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Faye catches Marigold reading Slash

2 (2.4%)

Tai WROTE "Quidditch Field Idyll"

3 (3.7%)

WILL YOU SIGN MY NETBOOK

4 (4.9%)

"It's really good though!"

0 (0%)

Wanna come to dinner?

1 (1.2%)

Marigold has no idea, does she?

24 (29.3%)

Novel Euphemism

10 (12.2%)

It's got lots of potential!

0 (0%)

B-but yea, TONS of potential!

4 (4.9%)

You have to show people WHY it's sexy.

4 (4.9%)

Ron... and SNAPE...

16 (19.5%)

I give up.

14 (17.1%)

Total Members Voted: 70

[AnAverageWriter]

Mark-

After jwhouk made his post, I realized that this argument was just going around and around and around. There's no point in spending more and more days arguing about it when nobody is going to change their mind. I'm just sitting back and seeing what Jeph does next.

Arguing so much just sucks the fun out of the comic.

[ysth]

So, how 'bout those U.S. elections, huh?

[iduguphergrave]

Yeah because politics is totally less of a minefield topic 


SO HOW ABOUT THEM RED SOX ARE THEY A BASEBALL TEAM OR WHAT (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=201)

[Near Lurker]

There is nothing wrong with what Tai is doing.  What we have here is... failure to communicate.  Specifically, Marigold really ought to have realized by now that Tai's meant or taken everything they've said since "experiment" as a double entendre.  Tai hasn't realized Marigold's in the dark, and frankly, if Mar hadn't previously been established as straight and/or a bit naïve, I wouldn't have, either.

And Jesus Christ, has anything in this comic suggested Tai would take advantage of a drunk girl, let alone get someone drunk for that purpose?

[AsinineAxioms]

So, how 'bout those U.S. elections, huh?

Generally shitty. Typical Luddite reactionaries.
Where America as a country is making a giant mistake is neglecting the moderates in favor of partisan extremism. Which isn't anything new in American history, I realize, but it's getting worse and worse. It's getting to a point where moderates of both the Democrat and Republican parties are being alienated. Without the appeal of the moderate base, both parties are going to end up choking themselves to death. I'm no political expert, but I predict that there's going to be a rise of a new, strong political party sometime within the next decade or so that will appeal to the people in America who haven't lost their sanity.
AsinineEdit: And the so-called Tea Party doesn't count because it's made up of a bunch of old grumpy GOP members.
[/citation needed]
[/vague allusion to Rally to Restore Sanity]
[/off topic]

Anyways- I would argue that there's evidence that Tai wouldn't take advantage of anybody, or at least, not on purpose. While she might display selfish characteristics (and an unbridled libido), she hasn't shown a tendency to act on those characteristics, though she certainly cracks a lot of jokes about them. I might go as far as to say that Tai is the one who's been wronged by others, and that she's been taken advantage of by various Smif suitemates whose names I cannot remember due to sleep deprivation delirium. So there's a possibility that Tai will take out that frustration by taking advantage of Marigold; reasonably speaking, there's a higher probability that she will not.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Goddaaaaaaaaaaaaamn people calm it DOWN in here, save some rage for when Jeph puts the new comic out, I mean shit

I do not in the least buy this line about "Oh, Tai was only kidding when she made those creepy passes at Dora in front of Marten." I have seen people do that. They're marking territory--they're telling you, in the least subtle way possible, that they are gunning for your significant other the minute you fuck up. It's exactly what it sounds like, where I come from.

...Perversely, that may be why I kind of like the idea of Tai x Marigold, that she will leave Dora and Marten alone. As well as my desire to see Mar-bear hook up with someone successfully, the girl deserves better than an endless string of Life Lessons. She should get to have some fun. And, frankly, if Tai can pull it off, more power to her, because Mar really is unattached and inexperienced. Hell, she could really help Tai get out of the polyamorous lifestyle Tai seems to have fallen out of love with.

Where do you come from? All I know is that it's not space.

And if all the flowers at the college can't keep Tai occupied, I don't think Marigold can.

From Seattle. Which may be why I don't see the joking cause this city in and of itself is pretty socially retarded. D:

As for all the flowers at the college...well, I mean, her dating pool so far has been "young polyamorous college chicks who do not seem to take shit seriously". She may just be sick of that type of girl, and Mar-bear is a very, very different type of girl.

