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To her house.

To her parents house.

To the internet!

To a game store.

To a Game Stop.

To a new character, because there aren't enough already.

To Capcom headquarters.

To Marten

To the batmobile.

To the barricades.

To the moon.

[ElvisRevenge]

I can't say I'm surprised that Clinton said what he said when he said it. The man is basically without tact. Remember how he talked to Hanners the first few times they encountered one-another. Dude can be major league creepy/awkward/inappropriate/rude/mean (any combo of the five) at times, if not most of the times we've seen him so far. It doesn't make him unlikable, because I have no doubt he's good-intentioned when he acts that way, but of course, that doesn't make it right to behave that way. He owes Claire a massive apology, after she verbally rips him to microscopic bits.

[ElvisRevenge]

Also, upon zoom-in, it appears there's still a couple pills left in the bottle.

[Method of Madness]

I'm not trying to equate the two, but I'm surprised how harsh the forum is towards Clinton when he fucks up trying to help, but plays off anything Claire does to Clinton. Like I said, not the same, but Clinton's intentions are good (at least I think they are) while Claire never hesitates to use Clinton for a joke. Plus, as wrong as he was, Clinton probably assumed she told him because she wanted him to talk to Marten about it because she was too nervous to. His execution of course, was awful, but hopefully this is resolved at least a little by week's end (after another episode of the Steve Cereal Saga).

[cesium133]

Nah, this time Steve will be eating bacon and eggs.

[Method of Madness]

Yeah, but Steve's Breakfast Bonanza isn't as alliterative.

[Valdís]

I'm not trying to equate the two, but I'm surprised how harsh the forum is towards Clinton when he fucks up trying to help, but plays off anything Claire does to Clinton. Like I said, not the same, but Clinton's intentions are good (at least I think they are) while Claire never hesitates to use Clinton for a joke.

Good thing you realize that, because it matters. Personal dynamics are important. Just because saying something about one person doesn't mean it's okay for another. For instance if Clinton was severely traumatized by his lack of a hand and not dealing well with it psychologically at all...we'd react differently to an interjecting joke than when he reacts with mild annoyance at sibling-teasing. It's a matter of what's appropriate in the context of a relationship. This is not appropriate behaviour given Claire's responses to being treated like that.

Clearly, since she was having a panic attack.

[Just Karen]

Also, is this strip alluding to the thing with how trans folks have lots of mental problems when transitioning and taking the drugs?

More of a case that it's a nerve-wracking experience. Mental problems are something best dealt with beforehand.
Though the hormonally-induced mood-swings do take some getting used to for the gals, while the guys suddenly get introduced to Mr Supercharged Male Libido. Basically, nothing everyone else doesn't go through during puberty, just sped up a bit. OK, a lot. And intensified. On the other hand, they're older, more mature, so can probably cope better than 12-15 yr olds.

I've never taken an anti-anxiety drug. There were times during my transition where I could have used them, but as my metabolism was so screwed up, the very time I needed them most was the time it was most risky medically to take any. When it was safe, I didn't need them.

Hmm.  That's almost the exact opposite of how I handled things (which is how my therapist suggested); his theory was that once the OMG big issue was cleared up I'd be better equipped to handle the rest - and the transition clarified what was and was not "real" as far as issues go.

(Asperger's, OCD, mild anxiety, severe resentment issues, inferiority complex, SUPERIORITY complex, ...  I'm kind of a piece of work.  Oh yeah, and a dead-wrong diagnosis as a sociopath by a ConFem therapist.)

On topic - Poor Claire.  And Marten should probably GTFO; he's very nice, but he's also part of the anxiety source.  If it were me I'd still be panicking just due to his presence and the connection between him and the source of the panic.

[Smallest]

On topic - Poor Claire.  And Marten should probably GTFO; he's very nice, but he's also part of the anxiety source.  If it were me I'd still be panicking just due to his presence and the connection between him and the source of the panic.

