Ruth: “The trick is to tell your therapist the truth, but then ALSO make up something a thousand times more horrible. Then when you tell them you were kidding about that, they’re really relieved.”
Dorothy: “…You know, I’ve read that between 60 and 80 percent of therapists see therapists themselves. I think I’m beginning to understand why.”
There is a small independent bookstore literally less than a mile from my house. They sell new and used books. Not a huge selection, but not terrible. I’ve been meaning to take a few things over there to sell.
And I can think of another one about 20 miles away.
And yes, to echo saltchocolate above, both are in Ohio.
Psychie
There are a few indy bookstores in Bloomington, at least last I checked. IIRC Corner Bookstore, Caveat Emptor, and I think Bargain Books or something like that?
JBento
Merry Spring solstice, you filthy pagan.
*machine gun sounds*
And happy fertility goddess day.
🙂
Mark
Joyous vernal equinox to you as well.
Daniel M Ball
EQUINOX!! Solstice happens when the earth’s orbit hits apogee or perigee. (Winter solstice tends to coincide with the shortest day of the year, summer on the longest) the Equinoxes are ‘midpoints’ in the planetary orbit. (iow the words have actual MEANINGS). It’s bad enough when psuedopagan poseurs don’t ‘get’ what they claim to be involved in… (Words have MEANINGS!!)
Agemegos
Nope. The solstices are about 20–21 June and 21–22 Decemeber, whereas Earth’s perihelion is (currently) about 4–5 January and its aphelion is about 4–5 July.
Earth doesn’t have a perigee or an apogee because those refer to moments of least and greatest distance from Earth, and its distance from itself is constant. Objects in orbit around Earth have perigees and apogees, one of each per orbit.
Wizard
Small indy stores that provide more personalized service or cater to a specific audience have managed to survive a lot better than the big chains. Considering how much space they devote to things that aren’t books, the remaining chain stores barely even qualify as book stores anymore.
And shot back before they even knew what ptsd was. I am sure that there have been a lot of presidents that had depression, ptsd, or other issues that were either undiagnosed or hidden. On the other hand, being how we haven’t even had one female president yet, having any noted “defects” (thar people can target), would probably instantly remove a woman from the running, no matter how qualified they were.
I think I heard somewhere that Lincoln had depression.
The problem nowadays is everything is online and nothing is sacred. Something like not photographing FDR while he is in a wheelchair or having trouble walking wouldn’t happen nowadays. I also find it really interesting that I don’t think that we have any blind or deaf legislators. Even ones in wheelchairs have trouble accessing certain areas or debate stages.
Random832
The idea that we still won’t have had one by the time Dorothy is 35 is depressing.
Xaeon
I dunno, at the comic’s current pace I kinda feel like the number of presidents will be in the triple digits when she hits 35.
Council
With the comic’s weird timeline, she may hit that age while we are under geriatric care.
Teddy Roosevelt? Harry Truman? John Kennedy? Andrew Jackson? the first George Bush? Almost every President in the 18th and 19th Century with a few the salient exceptions?
Presidents who have seen combat is practically a norm. Presidents without any military service is closer to the exception than the rule.
elebenty
Initially, it was rare to not have served, only 4 before 1900 hadn’t. Then there’s a clump of 6 from Taft to FDR without any military experience. A solid span from Truman to GWHB had served, but out of the last 5, only GWB did.
maybe she’s more so lying to herself. but it would be harder to lie, despite politicans being ‘great’ at it, for someone like dorothy, and even so with live debates and public media appearances and all that, and that she’s a woman, every single action/microexpression/body language she’d show in public would be put under a microscope and analyzed to hell and back or criticized for something she never said/did but ppl assume she disapproves of a certain thing because her default expression twitched half a second and all
I suspect that every time she reviews her decision to turn down Yale, she gets a little more certain that it’s the right thing to do. She’s not currently going back and forth on it.
