Not sure if it’s what bit you, but I’ve found that if the entire comment is a link, it lets it post, but strips the link. When I want to make a comment like that, I usually just leave the final punctuation outside the link.
They’re dishwasher safe if they’re glass or metal — don’t put the silicon ones in the dishwasher. Also never buy a buttplug made of softened PVC. (It’s a toxic material and shouldn’t be inserted … well, anywhere, really.)
Finally, feel free to put them (and your other dishwasher safe toys) in the dishwasher; it’s one of the best ways to sterilize them, but do handwash them first and make sure to only use your own dishwasher! (If your kid has a habit of unloading your dishwasher … well, good for them, so maybe you should just stick to the boiling sterilization method, in that case.)
It’s actually remarkably safe. The way they are designed it is almost impossible to break with your anatomy.
The benefits are they are super smooth, so they tend to create less friction which makes a better overall experience and are super easy to clean because it’s like cleaning any other glass object. Downsides are they tend to be a lot colder and so frequently need to be warmed up by hand for a bit or by running under warm water before use with intimate body zones.
Honestly, glass or steel butt plugs tend to be the ideal, with well-made silicone trailing in a distant third.
Having worked in a glass window plant in fabrication, you’ve forever ruined my image of glass, Cerberus. However, from said experience at a glass plant, seeing how many people were sent home via LifeFlight and how much lung disease cropped up from silica dust, yeah… I’m not trusting you on the safety issues.
I believe they are usually made from similar glass to the stuff in Corning Ware, (obviously not by Corning (although that seems like a missed opportunity))
As I recall the outer surface is pre-stressed in the opposite direction from an outside fracturing force. So instead of needing force X to break it, you need force X+Y.
I sincerely doubt that will taste like cherry. I mean, don’t let me tell you what you should or should not lick, but it is my opinion that this object is something you should not lick.
I’d say it’s in character. She may have trouble interpreting expressions, but that doesn’t mean she can’t tell when a person’s facial expression changes.
This is about the only time I’ve felt a need for a +1 button. Ever. On any site. This may well be just about the perfect response to that comment, it being Willis himself who said it just adds to that.
Do you even have human anatomy? This is a short straight butt plug. Its constant flare just has the basic function of stretching the anus on insertion, and the anus is where you feel both its stretching and its weight. This one has a sizable retaining radius and, given the color, rubbery material at moderate size. Which means that it has moderate mass and somewhat firm fit. It will not move around much and is not exactly pointed at the prostate either. So in solo use, it is not really gender-specific.
When used during intercourse by a female, it competes with the male member regarding overall volume and changes sensations for both partners.
Your comment makes me suspect that you have seen such a device in depictions only. Which is fine but not exactly a good starting point for lecturing people about it.
I, for one, am happy to see there is an appropriate flanged base on that thing. Too many folks experiment with whatever, or something really cheap, and next thing you know you’re at the ER because something is stuck in your butt.
Yup. Honestly, it looks a lot like the sort of intro butt toy couples get when they’re trying stuff out but not fully sure if it’s going to be something that’s going to become a regular staple of play. Kind of college kid’s first toy bag sort of deal.
And it looks like either Amber or Danny (okay, it was probably Amber) was at least versed enough to know the importance of flanged bases for any type of anal toy.
The all new Butt Stuff Starter Kit contains everything you need to get started, including alcohol wipes, three different size plugs, leatherette storage case, and a 20 page beginner’e guide full of helpful hints and diagrams. Butt Stuff Starter Kit is available at fine “bookstores” nationwide! Batteriesnotincluded.
If this is a for real question, it depends. I have an anal starter kit (mainly because it was the cheapest way to get a safe plug that had a vibe and remote), it just came with the plug and a (tiny) wand for external use. The packaging, of course, had the basic safety advice of inserting neither all the way, and how the material (ABS plastic) could safely be cleaned. Pretty much everything has those labels, although if you order something without packaging it’s usually not hard to find out.
I have also seen kits that come with plugs (usually 2 graduated ones, or 1 plus a vibe), lube, and sex toy cleaner.
On the other hand, a good glass butt plug (easily and safely disinfectable in many ways) can be attained for about $15 (as a starting price. average $20-30) and decent lube for between $4-$12, and unless marked down, anal starter kits usually start at $30, so if I was looking for something other than the specific vibe setup I got, I’d probably go for (/recommend) piecing it together yourself. (just keep in mind what material vs what lube (and if applicable, vs what condom material). also that you don’t get a porous or unsafe toy material (eg, jelly) in the first place)
But on just lube, other than kits, a lot of toys come with samples of lube, enough for one-three uses, so there’s also that. And if you need to choose one when that runs out, a lot of sex shops have single use packs for really cheap for testing. Or you could just go for some staple water based thing like simple jo h2o
Not really. You can be a top and still enjoy anal stimulation and/or penetration (especially in this case, given that a butt plug can be worn -while- pitching).
(also it still could be Amber’s, the face she pulled could have been a ‘Dina don’t touch my butt plug it’s weird’ face)
(this is still a better comment than I expected on today’s comic, though. I am happy I’ve seen a lack of ‘wow Danny’s just been gay the whole time. butt stuff=homosexual 100%. what a liar to amber, he was never attracted to her anyway.’)
As long as you don’t try selling yourself as one. Once I start lecturing people about mites, it looks bad if I don’t even get their number of legs right.
Some of these comments are making me worried for people, honestly, but I’ve been trying not to call specific people out (partially because there would be way too many).
“In the end, they covered their entire planet in a layer of lube ten kilometers deep. Ultrasound reveals the presence of great, phalic structures buried in the goo, but so far these have proved unreachable. Our first manned submersible got irreverably stuck in a passing lube-whale’s cloaca.”
On the one hand, I don’t see Amber using a plug on herself. She just doesn’t seem the type. On the other hand, if Danny bought it, it wouldn’t be pink. So…Amber’s toy, because she likes plugging her BF?
This is about the only time I’ve felt a need for a +1 button. Ever. On any site. This may well be just about the perfect response to that comment, it being Willis himself who said it just adds to that.
whether tis nobler in the butt to suffer
the stings and errors of outrageous fumbling
or to take lube against potential stumbles
and, when so posing, peg him?
Is this “thing” induced by proximity to THIS thing? I need more datapoints…. Joe, Sarah, Roz, since I randomly happened to meet you, can I ask you a question…
Panel 1: Okay, Dina does actively know the difference between “Amber” and “Amber’s persona”. So she must have interacted with the Amber alter this morning… Man, I have so so many questions right now and can’t wait to mid-July when we’re probably next seeing her in the flesh.
Panel 2: Ah, the dividing and returning of things. Always an awkward ritual of breakups, especially acrimonious breakups. Luckily, Dina was available to help out. Unluckily, Dina lacks the sort of tact to make this a pleasant and not-awkward first thing in the morning experience for Danny.
Panel 3: Ooh, that’s an interesting answer there. Largely because of how it shapes what she is willing to do with Amber. She is willing to watch over here, make sure she is safe and not in direct danger to herself, but is not willing to constrain actions that are perceived as “crazy”.
And it makes a lot of sense why given that “Amber’s persona” doing something crazy is the only reason that Dina can expect her rad-haired lesbian girlfriend home later tonight rather than never.
We know that Dina strongly believes in being indebted to someone’s kindness and doing better by that role and that she took not being able to protect Becky from her father like she promised very hard. And that she recognizes that Amber or rather her AG alter was directly responsible for “completing the role I could not”.
And that means Dina is probably going to be defending Amber from well-meaning interventions in the future, maybe even interventions she needs out of a protective need to “do right” by the person who has done right by her in such a dramatic fashion. Which might be bad for Amber in the long run as it might mean she won’t be getting the emotional support and aid and firm communications she’ll need if her alter starts going more and more off the rails.
Panel 4: And there’s the lockdown of that. Dina owes her too much and will be predisposed to not distrusting her judgment even if it is in error, because that erratic judgment saved Becky.
Panel 5: But I like Danny a lot for this moment. He cares deeply about Amber. He’s genuinely worried and has really good reason to be given her complete paranoid flip-out at him yesterday.
But when rebuffed by Dina’s boundaries, he accepts that unconditionally and apologizes. And this isn’t quite the same as just rolling over and accepting things like a doormat, because his eyes betray his worries are still there and he’ll probably ask other people in her life to do the same, but in this one moment, he has done more to show his respect for a woman’s boundaries than Joe in any appearance he’s ever been in.
Panel 6: Annnnnd, that’s a yes. Which makes sense. With cheap butt toys like that, it’s better for them to be used specifically with the person they’ve been used on and not swapped between partners.
Now, crossing my fingers that we don’t get the standard douche bro BS about how “it makes sense he’d be into butt stuff because he’s bi” as if it somehow is a strike against the straightness of a male character if they use that chunk of nerve endings known as the prostate for sexual pleasure with a differently gendered partner.
I think a helpful thing for Dina is that she’s not coming at Amber’s DID with any preconceived notions, unless she actually has already been educated in its workings. So she sees Amber talk about her two personae, and Danny thinks it’s just a cute dodge and Ethan thinks it’s cause for concern, but Dina just rolls with it. “My roommate has occasionally expressed that she is more than one person. This is not something I am accustomed to, but will endeavor to be supportive.”
And, yeah, I think a huge part of her defense of Amber right is now is that, apart from just wanting to believe the best of her friend, it was Amber’s persona and her “crazy” actions that saved Becky’s life. I think Dina’s smart enough that she can eventually recognize that Amber did a good thing, but is also on a bad path, though; cause even if once every thousand years a guy foils a bank robbery with his concealed pistol, it’d still be for the best if guns were better regulated. It’s good that Amber saved Becky, but she also would have died.
More than that, though, it’s also just really great that Dina is likewise devoted to supporting Amber as Danny and Ethan. Not unconditionally or ignorant of her problems, Dina makes it clear that she has a difficult time understanding Amber, but at the same time, she still considers Amber a dear friend and won’t allow that barrier of “I don’t get it” to interfere with her opinion of her. It’s just great to see that Amber already has this awesome support network of people who love her and believe in her set up for when she finally does start to heal.
As for the last panel, it’s funny because my first reading of this strip was with a bit of uneasiness, but I eventually kind of realized it was just a bit of kinky fun between Danny and Amber, and that it wasn’t just “well Danny’s bi so buttstuff”. I also like to think that part of it was that Danny was opening up to new ideas as he gradually accepted his attraction to men, but that’s probably putting a lot of symbolism on a butt plug.
And “the butt plug is symbolic” is not a thing I’d ever be saying.
Butt stuff =///////= homosexuality. But I /have/ known a guy, just one, who only accepted that he was bi after a thorough pegging session from a lady partner. It was kind of sweet.
No, yeah, that’s where that initial uneasiness came from, but I also realized that was also me jumping to a conclusion. It’s not “I’m bi so now I like getting pegged”, it’s just a bit of kinky fun for Danny and Amber.
