To paraphrase Spinal Tap, “No one knew who he was… Or what… he was doing.” That’s kind of the feeling towards my dad after he placed a mysterious circle of stones recently outside the house. Maybe there’s a method to his madness and this is just the start of some sort of Neolithic burial ground, or maybe an ancient calendar he’s constructing. Perhaps we’ll find out more when he’s finished (although if my mom has any say, that won’t be happening) and if so, its function will of course be documented here in the pages of JEFbot. Here’s a picture of it so far, and while small, I don’t think it could necessarily be, “crushed by a dwarf,” at least. Anyway, suggestions as to its purpose are welcome.
Not bad as a conversation starter…or a fire pit ring of some kind.
My parents do this all the time…but with my dad, it’s some kind of huge piece of machinery parked on the lawn behind the house. Mom throws hissy cat fits about the grass, and it gets popcorn-fun to watch.
definitely a conversation starter, T! although that conversation always starts with, “why did you put that circle of rocks outside of your house!?”
and: impressive. most impressive. you’ve achieved the Shades of Firsting once again. perhaps through these you will perceive Popbot’s purpose when you gaze upon the stones. perhaps, perhaps not:
😎
I always read that as the shades of fisting.
…I’m a bad person.
good thing there’s no emoticon for that, Someguy!
247/b
things that holly and I argue about.
lol.
Love the comic, hate the somewhat pliagiareismtmsthas.
remember the rools of te intranet. 74.
Looks like the beginnings of a mighty fine fire pit. Or maybe he’s planning to make a rock-pile oven? Those are surprisingly effective if done right.
either of those would be pretty cool, Heidar – if he builds ’em in the backyard. the front yard might not be as cool with Mombot (or the neighbors.) 🙂
Great Strip! 😉
thanks, Harley!
Maybe it’s going to be a fountain or lake for little people… or a volcano!
where’s Popbot going to get these “little people,” Pinkee!?
*raises hand…is a lil person* I are only like 5’2 1/2″ or something.
OMG! I’m coming over and doing a drive bye.
you totally should.
It’s an Altar!
for what, Noah P.!? i am afraid.
It’s a beacon! To call upon the mighty powers that will rain down in a mighty downpour of mighty rain that might cause a mighty change in the ecosystem. Mightily!
Or.. It could just be a circle of rocks.
…For people to meditate in. Yeah.
heheh. yes, let’s hope for the latter, Scarvine; whenever people mess with ecosystems and weather, something bad always happens.
I love that Dadbot’s entire argument is “the neighbors are going to think it looks great!”
true that, Joe. translation: he thinks it’s going to look really great. 😉
It’s either a very, very small Fortress of Solitude, or a guardrail for the turkey fryer.
i’m down with either one of those, Sarah W.
I haven’t seen one of those in years! Very rare nowadays, but they used to be quite common. You see, what you have here is not a mere circle of stones, but the beginnings to a mating pit for werewolves. Commonly werewolves are believed to reproduce by biting someone. This is only partially true. They bite someone, but to make another werewolf they need to bit them is a specially designed stone chamber that can only be truly made by a high raining werewolf.
Guard him well, Bot, for truly one day the madness will spread. The madness. Spreading. One day.
One day.
Guard him well.
eep! Popbot does go camping for long periods of time, Sarabian. let’s hope he didn’t run into any weres while he was away…
Wow, epic spelling screwups! The werewolf mating pit had me frazzled to the point I didn’t proofread! Sorry.
Right now, stone circle planters are popular. You place several stones in a circle, fill them with soil, and then plant flowers and stuff in there. It’s been on the Home and Gardens DIY top 10 list of neat, green lawn improvements since … July of last year.
Although, maybe he’s planning to bury dead gnomes there, and it’s a standing Celtic circle to keep the angry gnome spirits from haunting the neighbors. Hence why “The neighbors will love it!”
only problem with the stone circle planter theory is that this is the way the front yard’s looked for several months now, McClaud. i think at this point your gnome graveyard theory is more plausible.
Well if he’s been working on this for some time, maybe it’s just the fatherly Lazycus Genecus. He really doesn’t intend on finishing it – it’s reminant yard art.
Rudimentary stargate maybe?
Depends, if he starts attaching microwave oven parts and a Gandalf the Grey action figure in it then He’s probably building one
could be, Psynapse – if i start seeing the objects Dragonsword mentioned, we’ll know what’s up.
Maybe he plans to dance naked around it on the summer solstice next year? 😀 If so, you should probably warn the neighbors!
Awesome strip! I love when people use the same evidence to make opposite points. But it is really too funny that your liking it supports your mom’s view that it’s crazy! Tee hee.
Welcome back to the real world. 🙁
Silly, those go in the BACK yard, not the front!
