For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 23, 2024

Women who age become “over the hill”.

Men who age become “distinguished gentlemen”.

“I keep comparing myself to the women I think my husband is comparing me to.” Oh, that’s not good. John is going to be in trouble, and he is not going to have the first idea why.

You don’t want to hear the truth.

Eyes for you

If you grow up looking plain (as I did) you can either spend a lot of time and money trying to not look plain (as I did, until I was about 30), or you can just stop agonizing and say “to he!! with it” and spend your time and money on other stuff that’s a lot more fun and interesting (as I did, post-30). I just turned 80 and these days I focus on perfecting my skill at stuff I love—needle crafts, playing my recorder, singing, and gardening.

I works the other way too Elly when comparing your man with others…

Potato-nose..

Me personally, I never thought 45 was old.

Wow, this really hit. When I read these comics during the original run, John and Elly were always older than me. They weren’t quite as old as my parents, but old enough to be an aunt and uncle. Now I’m 10 years older than Elly.

Elly, he’s not comparing you to anyone.

You just finished a vacation. You enjoyed an Amethyst mine, you were amazed by a clear starry night sky and the wide open prairie, the Vancouver seashore, the drive around Lake Superior, yet you still came home to the things you love, the sights you love and are familiar. None of those experiences detracted from what you already have.

Many married people still look, that’s pretty much natural, it doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate what they have nor that they’re looking to replace it.

Mid life crisis are not just from men.

If he is truly looking around you’re looks aren’t the problem.

This strip reminds me of that great saying (when I was in my forties) “You’re not getting older, you’re getting better!” Now, in my seventies, it’s a buffer for my generation to think this again.

Just think of it as 16th anniversary of being 29

It’s hard for a man to be married to a woman who harbors the idea that she knows her man compares her to other women. This is a sign of insecurity in a lady that a man cannot alleviate because regardless of his assurances that he doesn’t compare, she will not believe him. She is miserable that she’s getting older and her body is not that of a 20 year old any more, and when she isn’t happy about it, she’ll believe John is not happy with it either.

Works that way for men, too. But 45 is way too young to be worrying about that…

“♫ Fairytales can come true

It can happen to you

If you’re young at heart…♫"

Ellie’s last panel comment shows that she doesn’t think much of John and his love for her. A true loving husband never compares his wife to other woment. I know I don’t.

Well, Elly… You’re no Rhetta, that’s for sure.

Don’t borrow trouble where there is none — especially if there’s only looking and no touching.

Hooboy… A lot of people would be so much happier if they realized that they’re projecting an intense amount of thoughts onto people who never thought anything of the kind.

“I’m sure my husband thinks I’ve gotten far too flabby and out of shape!” Sounds as if you’re the one thinking that and he hasn’t actually said a word.

“Honey, am I looking old? You can be honest.” Translation: You can tell me what I’ve already decided that you think.

My mother taught me, “Wear your age as a badge of honor, because every year you have is a year you’ve earned.” As a result, I don’t obsess about age. I’ve never hit that traumatic birthday. I’m turning 60 in October and I’m actually kind of excited about it. My husband, on the other hand…his mother was always 29. She even bought the number candles & put them on her cake every year (she was not amused the year he switched them). As a result, when he turned 30, he became massively depressed. He’s still not big on birthdays. This year is going to be particularly bad because he’s turning 64; the same age his father was when he died.

So no “How was your visit with your parents and parents-in-law?”

well, let’s see. If she turned 45 in the original run of this strip in 1995, then she was born in 1950.

Happy 74th, Elly!

46 going on 47 here. Certainly feel old at times.

That’s the problem, it’s what you think, not what you know

Don’t compare yourself to anyone at all. You are a unique individual.

In my case my first husband did indeed compare me to another and, guess what? he chose the prettier version. Some men are dogs. Others, like my husband of 40 years, are not. Guess i came out the winner in that contest.

Age, for me, is very secondary to physical ability. As long as I can get out of bed by myself and get thru at least half of my day without a break, I am going for it. Still have horses, dogs, cats, a man and a job that all need, want or lose something at least once a day and almost always at the same time. My family = my joy : )

I’m 66 and know I am OLDER. Doctors will say, if you’re over 60, 65 blah blah. But I am grateful to be here. I know far to many people who didn’t make it this far and I miss them. I am happy for each day, month, year I can get and be relatively healthy. I have spine issues, but otherwise, I’m pretty healthy.

I felt I looked bad, til i saw current pictures of my highschool class. Then I looked pretty darned good.

If that’s the case, which men are you comparing your husband to. At 73 I have seen, over the years, that the ones who suspect their spouse of cheating are cheating, themselves. They think their spouse is cheating because they are.

45’s Old? You’d be an older millennial today! ;-)

Reading these comics now it’s easier to see hints as to why Lynn Johnston got divorced.

There is no need for her to worry about anything.

I’ve told my First Maite, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever fallen in love with! ( And that’s the truth!) She’s incomparable.

I tease her that I have way too much on my hands dealing with her for me to get involved with another woman! Besides, at almost 80, my wild oats were sown, harvested, and binned long ago. I’m very happy with my 65-year-old child bride.

I thought she was in her 50’s.. she acts that way

I have been told many times that I do not look my age. I see lots of guys who I know are younger than I am, but they look like they have travelled a lot of miles and not all the roads were paved. I have even been taken for a brother to both of my sons! All that aside, I am definitely starting to feel my age.

When this strip ran the first time I was about the same age as Michael, and now I’m older than his mother.

45? Old? Scoff.

I’m trying to remember that far back.

Elle is knows men… “Comparing myself to those (younger) women that I think my husband is comparing me to”…. smart woman.

I love Jasmine Crockett

Your hairdo is usually terrible

I don’t think 45 has a specific look…

wen I see a new female face, I ask myself, would I want to see that face in the morning.