I really agree with all of that, including the accepting Amber’s DID in stride.
Every other character has reacted to her alters as “oh, what a cute pose” or “ha ha costume and persona, right?” but Dina just sort of accepts it as is without question because she doesn’t have perceptions of neurotypicality to rely on to assume what a person will act like and so has to take everyone either at their word or by the demonstrated word of other people she trusts (or the demonstrated discrepancy of action and word).
And thus it sets her up to be the truest ally to Amber in this time of crisis.
And yeah, I think you’re dead right that the butt plug is symbolic of both their kinky explorations and the trust they had that Amazi-girl threw away in order to hold on to her view of Sal as evil temptress.
Comic reactions: pretentious. Just enjoy the comic and maybe not write an essay for us, eh? I don’t want to spend more time on your fine literary critique than on the comic itself.
There are nights when you can call me pretentious and like I’m stealing the precious bandwidth on this site. Sad to say this is not one of them.
See, you don’t know this and didn’t know this when you made your little shitlord comment, so I don’t blame you for this, but rather want to say this because of what’s going on in my head, but I’ve actually been struggling a lot very recently with feelings of “taking up other people’s precious resources of space”.
Part of it is due to some lingering Father’s Day stuff relating to the father who wanted to send me to reparative therapy because I was “being so selfish as to destroy the family over this deluded insistence that I was trans”. Part of it is lingering Orlando stuff where people a lot like me were gunned down because some bigoted asshole saw “two men kissing” and that was “too in his face” for him to allow an entire nightclub of young mostly latino men live.
And a huge amount of it is a particularly nasty incident I’ve been carrying around like a gaping wound for the last year and a half, silently. A professional hate movement member deliberately targeted me for harassment because I participated on a panel for two identities of mine. As a result of that, I was called an “attention whore” and had a number of folks cheerily talking about how I deserved death.
As a result of that, I left two communities that were my main emotional support system, went silent, went deep, stopped talking to other folks of those two identities I had, even avoiding one of those identity’s annual meetup for the first time because it was all too much and I feared being visible and having these little reprobates find me and ruin the life I’ve clawed for years to put back together.
And I’ve only really begun in the last two days staring that down face on, connecting with the folks who put on the panel I got harassed about, reconnecting with at least one of those identity communities, and have dealt with a random thing that triggered all those feelings in a major way.
So, I want you to know, on any other night, you’d just be a dick. But tonight, you managed to be a dick far and above the level you had any awareness or intention of reaching.
And to communicate to you how badly timed your little, “oh, poor me, I have to scroll an extra two times down the page” was.
And yes, I know it’s not on you to be responsible for my mental health, but goddamn it, I was totally on track for not devolving into a full-born panic attack/flashback before this bullshit, so I’m just kinda generally pissed off right now.
Cerberus, you have this incredibly intricate, compelling, fascinating life history that is only accessible through snippets shared in a web comic comment section instead of the smokey, salt-rimed seaside tavern that would have been used as a framing device in like…a fucking Melville novel or something.
I swear half the reason I end up in the comments is to see what kind of discussions you’ve spawned.
Been reading this (and QC) to not have come down with butts disease
But you…YOU! You’re not infected! Run! Find the suspiciously unattended child out in the barren streets, who for some reason Is Very Special and Is Immune And Therefore Can Become The Cure!
No one knows who the child is!
(It’s definitely not the black haired one in the blue dress with the thick glasses who goes “Uhhhhhh” a lot. Trust me. She is Not Immune)
Cerberus, it may not mean much, but take heart. Your comments and discussions have always been so thought out and open at the same time, they are actually the primary reason I read the comments. Things you have said have helped me through some rough times and helped me change my world view for the better, and in turn I know that others have rethought theirs as well because I had a way to explain things to them. Don’t doubt yourself, you make a difference even when you don’t realize it.
This is my first time posting ever; I don’t normally say anything on forums but I thought it was very important to express what a pleasure it is to read your analysis each day. It has become part of my morning ritual, just as important as reading the strip is scrolling down to read the Cerberus comment. I’ve learned so much from your insights. This is your space, and you are loved and appreciated. *hugs for this shitty time, if that’s ok*
Lots of people are already saying things I agree with and feel, but I’d like to add that you are informative! You actually manage to teach us a couple of things and provide insight, and I appreciate how kind you are when you do it. You helped give me some extra love for Becky~ Who could hate that?
It’s a pity that we live in a world so full of dicks. Either way, I really enjoy your essays and would demand more of them if I could. They’re one of the main reason I actually read the comments on here. Your wisdom and your insight into human nature is consistently impressive, hard-earned though it may have been.
Just to state the obvious, your comments here do not in any way, shape or form take up “too much” space – quite the opposite. We are LOT of people around here who eagerly wait for your analysis, comment and just general gushing about adorable fictional people.
– And even more to the point, that doesn’t matter. Your comments are allowed and welcome, regardless how long, regardless how personal and regardless how many synonyms you can come with for “Carla is awesome”
And I’m willing to bet anything that it is true for many people in real life as well.
Cerberus, your comments are aways helpful to understand the deep details of Dumbing strips. I aways search for your comments after readind to understand better the implications of certain characters actions. Thank you keep being a wonderful human being.
Hey Cerb: You’re one of the top-3 posters and a big part of why I break my don’t-read-the-comments rule for this site.
So he can go pound sand.
And please be aware that I am purposefully restraining myself because that sort of “I’m going to make you feel small because you don’t have fun in the way I approve of people having fun” bullshit was a big part of my childhood and youth (hi, I’m autistic. Try being a 7YO whose fun is to learn as much as it is possible to learn about weather, and who could read a weather map before she could ride a bike or tie her shoes. I guarantee you, you will get a lot of those sorts of comments, and a lot of “Why can’t you just be normal?!” comments and a lot of “See, this is why everyone thinks you’re weird and doesn’t like you” and his was just a slightly-less-upfront-about-it version of the same), and I don’t want to risk letting out the anger so much that I say something ban-worthy on my front (if I seem weirdly stilted, that is why).
Few things make me instantly feel punchy. People deciding they are the One True Arbiters Of The Right Way To Fun is one of them.
Like, seriously, I don’t give a flying fuck if someone is not having fun in a way you understand or whatever – it is their life, they’re not harming you, so shut up and let them enjoy their fun and you go enjoy your fun and that’s all that’s needed.
And all of that ^^^^ is without even going into the fact that I happen to like your comic reactions and the first thing I do after reading the comments is to Ctrl+F “Cerberus” to find the comic analysis.
I am not even joking, it’s literally the first thing I do. And then I go back and read the rest of the comments.
This place has an awesome and special comment section and Cerberus, you’re a huge part of it.
So fuck that guy. Folks who don’t like long comments, there’s a little button called pg dn (or page down depending on your keyboard) and you can scroll to the bottom very quickly by using it. Use that instead of dictating to others that their fun violates regulation 10417.1.E of the International Standards of Acceptable Fun.
Yup. Just to throw in some more support — I almost never comment here, but every day after reading the comic itself, I Ctrl-F “Cerberus.” Cerberus, your comments have taught me a lot about DID, how to read a comic closely, and more, so thank you for being part of this space.
At this point I can’t really say much in support beyond what’s already been said, but…
Cerberus, your commentaries open windows into communities that I have never seen into, communities I should know about (simply because of our shared humanity) and which I wouldn’t know about, or wouldn’t know about in any depth of dimension, without you.
You take Willis’s already complex and intricate work, and then you link in a thousand aspects of it which I would have completely missed. You don’t distract from the comic experience. You enrich it.
… btw, Cerberus, this is probably the wrong place to make this completely-off-topic request, but I’ve been trying to find the right place for days and it doesn’t seem to exist.
I’m looking for some advice related to how to be a good LGBTQ ally. Not general advice, something specific. I’m contemplating a course of action that I THINK is a good idea, but I’m doubting my judgement and I may need to be talked down from it. I trust your insight on this more than mine and I’d like your input.
Obviously you don’t owe me anything, but if you’re willing, please email me at reltzik@yahoo.com . (That’s a throwaway email account, btw, I’m not posting my real email here, and if you’re worried about me turning stalkery or anything please consider setting up a throwaway account of your own.)
You know, I think this would be a really great conversation for a lot of people. Not just for people like us, who want to be better allies, but even for LGBTQ+ who feel that there’s something most allies don’t get, or aren’t doing. If anyone has the technical know-how to create some means of having this discussion, is anyone else interested? I’d just throw another email into the mix, but I don’t think that’s really fair to Cerberus to suddenly be asking for a bunch of emails to random people on the internet. One person, sure, but this is the internet we’re dealing with. Things can snowball.
Well, first of all, there’s probably a LOT of communities out there already offering that, and it makes more sense to find an established group with a lot of people already there and happy to weigh in, rather than try to build it up from almost-scratch.
But if we did want to start something of our own… it’s pretty easy to set up a free and anonymous message board with a hosting site, if you don’t mind ads and if people volunteer as mods.
And I’m definitely open to doing mentoring stuff as long as everyone realizes that I work insanely long hours as a teacher and so responses can be a couple of days delayed at times.
The only reason I read the comments is to find out what you say, Cerberus. I have an inkling of how the “oh god no people hate me for taking up space” brain-refrain goes, so I want to send you good vibes and to say: you make the world better by taking up space that might otherwise be appropriated by someone who a) was already entitled to too much damn space and b) is an asshole.
The only people complaining about you taking up space are the ones who thought they had a right to both their own space AND yours. They don’t. It’s always scary to go up against entitled bastards, because they’re so very convinced of their own entitlement and convinced that anyone who wants an equal share is taking something away from them, but that’s bullshit.
You give so much to the world. Thank you for taking up space; you make it shine.
I usually don’t comment because of anxiety, but I feel like I have to here. Cerberus, you are my main reason for reading the comments. Every morning, I wake up, read the comic, then Ctrl+F your name to find your comments. I always learn something I didn’t before, sometimes even about myself, sometimes just that I’m not alone in my anxieties or experiences, and with the emotionally abusive household I’m currently trapped in because of money problems, coming to this comic and reading the discussions, especially the ones you end up in, always cheers me up and makes me remember that for every asshole out there, there is a Cerberus who can tear apart their bigoted statements and who can go through the ringer but still stand back up and stand up for others while they’re at it. You are a wonderful part of this space and every space, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
One of the things I do whenever I open up the comments is open the search bar (ctrl-F) and jump straight to “cerb”. Because while there are many good comments, yours are consistently among the best and most thoughtful. They are always worth my time to read, even on the few occasions when we disagree.
Anti-intellectuals, by contrast, contribute nothing to any discussion (IMO), as they deny that the discussion itself has any merit.
You’re kinda famous with this crowd, for the best reasons. The author, god of this realm, seems to appreciate your presence. The comment threads are full of people who read almost exclusively for your insights. We like you here, and may whatever powers exist have mercy on the poor bastard who tries to make you leave.
