Dumbing of Age Book Fourteen

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

October 20, 2026

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'it sounded like WAP in there'
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Arms

Posted In: comic
└ Tags: sal, sayid

Discussion (105) ¬

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  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    October 4, 2022 at 12:02 am | # | Reply

    I thought Bryan said he was thankful those rooms were soundproofed when he and Sayid…

    …

    hmm ?

    • anon
      anon
      October 4, 2022 at 12:03 am | # | Reply

      mind depend on the room, i can see the practicality of it but i assume from like the front door it wouldn’t be as soundproof compared to the walls in case of emerggencies lol

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2022 at 12:06 am | # | Reply

      Sayid apparently speaks from experience. Painful, painful experience.

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        October 4, 2022 at 12:10 am | # | Reply

        yeah that’s a mistake you only make once

        • Yet_One_More_Idiot
          Yet_One_More_Idiot
          October 4, 2022 at 6:10 pm | # | Reply

          That’s what SHE sayid!

    • ThunderNight
      ThunderNight
      October 4, 2022 at 12:09 am | # | Reply

      when they played the uke?

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      October 4, 2022 at 5:52 am | # | Reply

      Sayid working there must be a kind of… penality?..

  2. anon
    anon
    October 4, 2022 at 12:02 am | # | Reply

    oh wow been a while since we’ve seen sayid lol

    • CrazyJ
      CrazyJ
      October 4, 2022 at 12:07 am | # | Reply

      It’s not the first strip with Sayid in it called “arms” either.

      • anon
        anon
        October 4, 2022 at 12:09 am | # | Reply

        i would love to be that consistent i feel like i could like have a good walk one day but laze around the rest of the week haha

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        October 4, 2022 at 12:10 am | # | Reply

        He has very nice arms

      • Mr. Random
        Mr. Random
        October 4, 2022 at 12:16 am | # | Reply

        Legitimate question:
        Is that a prosthetic, tattoos, or hair?

        • Jamie
          Jamie
          October 4, 2022 at 12:33 am | # | Reply

          I was gonna say tattoos, but I took another look and… now I’m gonna say hair.

          • Meagan
            Meagan
            October 4, 2022 at 12:57 am | # | Reply

            I initially thought it looked like he had done some serious self harm in the past and had scars. I thought that was some pretty dark background setting stuff though. But people who self-harm and have scars do eventually want to be able to wear clothes that don’t cover it up, if they work through the hiding it part. It just seemed like the kind of thing Willis wouldn’t throw on a side character though.

            • BorkBorkBork
              BorkBorkBork
              October 4, 2022 at 10:19 am | # | Reply

              For it to be pretty serious self-harm, that then assumes that Sayid is going so far out there to completely draw attention to it and show it off, as sleeveless hoodies are *extremely* difficult to find and not typical clothing worn in the winter.

              It also assumes that Sal is *so* completely insensitive that she assigns a name and identity to him that is very clearly related to self-harm and mental illness, rather than something more generic.

              … I’m pretty positive that these are just tattoos.

              • Needfuldoer
                Needfuldoer
                October 4, 2022 at 6:48 pm | # | Reply

                Any hoodie can be a sleeveless hoodie, once.

        • Kamino Neko
          Kamino Neko
          October 4, 2022 at 12:42 am | # | Reply

          Pretty sure it’s a tattoo of muscles.

          • merbrat
            merbrat
            October 4, 2022 at 3:54 am | # | Reply

            I thought it was a tattoo of wood grain!

          • Roborat
            Roborat
            October 4, 2022 at 4:01 pm | # | Reply

            It has been so long that he appeared in a strip that I forgot about the tattoos, I thought he was wearing a knitted sweater or something similar.

        • justin8448
          justin8448
          October 4, 2022 at 2:00 am | # | Reply

          There’s a previous comic where Sal indicated that she was rather enamored with Sayid’s tattooed arms.

        • Rabid Rabbit
          Rabid Rabbit
          October 4, 2022 at 3:26 am | # | Reply

          Slipshine suggests definitely not a prosthetic. (And also definitely not hair.)

      • Kamino Neko
        Kamino Neko
        October 4, 2022 at 12:44 am | # | Reply

        It’s apparently the feature Sal has decided to recognize him by.

        To be fair, so would I, though I’m not sure if it’s for the same reason. And he takes it in stride, so I guess she’s not the only one.