Then again, maybe Tai will slap a ho for being needy and wanting to cuddle and shit, because Tai the Stone Cold Pimp got no TIME for that, she has a LIBRARY TO RUN

[AnAverageWriter]

Goddaaaaaaaaaaaaamn people calm it DOWN in here, save some rage for when Jeph puts the new comic out, I mean shit

Indeed.

The argument could roll for days, weeks... who knows how long, dragging the enjoyment of the comic out of the arguers, with no resolution, just anger.

And that's just not fun for anyone.

[Doctor Online]

And that's just not fun for anyone.

Are you kidding me? Anyone else want me to pass some popcorn around? I have plenty.

Edit for the new comic: See guys, it wasn't so bad. Gosh. 

[Skewbrow]

Is there an Ignore function on this board? Just out of curiosity.

Dunno. But we have a brigade of sweepers. Some people might benefit from taking some of that medicine ------ly.

Groan ahead, couldn't resist using Border Reiver's brainchild.

[ysth]

Pay no attention to the window behind the curtain.

[Is it cold in here?]

Tai trying to spare someone's feelings contributes to our knowledge of her character.

Interesting that Marigirl doesn't measure up to Jimbo's writing in Tai's eyes.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

1.) Marigold's faces in the last four panels are so fucking adorable I could DIE *d'awwws*

2.) Poor Tai. I know, from being on both ends of the editor-writer equation, that editing/beta-reading is no mean feat. Especially when something sucks.

3.) You know what will soften the harsh criticisms? Some girl-girl EROTICISMS AW YISSSS

...shuttin' up now

[St.Clair]

Liar.

[helloandgoodbye]

  Well, it says something that Tai thinks Marigold's fanfic is bad when her own fanfic--from what was read aloud--seemed pretty purple prose-y itself.

  Dr. ROLFPWN has the right idea.

[Akima]

Super facial expressions in today's strip. I remember a crappy Eddie Murphy film where he had to negotiate an obstacle course over a bottomless void. That is the path of "constructive criticism".

Tai trying to spare someone's feelings contributes to our knowledge of her character. Interesting that Marigirl doesn't measure up to Jimbo's writing in Tai's eyes.

Indeed it does, and in a positive way too. And Jimbo is a published author, after all.

[Odal]

I haven't read most of this thread, but I did want to poke in and comment about how I think Jeph likes to torture, not only his characters, but his readers as well!  xD

Tai trying to spare someone's feelings contributes to our knowledge of her character.

Interesting that Marigirl doesn't measure up to Jimbo's writing in Tai's eyes.

OR, from a writing perspective, often times people could have great ideas but not have the means to communicate them, usually as a result of not enough practice in writing (or reading).  Hence the emphasis on "TONS of potential"  We'll have to see if Tai's criticism is that deep.  It wouldn't suprise me given that she seems to be a reader.

It's interesting how much your mind's eye will understand what you mean when you write, but others will read it from an objective pov and interpret it differently.  The internet is a good example of that.  And that's even more reason to proof-read everything even if it's a silly comment on a forum about a comic.  One well placed typo can destroy an entire forum post and, quite possibly, the entire forum!

[raoullefere]

Having been where Tai is at the moment (so far as reading someone's horrid prose and yet not wanting to crush their clearly frail ego), I can relate. First time I've liked Tai in I-don't-know-when. Which is really important to her well-being, I know. Still…

Tai trying to spare someone's feelings contributes to our knowledge of her character.

Interesting that Marigirl doesn't measure up to Jimbo's writing in Tai's eyes.

Jimbo is apparently one of those rare geniuses of bad writing, creating something so bad, so horribly over the top that it's worth reading just to see how far he'll take it. It's apparently something like Springtime for Hitler. You read it (as opposed to watching the entire musical, in SfH's case) because you can't freaking believe this guy got published, and you want to see what horrible atrocity he's going to do next. In a way, Stephanie Meyers's "Sparkly Vampire Tales" are like that to me.

I'm guessing that Marigold is simply average bad.

I think that Dora used to be a good, if sometimes selfish person. A while back she started to see herself as a kind of mentor to Hanners, helping her with the "Party Favours" thing and helping get her a job. She seems to have decided to take Mari under her wing too, but I think that she's being too controlling of them. I think she sometimes does things that are in HER best interests without thinking of others, and I think this is a dick move. I think she WANTS to help Mari and Hanners, I just think she doesn't know how, but assumes she knows best. For example, when Mari found out about Faye and Angus, Hanners wanted to go and comfort her. Hanners is Mari's best friend, but instead of letting the obvious choice go, Dora stopped her and went herself because she had more experience. I think that the fact she does have more experience (and let us not forget, very unhealthy experience) with relationships makes her think that she knows best and therefore can tell them how best to handle things. In some situations this is probably true, but in others, I think she does what SHE deems best, not what is necessarily best.