I do. I want to spend all the time required to read and understand Cerberus’ fine literary critique, because if she is not the smartest and most perceptive person here, she’s up there near the top. No-one’s holding a gun to your head to read anything she says, and *I* would greatly miss her insight if she got fed up and stopped posting.
That you don’t enjoy critical media analysis doesn’t mean some of the rest of us aren’t allowed to. Shocker, different people consume media differently.
Maybe just shut up and enjoy the comic in your own way, without pissing in others’ cornflakes because they’re not having fun in the JerrmyFe-approved way. Not everyone has to be you, which is a good thing because right now, you’re acting like a grade-A asshole.
So you don’t want to read comments, but go to the comment section and read comments, then leave an unnecessary comment to complain about not wanting to read comments? You seem a rather contradictory fellow.
If you don’t like Cerberus’s comic reactions, it’s really simple JUST SKIP PAST IT! I mean, they’re clearly labeled, and the format is easily recognizable once you’ve seen a few. I know, because I seek them out each day. Many of us actually enjoy reading them. So buzz off.
Cerberus, I don’t comment often, but I’m on here just about daily, and I really enjoy reading your comments. You have a good heart, and you’re very insightful and intelligent. You are both welcome and wanted here. Please don’t stop posting! <3
This happens everywhere I can think of that has a comments section for a type of media. There’s always at least one person who puts a lot of effort into really high quality longer posts that give a different perspective or facts we don’t know or critiques the fashion or something.
And if the fans don’t like it, they don’t keep doing it. That Cerberus has done it for so long means people like it.
I understand not always wanting to read the novellas that end up being written in these comment threads, I really do. But a lot of people really do appreciate them, and if you’re not in the mood for an essay, just scroll past. I’m on a ten-year-old laptop and it doesn’t even take ME that long to get past it. And frankly, I don’t read most of the comments here longer than about three paragraphs, but the panel-by-panel analysis is usually pretty fantastic.
With regards to the last point, I’d personally make the case that Danny’s bisexuality would be a case AGAINST that plug being his – specifically, how he reacted to his attraction to Ethan, and lack of full understanding that being bi was, ya know. A thing that exists.
It feels like Danny probably would have internalized the whole “butt stuff makes you gay”* misconception that bleeds through into a lot of masculine culture; he would likely not have indulged in any ass play prior to his “awakening,” either out of subtle homophobia or just straight(ha)-up ignorance that it was an option for sexual pleasure.
Meanwhile, I don’t think enough time has passed since that event for him to have graduated to using something that size on himself. Plus, he hadn’t revealed that side of himself to Amber/AG yet, and even if he’d suddenly dropped the stigma from his own mind, he might not be ready to introduce a whole new category of sex act into their relationship that might set off some red flags in HER mind about Danny’s sexuality.
*applies only to receiving, of course; performing anal sex on a woman is obviously just proof of how AlphaStud a dude is.
Regarding the last panel: I do not agree that this is confirmation that this is Danny’s. I feel the implication of Dina’s dialogue here is that Amber reacted basically the exact same way we see Danny react, leaving it inconclusive. I would actually put forward a theory that the buttplug belongs ‘to the couple’, i.e. they bought it together for use on one, the other, or possibly even both.
Regarding the asshole’s idiotic reply: I have told you before and tell you again, I specifically seek out your comments in the comments section. Especially on any strip that involves Carla or Joss, but every strip in general really. A DoA strip without a Cerberus commentary is like toast without [favored toast topping]: certainly edible, but not as good as it would be with. Long story short: we like you and you make the space better by your presence, so please be present in as much space as you want/can.
“Now, crossing my fingers that we don’t get the standard douche bro BS about how “it makes sense he’d be into butt stuff because he’s bi” as if it somehow is a strike against the straightness of a male character if they use that chunk of nerve endings known as the prostate for sexual pleasure with a differently gendered partner.”
So much this. I’ve had this conversation many times. Last year it was a big discussion at work involving most of my line. The majority of the guys and many of the girls were convinced that if a guy let a girl peg him that ment he was gay. My usual response is that enjoying the sensations of your own body does not suddenly make you attracted to men. The butt-hole is not a gay button!
I’m not actually so sure Dina really does know the difference between Amber and Amazi-Girl. She’s definitely aware that there IS a difference, but she might not know exactly what the difference really is. If she’s drawing the line based on ‘mask or no mask’, then it’s a reasonable guess, but it’s also WAY off. If she’s basing it on behavioural differences, she’s probably closer, but let’s face it, Dina’s not good at picking up on these things. Either way, it wouldn’t surprise me if Dina thought she’d talked to Amber this morning, but Amazi-Girl was still running the show. In fact, given her exact phrasing, Dina might even KNOW it was still ‘Amber’s persona’ who sent her, seeing as she never specifically referred to Amber herself in that panel.
I don’t want this to come across as me putting Dina down, because she’s handling this much better than I would, and NO ONE in the comic is handling this well. I just don’t want people to get the idea that Dina is the Amazi-whisperer or something, because then we get “Why didn’t Dina stop her? She was so buried in her paleontology and her fossils she ignored her friend!” (I mean, I find it hard to imagine someone actually thinking that, but I find it hard to imagine some of the worldviews I’ve actually seen, even as I’m seeing them.)
The real reason Dina won’t spy on Amber is that she already knows there’s another bisexual who asked an ace acquaintance to check up on their mentally unwell ex-girlfriend, and Dina refuses to follow a trend.
Carla being homoromantic ace has been confirmed by Word of Willis and has had hints dropped into comic of late. Dina has not been confirmed as anything except “not straight” by Willis, but there’s a lot of fan speculation she is ace given comics like this that are very ace-like: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/02-threes-a-crowd/overstepped/
(not having “inclinations” towards sexual attraction regardless of one’s views towards actually having sex is a pretty strong hint that she’s at least on the ace spectrum/wibblywobblyball).
This WOULD have been a good moment for Danny to push a bit. “nono, I mean, just make sure she doesn’t hurt herself. I don’t know how much of it you have seen, but sometimes she doesn’t think of her own safety.”
Of course, that would have meant asserting himself.
I dunno, Dina shut it down pretty hard. It would have been somewhat rude to push with her at least. With someone else close to her like Ethan or Dorothy? Definitely. And I hope he does. But I’m proud of him for pulling short here when he started to trod on a line of Dina’s accidentally.
That is a good point. Dina is absolutely more forceful than usual. This is not her usual tangent when she doesn’t really understand the context, this is her saying no.
The way I read Dina, she has not yet understood how dangerous the Amaziegirl stuff is for Amber, so in order to really be able to help Amber she would need an eye opener, much like the one Sal gave Danny.
On the other hand, she is right that the last thing Amber needs is an ex who tries to meddle by proxy, and I also think Dina is aware of her own limitations here. She can be a good friend of Amber, but she can’t tell her what is crazy and not.
Well, remember that it was Amber’s persona and her “crazy” behaviour that ended up saving Becky. Apart from just believing in Amber as a friend, she has proof that she’s capable of a tremendous act of good.
She still takes Danny’s suggestion to heart, I think. She said “yes and no”, so I’m thinking she’s just going to keep an eye on Amber in case there is actually something wrong with her, but she’s not going to do it like the Billie/Ruth/Carla scenario, where Billie puts the responsibility of Ruth’s survival on Carla’s shoulders. Dina’s going to look out for Amber because Dina is her friend and she cares about her, not because Danny tells her about all the crazy she’s getting up to.
Yeah, that was my reading of her statement as well. Basically an “I trust this person. This person has done right by me. I won’t be checking to see if she’s ‘crazy’ by your standards, but I’ll make sure she is okay because I care about her and it has been officially stated by both parties that we are friends.”
Agreeing with this sentiment.
It fondly reminds me of the guest strip Willis did for her that one time. It was pretty damn spectacular, and plot-twisty in classic Willis fashion. (Not going to spoil it completely, just in case)
Okay, now I’ve learned things about Amber I’d prefer not knowning.
Also… nah. I can’t believe that Dina is that naive. She’s trolling Danny. Possibly Becky left her a list of suggestions about how to do it and she’s trying them all (she’s already been trolling Joyce and Sarah pretty hard, depending on your interpretation of her actions)!
I mean, given Amber’s state of mind and what Danny’s seen of her, Danny is asking for a lot here and I don’t blame Dina for refusing
1) mostly because she has no idea (and neither does Danny for that matter) the extent of Amber’s issues and
2) even so, it’s kind of large emotional burden, especially if he’s not planning on reaching out to official and more qualified channels.
Although i do wonder if this story would end with a character basically Sara-ing Amber and her getting actual mental help
Sadly, I don’t think anyone who’s in the know of Amber’s mental health crisis is bold enough to try and push her into therapy, let alone involuntarily. It’s probably going to take a final confrontation with Sal for her to finally realize how mentally unwell she is, and that her current coping mechanism has exacerbated her mental health problems.
Well, that’s a bullet dodged! If Dinah was spying on Amber at the same time Carla is spying on Ruth pretty soon everyone would be spying on someone else. Because these things really escalate fast.
I helped some friends move out of their apartment several years ago and was asked to pack up everything from the bathroom cabinets. I must have made some kind of face, because one of them hastened to assure me that he’d already taken care of all of “that kind of thing”. Five minutes later, when I walked into the living room and handed him a large jar of buttplugs that he’d missed, he turned several lovely shades of red. This remains one of my fondest memories of our friendship. 😀
Is it OK, that I didn’t know what that pink thingy was until I read the comments? I’m just a small town boy after all .
Seriously, I really had no idea what that thing was until I read the comments. Of course I personally have absolutely no desire to have anything put up there, but to each their own. Not going to knock what turns other peoples’ cranks.
Comic unrelated: I hear SCOTUS is ruling on several abortion-related decisions today, so I hope it goes, you know, non-moronically for you USAmericans (Scalia’s death was the best thing that could’ve happened to your legislative organs). Not only on your behalf (because reproductive rights would be nice to have on countries that pretend to be civilised in the 21st century) but also on mine, because after the show of utter dumbassery that was Brexit last week I could use a reason to stop hoping for Meteor 2: The De-Humaning.
Really, at this point, going the way of the dinosaurs is starting to look like more than humanity deserves.
His request is ambiguous, so she’s clarifying what she will and won’t do. She’ll pay attention to what Amber does and try to help her whenever possible, but she won’t come reporting back to Danny if that’s what he’s getting at.
Maybe I got my reference wrong above, but to my knowledge a noodle incident is where we know the end result, but never know what caused it, and only the vaguest of allusions are ever made to it.
Damn it all, now I wanna go read the tvtropes page on it.
Hello, I actually have DID. As does one of my current romantic partners.
To answer your points, first I would note that Amber and Amazi-girl are not two different people, as in separate autonomous individuals, but rather are two alters (personalities with distinct ways of approaching the world, perspectives, emotional responses, and biases and who have their own motivations, goals, and feelings of protection towards their own survival).
