Big Top by Rob Harrell for May 02, 2009

JFri: I never go to sleep early. It’s a habit left over from when I worked the second shift and got home at 10:30 or 11:00. S o how are things going? I’ve got the bagels, will you make the coffee?

ttfn, got to finish my rounds.

JFri I am still awake. I just got back from watching the tigers lose- to “the tribe” oddly enough (cleveland indians). Now I am going to bed though. Good Night JFri and Marg!

Goodnight, guys, sleep well.

AAAARRRRRRR, not so fast ye scurvy dog! As a wake up call for the rest o’ ye: Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me We pillage, we plunder we rifle and loot Drink up me hearties, yo ho We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot Drink up me hearties, yo ho Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me We extort, we pilfer we filch and sack Drink up me hearties, yo ho Maraud and embezzle and even high-jack Drink up me hearties yo ho Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me We kindle and char inflame and ignite Drink up me hearties, yo ho We burn up the city we’re really a fright Drink up me hearties, yo ho We’re rascals, scoundrels villains, and knaves Drink up me hearties yo ho We’re devils and black sheep - really bad eggs Drink up me hearties yo ho Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me We’re beggars and blighters and ne’er do-well cads Drink up me hearties, yo ho Aye, but we’re loved by our mommies and dads Drink up me hearties, yo ho

Good morning and Happy Saturday!!

Tabby, that’s cool you’re friends with your teachers. Will help make you a better teacher.

comicA, that’s the song that plays when my computers start up. I think you do a better job. When I shut down my computer, it signs off with “dead men tell no tales”

DocT, I like the new avatar.

Akenta and Doctoon, I thought of both of you yesterday. A friend was babysitting a kitten, about 3 weeks old. I got to bottle feed him. Nice experience. He is a kitty foster program so he will get a good home. Did Tabby say any more about the kitten the neighbors had?

JFri, love the flag!!

donkeymom, that’s so sweet. I wish I could handle another cat (had to pass up two this past year and it was heartbreaking). I’m not quite ready to become the crazy old lady with cats, but one day…

Well, I am finally up and doctortoon, you can pour me a pail full of your chernobyl blend. I have been trying to be a little healthier about what I put into my body and between that and probably the last few effects of the flu I had…well my sleep over the last few nights has been at best…fitful.

Good morning to all.

Oh, and top of it all, and JFri will appreciate this, it’s cloudy. I am going to work hard not to be crabby.

Good Morning Tribe, Is the coffee ready yet? JFri, Aye, aye, I love your avatar. Doc, look like your kitty is doing some neck stretches.

Yikes, Dusty did it again!

Doc, great coffee, no side effects whatsoever, except my eyes are feeling a little heavy. I’m made of coffee!

Oh Great doctortoon. As if I wasn’t cranky enough, now I’ve got to go through the day with this awful kink in my neck.

doctortoon, I assume last night created a few memories for your memory scrapbook.

JFri, we got Navies from around the world here. They’ve been here for about a week. It’s been interesting because I’ve seen them here and there. Their uniforms are so different from the U.S. When you hear them talk, and you think, where the heck are you from dude.

OMG! Here we go again! LOL

I see the jolly roger has launched ! Mornin’ JFri MorninDoc, saw ya both at overboard but I didn’t comment!

JFri You musta been PRETTY BORED here all by yourslef, huh?, to sit and type those verses! LOL

Hey Doc worth it, huh? wink wink

donkeymom i got two of mine from R.O.F.F. And Tabby said she would pass the info I gave her to them, don’t know if she did.

JFri, I’ll be there, with my crankiness, checked at the door. I will bring a cedar-planked salmon and some WA state wines. Save a few unadulterated oysters for me. I have gone from eating raw oysters with tabasco sauce, a lemon and horseradish, to just lemon and now free of any competing flavor. I like just tasting how each type of oyster varies from another.

Akenta & doc I would love to have another dog, but don’t know if we have room or all would get along. The first cat I owned was purely by accident after my beloved dogs died, then had 2 cats & a dog, then thata dog died, then my sweet kitty died, so then I resecued catsagain!

