WCDT - Strips 4811 to 4815 (20th to 24th June 2022)

[BenRG]

No clue what I could use as a poll. Mods, feel free to add one if you want.

I suppose you could say that if you get frustrated with the way the writers build tension and make the characters fallible is a sign that you care about the show. However, at what point do you reach the dark horizon of only watching the show to see how the team screw up telling a story this time?

[Scarlet Manuka]

There's a difference between plots that are moved along by characters interacting with all their strengths and weaknesses, and plots that are moved along by the characters being inexplicably stupid. It's one of the reasons I'm not fond of the Star Wars prequel movies.

[badbum61]

Deranthony? 
NO, NO, NO!!
Anthrek, surely?

[Farideh]

Sounds like anthrax

[Stoon]

I love this webcomic.

It's so good.

[Akima]

Does Doctor Laser Vengeance pursue vengeance on lasers or with them?

[shanejayell]

Does Doctor Laser Vengeance pursue vengeance on lasers or with them?

Or both.

I have TV shows I watch like that. *lol*

[cesium133]

Does Doctor Laser Vengeance pursue vengeance on lasers or with them?

I think I have a new name to use for pub trivia from now on...

[Mr_Rose]

It's actually Dr. Laser: Vengeance – the kids are just running it together because they're excited. The story is actually about someone called Robin Laser who has two doctorates, in electronic and mechanical engineering. They use their (nonsapient) robots to extract vengeance on everyone who used to torment them about their name in school. None of them actually use lasers.

[St.Clair]

ah, fandom.
(every fandom.)

[Tova]

indeed

Except depending on the fandom zeitgeist it might have ended with "I hate this show." "They get it so wrong."

[Stoon]

Wait, this cartoon they're watching is a real cartoon?

[cesium133]

Wait, this cartoon they're watching is a real cartoon?

I tried googling it, and Google suggests no. The only thing it brought up was QC.

[Oenone]

No clue what I could use as a poll. Mods, feel free to add one if you want.

I suppose you could say that if you get frustrated with the way the writers build tension and make the characters fallible is a sign that you care about the show. However, at what point do you reach the dark horizon of only watching the show to see how the team screw up telling a story this time?

Oof, based on my relationship with NCIS? Year 10.

But there's a certain pleasure in frustration watching because it's something you can bond with other members of the fandom about, and there's always plot points or characters you love.

[Farideh]

Comic's up.

I hate phone calls too, not sure why :/

[_Islanio]

Man, I really hate phone calls. The same applies to WhatsApp audios. Specially the long ones.

[St.Clair]

I'm mostly okay when it's a work call, I have structure to follow.  (Less good if things go off script.)  Also good with family.
Anything else?   nope.

[mneme]

Yeah, I also hate phone calls and I'm close to 50.

Is there anyone who knows both if their IDs?  Maybe Yay?

[shanejayell]

I hate phone calls too, not sure why :/

I mean... 99% of folks text now. Period.

[Gyrre]

No clue what I could use as a poll. Mods, feel free to add one if you want.

I suppose you could say that if you get frustrated with the way the writers build tension and make the characters fallible is a sign that you care about the show. However, at what point do you reach the dark horizon of only watching the show to see how the team screw up telling a story this time?

Oof, based on my relationship with NCIS? Year 10.

But there's a certain pleasure in frustration watching because it's something you can bond with other members of the fandom about, and there's always plot points or characters you love.

Have they figured out how computer keyboards work yet, or have they just come up with a handwavey explanation for how Abbey's computer works?

[Farideh]

I mean... 99% of folks text now. Period.

I disliked it before we had phones that could text Texting was a godsend for me.

[badbum61]

Sounds like anthrax

That's the plan.

[hedgie]

Comic's up.

I hate phone calls too, not sure why :/

Because they demand that you drop whatever you're doing to deal with them, and it's typically considered rude to keep ignoring them until you have the time/energy?

Of course, considering that I have worked billing in a call centre, I hate phone calls with the fire of a thousand suns going supernova.

