The Lovely Ladies of Apartment 3-G: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Third Degree

"Well, I'm a full-time artist! I just don't get paid that often, or do my job that often. And I've had several boyfriends before, but they've all died, so no problems there! Does that answer your questions?"

"CUT THE CRAP, LU ANN! What about my great grandchildren?? Tell me you're still fertile!! TELL M--oh, hello there, Paul, back with the lemonade I see! Oh ho ho, your gramma was just having a little girl talk with you best girl here, isn't that right, Lu Ann? ....isn't. that. right."

Personal plug! HDR Architecture (where I work) just launched a new design blog called BLiNK! My team has been working for months to get this up, and I'm really proud of the result. You can find it here: http://blink.hdrinc.com/

You can find me there too! I only have one blog post up so far, but I'll be posting once a month.
http://blink.hdrinc.com/bloggers/maggie-scott

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Bah, humbug!

When I first saw this strip, I thought that they had aged Paul's mother terribly, but it's only a new Linski family member! You can never go wrong with an outspoken older lady character, they're comic gold. I also like that all Linski family members, past and present, are invited. Including, the ghost of alcoholic Great Aunt Tilly. She did always love a good party, especially those with an open bar.

Monday, August 29, 2011

They Grow 'em Big in New Jersey

Hey all, sorry for the mysterious absence. In New Jersey, we had a hurricane to defend against over the weekend, and while it was quite mild compared to our expectations, that did not stop it from knocking out my power. Of course, there's still power at work. Thanks, work. (forced grin) So! What did I miss?

Saturday August 27th, 2011

On Friday, Lu Ann looked mad enough to scald Margo's flesh with that hot water, but today, she's backing down. Typical Lu Ann. When push comes to shove, she can't bring herself to pull the trigger/pour the boiling hot water over her friend's head. That's an expression, right?

Monday August 29th, 2011

Yeah, LAUGH IT UP, New York. Okay, so we have some mosquitos. But you know when they aren't so bad? In September, which is when you'll get to your reunion. Does anyone think the introduction of bug spray here is a little over-expository? Like, now I'm going to be waiting the whole time for someone to say something offensive to Lu Ann and for her to squirt Bug Spray in his face.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Friday Catch-Up

Not sure what happened to Casey yesterday, but I've got two days worth of strips.

Thursday, August 25th

Look, Margo, just because Paul and I are hot and heavy doesn't mean it's serious. I mean, yes, he did take me to visit the the unfinished house of his dreams on our first date, and I nursed his brother back to health even before we were exclusive, but that's not serious.

Is Margo implying that a Linski family reunion is destined to devolve into some sort of pansexual, incestuous orgy? If so, then Lu Ann should be thinking of an easy to remember safe word...

Friday, August 26th

Whoa, Lu Ann is boiling that pot of water using only her seething rage at Margo. Although in the second panel, it looks like she's preparing to dump it on Margo's head, or at least her chiding finger. I'm predicting Lu Ann goes to the reunion, but she can't get Margo's voice out of her head telling her that she's in love with Paul's family. She and Paul have a fight, endangering their relationship. Then we go back to whatever Tommie is doing.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Great Ganymede!

Congrats to Lu Ann on busting out a reference to the moons of Jupiter. They just don't get shout outs like they used to when grizzled but kindly prospectors roamed the earth. Also not getting shout outs: leaping lizards, jumping jehosaphat, mother of pearl, and gadzooks.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Head and Shoulders

There's a whole lot of Margo's neck in the first panel. Go for the jugular Lu Ann, while it's exposed! Lu Ann's hair is reflective of her reaction to this latest Margo confrontation. Initially, it is full of volume and charmingly punctuated with a Fawcettian flip. Once Margo engages it in a cold stare, the hair thins out and clings for dear life to Lu Ann's face and shoulders.

Whatever did give you that idea, Margo? You know what happens when you assume things...

Monday, August 22, 2011

Wherefore art thou, Romeo?

I thought that Margo's almost unreasonably mild teasing of Paul was being blown out of proportion by the Wonderbread Twins, but hey, it turns out Margo really doesn't like Paul! What do you know! And why should he like Paul when he's got you dressing in frilly collars like this? Like you're an 18th century strumpet or some such!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Lazy Sunday

Just sitting here in my PJs catching up with the past few days of A3G.

Friday, August 19th

Oh Lu Ann, you're more than just a friend, you're Paul's special friend. And what about poor, sweet Wally? Is this reunion going to tear this beautiful, Aryan love affair apart?

Saturday, August 20th

I understand and respect your decision, darling, but Wally and my mother will be devastated. They haven't been the same since you last left them, but this would put them over the edge into an almost catatonic melancholia. At least that's what the doctors said. But you can still decide not to come, it's totally up to you. Does the encroaching black background portent further discord in Happy Blonde World?

Thursday, August 18, 2011

I'm Here Because of My Mom...

But you were supposed to bring the ice cream and lemonade!

Figures, I get the cold bath lead-up to the almost-sexiness, then I get the "mentioning my mom" cool-off. Nothing to see here, folks. The mood is officially killed.

I'm glad Paul decided to stop by to remind Lu Ann about an event that should really have nothing to do with her, given that she's been dating Paul for what, 5 minutes? It really enhances the awkwardness of Lu Ann turning him down. I'm not part of your family, Paul, no matter how much I look like you. Now shut up and eat your damn ice cream before it melts.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Foreshadowing with Dessert

I like how Margo's extremely gentle ribbing leads Paul to believe that Margo hates him. I guess humor on the Linski compound was limited to the jokes on Laffy Taffy wrappers.