Morning Dry, how are you this fine 78 and clear morning? Doc, Aristocats, the cartoon. My girles love that one. JFri, you should sail by here with your “jolly roger” and see what happens with the Navies.

mornin carmy 56 here and cloudy, but I’m gonna take a chance and hang out my bed sheets. Got up at 10:30, slept 9 hours. I needed the rest! I usually wake up around 4am worry about something or other, then go back to sleep and wake up through the week at 7!

good morning to all…A day off…it feels good all ready….it is cloudy and overcast and the light is Grey…but the chatter here brightens it all…I will have a venti coffee please…the wife will also if she may…love your prom pics tammy …reminds me of days long ago…I also made friends of my teachers….those friendships have lasted till this day

JFri, I wasn’t trying to get you killed. It’s just a bit boring over here, thought you might make the scene and liven it up a bit. :-P right back at ya!

cripes, I just got up! Salmon and raw oysters, love them both, but it’s 11:36 am here! I’m still wakin up with docs nuclear blend!

Dry, For some unknown reason I keep waking up at 2 hour intervals. I finally rolled out and went straight to the shower at 9am.

tyme to dew some kitchen stuff….BEE back inn A whyle…inn the meene tyme …thynk good thoughts

I’d post more here, but I keep getting the feeling I have hands made of chocolate ice cream. Or maybe gumdrops…

JFri, I would get cranky it somebody tried to mix with good whiskey as well. You and I see eye to eye. I will take whichever you care to pour.

I once saw a young college student order Booker Noes bourbon, which sells for about $50 and order it with coke.

cleo now that’s what you call class (not). Wonder where the college kid got $50 to spend on Bourbon, must have been a rich kid!

carmy suns coming out, guess my instincts were right.

Hey JFRi, it’s warm enough here now to be wearing shorts today LOL!!! Rub it in, girl, rub it in!)

Dry, good morning. You do realize that JFri and I are several time zones earlier than you. LOL

Yea Cleo which means you guys hit the bottle around what 6AM?? LOL

Hide me quick! I posted on SOTU. The “ear”, it lives!

Can I hide, too? I had to join the crowd and posted at SOTU as well!

cute Owlsly BEE back in awhile, LOL!

Thanks Doc, I should of know better. I just got irked on how that person “didn’t see the forest for the trees”. Then “it” tried to sucker me into a debate. So it’s buzz off freak to “it”. No tent? Are you doing okay?

Where is our Joy? I’ll probably miss her again. I have sheets to hang and my son wants on here, so I’ll Bee back in awhile, as well!

Getting back to “Big Top”, man I could put those hypnotism skills to great effect if I was to have them.

cleo that’s a frightening thought!! LOL! Now I must be off!

You’re all welcome to pitch tents in my yard. I’ve got good locations in various places. My front yard is the official dimensions of a croquet field, so pitch away. Or, if you all prefer, you can all squeeze into doctortoon’s tent. I’m sure that he won’t mind.

JFri, yes we should. What is your work, if you don’t mind me asking? I am assuming, by our talk of fish, that like myself you live to the west of the Cascades.

I went over to SOTU to see what all the fuss was about. I left immediately. I read comics to relieve stress and for enjoyment, not to achieve stress and high blood pressure.

And I keep going back to SOTU to see what you guys are saying. Sad thing is then I have to read the other posts too. Have to admit it’s not too bad today. I think I will take DocT’s advice and ignore the comments there. You guys be careful of the mud slinging.

LOL Doc

I am off on my daily bike ride around the lake. Will check in later.

honey bee’s are being threatend all over the world…hive collapse is occuring every where…all the goodys we like to eat and binge on will be affected if a solution is not found…please support efforts in your area to find a cure for this dangerous malady…one good way would be to go to your local grocer and pik up a gallon of Hagan Dass “honeyBee vanilla” ice cream…proceedes from the sale are being contributed to the Princton University aviary research division My wife (Megan)and I are also running A fundraiser (no I am asking no one to contribute)and donating the proceeds this should be A grass roots effort…do all you can to help this wonderful creature and look localy for fubd raisers

doctortoon says:

”bmonk - Are you sleepy?”

Nope…zzzzzzzzzzzz. I must read comics…I must comment….

apiary not aviary…pardon the misspell

JFri He’s adorable, so is the other “Harley” or “Charley”?

