If I'm reading the subtext correctly, this strip went something like this;
Tai: "Catastrophizing about problems that don't exist is toxic. It stops you enjoying what you already have."
Dora: "Yeah, but this is a very realistic possibility and it's a complicated one. This relationship is deeply important to Marten and one job offer could cause it to self destruct in a devastating way. They both need to know where the other stands."
Tai: "It
is important, so why haven't
we talked about it?"
Dora: "Actually, I've thought a lot about it. There isn't anything in my life that I can't rebuild and no relationships that I can't maintain long distance. But you're irreplaceable to me. There aren't any problems I'm not willing to deal with as long as we're together."
Tai: "... Holy shit! You're really 100% committed to this! You've poured so much of your life into this coffee shop. And you're willing to abandon it for me.
I mean more to you than Coffee of Doom!? I don't really know how to parse that, but I know that I don't ever want to lose you. I want to show that same level of commitment to you."
Marten: "
FUUUUUUCK!----------
Edited to avoid a double post
Just having a degree at all opens up a lot more employment opportunities, even if it isn't even in the field the job is for.
And some jobs are much more concerned about what skills you have than what credentials. I seem to recall him having a music blog. He could revive that and eventually write about music professionally. A few media critics have even made successful careers out of making video essays on YouTube. He has options.