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Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: Gyrre on 06 Apr 2019, 08:41

Title: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 06 Apr 2019, 08:41
Because I like doing weird poll ideas.

How will Claire respond to Marten's first gray/grey hairs? [and why are there two different spellings for the same color?]
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 06 Apr 2019, 09:08
YouTube has a bunch of plalists for some of the possible poll combinations. Shoutouts to the following channels:
SoulSearchAndDestroy (https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCpv-IKyVsBJIJRadHjFN3-A)
Odysseus (https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCwoTj-pZgZZ8DInOXSSLMmA)
Cafe Music BGM Channel (https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCJhjE7wbdYAae1G25m0tHAA)
insaneintherainmusic (https://m.youtube.com/user/insaneintherainmusic) this guy successfully arranged a jazz version of the Lavender Town Theme, BTW.
The Musical Ghost (https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCqeHbI0rfexnHhhEgrg8Exg)
Osirois Music (https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCH8297E24GJcGeRyoW2CpEw) not a typo, awesome work
Rebecca E Tripp (https://m.youtube.com/user/RebeccaETripp)

EDIT: typo fix,  forgot 'orchestration' on the poll and figured I'd give some more shoutouts. I rilly need to go to slep
EDIT: another typo fix
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Dandi Andi on 06 Apr 2019, 10:12
Both spellings of gray/grey have the same origin, but one became popular in the US and the other caught on in the UK. I usually remember it 's "A in America and E in England."
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 06 Apr 2019, 12:59
Both spellings of gray/grey have the same origin, but one became popular in the US and the other caught on in the UK. I usually remember it 's "A in America and E in England."

Did JJ adopt the Canadian and thus British spelling? [in case you didn't know, Queen Elizabeth the second is the formal head of state of the Commonwealth Realm Canada]
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 06 Apr 2019, 14:20
Both spellings of gray/grey have the same origin, but one became popular in the US and the other caught on in the UK. I usually remember it 's "A in America and E in England."

Did JJ adopt the Canadian and thus British spelling? [in case you didn't know, Queen Elizabeth the second is the formal head of state of the Commonwealth Realm Canada]

That explains some the reactions to the 'a' spelling.

Some Americans use the 'e' spelling as a number of hoity toity self-proclaimed intellectuals have snooted at the 'a' spelling for decades. Thus muddling the spelling state side.

EDIT: I guess it's just one of those stupid things some people use to try to feel superior to others over.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 06 Apr 2019, 15:30
Curiously, though British I prefer to use gray.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Zebediah on 06 Apr 2019, 18:33
I tend to use “grey” because that’s how I pronounce it.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cesium133 on 06 Apr 2019, 18:36

EDIT: I guess it's just one of those stupid things some people use to try to feel superior to others over.
True story: I once got an account banned by Wikipedia for changing the spelling of an article from the UK spellings to the US spellings.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 06 Apr 2019, 18:39
I tend to use “grey” because that’s how I pronounce it.
So you say it to rhyme with "whey"
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: War Sparrow on 06 Apr 2019, 18:43
In my brain, for unknown reasons, brown scale gray is "gray" and blue-scale grey is "grey".
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 06 Apr 2019, 19:02
I tend to use “grey” because that’s how I pronounce it.

Makes sense. Only a maniac would pronounce it "gray," right?

I just have one teensy question. Just so I can be, you know, 100% clear on what you're saying.

What are you talking about?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 06 Apr 2019, 19:31
I tend to use “grey” because that’s how I pronounce it.

If you pronounced it to rhyme with "bay" would you change to "gray"? :-)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Dandi Andi on 06 Apr 2019, 21:33
Silly as it might sound. I swear I can hear a difference between "grey" and "gray" in my head, but any attempt to reproduce the difference aloud fails.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 06 Apr 2019, 22:38
Silly as it might sound. I swear I can hear a difference between "grey" and "gray" in my head, but any attempt to reproduce the difference aloud fails.
It could depend on the speaker, but I'd imagine it's one of those nuanced differences one has to listen for.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 07 Apr 2019, 00:53
Hmm; I pronounce whey and bay with the same vowel...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 07 Apr 2019, 02:37
I actually spent a good number of minutes wrestling to come up with any kind of difference in pronunciation. I failed utterly.

I'm all for pithy posts, but this one has me baffled.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Zebediah on 07 Apr 2019, 03:28
Seriously? All right then: “gray” is pronounced with the jaw more open and the tongue slightly farther forward in the mouth than “grey”. To me, at least, this produces a subtle but audible difference in the vowel sounds.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 07 Apr 2019, 08:55
Hmm; I pronounce whey and bay with the same vowel...

I'm not sure how to describe it, but I guess I half-pronounce the 'y' when the 'e' is used? Making the 'e' kind of like a dotted note.
I hope that makes any amount of sense.

EDIT: for specificity
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 07 Apr 2019, 12:51
I suppose if it comes down to pronunciation, its "e" as a short vowel and "a" as a long vowel.

Or it just doesn't matter because linguistic drift has rendered the original pronunciation and spelling moot.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 07 Apr 2019, 14:56
Seriously?

Okay, you seem incredulous, so let me explain.

First of all, this forum has an international audience. Pronunciation is not, in general, evident from spelling alone. That is why dictionaries use phonetic alphabets. It would help out a lot if you could refer to a phonetic spelling rather than simply say, "it's pronounced like it's spelled," and expect your entire audience to reach the same conclusion.

Secondly, it certainly is not obvious that two different spellings produce two different pronunciations. There is such a thing as homophones - differing spellings producing identical pronunciation. Indeed, according to the OED and Chambers, the two references I have at hand, grey and gray are indeed homophones.

So, just to be clear, I'm not entirely surprised that somewhere in the world, someone believes them to be articulated slightly differently. But, to be honest, your surprise that other people in the world don't share that view I found to be a touch grating.

So, it would be great if you could produce a source for your claim, and the phonetic spelling for each of your two claimed pronunciations, so that the rest of us may be enlightened.

But I strongly suspect that differences come down to regional variation, not spelling.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Akima on 07 Apr 2019, 15:18
Definitely the variations are by region, social class etc. rather than obvious from English spelling. I speak English with an (I hope) educated Australian accent, which apparently sounds "British" to Americans. Nobody in Australia seems to distinguish in pronunciation between "fay" and "fey" for example, or between "lay" and "ley", but I'm sure my pronunciation of centre as "senta" would sound odd to an American.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: DSL on 07 Apr 2019, 19:43
It's a greay area.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 07 Apr 2019, 19:46
Dora still hasn't conquered her security issues and sensitivity.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 07 Apr 2019, 19:48
And I like the red in her eye.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 07 Apr 2019, 19:58
Marten you dimwitted gombeen, you never tell a woman she has a wrinkle.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 07 Apr 2019, 20:34
"Let's go back to discussing the aging process in the abstract, that was much more fun."
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 07 Apr 2019, 23:20
I could rant a lot about how it's unfair that Dora gets to rag Marten about him going grey but he's not allowed to tell her that she's got a wrinkle... where is it anyway? However, that would be missing the whole point, which is actually a classic joke about people's reaction to ageing. I've seen basically the same joke done by lots of people in basically the same way.

It's probably an indicator of just how bad I am at reading people that a part of me wonders if Dora is only mad because she hadn't noticed and she wants Marten to tell her where the wrinkle is more urgently.

For some reason, a part of me would be really interested for Dora to have a dream where she meets platinum blonde her and the two compare notes on their lives.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 08 Apr 2019, 00:32
It's a greay area.

I sighed audibly.


As for JJ's question how to make a latte with a dagger: cutting edge technology.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: brasca on 08 Apr 2019, 00:33
Marten you dimwitted gombeen, you never tell a woman she has a wrinkle.

Especially if she’s holding a knife.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Dandi Andi on 08 Apr 2019, 00:39
I guess I tend to think of the original cast as about my age more or less, but "comic time" makes that less and less true as time goes on. I've been reading this comic since Faye's big reveal about her dad beck in... 2005? Is that right? 14 years? Sweet Sithrak. I was 21! So the original cast has gone from a bit older than me to a bit younger than me (I presume). It's kind of nice to see Marten and Dora reaching that point where they're beginning to notice the accumulation of age.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: oddtail on 08 Apr 2019, 00:56
Linguistic nerdishness regarding pronunciation incoming.

It's good to be wary when you think you pronounce different words differently. Spelling can heavily influence the perception of what we say without altering the pronunciation itself. It's extremely common and the only way to show it is to record the sound of two words being spoken and objectively comparing the soundwaves.

So I'm not saying "gray" and "grey" are not pronounced differently (they can be, depending on dialect - in IPA terms, it could be the difference between /e/ and /ɛ/, and I think some dialects may go as far as /ć/. The first is a mid-vowel, the next two are each more open. ). But some of y'all might *think* you're pronouncing differently because you keep in mind different spelling. I'm not saying this to any particular person (and I'm not saying it's NECESSARILY true), I'm pointing out the possibility.

No, really. People can swear they pronounce something differently than they actually do. Polish devoices sounds at the end of words (so "d" becomes "t", "g" becomes "k" and so on). It's not optional and every native speaker of Polish does it. But I've met several people who insist they can hear the difference between "kod" ("code") and "kot" ("cat"). They don't and they can't, and it's easily provable (e.g. people can't distinguish between the recording of the two words). But the spelling with a "d" is so suggestive that people expect the spoken "d" sound to be there, so they perceive it as such, even as they pronounce it (correctly) as "t".

(similarly, people often claim to be able to hear the difference between sounds that used to be different, but now they are different only in their spelling. In Polish, the sound "oo" can be spelt both as "u" and "ó", and they are no different, the two spellings exist for historical reasons - the difference disappeared a couple centuries back, so it's extremely unlikely anyone will distingish those. But speakers of standard modern Polish will still claim otherwise, because it *feels* like these two should differ).

EDIT: also, one of the first things I heard at my Phonology lectures at the university was: "don't look at spelling. And never, ever ASK people how they pronounce something if you want to determine the person's pronunciation". The issue being, it's very easy to let spelling influence the way you *think* you say things. Recording a word or phrase spoken by a person who didn't consciously try to pronounce the word "right" is usually much safer.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 08 Apr 2019, 01:34
Dora is not "baseline"...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 08 Apr 2019, 04:31
Dora is not "baseline"...