        • Yeet
          Yeet
          October 4, 2022 at 2:02 pm | # | Reply

          dude’s wearing a tank top I’m sure he knows what he’s working with

  3. Johan
    Johan
    October 4, 2022 at 12:04 am | # | Reply

    Oh no is Sal gonna be all self conscious. 🙁

  4. Rognik
    Rognik
    October 4, 2022 at 12:04 am | # | Reply

    How loud does it have to be if it leaks out the door? I have to assume that’s the only place that isn’t soundproofed and can be heard from the front desk.

  5. BBCC
    BBCC
    October 4, 2022 at 12:05 am | # | Reply

    Hi Sayid!

    Good to know that everyone in the hall was subjected to what I’m sure was a delightful WAP cover.

  6. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    October 4, 2022 at 12:05 am | # | Reply

    “Empty Arms Hotel?”–Hee Haw

    • Van Jealous
      Van Jealous
      October 4, 2022 at 3:09 pm | # | Reply

      I hear that “The Culhanes” are still living there (if you want to reach them just call BR-549)!

  7. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    October 4, 2022 at 12:05 am | # | Reply

    Sayid makes a very rare appearance. I wonder who the rarest named character is?

    • Nono
      Nono
      October 4, 2022 at 12:07 am | # | Reply

      Bonnie clocks in at 3 strips. Not sure if anyone’s lower.

      • anon
        anon
        October 4, 2022 at 12:09 am | # | Reply

        “totally harmless guy” but he’s not really a chara lol

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        October 4, 2022 at 12:11 am | # | Reply

        Bloodrose has two, but she’s not tagged.

    • RassilonTDavros
      RassilonTDavros
      October 4, 2022 at 12:19 am | # | Reply

      Bart (a.k.a. Bart O’Ryan, the Walter-Peck-type jerkass-has-a-point lawyer from the final years of It’s Walky!) currently has exactly one tagged strip.

      • Nono
        Nono
        October 4, 2022 at 1:17 am | # | Reply

        If we’re going with ‘people who totally exist in DoA-verse in person’, then Lester (the cop who Blaine totally stole the gun from) is the current record at 2 strips.

        • Username Taken
          Username Taken
          October 4, 2022 at 8:42 am | # | Reply

          Wow, two appearances and he killed Blaine in one of them? Lester might be a crooked cop, but he’s very efficient in cleaning up this comic strip.

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      October 4, 2022 at 11:25 am | # | Reply

      I had a graph that shows all named DoA characters, but it’s offline now. Shit.

  8. Nono
    Nono
    October 4, 2022 at 12:05 am | # | Reply

    So Sayid works at both Galasso’s and the… wherever this is?

    Is he a student?

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2022 at 12:07 am | # | Reply

      Yes.

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      October 4, 2022 at 12:11 am | # | Reply

      Campus jobs probably don’t pay much. Wonder if he’s working his way through school or funding his bad arm tattoos?

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        October 4, 2022 at 4:22 am | # | Reply

        Could be both.

  9. Mr. Random
    Mr. Random
    October 4, 2022 at 12:06 am | # | Reply

    So… wait.

    How does that work?
    If any room can be heard from the hall and vice versa…

    Or is it a surveilance camera situation?

  10. Suet
    Suet
    October 4, 2022 at 12:07 am | # | Reply

    The room booked itself after hearing the first few notes.

    *plays Hanson’s “Where’s The Love” behind the painting*

  11. Carms
    Carms
    October 4, 2022 at 12:08 am | # | Reply

    Does Sal remember those arms? She’s expressed appreciation in the past.
    . I’m finding them unsettling just this strip though, cos I can’t quite parse them. As conclusively cloth or skin. (I know they’re tats)

    • anon
      anon
      October 4, 2022 at 12:10 am | # | Reply

      it’s hard to tell with the striped sleeve(?) but i suppose irl it might be more noticeable with buff arms (or at least i would notice b/c my arms are like the skinniest part of me b/c i have no upper body muscle haha)

    • Airyu
      Airyu
      October 4, 2022 at 1:43 am | # | Reply

      I think is because of this com
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/02-but-the-sun-still-shines/arms/

    • Airyu
      Airyu
      October 4, 2022 at 1:46 am | # | Reply

      I am dumb I misunderstood what you were asking >_<
      I always thought it was a prostetic, but as shown just now I might be dumb lmao

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      October 4, 2022 at 4:11 pm | # | Reply

      I thought they were either clothes or his arm hair just grew weird like that until I checked the previous strips with Sayid and remembered he has tattoos on his arms.

