THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: jwhouk on 21 Jun 2020, 18:00
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No Poll, but new comic.
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It's good that we got some more information on how Yay's 'eavesdropping' works, although it does still sound a bit handwave-y to me.
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Today's comic further enforces my theory that Station and Yay are either somehow related, or at least communicate with each other.
My first inclination was when I realized Yay shows up right after Station says he wouldn't want to try helping Bubbles.
Now today we learn that They have access to a telescope, which it's possible could be part of Station's Space Station.
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I do wonder how much Yay's spying is intentional, and how much is kinda automatic.
(Larry Niven once pointed out Superman probably accidentally both sees and hears stuff they shouldn't, but doesn't intend to. It's not HIS fault people shamelessly wear clothes with no lead in them.)
Hey, I was right. And I don't have the patreon, so no clues either.
Cool.
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I still suspect Yay isn't mentioning the millions of datastreams from the Internet of Things (IoT). Either for reasons of tact, or because that isn't nearly as poetic.
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The last panel is almost lampshading the fundamental weirdness of the character.
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The last panel is almost lampshading the fundamental weirdness of the character.
Whether it does or doesn't, this strip is definitely going in the favorites folder.
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I think that Monday's strip does a good job in reminding us of how different Yay's universe is compared to that of the huge majority of the characters with whom we're familiar. Because their perception of the universe is so much vaster, their ideas of what life is about and even possibly more nuanced aspects of 'right' and 'wrong' are probably different too.
That said, yes, Roko is right about one thing: Having a demi-divine sensorium does not exclude you from being ethical. The question is, given Yay's justifiable fears about how others will view them, exactly were does 'unethical' and 'prudent' meet?
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The last panel is the AI version of the observation that most of us carry in our pockets or purses a device that has more computing power than the one that landed on the moon, that gives access to pretty much the sum total of shared human knowledge, that captures images and sounds and preserves them for us, and allows us to communicate with each other across the breadth of the planet ...
... and we use it to look at pictures of cats and get into stupid arguments with strangers.
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... and we use it to look at pictures of cats
Seems worthwhile to me.
Also, Mantis Shrimp. Those things are so out there in a variety of ways. They see colors no other animal does, they come in those rainbow colors, and their claws have organic ratchet springs. The claws strike fast and hard, and the shrimp has to wind them back up after using them.
They truly are real life Claw Shrimp.
https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/06/19/claw-shrimp
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New comic up.
Awwww. Also, owned.
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... and we use it to look at pictures of cats
Seems worthwhile to me.
Also, Mantis Shrimp. Those things are so out there in a variety of ways. They see colors no other animal does, they come in those rainbow colors, and their claws have organic ratchet springs. The claws strike fast and hard, and the shrimp has to wind them back up after using them.
They truly are real life Claw Shrimp.
https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/06/19/claw-shrimp
But there are shrimp with claws. Both in Malacostraca and in Amphipoda.
EDIT: Hell, Amphipoda has at least three varieties of chelates (pincer claws); chelate, carpochelate, and merochelate. And the extension in roughly the middle of most merochelates is an attachment point for extra cetae.
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In which Yay finally gets what they've been looking for: Positive reinforcement from Roko! It's in character that they brush it off as nothing (because panel three is "It was nothing" in Yay's particular way of talking) but they did the right thing and Roko's approval feels good.
I'm also wondering how long it will take Yay to realise that Roko's behaviour fits in the category of 'bratty sister'. You love 'em but they sure know how to get under your skin!
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Hmmm...
Interesting the reaction from Yay, here.
I don't remember there being the same show of 'satisfaction' after the Corpsewitch incident, which was arguably far more tense and fraught with actual danger...
Maybe 'cos they are helping a "Human"...?
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Well, Yay has come a very long way since taking down Corpse Witch, most notably in developing their friendship with Roko and Melon. I suspect that it isn't what they did that matters or even with whom. What matters is that they've earned Roko's approval, something that they've been trying to do for some time.
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exactly were does 'unethical' and 'prudent' meet?
In the lobby.
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I don't remember there being the same show of 'satisfaction' after the Corpsewitch incident, which was arguably far more tense and fraught with actual danger...
Maybe because the Corpse Witch incident was work, whereas helping Faye was something that they wanted to do?
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Another haircut, time for annoyed forumites!
...In this case, because I know I'm not the only one who has trouble telling whether it's Dora or Emily unless I recognize an outfit or there's important context like being in bed with Tai or something. This new haircut is more Dora-esque, so it's just going to get worse.