Which is what I was trying to get at (in part) with my textual panic attack! Yay, someone agrees.

[Is it cold in here?]

Am I the only one that noticed that the Ativan bottle is empty?

Jeph has done a bit with alcohol abuse in the past, perhaps he is setting up a drug dependency...

Welcome, observant person!

We can hope the Ativan are too small to see or that Jeph didn't draw them or that the bottle was almost empty to begin with. Dear FSM we can hope so.

Since nothing happened there must be something about this triggering another experience in Claire.

[westrim]

I'm not trying to equate the two, but I'm surprised how harsh the forum is towards Clinton when he fucks up trying to help, but plays off anything Claire does to Clinton. Like I said, not the same, but Clinton's intentions are good (at least I think they are) while Claire never hesitates to use Clinton for a joke. Plus, as wrong as he was, Clinton probably assumed she told him because she wanted him to talk to Marten about it because she was too nervous to. His execution of course, was awful, but hopefully this is resolved at least a little by week's end (after another episode of the Steve Cereal Saga).

Double standards are fun!

It's been pretty much forgotten that her first appearances also showed her to be a jackass, but character development, especially her reveal, made her a lot more sympathetic and she's been downgraded to light snarking. Clinton hasn't gotten as much development to make him more sympathetic (unless your name is Hannelore). His appearances are still about 75% making a mess/ cleaning up after it.

[Method of Madness]

Is it weird that my thoughts immediately went to the Happy Toaster? (I hope Steve has one somehow if we go back to his breakfast!)

[katharsys]

Since nothing happened there must be something about this triggering another experience in Claire.

Nothing more than can be explained away by extreme embarrassment at both her brother's lack of social tact and at the actions of snuggling up in the first place. Add to that maybe a history of panic attacks deriving from social phobias (thus the on hand ativan prescription)

When I was about 7 years-old, I used to hang out the back window of my mother's car, barking like a dog at the top of my lungs... My poor older sister (15 at the time) was slouched all the way down in the front seat, and was looking to see if she could escape through the floorboards of the car. Her complete, total and utter embarrassment when that happened is a good analogy of what happened here.

[Madmartigan]

I'm not trying to equate the two, but I'm surprised how harsh the forum is towards Clinton when he fucks up trying to help, but plays off anything Claire does to Clinton. Like I said, not the same, but Clinton's intentions are good (at least I think they are) while Claire never hesitates to use Clinton for a joke. Plus, as wrong as he was, Clinton probably assumed she told him because she wanted him to talk to Marten about it because she was too nervous to. His execution of course, was awful, but hopefully this is resolved at least a little by week's end (after another episode of the Steve Cereal Saga).

Double standards are fun!

It's been pretty much forgotten that her first appearances also showed her to be a jackass, but character development, especially her reveal, made her a lot more sympathetic and she's been downgraded to light snarking. Clinton hasn't gotten as much development to make him more sympathetic (unless your name is Hannelore). His appearances are still about 75% making a mess/ cleaning up after it.

It is a very strange problem I've seen with a lot of people here.  They get all uptight and personal about some characters actions, while forgoing the bad things some of those characters did.  Double-standard for sure.  I heard an ear-full of it when I made my dislike of Tai when she and Dora hooked up.  And in a couple other moments.

Clinton is like Claire.  Clinton just worse more so in social settings.  Doubt the dude had many friends, if any,  either to learn tact in social settings or just friendships in general. 

But anyway, this moment right here is why I don't understand all the Marten/Claire ship-o-rama.  Claire isn't ready for any romance, and I don't think Marten is a good option because even if Marten 'did' have romantic interest, I don't think it'd last.  And really, Claire's character really just needs a stable friend without the "romantic drama".  Marten is better in that role than a love interest.

[Near Lurker]

I don't see Claire coming off as an ass.  A little high-strung, but she'd never do anything like this.