I think she may still change her mind and go. But if she does it’s going to be the result of significant character and plot development. Like, Joyce will stage an intervention or something.
other than someone in charge of training/micromanaging the day to day aspects and keeping on top of supplies being stocked and bathrooms clean, feels like an ‘assistant’ manager would be a redundant job to a manager unless it’s that big, or the ‘manager’ is also the owner and they want to hire someone else to do the heavy lifting
Someone needs to be overseeing the day-to-day operations, dealing with issues that arise, such as customer complaints, whether legitimate or not. They are the ones on-site if someone calls out and the shift needs to be filled by someone else, has the ability to make calls in cases of minor disputes between employees, and so on. You also need someone ‘in charge’ to make decisions. You might call them a “Shift Lead” or something instead of an “Assistant Manager”, but it still boils down to the same thing.
Unless the shop is only open 40 hour a week, that means you need at least two people with managerial standing. To cover 7 12- or 14-hour days a week, you need at least three, with overlapping shifts so they can ‘hand off’ responsibilities and any issues that have come up during the day. (And even then, you have to be ready to have them work OT when one of the others calls out or takes a vacation; for a true full-time business operation, you ultimately want 4 people in that role, or at least someone who can be declared “Acting Manager” in a pinch.)
This is why so many small business owners burn out while still in the ‘trying to get established’ stage–they end up working 98-hour weeks, because they don’t have anyone they can turn the shop over to so they can get some rest.
Politics, but also therapists, given my experience confirms Dorothy’s paper trail fear.
I can tell how badly she’s internalized ableist stigmas from the 5th and last panels. Evidently she doesn’t even know the difference between a therapist and a psychiatrist, therapists can’t prescribe drugs :p
True Survivor
Oh thank goodness. For second I thought this might be taking a deeply, deeply unexpected hard-right turn into Nazi-vile. Yeah, the undercutting in politics is out of hand – our candidates should be trying to win office by proving themselves a capable leader and making viable promises they indent to keep, not winning by making the other person look bad (leaving them to be almost just as bad).
Also I’d never heard that “Rain” song before. It was awesome and sounded almost like a Queen song. Thanks for sharing.
?? Yeah I selected the song for a reason, the lyrics seem to really reflect the severe inner turmoil Dorothy is experiencing:
Mother used to say
If you want, you’ll find a way
But mother never danced through fire shower
Walk in the rain
In the rain, in the rain
I walk in the rain, in the rain
Is it right or is it wrong
And is it here that I belong
But yeah it’s DEFINITELY not democracy that’s the problem, but honestly if stigmas like the kinds Dorothy has internalized prevents one from becoming president, that’s hardly what I’d call free government, just saying.
Her goal was based on over-idealized conceptions of politics she evidently hasn’t revised since grade school. She needs to explore other ways of helping people like she wants to do, and eventually acknowledge that she held on to her goal for all the wrong reasons.
My theory is that anyone whose been in Washington long enough to run for president is already a horrible person.
It’s just a question of which horrible person you pick.
Also kinda wild that Dorothy has no qualms about seeing a therapist but is scared about people finding about that she might have depression because it could LOOK BAD for her career prospects.
I was the exact same way. Terrified to get any real help because I was afraid it would leave me with no career prospects. I’m not entirely sure where I got that idea, and I’m not entirely sure it’s false, but I definitely wish I’d been able to get help for my issues earlier. Hopefully Dorothy doesn’t fall into those same mistakes. It’s really hard to build a viable career in any field when mental illness is ripping furiously away at your foundation. She needs to talk to more people and get some support for herself for once.
My Therapist at 15 literally stopped me as I was saying I was having suicidal thoughts and warned me that if I continued they’d have to put it down on my record. That if it was on my record and I tried to join the military it was likely I’d be denied. This is a very real concern. A lot of companies ask, and shouldn’t but still do, if you have a history of depression.
If you have psychological issues it can close a lot of doors for your future in the US. Flat out, some of us have to choose between getting treatment for our issues and getting jobs.
What, for real? No medical secrecy or whatever it’s called for psychologists? That’s kinda ducked.
not someone else
HIPAA is actually pretty damned recent, and was enacted for a reason.
