Okay, I read back. Absolutely nothing they said suggested the idea of it being a robbery or mentioned a convenience store. She just apologized for holding a knife to his neck.
Little bit nettled, because Willis is usually so very good at catching that sort of thing.
Soooo….Thad stalked them halfway through the whole dorm so that he could comfort Ethan? Dude is THIRSTY.
Nelly Dreadful
Have you SEEN Ethan? Dude’s probably had wistful gay dudes forlornly follow him a LOT further than half the dorm. Thad just happened to be the one at the head of the pack who was stalking close enough to be in earshot.
Regalli
They have a schedule for who gets to casually, wistfully flirt with Ethan when.
*happy gasp* Oh, neat! I was wondering if Thad and Ethan would get another shot the other day.
And Ha! Yeah, that alt text ain’t wrong. But on the Sal note, her expressions remain the CUTEST GODDAMN THING and I love how happy she and Ethan both are to have things in the open. And now Sal might be able to remember his name.
Ethan getting a chance with Thad this time around is probably one of the top 10 things I wanted from a new universe of these characters, so I am extremely happy right now.
Pretty sure people do. I don’t really know why, but if you tell someone “I had to get through (insert something really horrible here) and now I’m traumatised”, people mostly immediately take interest in you. It doesn’t really matter whether you currently are in a good or a bad place.
Glad to get ethans confirmation that he has pretty much dealt with his past though.
It… kind of depends on how relateable and sexy-type-of-danger it is. Like, “I was in a holdup and almost got injured” I can totes see. “Let me tell you all about my history of childhood abuse”? Thaaaaat doesn’t pick up anyone you’d want to date…
Alanari
I was raped as a teenager. There literally was one person so far who backed off when I told him. And he knew more than the average person about damaged minds and what they can do to people close to you.
It’s not limited to love interest though. Sal described it once pretty well.
Lots of different experiences. Admittedly lots of people respond to vulnerability. It’s related to our desires to protect and nurture. But it can also backfire. I’m a mental health therapist. I usually cringe when people decide to immediately share all their insecurities and traumatic past. I deal with this stuff every day. I’m really turned off by the thought of having a relationship that feels like my job. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want a partner that doesn’t have any problems, but when it is one of the first meetings and they decide to just share everything, it’s really off-putting.
Rowen Morland
I’m imagining you on a blind date with an otherwise perfect someone, who had a totally un-traumatic life, and you are just sitting there with a super frown.
Alanari
Oh I’d never, ever make myself vulnerable in front of people I don’t know. There’s a difference between things that make me vulnerable and things others think make me vulnerable. People often confuse those two.
That’s another thing that annoys me. I’m not a child, I’m a grown woman. I need neither protection nor nurtue. I’m perfectly able to take care of myself. Why do people often assume otherwise, just because they know some bad stuff happened in my past. My past doesn’t define who I am.
Sunny
I don’t really know how to respond when someone opens up to me so I’ve mostly started to default to variations of “that must really suck”. It seems to work, though.
You know, amongst the famed 36 questions to make the two asking each other these questions there is “what was the worst thing that ever happened to you?”.
Anyone asking that kind of question on a first date is definitely out.
(Mandy Ann Catron mentions in her book that she had known the guy she did that with – and eventually became a couple with – for some time when they did the thing with the questions. )
You know, for most people, the worst thing they experienced is something they are embarrassed about. The average person isn’t traumatised. That’s what this question is about.
I don’t do dates though. I’ve literally no idea about first date etiquette.
CJ
I’m not sure about the statistics, but at least every third women has something worse to tell, not to mention all other kinds of desasters than can befall a person and be too much for smalltalk.
BBCC
Besides, even if it’s ‘only embarrassing’ people still may not want to share.
Alanari
Every third is a bit high for western countries. And there is a thing like not answering a question..
Knayt
If anything every third is low – “not traumatized” is a broad term that can apply to a large variety of different traumas, there’s some generally good reasons to believe that there’s a loose negative correlation between severity and frequency. Add in being able to get up to 1/6 to 1/4 the female population on literally one specific severe trauma and that 1/3 seems optimistic.
Mike framed himself as someone to fool around with, not as a relationship. He really isn’t a factor.
Needfuldoer
He even explicitly said so.We know he wanted to hook up with either Ethan or Danny to turn the other into a sniveling wreck, but they drifted apart on their own.
Meagan
I think in this continuity we have been shown that while Mike has a hard facade he actually does have feelings for Ethan, so I predict fallout from this.
Nelly Dreadful
Fallout which will be all Mike’s own fault. He entered the relationship intending to break hearts to prove some kind of weird point, and explicitly framed it as meaningless hookup sex, but then gets taken at his word and as a result gets his own heart broken? (Insert “Congratulations, you played yourself” gif here.)
Inahc
If it was a movie, Mike would then have a moment of decency and thus the girl Ethan would have no choice but to date him.