[Rghfrgl]

 The only times I thought Claire came off as bad was a few times like 'Sure if you WANT to be the worst son ever'. Which I kind of blew it off as less her and more 'Questionable Content has sarcastic snarky punchlines' and she was the wrong person to be delivering those punchlines. Perhaps there is some bias there, looking for a excuse since I otherwise think she's adorable, though I don't think it's a invalid excuse.

Though now that she's actual smiling more(See: Face she made right before Clinton dropped the bomb, same one she used at the wedding) instead of furrowing her brow and sticking her lip up I think she can pull those punchlines off now.

As for Clinton treatment I never really thought much of that. He's been the butt of a lot of jokes in general.

[K1dmor]

 I Have the feeling that this is gonna end like 1642.

[Storel]

See, I never thought the "worst son ever" remark was intended in a mean way; it seemed pretty clear that it was a joking, teasing remark, the sort you might make to a friend who was in danger of missing his father's wedding because he never opened his mail. The sort I might make, anyway, and I'm a pretty nice, easygoing guy.

I agree Marten should hold off on any physical contact with her at the moment. At most, if the Ativan seems to be helping enough, sit and talk with her in a very calm, friendly way; otherwise just back off and let her recover.

BTW, nice pun in the comic's title. 

[Just Karen]

Since nothing happened there must be something about this triggering another experience in Claire.

Not necessarily.  I've been known to have panic attacks when women with children in tow use the same restroom I do, and there's no association there.  (I'm pseudostealth; I'm only out as T to a third of my coworkers, and we share a restroom with the rest of the floor...)

[Kugai]

The problem with Clinton is he's one of those guys who occasionally has a tendency to open his mouth before engaging his brain regardless of the consequences.  I'm surprised that this hasn't gotten him a few broken teeth before now.

[westrim]

I Have the feeling that this is gonna end like 1642.

I don't see what the English Civil War has to do with anything.

[Smallest]

The problem with Clinton is he's one of those guys who occasionally has a tendency to open his mouth before engaging his brain regardless of the consequences.  I'm surprised that this hasn't gotten him a few broken teeth before now.

It has, he replaced them with better, mechanical teeth though.

[Blood-Tree]

I don't see what the English Civil War has to do with anything.

Well, I do see what the English Civil War hasn't to do with everything.

[Redball]

See, I never thought the "worst son ever" remark was intended in a mean way; it seemed pretty clear that it was a joking, teasing remark, the sort you might make to a friend who was in danger of missing his father's wedding because he never opened his mail.

I caught that reference. I'm surprised, amazed, that anyone else in this forum would read Sally Forth.

[Akima]

Good thing you realize that, because it matters. Personal dynamics are important. Just because saying something about one person doesn't mean it's okay for another. For instance if Clinton was severely traumatized by his lack of a hand and not dealing well with it psychologically at all...we'd react differently to an interjecting joke than when he reacts with mild annoyance at sibling-teasing. It's a matter of what's appropriate in the context of a relationship. This is not appropriate behaviour given Claire's responses to being treated like that.

Yes. I'm not sure if we know how far Claire had discussed her background with people outside her family before doing so with Marten. This might be very new ground for an protective brother to navigate. Especially when he's not exactly Mr. Smooth in the first place, as we know from his reaction to Hannelore.

[mtmerrick]

I don't see what the English Civil War has to do with anything.

Well, I do see what the English Civil War hasn't to do with everything.

CEASE THIS ASSAULT UPON THE SYNTAX OF THE ENGLISH IMMEDIATELY

[TinPenguin]

By order of the king, this syntax has been dissolved.

[cesium133]

...in sulfuric acid.

[Zebediah]

Why are civil wars always so uncivil?

[Masterpiece]

Sorry, but I don't see how this is helping her address her feelings.

[TinPenguin]

Why are civil wars always so uncivil?

And why are sibling wars always so sibilant?

