Sleeping on a hard floor doesn’t help either, Monica – I’ve learned that the hard way.
Paul, it should be “You can’t hold YOUR liquor”; you could also put in YOU’RE in the first panel, which is technically correct – but what you have is colloquial usage if you want to leave it.
Actually, that’s not grammar, but rather, spelling. For grammar, I use the Great Ugly Dog of Conformity to sniff out error – he is sniffing at your ankles even as we speak. How many legs do you really need, Officer?
The birthday card my momma sent me on my 40th birthday will be old enough to vote at 12:07 pm CDT today, Fairportfan. Thankfully, my momma is still here to give me birthday cards.
And one way not to pop yourself in the head with a beer bottle is to use a glass. They don’t hurt near as much — and they’re more couther.
My apologies… I over-crunched my statement… I thought she was a couple of years older, and didn’t think to ask whether or not you were first-born (if you ARE, that’s where the surprise comes from)
Yup. First. Younger brother David-Weber-the-bestselling-SF-authr is four years younger, sister Kathrin is a year younger than that, and Jim is eleven years younger than i..
When your doctor says “well, at your age….” THAT”S when you know you’re getting old. Before that it doesn’t count. I’m middle aged and have earned every gray hair and achy joint.
I submit for your consideration that growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional. I turn 59 next month and I’ve never felt younger. Sure, the joints don’t necessarily agree, but I just tell them to shut up.
I believe life starts at 65, and I can’t wait to get there! 😀
Age is all a matter of perspective/relativity. My grandfather (Dad’s dad in this case) was in his 50’s when Pop was born, and a couple years later, my Aunt came along. Ma’s mom went from riding to town in a horse-drawn wagon as a toddler to driving a big Chevy Surburban the same distance the last years of her life. Turning 40 last November didn’t make me feel old, but not having Ma here for an important milestone did. Either that, or someone is swiping Skittles out of my hourgalss.
My maternal grandmother’s life touched three centuries – born 1900 (which is the last year of the 19th Century, no matter what people think), died 2002 (though the last few years were pretty sad, due to senility.Alzheimer’s).
Granddad called on her in a buggy when they were courting … and before he died, they had flown in a 727 to visit their grandchildren .
51 and three times hit with/by a car or truck. I’m not old but I’m certainly used. I just can’t get comfortable sleeping on the ground after dancing naked in the moonlight any more. Not even with a SYT to massage my aches and pains.
With a chest that large, Monica is allowed to complain about her back pain, at least! XD I get killer shoulder pain and have had some lower back problems myself, an’ I’m only 21.
I finally took the time to find out how to prounounce Villarreal. Not quite like I thought. Then there is this one.
Though the guy who is saying it puts no actual Spanish dialect into his rendition of the word so it sounds rather stiff, with a heavy American accent.
In Argentina, the double L becomes an “s” sound as opposed to most other Spanish speaking countries where it’s a “y.” Vee-sa-RE-al versus Vee-ya-RE-al.
Okay – that’s a Castillian pronunciation, i believe, where “v” and “b” are essentially the same phoneme.
I’ve heard Mexicans pronounce “Villa” – the famous bandit/revolutionary – with an initial sound closer to the English “V”, though still with a bit of a “b” sound in it.
From what i remember of my high school Spanish classes – almost fifty years ago – we were not taught the Castillian pronounciation (which, BTW, would make the “s” in “Castillian” a “th”, allegedly because some Castillian King lithped), and thus would have rendered the “v” a tad closer to the English “v”…
One of my degrees in in Spanish, and my favorite professor, whenever we watched or listened to something from Spain, he would always chuckle and point out to us to listen to the s sounds. He would always give us the example of, “Soy de Espana,” becomes, “Thoy the Ethpana.”
Most people who don’t speak it don’t realise how many Significantly Different Spanish accents/dialects there are. (I don’t speak it, but i’ve talked to people – both native speakers and people who speak it as a second … or more … language.)
A couple such have described the Cuban accent as harsh, or even ugly, for instance.
The differentiators of English accents/dialects lie in the sounds of the vowels and semivowels. The differentiators of Spanish accents/dialects lie in the sounds of the consonants.
Here in NM, spanish up north sounds a bit more old-world spanish due to isolated spanish settlement (but not as lispy as in spain), while the south is more mexican spanish(with the v sound more pronounced).
Well, the thing to always remember, any natural human language has little to do with logic or consistancy and more to do with the history of the people who speak it. Heck, that even goes for computer languages, come to think of it. Just look at “C” and all it’s dialects.
Speaking of different ways to pronounce something…
My first girlfriend, which was in college and with whom I’m still friends, is Mexican-American. The look that Monica is giving Amanda in the last panel of the very first comic reminded me of the looks she routinely gave (and still) gives me. This was before I knew Monica was Mexican-American herself.
My friend’s name is Jacinta, and I saw her name before talking with her, and I’m one of the few people who call her hah-SEEN-tah. Most others, including her family, calls her jah-sin-tah just because that’s how most anglos pronounced her name when she was growing up. I’ve even called her parents house, got her brother, and asked for hah-SEEN-tah, and he replied, “Who?” I asked her if she wanted me to call her jah-sin-tah, and she said, no, because it’s not what she’s gotten used to from me.
