daily: Browse The Strips

Monday, February 16, 2015

Lynn's Comments: My mother often said that she wished we would go to other people's houses and make a mess there for a change. It was true. Our friends always came over to our house. Maybe it was because Mom worked at home, and was kind enough to let everyone in. Maybe she permitted herself to be the local daycare provider so she would always know where we were. Other moms were at home, too, so it always bothered her that they never took their turn. They never offered. Maybe it's because she just never asked.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Lynn's Comments: When this strip appeared, I was criticized for stereotyping the Enjo family: they were Asian, therefore they were intellectuals. It was interesting to note that the complaints didn't come from people of Asian descent!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Lynn's Comments: I was so happy while drawing this. A good gag gave me great expressions to work with as I built up to the punch line. Not only did I enjoy the process here, but I was getting back at my mother and all the teachers who told me to "get down to business and hit the books." This strip was a cleansing experience.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Writing about the trials and tribulations of being a student brought memories flooding back. Here, I relived the anxiety of writing exams. Like everyone else, I hated them. There is an art to studying, which I didn't learn until high school, and that is: there will always be questions asked about things which aren't covered in class--studying your class notes is never enough. If you want to ace an exam, you have to thoroughly read your textbooks, take notes, and memorize anything you think might be relevant. Before I started to do this, I would study my notes, get an average mark, and feel cheated! I knew what was in my class notes--but exams proved that I didn't know the subject.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Lynn's Comments: I wanted Brian to be someone who felt a bit alienated by his intelligence. He would rather work on a school project than join in team sports or hang out at the corner with"the guys." Gordon was on the "outside"because he was mechanical. Academic subjects were a waste of time for someone who preferred to be under a car or taking apart a machine in his mother's kitchen. Michael was frustrated by his inability to concentrate. Even though he was a bright kid, he never achieved top marks in class--he was a dreamer! These three boys all felt inadequate for different reasons, and yet, they all had something in common: they lived in the same neighbourhood, and they got along with each other. Friendship ultimately overshadowed their differences.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Lynn's Comments: My mom (who was good at business and bookkeeping) tried repeatedly to explain simple math to me. I was never able to get it. Years later, my husband, who was also frustrated by my aversion to math said, "The reason you don't like numbers is because they make SENSE!!!" At the time, I was making a good living, daydreaming and making stuff up, so I took this as a compliment!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Lynn's Comments: I actually looked forward to working in the clinic. It wasn't the passing of instruments that appealed to me as much as it was dealing with the patients. I really enjoyed putting them at ease and explaining the procedures. This later influenced my decision to learn Spanish and travel with the Medical Missions to Peru. Explaining an otherwise worrisome situation to anxious patients and seeing them relax with a smile, made my task a joy. It was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Fortunately for Alan, he was never a patient. My mother, however, allowed me to practice on her. I remember her under the gas, which was a lot of fun. I had never seen her so relaxed and funny.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Lynn's Comments: I had no idea how important it is for a horn player to maintain his/her teeth and mouth so as not to disturb the embouchure they have worked so hard to perfect. When my brother came to the clinic to have some work done on his front teeth, he was very nervous, hoping there would be no change.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Lynn's Comments: I learned that "anticipation" was essential to four-handed dentistry--as it is to anything complicated and delicate requiring more than one person's skills. As a dental assistant, I had to know a procedure well enough to be able to anticipate the instrument or materials required before they were needed and to have them ready at precisely the right time. I also had to know when to suction, how to cut and fit those rubber thingies they use to keep stuff from falling into your mouth and to be able to prepare the gelatinous goo used to make moulds.

Needless to say, as an untrained wife of the dentist, I made a number of annoying mistakes. Fortunately we didn't bark at each other over the head of a patient, whose trust we had to maintain. Nowadays, I don't think untrained assistants are allowed to help "chairside" unless the dentist is working with the Medical Missionaries in a third world country and there is no choice! I've done that, too.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Lynn's Comments: This very situation brought my assisting career to an end. Dentistry is a fiddly business with many frustrating procedures. When my husband sharply asked for an instrument or for suction, I expected a polite "thanks" for my efforts, but he just carried on. His brusque manner wasn't personal--I just took it the wrong way!