And it *is* violated, especially for people who are famous or who have “scary” problems. There’s a Twitter alt-righter right now who’s got a nurse spilling a bunch of godawful horrible shit about trans *children* who were under her care.
thejeff
If it’s the one I’m thinking of, not a nurse, but basically a receptionist
Oh yeah. I applied to be an engineer in the air force and got blocked on the basis of having been diagnosed with depression at 14. It’s very messed up.
even so , it’s nothing that’d be known public unless medical records are leaked out which def would be a huge violation/end up in lawsuits/malpractice but i’m sure there are ppl that have been like “Diagnosing the president: My armchair perspective of the first term” or shit like that but those ppl should def not be therapists, unless it’s something after being retired and permission from everyone
I think it’s more complicated than that. Especially when it comes to the Presidency, but to a lesser degree for anything that requires a security clearance. Most conditions really shouldn’t matter, but there are some that would be huge red flags.
Of course, for elected office it can’t be a disqualifier. All that could be done is to release it publicly and see if the electorate changes their mind. That makes it even more ethically questionable.
Sarah Lea
This. For stuff that requires certain security clearances, you basically voluntarily sign away your privacy. My father worked for.private contractors for the government, but had high security clearances, and was well aware getting certain therapy, diagnoses, or medication would mean losing his job. Period.
Wow, I underestimated how much Dorothy is suffering by trying to be perfect. She needs a hug, and to talk to her therapist, but also a hug. Go hug Joyce, she will always offer Dorothy a hug.
I mean, the sliding timescale has probably already pushed her future bookstore out of business. And this Dorothy doesn’t really have “become a superweapon to fight for Walky’s hand and maybe also go fight some Martians in the future” as a backup option.
My money’s on her getting a job at Galasso’s. Willis could get a lot of good stuff out of that.
Not really. Whatever the opposition can leverage to deep-six your goals, whether those are elected office, or just buying a firearm like a normal American for most of our history, they will use.
It’s not paranoid, nor ablest, to assume that someone else will do those things, if they can. It’s willfully blind to assume someone else will not do those things.
It is a real fear, but she was already trying to be president of the US as a woman and an atheist. Worrying that depression or PTSD is more disqualifying than anything else about her…Wellerman has a point. It very well could be some internalized ableism; either way, it’s hurting Dorothy
thejeff
Not necessarily more disqualifying, but it would stack on top of the existing hurdles she has to clear.
209 thoughts on “In with you”
Doctor_Who
Ruth: “The trick is to tell your therapist the truth, but then ALSO make up something a thousand times more horrible. Then when you tell them you were kidding about that, they’re really relieved.”
Dorothy: “…You know, I’ve read that between 60 and 80 percent of therapists see therapists themselves. I think I’m beginning to understand why.”
Fealuinix
Sorta like how when a dentist asks if I smoke, I tell them, “Oh no, I would never do that. I use meth instead.”?
Ana Chronistic
I’d imagine there are a few presidents who might disprove you there, Dotty
certainly by at least the time you’re actually eligible for office yuk yuk
Ana Chronistic
alt: there’s a specialty one in National Harbor! https://www.mahoganybooks.com/
saltchocolate
They do exist—even in OH, Willis!
Rose by Any Other Name
There is a small independent bookstore literally less than a mile from my house. They sell new and used books. Not a huge selection, but not terrible. I’ve been meaning to take a few things over there to sell.
And I can think of another one about 20 miles away.
And yes, to echo saltchocolate above, both are in Ohio.
Psychie
There are a few indy bookstores in Bloomington, at least last I checked. IIRC Corner Bookstore, Caveat Emptor, and I think Bargain Books or something like that?
JBento
Merry Spring solstice, you filthy pagan.
*machine gun sounds*
And happy fertility goddess day.
🙂
Mark
Joyous vernal equinox to you as well.
Daniel M Ball
EQUINOX!! Solstice happens when the earth’s orbit hits apogee or perigee. (Winter solstice tends to coincide with the shortest day of the year, summer on the longest) the Equinoxes are ‘midpoints’ in the planetary orbit. (iow the words have actual MEANINGS). It’s bad enough when psuedopagan poseurs don’t ‘get’ what they claim to be involved in… (Words have MEANINGS!!)
