Now now, the characters in a comic like Smarting of Age would never make a poor life decisio-huh has the title always been Dumbing? I swear it was Smarting back home in the Berenstein universe.
What I really like about this comic is how everything made sense to people at the time. Billie’s negligently tiny coping toolbox has basically Use Alcohol and Stupid Cheerleader Drama-Do a Power Walk in it. Ruth reasoned “sip a few drinks, allowed to have love from Billie again, agonizing pain decreases”.
Certain mood stabilizers have Stevens-Johnson syndrome as a potential side effect for like 0.1~0.2% of patients. Usually triggered by sudden dosage changes which is why they ramp you up slow for those meds. Basically it starts as a really bad rash and quickly progresses to full-on necrosis of the entire dermal sheath. You know those anatomy diagrams in your doctor’s office with the dude stripped down to exposed muscle? It’s as if your body decided everything external to that was actually a badly-matched transplant and began rejecting it. Decent chance you’ll survive if you immediately get to the ER, but you can’t take anything that has this as a side effect (I’m on two meds like this) without getting absolutely AVALANCHED with “no seriously you will die in the most horrible fuckin’ way” warnings from everybody, every label, and every instruction packet.
Is this reaction caused by the med itself or is mixing w alcohol required — or, sufficient?
Marduk
Alcohol can suppress the effects of mood stabilizers, but that’s a psychiatric effect – it shouldn’t actually alter the fundamental chemistry of your body with regard to diffusion of the chemicals involved. It’s sharp spikes or dropoffs in that chemistry that usually begin the process and it’s damn near impossible to get a script for anything like this without being read the riot act on not dicking around with your dosage.
If Ruth suddenly stopped taking her meds or decided to take more (she’s been behaving pretty manic of late) then she’s potentially at risk.
Abbefaria
Do enjoy learning some of this, ironically friend in my gaming group was pulling a very similar stunt to this just today.
Long and short I’m gathering though is the rash just took this from cutting her off now so she can come down, to red blaring warning lights flashing.
Mra
What meds cause this, ’cause I am on antidepressa nts too and this is the first I am hearing of it
He Who Abides
That’s more a question for a doctor than a bunch of webcomic enthusiasts.
Agemegos
SJS/TEN is not noted as an interaction of lamotrigine with other drugs, or with alcohol. If it were anyone would be insanely reckless to prescribe it to a patient with Ruth’s history.
I would like to point out (1) that Willis never said that Ruth is on lamotrigine or tregretol, and (2) that not every rash, not every skin reaction, is SJS/TEN.
Brotato
Lamotrigine would honestly be a baffling first choice of meds.
Well, but he told her IF she showed up again he’d assume that she was either being truthful or incredibly brazenly stupid. While we know which option it is, he doesn’t.
Ruth, come on, you don’t compromise your health or your life.
Fun fact – they’re not called black and tans in Ireland (for reasons of a violently oppressive historical paramilitary force having the same nickname). Most people just ask for pale ale and stout layered. If they have a name, it’s usually called a half and half.
For similar reasons, the Irish Car Bomb is not called that either. I….really hope I don’t need to explain why that name would be considered offensive. But yeah, apparently you either order Guinness, Bailey’s and Irish whiskey together or, more rarely, places sell them under the names ‘Irish slammer’ or (much MORE rarely) ‘Irish bomb shot’.
“Black and Tan” should be offensive! And “Half and Half”! In both cases you’re watering down good stout with beer! Give me a pint of stout or a pint of beer, but don’t give me some wishy washy compromise! 🙂 🙂
they totally can, but Jason’s been a bartender for like a few days at this point, so I’m glad if Billie’s making that choice that much easier to make for Jason.
Resto’s I worked we were required to refuse drinks to people who were too, too. Had to do with legal responsibility if someone we served subsequently caused an accident while DWI/DUI on booze we provided.
Jason should do the smart thing here and refuse to serve either one of them. I’m really hoping that is what is coming, I’m also hoping this whole thing is going to trigger an epiphany for Billie. But as people remind me this isn’t called Smarting of Age.
i’ve been waiting for jason to join the fray since ruth showed up.
i’m kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop and this storyline to end up in as bad of a place emotionally as the car chase. billie better start acting with integrity real soon, or she’ll have some regrets.
He hadn’t been humbled yet. Not that I think he’s the picture of humility now, but we’ve seen he at least realizes he blew that gig, and I imagine he really doesn’t want to screw this up, too, and end up having to go back home, given how much he detests his dad.
Oh jeez that’s sudden and honestly I’m not entirely surprised. Ruth is going to drink herself into some kind of atoxia if she’s not stopped. Well I bet “string bean” will find about half a word before Billie has a screaming fit, perhaps.
I’m sorry, I know this is deathly serious and really not something to laugh at, but I keep thinking that Jason’s going to have to try bartenderly advice for the first time in his life and I just smile whenever I imagine that trainwreck.
I had to look up what a black and tan was, and incidentally learned it’s another drink that’s offensive to the Irish along with of course an Irish Car Bomb.
