Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for August 01, 2016

I think Shrimp is derisively mimicking her classmates, given her expression and the quote marks. She’s a bit more grounded than they are.

I hated going back to school, but it was so exciting to see my friends again, and the smell of new crayons, man,noticing how the girls have changed….

Designing video games was the hardest gig I ever had. Don’t miss it. You’re always late, the pressure is immense, and your work is never good enough.

These days, it seems half the kids I talk to want to be video game designers. Soon, it will be as if the world has been overrun by telephone sanitizers.

Ask Curt Schilling about designing video games

I think she feels the hours would be more flexible…

Like any other design job, there’s lots of money to be made if you’re one of the best. Not so much if you’re not. So work hard and develop the necessary skills as soon as possible so you’ll have a nice portfolio to show off when it matters.

I wanted to be an astronaut.

My eldest wanted to be an “office lady” and the middle kid wanted to be an Episcopal nun – and have three children! All of them are stay-at-home-moms and wouldn’t dream of anything else.

I would think going back to school would be a respite from the over-scheduling most parents inflict on kids these days

unfortunately, kea, they keep the schedule AND add school tp it.

I distinctly remember walking into kindergarten, and thinking “I hate this” within the first two minutes. And I hated it until I got my graduation from 12th grade.

The vegetables will still be there when the sun comes up. They can be picked at 9 and open the vegetable stand by 10 am. No need to get up that early.

To me, I read this as Meg saying she hates school.Also, to me, as an educator (professor)…. this saddens me.While it is nice that Meg enjoys selling the produce, it would be nice, valuable, and important for her to enjoy school as well. I hope both Gene and MaryLou will work to encourage her to enjoy school. But, given that Gene wasn’t overly interested in his college studies, and that (as far as I know) MaryLou did not pursue college after high school…. it may be that Gene and MaryLou are not education friendly and this may be part of why Meg has responded the way she has. Now, like another commenter (frumdebang) suggested above, Meg’s response could be more about the stereotypical “future plan” of a lot of kids here age…. she could potentially be being sarcastic about that choice alone and not actually about school. I hope this is so, but I still tend to read it that she hates school.

Pipe Tobcacco – I think she’s crossing her eyes and attempting to look goofy – and her remarks are in quotes, so I think she is being sarcastic. Maybe as much in reply to Gene’s remark about her being a kid again – maybe she would just as soon be doing farm work as playing vid games.(I was a grade school teacher for 31 years so I know what you’re saying.)

Video designer, astronaut; when I was at that stage, those didn’t even exist. Strangely enough, some that I did want to do (ecologist, museum modeler, [analog] game designer), I have done for money and enjoyment simultaneously, and along the way picked up a few more.

“(I didn’t like everything I was taught.)”.A little late to mention it, but even though it is more fun to learn things you enjoy, it isn’t actually necessary to like something to learn it.

Hated school. Loved school supplies!! Figured out how many credits I needed to graduate HS, got them, got out, and never looked back.

WHO is she quoting in the final panel? Gene? Her own younger self? Or as someone else suggested, her classmates? If it’s the latter, who is she to disparage their dreams? Is her life of picking veggies and killing copperheads so much NOBLER than a kid who wants to design video games (a way more lucrative career, if you’re good at it)? I didn’t have ANY serious career notions when I was 8 years old, and I don’t think Johnson should be putting down a kid who has as concrete an ambition as designing video games. (….If, in fact, that’s what this strip is saying, but as is true with about half of all A & J strips, the final panel is so vague as to be beyond comprehension or analysis.)