Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 516054 times)

BenRG · « **Reply #1900 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 00:17 »

"Who cares for the carer?" That's the question people who are in Danny's position - trying to help profoundly mentally and emotionally troubled people like Amber - often ask. It isn't easy, especially when you have your own emotional problems and are vulnerable to that person because of your feelings to them. Having to handle their mood swings, irrationality and their occasional lashing out at you in frustration at their own weaknesses slowly wears you down and you need help to stop yourself running or giving up.

So, I think we've found out what Ethan's role in this little triangle will be. He's going to be the strong shoulders who'll help Danny bear the load. Not just because Danny is someone who is fast becoming his friend but because Amber is his sister whom he loves dearly and he's glad to be even a small part of helping her.

Kugai · « **Reply #1901 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 11:59 »

I think you may be right Ben

It also depends on what direction Willis is going to take this little arc in as well.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1902 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 15:00 »

"A situation is what it is"

I don't think there's a sentence in the English language (the only one I speak fluently) I hate more than "it is what it is". I'm not saying it's always wrong, or even often. But it always sounds like saying "I give up, but don't want to admit it."

sitnspin · « **Reply #1903 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 15:12 »

I see it more as recognizing a situation for what it is rather than what you wish it was. One must accept reality as it is before one can do anything to change it. Denial never helps anything.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1904 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 15:15 »

True, but I've never heard that said when talking about things one is willing to change, only as a way of signaling that they don't wish to bother changing it.

hedgie · « **Reply #1905 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 17:01 »

So it goes.

sitnspin · « **Reply #1906 on:** 20 Dec 2015, 21:15 »

I mostly use it in regard to situations about which I am not happy, but about which either I don't have strong enough feelings to warrant complaining, for which there's no immediate solution, or I am so tired of fighting I don't want talk about.

My mental illness is one topic that often gets this response when people ask about it. Personal tragedies that literally can not be undone often do also.

BenRG · « **Reply #1907 on:** 21 Dec 2015, 01:50 »

It's good to know that Joe is still Joe despite all the drama on the campus recently!

Regarding the main plot thread, whilst I understand Ethan's position, he's not giving an informed opinion. No-one knows how badly Sal has shaken up Amber's self confidence in her moral integrity. If I were Danny, I'd try to track her down; I'd keep my distance (I don't think that she wants to talk to anyone right now) but I would want to make sure she isn't self-harming or doing anything else self-destructive or stupid.

Kugai · « **Reply #1908 on:** 21 Dec 2015, 12:37 »

I wonder if Amber is about to finally confront Sal and tell her who she is as far as Sals past goes.

Kugai · « **Reply #1909 on:** 22 Dec 2015, 14:13 »

Ahhh, memories.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #1910 on:** 22 Dec 2015, 21:49 »

Today's comic addresses a thing I've wondered about, the number of LGBTQ individuals holding onto jobs at openly anti-LGBTQ companies. It's gotta happen, especially in this kind of economy. I have nothing more to say about the subject, but that it should be interesting to see what shenanigans Becky could pull at Chic-Fil-A

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #1911 on:** 23 Dec 2015, 09:19 »

I never have held anything against people who work at companies who's leaders support LGBT discrimination, or other discrimination. I know that most of the people who work for these places are not going to be like that, they just want to earn a living. But I try not to support those kinds of businesses with my money all the same. Maybe they aren't contributing to hate and discrimination, but because the company leaders are, that means even a small amount of money that gets filtered up to that level that I spend there is going to discriminate against people like me. In the end of course, it's merely symbolic. But I put my support when I can with people who don't discriminate.

Kugai · « **Reply #1912 on:** 23 Dec 2015, 12:28 »

That's how you stick it to them Becky

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1913 on:** 23 Dec 2015, 15:21 »

Man, it still weirds me the fuck out when we see Becky's eye through her hair.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #1914 on:** 23 Dec 2015, 22:14 »

Joyce, no. It would not work. Do not bang her. This should not be the next slipshine.

Kugai · « **Reply #1915 on:** 23 Dec 2015, 23:22 »

It would only be a temporary solution anyway.