Secondly, this is a condition that happens and has been studied. To the point that we know key aspects such as that the model of “you are deluded and this isn’t happening, you are one person” does not work and actually instead worsens the condition because the alter who feels they are under threat responds by hiding its memories from the alters, being more likely to stage takeovers of the body as a whole, and act out more in general.
Thirdly, if you are thinking of trying to argue that I must be either deluded or mistaken on my mental health, I assure you that I have had my condition since I was in kindergarten and have spent the last quarter century learning how to manage and deal with that reality. And my life would be different if it was indeed a discredited fake condition.
So to clarify that first point, they are not two separate physically separated beings, but two what we could argue are semi-autonomous individuals sharing a brain and a pool of memories by which to shape their identity and way of dealing with the world who have variable amounts of impact on the decided actions of the whole.
Just to add more confusion to the fire: There are people who have had the corpus callosum joining their two brain hemispheres severed (for various reasons). In some tests, they act as if there is a separate individual in each hemisphere. As if in normal (using the word loosely) people, there is enough feedback between the two hemispheres to enforce the idea of a single person.
Hey. Just noticed you have a different I for the word and using it in other words. Cool. I guess that means your font is actually you typing in lowercase, and the word I is uppercase.
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“I heard that butt hugs are not fine? Is this a butt hug?”
I guess I can’t link anymore, or it’s super-finicky when I can
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/03-the-butterflies-fly-away/bubbling/
Not sure if it’s what bit you, but I’ve found that if the entire comment is a link, it lets it post, but strips the link. When I want to make a comment like that, I usually just leave the final punctuation outside the link.
only the “butt hugs” was the link
Nice.
well i guess ur not wrong, since the plug doeds get a nice coay and warm hug from said butt…
okay
Kinky.
I have pulled a dina in regards to the last panel of this comic.
Oh, that Dina! ^_^
(laugh track)
Oh, that Dina! is brought to you by: Evolution.
Laugh track.
Brought to you by: Youtube.
we’ll be right back after these words from our sponsors
V O: This Fall (lightning strike) The city of – where ever this comic takes place – will learn the truth.
amber: I can’t keep doing this.
V O: A hero will question her propose
Galassio: FOOOOL! Nobody is asking you to do this.
(Epic music starts. dina, joyce, and danny flash on the screen)
V O: A vigilantly will take the streets
Amazi-Girl: Who are you? What are you doing in my city?
Sal: A better job than you. (she shoots a guy running up on amazi-girl.)
(Motorcycle chase, sal kicks a guy off a motorcycle and shoots a second)
Sarah: I want that psycho biker on the front page.
V O: And when things just couldn’t get worse.
Off screen voice: Hello amber
Amber: DAD!
Becky: ugh! so, what’s the plan this time Fez?
Fez: The great fez will use space lazer to make all ladies horny for fez.
Becky: oh no.
Fez: let me show you with this chart.
Becky: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
(flash amber and sal)
(short amazi-girl/sal fight montage)
Sal: can’t believe I’m saying this, but we’ll have to work together. (sal and amazi-girl shake hands)
(Second fight flashs)
V O: This September in a theater near you.
Danny: Amber, your not alone. you have friends
Amazi-girl: (brooding on a building in the rain) amazi-girl doesn’t have any friends, just people she knows by name.
September 23 2016
trademarked by DW comics and sony pictures
*claps* Well done! That’s awesome!
XD *Books tickets*
bloomington
Faz*
I want this. I want this more than I e ever wanted any other movie.
This is both disconcerting and amazing.
Pink and sparkly and everything.
Well, they are the kind of thing you’d need to make sure that you cleaned thoroughly when finished with it. Like cookware.
Also, like cookware they’re machine washable but if you stick them in the dish washer you’re a horrible person.
They’re dishwasher safe if they’re glass or metal — don’t put the silicon ones in the dishwasher. Also never buy a buttplug made of softened PVC. (It’s a toxic material and shouldn’t be inserted … well, anywhere, really.)
Finally, feel free to put them (and your other dishwasher safe toys) in the dishwasher; it’s one of the best ways to sterilize them, but do handwash them first and make sure to only use your own dishwasher! (If your kid has a habit of unloading your dishwasher … well, good for them, so maybe you should just stick to the boiling sterilization method, in that case.)
i’m sorry did you just say glass butt plugs are a thing
how is that possibly safe
It’s actually remarkably safe. The way they are designed it is almost impossible to break with your anatomy.
The benefits are they are super smooth, so they tend to create less friction which makes a better overall experience and are super easy to clean because it’s like cleaning any other glass object. Downsides are they tend to be a lot colder and so frequently need to be warmed up by hand for a bit or by running under warm water before use with intimate body zones.
Honestly, glass or steel butt plugs tend to be the ideal, with well-made silicone trailing in a distant third.
Or, if you’re so inclined, you can toss them in the fridge and MAKE them cold for a little bit of extra sensation
(You beat me to the punch on this response!)
*insert A Christmas Story scene here*
Fridge not freezer.
Having worked in a glass window plant in fabrication, you’ve forever ruined my image of glass, Cerberus. However, from said experience at a glass plant, seeing how many people were sent home via LifeFlight and how much lung disease cropped up from silica dust, yeah… I’m not trusting you on the safety issues.
Many Bothan workers died to give you this toy…
Well it’s not like they’re being mashed together from shards of oil-soaked auto glass off the freeway
Glass toys (for all holes!) are pretty popular; they have a very smooth and rigid feel compared to other safe materials toys can be made out of.
And you should see all the knobbly bits!
I believe they are usually made from similar glass to the stuff in Corning Ware, (obviously not by Corning (although that seems like a missed opportunity))
Tempered glass. It’s heated and cooled in a carefully controlled way to make it less brittle.
As I recall the outer surface is pre-stressed in the opposite direction from an outside fracturing force. So instead of needing force X to break it, you need force X+Y.
Yeah, they could even use the same logo, just with the kerning adjusted oh-so-slightly…
Yeah, but kind of on the small size.
Yeah, but not quite a ‘man-dangle’.
More like a ‘butt-piton’. Or not.
“Amber’s face did a thing”.
I’m so going to start using “did a thing” to describe complicated facial expressions.
it’s a ring pop what’s the big deal? CHERRY FLAVORED
That doesn’t look like a candy jewel to me.
D:<
I sincerely doubt that will taste like cherry. I mean, don’t let me tell you what you should or should not lick, but it is my opinion that this object is something you should not lick.
Well, it may at one point tasted of cherry… we just can’t be sure whose. I’ll now refrain from saying anything about coprophagia.
Hey, you don’t know what brand or flavor of lube they use
…it just better not be bacon
I never thought I’d hear of a bacon-flavored thing that was unappetizing
And yet here we are
it will taste of berries, though. dingle berries.
The heck is that? I have no clue what it might be.
Butt plug?
Well, if you’re sincere, then sooner or later the comment thread will clue you in.
Just remember – it’s one of his plugs….
Spare Christmas tree bulb. Amber is embarrassed to admit she’s one of those weirdos who does their Christmas shopping super early.
Pffff, best explanation ever. Thanks Doc.
Ear plug.
Wait, does that mean the world may never know? DAMN YOU WILLIS
How many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a butt-plug? The world may never know.
I’m perfectly okay with this, honestly.
Amazi-Girl is always prepared.
Even for butt stuff.
Indeed.
Risky click of the day.
Still trying to figure out how and why Brock has a metal plate attached to his chest with machine screws.
Oh! Her air freshener
Who’s could it be?
So Dina managed to return ALL of Danny’s plugs!!
I’m glad Willis trolls his wife as much as he trolls us.
#youknowyoufoundakeeperwhen
*doing everything in my power to avoid playing The Sweet’s “Little Willy” on the hacked Muzak*
Surrender to the music
If you’re going to announce it, you might as well play it.
the mystery of the buttplug
Not my favorite Hardy Boys novel, I must admit.
you might not like the follow up, bottom of the mystery, either
I think you’re confused. That was a Nancy Drew.
i wondered why there was only one character on the cover..
I suspect the Whiteboard Dingdong Bandit
“amber’s face did a thing” that… sounds so weird coming from dina
I’d say it’s in character. She may have trouble interpreting expressions, but that doesn’t mean she can’t tell when a person’s facial expression changes.
I think it’s the slangy talk. “Did a thing” just doesn’t sound like Dina. She must be trying out new expressions.
Thought I saw Ethan using that last.
i thought ethan would use a cock ring
As though they are somehow mutually exclusive?
theyre not, but i thought ethan would have a preference for cock rings over butt plugs
But… but… Magicallady misunderstands; – ;
It doesn’t matter if he prefers one over the other or not. He could use both at the same time.
Not only are they not mutually exclusive, they probably don’t even have to be separate devices!
I’ve got one that’s both toys in one. It’s delightful.
That is a callback to “stuffing butts” in the comments some time ago.
It was Amber’s, but then Danny went and used it.
Unlikely. They don’t really work on women because excluding intersex and trams individuals women don’t have a prostate.
Dude, loads of women use butt plugs. Take a gander on Fetlife if you don’t believe me.
Yeah, just cause there’s no prostate back there doesn’t mean there ain’t a buncha nerve endings and the like.
Can’t we just take your word on it?
I guess you could, but that’s much less fun.
You don’t need a prostate to enjoy butt stuff.
bulllllllllllllllllshit
This is about the only time I’ve felt a need for a +1 button. Ever. On any site. This may well be just about the perfect response to that comment, it being Willis himself who said it just adds to that.
Awww, from out-of-context on the website’s dashboard, I was hoping this was in response to below’s “Fart in Motion.”
That sounds like a parody of Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion.
Prob’ly Amy Grant’s Heart In Motion, but whatever works for you.
Definitely Amy’s Heart in Motion!
I *giggle-snorted* when I saw it.
Nuh-unh, some female-bodied folks totally like them! There’s tons of nerve endings in your butthole.
Roz: actually…
They have a comparable structure however, called the G-spot.
Do you even have human anatomy? This is a short straight butt plug. Its constant flare just has the basic function of stretching the anus on insertion, and the anus is where you feel both its stretching and its weight. This one has a sizable retaining radius and, given the color, rubbery material at moderate size. Which means that it has moderate mass and somewhat firm fit. It will not move around much and is not exactly pointed at the prostate either. So in solo use, it is not really gender-specific.
When used during intercourse by a female, it competes with the male member regarding overall volume and changes sensations for both partners.
Your comment makes me suspect that you have seen such a device in depictions only. Which is fine but not exactly a good starting point for lecturing people about it.
Dina’s just messing with him. It’s her’s, of course.
Joyce: “OMG* IT’S A STRAP-ON.”
.
*Oh My Goodness
Sarha: Actually….
No, it’s a stylized pine tree. It’s just the wrong color is all.
