Topic: WCDT: 2603-2607 (23-27 December 2013) Weekly Comics Discussion Thread (Read 22251 times)

jwhouk · « **on:** 22 Dec 2013, 05:34 »

Here's the thread. Poll options to be expanded upon. I put a ? by the strip numbers because I'm not sure if Jeph is counting that "bonus strip" as an officially numbered strip.

EDIT: Yep, it's an "official strip."

jwhouk · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 12:49 »

Okay, a more formal poll instead of "Option 1, 2, 3" and such.

Sorry, kids, it hasn't been a good month for me.

Loki · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 15:39 »

Thank you!

I want to give more screen time. Particularly to Raven.

*still hoping for that Emily and Raven holy grail of meetups*

Mr_Rose · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 15:47 »

Or!
Emily secretly is Raven! Or at least one of her new meatspace avatars, after the upload.

HauntingPoem · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 17:02 »

Spathe Hame!

LookingIn · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 17:21 »

Quote from: Loki on 22 Dec 2013, 15:39

Thank you!

I want to give more screen time. Particularly to Raven.

*still hoping for that Emily and Raven holy grail of meetups*

Would that be a meeting of the mindless or a gathering of idiot savants?

DSL · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 17:45 »

Quote from: LookingIn on 22 Dec 2013, 17:21

Quote from: Loki on 22 Dec 2013, 15:39
Thank you!

I want to give more screen time. Particularly to Raven.

*still hoping for that Emily and Raven holy grail of meetups*

Would that be a meeting of the mindless or a gathering of idiot savants?

The singu-hilarity.

jwhouk · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 17:48 »

Okay, it's Christmas (though not apparently in QC-verse NoHampton). What's your Christmas Gift to the cast?

More Coffee. 0 (0%)
More Funneh! 4 (22.2%)
More screen time! 1 (5.6%)
Waffles. 0 (0%)
Space Ham. 2 (11.1%)
Peace on earth? 0 (0%)
(Hey, YOU try coming up with these every week.) 8 (44.4%)
Less slashfic! 2 (11.1%)
Health, wealth, and wisdom. 1 (5.6%)
Less #### from Pintsize. 0 (0%)
Less Teh Drama! 0 (0%)
Something else (please state what) 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 18

Kugai · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 18:18 »

We who are about to Christmas salute you.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 18:38 »

I just gave my gift to the forum.

>_>

<_<

>_>

LookingIn · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 19:05 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 22 Dec 2013, 18:38

I just gave my gift to the forum.

>_>

<_<

>_>

Can we return if or is it one of those gifts that must be held on to out of respect/fear/pity?

Method of Madness · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 19:10 »

I might be able to give you store credit

LookingIn · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 19:17 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 22 Dec 2013, 19:10

I might be able to give you store credit

You just received my gift, the gift of annoyances and bad jokes. It's a bad gift but it's one I always seem to end up giving others.

aldonius · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 19:50 »

Quote

I don't remember doing that.

Quote

No, No! I believe you! That's totally something crappy enough that I would do it!

Well.

That's interesting.

LookingIn · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 19:57 »

Momo needs to be near her breaking point with Marigold, she might have had a little leeway with spur of the moment anger but ignorance of what she said and why Momo reacted that way is too much.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 20:17 »

That's a flicker of self-awareness on Marigold's part.

Odd that she would forget, though. That's more a neurotypical kind of thing to do than a nerd thing to do.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 20:38 »

Wait, are you saying nerds are inherently not neurotypical? I'm...really not sure how to respond to that.

Perfectly Reasonable · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 20:47 »

Marigold's mind is under the control of malevolent aliens from a distant galaxy. Luckily they have not been able to tune in on Momo. (But what about Dale?)

Toe · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 21:00 »

This is like the opposite of plausible deniability.

~~mustang6172~~ · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 21:06 »

Maybe there's a Marigold clone impersonating her.

I've been binge watching Orphan Black.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 21:08 »

I need to watch that! I hope you didn't just spoil something

themacnut · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 21:54 »

"I'm sorry! I don't know what for, but I'm SO sorry!" Sounds like the kind of apology a guy like Homer Simpson or Ray Romano would give to his wife.

And we know they're both morons. This does not say good things about Marigold. How Momo continues to put up with her, I don't know.

Aziraphale · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 Dec 2013, 22:24 »

Quote from: themacnut on 22 Dec 2013, 21:54

"I'm sorry! I don't know what for, but I'm SO sorry!" Sounds like the kind of apology a guy like Homer Simpson or Ray Romano would give to his wife.

And we know they're both morons. This does not say good things about Marigold. How Momo continues to put up with her, I don't know.

