I’d say Richard’s in purgatory from his past form until he proves otherwise, and Naomi is absolutely just climbing out of the bottom alongside Charles.
This is literally the first one, too. She managed to go from 100% to about 92%, in terms of saying something awful in every strip where she has dialogue. Big power move from Ethan, he probably doesn’t leave her unable to retort very often.
I speak not in praise of Naomi, but in despite of the rest of the parents. Carol, Blaine, Granddad? None of them would have gone even this feeble step.
I read it that she’s really trying to be supportive, whatever might be in it for her because I expect she really just wants to be on Ethan’s good side for leverage, but she just can’t make herself not despise him for being gay. Or bring herself to try and hide it.
Like the words and deeds are there, but the motives and thoughts and feelings behind them are so suspect it’s made me rethink if The Good Place’s Good Place may have a point in judging people’s motivations for doing good.
yet the best point of that show was that, if you read too much into anything, it’s eventually always insidious… so you cannot read into things.
People are not evil simply because something they own was produced by corporations that prioritize profits over their workers; almost all corporations would happily employ slaves (or replace their slaves with cheaper robotic solutions) if allowed, and most are willing to break or bend the rules currently. People are evil if they think that said corporations are doing nothing wrong.
I am at least hoping that he’s being warmly sarcastic, because he knows Ethan probably can’t handle the implication of this being Actually A Serious Thing between them, right now. I’m unfortunately ready to be proven wrong, but like, I think that’s what he’s actually going for.
I feel for Billy ”curvy” is an understatement. A few of the women in the strip are drawn in a way that suggests they fell into a cauldron of estrogen as babies. (Asterix joke, for the three of you who know classic European comics)
I am curious how frequently parents tend to visit their college kids. In my case, my parents were about an hour away from my college. Add in that I didn’t have a car with which to go grocery shopping, and my mom would usually come over for the weekend once a month, maybe two months at the most. Granted, the location was also Orlando, so we’d usually do other things too, such as going to the movies and going out to eat.
I was also my mom’s only child, so that definitely had a factor in the frequent visitation. Plus, I called my mom and talked to her everyday, which was partially a safety measure for whenever I had to walk to and from my campus to my apartment, as a young woman who was usually traveling alone.
I lived at home during college, but my younger sibling went somewhere 2 hours away. He always came home to visit *them*, so they never went up to his campus. (And by “always,” I mean he used to come home every weekend for the first 2 years because he realized it meant free food and someone else to do his laundry. Now, it’s maybe once or twice a month.)
For what it’s worth, when I was in college in the 1970s my parents lived 3-4 hours away and I don’t recall them ever coming to visit. My dad came to survey the college before I’d decided. I went down to visit them for the usula holidays and vacations.
It was nice that she came to visit you and you got to do fun things together.
I also tended to visit my parents on weekend while I was in college, expect for the last year when I was too busy. The college was only 40 to an hour away from home, so I would come back to do laundry and see my dog – he was getting pretty old so I didn’t know how much time I would have left with him. Though, to be honest, I mostly came back on weekend because I was not in good headspace at college. Ironically, it probably just made the matter worse as I did not make too many friends at college or get to do typical fun college things, which I regretted. Still it was wonderful to see Biscuit. I don’t regret getting to spend extra time with my fluff angel before he had to return to heaven.
She’s passed away now, so I definitely enjoy the memories we got to share together during that time. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but she wasn’t a Naomi sort of mom and I was very lucky to have her.
I’m glad you got that extra time with your fur baby! I came home during breaks, like winter, spring break and summer and I remember my dogs being very clingy and affectionate when I’d come home. College is definitely a difficult time, a lot of spinning plates to balance with every class.
Guess it depends on how close but feels like every weekend or every other weekend if only for a free lunch or so would prolly happen esp pre-smartphone/vid chat era
My sibling went to a four-year state college about 45 minutes away. We picked them up most weekends the first couple years, then once they could have a car on campus they drove themselves but kept mostly the same schedule.
My parents would have visited all the time if let them. I think often the kid sets the boundary. Some kids really like hanging with their parents, some get homesick, some of us couldn’t wait to be independent. I probably saw my parents a couple of times a year and I went to uni pretty close maybe 90 minutes away?
I should point out my parents are great. But we tend to butt heads and I’m quite the introvert. I think it just depends on your family dynamic and what ever works for that particular child is the best way to go.
(I’m using kid and child in terms of family dynamics, obviously most college kids are adults).
Say what you want about Naomi, but to cut 30 minute drives in half you basically have to be driving like Ethan Hunt in every mission impossible movie all the time. She is probably the simultaneously the best and worst driver on Earth.
I did that once. Drove 120 mph the whole way home (empty roads, small towns). Was a stupid 20 yo trying to make it home before curfew, do not recommend. My husband (then friend) at the time was floored and confused when I texted that I made it home lol.