Yeah, if a restaurant in Ireland is serving a drink Americans would call a black and tan, the name over there (if any) is likely to be ‘half and half’.
122 thoughts on “Stringbean”
Ana Chronistic
“I mean don’t worry, I’ve ALWAYS been rash”
King Daniel
One wonders if this is going to be Ruth’s outbreak role.
Doctor_Who
I think she’ll be flush with success.
Dean
Yes, hive often thought so.
newllend(henryvolt)
This…was such…a bad idea
Doctor_Who
Now now, the characters in a comic like Smarting of Age would never make a poor life decisio-huh has the title always been Dumbing? I swear it was Smarting back home in the Berenstein universe.
Solenoid
Before long the characters sure will be smarting, I tell you what.
Shane Wegner
What I really like about this comic is how everything made sense to people at the time. Billie’s negligently tiny coping toolbox has basically Use Alcohol and Stupid Cheerleader Drama-Do a Power Walk in it. Ruth reasoned “sip a few drinks, allowed to have love from Billie again, agonizing pain decreases”.
Diner Kinetic
Dear god this escalated quickly, and I know it’s been like 5 days but holy poops this friggin’ bad
Nono
Alright, please, let this be the wake-up call for Billie to get help for herself as well.
Stu
That would require self-reflection. Billie, at this point, has none.
Rabid Rabbit
Billie is far too concerned about Ruth to be concerned about herself.
Nono
More like a ‘okay, I have to stop drinking. Otherwise, she won’t stop either.’
It’s kind of a terrible way to go about it, but sobriety is kind of results-oriented.
Vukodlak
Self-reflection is the reason they and many Alcoholic’s drink. They reflect
Upon themselves and hate what they see.
Mra
Is she allergic to the mix of alcohol and meds or has she been ordering drinks she know’s have things she’s allergic to?
DailyBrad
The former, I would imagine.
Marduk
Certain mood stabilizers have Stevens-Johnson syndrome as a potential side effect for like 0.1~0.2% of patients. Usually triggered by sudden dosage changes which is why they ramp you up slow for those meds. Basically it starts as a really bad rash and quickly progresses to full-on necrosis of the entire dermal sheath. You know those anatomy diagrams in your doctor’s office with the dude stripped down to exposed muscle? It’s as if your body decided everything external to that was actually a badly-matched transplant and began rejecting it. Decent chance you’ll survive if you immediately get to the ER, but you can’t take anything that has this as a side effect (I’m on two meds like this) without getting absolutely AVALANCHED with “no seriously you will die in the most horrible fuckin’ way” warnings from everybody, every label, and every instruction packet.
Obviously do not Google Image Search this.
Fogel
Is this reaction caused by the med itself or is mixing w alcohol required — or, sufficient?
Marduk
Alcohol can suppress the effects of mood stabilizers, but that’s a psychiatric effect – it shouldn’t actually alter the fundamental chemistry of your body with regard to diffusion of the chemicals involved. It’s sharp spikes or dropoffs in that chemistry that usually begin the process and it’s damn near impossible to get a script for anything like this without being read the riot act on not dicking around with your dosage.
If Ruth suddenly stopped taking her meds or decided to take more (she’s been behaving pretty manic of late) then she’s potentially at risk.
Abbefaria
Do enjoy learning some of this, ironically friend in my gaming group was pulling a very similar stunt to this just today.
Long and short I’m gathering though is the rash just took this from cutting her off now so she can come down, to red blaring warning lights flashing.
Mra
What meds cause this, ’cause I am on antidepressa nts too and this is the first I am hearing of it
He Who Abides
That’s more a question for a doctor than a bunch of webcomic enthusiasts.
Agemegos
SJS/TEN is not noted as an interaction of lamotrigine with other drugs, or with alcohol. If it were anyone would be insanely reckless to prescribe it to a patient with Ruth’s history.
I would like to point out (1) that Willis never said that Ruth is on lamotrigine or tregretol, and (2) that not every rash, not every skin reaction, is SJS/TEN.
Brotato
Lamotrigine would honestly be a baffling first choice of meds.
Mra
I already google image searched it
ValdVin
In order to aid Ruth, Billie is nigh close to getting herself not served. That’s not what I expected to have happened once I saw her in this bar.
wwwhhattt
Considering how firmly Jason refused her the last time she came I wonder if getting served was actually her plan.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2018/comic/book-8/04-of-mike-and-men/brazenly/
Clif
Well, but he told her IF she showed up again he’d assume that she was either being truthful or incredibly brazenly stupid. While we know which option it is, he doesn’t.
etherealdesiign
today’s specials:
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Doctor_Who
Galasso hired Woodstock from Peanuts because he heard birds went cheep.
He Who Abides
Flock this, I’m not getting involved.
BBCC
…oh shit.
Ruth, come on, you don’t compromise your health or your life.
Fun fact – they’re not called black and tans in Ireland (for reasons of a violently oppressive historical paramilitary force having the same nickname). Most people just ask for pale ale and stout layered. If they have a name, it’s usually called a half and half.
