Artful Dodge

Mandy\'s avatar

 Doesn’t matter if you’re actually ready to start the planning process – as soon as you pop the question, get ready for about a billion more from everybody you know (I’m told it doesn’t let up after the wedding, though the subject matter changes).

As to “the big one” there: Yes, we’ve set a date. Further details withheld as potential comic fodder. 🙂

37 comments on “Artful Dodge

  1. That sounds like my dad–except his question is, after any activity with girls present, “Were any of the girls pretty?”

  2. I think this comic is probably the closest to reality on the subject as you can possibly get. 🙂 Humor is often best when intermingled with hints of the truth. Well done you two.

  3. If it’s any consolation, I empathize with you. And I don’t want to know anything like that.

  4. All you need is is be “merry” about the marriage!

    Only one this week :(, see you in next Sunday!

  5. SO many more questions could be added to the point you guys could get BURIED

  6. Throughout history marriage has been a useful process for survival through genetic diversity and union of tribes, stability (in a political geographical sense) and many other benefit. But as someone who has recently come to realize just how lacking he is in “human” qualities, pray tell… what benefit does marriage afford in today’s world that you two did not possess prior. I’m assuming you two have been living together for a sufficient enough time to be considered common law. In Ontario Canada, it’s practically the same thing only you save a lot of money because you just need to live together for a set period of time and BING you got practically the same damn rights.

    1. Legal protection.
      No common law marriages in our locality.

      We’re a bit too practical to get sucked into the wedding hype designed to drain people’s bank accounts. That industry is thrives on pushing you into bankruptcy over trying to show off because “this is your one day that’s all about you!” Mandy and I have always looked for other ways to do anything, especially if people do it “because that’s what people do!” That generally means 20% extra work will save you 80% of the cost. (That same attitude landed me a cop car new from the factory)

      We’ve other plans in mind. Frankly, I think they’re going to be a lot more fun, and will certainly get better stories.

      1. Legal protection is a good one more so for you then her I suspect.

          1. From what I’ve seen from your comics the artist isn’t the one likely to break any laws, untentionally or otherwise. You have tags for your comics called “seley is anxious” and “fox is an asshole”. Nuf said

          2. Forgot to add, marriage means you two are legally considered one person so you cannot be compelled to testify against him as one cannot testify against themselves. Again going off of Canadian law.

      2. Fox, if your relationship with Mandy is anything even CLOSE to what is shown in the comics, you’re in for a FUN marriage. I want to wish the two of you all the happiness, and craziness, you can enjoy.

      3. Yes, Fox (and Mandy), it IS your day! I’m glad you and Mandy are having YOUR wedding the way YOU want it and not someone else’s idea of the way it should be! Judging by your comics and (especially) your comments, I doubt anyone would be able to sway you from your idea of a perfect wedding.

        Cheers! (In advance)

    2. I always find common law marriage laws interesting. In my home state of Georgia, there is only one requirement. If two people attest that you and your significant other stated that you were married, you’re married. Period. At least, that’s what I’ve been told.

    1. I’m sure you’d be able to find one if you searched around enough… Though something like that may get you on one of those reality TV shows

  7. Anon mouse here!
    I love the “When you have kids…” that’s rubbing on Fox’s head. I’m sure you get allot of complaints about not wanting any between he two of you. I myself usually receive 2 hate letters a day on the same subject from hein internet dating sites. ( Because I spend so much time at work, I don’t have time to go out and look manually )

    1. It’s not as bad as it could be (my family, for example, is fine with it, which is a huge blessing) – but yeah, I suspect I’ll be hearing “you’ll change your mind!” until I’m well into my 50s.

      At which point I hope to be that strange little lady that the kids on the street suspect is actually some kind of witch. 😀

      1. You probably get enough of kids from your relatives. Or at least close enough with the hamsters!

      2. Sounds like a solid game plan to me.
        Now I just need to partially emulate it on my end.

      3. Well to be fair, people saying “you will change your mind” is a fair comment to make… to anyone under 30. I’ve known many women that “don’t need a man to be happy” and “swear off men” then 2 months later they hook up with some guy that ends up being something they regret within a year because they can’t stand the loneliness of it. Once people hit their 30’s I like to believe that they have the mental maturity to know what they actually want in life.