It’s a bit like juggling chainsaws on a tightrope with a live audience directly beneath you. It’s very impressive that you have the skill to do it, and also utterly terrifying that you have the urge to do it.
Are we supposed to put emphasis on ‘featured’? Because Stacey, Dina’s mom, and Dorothy’s mom, are all better. Mike’s parents seemed nice too, though we didn’t see much.
There is a part of me that thinks she’s just gobsmacked.
You gotta remember, she sees Ethan as a loser nerd shut-in who still plays with toys, and an overall disappointment of a man. I think she’s genuinely cannot figure out, how her son just has a total hottie who he’s bagged, hanging out in his dorm room, who is regularly sleeping with him.
Realistically, she probably never actually considered that “giving Ethan permission to be gay temporarily” may lead to him actually having gay sex; she fully assumes he has no rizz, and couldn’t land any partner, regardless of gender. It’s probably why she was so all-in on him marrying Amber, anyway; from her perspective, they’re both under-achieving failures, so she never considered a reality where either of them had any other option, besides eventually just being married to each other.
Does she see him that way? This Naomi has never made any comment about Ethan’s hobbies. Even in the SP! universe she was only relieved that Ethan was finally dating SOMEBODY.
I don’t think so. Giving permission (erm, “permission”) isn’t the same thing as urging him to do it. It’s more of a neutral “I’m fine whichever you choose” stance, with a strong undertone of “I’d really prefer if you didn’t”. Reverse psychology would require her to be encouraging him more than this.
…. of course, she might be TRYING for reverse psychology, and this is the best she is closest to get to “encouraging”.
I had to check a few days ago. This is, in fact, the first speaking strip where she hasn’t directly said something awful to somebody. I think she was on 11 or 12 straight, up until now.
-With the cost of room and board, except in situations like Ethan’s where family of origin.are abusive, why would anyone who has a permanent address close to campus choose to live in a dorm?
-Can Asher hear Roadblock? And if so, does he just accept a talking poster as normal? If not, does he wonder why Ethan keeps talking back to an inanimate wall poster?
1. Freedom, sweet freedom. Never underestimate the scent of freedom to the young and horny.
2. Nope. That’s strictly Ethan’s thing. I believe Ethan attempted to explain it. My guess is Asher is humoring him til Ethan gets some antipsychotics
The commute would likely be a pain in the ass. A lot of people also see dorm life as a way to have students get some of their first taste of independence, with something of a safety net in that it’s not entirely structureless.
Yeah, I spent my first year at Edinburgh Uni staying with my aunt, but I spent my second year in student digs within walking distance of her place, just for the experience.
Or I would have done, if I’d had a second year. As it was I spent a few weeks living there while I tried to unimplode my academic career and then went back home.
To the first one, I’m pretty sure everyone in the cast’s family lives much further away. (Except Becky’s.) But in general, if parents can afford it they’re probably fine with getting the kids out of the house and learning to live on their own with practice wheels on.
And 2, no. Ethan explained it a couple of strips ago and he’s aware it’s a hallucination. Asher probably should have some further questions and I’ll be judging him by his lack of interest in Ethan’s wellbeing.
Joyce and Becky grew up in La Porte, about 10km. from Lake Michigan in the far north of the state. Bloomington is well into the southern half. Someone is from Indianapolis, maybe an hour north of Bloomington. Isn’t there someone from Evansville, which is about as far southwest as you can go without falling into the Ohio river?
What are you defining as “close”? Because universities have their own definitions for how close someone can live in order to not have to live on campus as a freshman (and sophomores, sometimes).
Beyond that…parking is a pain, there are various resources and things happening around campus, a lot of your social life is connected to being physically around people, sometimes you might get a scholarship that helps cover on-campus housing, and, yes, freedom– and a segue into it, which can be helpful to some.
“why would anyone who has a permanent address close to campus choose to live in a dorm?”
a) The experience of living with your fellow students — and away from your parents — is a huge part of college for many people, even bigger than actual classes and learning.
b) Driving 30 minutes to class could be rather annoying, especially when you have classes at diverse hours of the day. Sure, you can think of it as “drive to campus, hang out and study in between classes”, but still.
b2) Some of us really hate driving.
c) It also requires that the kid have their own car, which is another expense. I guess probably cheaper than room and board these days, but still.
d) It also requires that the kid _park_ every day, which is a non-trivial operation or expense at IU. *checks* Okay, student permits seem a lot cheaper than I imagined — $177 a year — but they also only get you into various garages scattered some distance from campus. So, extra level of annoyance.
I suspect (a) is by far the biggest reason, followed by (c).
IU’s Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses have shuttles. Georgia Tech has some. They usually link up with the city transit service too. Some cities offer special student-rate transit passes.