But that’s not where we… I mean, really? That’s interesting. I wouldn’t know about such things. 😉
sure, sure. 🙂
THE GOGGLES! THEY DO NOTHING! BRAIN BLEACH! BRAIN BLEEEEEEAAAAAAACCCCCCCHHHHHHHH!!!!!
hmmm… yes, we should probably find out my dad’s intentions before he starts any pagan rituals, shanna. …although since he’s probably the most Christian/religious of all of us, it seems unlikely. probably not a bad idea to make sure though, to spare the neighbors from any dancing. heheh.
ah, yes. the real world. *sigh* (mind’s still in hawaii, sadly.)
If he’s going to dance nakkies for the summer solstice, remind him to burn a dollar bill too! It brings money.
*looks around* WHAT?! I know stuff….sometimes….don’t ask!
It’s a fruit altar for the ninja toe! Go PopBot! She must be appeased!
Funny how that works huh? Same at our house. If Mama’s not happy…NO ONE’S happy.
i’m digging the new avatar, Pixie! *rawr*
and i like the idea of a fruit altar for Mombot’s toe! heheh. at least a couple watermelon-sized objects could fit in there. 😀
Oh you…*blushes*
I love those old tyme picture places. They are so mch fun. And I actually ASKED to have this picture taken, they did the whole saloon girl at the bar thing and I was like “I’m paying for these, I want a pic for the hubby!” He totes wants to hang this in our Living room! I’m like uhhh NO! It’s in a huge frame!
In sedona they use a circle of rocks to mark where a “vortex” is. I forget vortexes (vortecis?) are though. something to do with auras…
A vortex, in the sense that you are referring to, are a bit like pores in flesh. They are openings that release energy out from the earth and into the atmosphere. They also serve for other purposes, as well as power epicenters for spell casters.
is it possible my dad’s some kind of wizard, Ri? *pleaseletitbe* *pleaseletitbe*
hMmMm… let’s hope it’s a vortex for good, cynthia – jefbot has enough to handle with the Angry Scarf and Xinda around!
I’ve seen people do these before and for different reasons. Some use them as a makeshift fire pit, others put them around faerie rings, and still more just think they make for an unusual, yet nifty, yard decoration piece. Since making them is generally inexpensive and ecologically friendly, they kind of have a point.
i’m hoping for faerie rings, Ri. although, with my dad being a pretty devout Lutheran and all, your “yard decoration” explanation is probably closer to the mark.
Absolutely LOVE the strip – especially the comments and ideas it generated about the purpose of the circle of rocks! 🙂
yep – me, too, Mombot. people are crazy creative here. lovin’ it!
Great strip! I love it that your admiration of it supports BOTH parents arguement!
gracias, pearl!
It’s a cat.
OK, that obviously needs an explanation. So…
Given the premise “Everything in this world has a purpose… except cats.”, consider the hypothesis that the purpose of cats is to show us that things don’t have to have a purpose.
Consider that at length and you will discover the answer to “what is the sound of one hand clapping?”… or your mind will fold in on itself and disappear. Or maybe both, but there’s no way to know.
your theory is sound, Stonefoot: it’s gotta be a cat. *mindfold*
Lol, thats pretty good.
😀
OMG!!! AMAZING! I love that you posted the real photo too! What is it about men and rocks? My grandpa has almost the exact same circle in his front yard! I wonder if there’s a secret society of men gathering, and that is the marking of their gathering spot?!? Amazing strip as always!
this could very well be, FunnyShaffer. i wonder if my dad ‘n your grandpa are part of the same secret society?
I can’t believe no one has figured out the obvious reason for ye old rock ring; he built it to simply annoy mombot. As for his comment about it pleasing the neighbors, as long as she’s hounding popbot about the rocks, she’s unable to attack their fruit with her ninja-toe.
HA! i think this is the most logical reason given yet, Maddgodd81! and i’ll bet Mombot has already considered this, too. i might have to ask her. heheh.
Seeing that popbot constructed a full-size teepee a few years ago in the backyard, I thought he was constructing the firepit for a Native American sweathouse. If the construct is done, that might explain why he keeps looking at me funny when he sees me sitting next to the rock circle in my underwear looking like I’m waiting for something to happen.
OMG Hysterical!
funny how that teepee has disappeared with no one knowing where it went, Sean Luke. i wonder if the rock circle will meet the same fate?
oh, and get some pants on and get back in the house.
I guess Mombot wasn’t aware that a circle of rocks is the most fashionable of yard decorations, at least in Arizona it is. 😉 We’ve had a circle of rocks outside in our front yard for as long as I can remember. Great for fires, rain dances, and the occasional mini gladiator battles between Ken dolls.
i can totally get behind any of those activities for the rock circle, ArizonaOrchid! i don’t have any Ken dolls, but can i substitute some old G.I. Joes?
That would be something I would do. XD
yeah, but it would probably be some sort of summoning circle or arcane thing if you made one, DJ. 🙂
Ehm… Fireplace? We make henges like this when camping and dont want to drag grill arround with us.
Love how Mombot and Popbot both think that Jefbots aprooval suports their case. The thing thats most fun though is – they are both right.
more than one visitor to the house has asked if they can bring hot dogs or marshmallows for roasting, Maryz! heheh.
and yep, both Mom and Popbot are right! does that settle the argument, then?