  12. schmess
    schmess
    October 4, 2022 at 12:09 am | # | Reply

    sayid my absolute beloved
    (both him and sal look so good in panel one)

  13. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    October 4, 2022 at 12:10 am | # | Reply

    That’s pretty shitty soundproofing then.

    • anon
      anon
      October 4, 2022 at 12:11 am | # | Reply

      that’d make everyone’s tuition even higher even if ppl don’t use those rooms lol XD

    • The Wellerman
      The Wellerman
      October 4, 2022 at 12:14 am | # | Reply

      I’m still having a hard time imagining how that kinda situation is actually physically possible. ?

      • Leorale
        Leorale
        October 4, 2022 at 12:17 am | # | Reply

        Probably soundproofed walls, but the wooden door leaks the sound into the hallway a bit.

        • Dara
          Dara
          October 4, 2022 at 12:19 am | # | Reply

          Yeah this. Room to room is pretty good, they don’t bother with the hallway so you get a lot of hallway bleed. It’s good… enough? Barely? Unless someone is particularly loud in a small room in which case you might as well be in the same room and it’s horrible. (Yes, this is an “ask me how I know” experience.)

          • The Wellerman
            The Wellerman
            October 4, 2022 at 12:21 am | # | Reply

            Ah, now I have the picture. Very interesting how the school wouldn’t also soundproof the door….

            • Dara
              Dara
              October 4, 2022 at 12:32 am | # | Reply

              I have a lot of issues with building code in this country, sound control (or the lack thereof) is definitely one of them.

              • Taffy
                Taffy
                October 4, 2022 at 12:50 am | # | Reply

                Why is every building so fucking noisy?? We have central air in my current apartment, and when the unit kicks on it may as well be a fucking TMC truck from how loud the damn thing is.

                • Thag Simmons
                  Thag Simmons
                  October 4, 2022 at 3:32 am | #

                  Acoustics Engineering is always the first thing to get cut when putting a building up, nobody cares enough to get it right

                • Leorale
                  Leorale
                  October 4, 2022 at 10:15 am | #

                  I wonder if it’s like a regular fan, where it gets noisier if you don’t clean it, only it’d be a really big fan that nobody cleans?

      • AbacusWizard
        AbacusWizard
        October 4, 2022 at 12:26 am | # | Reply

        I once lived in a dormitory that had the opposite problem in a very weird way—thanks to a very poorly designed ventilation system, loud music from one dorm room could be heard *in the dorm room across the hall* through the overhead air ducts even though the dorm rooms were pretty well soundproofed from the hallway itself.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        October 4, 2022 at 4:33 am | # | Reply

        Soundproofing is easy when the rooms are purpose-built. They’ll have double walls between them instead of a single stud wall. That will help keep noise from transferring through the wood. All the walls would get filled with mineral wool insulation and finished with two layers of drywall glued together with that green soundproofing adhesive. I can’t imagine much would get through that.

        The insides of the rooms would be acoustically treated too, with bass traps and wall coverings so you don’t get that hollow, metallic, “empty room” echo.

        The door and HVAC system are going to be your weak points. You need a heavy, solid door with a good seal and no window for best results. Even then, you’re separating two spaces by a single solid piece, which is what the rest of the design avoids.

    • Dara
      Dara
      October 4, 2022 at 12:18 am | # | Reply

      Accurate though. Direct room-connected-to-room sound dampening wasn’t bad but you had some severe hallway bleed. Well, at my school, anyway.

      • Leorale
        Leorale
        October 4, 2022 at 10:20 am | # | Reply

        At Oberlin College, this was a feature, not a bug. It was fun and creative-feeling to walk through the hallways and hear the world-class Conservatory students practicing all their various pieces.
        I don’t think any of them were playing WAP on ukulele, but nothing is perfect.

  14. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    October 4, 2022 at 12:14 am | # | Reply

    Yep, this is true of pretty much any music building I’ve ever been in.

  15. Pocky
    Pocky
    October 4, 2022 at 12:18 am | # | Reply

    Yeah; this is why you test the soundproofing before you do. . . things

  16. Masumi
    Masumi
    October 4, 2022 at 12:26 am | # | Reply

    … When have we last seen Sal use her phone? Does she still have it? This is the second instance of “why don’t you just use your phone” in recent times (the first being climbing into Danny’s window rather than texting him)…

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      October 4, 2022 at 4:34 am | # | Reply

      Doing everything in person leaves no paper trail to be used against her at a later date.