As for parking — when I was in school, we called our parking stickers “hunting licenses,” as in license to hunt (and hunt, and hunt) for an open space….
Not that just go to wherever. Buses on campus? Sure. Buses in the city the college is in? Yeah. Buses to cities 30 minutes away? Yeah, maybe twice a day (so to the university and back) if you time it right and don’t mind it taking two hours (or more) each time.
Sorry, I early sent. As for the second thing, he already knows someone with an obvious case of DID; he knows what is happening is not real, so he isn’t stressing out about it too much, and at this point he’s not in a place where he values himself enough to try to do something about it. If he was less crushingly depressed, he might be able to be concerned…but as for Ethan right now, Roadblock telling him mean shit on the regular isn’t something he’s capable of caring much about.
That’s Indianapolis to Bloomington BTW. I know Ethan and his family are from Phoenix in the Walkyverse, but given Willis has shuffled birth cities a bit I guess it’s not significant
Those cities are well connected by Indiana Highway 37, which is normally an easy run, except for the last decade when it’s been continually torn up as it was slowly transmuted into Interstate 69.
Compared to the other bad parents, Naomi seems mild and redeemable. Cripes, Toedad, Miss Brown, Blaine, and The Walkertons are so awful that Naomi feels almost *quaint* by comparison
No physical or financial abuse, no mocking him for being super into Transformers, and now a hint that she will lay off insisting he must be heterosexual? Not top tier but hell, that’s better than some parents I know.
This is why some of us have been celebrating the past few days. Once that first chink in the armor of homophobia is cracked, it can often be all downhill from there. Her whole ‘allow’ shtick was probably bluffing/saving face. Now that she’s humanized Asher a bit, there’s a lot of potential.
So, did Ethan grow up watching rerun of the 80’s GI-Joe show, or is it something his father had VHS tapes of and enjoyed sharing with him? Cause unless Ethan had a regular exposure of it, I am not sure that trait of Roadblock would have imprinted on him.
He streams Beast Wars on Netflix. Said streaming service, with Comic time, would have been a going concern all the way back when he was … what, 2 years old?
Well well well, Naomi walked her talk, and Ethan seems to be putting as little stock in that continuing as he should. Good for both of them, at least for now.
Agreed. Naomi’s attitude still isn’t great, but it IS an improvement, and I do appreciate that this can’t have been easy for her to do. So, credit due where it’s due, and hopefully it will continue to improve as she gets better firsthand experience with LGBTI+ people and realize that we’re not demonspawn. 😛
Martinsville, Gosport, a nondescript location on Interstate 69 (THERE’S AN INTERSTATE 69?!), Springville, Bedford, Nashville (Indiana), but that’s counting the entire trip. If you only count freeway time from outer edge of city to outer edge of city, then Indianapolis. But that’s ignoring a lot of drive time.
Look, nobody got a gun pointed at them, nobody got called a slur, nobody died, nobody was kidnapped, nobody forced me personally to watch them eat three meals a day for several IRL weeks (fuck you, Linda), and nobody fucked anyone in a broom closet. This is pretty good, as far as parental interactions go in a webcomic by David “Kill Your Parents Before They Get You” Willis.
Thus concludes this segment of “Doing the right thing in the worst possible way”. Yay, progress?
We will now return to our regular comic schedule of doing wrong things in the worst ways, making up for doing the wrong things in weird ways, and doing wholesome things in lewd ways (Becky and Dina holding hands).
That’s like, this entire cast, to be fair. Not just the ones in this strip. The exceptions are the ones who do the worst things half-way successfully like Prof./Legislator-emeritus Robin.
Now I’m hoping for a confrontation between Naomi and Joyce’s mother. I think Naomi might slap her if she heard her say she’d rather have a dead son than a gay one.
This is wild to me because a 30 minute drive to college in another city is not bus catching distance for me. A lot of US cities do not have good public transit in place.
I checked the time from my house to a local university. Driving? About 15 minutes. By bus? About 1 hour and 55 minutes (about 40 minutes of that being walking).
the idea of buses going from places where people live to where they do things confuses and terrifies american city planners, who believe buses are for going between workplaces and tourist spots
It’s almost like being in college is being an adult for the first time and getting out of your sheltered space. That’s why you get scholarships, other financial aid, or a job.
Also, narratively it would be obnoxious (on top of the extra hours of commutes every week).
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DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE 30 MINUTES?
Sorry, *DO
I shouldn’t try
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pEwIo669Lxw
we only got 30 minutes to save the world (but that’s more than 7x what Madonna got)
I LOLed
Yeah okay Naomi finally managed to get through a whole strip without saying something awful. If grudgingly. Hooray.
this definitely bumps her up to the top 50% of parents in this strip
At the very, very bottom of that 50%.