[Mavadotar]

Phone calls always caused me anxiety, and then I worked in some truly crappy call centres doing inbound frontline customer service for a major US cell phone carrier in the early 2000s, and then outbound sales for a Canadian cable/internet provider in the 2010s. I have done my time, no more phone calls for me.

[DaiJB]

Comic's up.

I hate phone calls too, not sure why :/

Yep. If I'm driving in the passenger seat of the car and the driver's phone rings and they say 'Could you answer that for me please' - well, Anxiety City.
I'd go further - if anything is ever going to trigger a stress-induced heart attack in me, that will...

[Jimor]

Phone calls with people I know are fine, but if I have to cold call somebody I don't know, or getting on voice chat online, I hate hate hate it. And just like both characters in the comic, I stream and talk for hours at a time to people in chat no problem, but I rarely do multiplayer if it means I have to voice chat.

[dutchrvl]

I detest phone calls as well, although with good friends and family I can tolerate them (still not a huge fan though).

Why so many dislike them, I dont know, there must be a theory behind it.

My own theory is that the lack of visual cues (body language, facial expressions, etc) when talking to someone makes people very insecure about both whether they're interpreting the other person correctly, and about whether their own words are going to be misinterpreted/misunderstood (with accompanying feeling of guilt for not speaking clearly enough).

Or maybe that's just me, lol

Either way for all the above reasons I think initial phone screens by companies are terrible ideas when they are trying to preselect candidates (edit: unless the job requirements include having to make many phone calls, perhaps). I am absolutely horrendous in phone screens and am always relieved when I somehow make it to a face-to-face interview (whether video or in person) because I know I'll be fine in that setting.

[sitnspin]

I have a history of audio hallucinations so phone calls make me very uncomfortable. I've never gotten used them and probably never will.

[Farideh]

I like emailing and texting, even though you don't get body language cues there either. It's more about the fact that there is no rush, I can think about what to write down and revise that. Can't do that with a phone call.

[dutchrvl]

I like emailing and texting, even though you don't get body language cues there either. It's more about the fact that there is no rush, I can think about what to write down and revise that. Can't do that with a phone call.

Yeah, I probably should've added that it's the combination with the instantaneous of the messaging (i.e. talking) that is the problem when visual cues are absent.

[Farideh]

New comic.

The 'mom energy' is basically Aurelia's superpower.

[Emperor Norton]

I have, I'm fairly certain, some level of on the spectrum behavior in regards to reading tone of voice. I just can't do it for people I don't know really well. Instead over the years, I've trained myself to really pay attention and understand facial expressions and body language. So any time I have to be on the phone with someone I don't know very well, it cranks up my anxiety to max. People I've known for a long time are no problem. My wife, my kids, my parents, my brother, no problem.

The main reason I know it is specifically audio only is that for my work I do video conference meetings all the time and it never bothers me. Cause I can see people's faces. Like, I still get the base level of anxiety I get for anything social, but it isn't anything like being on a phone call.

I think the reason that it doesn't bother me with emails and text is that the playing field is leveled. Like, I can't read their emotion well, but they can't read mine either, so it never feels like as big of a deal.

[flondrix]

Pizza is a vegetable!

[Tova]

If a voice call  makes them anxious, why on earth aren't they on a video call? 

[shanejayell]

Awww.

I keep thinking most of the characters have met each other, but I guess not these two.

[A_S00]

Why is this call not happening on Discord?  Surely these two successful streamers are constantly glued to Discord anyway.

[badbum61]

I keep thinking most of the characters have met each other, but I guess not these two.

I wonder, do they even know they're in the same town? As moderately successful streamers working in video, they could be anywhere in the world... or are they on some Northampton-specific server? (Not with numbers like they apparently have, though...)
I can see Marbear freaking out about this just when she finds out Aurelia's also in N-hamp...wait till she gets the FULL scope of the connections!

[TheCollector]

WELP. Now I'm shipping them too. lol

[BenRG]

I've suddenly realised that Aurelia basically now looks exactly how Claire looked when she and Marten started their relationship and Claire is looking more and more how Aurelia looked during her first appearances (apart from the smile lines). Frankly, it weirds me out a lot.