Is that your ladyfriend?

Now we kinda sorta know your voice now too, huh?

where is JoY?

HELLO, HELLO, HELLO, ANYBODY THERE? ANYBODY?

ALRIGHT, WHO MOVED THE PARTY AND DIDN’T TELL ME? I CAN TAKE A FRIKIN’ HINT!!

Oh no! Carmy and Doc, you have got to avoid bringing up things like that over at SOTU. They love to argue. I watched two guys argue for the same thing, but they were arguing against each other. BEWARE. They will get you too.

Having said that, I just read your post up here, Doc, I must’ve missed. You hunt the Trolls for sport? LOL! now I understand!

Doc: That looks like one of the cats that I sent you.

JFri that must be your sister, maybe? Our Sat. Mass here is at 4PM. You better come back! Our Joy favorited Non Sequtor (sp) today, but that was all she did! Hope she’s feeling well and her sinuses (sp) aren’t keeping her down!

Any raw oysters left???

marg how do you know these people’s email addresses! Or is there a way to send something without that? Trust me, I would NEVER do anything untoward! Even tho’ I don’t “know” these people, I have developed a fondness for all of you here under our little Gazebo! You are always mentioning sending someone something, or am I just a dumb a^^ and missing a joke here?

Dry, I’ve been wondering the same thing about the email addresses. I was hoping there was a way to send message through this site, but I can’t find it. (I also can’t find the post explain how to bold names, if anyone can help me with that.)

I just feel lucky the party was moved to a strip I read every day. I’ve seen comments on other strips that made me feel there were other conversations out there.

margueritem, you and I will tussle for the raw oysters. I can eat them anytime. I had a friend up from LA and we went to a little oyster shack about 15 miles from hear and each ate 3 dozen and could have kept going, but that was supposed to tide us over before dinner.

Akenta To get bold, just press the asterick above the number 8, two times before and after what you want to highlight. If you want to italicize as well, press it three times before and after. I learned that from someone at Pibgorn, but can’t remember who! I know it wan’t marg though! LOL

* Alright DOC* how do you guys do this sh! I want in on it, **NOW!!!!! LOL but seriously!! So does Akenta! It’s NOT FAIR!!!!

If it’s a big dark secret, give us a time and place with a limited window of opportunity!

It’s funny doctortoon, I was trying to work out such a scenario and that was exactly what I came up with. Once again, I’m not so clever.

Thanks for the tip Dry

DocT thought it might be something like that. I would guess this is a safe comic to try it. Set up a day like we did with the pics (though I better pay attention this time) and just go back to a specific date.

There are some other ways to do it.

Doc I highlighted and printed what I needed. I can only assume that you & marg “talked” elsewhere, unless there’s a secret code on here that I missed!

Akenta are you there to get this? If you don’t have a printer write it down.

Cleo I knew there was a way. I’ve seen too many posts that suggest it. You are very clever! We just need the way to do it, AND STAY SAFE at the same time!

I’m here, got pencil and paper.

This avatar isn’t showing up very well. While Akenta is my Human Warrior, this is Pekentus, my Vah Shir (aka cat) rogue.

He hasn’t fought as many trolls as Akenta has, but DrT is taking care of them here.

Hey, Why not make a dummy email account at Yahoo or something. Have one person monitor it and get real email addresses exchanged through that.

Doc: I send you an email, please read it, thx!

Excellent idea carmy

OK, I went over to SOTU to see what you all had written. I want to send young Rog to his room in his mom’s basement, and make him stay there until he can be civil to others. What an angry little troll he is.

Um, I think there is a psycho on the loose. joyloved posted on “2 Cows” and on “9 to 5” it looks like she is targeting Cleo and JFri.

marg I haven’t been back there since a few hours ago. Want to know what you think of my response, out of curiosity! And be honest!

Where’s tabby? I thought I saw a post from her today, but maybe it was from yesterday and I only read it in the morning.

read the rest of the posts over there! I’m not a liberal, by any means, moderate sometimes, if there is such a thing anymore!, but that kid is way over the edge! I feel sorry for him!

RE emails: I was recruiting help for a project some time ago, and I came up with a way to get email addresses that was not too blatant. It worked quite well, and I still write to several of the people on a regular basis. I don’t abuse the priviledge, although I do send Doc cat pictures.