Well let’s see, if we consider parents who have more than just a bit role (e.g Sierra’s):
Good:
Dina’s
Dorothy’s
Hank
Stacy
Richard
Purgatory:
Danny’s
Charles
Naomi
Damnation:
Linda
Carol
Blaine
Toedad
She probably still falls in the bottom 50%, though probably at like… the 60th percentile? Probably about same level as Charles.
I’d say Richard’s in purgatory from his past form until he proves otherwise, and Naomi is absolutely just climbing out of the bottom alongside Charles.
yee yee but Naomi’s “redeemability”
ain’t somethin so legit to me
she gotz a hateful history
it ain’t no mystery
folk like her ain’t got no felicity
when Wiggles “Bouncing Balls” be playin in vicinity XD
Honestly I read that post in Killer B’s voice from Naruto…. XD
awe thanks haha i love Killer B
them brotha’z always a joy to hear and see <3
This is literally the first one, too. She managed to go from 100% to about 92%, in terms of saying something awful in every strip where she has dialogue. Big power move from Ethan, he probably doesn’t leave her unable to retort very often.
Sorry “during this difficult time”, in context, is “for now” only marginally more subtle. She’s still batting 0.
This^ 💯
I speak not in praise of Naomi, but in despite of the rest of the parents. Carol, Blaine, Granddad? None of them would have gone even this feeble step.
Yeah, that was my read too.
I read it that she’s really trying to be supportive, whatever might be in it for her because I expect she really just wants to be on Ethan’s good side for leverage, but she just can’t make herself not despise him for being gay. Or bring herself to try and hide it.
Like the words and deeds are there, but the motives and thoughts and feelings behind them are so suspect it’s made me rethink if The Good Place’s Good Place may have a point in judging people’s motivations for doing good.
yet the best point of that show was that, if you read too much into anything, it’s eventually always insidious… so you cannot read into things.
People are not evil simply because something they own was produced by corporations that prioritize profits over their workers; almost all corporations would happily employ slaves (or replace their slaves with cheaper robotic solutions) if allowed, and most are willing to break or bend the rules currently. People are evil if they think that said corporations are doing nothing wrong.
Once Ethan feels kind he won’t want your behind!
that ain’t true, their love ain’t blind
it one the best things they could ever find
they soon be doin like this comment sixty nine!
An attempt was made.
I mean given that it is 30 mins away it’s a good thing she didn’t pop up more often than needed
HEY NOW brotha,
some of us LIKE some meat on our lovers!!!
now our homies get back to rockin’ the bed,
savorin’ each other like challah bread!!!
away goes the bongo “no homo”, the fuckin diva
ya’ll say it with me, HAVA FUCKIN NAGILA!!!
I love it! Another gem!
Not to be a party crasher, but we should not trust Asher!
He’s claimed he’s atoned for his petty crimes…
(Oh, ROADBLOCK is why we’re all doing rhymes!)
He acts like his fam are his personal sob story,
But could he be complicit in bringing mob glory?
Roadblock here ain’t got no accountin for taste
what our brothaz got ain’t somethin to waste
Asher may have some way
to keep the “no homo” bongo at bay
so they can keep playin all day
all proud and gay
and to that we say YAY!
That definitely went better than the worst it could have possibly gone.
The only rhyme I could think of for what you said is pokemon.
I feel like there are a lot of decent rhymes.
Hopefully Ethan can still get a hard-on.
For example.
he may be Naomi’s spawn,
but he ain’t her fuckin pawn
thankfully bongo now withdrawn
our gay lovers now be gettin’ it on
fiddlin’ their joy sticks like they be playin’ Tron
Like so much else involving Naomi, in this, she cleared an incredibly low bar.
Honestly, I’m surprised Asher said that, although I guess it might be true.
well he was initially attracted to ethan’s looks versus knowing him in classes and slowly getting to know him
THo given he dated jen beforehand and she’s ‘curvy’ i’m sure he wouldn’t mind ethan’s body if he gained a few pounds again
I am at least hoping that he’s being warmly sarcastic, because he knows Ethan probably can’t handle the implication of this being Actually A Serious Thing between them, right now. I’m unfortunately ready to be proven wrong, but like, I think that’s what he’s actually going for.
I feel for Billy ”curvy” is an understatement. A few of the women in the strip are drawn in a way that suggests they fell into a cauldron of estrogen as babies. (Asterix joke, for the three of you who know classic European comics)
I think he’s joking with him.
That could have gone much worse. Meh. Take the W.
And she didn’t over stay her welcome, Naomi might still not be my favorite person but she still seems to be doing better…for now.
I mean i’m sure ethan might’ve planned to make out in front of asher if she did stay too long lol
For now, during this difficult time.
Ethan, just beware, the moment you start feeling better Mom will become hellish again.