I, for one, am happy to see there is an appropriate flanged base on that thing. Too many folks experiment with whatever, or something really cheap, and next thing you know you’re at the ER because something is stuck in your butt.
like that dildo tumblr guy?
I truly applaud that guy for having the good nature and courage to share that with the world.
http://www.jarsquatter.com
I did not mean for that to turn into a link. Don’t click it. I am so sorry.
And the ER staff are laughing themselves to death in the break room.
Yup. Honestly, it looks a lot like the sort of intro butt toy couples get when they’re trying stuff out but not fully sure if it’s going to be something that’s going to become a regular staple of play. Kind of college kid’s first toy bag sort of deal.
And it looks like either Amber or Danny (okay, it was probably Amber) was at least versed enough to know the importance of flanged bases for any type of anal toy.
It’s interesting you say “starter” because my thought was “well someone’s a couple models up on the trainer set”
(The cone section is pretty wide for a full-on beginners butt-plug, assuming the ratio of sex toy to Dina’s hand is anatomically accurate)
Fair point.
The all new Butt Stuff Starter Kit contains everything you need to get started, including alcohol wipes, three different size plugs, leatherette storage case, and a 20 page beginner’e guide full of helpful hints and diagrams. Butt Stuff Starter Kit is available at fine “bookstores” nationwide! Batteriesnotincluded.
But is lube included
If this is a for real question, it depends. I have an anal starter kit (mainly because it was the cheapest way to get a safe plug that had a vibe and remote), it just came with the plug and a (tiny) wand for external use. The packaging, of course, had the basic safety advice of inserting neither all the way, and how the material (ABS plastic) could safely be cleaned. Pretty much everything has those labels, although if you order something without packaging it’s usually not hard to find out.
I have also seen kits that come with plugs (usually 2 graduated ones, or 1 plus a vibe), lube, and sex toy cleaner.
On the other hand, a good glass butt plug (easily and safely disinfectable in many ways) can be attained for about $15 (as a starting price. average $20-30) and decent lube for between $4-$12, and unless marked down, anal starter kits usually start at $30, so if I was looking for something other than the specific vibe setup I got, I’d probably go for (/recommend) piecing it together yourself. (just keep in mind what material vs what lube (and if applicable, vs what condom material). also that you don’t get a porous or unsafe toy material (eg, jelly) in the first place)
But on just lube, other than kits, a lot of toys come with samples of lube, enough for one-three uses, so there’s also that. And if you need to choose one when that runs out, a lot of sex shops have single use packs for really cheap for testing. Or you could just go for some staple water based thing like simple jo h2o
It was a non-serious question, mostly in response to the “batteriesnotincluded” bit.
But that is nonetheless very useful information!
Dina….poor…snickers….poor…WAHAHAHAHA!
Well we know who the bottom is going to be.
Not really. You can be a top and still enjoy anal stimulation and/or penetration (especially in this case, given that a butt plug can be worn -while- pitching).
(also it still could be Amber’s, the face she pulled could have been a ‘Dina don’t touch my butt plug it’s weird’ face)
(this is still a better comment than I expected on today’s comic, though. I am happy I’ve seen a lack of ‘wow Danny’s just been gay the whole time. butt stuff=homosexual 100%. what a liar to amber, he was never attracted to her anyway.’)
Well… that is awkward….
.
.
.
Please tell me it’s been cleaned before Dina touched it.
We may never know.
She would probably know what it was if it wasn’t cleaned first. By the smell alone.
…man, you’re going 0/2 on the “Understanding Butt Stuff” scorecard tonight, huh
well good thing that’s not a particularly important thing to be an expert on!
As long as you don’t try selling yourself as one. Once I start lecturing people about mites, it looks bad if I don’t even get their number of legs right.
I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. I mean, neither Danny nor Amber seem like the sorts of idiots or slobs who wouldn’t properly care for their sex toys.
Some of these comments are making me worried for people, honestly, but I’ve been trying not to call specific people out (partially because there would be way too many).
I think it’s somewhat fitting that we both have Roz avatars in this particular instance for that reason.
That was not a no.
Most people would have said no even if it was.
But(t) you must remember
Danny has a rather hard time saying “no” in general
Ah yes, the Amazi Plug! A real pain in the butt to use I hear…. Look, I’m not proud of these jokes either, but they could be worse man.
Clearly then, she needs to up the amount of Amazi-lube in her utility belt.
She’ll have to carry around a smaller can of Shark-Repellent Amazi-Spray, but it’ll be worth it.
The first rule of anal play is there is no such thing as too much lube.
“Uh, do you know where the, uh, the butt thing-”
“The plug?”
“Yeah, that. Do you know where it is? It’s not in me… I don’t remember putting it in you… well not tonight…”
“Well… I was dipping it in the lube…”
“Yeah?”
“And I… sort of dropped it… and it fell in.”
“Well fish it out!”
“I tried! My arm can’t reach the bottom and that stuff isn’t as transparent as you’d think a few feet down!”
Still not enough lube, add an extra bucket.
“In the end, they covered their entire planet in a layer of lube ten kilometers deep. Ultrasound reveals the presence of great, phalic structures buried in the goo, but so far these have proved unreachable. Our first manned submersible got irreverably stuck in a passing lube-whale’s cloaca.”
True story: I was once called upon to explain what a cloaca is to a small child and summarized it as “the hole that does everything”.
Priorities, please. Anal play can get very ugly with too much lube and too little shark repellant.
Jokes about plugs can be very polarizing.
That’s pretty binary. More complicated jokes can be pretty grounded.
It’s tiny pink Christmas tree.
A free cookie to anyone who get’s the reference.
I presume you’re talking about Paris.
Yup.
On the one hand, I don’t see Amber using a plug on herself. She just doesn’t seem the type. On the other hand, if Danny bought it, it wouldn’t be pink. So…Amber’s toy, because she likes plugging her BF?
Come on, do you know how hard it is to find sex toys in colours other than hot pink?
^
Actually, in my experience, the dominant colour seems to be purple.
Just don’t get the plugs mixed up, or you might end up downloading Amy Grant’s whole catalog in your butt.
When you fart, it plays one of her songs. To change the song you havev to fart again.
“Fart In Motion.”
Ahh yes, music from the rear.
its gonna be awkward to listen to smells like teen spirit now
Just let it rip!
thanks for making beyblade weird!
Always a pleasure.
“All About That Bass”
This is about the only time I’ve felt a need for a +1 button. Ever. On any site. This may well be just about the perfect response to that comment, it being Willis himself who said it just adds to that.
“El Shitddai”
*standing ovation*
My favorite thread tonight
What is it called? Other Amber?
All sex toys in the dorm are referred to as Other Jacob.
All the sex toys are have names like Other (name).
This raises SO MANY QUESTIONS about Other Rachael.
Yes, yes she is. And I can’t seem to find the link now…
More than you realize.
just when I thought I had all her alters sorted out…
to plug or not to plug, that is the question
whether tis nobler in the butt to suffer
the stings and errors of outrageous fumbling
or to take lube against potential stumbles
and, when so posing, peg him?
to plug, to eat ass
some more
I suspect that Danny’s face is now doing exactly the same thing Amber’s did.
“you are doing the same thing amber’s face did when i asked her.”
Is this “thing” induced by proximity to THIS thing? I need more datapoints…. Joe, Sarah, Roz, since I randomly happened to meet you, can I ask you a question…
i’d bet a nickle mike has left one of those in just about every room for these exact situations
You’re just going to force me to buy that Slipshine comic aren’t you Willis
So Amazi-Amber likes some back door action, does she? Was that toy a warm up for the main event or just something to tease her ex-boyfriend with?
WASH YOUR HANDS
among other things
Comic Reactions:
Panel 1: Okay, Dina does actively know the difference between “Amber” and “Amber’s persona”. So she must have interacted with the Amber alter this morning… Man, I have so so many questions right now and can’t wait to mid-July when we’re probably next seeing her in the flesh.
Panel 2: Ah, the dividing and returning of things. Always an awkward ritual of breakups, especially acrimonious breakups. Luckily, Dina was available to help out. Unluckily, Dina lacks the sort of tact to make this a pleasant and not-awkward first thing in the morning experience for Danny.
Panel 3: Ooh, that’s an interesting answer there. Largely because of how it shapes what she is willing to do with Amber. She is willing to watch over here, make sure she is safe and not in direct danger to herself, but is not willing to constrain actions that are perceived as “crazy”.
And it makes a lot of sense why given that “Amber’s persona” doing something crazy is the only reason that Dina can expect her rad-haired lesbian girlfriend home later tonight rather than never.
We know that Dina strongly believes in being indebted to someone’s kindness and doing better by that role and that she took not being able to protect Becky from her father like she promised very hard. And that she recognizes that Amber or rather her AG alter was directly responsible for “completing the role I could not”.
And that means Dina is probably going to be defending Amber from well-meaning interventions in the future, maybe even interventions she needs out of a protective need to “do right” by the person who has done right by her in such a dramatic fashion. Which might be bad for Amber in the long run as it might mean she won’t be getting the emotional support and aid and firm communications she’ll need if her alter starts going more and more off the rails.
Panel 4: And there’s the lockdown of that. Dina owes her too much and will be predisposed to not distrusting her judgment even if it is in error, because that erratic judgment saved Becky.
Panel 5: But I like Danny a lot for this moment. He cares deeply about Amber. He’s genuinely worried and has really good reason to be given her complete paranoid flip-out at him yesterday.
But when rebuffed by Dina’s boundaries, he accepts that unconditionally and apologizes. And this isn’t quite the same as just rolling over and accepting things like a doormat, because his eyes betray his worries are still there and he’ll probably ask other people in her life to do the same, but in this one moment, he has done more to show his respect for a woman’s boundaries than Joe in any appearance he’s ever been in.
Panel 6: Annnnnd, that’s a yes. Which makes sense. With cheap butt toys like that, it’s better for them to be used specifically with the person they’ve been used on and not swapped between partners.
Now, crossing my fingers that we don’t get the standard douche bro BS about how “it makes sense he’d be into butt stuff because he’s bi” as if it somehow is a strike against the straightness of a male character if they use that chunk of nerve endings known as the prostate for sexual pleasure with a differently gendered partner.
I think a helpful thing for Dina is that she’s not coming at Amber’s DID with any preconceived notions, unless she actually has already been educated in its workings. So she sees Amber talk about her two personae, and Danny thinks it’s just a cute dodge and Ethan thinks it’s cause for concern, but Dina just rolls with it. “My roommate has occasionally expressed that she is more than one person. This is not something I am accustomed to, but will endeavor to be supportive.”
And, yeah, I think a huge part of her defense of Amber right is now is that, apart from just wanting to believe the best of her friend, it was Amber’s persona and her “crazy” actions that saved Becky’s life. I think Dina’s smart enough that she can eventually recognize that Amber did a good thing, but is also on a bad path, though; cause even if once every thousand years a guy foils a bank robbery with his concealed pistol, it’d still be for the best if guns were better regulated. It’s good that Amber saved Becky, but she also would have died.