Regalli
Also, even Ethan was aware and not disputing that an actual relationship with Mike would be terrible for him, because Mike is so genuinely unpleasant to anyone he spends long periods of time with.
I mean, dude elaborately fakes websites to make his roommate cry and record it. What the actual fuck.
Thad looks like a potato to me. But I guess we all have different tastes. Though personally I wouldn’t just grab someone’s hand immediately after hearing about a traumatic thing that happened to them. But I guess Ethan is ok with it, so I’m happy for him.
169 thoughts on “Sorted”
Ana Chronistic
“I CAN ARM WRASSLE YA!”
wait no
(wondering if Thad will be posting in this thread shortly)
Unusually Angry Hippie
Okay, I read back. Absolutely nothing they said suggested the idea of it being a robbery or mentioned a convenience store. She just apologized for holding a knife to his neck.
Little bit nettled, because Willis is usually so very good at catching that sort of thing.
Danielle
I’m reasonably sure we didn’t see the entire conversation.
Jimi
*sees gravatar of a Troutman character*
*approving nod*
Jimi
Man Sarah as a gravatar does not fit half my comments I love it
Danielle
In fact that is me, AS a Troutman character. Commissioned for just such comments. 😀
Miri
http://www.dumbingofage.com/category/comic/book-9-comic/01-flyin-to-the-red/ and the next strip, Ethan mentions the gas station and convenience store. If Thad was in earshot for a while and overheard that and the later part, he could conceivably have joined the dots.
Unusually Angry Hippie
Soooo….Thad stalked them halfway through the whole dorm so that he could comfort Ethan? Dude is THIRSTY.
Nelly Dreadful
Have you SEEN Ethan? Dude’s probably had wistful gay dudes forlornly follow him a LOT further than half the dorm. Thad just happened to be the one at the head of the pack who was stalking close enough to be in earshot.
Regalli
They have a schedule for who gets to casually, wistfully flirt with Ethan when.
Doctor_Who
And with that Thad gives him a business card for a good therapist and departs.
MatthewTheLucky
Huh, Sal did make it up to him with sex.
Some1
She used her coolness powers to will a guy to do that for her. Its called Telegayany.
Stephen Bierce
*fails to find his old Village People records*
Stephen Bierce
Meanwhile, Penn State and the Hoosiers played a very good football game today.
NerdHerder
Time and Thad’s penis heal all wounds.
BBCC
*happy gasp* Oh, neat! I was wondering if Thad and Ethan would get another shot the other day.
And Ha! Yeah, that alt text ain’t wrong. But on the Sal note, her expressions remain the CUTEST GODDAMN THING and I love how happy she and Ethan both are to have things in the open. And now Sal might be able to remember his name.
Bagge
I really think this was the healing exercise Ethan hoped for.
RacingTurtle
Ethan getting a chance with Thad this time around is probably one of the top 10 things I wanted from a new universe of these characters, so I am extremely happy right now.
Victor Riley
And now Ethan has found his pickup technique. Dudes dig the trauma, I guess.
Alanari
Pretty sure people do. I don’t really know why, but if you tell someone “I had to get through (insert something really horrible here) and now I’m traumatised”, people mostly immediately take interest in you. It doesn’t really matter whether you currently are in a good or a bad place.
Glad to get ethans confirmation that he has pretty much dealt with his past though.
not someone else
It… kind of depends on how relateable and sexy-type-of-danger it is. Like, “I was in a holdup and almost got injured” I can totes see. “Let me tell you all about my history of childhood abuse”? Thaaaaat doesn’t pick up anyone you’d want to date…
Alanari
I was raped as a teenager. There literally was one person so far who backed off when I told him. And he knew more than the average person about damaged minds and what they can do to people close to you.
It’s not limited to love interest though. Sal described it once pretty well.
Alanari
Edit, found the strip:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/pissybaby/
not someone else
Huh. Different experiences, I guess!
Terry
Lots of different experiences. Admittedly lots of people respond to vulnerability. It’s related to our desires to protect and nurture. But it can also backfire. I’m a mental health therapist. I usually cringe when people decide to immediately share all their insecurities and traumatic past. I deal with this stuff every day. I’m really turned off by the thought of having a relationship that feels like my job. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want a partner that doesn’t have any problems, but when it is one of the first meetings and they decide to just share everything, it’s really off-putting.
Rowen Morland
I’m imagining you on a blind date with an otherwise perfect someone, who had a totally un-traumatic life, and you are just sitting there with a super frown.
Alanari
Oh I’d never, ever make myself vulnerable in front of people I don’t know. There’s a difference between things that make me vulnerable and things others think make me vulnerable. People often confuse those two.
That’s another thing that annoys me. I’m not a child, I’m a grown woman. I need neither protection nor nurtue. I’m perfectly able to take care of myself. Why do people often assume otherwise, just because they know some bad stuff happened in my past. My past doesn’t define who I am.
