Sexist stereotyping? It’s always the woman who expresses concern about others? That’s all I can think of.
It may be sexist, but perhaps the other way around. Arlo is often depicted as not sharing his ills and Janis has to keep checking on him to make sure he is ok.
The questions are asked by the youngest capable child in attendance at the dinner.
Good answer, Mitch! but I still don’t understand the comic.
I think its just what Carl Fink and Targuman said.
Janis is coming down with something and she’s not used to being the care giver; not the care taker.
Related to this is one of my favorite Arlo & Janis strips: Arlo and Janis are sitting on the couch, and Arlo asks, “Janis, what do you really think about our marriage?” Janis bursts into tears and runs into the bedroom and closes the door. Arlo says through the door, “But that’s the same kind of question you’re always asking ME!”
That’s somewhat like what’s happening here. Janis always asks “Are you OK?” at the least thing Arlo does. She’s not used to being asked the question.
I get this one! Last weekend, we had a Zoom dinner with some old friends. I got a bowl of hot and sour soup I’d made. My wife didn’t have anything in front of her. She said “I’ll eat later. Somebody has to ask the questions.”
And she did. Even about their cousin’s brother-in-law’s mother and other relatives of theirs who were beyond obscure to me.
What is up with Arlo & Janis these days? I have been a long-time fan. But lately I don’t understand some of the comics. Like today: Janis writes, licks an envelope, carries a heavy box out by the mailbox with an envelope taped on the outside of the box…huh?? Don’t get it
Yes, it’s puzzling.
This week’s comics were repeats from a while ago. This one may be a sequel to the three or four just before it, where Janis is on the phone with their son and tries to convince him to accept her grandmother’s fine china, which has been stored in the attic. The carton for that storage looks like this carton she’s sending.
Janis failed to talk their son and daughter-in-law into accepting the china, though, and also noted that thrift stores were not interested. I think she’s given up and put the china in a box in front of the house with a “take me, please, somebody” notice on it. To make her feel a little better about this sort-of betrayal of her grandmother, she’s written up said grandmother’s life story and attached it to the box, so that if someone does take the china, they will “know” its history. Kind of sad but touching. (We’ve got a similar set of inherited china in a box, never opened, but ours is in our basement rather than the attic — close enough.)
But I agree that several ARLO AND JANIS strips lately (including today’s) seem to be difficult to decipher.
Comics I Don't Understand 
Sexist stereotyping? It’s always the woman who expresses concern about others? That’s all I can think of.
It may be sexist, but perhaps the other way around. Arlo is often depicted as not sharing his ills and Janis has to keep checking on him to make sure he is ok.
The questions are asked by the youngest capable child in attendance at the dinner.
Good answer, Mitch! but I still don’t understand the comic.
I think its just what Carl Fink and Targuman said.
Janis is coming down with something and she’s not used to being the care giver; not the care taker.
Related to this is one of my favorite Arlo & Janis strips: Arlo and Janis are sitting on the couch, and Arlo asks, “Janis, what do you really think about our marriage?” Janis bursts into tears and runs into the bedroom and closes the door. Arlo says through the door, “But that’s the same kind of question you’re always asking ME!”
That’s somewhat like what’s happening here. Janis always asks “Are you OK?” at the least thing Arlo does. She’s not used to being asked the question.
I get this one! Last weekend, we had a Zoom dinner with some old friends. I got a bowl of hot and sour soup I’d made. My wife didn’t have anything in front of her. She said “I’ll eat later. Somebody has to ask the questions.”
And she did. Even about their cousin’s brother-in-law’s mother and other relatives of theirs who were beyond obscure to me.
What is up with Arlo & Janis these days? I have been a long-time fan. But lately I don’t understand some of the comics. Like today: Janis writes, licks an envelope, carries a heavy box out by the mailbox with an envelope taped on the outside of the box…huh?? Don’t get it
Yes, it’s puzzling.
This week’s comics were repeats from a while ago. This one may be a sequel to the three or four just before it, where Janis is on the phone with their son and tries to convince him to accept her grandmother’s fine china, which has been stored in the attic. The carton for that storage looks like this carton she’s sending.
Janis failed to talk their son and daughter-in-law into accepting the china, though, and also noted that thrift stores were not interested. I think she’s given up and put the china in a box in front of the house with a “take me, please, somebody” notice on it. To make her feel a little better about this sort-of betrayal of her grandmother, she’s written up said grandmother’s life story and attached it to the box, so that if someone does take the china, they will “know” its history. Kind of sad but touching. (We’ve got a similar set of inherited china in a box, never opened, but ours is in our basement rather than the attic — close enough.)
But I agree that several ARLO AND JANIS strips lately (including today’s) seem to be difficult to decipher.