I am curious how frequently parents tend to visit their college kids. In my case, my parents were about an hour away from my college. Add in that I didn’t have a car with which to go grocery shopping, and my mom would usually come over for the weekend once a month, maybe two months at the most. Granted, the location was also Orlando, so we’d usually do other things too, such as going to the movies and going out to eat.
I was also my mom’s only child, so that definitely had a factor in the frequent visitation. Plus, I called my mom and talked to her everyday, which was partially a safety measure for whenever I had to walk to and from my campus to my apartment, as a young woman who was usually traveling alone.
I lived at home during college, but my younger sibling went somewhere 2 hours away. He always came home to visit *them*, so they never went up to his campus. (And by “always,” I mean he used to come home every weekend for the first 2 years because he realized it meant free food and someone else to do his laundry. Now, it’s maybe once or twice a month.)
For what it’s worth, when I was in college in the 1970s my parents lived 3-4 hours away and I don’t recall them ever coming to visit. My dad came to survey the college before I’d decided. I went down to visit them for the usula holidays and vacations.
It was nice that she came to visit you and you got to do fun things together.
I also tended to visit my parents on weekend while I was in college, expect for the last year when I was too busy. The college was only 40 to an hour away from home, so I would come back to do laundry and see my dog – he was getting pretty old so I didn’t know how much time I would have left with him. Though, to be honest, I mostly came back on weekend because I was not in good headspace at college. Ironically, it probably just made the matter worse as I did not make too many friends at college or get to do typical fun college things, which I regretted. Still it was wonderful to see Biscuit. I don’t regret getting to spend extra time with my fluff angel before he had to return to heaven.
She’s passed away now, so I definitely enjoy the memories we got to share together during that time. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but she wasn’t a Naomi sort of mom and I was very lucky to have her.
I’m glad you got that extra time with your fur baby! I came home during breaks, like winter, spring break and summer and I remember my dogs being very clingy and affectionate when I’d come home. College is definitely a difficult time, a lot of spinning plates to balance with every class.
Guess it depends on how close but feels like every weekend or every other weekend if only for a free lunch or so would prolly happen esp pre-smartphone/vid chat era
I lived at home and went to night school.
My sibling went to a four-year state college about 45 minutes away. We picked them up most weekends the first couple years, then once they could have a car on campus they drove themselves but kept mostly the same schedule.
We’re not adventurous people.
“We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
-Bilbo “The Drink” Baggins
My parents would have visited all the time if let them. I think often the kid sets the boundary. Some kids really like hanging with their parents, some get homesick, some of us couldn’t wait to be independent. I probably saw my parents a couple of times a year and I went to uni pretty close maybe 90 minutes away?
I should point out my parents are great. But we tend to butt heads and I’m quite the introvert. I think it just depends on your family dynamic and what ever works for that particular child is the best way to go.
(I’m using kid and child in terms of family dynamics, obviously most college kids are adults).
Say what you want about Naomi, but to cut 30 minute drives in half you basically have to be driving like Ethan Hunt in every mission impossible movie all the time. She is probably the simultaneously the best and worst driver on Earth.
This is how we learn Naomi is a retired race car driver. Or a secret agent.
ETHAN DOES NOT KNOW HIS MOM IS REALLY RACER X
N: ETHAN, HA-HA! i HAVE DECIDED I AM ALLOWING YOU TO BE GAY FOR NOW!
E: MOTHER, WHAT BROUGHT THIS CHANGE ON?
N: BECAUSE YOU BEING GAY IS BARELY BETTER THAN YOU BEING NOT ALIVE ANYMORE HA-HA!
E: :O AAH!
And she named her child after her former Impossible Missions colleague!
there at least a silver lining she a road-rage head
drivin like it Grand Theft Auto bound to get her WASTED:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3kFQHKE0LA
I did that once. Drove 120 mph the whole way home (empty roads, small towns). Was a stupid 20 yo trying to make it home before curfew, do not recommend. My husband (then friend) at the time was floored and confused when I texted that I made it home lol.
He was floored and so was the car!
The best according to her and the worst according to everyone else on the road?
Probably, yeah. She could do it in 12, if people would get out of the damn way XD
It’s a bit like juggling chainsaws on a tightrope with a live audience directly beneath you. It’s very impressive that you have the skill to do it, and also utterly terrifying that you have the urge to do it.
RUDE, Roadblock!
And that interaction was about as painless as it was gonna be.
Well. That’s…progress? I guess? 😅
I think Naomi might be the best mom we’ve seen featured in the comic.
Granted the second best (Walky’s) is literally a white supremacist, so the bar is under hell, but at least an effort is being made here.
I think Dina’s mom is still the bar. Her response to finding out Dina had a girlfriend was to wire her $200 to take Becky out to dinner.
