Topic: WCDT strips 4251-4255 (27th to 1st May 2020) (Read 19851 times)

BenRG · « **on:** 26 Apr 2020, 03:55 »

As we're all pretty much trapped at home these days except for a fortune few of us who have community-critical jobs that require us to be in the office at least some of the time, I thought that the time was good for an indoors poll.

It's remarkable, for a slice of life strip, how few pets we've met in Questionable Content. I think that it is, at least in part, because AnthroPC Companions were functionally the pets most of the characters had in the early- to mid-phases of the strip. Actual animal companions, with the exception of Mieville (who fitted in with Pintsize and Winslow in a scary way), were rare. That has changed of late, so I'd be interested in learning: What is the community's favourite animal pet?

Not all of them have much 'screen time' so you might have quirky reasons for liking them. Maybe it's just the bizarre disconnect between their person's personality and their choice of pet?

i had to think about this one. There are so many cute pets we've seen one-off and whom I'd love to hug or pet. However, I have to say that in terms of being completely out-of-the-blue and unexpected possibilities for the future, I'd have to go for Princess. Sven, the outgoing, extrovert womaniser who seems to care for no-one but himself sometimes owns a cat, with whom he clearly has one of the few lasting emotional connections in his life. I guess I'd love to see Mieville and Princess silently (but oh-so obviously) exchanging thoughts on their humans. Or May realising that she's enjoying having that scratch-happy furball on her lap. I just think that we could use her to be an interesting insight into what Sven's life really is like behind his front.

Gyrre · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 04:54 »

Arthur the potted plant.

Thrillho · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 07:16 »

Cosmo, at least 50% because of the name.

shanejayell · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 15:42 »

HERCULES!

Thrillho · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 15:46 »

Quote from: shanejayell on 26 Apr 2020, 15:42

HERCULES!

Does he put the glad in gladiator?

thErgonomic · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 18:18 »

Hah! The red colour should have given it up! I knew Bubbles was a- Communication terminated. This has been done for the prevetion of a firestorm.

Autistic Vulture · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 18:27 »

I voted for Mieville, just for pulling off the exceedingly difficult task of flustering Pintsize.

St.Clair · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 18:48 »

Comic's up.

Good on Faye, for taking a firmer (but still quite reasonable) stance on being paid for labor and services.

Gyrre · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 21:58 »

Also some good advice that far too few people seem to heed these days; don't rush, take the time to figure things out.

BenRG · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 23:24 »

I think that today's strip basically carries on from the character arc Jeph has been pursuing for Milliefeulle since her first comedy drunk appearance - That she doesn't really know how to do interaction with people, especially with those she wants to be friend. The most she knows is how to be class clown. She certainly wouldn't know how to act to someone to whom she's romantically attracted... or even know what that is!

Quote from: St.Clair on 26 Apr 2020, 18:48

Good on Faye, for taking a firmer (but still quite reasonable) stance on being paid for labor and services.

As Jeph pointed out, good advice is cheaper at Union Robotics than it is a Coffee of Doom!

Timemaster · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 Apr 2020, 23:46 »

I noticed that Jeph was using a thinner brush in the latest strips. Especially in Fayes face it was obvious. I like the thicker brush better. What are your oppinions?

Plus breaking a Wacom pen is a hard piece of work.

My daughter wears out a lot of tips because of pressing down too hard. But cracking the pen?

TM

shanejayell · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 06:54 »

Bad Faye! No charging for romantic advice!

Perfectly Reasonable · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 08:20 »

I am still wondering who in Yay's household demanded mealworms at 4 AM.

And professional advice is always worth it. It saves you money in the long run.

BenRG · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 08:26 »

Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 27 Apr 2020, 08:20

I am still wondering who in Yay's household demanded mealworms at 4 AM.

Melon wrongly thought that Anthony Jones would find them delicious whilst she was brooding.

Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 27 Apr 2020, 08:20

And professional advice is always worth it. It saves you money in the long run.

