Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 01, 2017

I think Luann needs more than clean her room: her act.

Straight talk. Things are looking up.

Classic case of trying too hard.

I like the dialogue in the first panel. Each of Luann’s thoughts moves toward an insult for Tiffany until she stops herself just in time. It’s like Luann goes to her natural instincts when she’s nervous.

I like the way she says 46 words with her mouth closed as if using telepathy, then opens it just to say 2 words.

Luann regressing to early teens mentality here. So it’s Tiffany’s turn to give Luann a clue. Hopefully in the next few moments they can sort it out and help each other.

Luann just has a very strong affinity for the taste of shoe. Much like my wife, TBH.

for benefits of readers, insert in panel 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ_Xz52Agis

Open mouth, insert foot.

Luann, your lips don’t move when you monologue.

Oh, just kiss already, you two! ;D

Luann’s accustomed to being on the defensive with Tiffany for many years, what with all the snark they’ve exchanged.

It takes some shifting of gears to get into more of a supportive conversational mode.

Luann has already decided that she cares about Tiff and her problems enough to want to help her. But the conversation part requires some rewiring of neural patterns in the brain.

Looks like Luann picked up a bit of a bad habit.

Fay to black.

A lot of “ums” were smaller in size.

Not much to comment on today as it all depends upon tomorrow’s strip. Change arc or continue, with my prediction of weeks of flashbacks as Luann and Tiffany do start to have a meaningful conversation, full of apologies from all.

You’ve given her the card, Luann. Time to just go. You and Tiffany are not actually friends and it’s no use pretending that you are.

A bit harder to talk to someone you don’t particularly like.

stop sucking up Lu. Gunther is in other hands now and is the best thing for him.

Luann fills the silence with talking rather than simply asking how she can help and then listening. And perhaps she can’t help right now. But it takes longer than 19 years to learn that.

Word vomit!

Wow. 7 AM Mountain Time and only 46 comments?

Luann seems good with specific people, such as Faye (stating the obvious). Is she that bad for Tiffany? Hard to say. The two have an awful lot of history to overcome.

Last, and certainly least: I like the new Tiffany. This is a vast improvement over the “old” one. Is a counselor really necessary?

This lends more creedence to my theory that, while she’s still going through issues, Tiffany is just being ‘guarded’ around Luann (they do have a sort of long and ‘unusual’ history, with some kind of kindred frenemyship running through their bouts), and not just ‘under an influence’ of meds.   I also think if Gunther were in her presence, there would be a noticable difference in her demeanor.

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And, maybe she does have some to take… but if she does, it can’t be all the time. Sometimes, a person waits for a certain time of day to take them, because they don’t like the feeling at certain times of day.  We’ll see if there’s more to her treatment, apart from having a counsellor.

On the slightly lighter side, I guess giant cards can make for a sturdy bridge.  But I guess this one just wasn’t giant enough for Luann to cross the divide with…

At least they’re both trying to fill the ‘empty spaces’.  But it’s like trying to inflate a baloon with a hole in it.

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In fact, this ‘awkward, but forward’ progress sort of seems like what would happen, if Picard or Worf were waiting in the same line as Romulan Cmdr. Sela, at the bank…..

“Tiptoe, Through The Two Lips”  (♩)

“Stray Cat Pause” (♩)

“Enjoy The Silence” (♬)

“Uneasy, Like A Monday Morning” (♬)

“Act Your Eggshell”

“A Matter Of ‘Life’, And ‘Dead Silence’ "

“Uncomfortable Subjections”

“I Scream On Rocky Roads, No More”

“There’s Still A Point, To A Broken Arrow”

“Jacked And Fragile, Two Friends, And A Hill”

“Stubbed Toes In The Daylight”

“Access Denied, Cos Your Rank Stinks”

“Outside, Looking In”

or

“Curb Your Tongue’s Enthusiasm”

Shout out to whoever yesterday brought up the notion that all these expectations of Tiff and Gunther getting romantic: That this is why men and women don’t get to have normal friendship relationships (or something like that). // One, whoever you were, you’re absolutely right, and bravo! // Two, has anyone noticed that in so-called “chick flicks” (Hallmark channel, &c) and associated novels, that’s the primary plot: Man and woman, with no reason to like each other, may already have plenty of reasons to hate each other. Nevertheless, keep slamming them together in forced and contrived, unnatural situations, and next thing we know, they’re getting married!