Before we go falling down that rabbit hole, let's just remember that Dora has an inferiority complex due to Sven's success and lifestyle, she can't take criticism well, she can dish it out but can't take it and is the oldest of the core group. In all, she's very insecure. In one panel, Marten managed to hit three of those buttons at the same time.

And let's be fair, we might joke about hair going grey, but that can be hidden with hair dye. Wrinkles are a whole different problem. Its harder to hide one and its always going to be there the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 08 Apr 2019, 05:07
Dora is not "baseline"...

Before we go falling down that rabbit hole, let's just remember that Dora has an inferiority complex due to Sven's success and lifestyle, she can't take criticism well, she can dish it out but can't take it and is the oldest of the core group. In all, she's very insecure. In one panel, Marten managed to hit three of those buttons at the same time.

And let's be fair, we might joke about hair going grey, but that can be hidden with hair dye. Wrinkles are a whole different problem. Its harder to hide one and its always going to be there the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.

Quote from: Dora, sneering
Oh my god, are you bothered by it?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 08 Apr 2019, 05:11
Quote from: Dora, sneering
Oh my god, are you bothered by it?

A sneer is a facial expression of scorn or disgust characterized by a slight raising of one corner of the upper lip, known also as curling the lip or turning up the nose.

That's not a sneer. That was closer to a smirk. She's trying really hard not to laugh at Marten and the fact that this is something that is patently bothering Mr. "Everything is chill".
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 08 Apr 2019, 08:24
Dora is not "baseline"...

Before we go falling down that rabbit hole, let's just remember that Dora has an inferiority complex due to Sven's success and lifestyle, she can't take criticism well, she can dish it out but can't take it and is the oldest of the core group. In all, she's very insecure. In one panel, Marten managed to hit three of those buttons at the same time.

And let's be fair, we might joke about hair going grey, but that can be hidden with hair dye. Wrinkles are a whole different problem. Its harder to hide one and its always going to be there the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.
There's also the matter of absurd beauty standards women are held to in the Western world.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 08 Apr 2019, 09:27
Dora is not "baseline"...

Before we go falling down that rabbit hole, let's just remember that Dora has an inferiority complex due to Sven's success and lifestyle, she can't take criticism well, she can dish it out but can't take it and is the oldest of the core group. In all, she's very insecure. In one panel, Marten managed to hit three of those buttons at the same time.

And let's be fair, we might joke about hair going grey, but that can be hidden with hair dye. Wrinkles are a whole different problem. Its harder to hide one and its always going to be there the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.
There's also the matter of absurd beauty standards women are held to in the Western world.


"standard" and "normal" are social constructs, as harsh as it sounds. And in the western world getting old is somewhat of a taboo, for whatever reason.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Drunken Old Man on 08 Apr 2019, 11:10
I wonder if I would find Dora's hypocritical double-standard BS more amusing if it hadn't been such a huge factor in her and Marten's breakup.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 08 Apr 2019, 14:20
I wonder if I would find Dora's hypocritical double-standard BS more amusing if it hadn't been such a huge factor in her and Marten's breakup.

My money is on "highly probable". They're both in denial, only dora is more sensitive.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 08 Apr 2019, 15:12
I wonder if I would find Dora's hypocritical double-standard BS more amusing if it hadn't been such a huge factor in her and Marten's breakup.
  What then, in your opinion(s) is the difference between Marten and Dora's relationship, and Marten and Claire's?  Dora's control issues vs Claire's openness.


My money is on "highly probable". They're both in denial, only dora is more sensitive.
And has Claire pushed Marten to take more responsibility for himself?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 08 Apr 2019, 15:19
Some wounds are still fresh after eight or nine years, I see.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 08 Apr 2019, 15:50
I wonder if I would find Dora's hypocritical double-standard BS more amusing if it hadn't been such a huge factor in her and Marten's breakup.
  What then, in your opinion(s) is the difference between Marten and Dora's relationship, and Marten and Claire's?  Dora's control issues vs Claire's openness.


My money is on "highly probable". They're both in denial, only dora is more sensitive.
And has Claire pushed Marten to take more responsibility for himself?

I think I like the expression "pushed" here. Marten, in his eternal cintentness of kinda underachieving wouldn't have gone on waaaaaay slower. He probably needs some nudging, but not pushing.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 08 Apr 2019, 16:45
Some wounds are still fresh after eight or nine years, I see.

And they broke up about halfway from now to the beginning of the syrip.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mad Cat on 08 Apr 2019, 17:50
And I like the red in her eye.
Oh good. I'm not the only one who perceived Dora's eyes to be two different colors.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 08 Apr 2019, 19:46
New comic!

God I hated exams.

At least she hasn't had to use the flare yet....
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 08 Apr 2019, 19:47
Lunch break for the exams!  And Claire is holding on...but barely.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: zisraelsen on 08 Apr 2019, 20:15
Never before have I so rigorously empathised with a fictional character. On the last day of last quarter, I had two 3 hour exams, back-to-back, across campus. One was history and one was an engineering course, and the content-whiplash certainly didn't help.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Scarlet Manuka on 08 Apr 2019, 20:26
And has Claire pushed Marten to take more responsibility for himself?
She did make him open a savings account.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Neko_Ali on 08 Apr 2019, 21:54
New comic!

God I hated exams.

At least she hasn't had to use the flare yet....

Go back and read the subtitle :)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 08 Apr 2019, 22:17
Lunch break for the exams!  And Claire is holding on...but barely.

I'm not entirely sure she is just joking about the apple and carrot sticks. I can see Claire being either overfocused or enough of a nervous wreck to be not realizing she had gone beyond the carrot sticks.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 08 Apr 2019, 23:17
I'm hoping that Claire is holding it together and hasn't submitted an essay question transcript that is just hundreds of repetitions of "I am a fish" or some other other symptom of stress-induced mental collapse!

It's nice, in a way, that Claire and Tai can talk so easily now. It wasn't that long ago that they could only barely tolerate each other, after all!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 08 Apr 2019, 23:32
It's nice, in a way, that Claire and Tai can talk so easily now. It wasn't that long ago that they could only barely tolerate each other, after all!

Well, she used to be her boss. Someone who could end her dream of becoming a librarian simply because she didn't think Claire had it in her.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 09 Apr 2019, 02:11
And I like the red in her eye.
Oh good. I'm not the only one who perceived Dora's eyes to be two different colors.
I tried a joke by saying that she's not "baseline", which was a reference to Alice Grove (who also had red eyes in some circumstances), but nobody seemed to get it...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 09 Apr 2019, 02:13
I wonder if I would find Dora's hypocritical double-standard BS more amusing if it hadn't been such a huge factor in her and Marten's breakup.
  What then, in your opinion(s) is the difference between Marten and Dora's relationship, and Marten and Claire's?  Dora's control issues vs Claire's openness.


My money is on "highly probable". They're both in denial, only dora is more sensitive.
And has Claire pushed Marten to take more responsibility for himself?

Why would she do that? She's his girlfriend, not his mother.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 09 Apr 2019, 02:40
And has Claire pushed Marten to take more responsibility for himself?

Yes, and Marten (being Marten) went along with it by opening a savings account. Didn't they also have an argument about it recently? I seem to recall it was after attending a family dinner at Jim and Veronica's house.

Why would she do that? She's his girlfriend, not his mother.

Someone has to get Marten out of his rut. Just treading water, spinning your wheels or whatever you want to call it isn't a good thing, long-term.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 09 Apr 2019, 04:17
Someone has to get Marten out of his rut. Just treading water, spinning your wheels or whatever you want to call it isn't a good thing, long-term.

That's what I meant with "nudging".
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 09 Apr 2019, 05:50
Claire "pushing Marten to take responsibility for himself" is self-contradictory. That's Claire taking responsibility for Marten, not Marten taking responsibility for himself. He needs to find some intrinsic motivation. It's entirely up to him. No-one else can do it for him (push, nudge, whatever).
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 09 Apr 2019, 06:10
That's just it, Marten's biggest flaw is his passive nature.

Every major change in his life has been enacted by an external factor, be it Faye striking up a friendship or Claire marching him down to the bank to set up a savings account. If none of those happened, he'd probably be homeless with Pintsize in a cardboard box.

Marten needs someone to light a fire under his ass, because he won't do it himself. I'm presuming that Marten is still in his mid-late twenties, so he's getting to a stage in his life where he needs to think about the future and in effect, grow up. But from what we've seen of the last couple of days with Dora, the idea that he's growing older is something that really bothers him.

Anyway, I was hoping Crushbot ate the flare when he realised he couldn't just take the exam without taking the course first. "CRUSHBOT'S HOPES HAVE BEEN CRUSHED! CRUSHBOT NEEDS TO COMFORT EAT!"
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 09 Apr 2019, 06:33
And I like the red in her eye.
Oh good. I'm not the only one who perceived Dora's eyes to be two different colors.
I tried a joke by saying that she's not "baseline", which was a reference to Alice Grove (who also had red eyes in some circumstances), but nobody seemed to get it...
Check the number of likes on that post.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Drunken Old Man on 09 Apr 2019, 06:44
I'm hoping that Claire is holding it together and hasn't submitted an essay question transcript that is just hundreds of repetitions of "I am a fish" or some other other symptom of stress-induced mental collapse!

It's nice, in a way, that Claire and Tai can talk so easily now. It wasn't that long ago that they could only barely tolerate each other, after all!
Smegging brilliant.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 09 Apr 2019, 07:13
And I like the red in her eye.
Oh good. I'm not the only one who perceived Dora's eyes to be two different colors.
I tried a joke by saying that she's not "baseline", which was a reference to Alice Grove (who also had red eyes in some circumstances), but nobody seemed to get it...
Check the number of likes on that post.

Ok, one person got it. ;-)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 09 Apr 2019, 13:52
Marten needs someone to light a fire under his ass, because he won't do it himself.