Agemegos
Nope. The solstices are about 20–21 June and 21–22 Decemeber, whereas Earth’s perihelion is (currently) about 4–5 January and its aphelion is about 4–5 July.
Earth doesn’t have a perigee or an apogee because those refer to moments of least and greatest distance from Earth, and its distance from itself is constant. Objects in orbit around Earth have perigees and apogees, one of each per orbit.
Wizard
Small indy stores that provide more personalized service or cater to a specific audience have managed to survive a lot better than the big chains. Considering how much space they devote to things that aren’t books, the remaining chain stores barely even qualify as book stores anymore.
Thag Simmons
Absolutely impossible to be a president with PTSD, it’s not like any of them ever got shot or something.
Kimi
And shot back before they even knew what ptsd was. I am sure that there have been a lot of presidents that had depression, ptsd, or other issues that were either undiagnosed or hidden. On the other hand, being how we haven’t even had one female president yet, having any noted “defects” (thar people can target), would probably instantly remove a woman from the running, no matter how qualified they were.
I think I heard somewhere that Lincoln had depression.
The problem nowadays is everything is online and nothing is sacred. Something like not photographing FDR while he is in a wheelchair or having trouble walking wouldn’t happen nowadays. I also find it really interesting that I don’t think that we have any blind or deaf legislators. Even ones in wheelchairs have trouble accessing certain areas or debate stages.
Random832
The idea that we still won’t have had one by the time Dorothy is 35 is depressing.
Xaeon
I dunno, at the comic’s current pace I kinda feel like the number of presidents will be in the triple digits when she hits 35.
Council
With the comic’s weird timeline, she may hit that age while we are under geriatric care.
Pilgrim
Teddy Roosevelt? Harry Truman? John Kennedy? Andrew Jackson? the first George Bush? Almost every President in the 18th and 19th Century with a few the salient exceptions?
Presidents who have seen combat is practically a norm. Presidents without any military service is closer to the exception than the rule.
elebenty
Initially, it was rare to not have served, only 4 before 1900 hadn’t. Then there’s a clump of 6 from Taft to FDR without any military experience. A solid span from Truman to GWHB had served, but out of the last 5, only GWB did.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States_by_military_service
Mr. Random
Lying is ridiculously easy.
But it’s funny that Dorothy’s still tackling her issues in the most Dorothy way possible.
anon
maybe she’s more so lying to herself. but it would be harder to lie, despite politicans being ‘great’ at it, for someone like dorothy, and even so with live debates and public media appearances and all that, and that she’s a woman, every single action/microexpression/body language she’d show in public would be put under a microscope and analyzed to hell and back or criticized for something she never said/did but ppl assume she disapproves of a certain thing because her default expression twitched half a second and all
Nono
So did she actually turn down Yale? Seems like she told Becky she just hasn’t responded, but here she says she turned them down.
poofdepoof
She could be exaggerating/simplifying. I’m not taking this as new information, personally.
justin8448
I suspect that every time she reviews her decision to turn down Yale, she gets a little more certain that it’s the right thing to do. She’s not currently going back and forth on it.
I think she may still change her mind and go. But if she does it’s going to be the result of significant character and plot development. Like, Joyce will stage an intervention or something.
Stephen Bierce
I know a coffee shop that just opened in my hometown in Pennsylvania. They need an assistant manager.
anon
other than someone in charge of training/micromanaging the day to day aspects and keeping on top of supplies being stocked and bathrooms clean, feels like an ‘assistant’ manager would be a redundant job to a manager unless it’s that big, or the ‘manager’ is also the owner and they want to hire someone else to do the heavy lifting
Freemage
Someone needs to be overseeing the day-to-day operations, dealing with issues that arise, such as customer complaints, whether legitimate or not. They are the ones on-site if someone calls out and the shift needs to be filled by someone else, has the ability to make calls in cases of minor disputes between employees, and so on. You also need someone ‘in charge’ to make decisions. You might call them a “Shift Lead” or something instead of an “Assistant Manager”, but it still boils down to the same thing.
