Topic: WCDT Strips 3186 to 3190 (28th March to 1st April 2016) (Read 40362 times)

BenRG · « **on:** 27 Mar 2016, 15:11 »

I tried to be outlandish here because, if there is one thing I know about Jeph, he has a bizarre sense of humour sometimes.

Seriously, I'm hoping that we'll get back to Faye and Bubbles with Bubble's growing realisation that maybe Corpse Witch is not giving her room, board and a job out of the goodness of her synthetic heart and certainly has little care for the good of her performers. If Jeph does that, I'm hoping that he does so by multiple acts of CW villainy with Bubbles going 'Hmmm...' in the background, just to keep the theme going.

Tova · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 15:56 »

I think it would be amusing to have a series of panels where various QC characters actually do stare right down the camera lens and tell their audience just what they think of us.

Zebediah · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 15:58 »

On April 1 the human characters will be robots and the robot characters will be human. Nobody in-comic will comment on it.

DSL · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 16:02 »

Quote from: Tova on 27 Mar 2016, 15:56

I think it would be amusing to have a series of panels where various QC characters actually do stare right down the camera lens and tell their audience just what they think of us.

Readership in general or just the forumoids? Opinion(s) might vary widely.

Tova · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 16:26 »

In general, not just the forumoids. As glimpsed via the various forms of feedback he sees.

Yes, I imagine opinion would vary widely. As it does.

~~mustang6172~~ · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 18:20 »

Quote from: Tova on 27 Mar 2016, 15:56

I think it would be amusing to have a series of panels where various QC characters actually do stare right down the camera lens and tell their audience just what they think of us.

I often wonder if House of Cards will trigger a comeback for the soliloquy.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 20:38 »

And Hanners has a new counting job

Method of Madness · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 20:46 »

Quote from: mustang6172 on 27 Mar 2016, 18:20

Quote from: Tova on 27 Mar 2016, 15:56
I think it would be amusing to have a series of panels where various QC characters actually do stare right down the camera lens and tell their audience just what they think of us.

I often wonder if House of Cards will trigger a comeback for the soliloquy.

I hope so!

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 20:58 »

Ugh, I've been in Dora's position. Not with a coffee roaster, but having to train people who take instructions too literally.
Not fun in the slightest.

jheartney · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 21:02 »

Is that insulation hanging from the ceiling over the roaster? If there were cobwebs in the same room, wouldn't that suggest flying insects in the vicinity? How does Dora know that critters don't fly down into the hopper?

Don't think I'd want to get a latte at Coffee of Doom. BTW, Hanners, the beans are probably fine, but I'd question the roasting operation.

hedgie · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 21:18 »

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 27 Mar 2016, 20:58

Ugh, I've been in Dora's position. Not with a coffee roaster, but having to train people who take instructions too literally.
Not fun in the slightest.

I wouldn't say that Hanners takes everything literally, it's just that one of the manifestations of her OCD is compulsive counting. She had previously been using her compulsion in order to make money, but outside of drumming, I don't know how much counting she is doing. If she has been avoiding it, this may prove to be a bit of a difficulty.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 22:15 »

We know there were spiders in the basement at one point. I can't find the strip off hand, but it involved Sam being wigged out by them and Hannelore checking her orbital bombardment app.

Somebody · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 23:06 »

...wait, wasn't Dora meant to do this months ago QC-time?

Welu · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 23:10 »

Quote from: jheartney on 27 Mar 2016, 21:02

Is that insulation hanging from the ceiling over the roaster?

I'd like to know that as well.

BenRG · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 23:15 »

Poor Hanners! I suspect that the most difficult thing about this is going to be learning to trust that others will do their jobs reasonably well, especially in the field of food hygiene. The problem? IRL, it is reasonable to have your doubts!

Quote from: Somebody on 27 Mar 2016, 23:06

...wait, wasn't Dora meant to do this months ago QC-time?

Yes and this is Dora with her issues with letting go of areas where she normally has total control! She's probably had sleepless nights and interminable debates with Tai and herself about whether she's emotionally ready for this step.

hedgie · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 23:22 »

It just took that long for Dora to clear out the Spider Zone

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Mar 2016, 23:31 »

That's the one! And the one after it too.