Are we supposed to put emphasis on ‘featured’? Because Stacey, Dina’s mom, and Dorothy’s mom, are all better. Mike’s parents seemed nice too, though we didn’t see much.
Amber’s mom has faults but she’s still a few grades above Naomi too
I was gonna say. I don’t know how much responsibility Amber’s mum bears for her dirtbag husband. What little we’ve seen of her seemed ok.
I would add Danny’s mom as also being above Ethan’s (though below the other examples given)
Dina’s, Dorothy’s, arguably Carla’s, Amber’s, Mike’s, Becky’s before she died, all of them run circles around Naomi.
Is Naomi using the negative psychology cliche trick of approving of your children’s SO as a way to discourage the relationship?
Works every time, except when it doesn’t.
I think that’d only be more of a put off if they genuinely got a long/made it feel like you were ‘dating your parent’s friend’ or so lol
There is a part of me that thinks she’s just gobsmacked.
You gotta remember, she sees Ethan as a loser nerd shut-in who still plays with toys, and an overall disappointment of a man. I think she’s genuinely cannot figure out, how her son just has a total hottie who he’s bagged, hanging out in his dorm room, who is regularly sleeping with him.
Realistically, she probably never actually considered that “giving Ethan permission to be gay temporarily” may lead to him actually having gay sex; she fully assumes he has no rizz, and couldn’t land any partner, regardless of gender. It’s probably why she was so all-in on him marrying Amber, anyway; from her perspective, they’re both under-achieving failures, so she never considered a reality where either of them had any other option, besides eventually just being married to each other.
Does she see him that way? This Naomi has never made any comment about Ethan’s hobbies. Even in the SP! universe she was only relieved that Ethan was finally dating SOMEBODY.
I don’t think so. Giving permission (erm, “permission”) isn’t the same thing as urging him to do it. It’s more of a neutral “I’m fine whichever you choose” stance, with a strong undertone of “I’d really prefer if you didn’t”. Reverse psychology would require her to be encouraging him more than this.
…. of course, she might be TRYING for reverse psychology, and this is the best she is closest to get to “encouraging”.
*this is the closest she can get to “encouraging”.
Wow, that might be the most pleasant that Naomi has been in any strip where she has dialogue! Maybe by a mile!
I had to check a few days ago. This is, in fact, the first speaking strip where she hasn’t directly said something awful to somebody. I think she was on 11 or 12 straight, up until now.
Well, there’s your problem! Naomi!
Ok, hum, 2 questions:
-With the cost of room and board, except in situations like Ethan’s where family of origin.are abusive, why would anyone who has a permanent address close to campus choose to live in a dorm?
-Can Asher hear Roadblock? And if so, does he just accept a talking poster as normal? If not, does he wonder why Ethan keeps talking back to an inanimate wall poster?
1. Freedom, sweet freedom. Never underestimate the scent of freedom to the young and horny.
2. Nope. That’s strictly Ethan’s thing. I believe Ethan attempted to explain it. My guess is Asher is humoring him til Ethan gets some antipsychotics
The commute would likely be a pain in the ass. A lot of people also see dorm life as a way to have students get some of their first taste of independence, with something of a safety net in that it’s not entirely structureless.
From what I’ve heard, Indiana highways are a fucking nightmare to drive on.
Yeah, I spent my first year at Edinburgh Uni staying with my aunt, but I spent my second year in student digs within walking distance of her place, just for the experience.
Or I would have done, if I’d had a second year. As it was I spent a few weeks living there while I tried to unimplode my academic career and then went back home.
To the first one, I’m pretty sure everyone in the cast’s family lives much further away. (Except Becky’s.) But in general, if parents can afford it they’re probably fine with getting the kids out of the house and learning to live on their own with practice wheels on.
And 2, no. Ethan explained it a couple of strips ago and he’s aware it’s a hallucination. Asher probably should have some further questions and I’ll be judging him by his lack of interest in Ethan’s wellbeing.
Joyce and Becky grew up in La Porte, about 10km. from Lake Michigan in the far north of the state. Bloomington is well into the southern half. Someone is from Indianapolis, maybe an hour north of Bloomington. Isn’t there someone from Evansville, which is about as far southwest as you can go without falling into the Ohio river?
What are you defining as “close”? Because universities have their own definitions for how close someone can live in order to not have to live on campus as a freshman (and sophomores, sometimes).
Beyond that…parking is a pain, there are various resources and things happening around campus, a lot of your social life is connected to being physically around people, sometimes you might get a scholarship that helps cover on-campus housing, and, yes, freedom– and a segue into it, which can be helpful to some.
