Hannelore

[maddness]

While I agree that Hanners does exhibit some childlike characteristics and doubt she's currently ready for a relationship, but OCD does not cause mental retardation. She's immature in some ways, yes, but in no ways does that make her a child or incapable of forming/sustaining relationships.

I've got mental issues and some of the things that are being said about Hanners kind of resonate with me. I didn't get involved in my first relationship til I was 20. I wasn't really ready, and when it was over I was pretty upset, but the experience did help me mature some and it taught me a lot about the dynamics of relationships.

[Inert]

QC would totally lose it's reputation for being that comic with crazy people who have mental problems. Faye, now Hanners, Marten is happy, Steve's talking to that girl who had th hots for Marten, Dora is becoming more self assured, Sven isn't being a manslut, and Marigold is becoming more social. What next, Pintsize gets overwritten and becomes a mindless drone?

I think Hanners should meet somebody like Monk. And they're so damn clean they don't even care. And know how many pubes each other have. Because they're weird.

[H0b0K!n9]

I think she'd be very happy with Mr. Clean. But he has no hair to count, so it would be a rocky relationship.

[Synthetic]

Awesome post workingrobbie. I agree with you 100%  I dont know what gets these "shippers" to get all crazy with the mari-hanners thing.  Dont see it happening.  I actually could see Hanners at least trying to get a dude but it would be on accident and she would be like a dog chasing cars.  Wouldnt know what to do when she got one.  She has changed a lot since she was first introduced.  And I agree whole heartedly that she is aware of her problem and she is not child.

To be perfectly honest with you, "shippers" get all crazy on these things because it's exactly what they'd like to see. Its just like you saying "Don't see it happening" - they do, so the comment you have made is exactly like them suggesting the ship in the first place. We all have our opinions, you've just got a differing one from them. But that doesn't mean you have to look down on others about it.

I don't believe that Hanners is psychologically ready for a relationship just now. She is still getting used to doing friend things and dealing with that kind of physical contact at the moment and it would be only hurtful to her or both parties if she got into something.

[Delirium]

I think she'd be very happy with Mr. Clean. But he has no hair to count, so it would be a rocky relationship.

But hair gathers bacteria and dust and dust mites, so bald is better for her.

[workingrobbie]

I think she'd be very happy with Mr. Clean. But he has no hair to count, so it would be a rocky relationship.

But hair gathers bacteria and dust and dust mites, so bald is better for her.

Was this mentioned in a previous comic and that's why she shaves downstairs?

[Is it cold in here?]

Remember how she reacted to the Wikipedia article about head lice.

[bicostp]

I wonder how long it will be until http://dreamingofkittens.com starts showing up in her Twitter feed.

[epoch]

I think she'd be very happy with Mr. Clean. But he has no hair to count, so it would be a rocky relationship.

But hair gathers bacteria and dust and dust mites, so bald is better for her.

Was this mentioned in a previous comic and that's why she shaves downstairs?

I don't remember anything ever mentioned in the strip that has to do with Hanners "shaving downstairs". Am I forgetting something?

[Is it cold in here?]

633. Though I wouldn't put it past Hanners to have taken Dora literally, we know her apartment is carpeted.

[Vernon]

If she outgrew her OCD she would be quite interesting. It would be better if she were to go back on her meds or we saw her at some of her therapy sessions. I really miss the direction her character was headed when she was first introduced. She might have more friends now but now she is so, boring. I really want to see what will happen when she finally loses her virginity or what happens when we meet her father on the strip.

[Carl-E]

Remember how she reacted to the Wikipedia article about head lice.

And steve's beard.  What a freakout! 

(yes, I'm bearded). 

[Delirium]

If she outgrew her OCD she would be quite interesting. It would be better if she were to go back on her meds or we saw her at some of her therapy sessions. I really miss the direction her character was headed when she was first introduced. She might have more friends now but now she is so, boring. I really want to see what will happen when she finally loses her virginity or what happens when we meet her father on the strip.

de-flanderized Hanners would be awesome to see again. The OCD gags were nice for a while, but I'd like to see some variety.

[Is it cold in here?]

What role would she play if not in the "OCD Chick" role?

She could be the smart but naive one, or the rich but unpretentious one. But so far her character has been defined by the dialectic between her illness and her struggle against it.

[Coffee_Kaioken]

blah blah I should make a reference to the book "Kissing doorknobs" which was awesome blah

Nor do I think Jeph, as someone who suffers from OCD himself

WAAATTTT.

[jonarus_drakus]

You wern't aware? Jeph has (comparitively mild) OCD, and (was at least at one point, not sure now tho) on medication for anxiety or some such.

Jeph, I feel your pain, i may not be 'officialy diagnosed' but i know i gots my issues, i mean yesterday i had a mild panic attack coz it was windy and i kept getting dust in my face... NOT FUN!

