Mary Worth 858

"Jeff, I've waited a long time for a wedding, too, but I'll settle for your daughter's. At least it will give me a chance to meddle in someone else's affairs."

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 857

I wonder if the stress of doctoring is as overwhelming as planning a party? Maybe, but it's a good kind of stress. Unlike, say, the stress of actually showing up to work. Did she say she's reduced her schedule? From what? Four hours a week down to two?

Mary Worth 856

Lifting her giant cup of coffee has really pumped Mary's left forearm muscles. She's practically turned into Popeye. I know Mary is subtly manipulating Adrian into making her the maid of honor, but Adrian would be better served making her the bouncer.

Today's Full Strip

From Earl Hamner (John-Boy Walton)

I received this email from Earl Hamner, the creator of the Waltons. I hope you'll consider making a small donation in honor of MaryWorthandMe.com and support community theatre. Then make a donation to your own local theatre.

You can donate here.

23 September 2010

Amigos,

Hope this finds you knee high in colorful autumn leaves, that the pesky weather that visited most of the country this summer is just a memory, and that you are reasonably well and back at work or school or whatever makes you happy.

I hope you'll forgive me if the following sounds a little self-congratulatory, but to tell the truth, I swell with pride when the Hamner Theater is mentioned. The Theater is located in Nelson County, Virginia, not far from where I was born and to my astonishment was named after me. Since its formation in 2005 it has been home to a wide range of drama, comedy, dance and music. We're in Walton country here and while the region has improved economically and culturally since back when John-Boy sat at the window and yearned to be a writer, it's quite a challenge to supply quality theater this far off Broadway in these difficult times.

If in some case you've got a lot of cash stuffed away in an old sock under the mattress, there is a better way to invest it. Please see my new BLOG!

And THANK YOU!

Earl Hamner

Mary Worth 855

I'd just like to say to all those haters who called for the end of the Bonnie-Jenna-Mike-Lonnie story, be careful what you wish for. Six more months of Adrian.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 854

OUR SECOND DATE

PARENTAL WARNING: This scene contains face touching.

Setting: The food court at the Santa Royale Shopping Center. Mike and Jenna, carrying their lunch trays, find a seat. It is their second date in two months.

Mike: Is this all right Jenna?

Jenna: Yes. Now, Mike… I want to hear more about your family situation.

Mike: My father deserted my family when I was a young boy…

Jenna: I’m sorry about what happened.

Mike: Don’t be! We made peace with each other before he died… and that has made all the difference. I didn’t think love was for me because of what happened in my childhood. That is… until I finally got to confront my father and tell him about my anger and pain!

Jenna (sotto voce): I didn’t think love was meant for me either… until I met you.

Mike: I learned that my father had a vendetta that obsessed him! It kept him from his family!… It drove him to drink and destroyed his life because he couldn’t let it go.

Jenna: And by learning this, you were able to let go of your anger at him.

Mike: After my father explained his obsession, I saw his soul! I saw a man who had suffered loss!… I saw a man who wanted justice, and became obsessed with getting it.

Jenna: It seems knowing his reasons and weaknesses helped you forgive him. Do you want to take a walk?

(They exit the food court and enter the beach)

Mike: I’m sorry for not following through after our first date! I want to make it up to you! I’m a changed man! I’ve come to terms with my father and my past. He wouldn’t let go of his vendetta, and that led him to drink. Drinking in his state of mind took its toll, and that led him to lose his job… and eventually abandon his family! I’m not too different from him! You see, I couldn’t let go of what HE did… and as a result, I had trouble letting myself love… until recently.

Jenna: Your attitude about love was many years in the making… (sotto voce:) Could it be changed in such a short time?

Mike: I’m a CHANGED man! The anger and pain I harbored for years has left me! After making peace with my father, I’m FREE! Free to really live… and to love. I really like you Jenna… I want to make up for the last time. You’re a wonderful woman… and I hope we’ll get to know each other EVEN BETTER!

Jenna: I’d like that! I want to know more about you too, Mike! So far you’ve opened up your past to me… and I appreciate it. I want to learn even more about you.

Mike: It seems we have a lot to learn about each other.

Jenna: What do you want to know about me?

Mike: Everything. How are my chances for that?

Jenna: I’d say pretty good.

(They frolic)

Mike: A person can be transformed in FIVE MINUTES! They just need the right stimulus.

Jenna: This is nice.

Mike: Yes.

Jenna: I wish we’d done this several weeks ago.

Mike: It’s not too late, Jenna! Let’s enjoy this moment and not regret the past.

Mary Worth 853

Love is transforming? Transforming? That explains everything!



Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 852

Oh, how wonderful for Mike, to be free to love! Free to love at last! Meanwhile, Jenna manages a smile as she fearfully plots her escape from this stalker.