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Yeah, I kinda disagree with Tai.
Admittedly, the few times I've been stoned, I've deliberately not made serious decisions on stuff.
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A haircut?!? Dun dun DUNNN!!!
Time for the long-hair lovers to start fuming! :-D
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What can I say. A new hairstyle. Lampshading. Weed jokes. Staring at the ceiling while cracking wise. Yep, it's a QC strip.
Time for the long-hair lovers to start fuming! :-D
On the bright side, I think at this point he's going to have to grow someone's hair out before he can cut it again.
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On the bright side, I think at this point he's going to have to grow someone's hair out before he can cut it again.
Sooner or later, someone's going to take this to its (il)logical conclusion and just go bald.
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Yeah, I kinda disagree with Tai.
Admittedly, the few times I've been stoned, I've deliberately not made serious decisions on stuff.
I've only ever been drunk a few times so I wouldn't know this first hand, but doesn't this sort of thing usually vary on a case-by-case basis for each individual.
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Minor quibble: Having had my hair clippered for the last 16 years, you're not achieving that kind of hairstyle from clippering (way too much hair left that's longer than the largest guard attachment), unless Dora was swinging it randomly through her hair (in which case, owwwwww). My hair only started looking like that after about six weeks of regrowth after being cut with an 8 guard.
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I feel like this is a nice callback to the last time we saw Emily intoxicated.
Also, I needed a haircut when the Covid crisis made all the hair cutters shut down. Months later waiting for a chance to get my hair cut, I felt that "Tyranny of Hair" statement. "Mood," I think the kids say.
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Most of this strip is one of those ones that Jeph probably thought was hilariously funny when he first wrote it but he's never really been able to make fully connect when it's actually drawn out. That's a long way of saying "No, I don't get it". I know what's supposed to be funny but it isn't to me.
I feel like this is a nice callback to the last time we saw Emily intoxicated.
Actually, it's a callback to every time we see Emily intoxicated. She always ends up hacking off her hair, which makes me wonder what the story is here. Does she feel social pressure to have long hair as part of the whole traditional 'willowy oriental girl' aesthetic and only has the courage to have the short hairdo she wants when drunk/stoned? Maybe her friends should sit her down and tell her that, no matter what others (her parents?) say, it's okay for her to have short hair if she wants it.
I guess I may be overthinking her use of the word 'tyranny'.
Also, it says everything you need to know about Coffee of Doom - Sword under the counter, hair-clippers in the office.
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Most of this strip is one of those ones that Jeph probably thought was hilariously funny when he first wrote it but he's never really been able to make fully connect when it's actually drawn out. That's a long way of saying "No, I don't get it". I know what's supposed to be funny but it isn't to me.
If all you've got is a handful of running jokes, every filler strip looks like an athletics track.
To be honest, I am pretty bored with the weed anti-jokes, but I assume other people must enjoy them, so who am I to criticise. You can't hit it out of the park every day.
P.S. Just one more observation before I shut up about it: they've been in the cafe getting high since the 5th of May.
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Yeah, well, time flows differently when you’re stoned.
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Most of this strip is one of those ones that Jeph probably thought was hilariously funny when he first wrote it but he's never really been able to make fully connect when it's actually drawn out. That's a long way of saying "No, I don't get it". I know what's supposed to be funny but it isn't to me.
If all you've got is a handful of running jokes, every filler strip looks like an athletics track.
To be honest, I am pretty bored with the weed anti-jokes, but I assume other people must enjoy them, so who am I to criticise. You can't hit it out of the park every day.
P.S. Just one more observation before I shut up about it: they've been in the cafe getting high since the 5th of May.
I... honestly didn't really register there was supposed to be a joke in the strip.
No, I'm not being snarky. I read the whole strip as a random conversation (think Big Mac talk from "Pulp Fiction"). No part of the dialogue registers as particularly funny to me. But now that people mention it... I think I see what was maybe meant as a joke? If I squint?
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Or espresso!
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Or espresso!
"Help! Help! I'm being espressed!" :-P
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Most of this strip is one of those ones that Jeph probably thought was hilariously funny when he first wrote it but he's never really been able to make fully connect when it's actually drawn out. That's a long way of saying "No, I don't get it". I know what's supposed to be funny but it isn't to me.
If all you've got is a handful of running jokes, every filler strip looks like an athletics track.