      • Throwatron
        Throwatron
        October 4, 2022 at 11:30 am | # | Reply

        …am *I* Sal? I don’t know if I can handle this responsibility.

  17. AbacusWizard
    AbacusWizard
    October 4, 2022 at 12:26 am | # | Reply

    “Oh, uh, if it ain’t soundproofed Ah guess Ah don’t need the room fer a while longer.”

  18. Vukodlak
    Vukodlak
    October 4, 2022 at 12:45 am | # | Reply

    In a distance future where Sal and Danny got married
    “Mom what first attracted you to dad?”
    “His skill with a ukulele“
    “is that a sex thing”
    “No it’s a musical instrument”
    “I know that but I don’t get the euphemism.”
    “It’s not, it was his musical talents”
    “Dad how did you get mom to notice you?”
    “My skills at ukulele”
    “Fine don’t tell me.”

    • Meagan
      Meagan
      October 4, 2022 at 1:00 am | # | Reply

      It’s hard to imagine any of the characters staying together that long, but they would make a cute family together. I would read a family sit-com style comic about them with their kids.

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        October 4, 2022 at 3:33 am | # | Reply

        Becky/Dina maybe. I’ve learned to stop betting against the Lizbians

  19. jeffepp
    jeffepp
    October 4, 2022 at 1:06 am | # | Reply

    “Hey, Arms.”

    “Yeah, Gloves.”

    • darkoneko
      darkoneko
      October 4, 2022 at 1:21 pm | # | Reply

      heh

  20. michaelinasmeal
    michaelinasmeal
    October 4, 2022 at 2:22 am | # | Reply

    I mean sound proof rooms with a bunch of young adults whats the worst that can go wrong… I think the school made the right choice by not 100% soundproofing them.

    • Prior Semblance
      Prior Semblance
      October 4, 2022 at 3:22 am | # | Reply

      Still they would have to be almost entirely soundproof otherwise the sound would travel out one room and then into the other through the hallway. Plus if they are heavily booked and the rooms aren’t soundproof then surely anyone using the rooms would have heard other peoples music while walking past the other rooms.

      Also it’s a bit questionable that Sayid could identify which room the music was coming from unless he’s been walking around listening at the doors. Which would definitely make more sense than him being able to hear the music from all the way over there.

      • michaelinasmeal
        michaelinasmeal
        October 4, 2022 at 9:58 pm | # | Reply

        but this way they can halt a rhythmic slapping of the flesh tambourine for those who don’t know they aren’t soundproofed.

  21. Laura
    Laura
    October 4, 2022 at 2:25 am | # | Reply

    Hi folks,

    I’m asking since you folks know a lot about all things trans, hoping you can help…

    Know of any community resources for transgender children, especially BIPOC transgender children, in Missouri? Asking for a friend.

    • Joy
      Joy
      October 4, 2022 at 8:52 am | # | Reply

      I know someone who might know someone? Would you consider linking an email or website to contact you with?

      • Laura
        Laura
        October 4, 2022 at 11:12 am | # | Reply

        That is so sweet of you, Joy!

        I’m not sure exactly how I would do that, as I’m not too tech savvy and I don’t want to put my email address out there on this page. (Too many stalkery gross/scary ads and tracker cookies follow me around from this website.) But I am grateful to you for thinking of me! I was able to help them connect with a few resources, like the Trevor Project, so I am thinking and hoping they will be OK. Knock on wood!!!

        Thank you again,

        Laura

        • milu
          milu
          October 4, 2022 at 1:19 pm | # | Reply

          Should the need arise again, there are secure services like protonmail that allow you to create an email address in a few clicks that you can use once or twice and then forget about. It’s as untraceable as it gets I think

          • Laura
            Laura
            October 4, 2022 at 1:52 pm | # | Reply

            Thank you, milu!

    • egg egg
      egg egg
      October 4, 2022 at 9:44 am | # | Reply

      All I have is the tri-county mental health services, but it’s better than nothing!

      https://www.tri-countymhs.org/

      • Laura
        Laura
        October 4, 2022 at 11:07 am | # | Reply

        That is helpful! Thank you very much!

  22. GUIGUI
    GUIGUI
    October 4, 2022 at 2:45 am | # | Reply

    Okay, can anyone clarify what those rooms are, their purpose and why it need to be booked?