Unless the shop is only open 40 hour a week, that means you need at least two people with managerial standing. To cover 7 12- or 14-hour days a week, you need at least three, with overlapping shifts so they can ‘hand off’ responsibilities and any issues that have come up during the day. (And even then, you have to be ready to have them work OT when one of the others calls out or takes a vacation; for a true full-time business operation, you ultimately want 4 people in that role, or at least someone who can be declared “Acting Manager” in a pinch.)
This is why so many small business owners burn out while still in the ‘trying to get established’ stage–they end up working 98-hour weeks, because they don’t have anyone they can turn the shop over to so they can get some rest.
elebenty
Spot on.
Mano308gts
There’s an independent book store in my nearby town (where I attended undergrad), called Firefly Bookstore… So alt text is covered too…
The Wellerman
It’s not fair Dorothy. It was never fair.
It’s a system that brings the worse out of everyone. ?
*plays “Rain” by The Seat Belts on hacked muzak*
True Survivor
Therapy or politics or democracy?
The Wellerman
Politics, but also therapists, given my experience confirms Dorothy’s paper trail fear.
I can tell how badly she’s internalized ableist stigmas from the 5th and last panels. Evidently she doesn’t even know the difference between a therapist and a psychiatrist, therapists can’t prescribe drugs :p
True Survivor
Oh thank goodness. For second I thought this might be taking a deeply, deeply unexpected hard-right turn into Nazi-vile. Yeah, the undercutting in politics is out of hand – our candidates should be trying to win office by proving themselves a capable leader and making viable promises they indent to keep, not winning by making the other person look bad (leaving them to be almost just as bad).
Also I’d never heard that “Rain” song before. It was awesome and sounded almost like a Queen song. Thanks for sharing.
The Wellerman
?? Yeah I selected the song for a reason, the lyrics seem to really reflect the severe inner turmoil Dorothy is experiencing:
Mother used to say
If you want, you’ll find a way
But mother never danced through fire shower
Walk in the rain
In the rain, in the rain
I walk in the rain, in the rain
Is it right or is it wrong
And is it here that I belong
The Wellerman
But yeah it’s DEFINITELY not democracy that’s the problem, but honestly if stigmas like the kinds Dorothy has internalized prevents one from becoming president, that’s hardly what I’d call free government, just saying.
Her goal was based on over-idealized conceptions of politics she evidently hasn’t revised since grade school. She needs to explore other ways of helping people like she wants to do, and eventually acknowledge that she held on to her goal for all the wrong reasons.
Max
My theory is that anyone whose been in Washington long enough to run for president is already a horrible person.
It’s just a question of which horrible person you pick.
HueSatLight
the truly horrible people are hoping voters believe all candidates are equally corrupt.
Nono
Also kinda wild that Dorothy has no qualms about seeing a therapist but is scared about people finding about that she might have depression because it could LOOK BAD for her career prospects.
Jamie
Because seeing a therapist is the Correct Thing To Do™, and if she’s telling other people to do it, it’d be Hypocritical™ not to go herself.
Bittersweet
I was the exact same way. Terrified to get any real help because I was afraid it would leave me with no career prospects. I’m not entirely sure where I got that idea, and I’m not entirely sure it’s false, but I definitely wish I’d been able to get help for my issues earlier. Hopefully Dorothy doesn’t fall into those same mistakes. It’s really hard to build a viable career in any field when mental illness is ripping furiously away at your foundation. She needs to talk to more people and get some support for herself for once.
AlexanderHammil
Is it, though? Is it really?
Arawn
My Therapist at 15 literally stopped me as I was saying I was having suicidal thoughts and warned me that if I continued they’d have to put it down on my record. That if it was on my record and I tried to join the military it was likely I’d be denied. This is a very real concern. A lot of companies ask, and shouldn’t but still do, if you have a history of depression.
If you have psychological issues it can close a lot of doors for your future in the US. Flat out, some of us have to choose between getting treatment for our issues and getting jobs.
