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[Pilchard123]

I come from a culture in which the notion of "date" doesn't really exist

People don't date in France? Please elaborate.

If it's anything like my very limited understanding of the UK (or at least South-West UK), then 'dating' as a - for want of a better word - formal thing isn't so common. It's more commonly two people who enjoy each other's company just hanging out (possibly with other people). If anything more comes of it, then so be it. If not, likewise.

EDIT: Removed some stuff that I decided I didn't want here just yet.

[Kugai]

He needs a drink to put out those flames

[Method of Madness]

I come from a culture in which the notion of "date" doesn't really exist

People don't date in France? Please elaborate.

If it's anything like my very limited understanding of the UK (or at least South-West UK), then 'dating' as a - for want of a better word - formal thing isn't so common. It's more commonly two people who enjoy each other's company just hanging out (possibly with other people). If anything more comes of it, then so be it. If not, likewise.

EDIT: Removed some stuff that I decided I didn't want here just yet.

How's that not dating?

[MooskiNet]

I come from a culture in which the notion of "date" doesn't really exist

People don't date in France? Please elaborate.

If it's anything like my very limited understanding of the UK (or at least South-West UK), then 'dating' as a - for want of a better word - formal thing isn't so common. It's more commonly two people who enjoy each other's company just hanging out (possibly with other people). If anything more comes of it, then so be it. If not, likewise.

EDIT: Removed some stuff that I decided I didn't want here just yet.

How's that not dating?

I think the difference is separating the two by intent.  Here in the U.S. (at least in my experience), 'dating' and 'hanging out' are separated by the intent to pursue a relationship for the former and the lack of same for the latter.  I think Schmorgluck was saying intent really doesn't come into the question of what to call it when you're hanging out.

Sure would save a lot of mental gymnastics if that were the case here.

[Neko_Ali]

Or would cause more confusion and wondering. In the US at least there is a lot of emphasis put on organizing your relationships. Hanging out as friends and dating are considered quite different things, and a lot of confusion comes in when the status isn't out in the open and people don't know how the other person feels.  Basically there is a whole lot of (largely unnecessary, but there) baggage that comes in separating the two. In other countries it is different of course, but this is the perspective of a US person, like those in the comic.

For what it's worth, I think Emily will probably turn out to be happy with the 'hanging out' being a date. She hasn't had a lot of luck so far.

[Schmorgluck]

I've been on at least one occurrence of what could be called a date by North-American standards. It was when I invited a girl to join me in attending a concert in a bar, back in January of 1998. Let's call her Marie.
We had made out the month before, after meeting informally at a friend of mine's apartment. I knew Marie casually from high-school, and she ended up at that meetup because her younger brother was friends with the younger brother of one of my close friends. We were sitting next to each other, chatted, and hit it off quite well, and ended up making out, good-heartedly pestered by her brother as I accompanied them to their home. Then it was holiday break, that I largely spent wondering what was at hand. Came January, I went into ridiculous ploys to get back in touch with Marie, ploys that almost (or maybe partially) worked, until I finally called my friend's home, to get his younger brother, in order to get his friend's home's number (it was before cellphones were widespread in France, FYI), so I could talk to Marie and invite her to meet at that concert. I guess that counts as a "date" by North-American standards.

I've been in at least one occurrence of fucking up what could be called a date by North-American standards. In 2002, a female co-worker I met in a training program we had in the tech service company we both worked on, and I got along with quite well, invited me to hang out in Paris on a saturday. Let's call her Hélène. Hélène and I were both transplants into the Paris area, it really wasn't about going to the common tourist traps of the "City of Lights". She lead me to her favourite Corsican bistrot (at this point I have to mention she was Alsatian), we walked around, in non-touristing areas, it was pretty cool. At the end of the day, when we parted at the train station to return to our respective suburbs, I... pecked her on the cheek. And it was goodbye see you monday. Looking back, remembering how she was looking at me at that moment, I know she was expecting a real kiss. Took me too long to figure it out. I hope she didn't take it too hard. I hope she didn't take it as her being not pretty enough.

There's also that case of a girl (let's call her Dajla) giving me her number and my not calling her back because I wasn't sure what to call her back about. It took me about eight years to understand that I should just have called Dajla back to hang out somewhere and see if something came out of it. Which would maybe have been a date by North-American standards.


Don't count on me to judge that Clinton fucked up in any way here.