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Lynn's Comments: When we moved to North Bay and set up a new clinic, we had two refrigerators--the one with the sandwiches was in the dining area.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Here again is the old chestnut where someone working outside the home has no idea how much work it is to manage a home and family. Every Friday, I look after my grandchildren. Laura is 3, Ryan is 1. Not wanting them to sit in front of the television for long, I try to have things for them to do--and it's a real effort. It takes time to interest them in toys, give them meals and snacks, keep them safe and keep them clean. You can do nothing else and if you try, you only get annoyed and resentful. Parenting is definitely a full time job! After a full day of serious grannying, I am glad to see these beautiful children go home with mom and, I wonder how I managed to run a home and do a comic strip at the same time!

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Lynn's Comments: During the few times I worked as my husband's dental assistant, I was fortunate to have two wonderful parents in law, living a mere 5 minute walk away (from both the clinic and the house). Ruth and Tom's home was set up for children and the care was constant as we moved the kids from one house to the other. At the end of the day, we might stay at "Ruth's" for dinner or we'd pick up the kids and come home--exhausted. Either way, it was "mom" who put on the grub!

Monday, March 9, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Letting my kids stay home alone happened rarely and only when I knew I could trust them! This meant not letting a bunch of friends in or digging into the liquor cabinet or calling someone in China as a prank. Another adult always knew where they were and had a key to the house. Still, Aaron's desire to hit the snacks before dinner was always a hazard of being home alone. I know the feeling. If there's a bag of Doritos in the house, it will go down before I heat up the leftovers.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Michael, being five years older than Elizabeth, was allowed to stay at home alone for a couple of hours after school--before his mother came home from work. The sitter (and good friend) lived next door and kept an eye on him, but still, I got complaints about this "unhealthy situation."

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Lynn's Comments: This isn't so much a scene from my son's adolescence, but my own. My parents both worked at our jewellery store and would be home around 6:00 pm. I was supposed to have the dinner on by the time they arrived--everything was set out for me and easy instructions were left on the counter. Even so, I thought it as the biggest imposition in the world; unfair, because my younger brother didn't have to do ANYTHING! Eventually, I started to have some pride in the fact that I could cook! This gave me some real confidence, since many of my friends couldn't even make a sandwich.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Lynn's Comments: With both parents working, my brother and I stayed in the house after school by ourselves. We had strict rules of conduct and some serious responsibilities! We took pride in our roles, which made us surprisingly compatible. We fought less when we were unsupervised. Who would have guessed!

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Lynn's Comments: The strip was starting to realistically show a family's weaknesses as well as its strengths, which I think made it more believable. I was trying to show real life: What happened to me and to the character, Michael, happens all the time. In an ideal world, I guess someone should be there to chaperone a child at all times, but like me, Mike was a responsible kid who was capable of helping out. Sometimes we could all use an extra hand to help make ends meet!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Like other twists in the story line, this revelation came as a surprise to me. I had no idea that Ted had been interested in his receptionist/secretary! The neat thing about Irene was that she took Ted away from Connie. Connie could move on. Irene had a "throw-away" part; her character didn't need to be rounded out. I invented a character I could play with for a while and then ignore--the kind of role in which an actor would hate to be cast!

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Lynn's Comments: The frustrating thing about being a writer (which I am to a small degree) is that my imagination works over time. If I need to talk to someone about an important matter or if I've done something for which I should apologize, I have the conversation a hundred times--in my head. I make my own arguments, answer my own questions and before the conversation ever takes place, I have worked it to death--ad nauseam. Most often, I beat myself up over trivial stuff that is easily resolved. I imagine every possible scenario. When the confrontation does take place, I have blown the situation so far out of proportion that the person I am talking to has no idea what I'm so worried about! Oh well, there's nothing like being prepared for the worst!

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Lynn's Comments: Here, I've created an "Everest of woe". I can't see past an infraction until I've confronted the offended party and apologized.