Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Marten Reed Cleaners LTD

18 (20%)

My, my, MYYYYYYYYYY Delilah!!!!

14 (15.6%)

Resetting Tai

9 (10%)

Marten swings

13 (14.4%)

A week of Yelling Bird and Sweet Tits

9 (10%)

Waffles, Spathe Ham and Green Eggs with Coffee

5 (5.6%)

Butts!!!!

13 (14.4%)

Something else (Please specify)

6 (6.7%)

Purple Monkey Dishwasher

3 (3.3%)

Total Members Voted: 85

[GarandMarine]

Audentes fortuna iuuat

personally I prefer Qui audet adipiscitur.

Also when ancient wisdom was being said, shaving was not exactly as common an activity as it is now.

[Mlle Germain]

Basically, Marten is a loser, without education and career opportunities. And he has no ambitions, other than a rather unrealistic wish to be a successful musician.

Not true: Marten has a college degree, although we do not know what kind (I think). Although I do not know how this compares to the German education system, I'd hardly call that "without education". It just seems to me that this degree is something that does not lead so some specific job, so Marten did not really know what to do with it once he had it. Also, Tai has hinted that Marten might get her job when she graduates, which seems to be more administrative than scientific, so probably you don't need a library science degree for it (Tai doesn't have one either).
The lack of serious ambition seems to be more of a problem, although really not everybody has to find their life's fulfillment in their job, you know? Lots of people are happy just working for a basic income and have fulfillment with friends/ hobbies/ family - like Marten with the band. It doesn't matter that he might never be able to earn his living with the band (as he has himself stated repeatedly, by the way), it can still be a fulfilling thing to do, while his job is just that, a job - although I agree that the job should pay enough to build up some savings, social security etc. Not sure his current job does that.

[Carl-E]

Let us make 2014 the year of the bush!

Let's not.

[Shjade]

Me, Myself, I'm not happy with the new intro of Reed's new love interest.   I would have liked to see some more build-up of the girl's character before the random hook up started.  I think Marten would be down with that, but I don't know here at al!

If there was time spent building up the girl's character, presumably with Marten involved, the hook up wouldn't be random anymore. Not that it's random now; unexpected, maybe, but it's not like they just ran into each other on the elevator and went, "I guess we should bang, since we're here and all."

[pwhodges]

What did you expect from somebody with such little experience?

He's already got more experience than me - just two girlfriends (the first pushed in my way by family friends) in my life; but I married each of them.

Marten has a college degree, although we do not know what kind (I think).

Music History and Critical Theory.

[aphanisis81]

Music History and Critical Theory...I distinctly remember the comic where this was revealed, but I never totally understood if the second part of it also has to do with music - i.e. Music History and Musical Critical Theory - or if he dual majored in music history and also got a degree in like works by Foucault and Zizek and Derrida. Which I've never heard of being a thing an undergrad can do outside of the auspices of an English dept. or Comp-Lit program.

Either way, he said that his music education was basically about listening to John Cage w/ a few other dudes. The point is that he never attempted to make a career out of anything he did in college. Which wouldn't exactly have been an abundance of options anyway, but it sounds like his education was knowledge for its own sake, not something to be diverted into a career.

[Xader]

Ancient wisdom say if girl is hairier then you... run away with haste. That is all.

Too much hair phobia in this forum. Although Marten has on a previous occasion expressed his anti-hair stance. Time to wake up. Body hair is natural. Let us make 2014 the year of the bush!

Wake me up in 2015...

[Interlude]

Basically, Marten is a loser, without education and career opportunities. And he has no ambitions, other than a rather unrealistic wish to be a successful musician.

Not true: Marten has a college degree, although we do not know what kind (I think). Although I do not know how this compares to the German education system, I'd hardly call that "without education". It just seems to me that this degree is something that does not lead so some specific job, so Marten did not really know what to do with it once he had it. Also, Tai has hinted that Marten might get her job when she graduates, which seems to be more administrative than scientific, so probably you don't need a library science degree for it (Tai doesn't have one either).
The lack of serious ambition seems to be more of a problem, although really not everybody has to find their life's fulfillment in their job, you know? Lots of people are happy just working for a basic income and have fulfillment with friends/ hobbies/ family - like Marten with the band. It doesn't matter that he might never be able to earn his living with the band (as he has himself stated repeatedly, by the way), it can still be a fulfilling thing to do, while his job is just that, a job - although I agree that the job should pay enough to build up some savings, social security etc. Not sure his current job does that.

The main problem, for me, with Marten's job is not his lack of ambition. It's that I find it irritating that he took a job that a COLLEGE STUDENT could have had. I feel that entry-level college positions should go to college students, and it's so annoying to me that Marten basically stole a job from one of the students who could really use that money to fund textbooks or classes or anything else. Not everyone has parents who pay for college. Marten should never have been offered that position (again, in my opinion).