More than that, though, it’s also just really great that Dina is likewise devoted to supporting Amber as Danny and Ethan. Not unconditionally or ignorant of her problems, Dina makes it clear that she has a difficult time understanding Amber, but at the same time, she still considers Amber a dear friend and won’t allow that barrier of “I don’t get it” to interfere with her opinion of her. It’s just great to see that Amber already has this awesome support network of people who love her and believe in her set up for when she finally does start to heal.
As for the last panel, it’s funny because my first reading of this strip was with a bit of uneasiness, but I eventually kind of realized it was just a bit of kinky fun between Danny and Amber, and that it wasn’t just “well Danny’s bi so buttstuff”. I also like to think that part of it was that Danny was opening up to new ideas as he gradually accepted his attraction to men, but that’s probably putting a lot of symbolism on a butt plug.
And “the butt plug is symbolic” is not a thing I’d ever be saying.
Butt stuff =///////= homosexuality. But I /have/ known a guy, just one, who only accepted that he was bi after a thorough pegging session from a lady partner. It was kind of sweet.
No, yeah, that’s where that initial uneasiness came from, but I also realized that was also me jumping to a conclusion. It’s not “I’m bi so now I like getting pegged”, it’s just a bit of kinky fun for Danny and Amber.
Sorry for not making that clear.
I really agree with all of that, including the accepting Amber’s DID in stride.
Every other character has reacted to her alters as “oh, what a cute pose” or “ha ha costume and persona, right?” but Dina just sort of accepts it as is without question because she doesn’t have perceptions of neurotypicality to rely on to assume what a person will act like and so has to take everyone either at their word or by the demonstrated word of other people she trusts (or the demonstrated discrepancy of action and word).
And thus it sets her up to be the truest ally to Amber in this time of crisis.
And yeah, I think you’re dead right that the butt plug is symbolic of both their kinky explorations and the trust they had that Amazi-girl threw away in order to hold on to her view of Sal as evil temptress.
Comic reactions: pretentious. Just enjoy the comic and maybe not write an essay for us, eh? I don’t want to spend more time on your fine literary critique than on the comic itself.
Well this is an appropriate and not at all remotely douchetastic thing to say to someone.
Extra negative modifiers applied for being paired with a Jocelyn grav
Couldn’t it be auto-attached to a Mary grav, at least?
Hey! Being auto-attached to a Mary gravatar is NOT a sign of suckage! Some of us are yeahokaywhoamIkidding.
It is ironic that a number of awesome commenters nonetheless get paired with auto-generated gravatars of fan-hated characters.
The commenters don’t hate Roz, Cerberus. They simply find her… annoying… sometimes.
I wasn’t talkin’ about me there, though the strings that happen sometimes of nothing but Roz gravatars are pretty amusing…
Then…don’t read their comments? Not that hard to just scroll past something if you’re in a tldr mood.
There are nights when you can call me pretentious and like I’m stealing the precious bandwidth on this site. Sad to say this is not one of them.
See, you don’t know this and didn’t know this when you made your little shitlord comment, so I don’t blame you for this, but rather want to say this because of what’s going on in my head, but I’ve actually been struggling a lot very recently with feelings of “taking up other people’s precious resources of space”.
Part of it is due to some lingering Father’s Day stuff relating to the father who wanted to send me to reparative therapy because I was “being so selfish as to destroy the family over this deluded insistence that I was trans”. Part of it is lingering Orlando stuff where people a lot like me were gunned down because some bigoted asshole saw “two men kissing” and that was “too in his face” for him to allow an entire nightclub of young mostly latino men live.
And a huge amount of it is a particularly nasty incident I’ve been carrying around like a gaping wound for the last year and a half, silently. A professional hate movement member deliberately targeted me for harassment because I participated on a panel for two identities of mine. As a result of that, I was called an “attention whore” and had a number of folks cheerily talking about how I deserved death.
As a result of that, I left two communities that were my main emotional support system, went silent, went deep, stopped talking to other folks of those two identities I had, even avoiding one of those identity’s annual meetup for the first time because it was all too much and I feared being visible and having these little reprobates find me and ruin the life I’ve clawed for years to put back together.
And I’ve only really begun in the last two days staring that down face on, connecting with the folks who put on the panel I got harassed about, reconnecting with at least one of those identity communities, and have dealt with a random thing that triggered all those feelings in a major way.
So, I want you to know, on any other night, you’d just be a dick. But tonight, you managed to be a dick far and above the level you had any awareness or intention of reaching.
And to communicate to you how badly timed your little, “oh, poor me, I have to scroll an extra two times down the page” was.
And yes, I know it’s not on you to be responsible for my mental health, but goddamn it, I was totally on track for not devolving into a full-born panic attack/flashback before this bullshit, so I’m just kinda generally pissed off right now.
Cerberus, you have this incredibly intricate, compelling, fascinating life history that is only accessible through snippets shared in a web comic comment section instead of the smokey, salt-rimed seaside tavern that would have been used as a framing device in like…a fucking Melville novel or something.
I swear half the reason I end up in the comments is to see what kind of discussions you’ve spawned.
(The other half is butt jokes)
Word. Except I’m not that keen on butt jokes, so in my case it’s more than half.
Been reading this (and QC) to not have come down with butts disease
But you…YOU! You’re not infected! Run! Find the suspiciously unattended child out in the barren streets, who for some reason Is Very Special and Is Immune And Therefore Can Become The Cure!
No one knows who the child is!
(It’s definitely not the black haired one in the blue dress with the thick glasses who goes “Uhhhhhh” a lot. Trust me. She is Not Immune)
Cerberus, it may not mean much, but take heart. Your comments and discussions have always been so thought out and open at the same time, they are actually the primary reason I read the comments. Things you have said have helped me through some rough times and helped me change my world view for the better, and in turn I know that others have rethought theirs as well because I had a way to explain things to them. Don’t doubt yourself, you make a difference even when you don’t realize it.
*hugs*
This is my first time posting ever; I don’t normally say anything on forums but I thought it was very important to express what a pleasure it is to read your analysis each day. It has become part of my morning ritual, just as important as reading the strip is scrolling down to read the Cerberus comment. I’ve learned so much from your insights. This is your space, and you are loved and appreciated. *hugs for this shitty time, if that’s ok*
Lots of people are already saying things I agree with and feel, but I’d like to add that you are informative! You actually manage to teach us a couple of things and provide insight, and I appreciate how kind you are when you do it. You helped give me some extra love for Becky~ Who could hate that?
Like many others here have said already, I find your comments insightful and informative. Try not to let the bastards grind you down.
It’s a pity that we live in a world so full of dicks. Either way, I really enjoy your essays and would demand more of them if I could. They’re one of the main reason I actually read the comments on here. Your wisdom and your insight into human nature is consistently impressive, hard-earned though it may have been.
Just to state the obvious, your comments here do not in any way, shape or form take up “too much” space – quite the opposite. We are LOT of people around here who eagerly wait for your analysis, comment and just general gushing about adorable fictional people.
– And even more to the point, that doesn’t matter. Your comments are allowed and welcome, regardless how long, regardless how personal and regardless how many synonyms you can come with for “Carla is awesome”
And I’m willing to bet anything that it is true for many people in real life as well.
Sorry about all that bullshit, and all the hugs.
oops somebody decided i had to choose between them and cerberus and OH HEY CERBERUS WON
Cerberus, your comments are aways helpful to understand the deep details of Dumbing strips. I aways search for your comments after readind to understand better the implications of certain characters actions. Thank you keep being a wonderful human being.
Hey Cerb: You’re one of the top-3 posters and a big part of why I break my don’t-read-the-comments rule for this site.
So he can go pound sand.
And please be aware that I am purposefully restraining myself because that sort of “I’m going to make you feel small because you don’t have fun in the way I approve of people having fun” bullshit was a big part of my childhood and youth (hi, I’m autistic. Try being a 7YO whose fun is to learn as much as it is possible to learn about weather, and who could read a weather map before she could ride a bike or tie her shoes. I guarantee you, you will get a lot of those sorts of comments, and a lot of “Why can’t you just be normal?!” comments and a lot of “See, this is why everyone thinks you’re weird and doesn’t like you” and his was just a slightly-less-upfront-about-it version of the same), and I don’t want to risk letting out the anger so much that I say something ban-worthy on my front (if I seem weirdly stilted, that is why).
Few things make me instantly feel punchy. People deciding they are the One True Arbiters Of The Right Way To Fun is one of them.
Like, seriously, I don’t give a flying fuck if someone is not having fun in a way you understand or whatever – it is their life, they’re not harming you, so shut up and let them enjoy their fun and you go enjoy your fun and that’s all that’s needed.
And all of that ^^^^ is without even going into the fact that I happen to like your comic reactions and the first thing I do after reading the comments is to Ctrl+F “Cerberus” to find the comic analysis.
I am not even joking, it’s literally the first thing I do. And then I go back and read the rest of the comments.
This place has an awesome and special comment section and Cerberus, you’re a huge part of it.
So fuck that guy. Folks who don’t like long comments, there’s a little button called pg dn (or page down depending on your keyboard) and you can scroll to the bottom very quickly by using it. Use that instead of dictating to others that their fun violates regulation 10417.1.E of the International Standards of Acceptable Fun.
Wow.
Talk about wasted effort!
I just do a Ctrl-F on “Cerb”. It reduces keystrokes by 50%! SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH LAZINESS YO!
Yup. Just to throw in some more support — I almost never comment here, but every day after reading the comic itself, I Ctrl-F “Cerberus.” Cerberus, your comments have taught me a lot about DID, how to read a comic closely, and more, so thank you for being part of this space.
Same here.
At this point I can’t really say much in support beyond what’s already been said, but…
Cerberus, your commentaries open windows into communities that I have never seen into, communities I should know about (simply because of our shared humanity) and which I wouldn’t know about, or wouldn’t know about in any depth of dimension, without you.
You take Willis’s already complex and intricate work, and then you link in a thousand aspects of it which I would have completely missed. You don’t distract from the comic experience. You enrich it.
… btw, Cerberus, this is probably the wrong place to make this completely-off-topic request, but I’ve been trying to find the right place for days and it doesn’t seem to exist.
I’m looking for some advice related to how to be a good LGBTQ ally. Not general advice, something specific. I’m contemplating a course of action that I THINK is a good idea, but I’m doubting my judgement and I may need to be talked down from it. I trust your insight on this more than mine and I’d like your input.
Obviously you don’t owe me anything, but if you’re willing, please email me at reltzik@yahoo.com . (That’s a throwaway email account, btw, I’m not posting my real email here, and if you’re worried about me turning stalkery or anything please consider setting up a throwaway account of your own.)