It’s also kind of hard to talk about anything, when the subjects that immediately come to your mind are pretty much either touchy subjects, or things that you have no “in” with. In contrast, it seems “awkward and bumbling” Gunther could possibly have an easier time with these subjects, or at least Tiffany would seem more able to engage him in similar conversation….or at least be able to provide him more of a way out.

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I can now appreciate the buildup of Tiffany and Gunther’s friendship over thisc past year or so, when comparing and contrasting with Tiffany and Luann’s ‘complicated’ “frenemyship”….

I notice, too, where Tiffany’s standing in the middle panel, and where Luann is standing, in the final panel. Put those two profiles together, and you’d have the makings for a good book cover! Plus, you can see some of their similarities and differences in the two opposite facing profiles, such as hair color….

It’s because you are chatty, Luann. Learn to be quiet and listen. It is about Tiffany, not you.

4

Very understandable word stumblings and cautious actions on Luann’s part today. It can be challenging for a person to talk with another person who is experiencing difficulties…. especially if the person (Luann in this case) has not really had much experience in the difficulties.

I had been hoping that Luann would have been able to better navigate this situation and that Tiffany would have been more receptive to Luann’s attempt. I had been hoping it would have strengthened their interactions into more of a friendship than it has been. There is still some potential for this tomorrow, but I am kind of doubtful now.

But, I guess awkwardly “neutral” interactions with each other are better than snippy, angry exchanges. So, that is something good I can take away from this.

It’s hard to undo twenty years of unfriendliness.

One word fits Luann, SLACKER

Bingo! It turns out that it is Tiff providing a moment of Self-Revelation for Luann. Quaint reversal, hmm?

Definition of slacker, regular online dictionary: a person who avoids work, a malingerer, a person who evades military service. Definition of slacker, urban dictionary: someone who puts off doing things until the last minute and then decides that it wasn’t important and doesn’t do it.

….

Question: Does someone who works for an organization that teaches and takes care of children, and attends community college, and takes time to take a ‘get well’ card to someone who does not care for her, merit the title of slacker?

….

Answer: Only in the world of haters Definition of hater, regular online dictionary: a person who greatly dislikes a specified person or thing. Definition of hater, urban dictionary: a person who cannot be happy for another so makes a practice of finding flaws…

These two still have a ways to go.

Nope, no awkwardness there!

Extremely awkward attempts at conversation from Luann, here. Although I’m not one to usually run to Luann’s defense, I kind of understand her awkwardness. Very difficult to talk to someone who’s clinically depressed. Her first instinct is to try and cheer Tiff up. But that’s not possible. So she end’s up tip-toeing through a verbal minefield trying not to make it worse. Best thing she can do is be supportive, but don’t be a pest about it. The card from the kids was enough for now. Now give her some space and let her enjoy an evening with Gunther.

Reason for so many comments there same person 50 + time

Clue that they don’t teach in school: If you want to support somebody in therapy for something embarrassing, talk to them about anything that has nothing to do with their problem, so that they don’t feel that that’s the only thing left that you see in them. Possible topics might be anecdotes on what the kids are doing at the preschool, funny reminiscences about childhood efforts to make cards, or polite interest in Tiffany’s newfound interest in Star Trek (you don’t have to know anything about it to ask, “So, who’s your favorite character? Oh? Tell me about that person—what’s the appeal for you?” and go from there.)

Luann’s actual stumble as she entered, was a foreshadowing for the figurative stumble we saw today.

Tiff: Tired, dull eyes, a drab sweatshirt, neck that has all but disappeared by panel 3. Why? Because she feels that she has lost that sex kitten image that she had in high school. Prescription: Booster cables for her ego in the form of a loud party with lots of guys.

I’m really hoping the Star Trek Marathon with Gunther takes up the rest of the year with lots of comments and inside innuendo about various episodes. Just please stick to the original series and not TNG or Voyager, or Deep Space Nine except only sidebars. Don’t care about the lingerie show as while it has possibilities to be interesting, I doubt anything will come of it. Gunther and Tiff are the only thing interesting here.

You can not fix a flaw you do not acknowledge.