Remember how bad Ruth was doing freshman family weekend after quitting? Couldn’t handle Blaine when she needed to. Quitting could jeopardize Billie’s grades, but her resolve might not be as strong if she waits until midterms are over. Walked right into a lose-lose
Clif
It’s worse than that. Billie is a high functioning drunk and has acquired a fairly high tolerance to alcohol and when she’s awake she fairly consistently drinks enough for a mild high. When you learn something in a particular mental state, your recall of it is best in the same state. If Billie takes her tests completely sober, at this point it’s almost certain to lower her grades. And that’s in addition to the other factors.
It’s like someone who’s got a caffeine or nicotine addiction suddenly dropping it cold turkey. Sure, it’s ‘better’ for you, but you’re gonna be in for a hell of a time dealing with the symptoms.
Dropping an addiction right in the middle of a stressful period isn’t going to help, no.
The best thing at least is that she is only 18. Years, not decades into an addiction. Still super hard! But easier, and if she can quit (or cut down to say, a beer or two a week) she has halted so much body/mental health/relationship damage.
Also potentially more dangerous. Unlike caffeine or nicotine, severe enough alcohol withdrawal can actually kill. It’s doubtful someone as young as Billy had fed the habit enough to be lethal, but not impossible. Good thing she is seeing a therapist experienced (presumably) with alcohol addiction.
CookieX1313
DTs (Delerium Tremens) normaly only occure if you have tried and failed to stop drinking before, but yes it can kill. (Hence why hospitals actualy have prescription beer, incase someone comes in with horrible DTs)
My advice in this situation would be, stop drinking the hard stuff vodka,whiskey,rum etc, and instead stick to lighter stuff like beer or cider.
Also I’m not a doctor. (Legally covering my butt! :3)
Khyrin
I have to assume ‘prescription beer’ is served intravenously to make sure the patient actually detoxes slowly as opposed to presenting the addict with one fewer 22oz(650ml) container each week until they’re out of the danger zone.
This. Any doctor will tell you to continue your addiction until a particularly stressful period in your life is over. An attempt to will almost certainly end in failure, and will always make a stressful situation 10x more stressful. It’s the reason they tell pregnant women who smoke, NOT to go cold turkey. The stress from cutting nicotine off is worse for the foetus than the actual cigarettes.
It would honestly be more sensible of Billy to continue drinking until the midterms are over, and THEN cut down.
thejeff
At this point – go to therapy first. Now. (Well, tomorrow, since it’s late.)
Get and take their advice.
Beyond that, Billie’s mostly a functional drunk – she doesn’t drink to the point of passing out every time, so sticking to relatively moderate drinking for the next week might be an option. Get someone (not Ruth) to monitor her drinking.
When you’re a real no-shit drunk, the first 2-5 days after quitting are pretty much non functional. Wild emotional swings, compulsive random crying, it’s a real joyride.
Man, as someone who really only had end-of-year exams or just assignments throughout the year, seeing everyone get so worried for midterms is kinda weird.
Well maybe Billie is serious and can follow through this time? I’d be elated if that were the case. Also the alt text reminds me of something but I can’t remember it for whatever reason, what is it?
I have a tiny pet theory, from Billie’s sotto voce in the first panel, that she’s got the idea now to “wean Ruth off her”. I don’t think it’s likely, judging by the previous comics, but I kind of wonder if she’s decided she needs to get Ruth into a state where Ruth can be on her own, then she can bail safely.
Son of a boingo! Having never typed in that word, I didn’t know there’d be a brute-force autocorrect.
Marsh Maryrose
It’s honestly a lot of fun watching someone else discovering this forum’s Scongahorpe filter for the first time. Takes me back to those halcyon days when I discovered it myself. (Of course, it was in place long before I started posting.)
Last time this came up, some posted about their own “New Milford” experience.
Bicycle Bill
I must be missing something.  The only filter I was aware of is the one that comes into play whenever someone tries to use the b-word that rhymes with ‘witch’.
Bicycle Bill
However, Google is my friend.  I was able to find out it replaces one of George Carlin’s infamous seven words with “conga”.