To be honest, I am pretty bored with the weed anti-jokes, but I assume other people must enjoy them, so who am I to criticise. You can't hit it out of the park every day.
P.S. Just one more observation before I shut up about it: they've been in the cafe getting high since the 5th of May.
I... honestly didn't really register there was supposed to be a joke in the strip.
No, I'm not being snarky. I read the whole strip as a random conversation (think Big Mac talk from "Pulp Fiction"). No part of the dialogue registers as particularly funny to me. But now that people mention it... I think I see what was maybe meant as a joke? If I squint?
Yeah I'm with you, just like the big mac convo to me it registers more as a sort of entertaining convo instead of an actual joke. I suppose it depends on what one considers a joke.
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On the bright side, I think at this point he's going to have to grow someone's hair out before he can cut it again.
Sooner or later, someone's going to take this to its (il)logical conclusion and just go bald.
Don't joke, as his hair thins ever further eventually we will get at least one if not more characters going bald or getting a brush cut.
My personal reaction was - What? Oh no, not again. Deep sigh It makes me feel like a bowl of petunias.
/edit horrible typo [now watch as three more pop up]
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I feel like this is a nice callback to the last time we saw Emily intoxicated.
Also, I needed a haircut when the Covid crisis made all the hair cutters shut down. Months later waiting for a chance to get my hair cut, I felt that "Tyranny of Hair" statement. "Mood," I think the kids say.
Interesting, I also feel Dora and Clinton's conversation is a callback to the comic where Claire talks about a combined tattoo/oyster bar (I think? the one about making all bad decisions at once). Sorry my archive-fu is not really up to it today...
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Another haircut, time for annoyed forumites!
...In this case, because I know I'm not the only one who has trouble telling whether it's Dora or Emily unless I recognize an outfit or there's important context like being in bed with Tai or something. This new haircut is more Dora-esque, so it's just going to get worse.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has trouble telling Dora and Emily apart. I love the comic, but the characters start morphing into each other as time passes. Face shapes are getting very similar, and now haircuts as well.
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Interesting, I also feel Dora and Clinton's conversation is a callback to the comic where Claire talks about a combined tattoo/oyster bar (I think? the one about making all bad decisions at once). Sorry my archive-fu is not really up to it today...
It was a combined hair salon/tattoo parlor/plastic surgery/raw seafood bar.
EDIT: and daycare!
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3460 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3460)
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It was a combined hair salon/tattoo parlor/plastic surgery/raw seafood bar.
https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3460 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3460)
You forgot "and daycare".
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Drat! My mind probably skipped over it in horror :D
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"I have freed myself from the tyranny of pants!"
:D
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"I have freed myself from the tyranny of pants!"
:D
Distant ancestor of Cassiopeia Quinn confirmed!
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Down with leg prisons!
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I wonder if theremins come with a 'do not operate while under the influence of narcotics' warning.
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I agree, pants suck. Down with pants!
P.S. Just one more observation before I shut up about it: they've been in the cafe getting high since the 5th of May.
Not gonna lie, I had to stop and think for a few seconds when they switched back to the coffee shop because I was completely lost.
At least it's not as bad as Dumbing of Age, where IIRC only a month of time has passed in the comic since 2015.
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I wonder if theremins come with a 'do not operate while under the influence of narcotics' warning.
no warning but you'll want to check it for bugs before you leave it in an ambassador's office (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device))
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Nice, I just learned something! :)
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No, Emily, Bubbles and Faye are just about to go to bed; that isn't the apartment's dress code.
I've got a feeling that things are about to go very, very bizarre for Marten. I'm wondering if he's going to get a repeat of his fathers' wedding when he woke up in the middle of the night with Claire snuggled into his side (the first time, IMO, that he saw her as something other than a friend and coworker) only this time with Claire and Emily.
"So, uh... What happened last night?"
"You and Claire tried to play Boy George's Karma Chameleon on duetting theremins, started giggling and suddenly zonked out. I put you both on my bed to sleep it off and slept on the couch."
"Okay, so why are all three of us on the couch now?"
"Yeah... I was kind of hoping that you'd be able to tell me that."
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I wonder if theremins come with a 'do not operate while under the influence of narcotics' warning.
no warning but you'll want to check it for bugs before you leave it in an ambassador's office (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device))
Ah an article that I actually understood and went aha and did the math in my head before even getting to the gritty bits :laugh:
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Another haircut, time for annoyed forumites!