I also don't think Tai has the authority to give him a job promotion. When she is no longer there, what is Marten going to do? Stick around with 18-early 20s college students for the rest of his life? More likely, he will be dismissed at some point in the future. I know Tai and Marten had some leverage because they caught (who were they?) in a sexual act, but they will not be there forever, either. With them gone and Tai gone, at some point, someone will complain that Marten has a job that should go to a college student or that he is making too much money for the position, and there's really no reason for him to be there. Even if it takes years, what will happen? He'll be in his late 20s all of a sudden AND be out of a job.

And, honestly, going to drug-filled college parties with dangerous games and excessive drinking is a big step back. But I've always hated parties like that, so I'm completely biased. 

[judemorrigan]

Marten has been creeping away from being directionless. He has a career path now, granted one that Tai imposed on him, and is beginning to take the band seriously.

The library job? He's a glorified intern. And to move up significantly he needs a degree (Library Science or something close to being called that depending on what school).  More importantly, has there ever been a time where Marten has said "you know, I think I'd really like to be a librarian, I can see myself doing that for the rest of my life."? Never. This is just a job he took because he needed the money. He's also a long way from being able to make a living doing music. They have no demo album, are only just talking about the possibility of performing in front of people, and nobody outside of Northampton (or whatever Jeph is calling it in QC universe) knows about them. His band is at the same place that many early-teen bands are at.

Random thought: I assume it was a matter of it not being all that interesting from a plotting perspective, but it seems like a bit of a shame that Marten's music blog never took off.

[Mlle Germain]

Not saying you guys are wrong about Marten not having that great of a long-term perspective jobwise and this probably affecting his life negatively, but just out of interest: Would you call Faye a "loser" in the same way? Their situations in life are comparable, with the exception that Faye is in a long-term relationship and Marten isn't.

[Schmorgluck]

The main problem, for me, with Marten's job is not his lack of ambition. It's that I find it irritating that he took a job that a COLLEGE STUDENT could have had.

Blame Natasha on that, not Marten. Natasha who, it turned out, didn't even need the money.

I feel that entry-level college positions should go to college students, and it's so annoying to me that Marten basically stole a job from one of the students who could really use that money to fund textbooks or classes or anything else.

A college system in which some students have to work to fund textbooks and classes is inherently broken anyway.

[NilsO]

Not saying you guys are wrong about Marten not having that great of a long-term perspective jobwise and this probably affecting his life negatively, but just out of interest: Would you call Faye a "loser" in the same way? Their situations in life are comparable, with the exception that Faye is in a long-term relationship and Marten isn't.

Faye was promoted to Assistant Manager. Granted, a small coffee shop will not give a lot of career opportunities, but Faye can get a job elsewhere if she wants. Also, she could perhaps become a successful sculptor or industrial designer.

Marten, on the other hand, is basically a library intern. He has no relevant qualifications for the job, and no career opportunities. His ambition is basically to have a job that do not suck. He could conceivably become a music teacher, but otherwise no employer would consider him a candidate for a job.

[Barmymoo]

Marten has now got a responsible, ?full-time job to put on his CV. It's not that he wants to be a librarian, but this job is a step up from the last one and being employed is always an employable characteristic if he finds another job he does want.

But from what we know of Marten, I think actually it's more of a matter of having a way to earn a living while he focuses on what he wants to do, which is his music. There's nothing wrong with that approach to life! I think it would affect his life negatively more if he had a full-on career that didn't leave time for what he loves.

[Is it cold in here?]

Marten has been creeping away from being directionless. He has a career path now, granted one that Tai imposed on him, and is beginning to take the band seriously.

The library job? He's a glorified intern. And to move up significantly he needs a degree (Library Science or something close to being called that depending on what school).  More importantly, has there ever been a time where Marten has said "you know, I think I'd really like to be a librarian, I can see myself doing that for the rest of my life."? Never. This is just a job he took because he needed the money. He's also a long way from being able to make a living doing music. They have no demo album, are only just talking about the possibility of performing in front of people, and nobody outside of Northampton (or whatever Jeph is calling it in QC universe) knows about them. His band is at the same place that many early-teen bands are at.

Indeed, he's barely off the starting block, hence the term "creeping".

Come to think of it, not only did Tai push more responsibility onto him at work, she pushed him about the band too.

[Kugai]

.............


Buh

Ummmm



*Blinks and walks off*

[pwhodges]

...she could perhaps become a successful sculptor [...] He could conceivably become a music teacher...

The way you led into those makes it seem that you are seeing the first as a good opportunity, and the second as a dead-end one.  Why is that, I wonder?

My son has a career in which he is an internationally known performer, and yet he has had to take teaching jobs as well to make ends meet (in schools while he was building his career, and at a conservatoire now he's established).