Who, may I ask, can do anything other than what they 'deem best'? How is she supposed to know this fabled what 'is' best? All Dora can know, as can any of us, is what she knows, not, what you, the reader know. You're asking the character to make a judgment that's impossible to her, then condemning her for it.

Dora has problems and she makes mistakes, and some of her worst problems are coming to a head right now because she's taking a chance (rather than breaking things off with Marten the way she expected to). She is certainly not a saint, although I can think of one incident that comes close to qualifying her for it, and she certainly lacks any god-like perspective that allows her to see what 'is best,' whatever the hell that happens to be. Heaven help us, don't we all?

Edit:

Super facial expressions in today's strip. I remember a crappy Eddie Murphy film where he had to negotiate an obstacle course over a bottomless void. That is the path of "constructive criticism".

Geez, can you be more general—I can only think of five  Eddie Murphy films, offhand, that weren't crappy (sorry, I couldn't pass by a chance to slam EM—his film career has done far too much to me). You mean The Golden Child.

[eyosgkxb]

Booooring.

This didn't help any of the discussion until this point.

[Durin]

Then again, maybe Tai will slap a ho for being needy and wanting to cuddle and shit, because Tai the Stone Cold Pimp got no TIME for that, she has a LIBRARY TO RUN

Best post in this entire thread.

[Kugai]

The poster in the background says it all.

At least she's trying to let Marigold down gently.

[snubnose]

"I can take it if it sucks, ..."

No. You cant. Nobody can. I thought the same and I couldnt either.

Being told one sucks at writing is hard to take, no matter how many illusions one had one could take it.

[LeeC]

once panel 4 came into view I knew this wasnt going to end well for Marigold's dreams/fantasies.

[ecstaticjoy]

I really like where this is going.

[srpilha]

Super facial expressions in today's strip. I remember a crappy Eddie Murphy film where he had to negotiate an obstacle course over a bottomless void. That is the path of "constructive criticism".

"It's at 8 o'clock, but I don't think I can make it."

Or at least that's what the Portuguese-dubbed version I saw more times than is healthy vor any VHS equipment or my brains translates to, in one of the many, many scenes I remember too clearly to mention anywhere outside the internet.

Also it feels unsettlingly weird that a (the?) Chinese girl around should mention that particular EddieMurphy film. You won't catch me taking Anaconda out of the shadows. o_O


Oh, and about the comic: Never has Tai's mind been easier to read. BONER KILLERRRRRRRR
Aw, poor girls.

[Olymander]

Well, Tai's apparently still in English Lit major mode... and unless she's totally inept at reading social cues while sober, I don't think we're going to end up with the catastrophe that was feared.  Well, unless she actually is some sort of totally selfish monster that won't mind being totally ostracized if this comes out.

[no one special]

Joel's Law, people.

"If you're wondering you wonder how he eats and breathes
And other science facts (tra la-la-la)
Then repeat to yourself You should tell yourself 'It's just a show,
I should really just probably relax'..."

Sorry, had to do it - total MST3K geek here.

According to your logic, guys who watch porn together want to fuck each-other's brains out.

Oh, but they do. 

TOTALLY agree.  You only watch adult movies in the same room with someone you want to bone. 

I mean, think about it:  Adult movies sexually excite the people watching them.  So now you've got two sexually excited people in the same room.  Why would you want that, if you're not gonna try to put that sexual energy to good use?   

[no one special]

Oh, and about the comic: Never has Tai's mind been easier to read. BONER KILLERRRRRRRR

Damn, you said it first.  All the sexual tension INSTANTLY vacated the premises via the Giant Sucking Sound created by Marigold's writing. 

[Border Reiver]

Apparently, I need to move my viewing point from the comic to the forums for the true wrecks - or I need more beer.

[AsinineAxioms]

This comic is the latest in a series of strips that compound on Carl Jung's theory of collective unconsciousness.
Or in other words, I guess that every single character has the ability to make identical :3 faces.

[Technoir]

Here's a litmus test to see if you've read fanfic: "Still the prettiest!"  If you recognized that quote, you have.

