Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for September 11, 2023

Pig should watch a movie and relax. I suggest “Groundhog Day.”

Groundhog Day was ONE day. I don’t think I can handle doing 60 plus years (so far) over and over again.

some people should avoid listening to some people

For Pig, bacon is his first, best destiny.

But I can’t remember what I did wrong last time! Am I making the same old mistakes, or am I making brand new mistakes?

Obviously not quite yet, Pig.

Anyone that lives to an advanced age and thinks they got everything right is either crazy or perfect. Nobody is perfect.

And if you can magically remember the previous life, would that be Deja Voodoo ?

Some people will believe anything.

I started trying to imagine my life again, and got mixed up in earlier relationships that are best left behind. I learned from them, but I don’t want to dwell on them.

Looks like Pig has bird feet.

It would help if we had the knowledge from the previous lives, right.

What’s not right is what is left.

Pig is, by definition, insane. Doing the same life over and over, again, the exact same way, and hoping for a different result.

DUMP THE CHEESE !!!

You’ll get it yet, Pig.

Be nice to go back about 60 years and do it all over again!

If some people believe it, then it must be true.

So that’s why we are here.

Regrets, I’ve had a few……….

Gotta agree with Pig. Count The Count in for One and Done.

I’ve had much joy in my life, but live it over again? No thanks.

You need a Neuralyzer.

I’m glad I’m not one of those people.

Stupid.

Well, since I can’t recall any previous lives, either I didn’t have any, or they are useless as experience for this one.

Well said, Pig.

If I lived my life over again, I know I would make the same mistakes, because I thought I was doing the correct things at the time. Too bad not to be able to relive the joyful times but, I want to pass up reliving the painful ones. That would give me the same reaction as Pig.

Define “right”.

Doomed, I tell you, doomed!

My big tip from my life? DON’T GO SLEDDING!!!

People believe all kinds of things.

Hooboy, I’m going to be here awhile, in that case.

condemned? hmmmm

The key would be that, if you actually REMEMBERED your previous life/lives, then one might correct the life course of it all and REALLY change things, as best as one could. STILL, there would be determining and inherent factors close around that one could NOT change, especially when one was young, powerless, and was not permitted to voice things out or take corrective action. The early, formative years are the most crucial.

OTOH, if it’s a Full On ‘Reset Button’, with complete erasure of your previous memories, then – What’s the d@mn point?! One would be doomed to face the SAME FATE over and over again for eternity! Sounds like purgatory or hell, really.

Think of the old saying: " If I knew THEN, what I know NOW !! … " …

I scream with you, Pig!

I knew someone who had that idea. She claimed that moments of deja vu were warning signs that you’re coming up on a critical juncture where you made the wrong choice last time around.

With all due respect, I find that belief deeply unsatisfying on general principles. More specifically, though, I’ve hardly ever experienced anything that could be described as deja vu, and on the incredibly rare moments when I have it’s been so incredibly vague and tenuous that it couldn’t possibly serve as a warning of anything. I guess I could choose to take that as a sign that I’m very close to finally getting it right, but that would feel like self-flattery.

I don’t know about previous lives. I just try to learn from the mistakes I have made in this life, so I don’t keep doing the same stupid stuff over and over.

Yes, for the last 22 years we’re forced to watch the towers get attacked and collapse, as though we weren’t shown the footage on an endless loop for weeks after the event 22 years ago. Please, we should move on at some point

You can fool all of the people some of time; you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time. Except for five standard deviations card carrying political party members, NRA members, and religion members.

Sheez, next thing they’ll say is that history repeats itself.

If there is such a thing as reincarnation, with my luck I’ll come back as me.

Live the same life until it was lived correctly according to what invisible all powerful entity that may grant wishes?

I REALLY hope that one’s wrong…..

God, what a horrible thought.

Pig needs to learn the merits of good enough.

No regrets.. Trying for even less.

MEPHISTOPHELES: Why this is hell, nor am I out of it.

Think’st thou that I, who saw the face of God,

And tasted the eternal joys of heaven,

Am not tormented with ten thousand hells

In being deprived of everlasting bliss?

the average Pearls character existential crisis

Print this again in February.

A frightening thought, for sure.

Pig is but a pig of little brain (apologies to Pooh Bear), but he does have a vivid imagination and a tendency toward overacting his part in the strip!

Sitting in muddy water isn’t such a bad life, if it ends after the first time.