“why would anyone who has a permanent address close to campus choose to live in a dorm?”
a) The experience of living with your fellow students — and away from your parents — is a huge part of college for many people, even bigger than actual classes and learning.
b) Driving 30 minutes to class could be rather annoying, especially when you have classes at diverse hours of the day. Sure, you can think of it as “drive to campus, hang out and study in between classes”, but still.
b2) Some of us really hate driving.
c) It also requires that the kid have their own car, which is another expense. I guess probably cheaper than room and board these days, but still.
d) It also requires that the kid _park_ every day, which is a non-trivial operation or expense at IU. *checks* Okay, student permits seem a lot cheaper than I imagined — $177 a year — but they also only get you into various garages scattered some distance from campus. So, extra level of annoyance.
I suspect (a) is by far the biggest reason, followed by (c).
Do American universities not have frequent buses?
IU’s Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses have shuttles. Georgia Tech has some. They usually link up with the city transit service too. Some cities offer special student-rate transit passes.
As for parking — when I was in school, we called our parking stickers “hunting licenses,” as in license to hunt (and hunt, and hunt) for an open space….
Not that just go to wherever. Buses on campus? Sure. Buses in the city the college is in? Yeah. Buses to cities 30 minutes away? Yeah, maybe twice a day (so to the university and back) if you time it right and don’t mind it taking two hours (or more) each time.
There is apparently a nonstop bus from IU to Indianapolis.
1. In Ethan’s case? Homophobic parents are an excellent motivator to move out even if the commute isn’t bad
Would you want to live with that woman?
Sorry, I early sent. As for the second thing, he already knows someone with an obvious case of DID; he knows what is happening is not real, so he isn’t stressing out about it too much, and at this point he’s not in a place where he values himself enough to try to do something about it. If he was less crushingly depressed, he might be able to be concerned…but as for Ethan right now, Roadblock telling him mean shit on the regular isn’t something he’s capable of caring much about.
No idea. For three years I commuted 45 minutes each way from my parents’ house. (The fourth year I was married and we lived a bit closer to campus.)
Some universities require first years to live in on-campus housing.
That’s Indianapolis to Bloomington BTW. I know Ethan and his family are from Phoenix in the Walkyverse, but given Willis has shuffled birth cities a bit I guess it’s not significant
Those cities are well connected by Indiana Highway 37, which is normally an easy run, except for the last decade when it’s been continually torn up as it was slowly transmuted into Interstate 69.
Nice.
based asher’s most recent ex i don’t think he has to worry about that much
***this is not a dig at jennifer im fat and it rules actually
Honestly I don’t understant how anybody can call Jennifer (or Amber) ”fat”. Actually overweight people are a very different shape.
“Zaftig.”
Muscular and curvy, right?
Meet your boyfriends mom any% wr (no violence)
If you’re doing this challenge with Naomi in play, it works best if you combine it with a renegade run.
In another comic, this would be Ethan’s road to serial murder.
So are there theories as to why ethan is hallucinating? Beginning of a psychosis? side effect of his trauma..?
I’m assuming trauma response and that little survivor’s guilt voice manifesting strangely.
It’s mostly an “inside joke” from the Shorpacked’s universe.
My read currently is that he’s having some big brain problems that present as an inside joke to the reader.
I’m curious. Can you explain that inside joke a little?
In Shortpacked!, Ethan had a G.I. Joe poster through which he heard Roadblock talking to him. It started when he was very sleep-deprived.
https://www.shortpacked.com/comic/go-to-sleep-you-little-trash-heap
It had the ability to guilt/intimidate other characters, but as far as I know only Ethan could “hear” him.
Thanks you two. Very confusing.
The Roadblock on Ethan’s poster guilted him (and sometimes) others into doing chores.
https://www.shortpacked.com/comic/search/roadblock
Amazigirl and Carla transitioning are also I side jokes from Shortpacked and yet here they are being fully fleshed out.
Hell, isn’t Booster the human version of a magic stick?
Considering he hasn’t been eating well for a while could be some nutritional deficiencies too. Lack of B12 can really mess with your brain apparently.
The weird, unnatural rules of an alternate reality bleeding over from another dimension.
Compared to the other bad parents, Naomi seems mild and redeemable. Cripes, Toedad, Miss Brown, Blaine, and The Walkertons are so awful that Naomi feels almost *quaint* by comparison
No physical or financial abuse, no mocking him for being super into Transformers, and now a hint that she will lay off insisting he must be heterosexual? Not top tier but hell, that’s better than some parents I know.
Especially in this strip.
This is why some of us have been celebrating the past few days. Once that first chink in the armor of homophobia is cracked, it can often be all downhill from there. Her whole ‘allow’ shtick was probably bluffing/saving face. Now that she’s humanized Asher a bit, there’s a lot of potential.
Wait, so gay people (other than my misguided child) are actual people, not just cartoonish monsters or victims?
It does seem like maybe she’s getting there, despite the rocky start.