I came up with a rather good way to give someone email addresses with a code, but as I was writing the explanation I found, for some reason, that I was restricted to the little rectangular comment box and not aloud to expand beyond it. Bizarre huh!

Dry: Your response to Rog was quite good, and to the point.

oKay, I just went over there and looked! This is gettin’ WIERD! I think we have a troller, what the F is goin’ on?

Thanks, marg!!

carmy, I caught your comment on joyloved. I can see how JFri would be a target, but on 2 cows, I just happened to be the last one before joyloved’s. But JFri reveals no info on his profile. I do, but mention I am married. I guess that explains the need to be secretive about emails and also the lack of response to my suggestion of a get together. That suggestion, by the way, was just off the cuff and displays my natural gregarious nature.

Dry, you think it’s a stalker maybe? I don’t think it’s “our” girl.

carmy I think you are DEAD ON! That person needs to be flagged! I wonder if wuz two is back in business? If it’s him., that SOB!

Cleo, I get what you are saying but, isn’t it a bit too coincidental that you and JFri got her posts after yours?

carmy yes, it is.

Dry, It can’t be that wuz jerk, Cleo wasn’t involved in that.

…but no! I do not think it is “our girl” if whom you are talking about is who I think it is.

I was curious and looked at joyloved’s comments. It didn’t seem to have anything to do with the comic so I did flag it. Not sure it does any good.

I also tried to look at SOTU, to see our comments. I just got mad at some of the others I was reading so I had to leave. dry I had to miss yours, but I’ll just agree with marg

I just checked out ‘joyloved’. I’d say she is foreign, due to the way she phrases things, and is trolling for eligible men. Russian bride, perhaps? She’s not singling out anyone in particular, just trying to see who she can get to respond.

explain wuz person? Could one of the other commenters before me on 2 cows fit in to your scenerio?

carmy no I don’t think it’s our girl! I think someone has been watching us! I’ve “talked” with our girl for a while now, and I can’t imagine that!

CLeo Your idea was great, and I would truly love to meet you all face to face. I didn’t respond because my hubby would think I was nuts, and because whereever we would get together, would be out of my reach given the miles separating us all!

You know its sad that trollers or whatever they are, can’t leave us the He^^ alone!

wuz two would do anything to stir up trouble, and he could be back under another name. Akenta if someone gets flagged enough they DO get removed, but I don’t know how this website controls them coming back!

Boy our girl is gonna be P^ I ^ S^ S^ E ^ D^ when she sees this one!

I think Marg may be right on her assumption. 2 cows and 9 to 5 are the first two comics on here. It just might be that the psycho was going to post her message on several comics but had to stop after the first two. Maybe mom or dad busted her.

In regards to SOTU, I am sorry I posted there. I didn’t realize rog was being a big jerk again. He had calmed way down before and I didn’t know he was back to being a jerk. BTW, I don’t think he is as young as we think. I read one of his posts recently that suggested he was much older.

I feel so left out :>(

Cleo, wuz is a person that was being a huge jerk. He came to this site and made disgusting remarks. From his description, he’s an older man and a viet vet. I always thought his posts were quite vulgar when I saw them on other comics. I got the idea he was hitting the bottle too hard.

Dry, I understand what you mentioned about your husband. LOL. My wife rolls her eyes when I talk about my excitement after “talking” to you all. I really do look forward to conversing with all of you. I am never embarassed to admit that I am on gocomics, although by the looks I get, I begin to think, so what have you got going on that is any better than this. I get to run ideas by a group of people that couldn’t be any more diverse in any other setting, and enjoy it at the same time.

Owlsly, you got to read the past comments to catch up. This box is not big enough for me to catch you up.

owlsly what Carmy said!

cleo what the he^^. We have fun here! But I’ll bet your wife would be more willing to go to a get-together than my hubby would! I’d have to drag him kicking & screaming and the he^^ of it is, he would have fun!

ok I c I am all caught up….takes all kynds to spin this big ole planet earth around as we awl know

Owlsly NO WAY you caught up in 3 minutes!

the wife and I were just discussing that it was possibly someone looking for live e mail addys good one doc!!

yea doc people just don’t understand, do they? I’ve been a comic fan since I could read! I love them, they make smile, pause and think, sometimes make me cry, like when Farley died in “For Better or For Worse”! And when Lisa died in “Funky Winkerbean”!