Doing anything because someone lit a fire under your arse is the exact opposite of taking responsibility for yourself. It's someone else taking responsibility. It's passive obedience. That's what I'm trying to say.

You say he won't do it himself, but that's the very thing that needs to change. He needs to do it himself, for himself. That's the only thing that will produce lasting change.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 09 Apr 2019, 13:59
Yes, its the thing about Marten that he needs to change.

But he won't.

Marten won't ever change a thing about himself, because he's never been put into a situation where he has to examine himself. Faye has had to look at herself time and again because it got to the point where she has almost died twice (the accident before the comic started and the alcohol poisoning). Dora had to examine her own life when she realised she was actively sabotaging her own life time and again.

Marten has never been in that position. He's pretty much the guy whose entire life has been relatively uneventful (in the sense that he has never been put into hospital or gone into therapy).

Its always been an external factor that has changed Marten's life, never his own decision. And Marten is just too chill to think to himself that he needs to make some change in his life.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 09 Apr 2019, 14:07
Well, if that's what your crystal ball tells you. What can I say? If he never does, he never does.

But I daresay that he will at some point be put into a situation where introspection is called for, he makes a realisation, and the fire will be lit.

Its always been an external factor that has changed Marten's life, never his own decision.

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. Exactly. He's still passive. Why are you calling for another external factor as though it will be different this time? One more time. It has to be his own decision.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: oddtail on 09 Apr 2019, 14:18
Yeah, Marten being coerced or talked into doing something would not be actual character growth regardless of what "something" might be. It's happened before. It'd be just business as usual, and would not solve his fundamental issues.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Corvid on 09 Apr 2019, 14:20
If Marten is going to change, he would need to decide on a goal to work towards, because as it is his life is pretty well set up. He's got a decent job that covers all his expenses, an active social life, a girlfriend, etc... People have been happy with less to be honest

He's talked about wanting to do music as a career before but it's been a long time since we've heard from the band. I think the only thing that's going to spark self-motivation is if he finds something he's genuinely excited about, enough to change his mostly comfortable life.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 09 Apr 2019, 14:39
With apologies for yet more damage to that battered wall over there, I strongly suspect that nothing will change with Marten primarily because Jeph has lost interest in telling Marten's story. The comic is about various people around him, now. He's an extra.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 09 Apr 2019, 14:49
He's part of Claire's story, and Claire is about to launch a career. I won't make a prediction but a shakeup is possible, though admittedly way out of character.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 09 Apr 2019, 15:19
It's more likely that his life will revolve around supporting Claire and her goals.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 09 Apr 2019, 15:38
Claire loves Marten.  He treats her and sees her as she is.  He validates who she is, doesn't see her as something different or exotic.  He's supportive of who she is and her choices.
Claire is here for the long haul.  She sees a future with him.  Her "nudging" is apart of a plan to set up the two of them for success.
The only caveat is this is her first relationship, and she's pinning a lot of her Hopes on it.
Marten realizes how lucky he is to have her.  Tai and Dora have told him as much.  He's going have to step up his game to make sure everything goes right.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 09 Apr 2019, 16:15
He's part of Claire's story, and Claire is about to launch a career. I won't make a prediction but a shakeup is possible, though admittedly way out of character.
People seem to have forgotten that Marten and Claire are an item because he did something way out of character, starting at #2799 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2799).  She is the exception to the rules for Marten.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 09 Apr 2019, 17:33
Wow. I had forgotten that one.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Corvid on 09 Apr 2019, 18:21
Also! I was just thinking about it and him moving from California was a pretty drastic change that he decided on himself. It was because the girl he was with was moving, but it was his decision to follow her, she didn't really want him there lmao
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Milayna on 09 Apr 2019, 19:28
Time to put Marten on a bus. Literally, it looks.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 09 Apr 2019, 19:35
New strip up!  And, it would seem that a number of readers seem to be on the same wavelength as JJ.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Toe on 09 Apr 2019, 20:29
Oh hey, guess Jeph decided it's time to retread the "X is moving away" (potential) breakup storyline again. This is what, the third time we've been through this? Faye & Angus ended just like this (moving for career), and Marten & Padma was also cut short by Padma moving away. Guess Jeph really likes that trope, doesn't he?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Corvid on 09 Apr 2019, 20:54
I think this is specifically Padma Take Two, a chance for Marten to show how much he's actually grown up since then
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 09 Apr 2019, 21:49
Wasn't Padma more of a fling? Claire is a deep emotional connection who has moved in.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Elder Sign on 09 Apr 2019, 21:55
People seem to have forgotten that Marten and Claire are an item because he did something way out of character, starting at #2799 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2799).  She is the exception to the rules for Marten.

Oh dear God, please don't remind me of the ensuing Hundred Strips of Pure Ubersaccharine Overload.  That was an ordeal.

Oh hey, guess Jeph decided it's time to retread the "X is moving away" (potential) breakup storyline again. This is what, the third time we've been through this? Faye & Angus ended just like this (moving for career), and Marten & Padma was also cut short by Padma moving away. Guess Jeph really likes that trope, doesn't he?

Emphasis on potential.  The difference is that right now, the characters are speculating that Claire might want to move away.  It's far from the done deal that both Angus and Padma were.

Out-of-universe, per the tendencies of drama, the fact that we've been made well aware of the potential for Claire moving somewhere makes it less likely to actually happen that way.  Remember that Padma and then Angus each moved away with basically no advance warning whatsoever.

Furthermore, Faye & Angus seemed to be ended because the focus was decisively and overwhelmingly shifted to Marten & Claire and the former relationship became surplus (what with Marigold & Dale serving as the secondary couple).  And Jeph has a habit of sending characters permanently far away when he decides "bored now" (e.g. Hanners).
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 09 Apr 2019, 21:59
I do believe Jeph lived in Northampton when he created QC - but he doesn't live there anymore.  Marty is still arguably his main protagonist - Jeph may be planning to relocate him. 

Wasn't Padma more of a fling? Claire is a deep emotional connection who has moved in.
She was, but Marty realized he didn't want her to be or at least that he didn't want just a fling.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 09 Apr 2019, 22:14
Claire's enough of a main character that it's hard to imagine writing her out.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 09 Apr 2019, 22:30
Claire's enough of a main character that it's hard to imagine writing her out.
Nope, that's not apt to happen.  We may see a new locus introduced, though.  I won't die of shock if Marty and Claire follow Jeph.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 09 Apr 2019, 22:44
I think this is specifically Padma Take Two, a chance for Marten to show how much he's actually grown up since then

Personally, I'd like to disagree. Padma was a different story, because Marten knew she'd be leaving whenever they got together.


I do believe Jeph lived in Northampton when he created QC - but he doesn't live there anymore.  Marty is still arguably his main protagonist - Jeph may be planning to relocate him. 
[snip]


Maybe, but I began to differ again. If Claire actually does have to move for work, Marten will have to make a conscious decision, and he'll probably do it properly this time.
Think about it: Faye and Bubbles barely make enough to pay their rent(s), maybe a bit more now. Marty wouldn't put them on the spot, just like this. Although I could see them trying to live at the shop though.



I don't think JJ wants neither to break up the cast (geographically speaking), nor does he want to get rid of either Marten or Claire. In my mind, Marten has bonded with Claire too strongly to just let her move. The way I see it, he'd rather give up his Job at the Library so he can be replaced by Claire, and then maybe enter the music industry, through whatever channel he may get into.


Yes, it's Claire's first relationship, and she's up with a life changing event - transitioning from student to work life. The way I see her, she'll need the emotional support to make this go smoothly. Yes, there probably will be fights. Marten will have to be able to get Claire out of her frustration, without making it worse by his choice of words. Although I think Marten will prove he's up to it. I think Claire is a good thing for Marten. Yes she keeps pushing him in certain ways, which won't be good in the long run. But she might get Marten to a point where he gets used to being less passive.
When they make it through all that, they'll be settled for the long run, either together or split, but it will be a better talked about decision than the Dora/Marten breakup.


Or, just when everything is about to fall apart, Hanners is coming back, buying up stuff left and right just to not have her little social circle break up with even more drama (she'll have had enough of that by the time she returns.)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: hakko504 on 09 Apr 2019, 22:55
And Jeph has a habit of sending characters permanently far away when he decides "bored now" (e.g. Hanners).
Well, I think Hanners may return sometime in the future when Jeph decides he needs her for something specific. The fact that he has checked in on her every now and then suggests that she's out for now, but may return if the right moment appears. Angus/Padma and others are gone and won't be back. Technically Marten did mail Padma at one time but basically got the reply that she had settled down and wasn't going to return.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 09 Apr 2019, 23:20
I could see Faye and Dora both doing an intervention with Marten if he even thi is about not following Claire.   Faye recounting her breakup with Angus, and Dora reminding him of his tendency to be wishy washy.  And again, Claire has roots in town.  Her mom and brother live there.  If she gets a job within, say, 50 miles, commuting  would be a thing.   And I like the idea of Marten leaving the library to make a space for Claire.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Sorflakne on 09 Apr 2019, 23:32
*makes note to buy popcorn*
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 09 Apr 2019, 23:37
I'm thinking that we're seeing clearly, for probably the first time, what the current arc for Marten is: Time to Adult.

Marten has been treading water, just enjoying being where he is. However, Dora is right to point out that this may not be possible for much longer. This isn't just an isolated incident either. Claire is the catalyst that's slowly forcing Marten out of his 'footloose, fancy-free and single tween' holding pattern and realising that he has to start taking actions that will let him manage living adult life. That means having to decide how he'll react to Claire's career taking her elsewhere than Northampton.

Bearing in mind that Hannelore has essentially left (and I'm not sure if she'll ever return) and that Faye and Bubbles really don't seem to have any more arcs lined up, I suspect that Jeph is following a deliberate strategy of wrapping up his existing characters' storylines. We are rapidly approaching strip 4000, after all. I think that there is a serious possibility that Marten, Dora and their significant others may fade out of the strip altogether, leaving the way completely clear for the strip to be dominated by Clinton, Brun, Elliott, Roko and their surrounding connections with only Faye remaining from the existing cast and then only as an occasionally-seen support character. I don't think that Marten and Claire will necessarily move out of town like Hanners but it is quite possible that they'll just fade out of the strip. If I'm right, I'm suspecting that this process will be complete no later than strip 4500.

