Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for August 21, 2009

I’ve heard people say that…

Calvin, I was thinking about those options days ago…what took you so long?

Well, now we know the balloon contains helium, not hydrogen.

“it’s never so bad that it can;t get worse”

Aahhh, perspective….looking down at civilization where people appear like ants scurrying around. I need a drink…..

One day as I sat sad and weary,

feeling lonely and forlorn,

A little bird came along and said,

“Cheer up, things could be worse.

So I cheered up

And sure enough

Things got worse.

@Yukoner: Murphy was an optimist. and a pessimist is only pleasantly surprised.

AH….Expressed optimism to sooth the lofty ones elevated soul .

Calvin, enjoy flying with that balloon around the world in any day!

…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11b

thanks @Yukoner!!!!

Conversely, it’s never so good that it can’t get better… in heaven.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. I Timothy 6:6

Gweedo Murray said, The jet intake sounds so Calvinistic.

Ultimately, God is in control. That sounds Calvinistic, also.

How did Calvin get upright? Yesterday he was upside down. I didn’t like the state in which he was, yesterday.

…Where never lark, nor e’er eagle flew- nor ducks… I hope Calvin doesn’t quack up…or down (to earth).

How can Calvin not recognize the state in which he is? Is he in a state of confusion?

If Calvin is a mile above the mile-high city (Denver, CO), he can wave to my daughter and family in Aurora.

I’m happy it’s better again for Calvin today! I was so sorry yesterday!

Things are still up in the air, though.

If Calvin can “put out his hand and touch the face of God”, he’ll know God is watching over him. “My heavenly father watches over me.”

There’s a large bird approaching (in panel 4). Maybe Calvin can snuggle up to him and let the balloon go. “Under his wings I am safely abiding” Let go and let God…

I thought this was a “panel” discussion. Is almost everybody asleep? (Get) up and at ‘em! The early bird gets the worm! Maybe soon we can say “The worm has turned”, which means ‘an unfavorable situation has been reversed’, and Calvin will be in a better ‘state’.

Php 4:12 I know what it is to be humbled, and I know what it is to have in excess. In any and every situation I have learned both to be filled, and to be hungry, both to have in excess, and to be in need.

Cheer up, Calvin. Now that you got your pants back on, nothing can go wrong, unless Hobbs comes along to help you

Some additional perspective for our wearying sojourner - Calvin…. Isaiah 40:31 (The Message)

“27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” Wait buddy, wait!

enough with the bible quotes. I sincerely doubt that this is what Mr Watterson was intending! On a more positive note; I can’t wait to see the reality!

Don’t become SNARGE. That’s a bird that was sucked through a jet engine.

avolunteer, if you don’t like it, don’t read it. It’s pretty simple. But no, based on what I know about Mr. Watterson during his C&H days, he probably was not particularly interested in the Bible either.

Calvin’s quote in panel 4 is very deep, actually.

Panel 4 indicates that Calvin is in love with his life. If he could only get beyond that, then he truly would be free.

…I have actually appreciated the quotes this morning. Thank you, Santadon and Puddleglum2! Going through a rough patch myself.

I’ve often told myself the same thing when things aren’t going well. Try to think of the worst state you could be in, maybe after hearing about someone who’s very sick, dying, has been in a terrible accident, has lost everything in a fire, is now homeless, or has been sent to prison, the possibilities are endless. Then you won’t feel your own situation is so bad.

The other lesson here is that you can never get a kid to give up a balloon.

Up!

Calvin brings me back to 4th grade (the mid 70’s) when everything was an adventure. I wonder if my imagination was as good as Calvin’s. And I hope my son’s imagination is even better, though I worry that kids today have their imaginations stifled by lack of personal freedom and unsupervised outside adventures. I love seeing Calvin every morning. Thanks Bill Watterson.

Thanks for the 2 quotes this morning. They both made my day better,

I beleive Mr. Watterson wanted to evolke both laughter and thoughtfulness with his cartoons so I believe he would enjoy each and every comment made about them.

Kat

Hang in there Calvin!

now come on! This thing is stretching a more than required. Calvin’s much more fun when on terra firma!!

At the risk of being anti-climatic - “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”

hagar,

I suspect this will all end tomorrow. I, for one, can’t wait for the wrap-up. Since I don’t remember this, I too, wonder what the reality is.

as a kid i used to dream of flying, but it was more like a bird soaring, never traveling with a single balloon

“Must I be carried to the sky On flowery beds of ease While others false do win the prize And sail through bloody seas

There shall I take my weary soul In seas of heavenly rest And not a wave of trouble roll Across my peaceful breast”

You all have certainly “lifted” my spirits today. The poetry here is awesome.

HASN’T ANYBODY NOTICED THE BIRD COMING?

mr. watterson, you have created a strip that outclasses all others, they don’t make em like they used to, i am proud of you that you retired to save your strip from getting repetetive.

Somebodyshort – I believe that was in Oregon, and he “flew” 100+ miles on the wind before landing. I think Watterson wold have appreciated the comments (and the poetry) today . .

Yes Boozer. As we all can see, it’s a peregrine falcon. Poor Calvin………

I’ve lost enough helium balloons in my childhood to know that balloon is eventually going to pop. Or that bird over there could puncture a hole in his balloon first.

Yup, this is the one I still have, cut out from the original newspaper. It always reminded me that when things were bad, they could always be worse. Somehow it always made me feel better in whatever circumstance that was going on at the time.