[hedgie]

I'm not sure that intent is the only thing that qualifies a "date", though it generally is included.  I might have never been on one, despite having had girlfriends in the past, and went out and did things with them (minds out of the gutter) with the hope of doing (minds in the gutter) later.  It seems that some people want the grand romantic gestures (tm) for it to qualify, although that's of course, not universal.  One woman I dated once complained to me that we had never been out on a "date", after years together.  I was rather baffled, even knowing the usual (US) meaning of the term, since we went out and did plenty of things, museums, dining, the opera, seeing films, concerts, walks along the $whatever, going out for drinks after, and quite often NSFW things when we got back.  I really did wonder how none of that could be considered a "date", but I guess that I never pulled out of the '80s teen film stops.

[Method of Madness]

I don't think he did fuck up, at least not beyond repair.

[Rghfrgl]

I don't think he did fuck up, at least not beyond repair.

She'll say yes, if nothing else, so Jeph has future material.

[Gladstone]

She'll say yes, if nothing else, so Jeph has future material.

Although any squeeable moments, if there are any (doubtful), will only distract us from Marten and Claire.  But maybe we'll get lucky and they'll get sent on the same bus ride as Wil and Penelope.

[explicit]

I come from a culture in which the notion of "date" doesn't really exist

People don't date in France? Please elaborate.

Maybe... it's just one giant orgy all year? Can such a land exist?

[Gladstone]

New comic, and three great Clairefaces!  Also, judging from the lengths of Clinton's arms in panel 1, is it possible Reed Richards is their father?

Edit: Also, it looks like Clinton's hand grew back!  Had to take a screenshot before Jeph fixes it:

[brew]

Short jokes? Seriously?

[St.Clair]

That (those?) is/are indeed the best Claireface(s).  And the two of them are so acting like siblings here, it's adorable.

Warning - while you were reading the thread has grown a few inches... or just found a phone book to stand on.

[jwhouk]

Clinton, of course, could just say, "Well, I'm still taller than you. You just use ten tons of mousse on your hair."

Claire's response: "It's not mousse! I just use a very good conditioner!"

[Nyithra]

I dunno why people are so weird about girls being taller than the guy in a couple. Do tall girls not deserve love?

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Tall girls deserve NOTHING!

But, no one else deserves anything, so it's okay.

[Method of Madness]

That's a depressing outlook on life.

[hedgie]

I dunno why people are so weird about girls being taller than the guy in a couple. Do tall girls not deserve love?

They certainly do.  My last crush wasn't taller than me, but she *was* tall, as in about the height of the average (by US standards) height guys, I'm just freakishly tall.  Even if I was shorter, the attraction wouldn't have been any less.

[Penquin47]

If a girl is taller than her male friend, it threatens his role as protector and decider.  Same for women being older/in better shape/smarter/whatever other ridiculous thing you want to apply to relationships.  The man's masculinity is threatened by having a partner who is superior to him in any way other than boobs.

It's wrong, based on ridiculous gender expectations, and rather silly.  Nonetheless it persists.  Heck, I'll admit to being weirded out by it sometimes, although I know I shouldn't be.  (More on the age than the height thing.)

[ASB84]

Clinton: Well, good for you, man. Still need to work on those social skills and whatnot, but that awkwardness and joy at not completely messing things up with a lady made you a hell of a lot more relateable.

Claire: Pot, meet kettle. Seriously. I'm not going to enjoy you being a more prominent character after all, am I? Ah well...

[ReindeerFlotilla]

That's a depressing outlook on life.

Life is depressing. And do is Outlook. But one expects that of Microsoft products.

To me, the idea that anyone deserves anything is depressing. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of violence and inhumanity in life is rooted in "I deserve."

[SubaruStephen]

I dunno why people are so weird about girls being taller than the guy in a couple. Do tall girls not deserve love?

They deserve MORE love (because there's more of them to love)!

Tall girls deserve NOTHING!

If a girl is taller than her male friend, it threatens his role as protector and decider.  Same for women being older/in better shape/smarter/whatever other ridiculous thing you want to apply to relationships.  The man's masculinity is threatened by having a partner who is superior to him in any way other than boobs.

That never bothered me at all, the last woman I considered to be "my Girlfriend" was the same height as me (I'm 6 foot 1) and I LIKED that, taller woman have an "exotic" feel to them (especially to tall guys), and I loved not having to bend down to hug/kiss/other stuff.
What I didn't like was that she broke up with me , and that she had the same shoe size  I don't know why, it's not like she'd ask to borrow my workboots or anything.

[cesium133]

But one expects that of Microsoft products.

Word. 

[Stoon]

If a girl is taller than her male friend, it threatens his role as protector and decider.  Same for women being older/in better shape/smarter/whatever other ridiculous thing you want to apply to relationships.  The man's masculinity is threatened by having a partner who is superior to him in any way other than boobs.

