long time no see Laura, and thanks! I hope you’ve been doing well
and yeah ngl, having to leave the country or even become a refugee for a while seems like… a very real possibility in the coming decade
heck I’m trying to save up to get a laptop as well as a survival bag so that in the worse case scenario, I’ll still be able work after such an event that I’d need to JUMP ?
Laura
Good luck with that! And make sure your passport is current: the most important thing, as it is getting harder and harder to get passports.
The refurbished laptops on NewEgg are surprisingly affordable, depending on what you are looking for.
Looks like the cheapest complete laptop is $48, but you might need something more powerful for your work. An external SSD can compensate, though.
You’re in Cali, right? The California website doesn’t yet have all the COVID shot sites mapped out yet, but it’s getting there. Best to get all vaxxed before any travel:
i thankfully already got a passport, and as for the laptop, my friend from the UK (who also reads this comic) is a professional gamer and said she’d help me pick out a great one that fits my needs and budget
granted the best deal may require a really long day-trip to Silicon Valley to pick it up, but ah well
Laura
Safe travels. 🙂
Byron Orpheus
Jumping in, it would be good to put together an emergency fund. Have enough cash to get you someplace safe and survive for more than a few days. By “cash” I mean actual cash, the green paper stuff. If things go bad you may not be able to access your bank accounts. If you have meds you take regularly (antidepressants, insulin, etc), make sure you have paper copies of your prescription and don’t let your supply get too low. You don’t want to have to navigate a foreign country’s health care system while you’re still looking for shelter.
BTW, when you make the trip to Silicon Valley to pick up your laptop, hit Falafel’s Drive In. It’s the best falafel in the Bay Area.
I actually have a german friend who talked about looking into founding a relocation service for US queer folk when the orange nepobaby got elected for the second time.
Private li´l company helping folks with bureaucracy, living arrangements, job search ect.
I should write him about how that plan is going. Sounds like a winner in the current “market”. If somewhat opportunistic.
Although the wind against migrant is blowing colder week by week there too, it seems.
Grey_Lady333
If you find anything out on this, I’d love to know more as one of the said queer folk.
Levantoni
Yes, the wind against immigrants (and queer folks too, sadly, and anything remotely “woke”) is blowing strongly. Though most immigrants which are not readily recognizable as such – meaning being white, and not speaking a language other than German or English- will probably have considerably less problems.
But yes, politics in Germany suck at the moment.
Yeah you’d think that Germany would take some considerable counter-measures against what they know they were responsible for 80 years ago ?
and while it’s true that they have some exceptionally strong censorship laws against Nazi and other fascist iconography, they seem to mainly compensate by being pro-Israel, go figure (-_-)
for a queer, disabled, barely white-passing Jewish person such as myself?
within the European Union, it seems that Spain and Finland are my best options
ResRam
To hear him tell it, those laws dont mean much in the online sphere anymore.
The state seems woefull inadequate to the task, and the US new media firms dont lift a finger to help, dubbing it censoship. And hindering regulatory entities as much as they legally can.
That said, we just talked a bit – he didnt do it after all.
Finding the tasks brutally bureaucratic upon looking into it.
Which kinda figures, knowing him and the reputation of german officials.
But there are such companies on the market , iamexpat dot de and Relosophy being run by US expats for example
ResRam
I just learned that the head of your nazi party is actually a lesbian woman living with her phillipino wife in switzerland?
Man!
And I thought blacks for Trump or log cabin republicans was ridiculous.
Thats top-level trolling right there. How is it even possible for a german elected official to live in another state? Non-EU, even.
I continue to be weirded out by the surreal-ass timeline I ended up in.
Best unrelated to comic comment ever. Reading this comic for ….well let’s just say there was a head Alien, Joyce and Joe had a weird thing, Dina was into dinosaurs…hmm.., anyway never commented before.
“ We are beautiful. It’s the world that’s ugly”
Adam Black
Id peel it first John, but you do you
BSD
big same on the bananas. Can’t stand smell, texture, or taste of fresh banana (including in smoothies or as “banana flavoring”). Cooked, though? Gimme those plantains in every form, banana bread…
Steamweed
Mmmm…plantains….oh, yeah. Good cookin’. (speshly them maduros)
Is ranking very different than comparison? Should she not compare men.
The problem is never ranking; it’s objectification.
Zaxares
Yup, this. It’s kind of like how back in the earlier days of feminism, it half-turned into an anti-sex, “women can’t be sexy, you’re sexist if you want to see sexy women!” crusade. There’s nothing wrong with being a sex object; the problem is when you ONLY see someone as a sex object. There’s a time and place for everything.
thejeff
Nah, this isn’t quite the same as Joe’s rankings, but it’s bad too.
This definitely leans into the same attitudes, especially with the “You’ll find some other four eventually” bit.
Even my ugly face occasionally gets ranked as “handsome”, so, come on, Jennifer: scrape off the Cheeto dust and there’s probably a seven under there already.
She’s absolutely ranking him as a sibling though, making cynical hearts everywhere grow two sizes.