Thank you, Puddleglum & everyone else for the Bible quotes! They ARE the reality. Others will discount and disdain them - until they are in REAL trouble - then, suddenly, they want help from GOD. Often, God will take His protective hand away which allows trouble and hardship (most of which is of our own making) so that He can get our attention. He desires a relationship with all of us! Seek Him! His son, Jesus Christ, paid the price, paved the way and rose again. Heaven is ours - if we will only surrender to Him.

I like the quote, “No problem is so great or so overwhelming that it cannot be made worse by too much caffeine”.

Macushlalondra - Well said! Excellent perspective!

Carolinagirls - So sorry that things are rough! Call upon God in Jesus name. He hears and will provide your every need. I will join with you in prayer for your well being.

Puddleglum - you quoted “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11b” This is particularly hard when the state is California because it’s twisted and corrupt government so vehemently squashes free speech when it’s speech about God.

The news hasn’t picked up on Calvin’s plight/flight because they usually don’t know about stuff until after the tragedy. Or, this is another one of Calvin’s “Flights of Fancy” and he’ll wake out of his daydream tomorrow when the falcon’s talons puncture the balloon.

P.S. See http://www.gocomics.com/shoe/2009/08/20/ about the media’s reporting…

If ‘Boozer’ wasn’t so bleary-eyed, he might have noticed that I said “There’s a large bird approaching (in panel 4).”

“Wish they all could be CarolinaGirls”. Thank you for expressing your appreciation. Without meaning to be flippant, I hope your rough patch is not like the pumpkin patch where Linus van Pelt (and Sally Brown) waited in vain for the Great Pumpkin. “What a fool I was!” ‘O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man (one) that trusts in him.” Psalms 34:8 ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths.’ Proverbs 3:5,6 ‘Trust in him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalms 62:8 May your rough patch become a garden of delight!

OK, this is the longest “Dream sequence in history” Let’s find out what happens to Calvin and get Hobbs back in the mix.

Well said, Macushlalondra! I’m definitely with you on this one. Whenever I’m feeling bad, whether physically or mentally, I think about all the people in this world who have it sooooo much worse than I do in some way or other and that helps puts everything into its proper prospective for me. I count all my blessings and keep in mind that “this, too, shall pass” and eventually everything will be as it should again.

I see a bird…. danger Calvin!

I love Calvin & Hobbes!

And if Obama saw them he’d tax them for the balloon, the helium and the priviledge to land….

Its bad enough

Life does NOT suck. but Ohio does.

Way to stay positive, kiddo!

Why do people finagle politics into everything! And to make it worse, their minds (whether liberal or conservative) are made up and not about to be confused by the facts!

This is a comic strip, and It is NOT a political cartoon! Cool it with the politics, already!

The poetry and biblical quotations are in the spirit of the piece and appropriate. Keep up the insights.

huh… it was a joke on my part… and you know when you think about it, politics are ALL over comics whether you want them to be, or even if you don’t see it… Lord knows we need to be able to laugh about the political stuff too, no matter which side you are on…

Have a GREAT day!

smile

Kat

“It’s never so bad that it can’t get worse”, never a truer word said.

OldHipster– 9.9 - 9.8 - 10 - 9.9 - 10 - 11 ha ha ha ha ha

Puddleglum2 said, about 13 hours ago

I thought this was a “panel” discussion. Is almost everybody asleep? (Get) up and at ‘em! The early bird gets the worm! Maybe soon we can say “The worm has turned”, which means ‘an unfavorable situation has been reversed’, and Calvin will be in a better ‘state’

not asleep….. at work until now as for the early bird… the early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese !!

If those are wheat fields below you, you’re in Kansas.

If they’re corn fields, you’re in Ohio.

If they’re rice paddys, you’re in big trouble.

Why, because you’re in Louisiana? ;)

There is no such thing as rock bottom. You can always wind up lower.

Houston! We have an unidentified flying Calvin. How do you want us to proceed?

@baslimthebegger, that is one of my favourite poems (I have a lot of them). You missed one thing:

it’s “Where never lark, nor EVEN eagle flew”

such joy!!

@leonardeuler, what do you know about peregrine falcons? In June I discovered a web site with a webcam focused on one of their nests. I spent six weeks glued to the computer, from the time the mother bird was sitting on the eggs until they hatched, grew up, and flew away. If Calvin could have that wonderful feeling of freedom - it’s worth it!

To beentheredonethat: Does the first mouse get his trap shut?

Say cheese! It’s a photo finish; does Calvin win?

Good night, and good morning! PTL!

“Always look on the Bright Side Of Life!”

treBsdrawkcaB said, 1 day ago

“Thank you, Puddleglum & everyone else for the Bible quotes! They ARE the reality. Others will discount and disdain them - until they are in REAL trouble - then, suddenly, they want help from GOD. Often, God will take His protective hand away which allows trouble and hardship (most of which is of our own making) so that He can get our attention.”

Yes, thank you Puddinhead, for clearing things up. So let’s see then. God took his “protective hand” away from the 11 million innocent people murdered in Hitler’s death camps who prayed to Him to be saved because He wanted to “get our attention”.

Well, He surely did that, didn’t He. Of course it’s possible that He doesn’t even exist. Then you couldn’t blame Him for one of the most despicable acts in human history. Yeah, that’s it. Notice that when good things happen to people, God gets all the credit, but when bad things happen, nobody blames God. Maybe Puddinhead could explain that..