Amós Batista
What? Can Companies looks after your medical historic? Are they allowed to discover if you have mental issues?
I just can’t…
Masumi
What, for real? No medical secrecy or whatever it’s called for psychologists? That’s kinda ducked.
not someone else
HIPAA is actually pretty damned recent, and was enacted for a reason.
And it *is* violated, especially for people who are famous or who have “scary” problems. There’s a Twitter alt-righter right now who’s got a nurse spilling a bunch of godawful horrible shit about trans *children* who were under her care.
thejeff
If it’s the one I’m thinking of, not a nurse, but basically a receptionist
Holly
Oh yeah. I applied to be an engineer in the air force and got blocked on the basis of having been diagnosed with depression at 14. It’s very messed up.
Joy
It’s against the law to do that… But it still happens sometimes. That’s why lawsuits exist.
woobie
Yeah, there should be no stigma and the info should be private.
Also, don’t tell anyone.
anon
even so , it’s nothing that’d be known public unless medical records are leaked out which def would be a huge violation/end up in lawsuits/malpractice but i’m sure there are ppl that have been like “Diagnosing the president: My armchair perspective of the first term” or shit like that but those ppl should def not be therapists, unless it’s something after being retired and permission from everyone
thejeff
I think it’s more complicated than that. Especially when it comes to the Presidency, but to a lesser degree for anything that requires a security clearance. Most conditions really shouldn’t matter, but there are some that would be huge red flags.
Of course, for elected office it can’t be a disqualifier. All that could be done is to release it publicly and see if the electorate changes their mind. That makes it even more ethically questionable.
Sarah Lea
This. For stuff that requires certain security clearances, you basically voluntarily sign away your privacy. My father worked for.private contractors for the government, but had high security clearances, and was well aware getting certain therapy, diagnoses, or medication would mean losing his job. Period.
Kyrik Michalowski
Wow, I underestimated how much Dorothy is suffering by trying to be perfect. She needs a hug, and to talk to her therapist, but also a hug. Go hug Joyce, she will always offer Dorothy a hug.
BBCC
Those are all possibilities, Dorothy, but let’s get one thing straight – if you leave politics, it’s a bookstore you end up in. 😛
RassilonTDavros
I mean, the sliding timescale has probably already pushed her future bookstore out of business. And this Dorothy doesn’t really have “become a superweapon to fight for Walky’s hand and maybe also go fight some Martians in the future” as a backup option.
My money’s on her getting a job at Galasso’s. Willis could get a lot of good stuff out of that.
Wizard
I’d much rather run a bookstore than try to delude myself into thinking I could run the country.
bibulb
Okay, who votes for Dottie moving to Northampton to buy in on an existing coffee shop?
Alan in DC
That’s hilarious… I brought that up myself yesterday!
Nathan
Or go to Cubetown and co-found one
Jon
Cubetown could really use a better coffeeshop than the coffeepot in Liz’s room.
Needfuldoer
Or the bar that’s apparently a completely empty room.
Freemage
And has Miller High Life as the ‘best beer’ available….
Tawdry Quirks
If it weren’t for the buffer, this would look like a big wink at the current QC storyline.
Rotunda
She would want to rename it “Coffee of Hope” and have a bulletin-board full of mental-health and social-action resources.
Pergola
Somebody make this real!
saltchocolate
There’s a library job opening up there.
The Wellerman
Fifth panel, totally see her internalized ableism. ?
SeanR
Not really. Whatever the opposition can leverage to deep-six your goals, whether those are elected office, or just buying a firearm like a normal American for most of our history, they will use.
It’s not paranoid, nor ablest, to assume that someone else will do those things, if they can. It’s willfully blind to assume someone else will not do those things.
DailyBrad
Yeah, it’s unfortunately a very real fear.
RacingTurtle
It is a real fear, but she was already trying to be president of the US as a woman and an atheist. Worrying that depression or PTSD is more disqualifying than anything else about her…Wellerman has a point. It very well could be some internalized ableism; either way, it’s hurting Dorothy
thejeff
Not necessarily more disqualifying, but it would stack on top of the existing hurdles she has to clear.