        1. People need to respect others’ decisions and mind their own damn business.

          When you think about it, for even a second, it’s pretty offensive and audacious to tell someone else what they’re going to do in the future just to feel better about yourself. Because anyone who took even basic psychology can see they want others to have kids too so they can feel better about their own life decisions.
          So, no, actually. It’s the exact opposite of fair. It’s social bullying and an implied obligation that requires a 20 year commitment, for what? So others can feel good about themselves?

          I don’t see how that wouldn’t upset anyone. I can’t think of much worse than wishing a child upon someone who doesn’t want one.

          1. I can’t comment on the whole vicarious effect of this particular situation, I was just referring to the habit humans have of thinking that they want is what they want but really it isn’t. You two I THINK are in your thirties? Could go searching but not worth the effort. So at this point you two would know what you want and what you don’t want.

            As for worse… try being 28 never had a successful relationship, with a psychological condition that means you are very likely to never meet a girl (or guy) who has the patience or tolerance to allow you to learn how humans should behave. A scarred face from a fight, an intelligence high enough to know what’s wrong with you but not high enough to fix it. A chronic neck pain from having a truck land on your head a decade ago (I was the passenger). Plus a mountain of almost comical bad luck with a side of the shit of humanity being constantly reminder at work and then have people who have healthy relationships and stable careers bitch about them. My favourite is when people tell me “you’re lucky your single”… yes how I love human society. That is why I come here, you fox are a natural asshole and I can relate to that. You two are just nice to read about. I like seeing/reading about people who are in a happy relationships, it’s a distraction

  8. You guy’s should never have given into that archaic tradition. You should just incorporate. Then there is no expensive ceremony and no pressure to breed.

  9. Two years after my wife’s cousin (who had been the cutest single chick in a small town) got married, I happened to eat in the restaurant/bar where she was bartending. I asked her “So… how many hundreds of times have you been asked when you’re going to have a baby?”

    She practically fell on the floor laughing. And agreed that the referenced question had been asked *a lot*.

    1. Exactly.

      Thinking is hard. People don’t want to do it. It’s easier to take the plot of the story everyone else seems to be reading.

      I prefer ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books.

  10. The best I can figure, is that marriage was invented to reduce the number of single mothers being supported by their parents. It’s not a religious thing, and it sure isn’t about love–it’s more a very sensible combination of biological and financial realities…
    Which makes me wonder how we ever had such a good idea.

    1. It was. Humans evolved out of communal nomadic lifestyles where everyone supported everyone (mostly) and into structured societies where responsibilities exist. As we began standing upright females were no longer able to just have a kid lay/cling to their back, so they had to be carried. This meant no climbing trees to get away from predators, so protection became a necessity. That’s the theory anyway.
      Most of society’s ‘traditional’ obligations simply evolved as a way to control people. Marriage ensured two people were raising a child (or more) and bastards didn’t become a burden to society; one those in power would be forced to deal with.
      Forbidding sex prior to marriage tried to ensure no children would be born out of wedlock and muck up the above rule.

      Based on what I’ve researched, few of the big rules imposed by religions actually serve any religious purpose. The perfect Christian is a stepping stone for tyrants.

      But that’s already further into the three forbidden topics than we should probably venture.

      1. Oh indeed yes. It would be as difficult to define a “perfect Christian” as to define a “perfect person.” Best to avoid discussing a thing which cannot be defined.

    2. Not certain where you got the idea that it’s not a religious thing. Marriage is in Genesis 2:24.

  11. gotta love it, me and my spouse just got married about a month ago. we just got married because in the military your posting benefits only kick in for both people once you married. even though we did just a 30 minute legal marriage at the court house i spent the entire week prior trying to reign my mother in from setting up a full blown reception x.X good luck guys, even though its a pain to get set up you feel so much closer once its all said and done.

  12. Oh, thats so exciting!!! But so incredibly stressful, if you ever need to take a break from doing comics, we’ll all understand completely! And if it helps at all, when I was trying to figure out what to do for the reception for mine, me and my sister went and got a good portion of my decorations at the dollar store, with a few of them from a craft store. (too bad the last minute reception hall already had decorations, so we didn’t end up using some of them :c )
    Oh and you guys will keep getting the question “are you pregnant?” “are you going to have kids?” “when will you have kids?” etc, etc. I still don’t like kids, but you will keep getting the question unless you are currently pregnant or have like a sign on your forehead saying “no kids” XD it’s annoying, but eh, humans.

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