I suspect that there are two basic motivations for this: Firstly, it's possible that Jeph feels that there are too many characters and he needs to write out those for whom he's exhausted his list of stories he wishes to tell. Secondly, I think he's decided that the new direction in which he wants to take Questionable Content need for him to be focussed specifically on the characters that he's clearly establishing for that broader direction (the ClinBrunEliRoko quartet, Renee and their supporting characters).

I wonder if there will be a shock cliff-hanger in strip 4000 where Claire tells Marten that she's received a job offer quite some distance from Northampton?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: brasca on 10 Apr 2019, 00:21
While this is something he should discuss given how frazzled Claire was getting it’s probably for the best to delay this conversation until after the exam.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 10 Apr 2019, 00:56
Hmm, what are the possibilities here?
- Marten steps down from his job to let Claire have a job in SMIF and thus, they both stay in Northampton.
- Claire takes a job within a commutable distance (anything between 100 and 120 miles a day travelling)
- Claire takes a job some distance away from Northampton, necessitating a move. Marten follows.
- Claire takes a job some distance away from Northampton, necessitating a move. Marten doesn't follow, relationship remains stable.
- Claire takes a job some distance away from Northampton, necessitating a move. Marten doesn't follow, relationship begins to crack.
- Claire unable to find a job, cracks begin to form in relationship.
- Marten and Claire leave Northampton, presumably on a jet plane, don't know when they'll be back again. (I hope not, because that is a depressing song)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 10 Apr 2019, 01:04
I'm with Marten, here. What's the use of twisting themselves to knots beforehand? They don't know what the future will be anyway! Worrying never solved any problem.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 10 Apr 2019, 01:21
I subscribe to Jeph's Patreon. I'm looking forward to this forum's reaction to what happens in tomorrow's public post. I am going to literally have to physically restrain myself from discussing it before then.

(Fellow Patreons, feel free to PM me if you don't want to wait!)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 10 Apr 2019, 01:40
I'm with Marten, here. What's the use of twisting themselves to knots beforehand? They don't know what the future will be anyway! Worrying never solved any problem.

Maybe, but there's also planning for the future, because you never know whats going to happen.

Its becoming increasingly clear that Marten doesn't think about his future and is quite happy to let things pass him by. Which is also increasingly apparent that is going to cause him problems. He's at the stage in his life where he needs to pull the thumb out of his ass and prepare to make a future for himself and Claire.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: brasca on 10 Apr 2019, 03:10
I'm with Marten, here. What's the use of twisting themselves to knots beforehand? They don't know what the future will be anyway! Worrying never solved any problem.

Maybe, but there's also planning for the future, because you never know whats going to happen.

Its becoming increasingly clear that Marten doesn't think about his future and is quite happy to let things pass him by. Which is also increasingly apparent that is going to cause him problems. He's at the stage in his life where he needs to pull the thumb out of his ass and prepare to make a future for himself and Claire.

And do what?  He lucked into getting a job he can do that’s not terrible.  Is there really anything else he could be doing?  It’s not like he’s got a degree going to waste or talents for that matter other than music, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 10 Apr 2019, 03:13
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 10 Apr 2019, 03:21
I'm with Marten, here. What's the use of twisting themselves to knots beforehand? They don't know what the future will be anyway! Worrying never solved any problem.

Maybe, but there's also planning for the future, because you never know whats going to happen.

Its becoming increasingly clear that Marten doesn't think about his future and is quite happy to let things pass him by. Which is also increasingly apparent that is going to cause him problems. He's at the stage in his life where he needs to pull the thumb out of his ass and prepare to make a future for himself and Claire.

And do what?  He lucked into getting a job he can do that’s not terrible.  Is there really anything else he could be doing?  It’s not like he’s got a degree going to waste or talents for that matter other than music, but it doesn’t pay the bills.

If Jeph follows his own life as a pattern (as he has a few times with Marten) then Marten's blog, Yelling About Music, is generating enough money (via ads but also the new 'Sponzar' and 'Te3' on-line tipping services) for Marten to think seriously about an entirely web-based career. This will consist both of music journalism and also musical performance (with Hannelore providing Deathmřle's drum track remotely for Marten to mix together with his and Amir's guitar tracks later). So, he quits the Library and follows Claire wherever she goes to become her house-husband whilst holding forth on popular culture on-line and producing very, very metal concept music on-line with geographically-distributed performers to just make the work that much more avante-garde.

FWIW, I'm still hoping that it turns out Marten is getting a small income from re-publishing of Yelling About Music columns in various on-line publications, including Smif's on-line student newspaper. So Marten gets his dream, of sorts. He'll never be super-famous but he's a published music geek nonetheless!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: DaiJB on 10 Apr 2019, 04:55
I wonder if there will be a shock cliff-hanger in strip 4000 where Claire tells Marten that she's received a job offer quite some distance from Northampton?

...And there ensues a number of emotional altercations (Marten/Claire, Marten/Dora, Marten/Tai, Marten/Faye, etc)...
...great upheaval as Claire is determined to take a job possibly thousands of miles away and declares that if Marten won't come with her, she'll go alone...
...after Claire leaves, more increasingly emotional altercations with friends (in the case of Faye, emotional to the point of  leaving bruises)...
...finally our First Protagonist realizes time isn't standing still, his girlfriend certainly isn't standing still, but he has been standing still...
...Marten packs up and follows his last girlfriend across country - just like he did with his first girlfriend, way back before the beginning of QC...

...QC wraps up...








I'M KIDDING...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 10 Apr 2019, 06:47
...or maybe Claire finds a really excellent job nearby, they move into a comfy flat not far from their friends, and happiness ensues.

Couldn't things just go that way, only for once?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 10 Apr 2019, 07:01
I'M SURE IT'LL BE FINE.....  :-o :-o
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 10 Apr 2019, 09:00
Well, Hanners might come back with a rocketship, crashing, destroying their whole appartment building killing everyone from the 'classic' cast (Marten, Dora, Tai, Hanners, Claire and even Pintsize), with only Faye surviving because Bubbles protected her.



I subscribe to Jeph's Patreon. I'm looking forward to this forum's reaction to what happens in tomorrow's public post. I am going to literally have to physically restrain myself from discussing it before then.

(Fellow Patreons, feel free to PM me if you don't want to wait!)

I suspect either the end of something, a spin off or change in dangly bits.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Nepiophage on 10 Apr 2019, 09:14
Marten has a job he likes, a girlfriend and lots of friends. Things seem to be good, to the point JJ doesn't talk about him very much anymore, because all that happiness would be boring!
I fear that after Claire graduates and starts to look for employment, she will not find a librarian position in Northampton, but will be offered one somewhere else, and will have to choose between her career and Marten. Cue enough unhappiness to satisfy anyone.

called it . .
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 10 Apr 2019, 09:20
Marten has a job he likes, a girlfriend and lots of friends. Things seem to be good, to the point JJ doesn't talk about him very much anymore, because all that happiness would be boring!
I fear that after Claire graduates and starts to look for employment, she will not find a librarian position in Northampton, but will be offered one somewhere else, and will have to choose between her career and Marten. Cue enough unhappiness to satisfy anyone.

called it . .

Not yet, you didn't. And to be honest, that kinda was always a likely possibility.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: SpanielBear on 10 Apr 2019, 09:24
I swear I'm missing something here in the forum responses.

Why does Marten, who is happy, HAVE to change? I understand if it is a case of needing to support Claire, or if he is miserable, but as things stand he gives every impression of being content, and the times he has failed to support Claire have involved failures in communication, which I don't see "getting out of your rut" as magically resolving.

What is the perceived inevitable doom that everyone is predicting?

And why on earth does he need to give up a job he's good at to enable Claire to achieve her goals? That seems really shitty! Claire is clever, well organised, responsible and competent in her own right, she doesn't need to be thrown Martin's job as a gift out of pity. If she has to move, sure there is a decision needed. But that isn't how the situation is at this point.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 10 Apr 2019, 09:30
...or maybe Claire finds a really excellent job nearby, they move into a comfy flat not far from their friends, and happiness ensues.

Couldn't things just go that way, only for once?
That happens so rarely in real life, I don't think readers will be able to suspend their disbelief.

Space stations, sentient androids, demi-god AIs we can handle, but Happily Ever After is just too unrealistic. 
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 10 Apr 2019, 09:50
I swear I'm missing something here in the forum responses.

Why does Marten, who is happy, HAVE to change? I understand if it is a case of needing to support Claire, or if he is miserable, but as things stand he gives every impression of being content, and the times he has failed to support Claire have involved failures in communication, which I don't see "getting out of your rut" as magically resolving.

What is the perceived inevitable doom that everyone is predicting?

And why on earth does he need to give up a job he's good at to enable Claire to achieve her goals? That seems really shitty! Claire is clever, well organised, responsible and competent in her own right, she doesn't need to be thrown Martin's job as a gift out of pity. If she has to move, sure there is a decision needed. But that isn't how the situation is at this point.


It's not that bad, it's just Marten ... has a record. It's a distinct possibility.

Claire may be organised, responsible and competent, but yet she's naive and (to me) overoptimistic.


The question is whether Claire isn't completely overqualified for Marten's job, who got that job basically by showing up and not being a student.

Maybe she can replace Tai, or what probably would be even funnier, Claire might become one of Tai's bosses.


There's probably no reason for Marten to quit his job unless he's either got something significant better, or because he moves with Claire.



With Faye slowly getting her shop off the ground, I doubt Marten is going to move away easily. They ARE very close after all. He'll definetly try to do the long term thing at first, if it actually comes down to that, at least that is my guess.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 10 Apr 2019, 10:22
I swear I'm missing something here in the forum responses.

Why does Marten, who is happy, HAVE to change? I understand if it is a case of needing to support Claire, or if he is miserable, but as things stand he gives every impression of being content, and the times he has failed to support Claire have involved failures in communication, which I don't see "getting out of your rut" as magically resolving.