Yeah, it's got to be frustrating to Momo. I don't read Marigold as a moron. She comes across more as someone who's got book smarts, but isn't as emotionally intelligent/aware. With that said, she does learn, even if she leaves a lot of collateral damage in her wake sometimes.

WAYF · « **Reply #23 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 00:15 »

I...
I have two theories. Either:
1) Marigold literally didn't know what she was saying; she was so focussed on the idea that someone might be interested in her that she was just blurting out random stuff that seemed like it would move her closer to her end goal.
2) Marigold has yet to appreciate the chassis for what means to QC's robots: A body. To her, it was something she bought in a store to make Momo happy. To Momo, it completely redefined her. Marigold was buying her skin and bones. That's not something that humans can normally put a price on; organ transplants and surgical operations ending in "-ectomy" aside, we're largely stuck with the body we were given, seemingly free, at birth.
And given that Marigold lacks a certain social awareness, it's possible that she just hasn't made that connection. Marigold thought she was saying "I bought you this lovely gift! You owe me!" when to Momo, it sounded a lot more like "I gave you your entire body, so you have to do everything I say."
That and it may not have registered properly that Momo is working at the library to pay Marigold back.

Lubricus · « **Reply #24 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 00:26 »

Quote from: WAYF on 23 Dec 2013, 00:15

"I gave you your entire body, so you have to do everything I say."

That's a... Not completely uncommon attitude of mothers... $:-\$

Soulsynger · « **Reply #25 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 00:39 »

... boy what a downer.

~~cesariojpn~~ · « **Reply #26 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 00:46 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 22 Dec 2013, 21:08

I need to watch that! I hope you didn't just spoil something

Gandalf kills Snape.

akronnick · « **Reply #27 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 01:06 »

Hans Gruber kills Picard.

Kugai · « **Reply #28 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 01:28 »

John McLean was Michael Garibaldi's great grandfather.

In some ways, this makes sense. Marigold strikes me as one of those people who would blurt out something like that in panic mode like she was and, while not really remembering the asinine statement she made, would realise she had said something.

I think she really does care for Momo, it's just that sometimes she goes into some default mode when faced with a situation outside of her comfort zone.

ZoeB · « **Reply #29 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 01:46 »

To Err is human. To screw up and not even know how badly you've hurt someone is also human. It does mean a grovelling apology is required and sincere introspection to make sure you never, ever, make that particular mistake again though.

Works for me, anyway.

Soulsynger · « **Reply #30 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 02:11 »

It seems introspection and reflection might be something Marigold would have to take courses for, though...

Off the top of my head I've never seen her reflect upon something.

anahata · « **Reply #31 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 02:44 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 22 Dec 2013, 20:17

That's a flicker of self-awareness on Marigold's part.

Yes, but it's been eclipsed by a typical (for Marigold) mask of self-loathing.
"that's totally something crap enough that I would do it" is a cop-out. She may have acknowledged that she doesn't know what she's done, but she doesn't seem sure that she WANTS to know.

Quote from: Soulsynger on 23 Dec 2013, 02:11

It seems introspection and reflection might be something Marigold would have to take courses for, though...

Momo may be about to teach her...

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #32 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 07:13 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 22 Dec 2013, 20:38

Wait, are you saying nerds are inherently not neurotypical? I'm...really not sure how to respond to that.

Marigold-flavored ones memorize things way better than people at the center of the bell curve do.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #33 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 10:30 »

I meant more your statement that nerd ≠ neurotypical.

Shjade · « **Reply #34 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 10:39 »

Seems like pretty standard values dissonance: what Marigold was saying at the time was much less important to her than it was to Momo, so it's not a big surprise that, while Momo would take it as a big deal and need to do something about it, for Marigold, it was Tuesday.

If you don't think something is important at the time, you're much less likely to remember it later.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #35 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 14:02 »

I'm open to the possibility of neurotypical nerds but I don't think Marigold is among them.

PthariensFlame · « **Reply #36 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 14:59 »

I'm starting to notice something regarding the Farmers (the two of them we've met, that is): both Marigold and her father, whenever they experience confusion or panic, immediately revert to a specific emotion to try to "protect themselves", so to speak. Marigold's supplantive emotion is self-loathing, and her father's supplantive emotion is anger.

Observe that both times we've heard from Mr. Farmer ("explain steampunk" and the phone call) he was angry for seemingly no reason. I posit that he supplanted his confusion or panic at a situation with anger at the fact that he is confused or panicking.

Likewise, Marigold has been put in countless situations in this comic that caused her to become confused or panicky, and nearly every time she immediately says something self-deprecating and actually seems to believe it! She tries to escape her situation by telling herself that she is bad and unworthy for feeling the way she does.