Thank you!

Pilchard123 · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 04:24 »

Quote from: hedgie on 27 Mar 2016, 23:22

It just took that long for Dora to clear out the Spider Zone

Uh... would you say she'd be clearing out a zone of spiders?

Case · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 04:56 »

OK, imagine Hanners trying to get a PPL-C for gliding planes.

This involves pre-flight visual checks of all the movable surfaces, checking the bolts that hold the wings together, etc.etc. ...
... and in some clubs (like mine), all members are also responsible for the seasonal maintenance ...

Yes, like THAT.

That was one of the reason I never made the PPL-C - I had endless obsessive 'loops' about being responsible for injuries, or deaths, because I had overlooked the one stress-fracture that nobody else saw.

The compulsive rituals that the Disorder forces us to perform are, admittedly, sometimes hilarious in retrospect - but trust me, it doesn't feel like fun at all for the one experiencing it. It feels horrifying, humiliating and degrading to feel like a freak and to get "that look" again, and again and again ...
(and I didn't even start on the whispers and sniggering ... and the social isolation ...)

EDIT:

Quote from: hedgie on 27 Mar 2016, 21:18

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 27 Mar 2016, 20:58
Ugh, I've been in Dora's position. Not with a coffee roaster, but having to train people who take instructions too literally.
Not fun in the slightest.

I wouldn't say that Hanners takes everything literally, it's just that one of the manifestations of her OCD is compulsive counting. She had previously been using her compulsion in order to make money, but outside of drumming, I don't know how much counting she is doing. If she has been avoiding it, this may prove to be a bit of a difficulty.

I never had the "compulsive counting"-ritual, but the "compulsive checking" - Yup, BigTime. And nope, No Fun At All.
Though I consider myself "largely symptom-free" due to years of therapy (and SNRI), it's still hard for me to "finish shit/stop the checking". I merely don't experience the acute "Brain-lock" anymore, and the four-steps are close to 2nd nature these days. Still, old habits die hard ... even if the reason for the maladaptive coping is all but gone.

Trouble is: In my job, precision and meticulousness is really part of the job-description - and contrary to what some colleagues say about me, I do make mistakes ... $:-\$

oeoek · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 05:06 »

Does Hanners have a twin-brother we don't know about yet?

Old Dutch commercial about salted peanuts, sadly in Dutch and without subtitles.

(click to show/hide)

Akima · « **Reply #20 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 06:00 »

Quote from: jheartney on 27 Mar 2016, 21:02

Is that insulation hanging from the ceiling over the roaster?

I wondered what that pink stuff was too. I also wonder what a fucked-up coffee bean looks like. I had to google to find out what unroasted beans even look like; I really have no idea about roasting coffee. I was impressed to see, when I googled, that Jeph's drawing of the roasting machine seems pretty accurate.

Poor Hanners. Welcome to the "industrial" side of the coffee-shop business.

Case · « **Reply #21 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 06:12 »

Quote from: oeoek on 28 Mar 2016, 05:06

Does Hanners have a twin-brother we don't know about yet?
...
Old Dutch commercial about salted peanuts, sadly in Dutch and without subtitles.
(click to show/hide)
The man entering in the background is the boss, wondering about employee working overtime. The employee is checking and stamping each individual nut 'OK'. The Boss wonders what customers might think about peanuts with stamping ink on them, and the employee decides to eat them himself.

This is one of the OCD-jokes I can laugh about - en pindar zijn niet 'lekker', maar en verslaving - but ... look, not to make this a Tumblr-meltdown, but it IS kind of frustrating to see again and again how 'normal' people think they understand OCD because they experience (o)bsession and (c)ompulsion, too.
'They' do not understand - because they forget about 'the D'.
Makes all the difference ...

(Please don't consider this a critique - merely a 'reminder' of sorts ...)

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 06:14 »

I will refrain from asking Google to show me "fucked up coffee beans".