[bhtooefr]

(click to show/hide)

- Start the day knowing you have to make an embarrassing, personal statement to your little brother, who you know is protective and a bit socially awkward. I think this would make anyone nervous.
- Get with him. Start sweating, make small talk, then blurt it out.
- He takes it okay! Yay! This might be okay!
- Suddenly you run into the subject of said personal conversation. Automatic heart-sinking feeling. This cannot go good. Does he know? What will he say? Fidget, look away.
- He breaks the ice with normal conversation. Heart still pounding kind of loud, but yay, it's going normal.
- Brother mentions the elephant you've been avoiding. Automatically barfy feeling, your heart starts pouding, voice dies, and you hide to try and calm yourself down so others don't see you amess.
- Subject finds you amess. Eek. Horrible. Heart pounds, feel dizzy and scared and embarrassed all over again, but worse. (this is the point we are at in comic, where she takes the ativan)
Scenario One: No Ativan
- Subject awkwardly tries to breech the problem. You try really hard not to cry, because although you are not sad or even embarrassed enough to cry, your brain is doing a billion emotions and you're so confused that it hurts and you can't talk without sounding like you'll cry.
- Brother and/or subject try to help you. You feel both incompetent and all the horrible emotions from before, plus the embarrassment grows exponentially.
- You peak and do one or several of: pass out, grow hysterical, hide until calming down, or something else

Situation Two: Ativan
- You put a tiny pill under your tongue and sit quietly as you feel it dissolve.
- The familiar feeling and concentrating on the pill decimating help distract you from the situation at hand.
- Tennish minutes later, you take a few deep breaths. This will be okay.
- You try to sort out the situation productively, embarrassed but functional

Hmm.

Completely offtopic, but you might have just helped me figure out what's wrong with me vis-ŕ-vis potentially romantic situations, with that description right there. (Not on any sort of medication (last time I was on any medication for behavior modification, I was like 6 or 7, and it was clonidine (not effective for what they were trying, it just made me sleepy (by lowering blood pressure), which made me cranky, and my parents took me off of it and never looked back)) and never have been for any kind of anxiety, and haven't been in therapy for a while, but... maybe I should be?)

Let's just say that basically every time I've been in a situation where I was interested in someone romantically, and trying to interact with them in any more than a platonic way, THAT would happen. Which basically meant that I would spend MONTHS hovering on the edge of trying to go beyond just a platonic relationship, which is painfully obvious and ends up coming off as creepy as fuck, and then it eventually drives them away from me. And once, that happened with a coworker... and it was like that every day for a year, until I left my job, because I was going insane (I got therapy for that much, to the point that I could at least function, and wasn't suicidal). Which means I now avoid romantic attachment altogether.

Thank you for posting that, it gives me something to frame my experiences with, and now that I know that it is a problem and not just me wimping out, maybe I can get help. (I'm honestly to the point where I don't care that much about relationships any more, but if I change my mind...)

[Smallest]

I'm glad it was helpful to you, and as Jeph and his characters often say, therapy never hurts.

[Toe]

Is there anyone in this strip that isn't medicated?

I'm wondering when we'll see the first AnthroPC that either talks to a shrink or is on happy pills.

Have a problem? You need another pill! It's the American way!

[mtmerrick]

At least some AnthroPCs will ask for medical marijuana RAM supplements.

[Smallest]

Is there anyone in this strip that isn't medicated?

Have a problem? You need another pill! It's the American way!

Please say that this is in reference to american culture in general and not to the few characters who are taking medication correctly to help them medically.

[Kixie]

I'm wondering when we'll see the first AnthroPC that either talks to a shrink or is on happy pills.

Have a problem? You need another pill! It's the American way!

I think they'd just require an adjustment to their RAM.

[Storel]

See, I never thought the "worst son ever" remark was intended in a mean way; it seemed pretty clear that it was a joking, teasing remark, the sort you might make to a friend who was in danger of missing his father's wedding because he never opened his mail.