What is the perceived inevitable doom that everyone is predicting?

And why on earth does he need to give up a job he's good at to enable Claire to achieve her goals? That seems really shitty! Claire is clever, well organised, responsible and competent in her own right, she doesn't need to be thrown Martin's job as a gift out of pity. If she has to move, sure there is a decision needed. But that isn't how the situation is at this point.

The'inevitable doom' is the possibility that Claire may get a job far from Northampton. Marten will then have to choose between the current status quo (and a consequential long-distance relationship) or leaving Northampton with her.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Elder Sign on 10 Apr 2019, 10:58
I swear I'm missing something here in the forum responses.

Why does Marten, who is happy, HAVE to change? I understand if it is a case of needing to support Claire, or if he is miserable, but as things stand he gives every impression of being content, and the times he has failed to support Claire have involved failures in communication, which I don't see "getting out of your rut" as magically resolving.

What is the perceived inevitable doom that everyone is predicting?

And why on earth does he need to give up a job he's good at to enable Claire to achieve her goals? That seems really shitty! Claire is clever, well organised, responsible and competent in her own right, she doesn't need to be thrown Martin's job as a gift out of pity. If she has to move, sure there is a decision needed. But that isn't how the situation is at this point.

The'inevitable doom' is the possibility that Claire may get a job far from Northampton. Marten will then have to choose between the current status quo (and a consequential long-distance relationship) or leaving Northampton with her.

And yet there's every possibility that Smif(?) is not the only library in Northampton, or something might change in Tai and Marten's work situation that opens up a spot for Claire to possibly find a job, or she might end up somewhere semi-close in New England (e.g. Boston) whereby long-distance could very well be tenable for a while until they can both find reasonably stable jobs in the same area.

It's not like cross-country (or bust) is the only option here.  And the exam currently in progress could go horribly awry too and mess up carefully laid career plans.

I subscribe to Jeph's Patreon. I'm looking forward to this forum's reaction to what happens in tomorrow's public post. I am going to literally have to physically restrain myself from discussing it before then.

I can't help but think of:
Quote from: Advisor
Nuclear launch detected.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 10 Apr 2019, 14:23

It's not like cross-country (or bust) is the only option here.  And the exam currently in progress could go horribly awry too and mess up carefully laid career plans.

Or a change of careers. Even, or especially if she succeeded. with flying colors.




I subscribe to Jeph's Patreon. I'm looking forward to this forum's reaction to what happens in tomorrow's public post. I am going to literally have to physically restrain myself from discussing it before then.

I can't help but think of:
Quote from: Advisor
Nuclear launch detected.

In the rear, with the gear!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 10 Apr 2019, 15:26
I am really looking forward to being able to discuss the upcoming one.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 10 Apr 2019, 15:32
I doubt Marten is going to move away easily.

If that becomes an issue, no decision is likely to be easy; but Marten has already once upped sticks and crossed the continent for a girl.  OK, that time it didn't work out, but that's no indication of the future.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Oenone on 10 Apr 2019, 15:36
There is actually a really beautiful public library right off campus, as well as other subject area specific libraries on campus. Smif is also within commuting distance of like 12 other colleges in the Five College and Pioneer Valley area.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 10 Apr 2019, 15:41
I doubt Marten is going to move away easily.

If that becomes an issue, no decision is likely to be easy; but Marten has already once upped sticks and crossed the continent for a girl.  OK, that time it didn't work out, but that's no indication of the future.

Well, he didn't have much to lose back then. What he has to lose now is a roomie and close friend he deeply cares about, plus a weird social circle that's not that easy to replace.
Yes, he could lose the girlfriend he knows he is in a healthy relationship with, but Claire's transition into "real adulthood" is going to take its toll on everyone. it might be the better choice for Marten to stay behind for a while.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 10 Apr 2019, 19:07
>that time it didn't work out

Not directly, but it put him on the path to a decent life, if one that wastes his talents and energy.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: brasca on 10 Apr 2019, 19:07
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 10 Apr 2019, 19:20
Just because you personally cannot think of jobs that could stem from that qualification, doesn't mean they don't exist.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/personal-incredulity
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Elder Sign on 10 Apr 2019, 19:20
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.

Academia, if he went on and did a masters and PhD.  Professional music critic and writer maybe?  And that's just off the top of my head.

EDIT: And can all the people wildly vagueposting about tonight's comic kindly put a sock in it?  Because we're all waiting on it, Patreon or no, and it is contributing nothing to the discussion.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 10 Apr 2019, 19:28
Yes please. I recall once making the mistake of vagueposting about a future comic and being informed (quite correctly) that it was a bit rude by at least one of the people currently indulging in the practice.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cesium133 on 10 Apr 2019, 19:38
Tonight's comic is up now.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: tomveil on 10 Apr 2019, 19:40
it is now safe to post about QC 3979
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 10 Apr 2019, 19:40
Awwwwww....

Is it my imagination or is Marten freaked out about the conversation?

Who does he talk to?  Veronica?  Faye?

Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pendrake on 10 Apr 2019, 19:51
For comic #3979... (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3979)

1. Wow, I did not see that (marriage proposal) coming. :-o

2. On the other hand, Tai definitely did right, in seizing the moment.  When you have a girl (or boy) who is willing to pull up deep stakes/roots like that, FOR YOU, that is someone worth keeping.

3. Also, given what we have seen of Dora's sharp business skills, I have little doubt that Dora would be able to successfully rebuild her business if she did pull up stakes and move with Tai.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Elder Sign on 10 Apr 2019, 19:52
Pardon me for not waiting twenty minutes for the comic to drop before snarking at people for vagueposting.

That is an impressive left-hand turn.  I have sudden vision of that meme format with the freeway pointing to "Claire exam and career anxiety" and the car burning its tires up the off-ramp to "Tai/Dora getting married".

And meanwhile, Marten is busy casting Expeditious Retreat.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: jwhouk on 10 Apr 2019, 19:59
Warning.
 Black Alert.
Prepare for Engagement Drive Operations.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Penquin47 on 10 Apr 2019, 20:02
But... but...

Dora STILL can't be the flower girl!!!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Emperor Norton on 10 Apr 2019, 20:21
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.

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.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 10 Apr 2019, 20:23
Dora hasn't said yes yet and seems to be having trouble processing the question.

I wonder if this will kick off any lines of thought in Bubbles's mind. Or Marten's.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 10 Apr 2019, 20:31
But... but...

Dora STILL can't be the flower girl!!!
Claire could!  Judging by her dresses she tried on for the wedding, she might be into that.  And she could catch the bouquet!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Dandi Andi on 10 Apr 2019, 20:36
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.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 10 Apr 2019, 20:57
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.
Boeing hired a metric shitload of people with music degrees as computer programmers back in the '90s.  After several rounds of various layoffs, many of them are still there.  Music skills carry over into programming.  After all, what is dal segno al fini but a go-to instruction?

Props Jeph, I didn't see that coming.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: badbum61 on 10 Apr 2019, 21:29
welp, that just happened.

500 posts by breakfast?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: brasca on 10 Apr 2019, 21:44
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.

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.

Penelope has one and she works at Coffee of Doom because it’s not just finding a job, but enduring a potentially dead end job for years in the hope it will pay off.

Anyway this argument is about to be drowned out by high pitched squeeing.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: MrNumbers on 10 Apr 2019, 21:57
I haven't posted here in months but I came by just to "what the fuck" with you all.

You know, with a smile and a laugh.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 10 Apr 2019, 21:59
A friend of mine was at a university and got access to exam assignments from a computer programming class. As an experiment, he ranked them by quality, and then and only then looked up the majors of the students who wrote them.

The math majors did very well but were on average outranked by the best group, which was the music majors.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 10 Apr 2019, 22:16
A friend of mine was at a university and got access to exam assignments from a computer programming class. As an experiment, he ranked them by quality, and then and only then looked up the majors of the students who wrote them.

The math majors did very well but were on average outranked by the best group, which was the music majors.

Music is just another language, in a way. With algorithms of its own, and by concatenating the same things in different ways resulting in new things doing what they want.


Also, I didn't see that one coming. But it might actually work out for them two. Tai ia the relaxed one, which is what Dora needs, and Dora is the organized one, which is something Tai (kind of) needs.

Also: Marten, you idiot, get back in there and be happy for your friends. There's a chance you're gonna be best man.
I know you're freaked out by whole planning ahead thing, but I'm with Tai for this one. it's not too late to talk about Claire's plans. She might not have thought about it herself (for various reasons).
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Cornelius on 10 Apr 2019, 23:04
Personally, I'd hold off on that conversation until she has her results back. Claire might not be able to think of the future in positive terms until then.

Before we ring the wedding bells, let's see what Dora's answer is first.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 10 Apr 2019, 23:20
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.
Music museums exist. For example, the American Jazz Museum is in Kansas City.

Perhaps there's one in North Hampton.
If not, perhaps Marten (if properly motivated) could organize for the creation and funding of one. He's got connections.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 10 Apr 2019, 23:26
That last panel is sweet! I do think that Marten should stand his ground. I mean, for goodness sake, I suspect that he's going to have a big enough role in what's coming up so that he should be in on the planning from the start!

In some ways, I think it had to be that way. Dora probably still feels insecure enough that she'd worry about Tai saying 'no' because she's waiting for a 'better offer'. So it had to be Tai and it had to be spontaneous because that's Tai.

However, this does feed into the post I made yesterday that Jeph is wrapping up the storylines of his original main characters, so I'm not expecting there to be many loose ends left untied for Faye, Marten and Dora by the time we reach Strip 4500. Speaking of which, I wonder how long the wedding arc will last?

Before we ring the wedding bells, let's see what Dora's answer is first.

Any storyline where Dora says 'no' would have to have a very, very good reason not to be contrived and OOC. Dora has already said that Tai is the most important thing in her life and she'd do anything for her so, really, what is holding her back except her lack of self-esteem (most of which seem to be resolved now)?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Jedit on 11 Apr 2019, 00:39
I hate to be pedantic (Internet Forums Lie #1), but if I remember my layout correctly, isn't that where the door to the stockroom is?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 11 Apr 2019, 00:46
I hate to be pedantic (Internet Forums Lie #1), but if I remember my layout correctly, isn't that where the door to the stockroom is?

