so accurate in so many ways

Humour is an intensely personal affair and we are lucky when others share and indulge it.  So needless to say we were heartbroken when Gary Larson decided to retire in 1995 – who would provide our daily dose, make us snort, who would be there with that little snippet of truth that summed up exactly how we felt? It was as if a long relationship was suddenly being ended by one of us saying that they “needed a little space”. Understandable perhaps but nonetheless traumatic…

In our local bookshop there was a massive compilation of the cartoonist’s work available at a horrific price; at that time, the needs of our then-quite-small children outweighed any amusingly adult indulgences and so it sat on their shelf collecting dust.  How we coveted that heavy tome and wondered what witty gems it hid within. Many years later, we found a copy online at less than a quarter of the list price – how could we resist?

It is an edition, like a select few others, that we go back to over and over again. There are cartoons that have become reference points, some of their phrases appropriated into private jokes and used to encapsulate a whole world of situational descriptors and the wonder of it all is that they are still as fresh as the day they were penned. So, yes Gary, we can appreciate how emotionally exhausting it must have been to be “on” all the time, and will respect your wishes not to redistribute your work, but want to let you know that even after all these years we are still amused and delighted. The Big 5 Challenge takes our guffaws where we can get ’em and this fortnight wonders…

“When is the last time you really laughed?” – over coffee and the comics, at the movies, with a friend, in the car or under the stars, at silly signs or awkward times…

For all those who are new readers to Across the Bored, some great entries and the guidelines for this challenge can be found here: Need more info, want to browse past themes or get the badge for your blog? See HOW DOES THIS WORK.