FLUFFYWOLF
They did TERRIBLE THINGS to the Aran Islands!
BBCC
For similar reasons, the Irish Car Bomb is not called that either. I….really hope I don’t need to explain why that name would be considered offensive. But yeah, apparently you either order Guinness, Bailey’s and Irish whiskey together or, more rarely, places sell them under the names ‘Irish slammer’ or (much MORE rarely) ‘Irish bomb shot’.
ValdVin
I have lived my whole life in suburban southern New England, which probably is why I’ve never heard of a drink called the Irish Car Bomb.
BBCC
It seems to be more of a North American thing. Mostly around St. Patrick’s Day.
wwwhhattt
I saw them in the students union in Aberdeen. I’d gone with a guy from Derry, who was as pleased as you’d expect.
Needfuldoer
Same, and same. Knowing Southie, though, that’s not too surprising.
I never hear police buses referred to as “paddy wagons”, either.
Fogel
I encountered ICB at a resto in the American Great Lakes Region: I was shocked and appalled.
DaveM
“Black and Tan” should be offensive! And “Half and Half”! In both cases you’re watering down good stout with beer! Give me a pint of stout or a pint of beer, but don’t give me some wishy washy compromise! 🙂 🙂
He Who Abides
Amen, brother.
Mra
Even if she wasn’t underage and on meds, Bartenders can decline sevice if they think they have had too much to drink already
DailyBrad
they totally can, but Jason’s been a bartender for like a few days at this point, so I’m glad if Billie’s making that choice that much easier to make for Jason.
Fogel
Resto’s I worked we were required to refuse drinks to people who were too, too. Had to do with legal responsibility if someone we served subsequently caused an accident while DWI/DUI on booze we provided.
Regalli
That’s dram shop liability. Not every state has it but Indiana does. (The question is, is Jason aware that’s a thing with his zero bartender training.
The even bigger question is, is Galasso. Pamela’s clearly the brains of this undertaking.)
Kern Wallace
Ruth, you are as stringy as Jason is.
WarDragon
Ruth could break Jason in half.
Woomy
Yes but Jason is a man
Kyrik Michalowski
Jason should do the smart thing here and refuse to serve either one of them. I’m really hoping that is what is coming, I’m also hoping this whole thing is going to trigger an epiphany for Billie. But as people remind me this isn’t called Smarting of Age.
etherealdesiign
i’ve been waiting for jason to join the fray since ruth showed up.
i’m kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop and this storyline to end up in as bad of a place emotionally as the car chase. billie better start acting with integrity real soon, or she’ll have some regrets.
DailyBrad
You know, I wonder if Jason’s just winging it, or if he has the self respect to actually try to learn some mixology now that he’s got the job.
Granted, I imagine most of the costumers aren’t exactly asking for complicated cocktails, but all the same.
BBCC
Why bother? He didn’t even so much as google tutoring tips when he got the TA job and that job supposedly mattered to him.
DailyBrad
He hadn’t been humbled yet. Not that I think he’s the picture of humility now, but we’ve seen he at least realizes he blew that gig, and I imagine he really doesn’t want to screw this up, too, and end up having to go back home, given how much he detests his dad.
BBCC
I guess, potentially.
BarerMender
The first thing we saw him do when he got the job was use his phone to figure out how to make a margarita.
BarerMender
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2018/comic/book-8/03-faz-is-great/works/
DailyBrad
that’s a start, anyway.
fire_daws
Welp. That escalated quickly
ValdVin
Appropriate Claire is (sadly) appropriate.
fire_daws
I’m aiming to have a Claireface for every occasion.
ValdVin
Well, Claire is the woman of a thousand moods. Go for it!
(And my favorite mood may be her saying “Come on, I’m hilarious!” after a pun.)
Needfuldoer
Every time Claire puns, she makes this face.
fire_daws
Incorrect.
ego
really hoping that, in the off-season, there’s a trade, claire’s mom for dina. both deserve to be starters.
ValdVin
I know, right?
Mrs. Augustus doesn’t even have a canonical first name IIRC. (And most all other parents in QC do.)
biblioholic93
Oh jeez that’s sudden and honestly I’m not entirely surprised. Ruth is going to drink herself into some kind of atoxia if she’s not stopped. Well I bet “string bean” will find about half a word before Billie has a screaming fit, perhaps.
Lacuna
I’m sorry, I know this is deathly serious and really not something to laugh at, but I keep thinking that Jason’s going to have to try bartenderly advice for the first time in his life and I just smile whenever I imagine that trainwreck.
StClair
Yeah, it’ll be a whole barrel of laughs when her throat starts closing up.
CrazyJ
I had to look up what a black and tan was, and incidentally learned it’s another drink that’s offensive to the Irish along with of course an Irish Car Bomb.
BBCC
Yeah, if a restaurant in Ireland is serving a drink Americans would call a black and tan, the name over there (if any) is likely to be ‘half and half’.
Casi