Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for November 29, 2017

Right, Tiffany. As if Luann calls you “Miss T” and writes it on your card.

Tiff’s assessment of Luann’s art skills is at a grade school level. ;)

All the Luann haters will be busy trying to find something to condemn about what Luann is doing here, and ignoring the fact that their hero just dissed Luann’s art skills while Luann was extending an offer of support. Never miss a chance to slam someone, Tiffany. After all, you don’t need them. You have Daddy’s money, right? Oops…

Decades of animosity between these two is not going to go away because of one card. I like the fact that Evans is playing this as if Tiffany is not all that excited to see Luann.

I hate to say it, but this arc is just really not interesting or amusing. Sort of like I imagine a “Reality TV Show” would be if I ever watched one.

Actually, this is a good start between them. The last time, Tiff shut the door in her face.

Now, Tiff needs to accept the sincerity of the friendship that Luann is offering, while she’s there extending the olive branch.

Luann shouldn’t be surprised that Gunther is coming to visit Tiffany. After all, when she, Bernice, and Dez wanted someone to intervene as Tiff’s friend, they called upon Gunther. The fact that Gunther really is Tiff’s friend and continues to visit her shouldn’t be a surprise. (However, I can understand Luann resenting Tiffany implying that she wouldn’t have opened the door if she knew it was Luann, or that Luann has the art skills of a young child.)

Well, Tiffany did open up more. Rather quickly, to the point Luann fell right in. Tiff, I do not think that is what the counselor meant…

This is all difficult for both Luann & Tiff. Luann should explain the card right away. Then she should say she’s on her way and say hello to Gunther. Maybe next time they meet somewhere it might go a little better. Forget about inviting Tiff to the lingerie show – Tiff looks worse than before.

Luann should just say that the card is from the kids, and leave. No point in staying where you aren’t welcome.

Well, if Tiffany used her peephole, she’d see it was not her Gunthie and left the door unanswered. But fate intervene and Tiffany opened the door and to the olive branch Luann is offering…but for how long now that she knows Gunther has been seeing Tiffany??

I’m glad to see Tiff is back to her old, sarcastic self. She must be feeling better.

Luann, Sweetie, don’t get all jealous on us. You coulda had Gunther just about any time in the past. However these days, I think the Tiffany-Gunther pairing is an idea whose time has come.

Luann, no one wants to be a project.

Okay, I’m going try this statement again from yesterday: Now that I see her (Tiffany) from a different P.O.V., she does not look all that bad. Folks, you have to see her for what she really is, not for what she actually looks like!

I love how Tiffany’s facial expressions just scream “thanks for coming; now what do I have to say to get you to leave?” Just a complete lack of enthusiasm for Luann’s visit. And why should Luann be surprised about Gunther coming over? Wasn’t she quite literally pushing him to visit Tiffany not too long ago?

No, they’ve never been best buds, in fact Tiffany has usually not bothered to cloak her hostility towards Luann. Just because they went to the same school doesn’t mean they have to pretend to like each other. I’m not sure why Luann is even bothering. Tiffany has no use for her and never will.

It is generally a good idea to see who is there before opening up, in several different contexts.

So basically, this is like an episode of Star Trek, where you just replace Kirk with Lu, and Khan for Tiffany….

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….and in place of Gunther, somehow Cmdr. T’Pol left from the NX Enterprise, felt bad for Khan, and decided to help him, “Heart And Soul” (♬)….

BOI-OI-OI-OI-OINNNNNNGGGG…

“A Case Of Mistaken Indemnity”

“No Easy Way In, No Easy Way Out”

“Easy Peasy, Kinda Queasy, Crush-Your-Handshake-Squeez-y”

“Where No Lu Or Tiff Has Gone, Before”

“Once Shy, Twice Bitten”

“Forecast: Wartly Warm, Partly Chilly”

“The ‘Slightly Less Cold’ War”

“Taking Stock In An Exchange”

“It Takes A Lot Of Work, To Bury A Hatchet”

“Love Is A Rose, But’cha Better Not Pick It” (♪)

“Every Rose Has Its’ Thorn” (♬)

“Graduated Diplomacy”

or

“Play Your Card Right”

This could have been a “Mythbusters” episode, answering the question: “Do giant cards make for good bridges?”

So really Tiffany just contradicted her self. Her counselor wants her to open up, but is she really just open to Gunther, when another potential friend is standing right in front of her? Luann just offered, Tiffany sort of declined. But will she re-think that when she finds out who made the card and why Luann is there?

Yes Luann Tiffany and Gunther are friends. She’s the only person he’s nice too and vice versa

Gunther coming over? The kids sending a nice card (forget about that snarkies)? Possibility of the lingerie party, with all that portends? I am not very good at predicting in Luannverse, but I still think a suddenly fast, and rather dramatic convergence of arcs is being set up. By the end of the year, which is sudden in Luannverse time. Or not. How Luann is reacting to the news that Gunther is coming over is interesting though. I never thought she might have an interest in him more than as a friend, not potentially as a competitor to Tiffany. Again maybe not. Fun times!!

Interesting to see the spat between the Luann haters and the Tiffany haters. Like watching two spoiled brats fussing at having to be together in the grocery cart seat.

