
telephone: Browse The Strips
Thursday, April 15, 1993

Sunday, April 25, 1993

Sunday, September 19, 1993

Wednesday, October 6, 1993

Friday, January 21, 1994

Tuesday, March 22, 1994

Monday, May 23, 1994

Sunday, June 12, 1994

Tuesday, May 28, 1996

Wednesday, May 29, 1996

Wednesday, May 21, 1997

Sunday, September 10, 2000

Sunday, April 7, 2002

Thursday, April 11, 2002

Monday, January 13, 2003

Sunday, January 9, 2005

Friday, February 1, 2008

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Friday, February 6, 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Lynn's Comments: It's a lousy way to do business, isn't it? You pay on time every month...but, slip up once and the computer spits out a scathing reminder to "PAY UP, YOU DEADBEAT!" I wish - just once, the telephone company or the hydro would be appreciative enough to thank me for my regular and consistent remittance.
Friday, October 8, 2010

Lynn's Comments: It's rare, now that an actual human contacts you regarding a payment. When it does happen, you get past the shock and then you wonder which country they are calling from. Who are these people and how on earth are they are trained for this job? These folks have an attitude of such superiority, such command...and they are prepared for a fight. If you can make them laugh, however, you can get past their posture and actually have a conversation.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Lynn's Comments: Remember when the thought of recording a personal message for our answering systems gave folks hives? Some asked friends to do it, others signed up for an automated system and others became comics, DJ's and public announcement pros.
The other day, I called a friend who still has one of those recording devices on her counter and regularly updates her message. This week it's: "Hello?? HELLO?! ...HELLO!!!!!" and when you repeat for the third time "Hi! It's ME! Hello?" the message says "Hah! You thought I was here, didn't you..well, I'm not, so leave a message!" The message I left was a loud "AAAAAUGHHHHH!!!" followed by my home number. So far I haven't heard back.
Sunday, November 14, 2010

Lynn's Comments: Katie was fascinated by the telephone and although she didn't catch on to the art of conversation right away, she enjoyed the fun of just hearing someone's voice coming from the receiver. With this in mind, she would sometimes climb onto a chair and press all the numbers. As long as she didn't raise the hand piece, I let her have fun...until we got billed for a call to Hong Kong!!! True story!
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Lynn's Comments: To go over the cast again: Connie lived across the street from Elly Patterson and Anne lived next door. Elly had a close personal relationship with both of these imaginary women - because all three were ME! Through Anne, I could explore the life I led as a woman whose husband had numerous affairs. It's easier to believe the excuses than to deal with the truth. Through Connie I relived my life as a single parent. Both characters had things to say, and it felt good to say them. In contrast, Elly's role in the strip was to play the humdrum, easygoing, happy housewife in between. Looking back at it now, I see this was something else I imagined!!
Sunday, September 18, 2011

Lynn's Comments: We were living in a log house and having renovations done. A number of workmen, strangers to me, were coming and going at the time. One night the phone rang. The receiver was on my side of the bed. I answered, expecting it to be the Dental "on call" service, but a man's voice said something I couldn't quite understand. I had been in a deep sleep and wasn't prepared for a conversation. "What??" I said. He repeated whatever it was but I still couldn't understand. He said something vaguely suggestive, but I wasn't able to pick up the thread. He eventually gave up and asked if I knew who it was. I said I did not and he seemed surprised. At this point, I just wanted to go back to sleep, but he asked again if I recognized his voice and I said I didn't. Satisfied that he'd remain unknown, he hung up.
The next day I was convinced it had been one of the guys who was working on the house. One, in particular, was a bit of a wild card and I wondered if it had been him. It amazed me to think how vulnerable and anxious I felt, even though the call had been clumsy and short. Somebody was "watching" me in an unhealthy way and it made me nervous and wary until the project was over and the strangers were gone. I tried to imagine what someone who had been seriously threatened would feel and how long, if ever, they would take to get over it.
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Because of the three-hour time difference between Ontario and Vancouver, we had a hard time making phone calls. Either my folks were having dinner (and hated to be disturbed) or we were. If I called during the day, the kids were out. In the afternoon, my folks were out. The odd time we had a conversation (at a good time for both parties) everyone wanted to talk at once!