Shouldn't the toilet(s) be back there, too?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 11 Apr 2019, 00:55
Psssst there is some text under the bottom right corner of the comic.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Cornelius on 11 Apr 2019, 01:02
I think that's rather the point.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 11 Apr 2019, 01:13
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.
Music museums exist. For example, the American Jazz Museum is in Kansas City.

Perhaps there's one in North Hampton.
If not, perhaps Marten (if properly motivated) could organize for the creation and funding of one. He's got connections.

La Cité de la Musique, here in Paris. I love this place!

https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/musee-de-la-musique

https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/TAKiqDIFw98kJg?hl=en
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 11 Apr 2019, 01:27
That escalated quickly...

I love Marten's face in the last panel. He looks like someone convinced he will wake up any second, now.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 11 Apr 2019, 02:09
I do think that Marten should stand his ground.

Stand his ground?  He is doing exactly the right thing - withdrawing as his friends have a very special moment together.  He'll know the outcome soon enough!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 11 Apr 2019, 02:27
You know, there is a scenario - plausible although not highly probable - where this could turn into a triple wedding (Dora & Tai; Marten & Claire; Faye & Bubbles) with a big splash single panel of the three happy couples being told 'I now declare you spouses!' by the judge circa Strip 4500 as a 'hand-off' from the old main cast, precisely three times the distance from the beginning as the Dorapocalypse and nine times The Talk.

Stand his ground?  He is doing exactly the right thing - withdrawing as his friends have a very special moment together.  He'll know the outcome soon enough!

Yes, but he's not withdrawing to give them privacy, he's running away from a sudden onrushing avalanche of 'tomorrow has finally come' and that's less praiseworthy.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Shjade on 11 Apr 2019, 02:31
Holy shit, Tai. That was damn fine as reactions go.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: jesslc on 11 Apr 2019, 02:37
Awww... That was just what I needed to cheer me up today!  :-D  :-D  :-D

I think Dora will say yes. She did just say she'd be willing to uproot her whole life for Tai after all.

I remember a fair bit of speculating here in the past year or so about Marten & Claire or Faye & Bubbles getting married. I wonder if Jeph noticed and deliberately decided to have Tai and Dora be the ones to take this step instead.


Edited to add:
I swear I'm missing something here in the forum responses.

Why does Marten, who is happy, HAVE to change? I understand if it is a case of needing to support Claire, or if he is miserable, but as things stand he gives every impression of being content, and the times he has failed to support Claire have involved failures in communication, which I don't see "getting out of your rut" as magically resolving.
Yeah I don't get it either. Marten has a life he's happy with, he's not in debt or anything. I don't see the issue. Is it an American thing to be bothered by "unambitious character is not motivated to improve his prettty-damn-okay life", maybe? I have no idea.  :?

I'm not particularly ambitious, if I had the things Marten has - a job that he likes, a partner he loves, good friends, decent living situation, decent health, enough money for basic needs and a bit spare for his wants - I'd be very content with that. Setting aside some savings in case of an emergency in the future is definitely a good idea - but that's done now thanks to Claire's help so I'm at a loss to see anything he needs to change.

Perhaps it's just that being satisfied with an unremarkable but happy life is not particularly exciting to read about...   
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Welu on 11 Apr 2019, 05:11
Holy shit, I'm thankful this isn't a Friday strip.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 11 Apr 2019, 06:08
I feel for Marten. Witnessing his boss proposing his ex, while facing the whole new realization how his own life could go south in a blink, must be kind of disturbing...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Cornelius on 11 Apr 2019, 06:26
Holy shit, I'm thankful this isn't a Friday strip.
Cue tomorrow's strip featuring a new Melon emergency. :roll:
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 11 Apr 2019, 06:33
I don't think Marten and Claire will marry in the foreseeable future, much less Faye and Bubbles (those two for more than one reason). The only other possible wedding I currently see is Veronica & Jim.

As far as change and Marten are concerned - it's just something he doesn't think about unless absolutely necessary. In this case it's not necessarily being passive than maybe more being content, not needing to worry about the future. Moving across a whole continent is more of a US thing I think, so moving that far away is not something that comes to my mind (as an inhabitant of a rather small European country I'd have to move to a completely different country, while in the US you might not even have left the state in the US, distance wise).
There's just a lot of possible friction for Marten, and everyone expects him to get at least one full broadside of that.


As far as Tai and Dira are concerned: I think their characters are offsetting each other in a way you could say 'opposites attract', and they're balancing each other. I'm happy for them (as far as you can be, concerning fictional characters), and it might actually work out in the long run, but it's gonna be a piece of work sometimes.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 11 Apr 2019, 07:00
I ALWAYS CRY AT WEDDINGS.

Just warning ya.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Annemoon on 11 Apr 2019, 07:11
And meanwhile, Marten is busy casting Expeditious Retreat.

This joke though :'D

I hope for good things for Tai and Dora :) I agree that they compliment each other well.
On the topic on not bashing too much on Marten. I think he's doing okay overall.
However, I do think that Marten needs to work on his avoidance behavior (and communication sometimes).
But he's already growing a lot in his relationship with Claire. I'm just ready for some good things right now <3
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: St.Clair on 11 Apr 2019, 07:18
And so Marten finds another excuse to run away from thinking about this stuff for at least one more day.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 11 Apr 2019, 08:36
Quote from: BenRG
Any storyline where Dora says 'no' would have to have a very, very good reason not to be contrived and OOC

That kind of self-sabotage has been in character in the past :-(. One of the themes of the comic is people getting over things, so I hope Dora will get out of her own way and take the offer of happiness.

Assuming, of course, that Tai has overcome her substance abuse problem.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: DashaBlade on 11 Apr 2019, 08:38
Holy shit, I'm thankful this isn't a Friday strip.
Cue tomorrow's strip featuring a new Melon emergency. :roll:

There's been a huge shakeup! Nothing is as it was! I predict... Steve will eat soup tomorrow!

P.S. I haven't posted in a while, but I saw the comic and I thought, "Damn, the forum's going to explode today."
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 11 Apr 2019, 08:47
Quote from: jessic
Yeah I don't get it either. Marten has a life he's happy with, he's not in debt or anything. I don't see the issue. Is it an American thing to be bothered by "unambitious character is not motivated to improve his prettty-damn-okay life", maybe? I have no idea.  :?

He does have student loans, but that's a minor point. Your main point is much more interesting. Maybe it is an American thing. We've got an industry of motivational speakers urging people to take chances and try for more. We've got a beloved former President who said
Quote
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never tasted victory or defeat."

A less dramatic version predates America. One author (American btw :-)) summarized the ancient Greek path to happiness as "the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence in a life affording them scope". Marten's not getting that. Touring with the band and making a poor and irregular income, he would be getting that.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 11 Apr 2019, 10:29






Shouldn't the toilet(s) be back there, too?
Well, also the alley.  Where Marten  can go grab his knees and hyperventilate in sheer panic.



Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: DSL on 11 Apr 2019, 11:06
It's true we in the USA are supposed to extol the successful striver, but there is an interesting countermovement (or at least a couple TED Talks) of people telling us we need to redefine personal success and learn maybe to at least question whether we need all that money and Stuff(TM). Of course, this advice is coming from people who have already made their pile, or who are making their pile telling us we don't need to make a pile.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Emperor Norton on 11 Apr 2019, 11:13
... You know, the fact that Dora is so matter of fact about how important the relationship is to her, yet they have never actually talked about it to the degree that it was obvious it was this important kind of...

doesn't sit right with me?

Like, one of the biggest problems in all marriages is communication, and not saying things because you think that the other person should already know is not really a good sign.

Idk, it really feels like their relationship has kind of skipped several steps where they actually seriously talk about their idea of the future and what importance the other has in it, especially if it jumps to marriage here.

Then again, that could just be a contrast to all the other relationships in the comic that just seem to reach a certain point and then stagnate until they self destruct.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 11 Apr 2019, 12:00
With regards to Marten and the future, I think its just more about having a sense of stability and knowing that you can have things covered. Yeah, Marten can be and is happy with his life as it is now, but it is still living from day to day and that isn't really sustainable in the long run. He's hitting stasis and stagnation while the people in his key relationships are changing some aspect of their lives. Hanners picked up sticks and took to travelling around the world, Faye and Bubbles not only began a relationship but also a business, Dora and Tai's relationship is growing and providing stability for the both of them.

With Claire taking her exam, she is getting to a stage where she needs to think about where her life is taking her and where she would like it to go. There is the possibility that if Claire does pass her exams, she might not be able to get a job locally. It might be time for Claire to spread her wings and leave, with Marten's arc potentially about growing or staying in stagnation.

Back to Dora and Tai, I agree with Emperor Norton, we've never seen indication that the two have ever had the talk. Now, this could be Tai joking or we might be seeing something shaking up, because Dora looks overwhelmed. If it is Tai joking, it could backfire big time. Whatever it might be, this storyline is setting the stage for something major.

Honestly, my original thought was that Claire failed her exam and having to deal with that. With Marten now, I thought it could be about him deciding whether or not he's going to "grow up". And now Tai and Dora. And with less than a month until the 4000th comic, we're building up to something big.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: War Sparrow on 11 Apr 2019, 12:24
I too am inclined to agree with Emperor Norton. Marriage, for me, is based on communication and trust, and it's work. It wouldn't be "self sabotage" for Dora to say no here if she decides that Tai and her relationship isn't at that level just yet.

Of course, I also look askance at surprise proposals when the couple in question haven't discussed marriage, but I am a curmudgeon.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pendrake on 11 Apr 2019, 13:54
... You know, the fact that Dora is so matter of fact about how important the relationship is to her, yet they have never actually talked about it to the degree that it was obvious it was this important kind of...

doesn't sit right with me?

Like, one of the biggest problems in all marriages is communication, and not saying things because you think that the other person should already know is not really a good sign.

Idk, it really feels like their relationship has kind of skipped several steps where they actually seriously talk about their idea of the future and what importance the other has in it, especially if it jumps to marriage here.