Wuz Two claimed to be in WW2 and his dogtag began with RA for Regular Army. If so he must have been a kid and now he’s pushin’ about 80. He has made some decent posts but after a few beers which he admits to often, he becomes the usual sarcastic and obnoxiously nasty Troll with drunken vulgarities.

Doc, Ditto. My girls first thought it was cute that I was commenting and making friends. Now they think I’m losing it. Wait until my husband comes home, I’ll have to be on stealth mode.

Drystyha I guess that all it took to read thease posts…I even went over to 2 cows an 9 to five and made comment a wee byt earlier…I am quick when I need to be….groundhogs are quite smart

I have a 3 step process for giving someone your email address with at least a chance at being private, but I have tried three times to explain it and can’t expand beyond this little comment box. What’s going on? I see people rambling on for unlimited amounts of space.

Hey Rad Go read those comments on 2 Cows and 9 to 5! What’s your opinion?

So I know that Akenta and Doc think creating a dummy email account is a good idea. Anyone else think the same or otherwise? Also, any volunteers to set one up?

wlouldnt it be more interesting to talk of the plight of our beloved honey bee’s..I am sure you Dry with your gardening appreciate them

My opinion? What I said on 9 to 5. Who put up the Red Light?

carmy I have NO CLUE what a dummy account is, but I’m in if someone can ‘splain to this poor nit-wit! LOL!

how would we get the word out to the non-trolls about the account?

I think they mistook this for Facebook or whatever the social website is.

Rad: That was my thought about joyloved, too.

If you set up a dummy email how does that protect you anymore than any other email address?

somewhere there is A cuisine challenged substructure symbiont salivating at the attention he/she is getting wyth all the posts showing concern for there existence…and the clatter they have caused

Here’s my little idea. Choose a toon. Choose three comments. First comment is Joe, it is comment #3. That means 3 days back. Next comment is Al, which is comment #2. Alter second letter of your email so it is wrong. Third comment is Jan. Jan’s comment is sixth comment in strip. Go back six days on a designated day and give your real email. Then delete it when received. I feel like James Bond without the babes.

You can set up a group email account at yahoo, and everyone can correspond through that, although that’s what we have here already!

Cleo: I saw your idea for a get together the other day, too, but was in the middle of something or other, and I didn’t respond. I’ve gotten together with one of the people from ‘Pibgorn’, and had a good time.

I didn’t get that at all, but I’m really tired. Maybe it will make more sense to me in the morning.

Good night all!!

I don’t know how someone could mistake this for facebook unless joylove is used to socializing with 2 cows and a chicken. LOL

Owlsley* you have a point there, I must admit! And since I deal with honeybee farmers, I do care about the honeybees, but right now, if you are a part of our team, focus! Do we have a troller, someone threatening our people, or just a lunatic looking for attention? Whatever, I don’t like this because they are a TROLLER and I DESPISE TROLLERS!

I tried to check out what you are referring to doctortoon, but how do you view comments at comics.com. And quit looking smug. There’s nothing more irritating then a smug cat.

I am going to have to leave for about an hour to watch the last half of last nights movie with my dear sweetie. I am having such a great conversation here that I am reluctant to go, but she makes my heart go pitter patter and well you know how that goes. I shall be back in an hour or so. Hopefully, someone will still be around.

Marg yes I know about your meeting with P, I believe it was. That was nice. you and some family members, if I recall?

cleo I may be gone by that time also, I Hope we can continue this in the am. But heck, it’s what, 7:59 where you are and 10:59 where I am!!

JFri where are you? Mass doesn’t last that long!!!!

Dry, Someone could go to yahoo (or something like that) and set up an email account. One person could monitor this and we all could send email to it and swap email addresses. If any weirdos get this address, it won’t be a problem because it’s a “dummy” account.

