Betty In Summerland

I awoke to a lovely summer's morning. I didn't get a chance to get out earlier today. I don't really need to do too much cleaning, since I did heavy spring cleaning last month and earlier this month, but the bathroom was looking grungy. It definitely could not be put off. I ran more cartoons while getting it done.

Work wasn't too bad. It was busier than yesterday, but still nothing overwhelming. Most people are probably on vacation or are waiting for the 4th of July and the beginning of the month next week. My relief was a little late; other than that, I had no major problems.

When I got home, I changed into regular clothes, then went for a pleasant walk. It was hot, into the mid-80s, but dry, and there was a refreshing wind that kept things cool. WaWa was busy, and so was the neighborhood. Kids were out and about, riding bikes or strolling in packs. The grass is starting to show signs of our recent lack of rain, but it's mostly still green and gorgeous as can be, with summer lilies brightening every garden. I strolled home with my skim milk and turkey hoagie for dinner.

I ate my hoagie while finishing the Betty Boop/Popeye disc. Most of these shorts are from later, after Betty and her ensemble had to be toned down due to stricter censorship, but there were a few earlier titles. Favorites of the earlier Betty shorts included "Betty's Ker-choo" (Betty's cold seems to interfere with her competing in a car race, but her "cold in her doze" winds up blowing her into first) and "Betty In Blunderland" (Betty is a very sexy Alice with longer hair). Favorites from the later shorts included "A Language All My Own" (Betty's vaudeville act goes global, including a fairly well-represented stop in Japan) and "Grampy's Indoor Outing" (Junior is upset when his and Betty's trip to the fair is rained out, so Professor Grampy figures out a way they can enjoy fair-like thrills inside).

My favorite Betty short on this disc was "Judge For a Day." Battered and muddied by "pests" who smoke in the trolley car, read over her shoulder, and push her out of her seat, legal stenographer Betty imagines what she'd do if she was a judge and could sentence all these rude people to the same kind of annoying torment they give her. As someone who has ridden public transportation and walked or ridden my bike to work in bad weather, I'm totally with Betty here. I've had cars splash mud on me, been squashed in bus seats by people who don't pay attention, had people read over my shoulder, and dealt with smoking in bus bathrooms (never mind that smoking in public transportation was banned by the time I was riding). I wouldn't mind passing a few laws subjecting others to the same kind of rudeness myself!