USS Martenclaire · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 06:35 »

I suspect Hanners has bean in a similar situation before...

cesium133 · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 06:39 »

You're grounded for that pun.

comicalArchitect · « **Reply #25 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 07:24 »

Quote from: Zebediah on 27 Mar 2016, 15:58

On April 1 the human characters will be robots and the robot characters will be human. Nobody in-comic will comment on it.

So Pintsize would just be a really short guy?

BenRG · « **Reply #26 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 08:19 »

'Nuff said

Roborat · « **Reply #27 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 11:48 »

Quote from: Welu on 27 Mar 2016, 23:10

Quote from: jheartney on 27 Mar 2016, 21:02
Is that insulation hanging from the ceiling over the roaster?

I'd like to know that as well.

I was wondering as well. Insulation makes sense, and would be a natural nesting place for spiders and anything else, resulting in them dropping onto people below, as well as into the grinding machine. Maybe that's where the flovour comes from. Based on the colour, I thought is was Choo-Choo going rogue.

Tova · « **Reply #28 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 13:14 »

I figured that googling "bad coffee beans" would be safer.

https://legacy.sweetmarias.com/look.at.green.php

Kugai · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 13:26 »

I get the distinct feeling that Hanners is not yet ready for this stage of her training Master Dora.

DrBear · « **Reply #30 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 19:05 »

Hannelore’s big fear in the basement

~~mustang6172~~ · « **Reply #31 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 19:35 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 28 Mar 2016, 06:14

I will refrain from asking Google to show me "fucked up coffee beans".

First image result.

I'm going to assume Dora's inspection is primarily to ensure no pebbles were mixed in with the beans by mistake.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #32 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 19:58 »

Quote from: hedgie on 27 Mar 2016, 21:18

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 27 Mar 2016, 20:58
Ugh, I've been in Dora's position. Not with a coffee roaster, but having to train people who take instructions too literally.
Not fun in the slightest.

I wouldn't say that Hanners takes everything literally, it's just that one of the manifestations of her OCD is compulsive counting. She had previously been using her compulsion in order to make money, but outside of drumming, I don't know how much counting she is doing. If she has been avoiding it, this may prove to be a bit of a difficulty.

I was referring more to people I had worked with before than Hanners taking things literally.
Quick story - About three years, I was supervisor in a Chamber of Commerce/Tourism office, where I was in charge of training staff and supervising students from the Erasmus program. One student we had, had quite a difficult time comprehending instructions and it wasn't to do with the fact that he was Italian and English wasn't his first language, another Italian student we had had flawless English and she was able to translate. So it was about this time of the year when we were preparing for the Tourism season to start up again and we were doing a stock take and preparing new stock. I had to go to a meeting with my boss, and there was only an hour or so left in the day, so I told the student that if he could make note and count up the cards in stock and on the shelves and then put out some shirts and he could head off.

Now, by cards, I meant we had about 30 different types in stock, about a dozen on the shelves with the rest being new ones that had been sent to us by Bord Failte. All I wanted was for him to note how many were out and what could be brought out.

That should have taken him less than 10 minutes.

I came back from the meeting and found him counting the cards...individually. He was at around the 900 mark.

I just told him to go home and come in late the next day.

That isn't even the worst story I have from that job.

celticgeek · « **Reply #33 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 20:29 »

Hannelore may have to consult Emily, just get a feel for the inexactness of the science of coffee bean roasting.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #34 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 20:35 »

Soothing colors are indeed helpful in certain stressful times.

MrNumbers · « **Reply #35 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 23:09 »

It's okay, Hanners, bean roasting is just a form of cooking. You like cooking.

BenRG · « **Reply #36 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 23:15 »

Yes, Hanners! You are going to have to develop a feel for the progress of the roasting process and use your best judgement rather than a timer! Quelle horreur!

Seriously, Hannelore is really cute here. However, it's the effort that she's making to come out of her comfort zone that is really impressive here. Quantitative over qualitative very much sums up her mindset, so learning to make such judgements will be very difficult for her.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #37 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 23:46 »

Um, ex-cuse me, Ben, but, uh, the hell is Hanners NOT adorable?

This is, of course, rhetorical, because Hannelore's primary characterization, aside from and partially BECAUSE of, her mental states, is that she's adorable.