    • StClair
      StClair
      October 4, 2022 at 3:40 am | # | Reply

      In theory, for practicing with a musical instrument.
      In practice (ahem), making out and/or having sex (when doing it in a dorm room or whatever is not an option).
      And they’re booked because they’re a finite resource. I would guess that supply is usually sufficient to meet demand, but because Sayid made a point of mentioning it just now, I suspect we’re about to see that Sal and Danny can’t simply keep using that room, because someone else has reserved it for the next block of time.

      • GUIGUI
        GUIGUI
        October 4, 2022 at 6:26 am | # | Reply

        Thanks.
        “In practice (ahem), making out and/or having sex (when doing it in a dorm room or whatever is not an option).” the lack of sound insulation for the hallway might put some dents into this plan.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          October 4, 2022 at 8:46 am | # | Reply

          They still have better sound insulation than your dorm room.

    • Sam
      Sam
      October 4, 2022 at 7:07 am | # | Reply

      Music rooms for practicing instruments/singing so you don’t annoy literally all your dormmates into hating you because musicians have to practice and often to get and stay good. My high school had three.

      And they’d have to be booked in advance because there is likely only a few but more than a few people learn an instrument or sing and you can’t have the same 5 people hogging the rooms for hours and hours each and every day without giving other people a chance.

  23. darkoneko
    darkoneko
    October 4, 2022 at 4:06 am | # | Reply

    Hi Sayid !

  24. AlaninDC
    AlaninDC
    October 4, 2022 at 7:17 am | # | Reply

    True that music rooms *in general* can have crappy isolation, but is this instance based on a particular condition at this university?

    And did it really happen to someone in particular that inspired this episode?

  25. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    October 4, 2022 at 7:19 am | # | Reply

    Let’s hope this will not become a problem for the recording session. If I remember well, Sayid don’t like ukulele players. But probably he will not say that to Sal.

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      October 4, 2022 at 7:37 am | # | Reply

      His beef was with non-music majors using those rooms for a hobby while music majors (such as himself) were kept from practicing. Presumably with Sal actually using the room for her studies Danny would get a pass this time.

      • Rabisch
        Rabisch
        October 4, 2022 at 5:32 pm | # | Reply

        This time Danny passes, but I’m sure Sayid will continue to glare at him with disdain.

  26. Hof1991
    Hof1991
    October 4, 2022 at 10:59 am | # | Reply

    Local library has a soundproof recording studio. With a large double pane window. No shenanigans!! I helped design it.

    • Laura
      Laura
      October 4, 2022 at 11:03 am | # | Reply

      So cool!

    • seregiel
      seregiel
      October 4, 2022 at 1:49 pm | # | Reply

      Ours too!

  27. Laura
    Laura
    October 4, 2022 at 6:04 pm | # | Reply

    Currently playing “Tony Stark’s Concentration Mix” on the hacked robot arm:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVbUNRwpXzw
    Sending caring thoughts to anyone experiencing workplace anxiety right now.

    • StClair
      StClair
      October 4, 2022 at 8:03 pm | # | Reply

      more a case of generalized anxiety, but thanks for the thought.
      what’s the occasion? :\

    • Laura
      Laura
      October 4, 2022 at 8:29 pm | # | Reply

      Thanks, StClair. Just dealing with low-grade subsurface panic about the effects of disability at work. Makes it hard to think and talk and write and get things done. Music helps a bit.

      • Laura
        Laura
        October 4, 2022 at 8:30 pm | # | Reply

        *my disability.

      • The Wellerman
        The Wellerman
        October 4, 2022 at 10:02 pm | # | Reply

        I feel ya. It never gets any less exhausting for us neurodivergents, does it? ?

        • Laura
          Laura
          October 4, 2022 at 11:48 pm | # | Reply

          Nope. 🙁

  28. Laura
    Laura
    October 4, 2022 at 8:30 pm | # | Reply

    Oops! Meant that to be a reply to the earlier thread! Scratch that / disregard.

  29. Kyrik Michalowski
    Kyrik Michalowski
    October 4, 2022 at 9:44 pm | # | Reply

    Wait, Sal isn’t going to freak out because someone heard her singing with a ukelele, right? Also sorry for the double comment, I messed up my email.

    • Rabisch
      Rabisch
      October 4, 2022 at 10:21 pm | # | Reply

      I’m pretty sure a lot of people in the college have already heard her and Danny performance on the stairs.

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