Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for September 15, 2020

See, this is why men don’t understand women, and vice versa. Argo was telling Janis because she was running the dryer, and he wanted to make sure she knew why it wasn’t buzzing. Otherwise she might have wondered why it wasn’t finished yet. She thought he was bragging about doing a minuscule bit of the work. I’ve had this same conversation many times.

Are gold stars like S&H green stamps? If so I wonder what’s in the gold star catalogue?

It’s pretty skimpy.

Trade them for other favors.

We used to say “what do you want, a Brownie button or a chest to pin it on?”

My husband announces every little thing he considers to be outside his duty roster. Not worth it to point out those are “jobs” single men and women do in every day living. Why should he get a medal for unloading the dishwasher? I just let him think fairies fill the fridge and cupboards, and so on.

Umm, why didn’t Arlo empty the dryer? That would’ve got him even more Brownie or Husband Points?

Men and women understand each other just fine, in this day and time he WAS bragging about doing a minuscule bit of the work. She was rightfully letting him know that it was a wasted effort because he didn’t deal with the rest of the job, not even just bringing the laundry up in a basket. In this case “argo” is a loser. I am a husband, I love my wife of 23 years and feel just fine pointing out his mistake.

Arlo, you’re a prince.

I thought the dryer alarm meant the clothes were dry or that something is wrong. In either case, simply turning off the alarm would be a bad thing, wouldn’t it? Did he fix the problem so the dryer would continue drying, or did he put away the laundry? Now everything is either getting mildew-y or wrinkled. How does that get him a gold star?

shut the buzzer off and take the clothes out of the dryer, maybe even fold them?

What about the clothes that are now getting wrinkled?

Alternative text for last panel. “When you fold them put them in the basket and put it in the bedroom.”

Let’s admit it. In today’s society where both spouses have to work outside home, BOTH do the household chores. Men never get any credit for doing chores, and we do a lot more that we will ever get credit for.

I wish Arlo would stop helping out with the household chores. He’s making me look bad.

So, Arlo is a Gold Star Husband?

so take the clothes out & put them away, you lazy bum?

The comments today say more about the commenters than the gag strip itself.

Janis’ comment can be taken as sarcasm OR it could be taken as a straight-up complement. The fact that it is almost universally taken as sarcasm here says a lot about relationships between husbands and wives today.

Men are SO helpful around the house.

I don’t think he’s intentionally rude – just remarkably stupid.

Husband gold stars are over rated. Can only be redeemed in one location. Now, on the other hand, if they could be exchanged for …say….a six pack of something at Walmart…..

Mrs. Baker rarely gives me gold stars. Mostly, I get demerits.

( Sigh) No good deed….

How about OPENING the dryer, making sure everything is dry, putting it in the basket and bringing it out to the living room. “This stuff is dry. Shall we fold it together?”

Reminds me of Greg Hahn’s line when his girlfriend told him he was losing points for what he did/didn’t do.

“Wait! There’s points involved? That’s great! I love making points. Now transfer my account to your sister.”

I briefly lived in a place with a dryer buzzer, but this one only sounded for a second. I would want to stop the dryer, but the buzzer is about to go off and so I wait. And after a few minutes it still hasn’t gone off, so I go in the laundry room and have it buzz right in my ear. I soon found it was better to turn it off at the breaker.

One of the reasons I fell in love with my second hubby. First one expected me to do all chores take care of the kids and be ready to jump in bed whenever he so choose. If I failed one of his expectations there was he** to pay in the form of physical abuse.

Second one (now ex, but best of friends still) was the total opposite of the first. When we started living together he saw how hard I worked in and out of the house. He told me he was taking over doing all the washing, would load and unload the dishwasher, as well. In fact I wasn’t allowed to go near the washer/dryer. I cooked because I loved to. He would even go shopping with me and help carry all the heavy stuff in. He kept up his end of the bargain for 20 + years until we parted ways. I got very lucky, don’t think I’ll ever find another man like he was.

I think Janis is saying Arlo is almost useless.

He could have pulled the clothes out and brought the basket in to the living room.

Husband would not have heard the buzzer going off in the basement even when he could hear. We do have older, close to the bottom of the line dryer, but if one is not in the basement at the moment the load finishes – it buzzes and then is quiet, no need to shut off any buzzer.

He grew up in a home where his mom did all the housekeeping and I do most of it also.

On Wednesdays I throw the bag of laundry down 2 flights of stairs. After dinner I throw the clothes – other than jeans, sweatshirts and reeacting clothing into the washer. I set alarm on cell phone and go to kitchen. When alarm goes off and I feel like schlepping down, I go down and throw clothes in the dryer. I then throw towels in the washer. Before we go to bed I go down and put clothes in basket & toss towels in dryer, bring up basket of clothes, hang his shirts in closet and fold rest of clothes sitting in bed & put them away – lights off, TV on while he falls asleep. Repeat next night with washing bed linens and bringing up same and towels. Jeans and sweatshirts washed when have enough of load to do so.

I also cook, am the main person working, clean, and take out the garbage. He is in charge of computers.

He knows not to try folding clothing – heck, if he takes out bowls for us in kitchen, he does not even take out the 2 bowls we use – he takes out the spare set “but there is a small bowl in those and none in these”. Less help is more help, trust me.