[baronvonfritz]

Just a friendly fact: Oni means Demon in Japanese.  Marbear is a Burger Demon, or Demon Burger, I'm not sure whether her handle is consumption based or existence based tho.

[Marco]

I've suddenly realised that Aurelia basically now looks exactly how Claire looked when she and Marten started their relationship and Claire is looking more and more how Aurelia looked during her first appearances (apart from the smile lines). Frankly, it weirds me out a lot.

Yeah, in tuesday's strip I thought that, for some reason, Aurelia had delegated to Claire the Mommymilker's public relation tasks...

The comic is going full circle. In the first strips, I couldn't discern who's who without context.

[traroth]

It can't be long before they realize they have friends in common. A LOT of friends.

[MattStriker]

Countdown to mortifying moment of realization...10...9...8...

[Emperor Norton]

I keep thinking most of the characters have met each other, but I guess not these two.

I wonder, do they even know they're in the same town? As moderately successful streamers working in video, they could be anywhere in the world... or are they on some Northampton-specific server? (Not with numbers like they apparently have, though...)
I can see Marbear freaking out about this just when she finds out Aurelia's also in N-hamp...wait till she gets the FULL scope of the connections!

If it is a regular phone call and not VOIP, unless one of them has their cell phone registered somewhere else (which does happen sometimes, but Aurelia seems to have lived there for a long time, and Marigold doesn't seem to live very far from her family since her dad can unnannounced show up at her apartment, so I don't think so in this case), they should realize once they see each others phone numbers are both local.

[Misel]

If it is a regular phone call and not VOIP, unless one of them has their cell phone registered somewhere else (which does happen sometimes, but Aurelia seems to have lived there for a long time, and Marigold doesn't seem to live very far from her family since her dad can unnannounced show up at her apartment, so I don't think so in this case), they should realize once they see each others phone numbers are both local.

Do they have local area codes for mobiles where they live? It doesn't look like they're using a land line phone and where I'm from a mobile number could come from anywhere in the country.

Also, thanks for "clarifiying" their relation ship. I just came here to see whether they actually already know each other in real life and if they're aware of the persons behind each other's avatars. I can't wait until they find out.

[notStanley]

Pizza is a vegetable!

Pizza is the supreme food!  Has the entire pyramid in each byte: grain, dairy, vegetable, meat.  And there is the dichotomy of botanically fruit, but legally vegetable, tomato.  Just as good cold for breakfast as was hot the night before.  Paired with tequila even better :}

[Emperor Norton]

If it is a regular phone call and not VOIP, unless one of them has their cell phone registered somewhere else (which does happen sometimes, but Aurelia seems to have lived there for a long time, and Marigold doesn't seem to live very far from her family since her dad can unnannounced show up at her apartment, so I don't think so in this case), they should realize once they see each others phone numbers are both local.

Do they have local area codes for mobiles where they live? It doesn't look like they're using a land line phone and where I'm from a mobile number could come from anywhere in the country.

Also, thanks for "clarifiying" their relation ship. I just came here to see whether they actually already know each other in real life and if they're aware of the persons behind each other's avatars. I can't wait until they find out.

All the cell phones where I live use the local area codes. Unless you got the cell phone when you were living somewhere else and you decided not to get your number changed (which is still possible, but like I said, neither of them seem like they are from somewhere else)

[shanejayell]

New comic.

Ha! Marigold's reaction...

[Farideh]

DAMN YOU JEPH!

For putting that song in my head. It will now play on repeat in my brain for the next 24 hours or so.

*goes off and puts some other music on to get this out of her head. Spoiler alert: it won't work*

[anonymsly]

Sad but true: my initial reaction was 'Marigold, why are you surprised? You either dialed her number or saw the caller ID! Your area only has like two area codes, you KNOW Aurelia's local to you!'

And then I remembered not everyone is a freak who worked for a phone company for 15 years and memorized area codes.

And then I realized it's probably Skype or some other VoIP and doesn't even USE a phone number.