It's wrong, based on ridiculous gender expectations, and rather silly.  Nonetheless it persists.  Heck, I'll admit to being weirded out by it sometimes, although I know I shouldn't be.  (More on the age than the height thing.)

That may be the most insultingly sexist thing I've ever read.  Towards both males and females.

I've always been attracted to tall women. 

The first woman I ever fell in love with was almost 20 years older than me.  I was in my early 20s at the time.

The smarter the woman is, the more attractive she is to me.

[Rghfrgl]

Panel 1 Claire is so sinister.

I like it.

[Method of Madness]

But one expects that of Microsoft products.

Word. 

I wouldn't say that kind of joke will help you Excel, but I suppose it Works.

[hedgie]

If a girl is taller than her male friend, it threatens his role as protector and decider.  Same for women being older/in better shape/smarter/whatever other ridiculous thing you want to apply to relationships.  The man's masculinity is threatened by having a partner who is superior to him in any way other than boobs.

It's wrong, based on ridiculous gender expectations, and rather silly.  Nonetheless it persists.  Heck, I'll admit to being weirded out by it sometimes, although I know I shouldn't be.  (More on the age than the height thing.)

Depends on the man.  It's mostly conditioning, and not something inherent, at least I hope.  I have never felt threatened, even when the girl/woman (depending on what age I was at the time) was a *lot* smaller than me, and still much stronger, both in terms of physical strength, and emotional endurance.  I've also happily been with women who were my intellectual superiors.  I wish that more men could be more secure with themselves, and I'm not trying to put myself on any sort of pedestal.  Nor do I have a fetish for chicks who could kick my arse.  Human behaviour can't be summed-up so neatly.

After reading all the replies that have been posted since I started to type, I'll admit to being *mostly* attracted to petite women, but I'm not exclusive.  I have a type, but their brain-meats are what I'm mostly after (and not in a zombie way).  No matter what someone's build is, or their age, the thing I need is to be able to identify with someone, share her interests, or at least enough to make things interesting.  I actually hope that I'm not alone by only wanting to be with someone, to be someone whom I would like to spend my time with rather than someone that I'd just want to shag.

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

Panel 1 Claire is so sinister.

I like it.

Actual Best Claireface. The picture linked in the first post, now shown in the last panel, was a red herring all along!

[Natswash]

New comic, and three great Clairefaces!  Also, judging from the lengths of Clinton's arms in panel 1, is it possible Reed Richards is their father?

Edit: Also, it looks like Clinton's hand grew back!  Had to take a screenshot before Jeph fixes it:

He has a synthetic covering doesn't he? He might have put it on while leaving the library.
OR it's the power of love. Take your pick

[Penquin47]

If a girl is taller than her male friend, it threatens his role as protector and decider.  Same for women being older/in better shape/smarter/whatever other ridiculous thing you want to apply to relationships.  The man's masculinity is threatened by having a partner who is superior to him in any way other than boobs.

It's wrong, based on ridiculous gender expectations, and rather silly.  Nonetheless it persists.  Heck, I'll admit to being weirded out by it sometimes, although I know I shouldn't be.  (More on the age than the height thing.)

That may be the most insultingly sexist thing I've ever read.  Towards both males and females.

I've always been attracted to tall women. 

The first woman I ever fell in love with was almost 20 years older than me.  I was in my early 20s at the time.

The smarter the woman is, the more attractive she is to me.

Yeah, I agree.  And from what I've seen in the responses, this place seems to take that general attitude.  Of course, this forum tends to have a very welcoming and inclusive attitude in general.  (One of the reasons I *like* coming here.)  This was based on observations of high school students, not personal opinion, and I hope it came through that I think it's a crappy attitude.

My parents: same height, both 5'10".  Dad is eleven months older.  Mom served in the Army after graduating college in 4.5 years with a Master's on a ROTC scholarship and being a student athlete (lettered in swimming at a D1 school).  Dad dropped out of college after marrying Mom and never went back to finish his degree, and stayed home with me and my brother.  I would argue that my dad is smarter than my mom, but Mom's the one with the fancy credentials.

My first boyfriend was a little shorter than me, which I was okay with.  He was also six years older than me, which was a little weird to me.  My second boyfriend was nearly a foot taller than me, which I liked.  He was within a year of my age and I honestly don't remember which of us was older.

[Gladstone]

He has a synthetic covering doesn't he? He might have put it on while leaving the library.
OR it's the power of love. Take your pick

He carries around a glove that looks exactly like a human hand just in case he wants to hide his prosthesis?  What, does he keep it in his pocket?

