Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson for August 14, 2024

Eat your heart out, Emeril!

None of your classmates would have known it was wrong.

Nah, bro, not the intrusive thoughts!

One kid thought that centaurs were real and got laughed at in class.

Phoebe probably said, “EPy Tome”.

One time in French class I said in French “I am a dog” instead of I have a dog, in class discussion, you’re in good company Phoebe!

I still have embarrassing moments in school cued up my “Greatest Humiliations” playlist.

Oh, I’ve certainly embarrassed myself plenty and the memories still linger. But is that they meaning of we are our own worst enemies? I’ve thought it means that decisions we’ve made at many points (even if our mothers told us, “Don’t do that.”) have harmed more of us than our enemies. I’m just glad I’m still alive after a few things I’ve done.

And the Darwin Awards are for those who didn’t.

I did that, but in high school. I was the class clown though, so luckily everyone thought I was just being funny. (A lot of things I said quite seriously were taken as ironic.)

This is the second time in two days that the pronunciation of epitome has come up. Weird.

It has panel two level significance.

My worst enemy: negative intrusive thoughts.

Oh shoot, it was so late in life I finally stopped dredging up failures of my past, don’t tempt me to start doing it again!

It’s not just the epit o’ you, it’s the epit o’ me and the epit o’ all of us.

Fortunately, we also have plenty of non-embarrassing moments to dwell on if we choose.

Phoebe, give yourself credit for knowing the word in second grade. As for your mispronouncing it, “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp”.

You knew the word “epitome” in second grade?

As the allergic patient said to the physician when he was prescribed an emergency medication pen: “It may be epinephrine to you doc, but it’s epitome.”

I enjoy this strip a great deal. Although the artwork is wonderful, for me the writing makes this come alive. Thanks, Dana.

It’s an annoying problem.

I had a “homeschooler accent” as a kid. Since I learned a lot of words through reading (I read a ton) rather than hearing them, when I went to use the word my parents/older siblings would go “what???” and have me spell it, lol

Try “anemone” next.

John Oliver made the very same “epitome” joke last week. Crazy coincidence