Sunny
I don’t really know how to respond when someone opens up to me so I’ve mostly started to default to variations of “that must really suck”. It seems to work, though.
CJ
You know, amongst the famed 36 questions to make the two asking each other these questions there is “what was the worst thing that ever happened to you?”.
Anyone asking that kind of question on a first date is definitely out.
(Mandy Ann Catron mentions in her book that she had known the guy she did that with – and eventually became a couple with – for some time when they did the thing with the questions. )
CJ
Inserts ‘ to fall in love’ into the first sentence.
Alanari
You know, for most people, the worst thing they experienced is something they are embarrassed about. The average person isn’t traumatised. That’s what this question is about.
I don’t do dates though. I’ve literally no idea about first date etiquette.
CJ
I’m not sure about the statistics, but at least every third women has something worse to tell, not to mention all other kinds of desasters than can befall a person and be too much for smalltalk.
BBCC
Besides, even if it’s ‘only embarrassing’ people still may not want to share.
Alanari
Every third is a bit high for western countries. And there is a thing like not answering a question..
Knayt
If anything every third is low – “not traumatized” is a broad term that can apply to a large variety of different traumas, there’s some generally good reasons to believe that there’s a loose negative correlation between severity and frequency. Add in being able to get up to 1/6 to 1/4 the female population on literally one specific severe trauma and that 1/3 seems optimistic.
butts
THAD THAD THAD THAD THAD THAD THAD THAD
(do it for Evan)
Emperor Norton II
Are you saying that you want to have him visiting your THARDIS?
(I’m sure we all know what this reply is a callback to.)
TrueVCU
BACK OFF THAD DANNY HAS DIBS
Doctor_Who
I love how nobody in this thread even considers Mike a factor Ethan should consider.
Nor should they, get it, Ethan.
timemonkey
Mike framed himself as someone to fool around with, not as a relationship. He really isn’t a factor.
Needfuldoer
He even explicitly said so. We know he wanted to hook up with either Ethan or Danny to turn the other into a sniveling wreck, but they drifted apart on their own.
Meagan
I think in this continuity we have been shown that while Mike has a hard facade he actually does have feelings for Ethan, so I predict fallout from this.
Nelly Dreadful
Fallout which will be all Mike’s own fault. He entered the relationship intending to break hearts to prove some kind of weird point, and explicitly framed it as meaningless hookup sex, but then gets taken at his word and as a result gets his own heart broken? (Insert “Congratulations, you played yourself” gif here.)
Inahc
If it was a movie, Mike would then have a moment of decency and thus
the girlEthan would have no choice but to date him.Regalli
Also, even Ethan was aware and not disputing that an actual relationship with Mike would be terrible for him, because Mike is so genuinely unpleasant to anyone he spends long periods of time with.
I mean, dude elaborately fakes websites to make his roommate cry and record it. What the actual fuck.
Bagge
Danny’s only love these days is his music
Emperor Norton II
And even if he should get knocked down by this, he’ll get up again.
You will never gonna keep Danny down.
Bagge
Heh, good one, Emperor
Emperor Norton II
I’m basically all about callbacks in my comments today.
Sunny
Don’t forget about his dapper hat.
TrueVCU
Dapper Hat has already agreed to an open relationship with Danny and Ethan
purblebirb
YEAH
Shiro
!!!!
D’awwwwww! Yes, this is good, I like this ending
BlackScarabZ
Nice to see the position of the moon and stars have once again converged to give them another chance.
Roger
Damn thad got game
Benjy
Oh. Um. Hello random love interest I’m apparently supposed to have remembered
BBCC
They haven’t hooked up in DoA. They almost had a thing in Walkyverse, but that’s not really relevant, story wise, here. You’re good.
Benjy
Ah, thanks
ShinyNeen
It’s like Willis wrapped up this whole sequence with a nice little bow and gifted it to Ethan.
Woo, second shot at Ethan/Thad! Shortpacked revenge! Wooo!
adjudicus
Awwwwww!!
JepMZ
It’s nice the comic promotes even bald people can get beautiful people!
Irredentist
Thad looks like a potato to me. But I guess we all have different tastes. Though personally I wouldn’t just grab someone’s hand immediately after hearing about a traumatic thing that happened to them. But I guess Ethan is ok with it, so I’m happy for him.
not someone else
He is clearly a fluffy bear and it is wonderful.
kitty
are potatos not neat
Irredentist
He is the sexiest and smoothest of all potatoes
Dean
Potatoes are the best vegetable.
JepMZ
He seems to be a sweet potato from all the stuff so far (tho I could have sworn he had more appearances than what the tags are showing me)
And same!
not someone else
…Shipping ended with Danethan. Now Ethad is OTP.
(That man needs another chance.)
JepMZ
I’m still kinda hoping Danethan happening, or maybe Mike finally breaking down his walls to keep him
Kamino Neko
Thad’s a bit forward, but anyone other than Mike is an improvement, so, go Thad!
abysswatcher1993