Tiffany is seeing a counselor AND Gunther. Good on her! I hope she’ll take the invite and go to the lingerie party. Gunther might appreciate her purchases. (grin)

Tiffany is catching up on the playdates she never got as a child.

(Response to @OUTSIDEPLAYING) Tiff is more comfortable with Gunther, who has, in recent times, been consistently more supportive than Luann. When we open up, we don’t give up our preferences in people. So no self-contradiction, and she is not even contradicting the suggestion of her counselor, who would not want her to ignore her feelings. Rightly or wrongly, Luann has yet to earn any special friend category in Tiffany’s mind. If Luann hangs in there with Tiff, she will make progress with Tiffany. Of course it’s up to Luann whether that works with her own feelings!

The Wicked Matt is Dead (♬)…. Should be non-political to celebrate bringing an abuser down!

Well, maybe – just maybe – Tiff is using the plural “you”, as in “you all” (including the kids at Kids 1st). Which may even be technically correct, since the kids may not know how to write yet, so Luann probably did that part….

There’s a slight deniability to the charge that Tiff is intentionally insulting Luann’s artistic skills this time, anyway. ;)

So far Tiffany does not know about the lingerie party. Luann seems too distracted to remember to invite her, and she did not finish the note telling her about it.

Tiffany is putting on her own lingerie show for Gunther…

Meanwhile back at the Fuse…..

6

Pipe & coffee commentary this lunch period:

1. With the panel of Luann’s offer of a listening ear, I am a bit saddened to see it has been ignored or overlooked by Tiffany. I was hoping Tiffany would be more willing to consider and/or accept the offer.

2. One way to interpret Tiffany’s dialogue today is a) that it is “abrupt” because she does not want to interact with Luann, but I tend to think more it is b) just very simply Tiffany trying to be as direct as possible. This is not typical Tiffany as she usually has a lot of “spin” with what she says. Perhaps it is a technique she has been advised to adopt from her Counselor? A third option that at least one other person mentioned is c) that it is a medicine induced “lack of affect”. From my perspective, I am hoping it is b).

3. The “Yeah, so you made me a card.” statement also could be taken a few different ways, IMO. Most are suggesting it is a “jab” at Luann, and it could very well be that. But, I also think it is possible that Tiffany is just “noticing” the card, but is not really paying much attention to it…. and could be overlooking its rudimentary appearance. My idea may be wishful thinking, of course, but I am going to view it in that way until I find out otherwise.

4. Sadly, for me, I am not overly optimistic at having Gunther return again here. I will, of course, read and contemplate whatever Greg has in store for us…. but I must admit my enthusiasm level for is higher for nearly every other “Luann” character compared to Gunther lately. Perhaps I will have a change of heart once I see what next Greg has in store.

Garrison Keillor also in the news – from the sound of it, he must have gotten a little too close to one of his prairie home companions…

Once again all the Luann haters are projecting their own personalities onto Luann. They’re screaming: “Luann’s jealous! She doesn’t want Gunther but she doesn’t want anyone else to have him!” (insert eyeroll here) Sorry people, but just because that’s the way YOU would behave in this type of situation, doesn’t mean EVERYONE would behave that way.

Lu was never jealous of Gunth and Rosa, and they went to Peru together. I think Lu just considers Gunth a good, long time friend, like she does Bern. I think she’s just suprised that Gunth is still visiting Tiff without having to be almost physically pushed into it, the way he was the first time.

Lu should NOT mention the lingerie party. She should just give Tiff the card, saying something like: “The kids made this for you…..we do miss you, you know……” then make a graceful exit. To make up for her not-so-graceful enterance. :D

The problem with “opening up” or lowering your defenses is it leaves you open to be taken advantage of. Tiff is attractive-by normative western standards. I suspect she’s been taken advantage of as such. A lot. Trust but verify, Tiff, before opening up. Luann is still agreeing that your shallow, vain and foo foo, per Bernice, her bestie whom anything you say is likely to get back to. That’s not a great basis for trust.

One for you, Tiff – if you were real…

.

“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.” – Eric Thomas

I sure hope Luann is not going to get into some jealousy routine over Gunther.

I still think Tiff’s on some type of meds.

Will Gunther ever say to Tiffany:

Basingstoke.

Hey one more comment, that I will sneak in here: Luann IS NOT jealous of Tiffany, just surprised that she and Gunther are friends or possibly in a relationship. Luann’s story with Tiffany would mitigate the possibility that Luann would think Tiffany would not have the time of day for a nerd like Gunther, but of course she does not know any of the recent history all of us readers do. I think once it eventually becomes clearer to her, while they won’t be bossum buddies they will understand respect each other more I think Luann’s new friend is Tara, because, well its’ Tara. They both will grow. By the way, a serious relationship between Tiffany and Gunther? I could go for it, UNLESS Rose comes back. If that develops and Rose comes back, now there is some meaty comedy drama. A growing loving more confident Tiff, a more MAN Gunther, then along comes Rose. FIREWORKS!!

Baby steps.

At least Luann got in the door this time and is speaking with Tiffany.

Tiffany lacks and needs to learn Trust. Luann lacks and needs to learn Sincerity. No one is perfect, least of all in a situation so stressful as this. But Luann and Tiffany could help each other. The Kids 1st kids might just be the needed catalyst….

Sunday: Crystal accuses Knute of sexual harassment.