Today's Full Strip

Happy Aldo Kelrast Day

Just wanted to take a break from Jenna and Mike's passion for a minute and wish everyone a happy Aldo Kelrast day. Now there was a real lover.

Mary Worth 851

Get to know each other even better? That won't be hard since you don't know each other at all.

Let's see... what does Jenna know about Mike: Since his father died, he's free to love. Anything else? Um, he is especially fond of walking by the water... beyond that, I can't really come up with anything.

What does Mike know about Jenna? She likes walking through Santa Royale's varied landscapes...

Yep, I'd say the chances are good that Mike's dreams are going to come true. They will get to know each other EVEN BETTER!

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 850

You know what else has left? The tide. And it's a good thing since Mike and Jenna would be smashed on those jagged rocks if a wave came along.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 849

Oh, I don't know, Jenna... I once knew a woman who said love wasn't for her, but then she met Dr. Mike Roberts and when he didn't call her after one date, she drank herself into near oblivion. So, yes, attitudes can change quickly. Irrationally so.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 848

I think we're going to need another bowl of donuts.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 847

"Must... insert... pâté... directly into spleen... to keep from shrinking... any smaller..."

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 846

This table would be fine, Mike, if there were a table!

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 845

O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

You're in trouble now, bub. As soon as Jenna discovers that you haven't been tending to your father's deathbed for the last two months, you can say goodbye to walks along the water, and kisses under the fireworks. Maybe that is why Jenna very wisely has suggested they have LUNCH! It's so easy to get caught up in the moment when you're eating DINNER!

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 844

Fall for him... fall off the wagon... It's all the same thing.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 843

Why not believe him? There's no doubt that he'll be faithful and true and full of moonlight walks through Santa Royale's "varied landscape." Your life is going to be exciting and buzzy. So just give in. Remember, this is Santa Royale where stuff like this has a way of working out, regardless of logic.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 842

Jenna, I know you don't deserve much, but even you can do better than this jerk. Do not let the flowers fool you. He's a liar, he's a teetotaler, and a closet vigilante. Run. Run as fast as you can and never look back.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 841

"I left a lot of messages. A LOT of messages. Not just one or two. A whole LOT. I get the feeling that you are hiding something from me. You aren't a vigilante are you? Because if you are, I really don't think this is going to work, Mike."

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 840

Well, that's one way to put it. Tied up for, like, an entire afternoon. He doesn't call her for a month because of his issues, then he lies about why he hasn't called her. On the other hand, it will be a year at least before he discovers Jenna's alcoholism, so perhaps they're perfect for each other.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 839

"...Now I know what I have to do. I must follow in my father's footsteps and become a vigilante. I swear on my father's grave to find Richie's killer - the man who robbed my father of all happiness. It's a good thing I don't have a family to support."

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 838

One thing about Doctor Mike: He's always known how to put his feelings into words.

Today's Full Strip

Mary Worth 837

Once again, we see that people who are dead seem to be at peace. I wonder why that is? Since Mary Worth's version of heaven includes painfully uncomfortable park benches, rock hard mattresses and an endless supply of pretzel sticks.

Mary Worth 836

Mary Worth's chilling claw sucks the very life's essence out of Dr. Roberts like a vacuum packed bag of chili mix and soon he's left quivering on the floor, ready to call Jenna for that second date.

Today's Full Strip

King of the Super Highway

I was thinking as I drove home tonight that the most technologically advanced States are the ones that print their websites on their license plates. For instance, I live in Maryland, and we have URL's on our license plates.

You won't be surprised to learn that Maryland is a technologically advanced State since I live here and I keep a blog, a sure sign of our State's technological achievements.

Just to the north of us, just over the Mason-Dixon line, is Pennsylvania and they've copied us, even though they aren't as advanced technologically.

In fact, their plates just say visit PA, I think because not very many people know how to spell Pennsylvania. It's a hard name to spell, and they certainly don't want people mistyping the URL and ending up in some dangerous part of the Interwebs.

Massachusetts has a number of different styles of plates, but this one features a URL:

It's ironic for a library to have a website isn't it? Since people who surf the web don't read books. I'm not sure how many people have actually ordered this license plate. NOT cool.

The most technologically advanced state is clearly Florida. They have even changed the name of their state to MyFlorida.com:

I'm very proud to live in Maryland which is so techno-savvy. Maybe one day, as our country becomes more technologically advanced, other states will be able to create websites to print on their license plates. I know www.maryland.gov draws many visitors every day just because they saw the URL on my plates.

Oh, drat! I knew I was forgetting something. Did I miss the funeral? I'm so sorry. I really wanted to be there.