I caught that reference. I'm surprised, amazed, that anyone else in this forum would read Sally Forth.

Okay, you lost me there. I do actually read "Sally Forth" now and then, because the local paper carries it (and I'm enough of a fogey to still read newspapers), but I didn't catch any reference to it. I was only talking about the QC strip (mentioned earlier) where Marten says "Maybe I should open that 'Save the date!' card they sent me," and Claire or whoever says "Unless you WANT to be, like, the worst son ever." Or words to that effect.

[westrim]

I think they'd just require an adjustment to their RAM.

Ha, a gigabyte! That's hilarious!

In how many years will Momo only having what, 97 terabytes of storage, seem crazy low?

[Method of Madness]

Well one is just becoming standard (or at least standard enough) now. I think the biggest single hard drive is what, 3 or 4 TB? I think the focus now is on SSD drives, though, so there'll be a while before the cost per TB is lowered considerably before larger drives are feasible. (NB: I may not know what I'm talking about)

[bhtooefr]

There's also hybrid approaches, implemented in both software (OS-based caching (Windows ReadyBoost), driver-based caching (Intel Turbo Memory, that flopped), filesystem-based file location optimization (Apple Fusion Drive)) and hardware (hybrid drives) for combining the speed of SSDs with the capacity of hard drives.

I also wonder if there's going to be some ageism against older AIs that have less storage available. Then again, chassis swaps are easy, so...

[mtmerrick]

Please do not confuse hard drive /SSD storage space with RAM guys. It's enough to make a geek like myself get the twitches.

[bhtooefr]

Very very true, and I can't believe I didn't catch that jump.

(Then again, if Momo were an IBM mainframe, 97 TB of storage would actually be RAM, "storage" being IBMese for RAM.)

[mtmerrick]

Ok,  but an anthroPC is most definitely not an IBM mainframe

[Tova]

I'm not trying to equate the two, but I'm surprised how harsh the forum is towards Clinton when he fucks up trying to help, but plays off anything Claire does to Clinton. Like I said, not the same, but Clinton's intentions are good (at least I think they are) while Claire never hesitates to use Clinton for a joke. Plus, as wrong as he was, Clinton probably assumed she told him because she wanted him to talk to Marten about it because she was too nervous to. His execution of course, was awful, but hopefully this is resolved at least a little by week's end (after another episode of the Steve Cereal Saga).

Double standards are fun!

It's been pretty much forgotten that her first appearances also showed her to be a jackass, but character development, especially her reveal, made her a lot more sympathetic and she's been downgraded to light snarking. Clinton hasn't gotten as much development to make him more sympathetic (unless your name is Hannelore). His appearances are still about 75% making a mess/ cleaning up after it.

Don't worry, not all of us have forgotten just how unpopular she was when she first appeared. It's also worth noting how Clinton is still swinging wildly between world's greatest brother and the devil incarnate. So, if by character development you mean "we have gotten to know her better", I agree. People just like to show knee-jerk reactions around here.

I feel badly for Claire, but I thought I'd just throw in a thought for Clinton earlier because no-one else seems to care, and he's probably feeling pretty shitty about what he's done right about now.

[bhtooefr]

Ok,  but an anthroPC is most definitely not an IBM mainframe

You sure about that?

(If she was a bank AI, she was almost surely running on IBM System z hardware.)

[mtmerrick]

Derp. 

I meant to say a companion AI anthroPC.

[Kugai]

I don't see what the English Civil War has to do with anything.

Well, I do see what the English Civil War hasn't to do with everything.

Yeah, it's not as if we're expecting the Spanish Inquisiton

[Method of Madness]

Nobody ever does.

[Is it cold in here?]

Is an "Inquisiton" an elementary particle of inquisitiveness?

It really seems like criticism of Claire boils down to disliking her for jumping to conclusions, something plenty of us do.

[Method of Madness]

(Not the one you were expecting.)