USS Martenclaire · « **Reply #38 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 00:35 »

Poor Hanners. This is turning into a real grind for her.

Tova · « **Reply #39 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 00:43 »

She should know by now that making espresso is a high pressure job.

oeoek · « **Reply #40 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 03:55 »

I have complete confidence in Hanners turning it into an exact science in no time. People usualy say something is 'not an exact science' when they don't understand or control all the variables in a certain process. Go Hanners!

ps: Dad? Hi. No I'm not pregnant! I just wanted to borrow an GC-MS machine and a small electron microscope for a while... Yes, a SEM is fine, thank you daddy!

pps: If she does not have them already for exacting her cake recipes!

gopher · « **Reply #41 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 04:13 »

While eonjoyin Hanners discomfort something struck me: The complete lack of ambition amongst people in the QC-verse. Outside of Dora, a succesful Businesswoman, the only one who seemed to accomplish anything, Angus, was shipped of to Mandyville. While in my 20s I wasn't surrounded by the most dynamic of people, they mostly had worthwhile goals and were striving towards them. Allowing those still in college a pass, the rest are absolutley pathetic. Fun, adorablem, enetertaining, but pathetic. they will end up in their 40s, still working minimum wage, sharing shitty flats/apartments and not having a clue what happened.

sitnspin · « **Reply #42 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 04:26 »

Quote from: gopher on 29 Mar 2016, 04:13

While eonjoyin Hanners discomfort something struck me: The complete lack of ambition amongst people in the QC-verse. Outside of Dora, a succesful Businesswoman, the only one who seemed to accomplish anything, Angus, was shipped of to Mandyville. While in my 20s I wasn't surrounded by the most dynamic of people, they mostly had worthwhile goals and were striving towards them. Allowing those still in college a pass, the rest are absolutley pathetic. Fun, adorablem, enetertaining, but pathetic. they will end up in their 40s, still working minimum wage, sharing shitty flats/apartments and not having a clue what happened.

If they are happy, does it matter? Not everyone follows the same measure of what success means. To me success is having a life you enjoy with people you like being with. Not all of buy into the bullshit idea that money equals success.

BenRG · « **Reply #43 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 04:27 »

Claire has a strong ambition too - She wants to progress in her chosen vocation (and that can involve rising quite high in academia and even the Federal government).

However, yes, 'post-college rut' was one of the early character themes of Questionable Content. One of the reasons for Faye's angst during her relationship with Angus was her realisation that she found 'comfortable' and stopped. Similarly, Marten found the same thing about himself, only in the area of his personal relationships rather than his career (his dreams and ambitions about which he remains unwilling to put too much effort into). It was his determination to actually take charge of his personal life that led him to taking a risk on a relationship with Claire.

gopher · « **Reply #44 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 05:51 »

Quote from: sitnspin on 29 Mar 2016, 04:26

, does it matter? Not everyone follows the same measure of what success means. To me success is having a life you enjoy with people you like being with. Not all of buy into the bullshit idea that money equals success.

But most of them aren't particularly happy.
Faye's job is dodgy as hell and her boss sucks.
Marten does not want to be a librarian.
Penelope wants to work in publishing, but is doing nothing about it.
Will is a bar man, but does nothing about being a published poet.
Dunno about Steve, maybe he is still a spy on the QT.

I don't see earning enough cash to get by while working in an unfulfilling job and not doing anythong about getting a fulfilling job as particularly happinees affirming. Surrounded yourself with similar people mey help you get by, but you still are going to wonder what the hell happened when you are 40, in a dead end job, lice in a shared home with nothing, no accomplishments, no family, no job, to show for it.

MrNumbers · « **Reply #45 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 06:50 »

Quote from: gopher on 29 Mar 2016, 05:51

Quote from: sitnspin on 29 Mar 2016, 04:26
, does it matter? Not everyone follows the same measure of what success means. To me success is having a life you enjoy with people you like being with. Not all of buy into the bullshit idea that money equals success.

But most of them aren't particularly happy.
Faye's job is dodgy as hell and her boss sucks.