...In this case, because I know I'm not the only one who has trouble telling whether it's Dora or Emily unless I recognize an outfit or there's important context like being in bed with Tai or something. This new haircut is more Dora-esque, so it's just going to get worse.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has trouble telling Dora and Emily apart. I love the comic, but the characters start morphing into each other as time passes. Face shapes are getting very similar, and now haircuts as well.
yup, this is my main criticism really. I love the comic and Jeph has clearly improved a lot over the years in his drawing, yet the style has evolved into one where all cahracetrs facial shapes are almost identical. Just look at today's comic the last panel, all facial shapes are nearly identical.
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There is mischief afoot involving multiple theremins. Which still need to be assembled. Or combined into a device of mind-bending awesomeness.
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I read Emily cutting her hair and thought: "Cool. Now she's going to become a major character." My prediiction is there will be much crying and moaning as Emily untangles herself from her need for parental approval.
I've got a feeling that things are about to go very, very bizarre for Marten. I'm wondering if he's going to get a repeat of his fathers' wedding when he woke up in the middle of the night with Claire snuggled into his side (the first time, IMO, that he saw her as something other than a friend and coworker) only this time with Claire and Emily.
I'm betting he crashes, then Emily crashes with him, and Claire discovers 3 won't fit in the bed, so she has a snit and sleeps on the couch. Or with Faye, which causes a snit with Bubbles. Bonus points if Mrs. Whitaker has to help Faye sort it all out in person.
:-D :-D :roll: :-D :-D
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"Emotional Support Square dance"
*lol*
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There is mischief afoot involving multiple theremins. Which still need to be assembled. Or combined into a device of mind-bending awesomeness.
Old and busted: dueling/harmonizing theremins.
New hotness: paired musical Tesla coils.
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I saw that a couple of weeks ago, and had almost forgotten that it existed. Thank you for reminding me so that I could download it!
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I love how aware Claire is in this comic. Then again, she has been through something similar, which should help on the understanding/empathy front.
The QC cast in general is very open-minded and accepting, it's an ideal to strive for.
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"Emotional Support Square dance"
*lol*
I'm going to have to steal that for twitter at some point.
EDIT: avoiding double posting.
There is mischief afoot involving multiple theremins. Which still need to be assembled. Or combined into a device of mind-bending awesomeness.
Old and busted: dueling/harmonizing theremins.
New hotness: paired musical Tesla coils.
Another music entry for my purely hypothetical time-travel shenanigans bucket list.
Other entries include playing Amazing Grace on a yaybahar outside a village nestled in the mountains, and leading a parade on stilts at night with other time-travelers where everybody's got on a big cloak and is carrying a lantern that's burning green.
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Well. That was nice.
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I love how aware Claire is in this comic. Then again, she has been through something similar, which should help on the understanding/empathy front.
The QC cast in general is very open-minded and accepting, it's an ideal to strive for.
Cookie?
Cookie, Definitely.
(Though I'd have to pass, being allergic to cannabis ..)
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I'm expecting at some point Claire and Faye to hug. Possibly Faye to tell Claire that it's okay to compare someone else's experience to your own so long as you don't try to make it all about you rather than using the framework of your own experience t understand theirs.
Regarding the Emotional Support Square-dance: I believe that there is a measurable likelihood that these two will go back into the lounge to find Bubbles and Emily demonstrating the moves to Marten. Because Emily really is a force of nature in making everyone participate in her reality.
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I kind of empathise with Claire's mum here... Is there any sort of "right" reaction of a parent faced with a revelation like Claire's? "Ah, cool" sounds a tad, I don't know, uncaring? I guess I'd go with "tell me about it" but I would gladly hear some thoughts.
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I kind of empathise with Claire's mum here... Is there any sort of "right" reaction of a parent faced with a revelation like Claire's? "Ah, cool" sounds a tad, I don't know, uncaring? I guess I'd go with "tell me about it" but I would gladly hear some thoughts.
The best I can think of is, "This may take me some time to process and get used to. If I call you the wrong name or mispronoun you, please know it's an accident and I don't mean to hurt you."
That doesn't feel quite enough, though.
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The only real answer the kid probably wants, and the one you need to initially provide as a parent is: "I love you just the way you are." There's a another, more practical level conversation that still needs to be had, but until this first level is established, the practicals don't much matter.
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"Emotional Support Square dance"
*lol*
I'm more partial to the emotional support mosh pit, but then, I'm a child of the 80s.