[grumble] Not King yet. [/grumble]

I have been trying to find that for AGES! Like an idiot, I didn't download or bookmark it, and my subsequent googling for it over the last several years has produced naught.

All I remember are vague snippets and laughing maniacally at the extreme funneh.


There was another diary or such that I read a long time ago, where rather than being pervy hobbit-fanciers, they just ate a hobbit whenever they got hungry....still very funny, and a lot of similarities to the VSD.....

[Technoir]

I'm completely unaligned in this question ... just curious what happends next.

I'm not exactly unaligned. I hate it to say it, but Tai as a person is just... repulsive to me. It's not because she's gay, either. I'd have absolutely no problem if Marigold ended up with a nice girl. Heck, I think a Marigold/Raven or Marigold/Faye coupling would be awesome. But Tai? It's just... I don't know, I just feel like out of the entire cast (Vespavenger and Yelling Bird included), that Tai is the most unlikeable out of all of them. And Marigold is sweet and kind and...
I just feel like Tai doesn't deserve her.

Yeah, have to agree here. Mar-bear is so...naive?...in some ways, kinda like Hanners. They both seem to explore sexuality in more of an outsider/observer/researcher mode, although Marigold is far more likely to actually act on her impulses and actually have a physical relationship with another person.

Tai is just so...indiscriminate? She treats sexual partners as throw-aways that exist only for her own needs.  She comes, she sees, she conquers, she tosses aside and moves on.   A very (stereotypical) "guy" way to act, which I know opens me up to the whole stud/slut double standard argument.   I have no issue with women being open and free about their sexual adventures, but something about the way Tai goes about it just rubs me the wrong way.

[jwhouk]

Soooo....

...yeah, it's gonna end badly.    - 11 (12.8%)
Tai will make the move, and Mar will react poorly.    - 7 (8.1%)
Tai won't lead her on, and Mar will appreciate it.    - 0 (0%)
Marigold will be TOTALLY oblivious - and Tai will let it go.    - 23 (26.7%)
Mar will get a nudge from Momo about Tai's "intentions".    - 24 (27.9%)
TaiGold WILL come to pass! OTP!    - 8 (9.3%)
I still say Pintsize/ANYONE is worse.    - 10 (11.6%)
GOOGLE IT!    - 3 (3.5%)

Total Voters: 86

[Coco]

The poster in the background says it all.

At least she's trying to let Marigold down gently.

Tai was very sweet and gentle with Mari. It was a nice comic to wake up to, what with all the doom and gloom predictions and the character bashing/defending that had been going on for six! pages. After Mari's adorable faces today I hope she isn't too crestfallen when she learns just how difficult it is to write something people want to read.
I'm personally pulling for them to forge the first great fanfic writing team. Mari provides the characters and story and Tai provides the prose!

[laizeohbeets]

Here's a litmus test to see if you've read fanfic: "Still the prettiest!"  If you recognized that quote, you have.

[grumble] Not King yet. [/grumble]

I have been trying to find that for AGES! Like an idiot, I didn't download or bookmark it, and my subsequent googling for it over the last several years has produced naught.

All I remember are vague snippets and laughing maniacally at the extreme funneh.


There was another diary or such that I read a long time ago, where rather than being pervy hobbit-fanciers, they just ate a hobbit whenever they got hungry....still very funny, and a lot of similarities to the VSD.....

http://www.ealasaid.com/misc/vsd/ should help?

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

The poster in the background says it all.

At least she's trying to let Marigold down gently.

Tai was very sweet and gentle with Mari. It was a nice comic to wake up to, what with all the doom and gloom predictions and the character bashing/defending that had been going on for six! pages. After Mari's adorable faces today I hope she isn't too crestfallen when she learns just how difficult it is to write something people want to read.
I'm personally pulling for them to forge the first great fanfic writing team. Mari provides the characters and story and Tai provides the prose!

It can be like Phantom of the Opera! And then they can sing a duet in a labyrinth!

[tbones]

Pay no attention to the window behind the curtain.

what? It's closed? i don't get it 

Apparently, I need to move my viewing point from the comic to the forums for the true wrecks - or I need more beer.

... NEEDS MORE BEER!

[Border Reiver]

Anyone know where I can get the Scottish heritage beer "Alba" other than in the 4 packs with three other beers?

Other than Scotland that is.   That's a wee bit far for a beer run.

