Happy Birthday to my favorite cat!

Yes, Garfield turned 30 today!!!

As a kid, I loved reading the Garfield strip in the newspaper. For one, the fat extremely lazy lasagna loving gluttonous cat was a stark contrast to the superhero comic characters that everyone (but me!) seemed to 'idolize!'

This tabby cat has not only been a great source of humor and inspiration but also a character that I could mostly relate to, especially because his personality reflects a combination of several traits common to most humans! (BTW, some of these are also well represented by the seven dwarfs from 'Snowhite') Also because, the strip in turn offers a humorous look at human problems and the pet-owner relationship!

Garfield's witty retorts to Jon and Odie have kept readers fascinated over the years and wanting more which led to the strip's vast popularity. It comes as no surprise that Garfield currently holds the Guiness record for the world's most widely syndicated strip!

Think lasagna, think Garfield. My love of the strip has even led to a conditioned association of the word 'lasagna' (as frequently seen in Italian food joint menus) with the image of the fat cat!

Yup, I'm no cat lover (I love my dog, though!) but this, is one cat that I simply ADORE!!!

And this, is the first ever Garfield strip, created 3o years back on this day...