You know, I think this would be a really great conversation for a lot of people. Not just for people like us, who want to be better allies, but even for LGBTQ+ who feel that there’s something most allies don’t get, or aren’t doing. If anyone has the technical know-how to create some means of having this discussion, is anyone else interested? I’d just throw another email into the mix, but I don’t think that’s really fair to Cerberus to suddenly be asking for a bunch of emails to random people on the internet. One person, sure, but this is the internet we’re dealing with. Things can snowball.
Hrrrm.
Well, first of all, there’s probably a LOT of communities out there already offering that, and it makes more sense to find an established group with a lot of people already there and happy to weigh in, rather than try to build it up from almost-scratch.
But if we did want to start something of our own… it’s pretty easy to set up a free and anonymous message board with a hosting site, if you don’t mind ads and if people volunteer as mods.
Luckily, I’ve got a throwaway email for just this purpose:
cerberussadlyno@gmail.com
And I’m definitely open to doing mentoring stuff as long as everyone realizes that I work insanely long hours as a teacher and so responses can be a couple of days delayed at times.
Yeah, but being a teacher means you get summers off, right? Right?
*has been a teacher, knows how stupid what he just said is*
The only reason I read the comments is to find out what you say, Cerberus. I have an inkling of how the “oh god no people hate me for taking up space” brain-refrain goes, so I want to send you good vibes and to say: you make the world better by taking up space that might otherwise be appropriated by someone who a) was already entitled to too much damn space and b) is an asshole.
The only people complaining about you taking up space are the ones who thought they had a right to both their own space AND yours. They don’t. It’s always scary to go up against entitled bastards, because they’re so very convinced of their own entitlement and convinced that anyone who wants an equal share is taking something away from them, but that’s bullshit.
You give so much to the world. Thank you for taking up space; you make it shine.
[Insert Supportive Comment Here]
I usually don’t comment because of anxiety, but I feel like I have to here. Cerberus, you are my main reason for reading the comments. Every morning, I wake up, read the comic, then Ctrl+F your name to find your comments. I always learn something I didn’t before, sometimes even about myself, sometimes just that I’m not alone in my anxieties or experiences, and with the emotionally abusive household I’m currently trapped in because of money problems, coming to this comic and reading the discussions, especially the ones you end up in, always cheers me up and makes me remember that for every asshole out there, there is a Cerberus who can tear apart their bigoted statements and who can go through the ringer but still stand back up and stand up for others while they’re at it. You are a wonderful part of this space and every space, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
i feel like i’ve learned a lot from reading your comments and i’m very glad you make them. thank you so much for continuing.
How many amazing folks have been inspired to come forward and share their stories by Cerberus’ example? Bet it’s a bunch.
One of the things I do whenever I open up the comments is open the search bar (ctrl-F) and jump straight to “cerb”. Because while there are many good comments, yours are consistently among the best and most thoughtful. They are always worth my time to read, even on the few occasions when we disagree.
Anti-intellectuals, by contrast, contribute nothing to any discussion (IMO), as they deny that the discussion itself has any merit.
Also, holy shit everyone. Wasn’t expecting the avalanche of love, but it’s appreciated.
You’re kinda famous with this crowd, for the best reasons. The author, god of this realm, seems to appreciate your presence. The comment threads are full of people who read almost exclusively for your insights. We like you here, and may whatever powers exist have mercy on the poor bastard who tries to make you leave.
Cerberus’ posts are a large reason I come to the comments section. Your post, on the other hand, would be a waste of space if it were zero lines.
I do. I want to spend all the time required to read and understand Cerberus’ fine literary critique, because if she is not the smartest and most perceptive person here, she’s up there near the top. No-one’s holding a gun to your head to read anything she says, and *I* would greatly miss her insight if she got fed up and stopped posting.
It’s so lovely how you think that your desires are the only ones that matter.. lots of us actually *enjoy* the comic reactions. *rolls eyes*
Hey, what the fuck?
That you don’t enjoy critical media analysis doesn’t mean some of the rest of us aren’t allowed to. Shocker, different people consume media differently.
Maybe just shut up and enjoy the comic in your own way, without pissing in others’ cornflakes because they’re not having fun in the JerrmyFe-approved way. Not everyone has to be you, which is a good thing because right now, you’re acting like a grade-A asshole.
So you don’t want to read comments, but go to the comment section and read comments, then leave an unnecessary comment to complain about not wanting to read comments? You seem a rather contradictory fellow.
Missed the bit with sneering at us for wasting time on something so trivial.
Hey, genius, if you’re looking for the tl;dr option, it’s not labeled “reply”. IT’S THE SCROLL BAR.
If you don’t like Cerberus’s comic reactions, it’s really simple JUST SKIP PAST IT! I mean, they’re clearly labeled, and the format is easily recognizable once you’ve seen a few. I know, because I seek them out each day. Many of us actually enjoy reading them. So buzz off.
Cerberus, I don’t comment often, but I’m on here just about daily, and I really enjoy reading your comments. You have a good heart, and you’re very insightful and intelligent. You are both welcome and wanted here. Please don’t stop posting! <3
Do you, like, not do Internet comments?
This happens everywhere I can think of that has a comments section for a type of media. There’s always at least one person who puts a lot of effort into really high quality longer posts that give a different perspective or facts we don’t know or critiques the fashion or something.
And if the fans don’t like it, they don’t keep doing it. That Cerberus has done it for so long means people like it.
Heck, most of us miss it when it isn’t here.
I understand not always wanting to read the novellas that end up being written in these comment threads, I really do. But a lot of people really do appreciate them, and if you’re not in the mood for an essay, just scroll past. I’m on a ten-year-old laptop and it doesn’t even take ME that long to get past it. And frankly, I don’t read most of the comments here longer than about three paragraphs, but the panel-by-panel analysis is usually pretty fantastic.
Speak for yourself.
Or, actually, don’t. What you said was rude and unnecessary. Not everything has to cater to your interests to be worthwhile.
I scroll down through the comments looking for the Roz icon because I know whatever’s next to it is going to be good stuff that makes me think.
Panel 2: She isn’t exactly spoiled for choices. I can’t decide if it would be more or less awkward if she asked Ethan.
Panel 3: I also doubt Dina trusts her own judgement of what is ‘crazy’ or not.
With regards to the last point, I’d personally make the case that Danny’s bisexuality would be a case AGAINST that plug being his – specifically, how he reacted to his attraction to Ethan, and lack of full understanding that being bi was, ya know. A thing that exists.
It feels like Danny probably would have internalized the whole “butt stuff makes you gay”* misconception that bleeds through into a lot of masculine culture; he would likely not have indulged in any ass play prior to his “awakening,” either out of subtle homophobia or just straight(ha)-up ignorance that it was an option for sexual pleasure.
Meanwhile, I don’t think enough time has passed since that event for him to have graduated to using something that size on himself. Plus, he hadn’t revealed that side of himself to Amber/AG yet, and even if he’d suddenly dropped the stigma from his own mind, he might not be ready to introduce a whole new category of sex act into their relationship that might set off some red flags in HER mind about Danny’s sexuality.
*applies only to receiving, of course; performing anal sex on a woman is obviously just proof of how AlphaStud a dude is.
Regarding the last panel: I do not agree that this is confirmation that this is Danny’s. I feel the implication of Dina’s dialogue here is that Amber reacted basically the exact same way we see Danny react, leaving it inconclusive. I would actually put forward a theory that the buttplug belongs ‘to the couple’, i.e. they bought it together for use on one, the other, or possibly even both.
Regarding the asshole’s idiotic reply: I have told you before and tell you again, I specifically seek out your comments in the comments section. Especially on any strip that involves Carla or Joss, but every strip in general really. A DoA strip without a Cerberus commentary is like toast without [favored toast topping]: certainly edible, but not as good as it would be with. Long story short: we like you and you make the space better by your presence, so please be present in as much space as you want/can.
“Now, crossing my fingers that we don’t get the standard douche bro BS about how “it makes sense he’d be into butt stuff because he’s bi” as if it somehow is a strike against the straightness of a male character if they use that chunk of nerve endings known as the prostate for sexual pleasure with a differently gendered partner.”
So much this. I’ve had this conversation many times. Last year it was a big discussion at work involving most of my line. The majority of the guys and many of the girls were convinced that if a guy let a girl peg him that ment he was gay. My usual response is that enjoying the sensations of your own body does not suddenly make you attracted to men. The butt-hole is not a gay button!
I’m not actually so sure Dina really does know the difference between Amber and Amazi-Girl. She’s definitely aware that there IS a difference, but she might not know exactly what the difference really is. If she’s drawing the line based on ‘mask or no mask’, then it’s a reasonable guess, but it’s also WAY off. If she’s basing it on behavioural differences, she’s probably closer, but let’s face it, Dina’s not good at picking up on these things. Either way, it wouldn’t surprise me if Dina thought she’d talked to Amber this morning, but Amazi-Girl was still running the show. In fact, given her exact phrasing, Dina might even KNOW it was still ‘Amber’s persona’ who sent her, seeing as she never specifically referred to Amber herself in that panel.
I don’t want this to come across as me putting Dina down, because she’s handling this much better than I would, and NO ONE in the comic is handling this well. I just don’t want people to get the idea that Dina is the Amazi-whisperer or something, because then we get “Why didn’t Dina stop her? She was so buried in her paleontology and her fossils she ignored her friend!” (I mean, I find it hard to imagine someone actually thinking that, but I find it hard to imagine some of the worldviews I’ve actually seen, even as I’m seeing them.)
Dina’s problem is that she is color blind to the backgrounds of the speech bubbles, and can’t tell the blue from the white.
Relevant: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/04-walking-with-dina/socialcircumstances/
THIS. This EXACT strip is what I had in mind when writing this. She understands that there’s more than one persona, but she needs the explicit labels.
Man, I’d be embarrassed to Danny. That’s a weak as plug. Does it even vibrate?
“The journey of an entire fist begins with a single finger”
That’s not as much a proverb as good, practical advice.
Underneath a proberb’s crunchy quaint shell and glaze of cliche lies a creamy center of good advice.
Except for that “early to bed early to rise” bullshit. Franklin, you whore-mongering laudunum-addled son of a timpani?
…that should have ended with “who do you think you’re” fooling.
My phone hates me
I got it from context 🙂
Son of a drum…
You should be wearing latex gloves, Dina. Who knows if it’s used or not? 😛
At least she’s not holding the business end.
and there are no visible stains.
Also she could have a latex allergy.
The real reason Dina won’t spy on Amber is that she already knows there’s another bisexual who asked an ace acquaintance to check up on their mentally unwell ex-girlfriend, and Dina refuses to follow a trend.
carla is ace?
is even dina ace? has these things been confirmed?
Carla being homoromantic ace has been confirmed by Word of Willis and has had hints dropped into comic of late. Dina has not been confirmed as anything except “not straight” by Willis, but there’s a lot of fan speculation she is ace given comics like this that are very ace-like:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/02-threes-a-crowd/overstepped/
(not having “inclinations” towards sexual attraction regardless of one’s views towards actually having sex is a pretty strong hint that she’s at least on the ace spectrum/wibblywobblyball).