[raoullefere]

Tai was very sweet and gentle with Mari. It was a nice comic to wake up to, what with all the doom and gloom predictions and the character bashing/defending that had been going on for six! pages. After Mari's adorable faces today I hope she isn't too crestfallen when she learns just how difficult it is to write something people want to read.
I'm personally pulling for them to forge the first great fanfic writing team. Mari provides the characters and story and Tai provides the prose!

I was reading this, agreeing wholeheartedly until those last two sentences. Then I became frightened. Of all the things we need on the interwebs, more 'inevitable clefts' aren't, I feel, amongst them.

But Marigold could use a more worldly friend than Hanners. (By which I mean 'in addition to' not 'instead of') Also, one who doesn't feel she's years older than teh Goldfarmer. Perhaps immaturity can be a bonus at times.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Apropos of nothing, I want to note that Jeph just keeps getting better with his art, so big props to the Man himself. I read a link from not that far back, near the beginning of the Fayngus thing, and dang, Jeph keeps improving by leaps and bounds.

[Millennium]

There is nothing wrong with what Tai is doing.  What we have here is... failure to communicate.  Specifically, Marigold really ought to have realized by now that Tai's meant or taken everything they've said since "experiment" as a double entendre.  Tai hasn't realized Marigold's in the dark, and frankly, if Mar hadn't previously been established as straight and/or a bit naïve, I wouldn't have, either.

There's also an assumption here that the failure to communicate is still going both ways. What would Tai do if she figured out that Marigold hasn't got a clue, but didn't want the situation to collapse into Drama or Awkwardness? She'd probably do more or less what she's doing right now. It's not necessarily the smartest way to go about something like this, but it's intuitive and relatively non-risky.

If she was going to figure this out at all, this strip would really be the first opportunity for her to have done so. A lot of bad fanfiction makes it painfully obvious that the author has minimal (or zero) actual "experience," so Marigold's fanfiction stands to throw a lot of red flags. In any case, it's all already been decided, and we'll know in a few strips how it turns out.

[Monkey Says Yes]

Tai's doing great!  She's getting much farther than Jackie did with Robyn way back in Top 10 #1. 

[Near Lurker]

If she was going to figure this out at all, this strip would really be the first opportunity for her to have done so.

Her reaction to the phrase "novel euphemism" should have been a clue.

[kent_eh]

Anyone know where I can get the Scottish heritage beer "Alba" other than in the 4 packs with three other beers?

Other than Scotland that is.   That's a wee bit far for a beer run.

I think I've seen some Scottish beers on the shelf here in Manitoba.

[Coco]

Anyone know where I can get the Scottish heritage beer "Alba" other than in the 4 packs with three other beers?

Other than Scotland that is.   That's a wee bit far for a beer run.

I think I've seen some Scottish beers on the shelf here in Manitoba.

Should I? I might have to...

GOOGLE IT

http://www.bierkraft.com/albascotspineale330ml.aspx
Looks like it would be a wee bit expensive when you add shipping. The brewer only ships to mainland UK so this was the only option I found with a quick google. Unless we are against on-line shopping?
Also, this place makes me wish I lived in New York. The American beers alone take up three pages.
http://www.bierkraft.com/beerlist.aspx

[Heliphyneau]

Tai trying to spare someone's feelings contributes to our knowledge of her character. Interesting that Marigirl doesn't measure up to Jimbo's writing in Tai's eyes.

Indeed it does, and in a positive way too. And Jimbo is a published author, after all.

Ah, but there are many published authors whose work is truly awful, so that makes little difference.  Considering the example of Tai's own writing and her reactions in today's strip, Marigold's writing must be dire indeed.  Is it bad that Tai's expression in panel 4 is cracking me up the most?

Of all the things we need on the interwebs, more 'inevitable clefts' aren't, I feel, amongst them.

"He traced his finger down to the inevitable cleft of his palate . . ."

I guess that every single character has the ability to make identical :3 faces.

They certainly seem to have that ability, with the possible exceptions of the APCs (well, Momo could probably do it).  Personally, I would like to see some of the characters make the :B face instead.

[Bayley]

Ah, Jeph. The most autobiographical of your strips so far. And yes, I'm glad that our tryst is finally being acknowledged in QC. But what you didn't know is that I was actually an accomplished writer when I showed you that terrible fanfiction. I seduced you, Jeph. I SEDUCED YOU!

[akronnick]

Bayley wins this thread.

[cflores]

Mar's faces.

I wish we could see what her fanfic was like.  d:

[fifthfiend]

It's no-punchline Thursday

AT THE THUNDERDOME

[jwhouk]

What have they done to my thread????