BenRG · « **Reply #1916 on:** 23 Dec 2015, 23:27 »

Quote from: chaospersonified on 23 Dec 2015, 22:14

Joyce, no. It would not work. Do not bang her. This should not be the next slipshine.

Healing via sex is a common fanfic trope. Willis may only have been referring to it to rule it out.

FWIW, Dorothy doesn't strike me as sufficiently romantic-minded to think that it would work. If this had been going on a while and she was worried and desperate, I might be more concerned that she might do something short-sighted and ultimately harmful. As it is, I think that she was only half-listening to Walky and replying on autopilot whilst worrying about Joyce.

Masterpiece · « **Reply #1917 on:** 24 Dec 2015, 01:36 »

Joyce is broken. All the people who were looking forward to it are now heartbroken.

BenRG · « **Reply #1918 on:** 24 Dec 2015, 01:46 »

Quote from: Masterpiece on 24 Dec 2015, 01:36

Joyce is broken. All the people who were looking forward to it are now heartbroken.

That's basically what Mike was saying a few strips back.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1919 on:** 24 Dec 2015, 05:15 »

Who was looking forward to a broken Joyce?

Masterpiece · « **Reply #1920 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 00:43 »

They were looking forward to the moment that life "broke" Joyce, but this is not what they expected

BenRG · « **Reply #1921 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 01:27 »

To me, panel 4 in today's strip (25/12) is the most significant. Becky loses her snark and suddenly realises that Joyce is far more important to her than her jealousy at Dorothy being her best friend now.

Does she feel a degree of responsibility for Joyce's trauma? That would be irrational but understandable because she did have a role, no matter how unwilling. FWIW, I do agree with other readers who say that Becky is probably the only person in the regular cast who knows Joyce well enough to help her. However, I'm not sure if she has the right intellectual qualities to do so. For this, I can see Becky and Dorothy working together to try to help Joyce.

Loki · « **Reply #1922 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 12:30 »

Quote from: chaospersonified on 23 Dec 2015, 22:14

Joyce, no. It would not work. Do not bang her. This should not be the next slipshine.

I am still completely befuddled as to whether Dorothy

a) is bisexual
b) has homoerotic tendencies towards Joyce
c) really believes Joyce has a crush on her
d) would really have sex with Joyce if the opportunity arose

Kugai · « **Reply #1923 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 12:37 »

Open the door, get on the floor, everybody munch the Dinosaur

Yes, yes, I know I should have resisited, but whatdahey!!

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1924 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 12:41 »

I wonder why Dinosaur BBQ doesn't make a bigger deal that they serve dinosaur.

BenRG · « **Reply #1925 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 13:08 »

Quote from: Loki on 25 Dec 2015, 12:30

I am still completely befuddled as to whether Dorothy

a) is bisexual
b) has homoerotic tendencies towards Joyce
c) really believes Joyce has a crush on her
d) would really have sex with Joyce if the opportunity arose

IMO, none of the above; she's just so concerned about Joyce that she answered Walky without really understanding or meaning what she was saying.

Quote from: Method of Madness on 25 Dec 2015, 12:41

I wonder why Dinosaur BBQ doesn't make a bigger deal that they serve dinosaur.

Two reasons:

Saying it would alienate some of their core customer base;
Claiming to serve dinosaur meat would traumatise and drive away young children.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1926 on:** 25 Dec 2015, 13:12 »

Well you're no fun

Kugai · « **Reply #1927 on:** 26 Dec 2015, 11:37 »

The Billie and Ruth Show continues

Dawwwwww

Kugai · « **Reply #1928 on:** 27 Dec 2015, 12:22 »

There is still good in her Billie-wan, you've felt it.

BenRG · « **Reply #1929 on:** 28 Dec 2015, 00:43 »

I don't think that I'm over-interpreting Ruth to say that in today's strip (12/28), she's basically asking Billie to go off and become part of Joyce's circle so that she can quietly and painlessly fade away into oblivion in peace.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1930 on:** 28 Dec 2015, 09:27 »

Over? No. Wrongly? I fucking hope so.