On a side note, I’ve turned her onto Wapsi and have bought her all the books, and she’s not normally a comics person. I saw her last week and gave her the latest book, which she was very excited to have.
Sleeping on the floor doesn’t get any better with age, either…
At least not without a “matress” to sleep with 😛
Actually. when i was in my 40s, sleeping directly on the floor was my preferred mode.
However, the birthday card my mother sent me for my fortieth birthday will be old enough to buy its own beer this October…
What? Dietzel had a matress – oh, you mean Monica…..
I still take naps on the floor , but I get a little more of the snap , crackel , and pop , when I get up these days .
She has no idea yet what the ravages of age will do…
Interesting positions aside, just how old is M anyways?
I gather that she is mid to late twenties.
She’s 26.
Bah, she’s not old enough to complain about age. Then again, neither am I, but it doesn’t stop me most mornings
Bah, I’m 23 and I complain about being elderly. Or, as my lil’ sis puts it, being “fossilized”.
I’m fairly certain you’re never too young to complain about being old.
I think mid twenties is when you start to notice the sheen of youth wearing off.
That of you’ve just experienced enough discomfort by then to not want to have to put up with it anymore.
Lessee – i was almost thirty when the Big Metabolism Shift hit me.
Hard.
Before then i couldn’t gain weight if i tried.
After, well …
She’s got another 10 years before things will REALLY start hurting on her.
Like, say, her knees and her back…
Oh if only knee and back issues waited until 35+
Technically I’m 35 (almost 36), but I keep a body younger than my 26 and 24 year old brothers 😀
She’s probably gonna start having neck and back trouble a lot earlier than that, with all that weight cantilevered out front.
Sleeping on a hard floor doesn’t help either, Monica – I’ve learned that the hard way.
Paul, it should be “You can’t hold YOUR liquor”; you could also put in YOU’RE in the first panel, which is technically correct – but what you have is colloquial usage if you want to leave it.
I fixed the “your liquor” one minute after it updated. Hit refresh. 🙂
fatuncle: SIR-Please put the grammar hammer down, and step away from your vehicle. (snicker) Sorry, I’ve always wanted to say that…
Actually, that’s not grammar, but rather, spelling. For grammar, I use the Great Ugly Dog of Conformity to sniff out error – he is sniffing at your ankles even as we speak. How many legs do you really need, Officer?
Eight legs. Any less is a crime.
Any fewer is a crime.
(You see what I did there?)
And because I am a really nice guy, I’m not going to point out that mattress is spelled with two T’s.
Um … why is everyone looking at me like that?
THANK you! God, that was driving me insane and I thought I was the only one.
Hi Paul- (more Dietzl and Phix!)
Shut your mouth, Monica, you are only in your 20’s. When you start approaching 40, that is when you can start calling yourself “old”.
Ha.
When 40 is long gone, and 60 is receding in the rear-view, *then* talk to me about “old”.
I recently turned 40, so do I now get to tell you to GET OFF MY LAWN??
I’m a little over a year till I turn 40 , and I’m already gettin’ those urges .
This is why I will never drink alcohol.
“Old” is always 20 years older than you are now.
The birthday card my momma sent me on my 40th birthday will be old enough to vote at 12:07 pm CDT today, Fairportfan. Thankfully, my momma is still here to give me birthday cards.
And one way not to pop yourself in the head with a beer bottle is to use a glass. They don’t hurt near as much — and they’re more couther.
My mom will celebrate her 87th birthday the end of July…
What was she, working on her second marriage?
???
She was twenty-five when i was born.
In 1948.
My apologies… I over-crunched my statement… I thought she was a couple of years older, and didn’t think to ask whether or not you were first-born (if you ARE, that’s where the surprise comes from)
Yup. First. Younger brother David-Weber-the-bestselling-SF-authr is four years younger, sister Kathrin is a year younger than that, and Jim is eleven years younger than i..
I very much look forward to waching Mon try to explain the terrific bruise to people.
I very much look forward to watching Mon get a lot more terrific bruises.
I can see how being a bit top-heavy , can put a strain on the back .
I’m convinced that Monica’s spine is made of Mithril.
There’s a horrid pun/innuendo in there somewhere but I’ll not take pot shots at anyone rocking a sonic screwdriver.
Or scrith.
Does her spine stop nutrinos? All, or some?
Poor Monica
Dietzel must have turned off the TV and the lights and went to bed…
Well, of course . . . he’s a considerate sort, and wouldn’t leave everything on and run up the light bill.
When your doctor says “well, at your age….” THAT”S when you know you’re getting old. Before that it doesn’t count. I’m middle aged and have earned every gray hair and achy joint.
I submit for your consideration that growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional. I turn 59 next month and I’ve never felt younger. Sure, the joints don’t necessarily agree, but I just tell them to shut up.
I believe life starts at 65, and I can’t wait to get there! 😀
I tell people no, I’m not in my second childhood; I’m not done with the first.
But yes, seconds, please if they’re serving!
Mark Twain said your first childhood ends when your first child is born…
and your second childhood begins when your first grandchild is born.