284 thoughts on “A four”
NGPZ
wow Jennifer ya think this works like a visual novel or some shit where ya do the bare minimum to hit an event flag XD
also happy Fall Equinox for all those here who celebrate! ^-^
Clif
It’s the equinox already???
Decidedly Orthogonal
> Astronomical autumn begins this year on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, with 2:19 p.m. EDT the precise moment of the September equinox.
Soon.
Megan
she didn’t even bring the box of chocolates for a +2 affection rating smdh
Dean
Right now, even Walky would probably turn down chocolate.
CianM1301
He’s like Mr Creosote at the end of Monty Python and the Meaning of Life: a single wafer-thin mint would cause him to burst like a balloon.
Laura
…BTW, @NG, I remember you were asking about this a while back, so when I found it today I thought you might be interested:
https://www.helpmeleave.us/
For folks who want or need to find somewhere else to be besides the USA. Just FYI.
NGPZ
long time no see Laura, and thanks! I hope you’ve been doing well
and yeah ngl, having to leave the country or even become a refugee for a while seems like… a very real possibility in the coming decade
heck I’m trying to save up to get a laptop as well as a survival bag so that in the worse case scenario, I’ll still be able work after such an event that I’d need to JUMP ?
Laura
Good luck with that! And make sure your passport is current: the most important thing, as it is getting harder and harder to get passports.
The refurbished laptops on NewEgg are surprisingly affordable, depending on what you are looking for.
https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100006740&d=laptop&isdeptsrh=1&Order=1
Looks like the cheapest complete laptop is $48, but you might need something more powerful for your work. An external SSD can compensate, though.
You’re in Cali, right? The California website doesn’t yet have all the COVID shot sites mapped out yet, but it’s getting there. Best to get all vaxxed before any travel:
https://myturn.ca.gov/
…I’m sorry, you know all this already. It’s just my “look at this shiny rock I found!” reflex. Old habit, no offense meant. *Facepalm*
NGPZ
hey no worries, i appreciate very much ^^
i thankfully already got a passport, and as for the laptop, my friend from the UK (who also reads this comic) is a professional gamer and said she’d help me pick out a great one that fits my needs and budget
granted the best deal may require a really long day-trip to Silicon Valley to pick it up, but ah well
Laura
Safe travels. 🙂
Byron Orpheus
Jumping in, it would be good to put together an emergency fund. Have enough cash to get you someplace safe and survive for more than a few days. By “cash” I mean actual cash, the green paper stuff. If things go bad you may not be able to access your bank accounts. If you have meds you take regularly (antidepressants, insulin, etc), make sure you have paper copies of your prescription and don’t let your supply get too low. You don’t want to have to navigate a foreign country’s health care system while you’re still looking for shelter.
BTW, when you make the trip to Silicon Valley to pick up your laptop, hit Falafel’s Drive In. It’s the best falafel in the Bay Area.
ResRam
I actually have a german friend who talked about looking into founding a relocation service for US queer folk when the orange nepobaby got elected for the second time.
Private li´l company helping folks with bureaucracy, living arrangements, job search ect.
I should write him about how that plan is going. Sounds like a winner in the current “market”. If somewhat opportunistic.
Although the wind against migrant is blowing colder week by week there too, it seems.
Grey_Lady333
If you find anything out on this, I’d love to know more as one of the said queer folk.
Levantoni
Yes, the wind against immigrants (and queer folks too, sadly, and anything remotely “woke”) is blowing strongly. Though most immigrants which are not readily recognizable as such – meaning being white, and not speaking a language other than German or English- will probably have considerably less problems.
But yes, politics in Germany suck at the moment.
NGPZ
Yeah you’d think that Germany would take some considerable counter-measures against what they know they were responsible for 80 years ago ?
and while it’s true that they have some exceptionally strong censorship laws against Nazi and other fascist iconography, they seem to mainly compensate by being pro-Israel, go figure (-_-)
for a queer, disabled, barely white-passing Jewish person such as myself?
within the European Union, it seems that Spain and Finland are my best options
ResRam
To hear him tell it, those laws dont mean much in the online sphere anymore.
The state seems woefull inadequate to the task, and the US new media firms dont lift a finger to help, dubbing it censoship. And hindering regulatory entities as much as they legally can.
That said, we just talked a bit – he didnt do it after all.
Finding the tasks brutally bureaucratic upon looking into it.
Which kinda figures, knowing him and the reputation of german officials.
But there are such companies on the market , iamexpat dot de and Relosophy being run by US expats for example
ResRam
I just learned that the head of your nazi party is actually a lesbian woman living with her phillipino wife in switzerland?
Man!
And I thought blacks for Trump or log cabin republicans was ridiculous.
Thats top-level trolling right there. How is it even possible for a german elected official to live in another state? Non-EU, even.
I continue to be weirded out by the surreal-ass timeline I ended up in.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
But twice a year, he’s Captain Equinox!
Minivet
I see ya.
Amós Batista
happy Fall Equinox (over here, it’s te start of spring, so, lot’s of rainning and strong winds here)
Dot
Please let me know how we get back on the Billie/Ruth route
Yet_One_More_Idiot
Happy Autumnal Equinox to you too!