As an old Peanuts fan, I can see Faye in a wooden booth outside the shop. Over the booth is a sign: "Romantic Advice: $15/session" Below her window is a sliding sign: "The Luuurve Doctor is IN/OUT"

Zebediah · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 08:29 »

If anything, Faye is undercharging. Millefeuille came to her for service - that should be a minimum $100 fee right there.

Thrudd · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 08:50 »

Still a better deal than what Clinton was charged.

Wingy · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 11:01 »

Clinton was robbed.

I wonder how Millie is going to manage in any real-world relationship with a flat face drawn to order. Maybe it's more expressive, but for any dissimilar partner, it's... flat.

Edit to fix forum code. Gads.

Tova · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 15:58 »

What exactly is the deal with the forumites who are insisting that Faye and Bubbles' relationship with Millie be strictly professional? I honestly can't tell if they are just having a chuckle or being serious.

If they weren't already friends, and/or Faye and Bubbles were professional therapists, I could understand it.

shanejayell · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 19:58 »

Does anyone else feel Renee is a bit of a dick? She knows there's stuff that Brun doesn't 'get' but instead of saying anything she just 'mm hmm's.

Wagimawr · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 20:01 »

Quote from: shanejayell on 27 Apr 2020, 19:58

Does anyone else feel Renee is a bit of a dick? She knows there's stuff that Brun doesn't 'get' but instead of saying anything she just 'mm hmm's.

It's entirely possible we'll see the second, more helpful part of that conversation in tomorrow's strip. I feel like Jeph has done that before.

Tova · « **Reply #20 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 20:14 »

Quote from: shanejayell on 27 Apr 2020, 19:58

She knows there's stuff that Brun doesn't 'get' but instead of saying anything she just 'mm hmm's.

mm hmm

Gyrre · « **Reply #21 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 22:13 »

Quote from: shanejayell on 27 Apr 2020, 19:58

Does anyone else feel Renee is a bit of a dick? She knows there's stuff that Brun doesn't 'get' but instead of saying anything she just 'mm hmm's.

I suspect this may be more of a 'you said something that can be taken in a more sexual way than was initially meant' sort of thing. Either that or Renee legit misunderstood.

Gus_Smedstad · « **Reply #22 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 22:27 »

I'ts mm h'mms all the way down.

Quote from: shanejayell on 27 Apr 2020, 19:58

Does anyone else feel Renee is a bit of a dick?

My observation from past behavior is that being a bit of a dick is kind of Renee's thing. She clearly regularly gives Brun "how to live with humans" advice, but the immediate gratification of enjoying herself teasing Brun trumps that.

Tova · « **Reply #23 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 22:35 »

I honestly thought teasing between friends was normal everywhere.

BenRG · « **Reply #24 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 23:12 »

I find myself wondering just how much Brun doesn't understand about her relationships with her various friends because Renee won't come out and say it explicitly. The answer? Very little because she gets it in her own way. She might not express it in neurotypical terms but she knows her own mind. She might not go to the same conclusions but I'm sure she knows what she's feeling nonetheless.

Therein likes the real reason for what Renee is doing. She's pretty sure that Brun is crushing on Millifeulle but she knows that, if she says it, it will influence Brun's response to her own feelings ("I need to do this because Renee says this is what my feelings mean"). So, she's got to let Brun work it out on her own or the outcome will be false (this is especially the case given that Brun very obviously has issues with letting people get to close to her in many ways).

Quote from: shanejayell on 27 Apr 2020, 19:58

Does anyone else feel Renee is a bit of a dick? She knows there's stuff that Brun doesn't 'get' but instead of saying anything she just 'mm hmm's.

She could do with being less teasing about it and I think that she could also do with not being so obviously confused by the fact Brun is not immediately aware of the implications of her feelings. However, I do think that it comes from a good place - Not wanting to influence Brun's decision-making on such an important matter.