"Get `em up and keep `em up!"
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Square dancing is the worst and I hate it with every fibre of my being, but it makes sense as a metaphor in this situation, the constant pointless circling of each other.
*mosh mosh*
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*nearly launches into lengthy discussion of the differences between traditional square dance and Modern Western Square Dance, but then realizes that this is not the place for it*
Yeah, never let me start talking about one of my hobbies.
*doesn't bring up contra dancing, swing dancing, or Cape Breton squares either*
:-(
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*looks around, starts tuning a fiddle* :roll:
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I kind of empathise with Claire's mum here... Is there any sort of "right" reaction of a parent faced with a revelation like Claire's? "Ah, cool" sounds a tad, I don't know, uncaring? I guess I'd go with "tell me about it" but I would gladly hear some thoughts.
"Thank you for telling me this. I love you and will be there for you every step of the way. What do you want to do?"
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*looks around, starts tuning a fiddle* :roll:
(https://almightypopcorn.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/monty-python-no-singing.png)
BTW All of these ideal responses are great, but people who have had given this kind of revelation don't generally get time to step into another room and ponder what the perfect response would be.
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Very true. Maybe the 'ideal' response would be: 'I need some time to digest this, I'll be back in 20 mins'?
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Maybe it's unrealistic to expect an ideal response, and Faye ought to be (and appears to be) happy with the way the conversation went.
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Once Mrs. Whitaker gets to know Bubbles they will be great friends.
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I kind of empathise with Claire's mum here... Is there any sort of "right" reaction of a parent faced with a revelation like Claire's? "Ah, cool" sounds a tad, I don't know, uncaring? I guess I'd go with "tell me about it" but I would gladly hear some thoughts.
The best I can think of is, "This may take me some time to process and get used to. If I call you the wrong name or mispronoun you, please know it's an accident and I don't mean to hurt you."
That doesn't feel quite enough, though.
It was enough for me, from my mother.
More than enough. Far more than 90% get.
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I kind of empathise with Claire's mum here... Is there any sort of "right" reaction of a parent faced with a revelation like Claire's? "Ah, cool" sounds a tad, I don't know, uncaring? I guess I'd go with "tell me about it" but I would gladly hear some thoughts.
The best I can think of is, "This may take me some time to process and get used to. If I call you the wrong name or mispronoun you, please know it's an accident and I don't mean to hurt you."
That doesn't feel quite enough, though.
It was enough for me, from my mother.
More than enough. Far more than 90% get.
When I came out as Pansexual to my parents, my mom laughed loudly and went "HAHA UR SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO BREAD!" and then held up her cup and went 'ARE YOU GOING TO BE ATTRACTED TO THIS IF IT HAS A NICE PERSONALITY"
So yeah...that woulda been more than enough for me ._.;
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Other entries include playing Amazing Grace on a yaybahar outside a village nestled in the mountains, and leading a parade on stilts at night with other time-travelers where everybody's got on a big cloak and is carrying a lantern that's burning green.
Please don't forget the portable Theremin built into each of the lamps which are "floating" along and the sound systems hidden under the cloaks ... just a sec Checks google ... aha, Piezoelectric Melt-Spun Textile Fibers ..... Cloaks as the sound system. O0 I'm not mad in the slightest. I quite enjoy my lunacy.
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Oh jeez....
ZoeB and Reaver, you have my sympathies.
I was afraid what I came up with came off as less sincere and more virtue-signal-y.
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BTW All of these ideal responses are great, but people who have had given this kind of revelation don't generally get time to step into another room and ponder what the perfect response would be.
That's why I'm asking, just in case my now-3yo (or any subsequent kids I'll have) would ever happen to give that to me.
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Old and busted: dueling/harmonizing theremins.
New hotness: paired musical Tesla coils.
Now I want to put that into a D&D game.
"The door is guarded by two pillars emitting lightning. They emit odd humming noises, completely unlike lightning or even the crackle of electricity. It almost sounds like music, but it's a music unlike anything you've heard in any tavern."
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I still suspect Yay isn't mentioning the millions of datastreams from the Internet of Things (IoT). Either for reasons of tact, or because that isn't nearly as poetic.
Perhaps Yay aren't aware of any particular datastreams, or even that their perception is based on them. Think of it like how you "see" a 3-dimentional world of persons and things, but not any photons. Even if you know it's just photons in your eyes, how often do you think about photons? Too much photons. Too much datastreams.