Besides, it would get visually boring after a while given that so many of the characters are invisible. 😉
No denial. It’s totally Danny’s.
It looks the same color as Sarah’s toy. I’d love to see another Shortpacked comic with Roz explaining its form and function to the readers.
No, Dina, Danny does NOT need help being anal-retentive.
He’s already doing his best.
“Can we not do this in the hallway? And be sure to wash your hands once we’re done here.”
I want to see the “thing” made by Amber’s face
I’m pretty sure it’s the same thing Danny’s face is doing.
If it was Dina would have probably indicated as such.
This WOULD have been a good moment for Danny to push a bit. “nono, I mean, just make sure she doesn’t hurt herself. I don’t know how much of it you have seen, but sometimes she doesn’t think of her own safety.”
Of course, that would have meant asserting himself.
I dunno, Dina shut it down pretty hard. It would have been somewhat rude to push with her at least. With someone else close to her like Ethan or Dorothy? Definitely. And I hope he does. But I’m proud of him for pulling short here when he started to trod on a line of Dina’s accidentally.
That is a good point. Dina is absolutely more forceful than usual. This is not her usual tangent when she doesn’t really understand the context, this is her saying no.
The way I read Dina, she has not yet understood how dangerous the Amaziegirl stuff is for Amber, so in order to really be able to help Amber she would need an eye opener, much like the one Sal gave Danny.
On the other hand, she is right that the last thing Amber needs is an ex who tries to meddle by proxy, and I also think Dina is aware of her own limitations here. She can be a good friend of Amber, but she can’t tell her what is crazy and not.
So yeah, you are right. Good call of Danny.
Well, remember that it was Amber’s persona and her “crazy” behaviour that ended up saving Becky. Apart from just believing in Amber as a friend, she has proof that she’s capable of a tremendous act of good.
She still takes Danny’s suggestion to heart, I think. She said “yes and no”, so I’m thinking she’s just going to keep an eye on Amber in case there is actually something wrong with her, but she’s not going to do it like the Billie/Ruth/Carla scenario, where Billie puts the responsibility of Ruth’s survival on Carla’s shoulders. Dina’s going to look out for Amber because Dina is her friend and she cares about her, not because Danny tells her about all the crazy she’s getting up to.
Yeah, that was my reading of her statement as well. Basically an “I trust this person. This person has done right by me. I won’t be checking to see if she’s ‘crazy’ by your standards, but I’ll make sure she is okay because I care about her and it has been officially stated by both parties that we are friends.”
And then repeat that exact same line AFTER the butt plug reveal.
It’s, uh… a board game piece. Yes.
For what, Bondageopoly?
…”Chance Card: Time to replace all the batteries! Lose 200 dollars”
Are we brainstorming a “girls with slingshots” strip now?
We need a DoA/GwS crossover.
It would just be ten strips of Billie and Hazel binge drinking, wouldn’t it?
There might be a side plot with a brief Mike/Candy, erm, romance.
Agreeing with this sentiment.
It fondly reminds me of the guest strip Willis did for her that one time. It was pretty damn spectacular, and plot-twisty in classic Willis fashion. (Not going to spoil it completely, just in case)
I missed it! Link please?
Not sure if this si the one meant, but he did a week there once. http://www.girlswithslingshots.com/comic/guest-week-david-willis-1/
That’s the one
Uh. Butts Disease warning? Because Willis…
Joyce: “I LOVE board games.”
Sarah: “NOPE”
It’s Faz’s. It was dislodged when Dina tied him up.
I love Dina’s hoodie.
Nice to seen someone else with their priorities straight.
I’m gonna say amber’s cause male ones are typically the curved ones to hit the prostate.
My appreciation of Amber has just skyrocketed.
Danny did you need that for extra stimulation? Are you a bottom? I’m not sure I want answers to these questions.
Judging by Danny’s expression and the dynamics of his relationship with Amazi-girl, I feel quite confident in saying that it is indeed his. 😉
Danny is quite versatile, judging by slipshine comics.
I’m willing to bet it’s indeed his.
Okay, now I’ve learned things about Amber I’d prefer not knowning.
Also… nah. I can’t believe that Dina is that naive. She’s trolling Danny. Possibly Becky left her a list of suggestions about how to do it and she’s trying them all (she’s already been trolling Joyce and Sarah pretty hard, depending on your interpretation of her actions)!
Dina is all ‘I am Curious: Internet’
When I was Dina’s age I would’ve had no idea what that was; today I wish I didn’t know what that was.
I don’t think I knew at that age either
I mean, given Amber’s state of mind and what Danny’s seen of her, Danny is asking for a lot here and I don’t blame Dina for refusing
1) mostly because she has no idea (and neither does Danny for that matter) the extent of Amber’s issues and
2) even so, it’s kind of large emotional burden, especially if he’s not planning on reaching out to official and more qualified channels.
Although i do wonder if this story would end with a character basically Sara-ing Amber and her getting actual mental help
Sadly, I don’t think anyone who’s in the know of Amber’s mental health crisis is bold enough to try and push her into therapy, let alone involuntarily. It’s probably going to take a final confrontation with Sal for her to finally realize how mentally unwell she is, and that her current coping mechanism has exacerbated her mental health problems.
I’ll bet “Amber’s face did a thing” if Danny tried to use this on her…or is that “in” her?
Well, that’s a bullet dodged! If Dinah was spying on Amber at the same time Carla is spying on Ruth pretty soon everyone would be spying on someone else. Because these things really escalate fast.
A surveillance dodecahedron?
I see what you did there.
It can even lead to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNSNLXNnx-o
I helped some friends move out of their apartment several years ago and was asked to pack up everything from the bathroom cabinets. I must have made some kind of face, because one of them hastened to assure me that he’d already taken care of all of “that kind of thing”. Five minutes later, when I walked into the living room and handed him a large jar of buttplugs that he’d missed, he turned several lovely shades of red. This remains one of my fondest memories of our friendship. 😀
Is it OK, that I didn’t know what that pink thingy was until I read the comments? I’m just a small town boy after all .
Seriously, I really had no idea what that thing was until I read the comments. Of course I personally have absolutely no desire to have anything put up there, but to each their own. Not going to knock what turns other peoples’ cranks.
Admittedly, I’m curious if you’re living in a lonely world.
Now I’m wondering what would happen if he ends up taking a midnight train going anywhere
The engineer is a real nowhere man.
“Of course” you have no desire to have anything put up there? Why of course? I mean, you do or you don’t, but Don’t is hardly the default position.
Comic unrelated: I hear SCOTUS is ruling on several abortion-related decisions today, so I hope it goes, you know, non-moronically for you USAmericans (Scalia’s death was the best thing that could’ve happened to your legislative organs). Not only on your behalf (because reproductive rights would be nice to have on countries that pretend to be civilised in the 21st century) but also on mine, because after the show of utter dumbassery that was Brexit last week I could use a reason to stop hoping for Meteor 2: The De-Humaning.
Really, at this point, going the way of the dinosaurs is starting to look like more than humanity deserves.
5-3 vote to strike down the Texan law. Yay!
Just the law? Not Texas itself? Ah, well, I’ll take it – congratulations to everyone who now lives on a slightly less fucked-up state!
And it should have been 6-3.
For a second I was wondering why Dina was holding a pink shiny mushroom and then I was like
Tiny Christmas tree.
No, it’s a miracle fruit.
SAME
Haha, it’s Amber’s Super Mushroom. It makes things bigger… for someone in that relationship, perhaps?
D-dina… This girl’s innocence is adorable and awkward…. Also more stalking!
“I WILL continue to monitor Amber’s behavior. However, I will not do so for you.”
Since the topic keeps coming up, female prostate gland does exist…sorta:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skene%27s_gland
Dina’s line is confusing. Danny didn’t actually ask her to report back to him, so “spy for you” is out of place.
His request is ambiguous, so she’s clarifying what she will and won’t do. She’ll pay attention to what Amber does and try to help her whenever possible, but she won’t come reporting back to Danny if that’s what he’s getting at.
Danny’s been practicing. (At least in my fevered imagination)
I expect either the next bonus strip or the next slipshine to be an explanation for that plug.
I will laugh if it somehow by some twist of fate, it ends up being Mary’s.
That raise even more question.
So are we ever gonna find out whose it is?
What’s a comic without a noodle incident?
Sal lost her virginity playing Apples to Apples. Is that not noodle-y enough for you?
No, because we know what was lost from the occurrence of the situation.
We never knew what happened due to the Noodle Incident.
Maybe I got my reference wrong above, but to my knowledge a noodle incident is where we know the end result, but never know what caused it, and only the vaguest of allusions are ever made to it.
Damn it all, now I wanna go read the tvtropes page on it.
Amber keeps trying to claim that Amber and Amazi-Girl are two different people.
1) That’s not how multiple personality disorder worked, even when shrinks did take it seriously back in the 1980s.
2) Multiple personality disorder has since been discredited.
There is only one person living in that dorm room with Dina, and we have seen pretty good evidence that she poses a danger to herself AND others.
Hello, I actually have DID. As does one of my current romantic partners.
To answer your points, first I would note that Amber and Amazi-girl are not two different people, as in separate autonomous individuals, but rather are two alters (personalities with distinct ways of approaching the world, perspectives, emotional responses, and biases and who have their own motivations, goals, and feelings of protection towards their own survival).
Secondly, this is a condition that happens and has been studied. To the point that we know key aspects such as that the model of “you are deluded and this isn’t happening, you are one person” does not work and actually instead worsens the condition because the alter who feels they are under threat responds by hiding its memories from the alters, being more likely to stage takeovers of the body as a whole, and act out more in general.
Thirdly, if you are thinking of trying to argue that I must be either deluded or mistaken on my mental health, I assure you that I have had my condition since I was in kindergarten and have spent the last quarter century learning how to manage and deal with that reality. And my life would be different if it was indeed a discredited fake condition.
So to clarify that first point, they are not two separate physically separated beings, but two what we could argue are semi-autonomous individuals sharing a brain and a pool of memories by which to shape their identity and way of dealing with the world who have variable amounts of impact on the decided actions of the whole.
Just to add more confusion to the fire: There are people who have had the corpus callosum joining their two brain hemispheres severed (for various reasons). In some tests, they act as if there is a separate individual in each hemisphere. As if in normal (using the word loosely) people, there is enough feedback between the two hemispheres to enforce the idea of a single person.
Hey. Just noticed you have a different I for the word and using it in other words. Cool. I guess that means your font is actually you typing in lowercase, and the word I is uppercase.
I’m a computer nerd–I like things like that.
Ooooh! Ooooh! I know what that is! I know what that is! 😀
It’s for the clitoris! *beams with pride*
Close…
I’m so glad it wasn’t Joyce that found that.
You’d think she’d done her research by now, but nooooooooo
She has sworn off searches: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/02-i-was-a-teenage-churchmouse/mandangle/
Thanks, now go wash your hands, bye!