[Yaezakura]

I'd be kinda sad if Hanners changed too much. She's my favorite character. ^_^

[Is it cold in here?]

Jeph's too, as of the last time someone asked him.

[CanYouLetItOut?]

I really want to see what will happen when she finally loses her virginity or what happens when we meet her father on the strip.

Agreed. I don't know if it is creepy or not, but I would like to see her reaction to sex...but not with how she is now. I think that that would be too much for her.

Well...Hanners is my favorite character, but I agree that her OCD should be toned down a little. It can be severe without being too overpowering. One thing I don't want to change, however, is naivety ( That's a word...right? ._. ). For me at least, that's the biggest part of her charm.

As for a relationship...well, I'd have to admit that I think that Marten and Hanners should be together. I think it might be able to work out with lots of tweaking. For instance, stronger medication for Hanners and lots of patience for Marten ( As if he didn't have that already  )

[epoch]

I'd have to admit that I think that Marten and Hanners should be together.

That is almost worse than the Marigold/Hanners idea. My goodness.

[Is it cold in here?]

Hannelore's childlike naivete is cute, but it would be horrible to have a child who never grew up. Let's enjoy this stage of her life while it lasts, and root for her to become savvier.

[epoch]

I agree. She's been stuck in the same state of mind for too long, she should have at least made some progress. Though, I suppose she is becoming more sociable, what with the whole Marigold thing.

[Is it cold in here?]

She has made progress though, and at a believable rate. Remember when her shrink had to squirt her with a water pistol to make her stop alphabetizing the shrink's bookshelves? Or compare her problems approaching Marten to her willingness, admittedly with Momo-tan's help, to make friends with Marigold.

[Pypoli]

I'm impressed by how little she freaked out at the "lez out" reference. A few months back she would've ran out of there screaming and disappeared in her apartment for a few months.

[Heavyoak]

I'm impressed by how little she freaked out at the "lez out" reference. A few months back she would've ran out of there screaming and disappeared in her apartment for a few months.

what would have been cuter is if she had giggled.

[Dliessmgg]

Hanners does not work that way! [/fight against windmills]

[Is it cold in here?]

Didn't she giggle at Sven's come-hither look?

[Moxie]

Yes she did. Sheen! 

[Surgoshan]

She didn't giggle, she snrked and then guffawed.

[Is it cold in here?]

Looking at the strip again, I have to agree.

[Carl-E]

Doesn't count, Sven's aim was off.  Come hither looks aimed at  other people tend to look silly! 

[Moxie]

In other words, she found his 'come hither' look to be amusing, which I think was point?

[Dliessmgg]

That look has no body fluids involved.

[Surgoshan]

Actually, smarm is 99% moist.

[Carl-E]

the other 1% is equal parts insincerety and charm...

[Tuitsuro]

Hannelore's OCD is functional, which basically comes down to she can do most things as long as she doesn't have to think about it.  That comes in part from her having a social life; the fact is that because she has a lot of support from friends, she doesn't focus on the OCD as much.  The more isolated a person with a mental disorder is, the more magnified the symptoms are; that's why mental hospitals are primarily group settings.  So, she's a lot better than she was before.  But, don't mistake functional OCD as cured, or even well-managed.  All it would take is for stress to kick into her life and her OCD would likely jump back into overdrive. 

[Is it cold in here?]

It's easier to do something if you've done it before. Hannelore's practice at being functional won't prevail against a brain chemistry storm, but it will help her in the future.

[Blackjoker]

This might be a strange question but looking at it a certain way Hannelore is also somewhat dependant on her OCD or at the very least it is a part of how she supports herself (cash infusions from her mother notwithstanding). Overcoming her OCD isn't a matter of somehow repressing it, she has to be able to harness and control it so that it doesn't dominate chunks of her life. But due to how much of it is kind of depended on it does sort of change how she'd overcome it. (former psyche major talking here) That might also be one of her biggest stumbling blocks, it would be like a manic depressive writer who tends to do their best work during shifts in that cycle finding that they can't produce anything as good when medically stabilized.

[Carl-E]

Most bipolar people will tell you that they do their best work in their up cycles.  To outside observers, it's usually incomprehensible and full of seriously rash decisions that don't work out. 

It's when the outside world agrees that your best work is in your swings that causes problems.  Witness Hazel in GWS

As for OCD, management is usually the best you can hope for, whiich is the case for most psychological problems.  Sufferers will tell you, they're never cured, it's a matter of coping.  Depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alchololism, they never "go away", but they can be managed, sometimes with medicinal help, sometimes with other therapies, usually with a lot of support from family and friends.  The recent increase of dependence on meds over the last 20 years or so has lead to the myth of a cure.  Even Freud and Jung knew better! 

[MrMonk]

Most bipolar people will tell you that they do their best work in their up cycles.  To outside observers, it's usually incomprehensible and full of seriously rash decisions that don't work out.

What he said.