So Paul! What'll it be? Rocky Road or Death by Chocolate? We could make a banana split! Maybe break up some Oreo cookies on top of that? Or pour on some chocolate this isn't going to work sauce? Maybe some whipped somehow you're going to die or move away cream and sprinkles? And don't forget the cherry on top! ....of your imminent demise.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Margo for the c!@?block!

What a dramatic entrance to your own apartment, Margo. It's a scorcher, yet you decided to wear a cardigan sweater? Obviously, the A3G girls don't have a system for subtly announcing to returning roommates that one has a gentleman visitor. Might I suggest draping a set of panty hose/chastity belt over the door? At least Paul isn't walking around their kitchen in his boxer shorts, proudly displaying his thicket of back hair like a silverback gorilla. Not that I've ever had that happen.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Degrassi: the Lu Ann Generation

AHHHHH!! Is this an A3G strip hinting at premarital sex?? Orrrrrr... did I start watching Degrassi again? Paul saying they should stop making out "because we still can" makes me think that he's saving himself for marriage, and I'm not going to down on him for that, even though I would desperately like to make a Jonas brother/promise ring reference.

However, Paul has put Lu Ann an awkward position, since his bland good looks and white bread charm (and I guess his... luscious lips?) are clearly driving her wild. To whip out the old baseball analogy, it looks like she's caught in a rundown between first and second... or possibly second and third.

ANYWAY, parents, Ms. Shulock and Mr. Bolle have provided you with a perfect opportunity to sit your kids down and have an honest talk with them about fallopian tubes and whatnot.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Friday Slack-Off

Sorry to our loyal, dedicated readers for slacking off yesterday, it was quite a busy day. Although, when I saw what I missed posting/today's strip, I jumped right on the old interwebs to comment.

Friday, August 12th

Hot town, summer in the city. Lu Ann is seminaked, and she actually tells Paul this fact. And now she finally has someone to help her drink that lemonade!

Saturday, August 13th

Is this actual sexual innuendo? Or is Lu Ann still trying to get people to drink her vat of lemonade? Sadly, it's probably the latter. If it's so hot out, maybe Paul is suffering from heat stroke and is hallucinating that Lu Ann is a cold drink of water.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Cold Bath

Am I the only one who feels more than a little uncomfortable reading today's strip? I'm not sure where they're going with this. Like... uh... Margo and Tommie are out doing interesting things, right? In public, right? Not in the bathtub sighing with pleasure and thinking about their boyfriends.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Lu Ann Slumps

Poor sweet Lu Ann. Without anyone to drink your lemonade, you're adrift, moorless. You didn't even get out of your nightgown today, did you? Just don't fall asleep in that bathtub.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Unnecessary Roughness

Honestly? No, sorry. But when life gives you lemons, you make a giant batch of unwanted lemonade that will slowly grow tepid in your sweltering, empty apartment.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Sashay Away

Did you know that the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race is available on Netflix streaming? It is. I watched the entire thing this weekend. I'm not much into reality TV, but I have to say, I found this show to be extremely fun, super campy, and weirdly empowering. Kind of a mashup of America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, and a Las Vegas drag show. And RuPaul is so pretty!

Oh I'm sorry, was I supposed to be talking about Apartment 3-G? I got distracted. I wonder what about panel 2 made me think of drag queens.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Sunday Funday

Good for Lu Ann for trying something new.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

My Compliments

You know what? It's moments like this that make me really like Tommie. Her halting ability to parse "you'd make a wonderful mother" as a compliment, I find both awkward and charming. How would you not interpret it as a compliment, even if you find it strange? Does she have so little experience with dating/positive human contact that she's struggling to determine Paul's motives? "I'm sure he meant it as a compliment... or maybe he's trying to trick you into babysitting. Like when Margo told me I'd be great with kids, and then made me run her fledgling daycare center while she slept off her hangover. Remember that? Margo's Sunshine Daycare for Young Millionaires?"

Okay, I'm making up the daycare center, but it does seem like Margo's had a lot of jobs.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

The Tragedy of Apartment 3-G

Margo looks exasperated to the point of almost fainting in the first panel, but notice how quickly she and Tommie begin to look incredulous. No, Lu Ann, we haven't ever thought about having kids, because we've been stuck in this same apartment, at the same age, with the same idiot roommate for 50 years. I'm not sure how the logistics of that would work out, and I don't want to be stuck with a newborn for another 50 years. Also, every single relationship we've ever had has failed miserably and/or tragically, so I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself there, Susie Sunshine. You think Wally getting run over was bad, just wait til you see what happens to your precious Paul.

...Oh... I mean, no, not really.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Queen Bee

Sadly, we've missed out on the moment when Margo bellows "I KNOW A CELEBRITY, I KNOW QUEEN BEE" and then cackles, but Tommie's bewildered reaction, with her sad little bobble, is almost as good. Why does Queen Bee make her sad? Oh, and Queen Bee. That's great. I immediately thought Beyonce. Maybe she's a Lady Gaga-Beyonce hybrid. She'll be shakin' it across the stage, crazy hats flying all over the place, legs buckling from her giant platform shoes... now THAT I would pay to see!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Strike a Pose

Is it just me or does first panel Tommie look like a J.C. Penney's mannequin circa 1982? The blank stare into space, the pouty model mouth? In fact it doesn't even seem like she has moved at all into the second panel, we're just looking at the scene from a different angle. Maybe she is just using her extensive wilderness training regarding confrontations with creatures of superior predatory skill. Never look directly into the beast's eyes and try to remain as motionless as possible.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Your Secret Smile

I think Frank Bolle is taking a bit of a summer vacation. He forgot to erase the extra smudgy mascara that gives Tommie that wizened but bitter hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold look. You know, the kind of hooker that buttons her collared shirt all the way to the top. And Margo without lips, you know, horrifying. Is that what her secret smile looks like? Cause Tommie was right, it's noticable.