Is it inflatable?

[Method of Madness]

I thought he actively chose not to wear the synthetic covering.

To me, the idea that anyone deserves anything is depressing. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of violence and inhumanity in life is rooted in "I deserve."

I think we have very different meanings of the word "deserve".

[SubaruStephen]

Comic Fixed

In record time, too.

[Method of Madness]

Ha, it was still a regular hand, and then I refreshed again and it CHANGED BEFORE MY VERY EYES

[Gladstone]

Arms are still freakishly long though.

[SubaruStephen]

But one expects that of Microsoft products.

Word. 

I wouldn't say that kind of joke will help you Excel, but I suppose it Works.

Not to be a Windows Defender, but MS products have outgrown the bad reputation they used to have.

[Blackbird]

I dunno why people are so weird about girls being taller than the guy in a couple. Do tall girls not deserve love?

Tall girls have to be lesbians.  Yes, all of them.  Every last glistening inch of... errr, I mean.... You know what, I'm getting out of this one, might as well roll with it.  Come to mama, you luscious amazons, come to mama.

[cesium133]

But one expects that of Microsoft products.

Word. 

I wouldn't say that kind of joke will help you Excel, but I suppose it Works.

Not to be a Windows Defender, but MS products have outgrown the bad reputation they used to have.

I wouldn't know; I don't have Access to MS products on this Linux machine. But you make a Power Point, though. 

[Blackbird]

But one expects that of Microsoft products.

Word. 

I wouldn't say that kind of joke will help you Excel, but I suppose it Works.

Not to be a Windows Defender, but MS products have outgrown the bad reputation they used to have.

I didn't get this one at first, but i laughed as zune as it hit me.

[Natswash]

He carries around a glove that looks exactly like a human hand just in case he wants to hide his prosthesis?  What, does he keep it in his pocket?

Is it inflatable?

We know he has one to cover his prosthetic (which he normally doesn't wear because ROBOT HAND). I don't see why it would be inflatable as it just covers his hand, but since other gloves are I don't see why not.

Ha, it was still a regular hand, and then I refreshed again and it CHANGED BEFORE MY VERY EYES

The hand! IT changes!

Warning - while you were typing 4 new hands were drawn. You may wish to review your own.

[stephber]

But one expects that of Microsoft products.

Word. 

I wouldn't say that kind of joke will help you Excel, but I suppose it Works.

Not to be a Windows Defender, but MS products have outgrown the bad reputation they used to have.

I didn't get this one at first, but i laughed as zune as it hit me.

You may have to ask Bob about these puns. He may have Access to better material...  .... or at least have the Publisher throw out the Project.

[cesium133]

You may have to ask Bob about these puns. He may have Access to better material...  .... or at least have the Publisher throw out the Project.

I asked a Spanish-speaking person how many MS puns were in that last sentence and he said DOS. 

[SubaruStephen]

You may have to ask Bob about these puns. He may have Access to better material...  .... or at least have the Publisher throw out the Project.

I asked a Spanish-speaking person how many MS puns were in that last sentence and he said DOS. 

Really? I must need new glasses, cause I counted and got 95, then 98, then 2000.

XP

Then I gave up and looked out the door and gazed at the Vista.

[cesium133]

You may have to ask Bob about these puns. He may have Access to better material...  .... or at least have the Publisher throw out the Project.

I asked a Spanish-speaking person how many MS puns were in that last sentence and he said DOS. 

Really? I must need new glasses, cause I counted and got 95, then 98, then 2000.

XP

Then I gave up and looked out the door and gazed at the Vista.

I stopped worrying about it and read a Basic description of the noble gases, from helium to Xenix. 

[ReindeerFlotilla]

(Insulting graphic)

I didn't deserve that.

Also, enlarging my text? Were you trying to make a Powerpoint? It seems that way on the Surface. I can acknowledge the effort, but I won't award any XP for it.

[ZoeB]

They say that Chicken Soup can't hurt. But what about Hen Tea?

[Rghfrgl]

Tall girls have to be lesbians.  Yes, all of them.  Every last glistening inch of... errr, I mean.... You know what, I'm getting out of this one, might as well roll with it.  Come to mama, you luscious amazons, come to mama.

QC has taught me that lesbians are small and adorable.

[valkygrrl]

They say that Chicken Soup can't hurt. But what about Hen Tea?

Hentai?

[SubaruStephen]

(Insulting graphic)

I didn't deserve that.

Yes, yes you did. 
Sincerly, Every Tall Woman on Earth.