[Mlle Germain]

But from what we know of Marten, I think actually it's more of a matter of having a way to earn a living while he focuses on what he wants to do, which is his music. There's nothing wrong with that approach to life! I think it would affect his life negatively more if he had a full-on career that didn't leave time for what he loves.

Yep, that's pretty much what I meant in my earlier post. You can have a mediocre job and still be happy about life if you have something fulfilling to do outside that job - especially if your job being rather mediocre means you have more time to do what you're passionate about.

Also, I still don't see why Faye is a much better position career-wise than Marten. I don't think working in a coffee shop makes you more attractive for other employers than working in a library. And making sculptures for a living is a lot like making music for a living: You have to be rather lucky to be succesful with that, so it's about as likely in Faye's case as it is in Marten's. I think Faye has a very similar philosophy to what Barmymoo described above: She is also happy having a bread-winning job and doing sculpting as a hobby she loves.
(It's not that I'm trying to belittle Faye's job and life choices here, I'm rather trying to make Marten's not seem as exceptionally bad and unreasonable by comparing him to Faye. Really, the only major difference between them is that Faye has Angus.)

Edit: pwhodges said it first. Good point, I agree! Really, Marten becoming a music teacher would be a good option.

[NilsO]

...she could perhaps become a successful sculptor [...] He could conceivably become a music teacher...

The way you led into those makes it seem that you are seeing the first as a good opportunity, and the second as a dead-end one.  Why is that, I wonder?

My son has a career in which he is an internationally known performer, and yet he has had to take teaching jobs as well to make ends meet (in schools while he was building his career, and at a conservatoire now he's established).

Not the careers, but the characters. Faye is tough and determined, and therefore more likely to succeed. Marten, with his attitude and personality, will not be very successful in any career.

[ZoeB]

I think it might be because it came from a guy like Marten that it worked.

From a smooth, confident guy, a line like that is overly forward and usually kinda gross.  But from an awkward-but-sweet guy who's clearly not a player, it could be endearing.  It doesn't come across as tacky and crude, but as a really clumsy expression of attraction from a nice guy who's not quite sure how  to express attraction but means well.

OMG women are so complicated.

???? Makes perfect sense to me, blindingy obvious really. That Jeph saw it too and intended it is the interesting part.

[Psyclone]

I've always felt that Marten was quite similar to me personality wise (though I have a MUCH better job...and much LESS success in relationships, with a grand total of ZERO)...guess this means I'm doomed, huh? Any tips on how to improve?

[greywolfe]

Edit: pwhodges said it first. Good point, I agree! Really, Marten becoming a music teacher would be a good option.

He wouldn't have the heart to tell people that actually, they sucked pretty badly and need more practice.

[Method of Madness]

Didn't he tell Natasha that?

[Srxjo]

Didn't he tell Natasha that?

Mentioning that, does he still give her lessons? Since i know he was getting paid to teach her how to play the guitar, or am i forgetting a section where that stopped

[Method of Madness]

Probably stopped when she quit the band.

[Srxjo]

Probably stopped when she quit the band.

I knew i was forgetting something, think it's time for me to reread the whole thing again, having a bad memory sucks >.<

[ElvisRevenge]

Ancient wisdom say if girl is hairier then you... run away with haste. That is all.

Too much hair phobia in this forum. Although Marten has on a previous occasion expressed his anti-hair stance. Time to wake up. Body hair is natural. Let us make 2014 the year of the bush!

Amen to that. It's one thing if it's personal preference, but to try and shame hairy ladies or people who get with hairy ladies? Get outta here, mind ya own business.

[Thrillho]

Good post.

[celticgeek]

But from what we know of Marten, I think actually it's more of a matter of having a way to earn a living while he focuses on what he wants to do, which is his music. There's nothing wrong with that approach to life! I think it would affect his life negatively more if he had a full-on career that didn't leave time for what he loves.

We have a number of musicians on this forum who might want to comment on this.

[Platypodes]

I think it might be because it came from a guy like Marten that it worked.

From a smooth, confident guy, a line like that is overly forward and usually kinda gross.  But from an awkward-but-sweet guy who's clearly not a player, it could be endearing.  It doesn't come across as tacky and crude, but as a really clumsy expression of attraction from a nice guy who's not quite sure how  to express attraction but means well.

OMG women are so complicated.

To put it in simpler terms:

Some ladies like sweet, shy guys and don't like smooth-talking players.  The rest is just details.

Seems a pretty accurate reflection of real life party hook-ups to me.

Can attest to this. Occasionally awkward but ultimately fun.

Or occasionally fun but ultimately awkward.

Too much hair phobia in this forum. Although Marten has on a previous occasion expressed his anti-hair stance. Time to wake up. Body hair is natural. Let us make 2014 the year of the bush!