You’re absolutely right Dry. Meanwhile, my wife is on the phone with her mom, so I snuck back. LOL

computer sharing time. goota go for now! catch up with all later! I hope we figure something out!

so just turned on the computer for the first time today. sorry guys. now i have 180 pluse the rest form last night to catch up on. wish me luck. :D be back asap

Sorry, I was watching ‘Harper’s Island’. Dry:, Yes, my hausband and daughter and a friend were with me.

doctortoon, I know what you mean. We just finished the movie we were watching and are going to start another and it is like, just give me a minute to check on the postings. You guys have become my invisible friends. Oh…My…God! I, am, Calvin and you are my Hobbes.

Wow, I wish I were like Owlsly and could catch up that fast. Have fun at work Doc. I don’t think you have to worry about joyloved unless he/she continues to bother. Otherwise, I would just ignore them.

The original crew at Pibgorn discovered various formatting rules for this site, and posted them all at: http://home.comcast.net/~ccdesan/Pibgorn/StyleGuide.html

Quite handy, and the info is in the “boilerplate” posted over at Pibgorn each day.

Hello my lovelys!!

i have missed this today. i have had ana since 930 this am. lovely. also i have her now. we went to school for sr awards got 3rd place in my writing contest, and then we went shoping. when we got home i had to clean and cook and watch the kid. she is crashed in the chair now and im catching up on all of this. so for you yuo guys are crazy and im glad to know you all. the songs are great i will add one in a few. :D

cleokaya you just abotu killde me with the comment about you being Calvin and us being Hobbes. i laughed so hard. i was trying not to wake up the kid and yet laughing at the same time.

my brother thinks im strange for talking to you all. i dont give a darn. my dad dosnet know bc he would kill me. what would yuo tell your kids if they were doing this? he is over protective and not talking to me now so i dont care anymore. anyways going read 2 cow and a chicken and 9 to 5. bbs

@tabbylynn, congrats on your 3rd in the writing contest!

[You must not have spend enough time dithering around Big Top! ;-) ]

I haven’t told anyone about you guys because no one has asked. My roommates don’t notice, and I don’t live at home anymore.

Y’ know, every now and then

I think you might like to hear something from us

Nice and easy

But there’s just one thing

You see we never ever do nothing

Nice and easy

We always do it nice and rough

So we’re gonna take the beginning of this song

And do it easy

Then we’re gonna do the finish rough

This is the way we do proud mary

And we’re rolling, rolling, rolling on the river

Listen to the story

I left a good job in the city

Working for the man every night and day

And I never lost one minute of sleeping

Worrying ’bout the way things might have been

Big wheel keep on turning

Proud mary keep on burning

And we’re rolling, rolling

Rolling on the river

Cleaned a lot of plates in memphis

Pumped a lot of tane down in new orleans

But I never saw the good side of the city

Till I hitched a ride on a riverboat queen

Big wheel keep on turning

Proud mary keep on burning

And we’re rolling, rolling

Rolling on the river

If you come down to the river

I bet you gonna find some people who live

You don’t have to worry if you got no money

People on the river are happy to give

bmonk thanks, that was b4 i found big top. lol

@tabbylynn, I knew there was a reason! lol back!

it was a short story. i wrote about my teacher it was titled “the lady with the redish brown hair” lol. i thought it sucked so when i heard i got 3rd i was happy as could be. i had ana (baby cousin) with me and had to leave her with a friend to go get my award. sigh. she was mad.

We had a young kid start wailing in church this evening, and I wasn’t even preaching! Imagine that!

we have kids yealling and playing, it does not botther any of us. used to it.

okay so we need to get this email thing set up. i just got an email that you all would love. it is greatness. lol i thought of you all as soon as i read it.

i dont know how it will work, but the # and month thing lost me.

okay i must say goodnight. ana is out in the chair and is starting to get restless. she is dreaming and moving around dont want her falling out of the chair on her head again. lol tell ou later. night all.

Where are my manners? Tabby that is fantastic to have gotten third. Writing was never my thing, but I always appreciate a good piece of literature here and there.

Me neither. I read. It’s like with food: I never learned to cook, but I do enjoy eating. (And I do wash up too. Gotta keep the cooks happy, you know!)

lol Bmonk good analogy. I quite enjoy cooking, though, not nearly as much as I enjoy eating. Good Night Tabby.