Megan
i’m pretty sure last time she ranked him he was a two, so massive improvement!!!
Doctor_Who
It’s the lingering McNugget aroma, it’s worth a +2 Charisma bonus.
John Campbell
The scent of McNuggets makes me nauseous, ever since this time when I was about 10 when I got sick after eating them.
Freemage
I have a similar relationship with Southern Comfort.
Embe13
my mother and rum.
bananas and myself. cannot understand why humanity ever fucking touched em, but yeah fully triggers my gag reflex
John Campbell
You’re supposed to bite pieces off and chew them.
Twinsword
I fucking laughed, damn it
KayB
Best unrelated to comic comment ever. Reading this comic for ….well let’s just say there was a head Alien, Joyce and Joe had a weird thing, Dina was into dinosaurs…hmm.., anyway never commented before.
“ We are beautiful. It’s the world that’s ugly”
Adam Black
Id peel it first John, but you do you
BSD
big same on the bananas. Can’t stand smell, texture, or taste of fresh banana (including in smoothies or as “banana flavoring”). Cooked, though? Gimme those plantains in every form, banana bread…
Steamweed
Mmmm…plantains….oh, yeah. Good cookin’. (speshly them maduros)
Embe13
my wife cooks her banana bread when i am not home cause the the smell of them cooking is still nasty as fuck.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
Dr. Pepper for me, it reminds me too much of theophylline, a wonderful medicine that tastes horrible.
Miri
Yeah, 10 year olds really shouldn’t eat too much Southern Comfort… (Jelly shots or ice cubes? Does it freeze?)
ResRam
Every fluid will freeze at some point.
For alcoholic beverages the rule-of-thumb is
volume-percent divided by two = freezing oint in degrees Celsius.
So southern comfort at 35% would freeze at about -18°C
(-0.4 in Freedom units)
morleuca
mine was Grand Marnier. vaguely funny, quite possibly horrifying story about that nigh.
Adam Black
I got mono after eating a mcrib.
C.T Phipps
Roz: Don’t rank men, Jennifer.
Jennifer: Why?
Clif
Is ranking very different than comparison? Should she not compare men.
The problem is never ranking; it’s objectification.
Zaxares
Yup, this. It’s kind of like how back in the earlier days of feminism, it half-turned into an anti-sex, “women can’t be sexy, you’re sexist if you want to see sexy women!” crusade. There’s nothing wrong with being a sex object; the problem is when you ONLY see someone as a sex object. There’s a time and place for everything.
thejeff
Nah, this isn’t quite the same as Joe’s rankings, but it’s bad too.
This definitely leans into the same attitudes, especially with the “You’ll find some other four eventually” bit.
butting
Even my ugly face occasionally gets ranked as “handsome”, so, come on, Jennifer: scrape off the Cheeto dust and there’s probably a seven under there already.
She’s absolutely ranking him as a sibling though, making cynical hearts everywhere grow two sizes.
thejeff
“Caramel abs”.
Also apparently hot hair if he doesn’t get it cut often enough.
Lumino
Hard left into Mike drama!
Clif
Mike is a force of nature and can be neither avoided nor destroyed. Strike him down and he becomes more powerful than you can imagine.
Your mom is another story and she doesn’t have to imagine, at least as long as the nickels last.
Embe13
nah inflation say they pay him in quarters now
Steamweed
Entire quarters?! In THIS economy?!?
StClair
“Listen up, 5s, a 10 is speaking.”
Yotomoe
*listens intently*
Slartibeast Button, BIA
Because that gives me *so* much insight into your situation….
StClair
(it’s a 30 Rock quote)
ScienceOfFantasy
“I’m an 11, but continue.”
Amara
As always, billifer absolutely nails every social interaction (as far as she can tell).
Thag Simmons
She’s the best, but never for the reasons she wants to be
Dot
It’s progress!
Dave Van Domelen
“Yeah, but Mike was an asshole, Dorothy is a nice person, more or less, not that I like her or anythingSHUT UP!”
Nono
Look she’s your pseudo-sister, take what you can get.
John Campbell
To be fair, the roommate was Mike.
John Campbell
Though, on the other hand, he got replaced by Booster, so… win some, lose some?
Amara
Booster is great, actually. It’s a pity Mike is gone, but booster is an amazing addition to the cast and I wish they had got more screen time.
Yotomoe
I disagree but I’m glad you get something outta their presence.
3oranges
A great character or a great roommate? They might not always be the same thing.
Embe13
booster is a better roommate than character for me, but thats cause he has been a damn good roommate so far!
Doopyboop
Yeah Booster let Walky play their video games, that’s a pretty good roommate honestly.
Miri
And tells him not to skip his classes unless it’s to go catch a unicorn and the first time I read that strip I didn’t know what he meant
Miri
*they
StClair
obligatory “they”
Embe13
they*
apologies, didnt mean to mispronoun there, was very tired before heading to bed last night
C.T Phipps
Mike was the special sauce. Without him, all of them are doomed to lives of misery and self-destruction.
Which is why that he will reveal he’s been alive this entire time.
He’ll just walk out of the closet he’s been in the entire time.
Erica
And he had Dorothy for support at that time