Kugai · « **Reply #1931 on:** 28 Dec 2015, 13:37 »

Don't give up on her Billie, she's almost ready to open up.

sitnspin · « **Reply #1932 on:** 28 Dec 2015, 15:22 »

At least Ruth used the qualifier "near" which she reluctantly admits she's not entirely hopeless.

Ruth was right yesterday; it is a crap shoot when it comes to acute depression, showing you care doesn't always help, but it almost never hurts.

BenRG · « **Reply #1933 on:** 29 Dec 2015, 00:09 »

It's pretty obvious that Ruth desperately wants the 'Happily Ever After' she describes in today's strip (12/29) but just can't see herself getting it. That's genuinely sad.

What's genuinely funny is that Billie's version is still so firmly rooted in her teenage Cheer Captain persona.

sitnspin · « **Reply #1934 on:** 29 Dec 2015, 12:59 »

I definitely understand where Ruth is coming from. Part of me wants that happy ending too, and like her I just don't see it happening. Been there, done that, ended tragically. Plus the whole depression thing telling me I don't deserve it even if it was possible.

Kugai · « **Reply #1935 on:** 29 Dec 2015, 13:03 »

Aaand then there are times where a good solid Gibbsmack wouldn't go astray..

sitnspin · « **Reply #1936 on:** 29 Dec 2015, 13:07 »

Right, because violence is the obvious solution to crippling depression.

Kugai · « **Reply #1937 on:** 30 Dec 2015, 12:55 »

She ain't falling for it Ruth.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1938 on:** 30 Dec 2015, 13:34 »

What the fuck is that face in the last panel.

BenRG · « **Reply #1939 on:** 30 Dec 2015, 14:26 »

Epic-class eyeroll; sometimes, Billie's devotion just triggers Ruth's sense of the ridiculous.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #1940 on:** 30 Dec 2015, 22:18 »

Okay, I know it's just a hold-over from Shortpacked, but I really, really, really want Roz to succeed in getting Robin to visit and then be wooed by her lesbian. I know there's all that stuff with the universes being separate, but dammit, I liked that bit, and I want it here. THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1941 on:** 30 Dec 2015, 23:46 »

Dang it, stop with the cross-universe spoilers. Also does Roz always wear a suit?

BenRG · « **Reply #1942 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 01:10 »

Robin always wears a neat formal business suit when she's got her 'Congresswoman DeSanto' hat on. I think that Roz is trying to emulate her.

In Shortpacked, I got the impression that, no matter how obnoxious Roz got, she idolised Robin in many ways and following her style of doing things would be a natural progression of that. Basically, she strongly admires her big sister and wants to be like her.

BenRG · « **Reply #1943 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 09:36 »

Preview Image for March 31st Strip

(click to show/hide)

Method of Madness · « **Reply #1944 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 13:13 »

Haha god damn you, Willis, I thought the spoiler temptation was over.

Kugai · « **Reply #1945 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 14:52 »

I think Roz is going to be in for a surprise. Joyce is ready to explode and I don't think it will take much for her to let rip at this stage.

BenRG · « **Reply #1946 on:** 01 Jan 2016, 00:07 »

Whoa! Joyce delivered a zinger to Joe! Joyce delivered a zinger! To Joe! Who is now complaining about Joyce harassing him! Admittedly, it was about time someone told Joe that he'd become IU's bicycle (the thing nearly everyone had ridden) and that this wasn't doing anything positive for his reputation. However, who would have ever thought it would be Joyce to deliver the slap-down?

Somewhere, Mike is feeling aroused and he doesn't know why!

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #1947 on:** 01 Jan 2016, 06:38 »

Actually, I'm pretty sure he's proud of being the guy with a reputation for getting around. Remember sexist double standard #23. A guy who sleeps with a lot of women is sexy and virile and studly. A woman who sleeps with a lot of men is slutty and not marriage material. Also, I really don't think Joe's using the 'slut shaming' call out right here.

Kugai · « **Reply #1948 on:** 01 Jan 2016, 12:40 »

First rumblings of Volcano Joyce.

sitnspin · « **Reply #1949 on:** 01 Jan 2016, 13:39 »

What about a woman who sleeps with a lot of women?

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 516054 times)