Elly being flawed (read: overbearing) and Michael being stressed out by his kids (read: self absorbed), I'm mad because the comic seems to be celebrating these flaws as positive traits. Oh look how cute it is that Elly loves Liz more than April, that's just like life in my house. It's frustrating to see the characters I've known and loved for years become recognized for the worst in themselves

Gabrielle, NY

I have to add my (belated) thoughts on the recent confrontation among April, Ellie, and John. I think it's important for all of us to remember that we're just seeing slices of the Pattersons' lives, as it were... we don't see everything that happens behind the scenes. When the first strip was published showing Ellie repeatedly asking April to come to dinner, I could empathize with April, and wondered why Ellie wasn't taking April at her word. However, when, the next day, John went up to talk to April, I realized that I'd made an unconscious assumption: I'd assumed that April wasn't in the habit of saying "In a minute," when she didn't mean it. The strip with John made it clear to me that this was not the case. April tried to put him off with "in a minute," again without even looking at him, which made it abundantly clear that this is a family dynamic that has been going on for some time (and that April's "in a minute" might be likened to minutes during an Amer!
ican football game... or perhaps geologic time! :)).

So, now, imagine the background this way: on many previous days, Ellie called April to dinner. April responded with, "I'll be there in a minute." Five minutes passed. Ellie again called April, who once again responded with "in a minute," etc. You get the picture... With that kind of history, it would be perfectly natural for Ellie to press April when she tells her she'll be there "in a minute," and, in fact, it was generous of Ellie to offer to bring April some food. That offer would not have been made in my house when I was growing up!

No, I do NOT condone beating children for ANY reason (and I wasn't beaten as a child), but I think the person posting that comment missed the point: people who shared about getting spanked weren't being punished for "wanting to do their homework," they were being punished for *being disrespectful to their parents*. There is a big difference. John was right to make April apologize to Ellie. Yes, April will need good homework skills in college. But April will also need to show respect to her professors, and ultimately her employers (and her fellow employees, of course); a lesson in respect is not out of line.

Susan, Athens Georgia

You know I think folks are missing the point of April's comments to Gerald about "following". I took it as she was disgusted in him following a person,(Becky) not his dreams.

Also folks who think April is snotty, bratty and selfish obviously haven't been around teenagers in a while.

That's their way of trying to be independent but still needing their parents and being scared of and excited about their future all at the same time.

I have a daughter a year younger than April who is going through a lot of the same decisions.

I think the Elly/April exchange could have been handled differently, but then its not my strip its Lynn's.

Keep the great stories coming Lynn!

PS - Please fix Eva hair color! Not all biracial people have light snow white hair!

Nikki J, Modesto CA

I have read you strip from the beginning. Sorry to write that I no longer enjoy the strip.I am so disappointed in the planned marriage with Liz and Anthony. She has only dated three people and there must be more out there than a man who married the daughter of the boss, is left with a child and now wants a mother for her. I feel Liz is my daughter and is making a big mistake. I do know you could care less about my thoughts but I will miss my favorite strip.I alwalys saved the best one in the paper for the last read.

Anne L, Michigan

I can understand why Liz and Anthony are taking their time and not rushing the wedding. However, I think it would be a good idea to at least set a date..perhaps a year from now. I hope Grandpa Jim will be here to see his grandaughter married in Marion's wedding dress.

Valerie S, Toronto