Then again, that could just be a contrast to all the other relationships in the comic that just seem to reach a certain point and then stagnate until they self destruct.

My take from Dora's matter-of-fact response to Tai's challenge-query was that Dora already HAD thought upon this subject (moving), opposed to Tai's laissez-faire stance; Dora simply had not discussed it with Tai because the subject had not come up until now.

Dora & Tai have been quite serious about each other since Comic(s) 3021-3022 (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3022) (back in the year of 2015!), despite the light humour that Tai was supposed to be Dora's "rebound" from Marten.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 11 Apr 2019, 15:23
Sometimes a rebound can end up in the right place.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Emperor Norton on 11 Apr 2019, 15:37
Dora & Tai have been quite serious about each other since Comic(s) 3021-3022 (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3022) (back in  the year of 2015!), despite the light humour that Tai was supposed to be Dora's "rebound" from Marten.

It isn't about being "quite serious about each other" it is about the lack of communication. Also, to be honest, maybe its being a cranky old man, but I don't generally consider the first time a couple say they love each other is "quite serious about each other" anyway. I know a lot of fiction uses it as a huge major milestone that signifies something significant, but in my experience, it's a very very early milestone in a relationship.

I mean, Angus and Faye loved each other, and said as much, but that didn't mean that Faye was ready to uproot her life for him.

Hell, I've loved plenty of people that when it really came down to it I couldn't imagine being with on a permanent basis.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Oenone on 11 Apr 2019, 15:39
Quote from: jessic
Yeah I don't get it either. Marten has a life he's happy with, he's not in debt or anything. I don't see the issue. Is it an American thing to be bothered by "unambitious character is not motivated to improve his prettty-damn-okay life", maybe? I have no idea.  :?

He does have student loans, but that's a minor point. Your main point is much more interesting. Maybe it is an American thing. We've got an industry of motivational speakers urging people to take chances and try for more. We've got a beloved former President who said
Quote
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never tasted victory or defeat."

A less dramatic version predates America. One author (American btw :-)) summarized the ancient Greek path to happiness as "the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence in a life affording them scope". Marten's not getting that. Touring with the band and making a poor and irregular income, he would be getting that.

It is actually a very American thing — Americans associate plots with concrete and specific action, vs ineffable slice of life.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Near Lurker on 11 Apr 2019, 17:14
...this is like losing a winning lottery ticket and saying "it was only two bucks, I'll buy another one."
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 11 Apr 2019, 18:14
What is? Dora rebuilding her business elsewhere? How is building a successful business like winning a lottery ticket exactly?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 11 Apr 2019, 19:26
...You might want to reread that.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 11 Apr 2019, 19:38
It's a sign of Faye's emotional journey in that there was no threat of physical violence.  "Dong" is a nice touch though.

Marten, listen to your friends and loved ones.  Don't fuck this up.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Penquin47 on 11 Apr 2019, 19:57
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I love Faye's new shirt!!!!
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 11 Apr 2019, 20:03
...You might want to reread that.

Reread what? My post? Near Lurker's post? Something else?   :?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: TheEvilDog on 11 Apr 2019, 20:17
Near Lurker's post.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 11 Apr 2019, 20:28
How about just explaining what you're talking about instead of making me guess?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Near Lurker on 11 Apr 2019, 20:36
Even I don't know what they're talking about.  Making a successful business from scratch, especially a restaurant, is like winning the lottery.  That's exactly what I was saying.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Penquin47 on 11 Apr 2019, 20:38
Building a business is not the same as buying a winning lottery ticket.  Yes, there is luck involved in the business, but there's a lot more skill.  Being able to identify good employees, find the right sources for your materials, the right location, knowing how to promote your business... those aren't down to some random balls being drawn from a hopper.  There's good reason to believe that having done it once, you can do it again.  You might be wrong, but it's not like winning the lottery twice.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 11 Apr 2019, 20:55
It's true we in the USA are supposed to extol the successful striver, but there is an interesting countermovement (or at least a couple TED Talks) of people telling us we need to redefine personal success and learn maybe to at least question whether we need all that money and Stuff(TM). Of course, this advice is coming from people who have already made their pile, or who are making their pile telling us we don't need to make a pile.
Well, that's a different approach to kicking down the ladder. Usually it's done more forcefully with shifty laws and loopholes.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: sitnspin on 11 Apr 2019, 20:58
Building a business is not the same as buying a winning lottery ticket.  Yes, there is luck involved in the business, but there's a lot more skill.  Being able to identify good employees, find the right sources for your materials, the right location, knowing how to promote your business... those aren't down to some random balls being drawn from a hopper.  There's good reason to believe that having done it once, you can do it again.  You might be wrong, but it's not like winning the lottery twice.
Especially since you can sell the current business and use that capital to fund the next one. It is substantially easier to create a second successful business than it is the first one. Success in business tends to compound upon itself. She has every reason to believe she could do it again.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Tova on 11 Apr 2019, 21:03
Building a business is not the same as buying a winning lottery ticket.  Yes, there is luck involved in the business, but there's a lot more skill.  Being able to identify good employees, find the right sources for your materials, the right location, knowing how to promote your business... those aren't down to some random balls being drawn from a hopper.  There's good reason to believe that having done it once, you can do it again.  You might be wrong, but it's not like winning the lottery twice.

A lot of skill and hard work. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to believe that it can be done again. If you look at successful business people, one thing in common is their ability to start a new business, sometimes in entirely different fields, and succeed. That's what it is to be a successful entrepreneur.

To claim that Dora's success is down to luck is doing her a real disservice.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 11 Apr 2019, 21:20
I think Dora mellowing out concerning being mean to customers may be thanks to Tai. I can only guess as much, but Dora willing to move for Tai makes me believe Dora isn't second guessing herself.
Selling the business and starting a new one isn't as trivial as dora makes it appear, and that's why Tai proposed on the spot as she realized Dora is serious about their relationship.

Also, after being put on the spot for not even having thought about moving (not even Claire might have thought about that yet, deferring the thought of having graduated and the implications of it until after it has actually happened, for know reasons), his boss proposed to his ex. Personally, I probably would have left, too,maybe a little less dramatically.


Let's just hope, Claire doesn't decide she doesn't actually want to become a librarian, and becomes a cook or something like that.

You know what would be funny? Tai and Dora getting married the same day as Steve amd Cosette.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: brasca on 11 Apr 2019, 22:02
He has a degree - it's in Music History and Critical Theory.

And what kind of job can you get with that?  Teach music?  He’d need an education degree unless he worked at a private school.  There’s no point in aspiring to to career options that don’t exist.
Music museums exist. For example, the American Jazz Museum is in Kansas City.

Perhaps there's one in North Hampton.
If not, perhaps Marten (if properly motivated) could organize for the creation and funding of one. He's got connections.

That's all well and good if there is a position open there or some other music museum. 

Perhaps Marten has looked for a more fitting job from time to time and found nothing in Northhampton or anywhere close to it and has settled for what he has right now which he's content with.  This webcomic has never really addressed it, but I would think the world they live in is possibly going through an economic change with so many AIs capable of doing jobs humans can do.  It's not all that different in the real world only we don't have anything nearly that sophisticated.  But it's getting there and with fewer jobs available it becomes a matter of concern as to what is available and what careers people should pursue.  You can have a young go-getter who puts their nose to the grindstone at a job they hate because they think it will pay off, but after 10 years they are still in the same position they were before or possibly had to start over multiple times because the company changed hands.  Ten more  years could go by and they realize they're still not getting anywhere in life and struggling to get by, but it's too late to make a change and they never had any fun along the way.  Meanwhile the slacker stumbles through life and has an equally bleak future, but at least they had a good time along the way.

Personally I'm the play it safe type, but I'm not about to lecture someone on their life choices when I'm not all that sure if mine were correct.   
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 11 Apr 2019, 22:10
Marten is letting talents go to waste. That's a separate issue from whether he makes money.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 11 Apr 2019, 23:36
I love how cool Marten is in panel 3. He's never really had an issue with Dora and Tai dating. His first priority has basically been that they're both happy. He's tried to pretend like he's not involved in the whole situation but he's such a nice guy and he loves both ladies in their own ways so he's more likely to be happy that they're happy.

I think that we're only starting the talk between Marten and Faye but she is the best person to speak to (and I bet she'll think that's mind-blowingly ironic in many ways). Faye's relationship with Angus failed because they both kicked the can down the road rather than talk about their future together. Then the decision jumped out at them with very little warning and it was too much for Faye, with her abandonment issues, to handle. So, yeah, if she tells Marten that he needs to sit down with Claire and they need to discuss this rationally and at length, she knows of what she speaks.

How typical it is of Marten to interpret his own reaction as somehow failing as a boyfriend! It's always about doing the right thing for other people for him as a general rule, isn't it?

Setting aside the main thread of the strip, I'm wondering just how Faye is reacting to the Dora/Tai situation now that the initial shock is wearing off. Positive or negative feelings?

Marten is letting talents go to waste. That's a separate issue from whether he makes money.

This is more important than it might seem. A minimum-energy life, doing the bare minimum, rarely leaves you feeling fulfilled. If there is something that you like doing, you'll always be happier doing that, rather than something else just to pay the bills.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Dandi Andi on 12 Apr 2019, 00:15
I think the fact that Marten's first concern was "but I have a life here!" is rather telling. He wasn't worried about the relationship ending if Claire moves away for a job. His first instinct was to worry about leaving Northampton. That suggests that he's more committed to this relationship than he thinks he is.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 12 Apr 2019, 01:54
I think the fact that Marten's first concern was "but I have a life here!" is rather telling. He wasn't worried about the relationship ending if Claire moves away for a job. His first instinct was to worry about leaving Northampton. That suggests that he's more committed to this relationship than he thinks he is.

After the Padma incident, he wasted a short moment thinking about moving. Faye objected strongly, and in a non-violent way. Personally, I think Marten wants to have Faye around as much as he is invested in the relationship with Claire.
The point about "But I have a life here" is absolutely valid, and it's not about his job.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 12 Apr 2019, 02:26
Quote from: BenRG
Any storyline where Dora says 'no' would have to have a very, very good reason not to be contrived and OOC

That kind of self-sabotage has been in character in the past :-(. One of the themes of the comic is people getting over things, so I hope Dora will get out of her own way and take the offer of happiness.