Marsh Maryrose
There have been others, but they have mostly been rescinded.The bongo and the conga remain. The conga filter is unique in that it will replace those four letters no matter where they occur in a word. I believe bongo only applies to the word on its own, so “bongoin” and “sumbongo” are not affected.
Marsh Maryrose
Huh. I was wrong on that last point. Let’s try a couple of old ones:
Also, having only run afoul of “bongo” (since I tend to refer to myself as such), I am TERRIBLY CURIOUS what “New Milford”.
LeslieBean4shizzle
Whoops – this is why I shouldn’t edit mid sentence – forgot to finish.
Anyway, I meant to say that I am terribly curious what “New Milford” replaces. I mean, there’s a goodly chance I’m better off not knowing, but still… so very curious.
thejeff
New Milford doesn’t replace anything. Much like certain letters in the name of the town of Scongahorpe, the first part of “Milford” can be filtered because it’s a common porn search term. It isn’t here.
LeslieBean4shizzle
Oh, that’s dull. I misinterpreted the OP (or second P?)
Anyway, I still prefer ‘glistening phallus’. That is a phrase I can enjoy.
Looking at the chart (you can mouseover each character’s count bars to see on what date a particular bomb was dropped, and what line contained it), it has certainly counted before.
It’s still words and not actions yet, hasn’t been converted, could still be backed out on. And saying these words is scoring Ruth points right now. But she’s rolling around the idea on her tongue. We’ll see how she handles her urge/habit of backing out.
Well, the exclamation does more to convince me she honestly does plan to quit more than anything else she’s said. I hope you succeed, Billie! (But don’t have much faith in you.)
I believe Willis has said that this comic only covers freshman year. I could be wrong about that though, can someone verify?
Marsh Maryrose
At the current rate, in-comic first year Move-out day will happen right around Willis’s 70th birthday. As a retiree myself, I can’t imagine he’ll want to continue it after that. But maybe his hypothetical grandkids will keep it going.
102 thoughts on “Accomplished”
Ana Chronistic
also Oktoberfest probs
“ANUS”
Doctor_Who
Billie in the last panel looks like she’s addressing Willis as he smirks and draws this.
“Ain’t I a stinker?”
pienapp1e
YES!!!!! toooooo funny (and appropriate)! lololol
He Who Abides
There’s always a catch.
Kravis
But isn’t better having the tests NOT hangover?
Shadowypenguin
I think it’s for after the tests. Also she is going to feel like shit for not feeding her addiction
AntJ
Remember how bad Ruth was doing freshman family weekend after quitting? Couldn’t handle Blaine when she needed to. Quitting could jeopardize Billie’s grades, but her resolve might not be as strong if she waits until midterms are over. Walked right into a lose-lose
Clif
It’s worse than that. Billie is a high functioning drunk and has acquired a fairly high tolerance to alcohol and when she’s awake she fairly consistently drinks enough for a mild high. When you learn something in a particular mental state, your recall of it is best in the same state. If Billie takes her tests completely sober, at this point it’s almost certain to lower her grades. And that’s in addition to the other factors.
Nono
It’s like someone who’s got a caffeine or nicotine addiction suddenly dropping it cold turkey. Sure, it’s ‘better’ for you, but you’re gonna be in for a hell of a time dealing with the symptoms.
Dropping an addiction right in the middle of a stressful period isn’t going to help, no.
Hazel
The best thing at least is that she is only 18. Years, not decades into an addiction. Still super hard! But easier, and if she can quit (or cut down to say, a beer or two a week) she has halted so much body/mental health/relationship damage.
Terry
Also potentially more dangerous. Unlike caffeine or nicotine, severe enough alcohol withdrawal can actually kill. It’s doubtful someone as young as Billy had fed the habit enough to be lethal, but not impossible. Good thing she is seeing a therapist experienced (presumably) with alcohol addiction.
CookieX1313
DTs (Delerium Tremens) normaly only occure if you have tried and failed to stop drinking before, but yes it can kill. (Hence why hospitals actualy have prescription beer, incase someone comes in with horrible DTs)
My advice in this situation would be, stop drinking the hard stuff vodka,whiskey,rum etc, and instead stick to lighter stuff like beer or cider.