Hey, that's a cool article.  It looks like ladies shaving became fashionable during roughly the same time period as advertising took its turn toward inventing "problems" in order to sell us the solutions to them.

I wouldn't necessarily read the Dora Bianchi International Airport comic as meaning that Marten is "anti-hair."  He could think a landing strip is extra hot without thinking that a bush is bad.  It could be like...  Suppose Dora had had a nipple ring and suggested getting rid of it, and Marten had said, "Nooooo, I love your nipple ring!"  That wouldn't have to mean that it would actively bother him if his next girlfriend didn't have a nipple ring.

Also, what you think is hot on a person can depend on their overall style, body type, etc.  A person who is basically neutral on the subject of dreadlocks, say, might think that they look good on Delilah, as part of her overall hippie style, and also think that they'd look dumb on goth-girl Dora.

[Smallest]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't actually believe she owes him sexual favours.

No, I don't think he actually believes it, either, which is why I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here.  But he certainly implied it.  His wording is "You can pay me back with makeouts" which yeah, says she "owes" him.  Is that the message he intended to get across?  Maybe, maybe not.  We won't know until tomorrow at the earliest.

I don't really know why this is a problem. I mean, I read it entirely as a silly quip and no further meaning, but taking your reading... no one owes anyone sex, ever, of course, but it's pretty normal to repay favours, even if it was originally supposed to be altruistic (eg 'thanks for helping me clean my house, how can I pay you back?'/'no sweat! I do have to do some gardening next week though!'). If both people are consenting, why can't sexual acts be a way to repay a favour?  I mean, it's a bit less polite to suggest it, but he didn't try to guilt her into it or anything. Less trying to start a debate, more confused.

Regarding the current comic-

I didn't notice that.

That said he has many such switches. 'guh buh huh wuh?'

My husband was like 'she's grabbin' his diiickkkkk!' before I noticed.

And count me into the group that's like ??? about what is wrong with a random hookup

[Method of Madness]

She might be grabbing his hand

[cesariojpn]

Too much hair phobia in this forum. Although Marten has on a previous occasion expressed his anti-hair stance. Time to wake up. Body hair is natural. Let us make 2014 the year of the bush!

Your post reminded me of this whole "battle" over a sexual fetish in a porn magazine once. I may "respect" your love of hairy girls, but again not all of us like it forced upon us. Jeph is kinda not to blame for this (it's his comic, blah blah blah), but when the readership tries to determine what should go on and what shouldn't go on is crossing the line.   

[Method of Madness]

How is anything being forced on you? And why should a woman be required to shave just because you don't like looking at her hair?

[jwhouk]

Audentes fortuna iuuat

personally I prefer Qui audet adipiscitur.

Fortuna fatuis favet is more along my line.

And Deus custodit parvulos et stulti.

[cesium133]

So, I wonder if Mark is going to be pining over his lost love...

[Jazzmaster]

Damn.

I know most people are thinking Marten is being "passive" once again, but I don't even know how I'd respond in a situation like this.

....in any event, he had his ill-advised hookup, so-to-speak.  My only question is: "now what?"

[brew]

Where'd her hair go?

[Method of Madness]

Dang, that's cold, Delilah.

[zmeiat_joro]

I don't get you guys, seems like my typical party hookup. Incuding not remebering the name exactly. I identify with both of them. Well a bit more with Delilah maybe?

[jwhouk]

Heh, "Mark."

[K1dmor]

 Someone should tell Jeph that he didn't include the copyright in the bottom of the last 3 strips.

[sitnspin]

I generally find it best not to refer to them by name the next morning, just to play it safe.

She said it was fun, take that as a compliment and a win.

[Method of Madness]

I don't get you guys

What don't you get?

[zmeiat_joro]

I don't get you guys

What don't you get?

The weird drama in this thread, mostly.

Warning - while you were typing a new reply has been posted. You may wish to review your post.

[ElvisRevenge]

Meh, Marten got laid, and that's what he wanted, right? And if she didn't even remember his name, then obviously that's enough evidence to show it ain't worth pursuing further anyways. Also, who's to say he wasn't asking for her number out of politeness or whatnot?

[Carl-E]

Well, this is a re-evaluation moment for him. 

Opportunity for growth, and all that. 

[sitnspin]

Personally, in the case of a drunken one-nighter, I consider it a win if she doesn't remember my name. Less chance for drama that way.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

So - is a random hook-up what Marten needed? Needed for what? To get his life off dead center? I suppose we'll find out...

Me, I'd like to see what May does when she gets out of robo-jail.

[Method of Madness]

He had fun, that's what he needed. I guess.

[jwhouk]

Yes, but the fact she didn't call him by the right name is an "ouch" moment.

I think the career aspirations of most of the cast of this strip was summed up by Angus: "Meh, good enough, I guess."