Assuming, of course, that Tai has overcome her substance abuse problem.

I wasn't aware Tai had such a problem...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 12 Apr 2019, 02:40
Assuming, of course, that Tai has overcome her substance abuse problem.

I wasn't aware Tai had such a problem...

On one occasion, Tai told Marten that she uses pot too often or maybe uses too powerful a blend but I was never sure if she was serious or being facetious.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: DSL on 12 Apr 2019, 04:42
Quote from: BenRG
Any storyline where Dora says 'no' would have to have a very, very good reason not to be contrived and OOC

That kind of self-sabotage has been in character in the past :-(. One of the themes of the comic is people getting over things, so I hope Dora will get out of her own way and take the offer of happiness.

Assuming, of course, that Tai has overcome her substance abuse problem.

I wasn't aware Tai had such a problem...

I'm not sure she has a problem with it.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Stoutfellow on 12 Apr 2019, 05:04
"'Do you have a drinking problem?' 'Heck no, it's the easiest thing I've ever done!'"

(or words to that effect: Dolly Parton, "AppleJack").
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 12 Apr 2019, 05:28
Quote from: BenRG
Any storyline where Dora says 'no' would have to have a very, very good reason not to be contrived and OOC

That kind of self-sabotage has been in character in the past :-(. One of the themes of the comic is people getting over things, so I hope Dora will get out of her own way and take the offer of happiness.

Assuming, of course, that Tai has overcome her substance abuse problem.

I wasn't aware Tai had such a problem...

I'm not sure she has a problem with it.

I think it was more of a "I should consume less" situation.
I'll have to do some archive diving once I'm home, with some uncapped interwebz.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 12 Apr 2019, 07:48
ARGH, cliffhanger. I wanna know if she said YES. 

Good Marten Faye bit tho. I kinda miss them interacting.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 12 Apr 2019, 09:37
ARGH, cliffhanger. I wanna know if she said YES. 

Good Marten Faye bit tho. I kinda miss them interacting.

What did you expect? something like that never gets resolved on a Friday. Except if that happened on a Monday.

Either we get more of Marty and Faye, because they're each other's goto person for trouble and insecurities, or they'll be pushed further to the background.




And as much as people go "the 'original crew' seems to get retired" - every character that got included got there for a reason, and rather organically.
I just realised we have two social circles going on now - Coffee of Doom and the Secret Bakery. Yes, they don't have that much interaction as there would be if the focus only was on one of them, but we still got every key character we had from the beginning. I'm pretty sure if there hadn't been that many characters, JJ would've gotten tired of everyone by now, and even the second circle might be on a phase out now.
I guess some of the readers are as impervious to change as Marten is.... (and that's not meant as anything, just stating a fact to me.)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: A small perverse otter on 12 Apr 2019, 09:54
Silly as it might sound. I swear I can hear a difference between "grey" and "gray" in my head, but any attempt to reproduce the difference aloud fails.
(Before this starts, I am a cradle speaker of American English, but I've lived so many places that I speak an unusual idiolect.)

In fact, you probably have two vowels which you can distinguish which differentiate the two pronunciations to you, even though no listener can tell them apart. That's a pretty well-established effect in people who learn second languages: they can hear a difference but not pronounce it.

It is entirely legitimate for me to say "I hear them differently in my head, but I can't pronounce them differently.". I hear grey as 'having an /eh/ in the middle, not an /ae/", and I say '/g/ /r/ /eh/ /ee/' instead of '/g/ /r/ /ae/ /ee'/', but most people can't hear the difference unless I hyperpronounce what I'm hearing in my head. As a result, I usually spell the word "grey", even though I don't do so all the time.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: A small perverse otter on 12 Apr 2019, 09:59
Linguistic nerdishness regarding pronunciation incoming.

[long and very useful disquisition omitted for reasons of brevity. You should go back and read it.]
You might want to go look at Bob Port's old work on mora timing and hypronunciation here. It is *extremely* complicated: it turns out that there really is an orthographic effect, and it can be reliably reproduced.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: zzyzx on 12 Apr 2019, 10:27

Perhaps Marten has looked for a more fitting job from time to time and found nothing in Northhampton or anywhere close to it and has settled for what he has right now which he's content with.  This webcomic has never really addressed it, but I would think the world they live in is possibly going through an economic change with so many AIs capable of doing jobs humans can do.

It came up in passing once in a strip that stuck with me for that reason. I think it was in the wake of the robot fighting introduction and Marten told Faye that everyone has to be running scams right now in the post-scarcity economy.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 12 Apr 2019, 12:15
Tai was using LSD at work early on, which I classify in the Problem category. We haven't seen that in a long time.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Theta9 on 12 Apr 2019, 12:45
 :laugh: LOL, Faye called Marten a dong.
 
(I personally favor "knob".)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: alc40 on 12 Apr 2019, 13:47
In regard to Tai, the relevant places I found were the last panels of comics 2215 and 2787.  The latter I think is what people were referring to: "I gotta cut down on my pot intake!".
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 12 Apr 2019, 16:39
Some relevant strips about Tai and drugs:
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1279
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1119
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 12 Apr 2019, 18:53
... This webcomic has never really addressed it, but I would think the world they live in is possibly going through an economic change with so many AIs capable of doing jobs humans can do.  ...

As well as jobs only AIs can do. Like tending a nuclear reactor up close and personal. Or would you like Melon's job?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 12 Apr 2019, 19:25
I will never understand how Faye's brain works.

https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3980 (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3980)
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cesium133 on 12 Apr 2019, 20:39
Some relevant strips about Tai and drugs:
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1279
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1119
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203
Holy cow, Claire was introduced in 2012? That's 7 years ago!  :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 12 Apr 2019, 23:19
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203
Holy cow, Claire was introduced in 2012? That's 7 years ago!  :psyduck:

I know, right? Time flies. Although we didn't hear or see much from him, Elliot has been around even longer (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1845).
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Drunken Old Man on 12 Apr 2019, 23:27
I like robots and I cannot lie
You human beings can't deny
When a bot walks in with a positronic brain
Ain't no need to explain
You get sprung! And I do mean sprung
One look and your bell got rung
She walked in looking classy
Butt emblem on her chassis...
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 13 Apr 2019, 01:57
Meh. I've been reading QC since 2003.  "Time flies" means nothing to me at this point  :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 13 Apr 2019, 04:46
And Bossa Nova /slash/ Electroswing seems awesome. Someone should do that. And probably already has.

EDIT: Imagine Os Mutantes crossed with Parov Stelar.

EDIT2: what I would really love, though, is a mix of Os Mutantes and Ladytron.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 13 Apr 2019, 11:11
Meh. I've been reading QC since 2003.  "Time flies" means nothing to me at this point  :psyduck:

You're probably an old person then. Well, older than me. and I'm in my mid 30s now.

EDIT to avoid double posting:
Faye calling Marten a dong makes me wonder: where's Ursula?
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: traroth on 13 Apr 2019, 12:34
Some relevant strips about Tai and drugs:
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1279
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1119
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203

Yeah, she uses drugs. I never disputed that. But that doesn't mean she has a problem with it.

Let's try a daring comparison: In QC, Faye has a problem with alcohol. The consequences have been made obvious, and her problem made her miserable and sick. I can't see any of that with Tai, which seems happy, rather balanced and reasonably healthy. She does sports, has lots of friends, has a stable job involving some responsibilities and just got engaged. I can't see any symptom of a problem, here.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Theta9 on 13 Apr 2019, 12:52
And Bossa Nova /slash/ Electroswing seems awesome. Someone should do that. And probably already has.

EDIT: Imagine Os Mutantes crossed with Parov Stelar.

EDIT2: what I would really love, though, is a mix of Os Mutantes and Ladytron.
I don't know the other names you mention, but when I started my current job last September and made friends with a co-worker and started swapping CDs, the first thing he lent me was Os Mutantes.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 13 Apr 2019, 13:51
The fact that she's kept her job strongly implies that she's stopped using incapacitating drugs while on the clock.

To me "problem" means being out of control, not necessarily waiting until the destroyed relationships or emergency room visits. For example, I'll mention a former friend who said "I'm a better driver drunk than most people are sober". Problem.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 13 Apr 2019, 19:11
Some relevant strips about Tai and drugs:
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1279
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1119
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203
Holy cow, Claire was introduced in 2012? That's 7 years ago!  :psyduck:
I'm with Marten in that first one.
I've got some dark stuff lurking in there.
Thankfully/unfortunately it usually only surfaces if I'm trying to sleep after being awake 20+ hours.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: sitnspin on 14 Apr 2019, 00:14
I have ingested an inordinate amount and array of controlled substances over the years, but I do not do hallucinogens. I have enough issues with hallucinations with them. And the few experiences I have had with hallucinogens went very very badly. My inner demons are not subtle.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 14 Apr 2019, 01:56
Meh. I've been reading QC since 2003.  "Time flies" means nothing to me at this point  :psyduck:

You're probably an old person then. Well, older than me. and I'm in my mid 30s now.

? I'm in my mid 30s also. I'm a bit confused by your comment.

EDIT: I meant that "time flies" means nothing to me -- regarding QC. I have been desensitized.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: cybersmurf on 14 Apr 2019, 13:35
Meh. I've been reading QC since 2003.  "Time flies" means nothing to me at this point  :psyduck:

You're probably an old person then. Well, older than me. and I'm in my mid 30s now.

? I'm in my mid 30s also. I'm a bit confused by your comment.

EDIT: I meant that "time flies" means nothing to me -- regarding QC. I have been desensitized.

Well, I started 'late', when I was in my mid 20s, and for some reason I always think people started at that age, too.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 14 Apr 2019, 21:09
I'm enjoying Faye being a wisdom figure.
Title: Re: WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 15 Apr 2019, 03:36
Looks like folks want some HD lo-fi rainy chill-out jazz.

Here's the closest things that YouTube provided.