Also I’m not a doctor. (Legally covering my butt! :3)
Khyrin
I have to assume ‘prescription beer’ is served intravenously to make sure the patient actually detoxes slowly as opposed to presenting the addict with one fewer 22oz(650ml) container each week until they’re out of the danger zone.
StClair
If one of those bottles should happen to fall…
Gillybby
This. Any doctor will tell you to continue your addiction until a particularly stressful period in your life is over. An attempt to will almost certainly end in failure, and will always make a stressful situation 10x more stressful. It’s the reason they tell pregnant women who smoke, NOT to go cold turkey. The stress from cutting nicotine off is worse for the foetus than the actual cigarettes.
It would honestly be more sensible of Billy to continue drinking until the midterms are over, and THEN cut down.
thejeff
At this point – go to therapy first. Now. (Well, tomorrow, since it’s late.)
Get and take their advice.
Beyond that, Billie’s mostly a functional drunk – she doesn’t drink to the point of passing out every time, so sticking to relatively moderate drinking for the next week might be an option. Get someone (not Ruth) to monitor her drinking.
Zee
I don’t think withdrawal symptoms and exams go well together
Noxx
When you’re a real no-shit drunk, the first 2-5 days after quitting are pretty much non functional. Wild emotional swings, compulsive random crying, it’s a real joyride.
Nono
Man, as someone who really only had end-of-year exams or just assignments throughout the year, seeing everyone get so worried for midterms is kinda weird.
Stephen Bierce
*cues up some George Thorogood on the hacked Muzak*
DailyBrad
She picked the wrong week to- okay, you know how the bit goes.
Hide the airplane glue.
Kyrik Michalowski
Well maybe Billie is serious and can follow through this time? I’d be elated if that were the case. Also the alt text reminds me of something but I can’t remember it for whatever reason, what is it?
brionl
Sad trombone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQeezCdF4mk
Kyrik Michalowski
That be it, thank you.
SpaceshipPilot
I know it’s meant to be the sad trombone, but I can’t read “womp womp” without thinking of this.
https://youtu.be/0W2-d84ni5s
Kamino Neko
Yeah, me, too.
StClair
For me, it’s The Law and Order Sound.
Roborat
I heard that in Tiny Teena’s voice.
GoblinScribe
I have a tiny pet theory, from Billie’s sotto voce in the first panel, that she’s got the idea now to “wean Ruth off her”. I don’t think it’s likely, judging by the previous comics, but I kind of wonder if she’s decided she needs to get Ruth into a state where Ruth can be on her own, then she can bail safely.
GoblinScribe
In other words, she’s learned that she needs to manage her self-destruction, but hasn’t really abandoned it yet.
Khyrin
Hopefully that’ll be enough of a ‘crack in the door’ for even a not-that-great therapist to get Billie on the road to recovery herself.
shadowcell
Dumbing of Age Book 9: MOTHERFUCKER!
Bicycle Bill
Does that count as an F-bomb for the purposes of the Official Count?
ValdVin
I can’t see how it doesn’t. It’s not Scongahorpe or New Milford, but a compound word.
ValdVin
Son of a boingo! Having never typed in that word, I didn’t know there’d be a brute-force autocorrect.
Marsh Maryrose
It’s honestly a lot of fun watching someone else discovering this forum’s Scongahorpe filter for the first time. Takes me back to those halcyon days when I discovered it myself. (Of course, it was in place long before I started posting.)
Last time this came up, some posted about their own “New Milford” experience.
Bicycle Bill
I must be missing something.  The only filter I was aware of is the one that comes into play whenever someone tries to use the b-word that rhymes with ‘witch’.
Bicycle Bill
However, Google is my friend.  I was able to find out it replaces one of George Carlin’s infamous seven words with “conga”.
Marsh Maryrose
There have been others, but they have mostly been rescinded.The bongo and the conga remain. The conga filter is unique in that it will replace those four letters no matter where they occur in a word. I believe bongo only applies to the word on its own, so “bongoin” and “sumbongo” are not affected.