Gus_Smedstad · « **Reply #25 on:** 27 Apr 2020, 23:55 »

Quote from: Tova on 27 Apr 2020, 22:35

I honestly thought teasing between friends was normal everywhere.

Whether it’s “normal” or not, it’s established than Renee and Brun do this to each other. With Brun it appears to be about licorice burps.

Personally, I don’t tease, and I don’t much appreciate being teased. Probably too much exposure to “ha ha only serious” people who are genuinely being nasty while pretending it’s only a joke.

Perfectly Reasonable · « **Reply #26 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 06:24 »

Who uses 'recursive' besides computer nerds?
I don't see computer science in Brün's background.

Thrudd · « **Reply #27 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 07:27 »

Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 28 Apr 2020, 06:24

Who uses 'recursive' besides computer nerds?
I don't see computer science in Brün's background.

re·cur·sive - adjective
characterized by recurrence or repetition.
Mathematics•Linguistics
relating to or involving the repeated application of a rule, definition, or procedure to successive results.

Her background or education may not include computer science but mathematical basics should be in there somewhere.
Mind I have no idea just how good or bad the particular brand of US education she was given.

As has been demonstrated with respect to her thought processes, she is very logical and concise in her reasoning even though she doesn't implicitly "get" things that the average person would take as a given and doesn't notice things she isn't directly looking for. The algorithm for processing such information and nuances in the background just isn't there so she has to make a conscious workaround by building a database and then using logical reasoning based on that data to come to a conclusion. This was illustrated in the series of panels where she decided to go for brunch with her new neighbour.

Our esteemed author seems to have captured the process quite well in this instance.
Well this is how I am able to fool the outside world that I am a functioning adult a majority of the time.

oddtail · « **Reply #28 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 08:55 »

Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 28 Apr 2020, 06:24

Who uses 'recursive' besides computer nerds?
I don't see computer science in Brün's background.

I don't think I count as a "computer nerd", nor do all that many of my friends, and both I and people are know have used the word in casual conversation, in a similar manner that Brun does, too.

Gyrre · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 10:41 »

Quote from: Tova on 27 Apr 2020, 22:35

I honestly thought teasing between friends was normal everywhere.

I think it's something of a cultural thing?
Probably has to do with a person's temperament and general disposition, too.

Gus_Smedstad · « **Reply #30 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 12:25 »

Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 28 Apr 2020, 06:24

Who uses 'recursive' besides computer nerds?

I am unable to answer this question, because I'm an old school computer nerd. As in, I built my first computer in 1977. At this point I'm so deeply immersed in computer nerdom I have no idea what's normal.

Wingy · « **Reply #31 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 12:50 »

Quote from: Gus_Smedstad on 28 Apr 2020, 12:25

As in, I built my first computer in 1977. At this point I'm so deeply immersed in computer nerdom I have no idea what's normal.

1983 for me, but yeah...

SeaWoodStage · « **Reply #32 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 12:52 »

I refuse to vote, because I can't choose between Mieville and Hercules.

On another note, Faye's joking "fifteen bucks please" brought to mind something that's bugged me for a litte while. I forget how long ago it was (real time) a few months maybe? And I also forget the AI in question, except that it wasn't May. Someone came to Union Robotics for something, Faye and Bubbles fixed it (mainly Bubbles I think), the AI offered payment, and Bubbles said something like "No charge, it was an easy fix."

Which bothered me, because while it may have been an easy fix, and used no pricey parts, isn't the fact that it was an easy fix for Bubbles part of the value of their business? People do (and should) charge for their expertise, not just parts and labour. If my car needs fixing, and it turns out to be something very simple, I don't expect them to say "it took five minutes and we had the parts lying around, no charge." I expect them to charge me a reasonable amount, because they had the knowledge and skill to do something that I couldn't do myself.

Wingy · « **Reply #33 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 12:55 »

That was Roko getting her popups turned off.
4175 - 4178. 4178 is the one with the wording you remember.

SeaWoodStage · « **Reply #34 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 13:07 »

Thank you Wingy, yes that's the one I was thinking of.