Ascribing your own values to the character. Right now it looks like Faye finds her job super cool, mentally and physically rewarding. Other characters have been noting in the short time since how much happier she looks, she doesn't appear to be drinking, and she seems much healthier too.

Quote

Marten does not want to be a librarian.

He's found teaching the interns rewarding, and his time with Claire as well. Right now, Marten's happy but directionless. The latter does not invalidate the former.

Quote

Penelope wants to work in publishing, but is doing nothing about it.

A lit major then. *Self-deprecating rimshot*

Quote

Will is a bar man, but does nothing about being a published poet.

Not for lack of pursuing his goals, but from needing a stable income in the meantime. Otherwise his girlfriend might be mildly miffed at him. Also he gets to work in an environment that respects his aesthetic, and damn if that isn't happiness right there.

Quote

I don't see earning enough cash to get by while working in an unfulfilling job and not doing anythong about getting a fulfilling job as particularly happinees affirming. Surrounded yourself with similar people mey help you get by, but you still are going to wonder what the hell happened when you are 40, in a dead end job, lice in a shared home with nothing, no accomplishments, no family, no job, to show for it.

I think fulfillment is where you find it.

Because they're not forty yet, and while that's a possibility, it's not their reality. They don't see themselves being in the same rut in ten years, even if they'll be in it if they keep going about things the way they are.

Until then, they're doing reasonably well for themselves in the company of people they like while keeping their end objectives at the back of their mind as an everpresent possibility.

And that's better than most of us will ever get.

sitnspin · « **Reply #46 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 07:29 »

Quote from: gopher on 29 Mar 2016, 05:51

Quote from: sitnspin on 29 Mar 2016, 04:26
, does it matter? Not everyone follows the same measure of what success means. To me success is having a life you enjoy with people you like being with. Not all of buy into the bullshit idea that money equals success.
I don't see earning enough cash to get by while working in an unfulfilling job and not doing anythong about getting a fulfilling job as particularly happinees affirming. Surrounded yourself with similar people mey help you get by, but you still are going to wonder what the hell happened when you are 40, in a dead end job, lice in a shared home with nothing, no accomplishments, no family, no job, to show for it.

Not everyone depends on their job for fulfillment and not everyone wants a family. It really seems like you are projecting your own values and assuming everyone shares them. There are a lot of ways to find fulfillment in life, a job is a pretty weak and, frankly, sad source in my opinion. Fulfillment from strong personal connections and internal contentment are much better sources.

USS Martenclaire · « **Reply #47 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 09:16 »

Quote from: sitnspin on 29 Mar 2016, 04:26

Quote from: gopher on 29 Mar 2016, 04:13
While eonjoyin Hanners discomfort something struck me: The complete lack of ambition amongst people in the QC-verse. Outside of Dora, a succesful Businesswoman, the only one who seemed to accomplish anything, Angus, was shipped of to Mandyville. While in my 20s I wasn't surrounded by the most dynamic of people, they mostly had worthwhile goals and were striving towards them. Allowing those still in college a pass, the rest are absolutley pathetic. Fun, adorablem, enetertaining, but pathetic. they will end up in their 40s, still working minimum wage, sharing shitty flats/apartments and not having a clue what happened.

If they are happy, does it matter? Not everyone follows the same measure of what success means. To me success is having a life you enjoy with people you like being with. Not all of buy into the bullshit idea that money equals success.

I always thought happiness was success.

MooskiNet · « **Reply #48 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 09:44 »

Quote from: USS Martenclaire on 29 Mar 2016, 09:16

I always thought happiness was success.

It's the top shelf, sure, but I'll settle for a few hours where I'm not obsessed with horrible things that will probably never happen or worrying if that person I liked fifteen years ago still thinks I'm an idiot.

cesium133 · « **Reply #49 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 10:07 »

To be fair, that person I liked 15 years ago was right that I was an idiot. What matters now is that hopefully I'm no longer an idiot.

(edit by time-travelling Cesium from the future: Still an idiot)

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Author Topic: WCDT Strips 3186 to 3190 (28th March to 1st April 2016) (Read 40362 times)

TheEvilDog

TheEvilDog