Marsh Maryrose
Huh. I was wrong on that last point. Let’s try a couple of old ones:
For me, it was Tuesday
SJW
thejeff
I really miss the SJW one.
SpaceshipPilot
What did those correct to, just out of curiosity?
Amazi-Stool
Tuesday: Just disappeared .
But then Willis, in the persona of Faz, made a tuesday-joke himself, so it was only fair that the filer was removed.
SJW: I remember “glistening penis”. Should I be scared that I remember a glistening penis?
Amazi-Stool
filer -> filter
thejeff
“glistening phallus” actually. 🙂
LeslieBean4shizzle
I heartily approve of “glistening phallus”.
Just in general, I mean.
Also, having only run afoul of “bongo” (since I tend to refer to myself as such), I am TERRIBLY CURIOUS what “New Milford”.
LeslieBean4shizzle
Whoops – this is why I shouldn’t edit mid sentence – forgot to finish.
Anyway, I meant to say that I am terribly curious what “New Milford” replaces. I mean, there’s a goodly chance I’m better off not knowing, but still… so very curious.
thejeff
New Milford doesn’t replace anything. Much like certain letters in the name of the town of Scongahorpe, the first part of “Milford” can be filtered because it’s a common porn search term. It isn’t here.
LeslieBean4shizzle
Oh, that’s dull. I misinterpreted the OP (or second P?)
Anyway, I still prefer ‘glistening phallus’. That is a phrase I can enjoy.
…
Yes, I know what I said.
King Daniel
Looking at the chart (you can mouseover each character’s count bars to see on what date a particular bomb was dropped, and what line contained it), it has certainly counted before.
Keulen
DoA Book 9: I Was Out Of My Mind. And I’m Definitely Going To Get In Trouble
NerdHerder
Wow, almost to midterms! In a few decades, Freshman year will be over!
AbacusWizard
*sniff* They grow up so fast…
Bathymetheus
I literally laughed out loud.
Marsh Maryrose
Actuarially speaking, I might live to see the end of their first semester. After that it’s a crapshoot.
PB
Awwwww, she meant what she said! <3
Shane Wegner
It’s still words and not actions yet, hasn’t been converted, could still be backed out on. And saying these words is scoring Ruth points right now. But she’s rolling around the idea on her tongue. We’ll see how she handles her urge/habit of backing out.
thejeff
It’s definitely the most seriously she’s taken the idea yet. Which is in itself a big step. Going to therapy will be a bigger one.
She will almost certainly relapse if she doesn’t use midterms as an excuse to delay starting at all.
Eyebrow
Meanwhile, Ruth’s allergic rash is fascinating.
CMasta
It’s how she can tell Canadian Voldemort is near
He Who Abides
Canadian Voldemort curses like an American, doesn’t he?
BBCC
PFFT
Hey, look at it this way – you’ll be sober for your exams now.
Hopefully that means you’ll be less likely to fail.
Zee
Wellll
Sober but probably going through withdrawal. Which’ll probably be worse
BBCC
You’re not wrong – even mild withdrawal suuuuuucks.
pienapp1e
several studies have shown ppl do better on tests if taken in the same state that they studied/learned the info in………….
Jay
CMON BILLIE. YOU CAN DO IT. DONT LET THIS SHIP SINK! IMPROVE EACH OTHER LIKE A GOOD STRONG COUPLE DOES. PLEASE.
Cass
Well, the exclamation does more to convince me she honestly does plan to quit more than anything else she’s said. I hope you succeed, Billie! (But don’t have much faith in you.)
Twirls
Wait wait wait this means that we’re halfway through the comic!?
Jay
Through season 1. College isnt 1 year only lmao
Kyrik Michalowski
I believe Willis has said that this comic only covers freshman year. I could be wrong about that though, can someone verify?
Marsh Maryrose
At the current rate, in-comic first year Move-out day will happen right around Willis’s 70th birthday. As a retiree myself, I can’t imagine he’ll want to continue it after that. But maybe his hypothetical grandkids will keep it going.
BBCC