Autistic Vulture · « **Reply #35 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 13:30 »

Remember that Faye and Bubbles are walking about freely due to what Roko chose to ignore.

SeaWoodStage · « **Reply #36 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 14:01 »

Agreed, but I think Roko chose to ignore that because she was making a moral choice. If you decide that something is the right thing to do, you shouldn't then set parameters on it.
(I don't think Roko was doing that btw, I just don't like the idea of genuinely moral decisions coming with a price for those it affects.)

Tova · « **Reply #37 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 15:35 »

The goodwill, potential return business, and word of mouth business that this simple gesture likely generated is far more valuable than the small amount of cash they would have earned by charging.

Quote from: SeaWoodStage on 28 Apr 2020, 12:52

If my car needs fixing, and it turns out to be something very simple, I don't expect them to say "it took five minutes and we had the parts lying around, no charge." I expect them to charge me a reasonable amount, because they had the knowledge and skill to do something that I couldn't do myself.

I never expect it, obviously.

But I have personally experienced that very thing precisely.

SeaWoodStage · « **Reply #38 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 16:06 »

I agree with you on the goodwill, return business, and word of mouth Tova, but Faye and Bubs aren't running with months of spare capital. I should just stick with the cardinal rule probably "not everything happens on-screen", so I'm going to assume they've got enough business from unseen characters to stay afloat.

Tova · « **Reply #39 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 17:13 »

Whether they do or not (presumably they do), charging for a five minute job is not going to make or break their business. Failure to drum up new and much more significant business will.

SeaWoodStage · « **Reply #40 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 17:39 »

I think I'm being too literal about it tbh. We've seen a lot of the business they've got from friends and acquaintances, so I'm assuming they also got some off-screen business from other folks.

shanejayell · « **Reply #41 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 18:42 »

Hey, I had completely forgot about the exam thing.

(Wouldn't they email the results, now?)

St.Clair · « **Reply #42 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 18:56 »

Claire did not take off her glasses first. They are now somewhere in her shirt.

SmilingCat · « **Reply #43 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 19:29 »

I voted Hercules, but then there was no way I wouldn't vote for a cat, and my own fluffy girl imposes an inherent bias in his favor.

As for Claire, good idea, the endorphine rush might calm down her anxieties enough to actually look at her results.

BenRG · « **Reply #44 on:** 28 Apr 2020, 23:54 »

Wow! Anxiety, thy name is Claire Augustus! Still, at least she's not completely disabled by it and has a decisive plan for moving forwards. That said, we do see why she needs someone with the level of calm zen that Marten generally displays in her life! More importantly, that he believes in her.

Meanwhile... Am I the only one who thinks that frazzled!Claire is extra cute? Something about the extra floof it puts into her hair, I think!

pwhodges · « **Reply #45 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 02:06 »

Quote from: St.Clair on 28 Apr 2020, 18:56

Claire did not take off her glasses first. They are now somewhere in her shirt.

BTDT

BenRG · « **Reply #46 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 02:27 »

Quote from: pwhodges on 29 Apr 2020, 02:06

Quote from: St.Clair on 28 Apr 2020, 18:56
Claire did not take off her glasses first. They are now somewhere in her shirt.

BTDT

Haven't we all?

NemesisDancer · « **Reply #47 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 05:35 »

Just noticed Marten is reading Magical Love Gentleman. Nice callback xD

Autistic Vulture · « **Reply #48 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 06:28 »

Quote from: SeaWoodStage on 28 Apr 2020, 14:01

(I don't think Roko was doing that btw, I just don't like the idea of genuinely moral decisions coming with a price for those it affects.)

No, she wasn't, but rather Bubbles likely made the decision not to charge based on previous events.

jwhouk · « **Reply #49 on:** 29 Apr 2020, 06:38 »

I like the alternative version Jeph drew of this one, but this one's probably more understandable.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Poll

Best QC Pet!

Author Topic: WCDT strips 4251-4255 (27th to 1st May 2020) (Read 19851 times)