Both of them turn on themselves at the first sign of perceived "weakness" within their own emotional state, regardless of whether such perceptions are accurate or not.

Why this would be the case for both of them is a whole separate question, but I think there's a lot of evidence for this core idea.

FunkyTuba · « **Reply #37 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 16:48 »

A little on the late side, but I recommend for the poll:

What will we get for Tuesday's last-one-before-holiday-stuff strip?

a) feels
b) dramorzz
c) cliffhangarrrr
d) bonercat
e) <etc>

jwhouk · « **Reply #38 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 16:59 »

Okay, it's Christmas (though not apparently in QC-verse NoHampton). What's your Christmas Gift to the cast?

More Coffee. 5 (11.6%)
More Funneh! 4 (9.3%)
More screen time! 3 (7%)
Waffles. 2 (4.7%)
Space Ham. 4 (9.3%)
Peace on earth? 2 (4.7%)
(Hey, YOU try coming up with these every week.) 12 (27.9%)
More slashfic! 4 (9.3%)
Health, wealth, and wisdom. 2 (4.7%)
Less #### from Pintsize. 1 (2.3%)
Less Teh Drama! 1 (2.3%)
Mods editing polls! >_> <_< >_> 3 (7%) <== CHEATERS!
Something else (please state what) 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 43

jwhouk · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 17:05 »

Also - no one is going to attempt to color the page from Friday?

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #40 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 17:08 »

Quote from: PthariensFlame on 23 Dec 2013, 14:59

Marigold's supplantive emotion is self-loathing, and her father's supplantive emotion is anger.

This is fascinating and makes sense.

FunkyTuba · « **Reply #41 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 17:41 »

Quote from: jwhouk on 23 Dec 2013, 16:59

(Hey, YOU try coming up with these every week.) 12 (27.9%)

Thank you, jwhouk <big grin>

Method of Madness · « **Reply #42 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 18:04 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 23 Dec 2013, 14:02

I'm open to the possibility of neurotypical nerds but I don't think Marigold is among them.

Yeah, I don't dispute that, I just objected to your phrasing which seemed to refer to "nerd" and "neurotypical" as opposites. (I do hope that doesn't come off as an insult to the neuro-atypical. If it does, I apologize.)

themacnut · « **Reply #43 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 18:41 »

Quote from: ZoeB on 23 Dec 2013, 01:46

To Err is human. To screw up and not even know how badly you've hurt someone is also human. It does mean a grovelling apology is required and sincere introspection to make sure you never, ever, make that particular mistake again though.

Groveling apology and introspection is always good for avoiding repeating mistakes. One problem with this though; the transgressor, so to speak, either has to be capable of, and willing to be introspective when necessary. That does not seem to describe Marigold. She seems to be one of the least self-aware people in QC.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #44 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 19:45 »

Jeph himself has said as much.

Should I just take two steps backwards and say that it's surprising to have someone who remembers every Pokemon forget what she said the previous night?

cesium133 · « **Reply #45 on:** 23 Dec 2013, 19:56 »

As someone who could be described the same way (though I consider only the first 150 to count), I'd say I don't consider it surprising.

Aimless · « **Reply #46 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 02:12 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 23 Dec 2013, 19:45

Jeph himself has said as much.

Should I just take two steps backwards and say that it's surprising to have someone who remembers every Pokemon forget what she said the previous night?

It doesn't have to be strange at all! Memory is not just a bucket into which our brains pour raw unfiltered information. It depends greatly on selective attention as well as a great deal of processing at every stage. Marigold is even worse at parsing social and/or emotional interactions than is the average person (who'd probably have a hard time remembering what they did that was bad but who may still have reacted immediately when Momo was upset) while being incredibly good at parsing pokémon-related information because she <3 pokémon.

~~cesariojpn~~ · « **Reply #47 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 02:25 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 23 Dec 2013, 19:45

Should I just take two steps backwards and say that it's surprising to have someone who remembers every Pokemon forget what she said the previous night?

You could in theory remember something that happened ages ago, yet cannot recall the last 30 minutes that has just passed by.

Loki · « **Reply #48 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 02:44 »

Besides, Pokémon would, I assume, be a topic she frequently interacts with, and as is known, repetition (and meaningful context) is key to recall. Hell, I can list probably list around 300 Pokémon or so.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #49 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 04:59 »

I could have listed all 151 back in the day, but only in Pokérap form.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Poll

So what's going to happen for our last strips before Christmas break?

Author Topic: WCDT: 2603-2607 (23-27 December 2013) Weekly Comics Discussion Thread (Read 22251 times)