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking as well. Empathy is a natural pattern for the mind. Once it starts flowin, your perspective shifts.
Today’s Motivational Quote: “Quiet, Roadblock.”
I thought his name was Roadblock, not COCK-block XD
He is a Roadblock on the Highway of Life
i mean give him a break
brotha’s stuck to a wall all day for Ethan’s sake XD
And he can’t even move around like those living paintings in Hogwarts.
He may be stuck there but he still be slayin’ it
Rowlin aint got nothin on Willis, i gotta be sayin’ it
Listen to me, Roadblock.
When I say quiet, DO NOT TALK.
So, did Ethan grow up watching rerun of the 80’s GI-Joe show, or is it something his father had VHS tapes of and enjoyed sharing with him? Cause unless Ethan had a regular exposure of it, I am not sure that trait of Roadblock would have imprinted on him.
1980s GI Joe and Transformers frequently aired on cable network called The Hub a decade or so ago,
now it’s called Discovery Family
He streams Beast Wars on Netflix. Said streaming service, with Comic time, would have been a going concern all the way back when he was … what, 2 years old?
….
DAMMIT WORLD QUIT MAKING ME FEEL OLD!
Well well well, Naomi walked her talk, and Ethan seems to be putting as little stock in that continuing as he should. Good for both of them, at least for now.
Agreed. Naomi’s attitude still isn’t great, but it IS an improvement, and I do appreciate that this can’t have been easy for her to do. So, credit due where it’s due, and hopefully it will continue to improve as she gets better firsthand experience with LGBTI+ people and realize that we’re not demonspawn. 😛
Agreed. It’s a small step, but it IS a step. The only way we ever change is one step at a time.
eh, could’a gone better, could’a gone worse
side note: Winston Wolfe-ass driving
mom, just let me be happy: give me more 30 meters until you talk
Do we know where Ethan lives? What’s 30 [15] minutes away from Bloomington? Columbus? Martinsville?
Martinsville, Gosport, a nondescript location on Interstate 69 (THERE’S AN INTERSTATE 69?!), Springville, Bedford, Nashville (Indiana), but that’s counting the entire trip. If you only count freeway time from outer edge of city to outer edge of city, then Indianapolis. But that’s ignoring a lot of drive time.
I can only hear that last “Quiet, Roadblock” in Mr. Peabody’s voice.
quietn Roakblock
If’n ya gotta have a Naomi encounter, I’m guessin’ this is the best way. Quick-like, and done.
Ethan, go to freaking therapy!!!
If the therapist is hot, Ethan is gonna wind up in yet another mess.
Rome wasn’t built in a day so I appreciate this little bit of progress from Naomi. Fingers crossed she doesn’t backslide.
Look, nobody got a gun pointed at them, nobody got called a slur, nobody died, nobody was kidnapped, nobody forced me personally to watch them eat three meals a day for several IRL weeks (fuck you, Linda), and nobody fucked anyone in a broom closet. This is pretty good, as far as parental interactions go in a webcomic by David “Kill Your Parents Before They Get You” Willis.
Thus concludes this segment of “Doing the right thing in the worst possible way”. Yay, progress?
We will now return to our regular comic schedule of doing wrong things in the worst ways, making up for doing the wrong things in weird ways, and doing wholesome things in lewd ways (Becky and Dina holding hands).
That’s like, this entire cast, to be fair. Not just the ones in this strip. The exceptions are the ones who do the worst things half-way successfully like Prof./Legislator-emeritus Robin.
Now I’m hoping for a confrontation between Naomi and Joyce’s mother. I think Naomi might slap her if she heard her say she’d rather have a dead son than a gay one.
Ethan is paying for campus accommodation when he could just be catching a bus in each day???
I’m not sure they have a bus service that goes out of town. That’s not a guarantee.
If you were Ethan would you Want to live with Naomi if you could just live on Campus?
This is wild to me because a 30 minute drive to college in another city is not bus catching distance for me. A lot of US cities do not have good public transit in place.
I checked the time from my house to a local university. Driving? About 15 minutes. By bus? About 1 hour and 55 minutes (about 40 minutes of that being walking).
It used to take me an hour and a half from leaving my front door to arriving at campus so…I mean, 30 minutes just doesn’t seem that big of a deal?
I just said that it wouldn’t be 30 minutes by bus. It would maybe be two hours if he was lucky.
the idea of buses going from places where people live to where they do things confuses and terrifies american city planners, who believe buses are for going between workplaces and tourist spots
It’s almost like being in college is being an adult for the first time and getting out of your sheltered space. That’s why you get scholarships, other financial aid, or a job.
Also, narratively it would be obnoxious (on top of the extra hours of commutes every week).
I think we can just rate this one a solid ‘Whough’.
Roadblock is the sassier, more fun Mike who can’t be killed except through therapy.