Maybe it’s some kinda fire pit? y’know to toast marshmallows in? Or maybe it’s some kinda secret alien code and popbot’s in cahoots with them
uh-oh. methinks that would be very bad for jefbot if Popbot was in cahoots with the aliens, jiro maeda. let’s hope not.
I want to sacrifice something in it…
let’s hope the neighbors don’t get the same idea, Rackman!
Ya know, I get that same reaction from my parents, Bot. I wonder why?
hmm. weird. no idea.
When I battled the evil Cricket Cartel, I put a circle of stones around the spiked heads of their dead. You know, to show the surviving crickets what happens when you invade our home.
ha! i wish i had thought of that many years ago, DK! we had an outbreak of crickets when i was living with my parents and that might’ve stemmed the tide. luckily, i had a couple pet anoles that loved crickets. 🙂
Dude, that is clearly a waypoint marker for really tiny aliens.
tiny aliens like the microbes that got plopped on by the Angry Scarf, NeoDarklight!?
Maybe he just thought it would look pretty. C:
Either that or what Shanna (also my name!) said.
he could be going for the “pretty,” Aelyrin, but yeah – i’m liking Shanna’s theory. hopefully Mombot’s ready if it comes to that.
Perhaps it will be a pretty dance. heheh
Wow, your name is Shanna too? I have met less than 1/2 dozen other Shannas in my life. It is definitely not the next “Jennifer”.
I have met exactly one, if you can call this a meeting.
Of course, I have met Shawnas and Shannons and such, but no Shannas before now.
heh. we do have things like this in our garden. with flowerbed inside of it. so.. totally ok with me. nothing crazy to see here folks 😛
Also.. cool pics from Hawai! Did you catch any good waves? 🙂
now if he made a few more rings and put some flowers or plants in ’em, i could almost understand, supersonic cucumber. as it is – with the one, empty ring – it’s just weird.
yes! caught many good waves!!! still missing ’em. 🙁
Totally off the wall, it’s a campfire pit your dad has been trying to get your mom to go camping and she think’s it’s nuts so he is turning the front into a campground to show her how fun camping could be.
good theory, Jack Faire, but Mombot knows the joys of camping as they’ve been doing that kind of stuff for years! although, you may be right in that he’s trying to bring that experience home. heheh.
My guess is a base for a fountain or potted plant
i dunno, Eptha – it’s looked this way for months! i think he’s done with it.
To really screw with everyone there needs to be a Gandalf action figure placed overnight to surprise and confuse…And for those that believe Scare.
i could put one of my action figs in the circle Dragonsword, but i fear my dad would just see it, pick it up, look at it, shrug his shoulders, then throw it away.
sorry, placed overnight in the Center to surprise and confuse
Is that the “Popbotmobile” I see in the picture? WOW
it is indeed, P. Magmen! as seen in a couple past strips, like this one.
This is my thought… perhaps he wishes to start a rock or zen garden of some sort? I notice there is no grass there. If it’s been like that he may have felt a niffty zen garden would perk up the place.
i think my mom would totally approve of a real zen garden, jwr! unfortunately, i don’t think this is what she would have in mind. 🙂
I’m too pissed off right now to find this funny. My brother tried to “clean up the computer” Friday and ended up doing two things. One; he deleted my browser history, which means I now have to search for all the web comics I read. This wouldn’t be that bad if it weren’t for the fact that I don’t have the web address written down for at least 15 of them and I also have to find my place on the ones that I was in the middle of reading. Two; my computer is now EXTREMELY anti-user friendly and takes FOREVER to do anything. From now on, whenever he says that he “cleaned it up/updated it” I will immediately assume that he really means that he’s f%#@ed it up. >B[
ugh. sounds frustrating, Fijiman. well, i’m happy you found your way back here! hope you get your other links updated, soon. (and yeah, don’t let your brother mess with your tech anymore.)
It’s hard to do that when he does it while I’m not near the computer. As far as the web comics go, I know I’ll probably not be able to find all of them, but as long as I can find most of them I’ll be somewhat happy.
It looks great, really evens out the lack of anything else in that area of the yard. I’ve seen dozens of stone circles in those Japanese sand gardens so its not THAT unheard of either.
i think if my dad were going for a “Japanese sand garden” look, it might be acceptable, Descolada, but as it is i think it leaves something to be desired. 🙂
See, these kinds of things are always funny…As long as you don’t LIVE with your parents. Okay, well it’s still kind of funny, but if you live with them – you end up getting involved.
very true, Wowey! not living there, i don’t have to get too involved – that is, unless my mom shows my dad the strip and then he asks whether i like his stone circle or not. (and yes, this totally happened to me last night.)
What was your response?
I like your dad’s random circle thing. I feel like something magical will happen.
me, too, Nat! feel free to go over during a full moon and do some mystical stuff with it. 😉
Lol. I honestly see a Jack & the Beanstalk moment happening.
Hey, I thought he wanted to have a campfire.