Amanda the Great by Amanda El-Dweek for August 18, 2023

I have a certain spot for a Kleenex box near my dining room chair. When I turn around and it’s not there, I get completely upset. One box. I understand about zero chill.

So you probably can figure how I’m feeling about how a few hours ago I found out the absolute best sister in the world has died of a sudden brain aneurysm. I shouldn’t inflict my pain on a comic site but I haven’t even yet emailed friends about a lousy 2022 plus the last nine awful months with losing two of the 3 best cats in world, root canal/extraction, Covid, job stress/angry boss, dying car… too depressed…so how do I tell them of my now losing the most nurturing, funny, sweet, wise woman I’ve ever known?

(I can take this down later but, I’m in such pain and denial.)

I know that feeling pretty well – as if part of the brain got damaged or the world is tilted and needs to be fixed

What is an Adoration Slot? I spent 12 years in Catholic School and I never heard the term. Admittedly I was not a good student.

Blame the staff; they should know.

I’ve had the same situation at my favorite coffee shop (sans radio personality from across the state).

When I was younger, I worked in a mailroom, near Wall street in Manhattan. I loved going to Battery park for lunch and sitting on my favorite bench. One day, I found a bunch of tourists, sitting on MY bench! I was very upset and went back to my job, in a hot ,huff! As I sat in an empty office, angrily eating my lunch, More Adult me(just as you have, Young Amanda!) spoke! Look at how nice it is out there! You could have chose another bench! Now, look at you! More Adult me, was right! After that, I just chose another bench if my favorite was taken!

We are creatures of habit. I can relate!

I, for one, can’t sit down until the house is neat, no dishes in sink, bed made, etc. ☺️….that’s who we are…so be it!

Turn and face the strain, ch-ch-changes.

LOL! I have my favorite parking spots. I’ll joke with someone if they park there and they’re just getting out of their car. I’ll say “You took my spot!” We just get a chuckle out of it. Now if someone hijacks a spot that I was clearly waiting for or trying to get into, that’s different. They’re gonna hear about it then. I also have my favorite gas pump at the Delta Sonic. That’s because I usually go thru the car wash after I get gas. My favorite pump is right by the lane that goes into the wash.

“Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.” ― Mark Twain, Following the Equator

You’ll get over it. Meanwhile we’ll make do with what you have been doing in hopes that it will get funny.

Do NOT mess with a cartoonist’s routine!

I found this funny! I’ve never had this problem. There might be places I like to sit or places I like to park, but I don’t give it another thought if someone else is there. Makes me wonder how many times I have ruined someone’s day because I sat in ‘their’ spot or parked in ‘their’ spot. Ahhhh ~ LIFE!!

Possibly the media host was aware of your table preference at that time and day, and was hoping for you to come by and ask what’s up with taking your reserved space? Well, it COULD have worked out in your favor….maybe…

Hey! This spot already has a creative aura to it. I’ll sit here.

He should be more aware! lol

If he didn’t know, he does now.

You could have gone Greta on him: “HOW DARE YOU!”

My wife worked with a guy with OCD for a few years. He always parked in the same space in the same lot. One day he found his space filled by another car. He went home.

It’s like the high pitched sound only people under 25 can hear. Only cartoonists can see these abominations! I get you, Amanda. I get you.

I can identify. If I’m not sitting in my house in my favorite idea chair with my coffee, I can’t come up with ideas. Uh-oh, what if I wake up tomorrow and there’s a fancy radio personality sitting in my favorite idea chair, drinking my coffee?! Then what, Amanda?!

Ha! His clever trick didn’t work. The comic is still funny.