The Doctor: “What’s the use of growing up if you can’t be childish?”
oh yes, you give those joints an inch, they take a mile…
Age is all a matter of perspective/relativity. My grandfather (Dad’s dad in this case) was in his 50’s when Pop was born, and a couple years later, my Aunt came along. Ma’s mom went from riding to town in a horse-drawn wagon as a toddler to driving a big Chevy Surburban the same distance the last years of her life. Turning 40 last November didn’t make me feel old, but not having Ma here for an important milestone did. Either that, or someone is swiping Skittles out of my hourgalss.
My maternal grandmother’s life touched three centuries – born 1900 (which is the last year of the 19th Century, no matter what people think), died 2002 (though the last few years were pretty sad, due to senility.Alzheimer’s).
Granddad called on her in a buggy when they were courting … and before he died, they had flown in a 727 to visit their grandchildren .
Yep . We’re all gettin’ a little older .
HAH! Geezer.
That’s “Mister Geezer, Sir.” Whippersnapper.
51 and three times hit with/by a car or truck. I’m not old but I’m certainly used. I just can’t get comfortable sleeping on the ground after dancing naked in the moonlight any more. Not even with a SYT to massage my aches and pains.
With a chest that large, Monica is allowed to complain about her back pain, at least! XD I get killer shoulder pain and have had some lower back problems myself, an’ I’m only 21.
Maybe we’d see why if you weren’t continually disappearing 😛
I really like it when Monica is casual/a little dumpy. Although, I guess, a forehead bruise isn’t a good look for anyone.
I finally took the time to find out how to prounounce Villarreal. Not quite like I thought. Then there is this one.
Though the guy who is saying it puts no actual Spanish dialect into his rendition of the word so it sounds rather stiff, with a heavy American accent.
The first guy is from Argentina, which means he might be pronouncing it as if it were Portuguese…
Ummm, it’s Brazil where they speak Portuguese.
In Argentina, the double L becomes an “s” sound as opposed to most other Spanish speaking countries where it’s a “y.” Vee-sa-RE-al versus Vee-ya-RE-al.
I prefer seeing the phoenetic display, myself.
Okay – that’s a Castillian pronunciation, i believe, where “v” and “b” are essentially the same phoneme.
I’ve heard Mexicans pronounce “Villa” – the famous bandit/revolutionary – with an initial sound closer to the English “V”, though still with a bit of a “b” sound in it.
From what i remember of my high school Spanish classes – almost fifty years ago – we were not taught the Castillian pronounciation (which, BTW, would make the “s” in “Castillian” a “th”, allegedly because some Castillian King lithped), and thus would have rendered the “v” a tad closer to the English “v”…
One of my degrees in in Spanish, and my favorite professor, whenever we watched or listened to something from Spain, he would always chuckle and point out to us to listen to the s sounds. He would always give us the example of, “Soy de Espana,” becomes, “Thoy the Ethpana.”
Good memories.
Most people who don’t speak it don’t realise how many Significantly Different Spanish accents/dialects there are. (I don’t speak it, but i’ve talked to people – both native speakers and people who speak it as a second … or more … language.)
A couple such have described the Cuban accent as harsh, or even ugly, for instance.
The differentiators of English accents/dialects lie in the sounds of the vowels and semivowels. The differentiators of Spanish accents/dialects lie in the sounds of the consonants.
Here in NM, spanish up north sounds a bit more old-world spanish due to isolated spanish settlement (but not as lispy as in spain), while the south is more mexican spanish(with the v sound more pronounced).
Well, the thing to always remember, any natural human language has little to do with logic or consistancy and more to do with the history of the people who speak it. Heck, that even goes for computer languages, come to think of it. Just look at “C” and all it’s dialects.
Villarreal is my Family name and this is how I’ve always pronounced it :
in Mexican Spanish: Vee-ya-re(w/rolling ‘r’)-al
w American accent: Vil-a (short ‘a’ sound)- ril
may not be ‘right’ but it’s my name and that’s how I use it.
Those are the ways i’ve always heard it pronounced (and the first is how i pronounce it).
Speaking of different ways to pronounce something…
My first girlfriend, which was in college and with whom I’m still friends, is Mexican-American. The look that Monica is giving Amanda in the last panel of the very first comic reminded me of the looks she routinely gave (and still) gives me. This was before I knew Monica was Mexican-American herself.
My friend’s name is Jacinta, and I saw her name before talking with her, and I’m one of the few people who call her hah-SEEN-tah. Most others, including her family, calls her jah-sin-tah just because that’s how most anglos pronounced her name when she was growing up. I’ve even called her parents house, got her brother, and asked for hah-SEEN-tah, and he replied, “Who?” I asked her if she wanted me to call her jah-sin-tah, and she said, no, because it’s not what she’s gotten used to from me.
On a side note, I’ve turned her onto Wapsi and have bought her all the books, and she’s not normally a comics person. I saw her last week and gave her the latest book, which she was very excited to have.
Rereading, and ROTFLMAO ….. again 😉
Strange…I heard that the three sure signs of old age were, loss of memory,…..
…..
Dammit! What were the other two?