As it’s part of her official record, the new hall people and RA will know both that and that she’s supposed to do therapy.
Not slinking in dark corners required.
CJ
Hmmm, seeing the preview panel for Friday…. ?
Gwen
If they’re not as much of a mess as Chloe, the RA and administration will know, but the other students shouldn’t. That said, gossip, at least about her and Ruth, is almost certain to get around.
Anyway, I doubt everyone knows her name. It’s a big school, and it’s not like she’s the first string quarterback on the football team (was trying to think of someone at least most people at a school like that would know). Still, I think it’d be kind of funny if somehow literally everyone knew here. Even people who have no business knowing her, like professors she’s never had, who teach subjects she’s never even taken a class in.
(seriously, that’s a lyric from the second stanza. Listen to the whole song sometime).
EvilMidnightLurker
O.O
…for the past thirty years, I have been convinced that that line was from a[I] parody[/I] of the Cheers theme. But lyrics searching says you’re right.
I don’t know anything anymore.
EvilMidnightLurker
…my kingdom for an edit button or the wisdom to have remembered the markup list directly below.
SgtWadeyWilson
If your kingdom spent its time coding instead of reenacting Monty Python’s Holy Grail, maybe you wouldn’t need to trade it for an edit button.
(Sarcasm, obviously. I don’t know how you run your kingdom.)
Clif
But Holy Grail.
vlademir1
Indeed it is. Mind you, considering that the song’s lyrics are mainly a litany of stressors that could incite a person to desire getting out of the house to go socialize and possibly drink and what the time period was when the song was written, it’s at least understandable why that was included.
After Stonewall it took quite a few years for the LGBT community to coalesce into a cohesive movement let alone a cohesive community. The early to mid ’80s was, between the AIDS epidemic and various other factors, a time when a lot of previously closeted members of the LGBT community started coming out including a lot of older individuals who, for myriad reasons, had been living a “normal” public lifestyle for years or decades while keeping their sexual and/or gender identity a secret from everyone up to and including their spouse. Regardless of what one thinks of the inclusion of that lyric, it’s rather undeniable that suddenly finding out that one’s long time spouse is trans when one thought they knew everything about that spouse would cause a significant amount of stress, quite possibly on a similar level to what the spouse had been experiencing daily for however long. In this way, it’s not too dissimilar to the reaction one could imagine to other lyrics such as one’s shrink running off to Europe, and not even writing, or one’s third fiancee not showing (that last one is ambiguous mind, as it could imply a pregnancy and possible resultant shotgun wedding or just not showing up to the wedding).
not someone else
That’s a lot of apologetics for a line nobody’s bothered to attack.
vlademir1
Hardly apologetics, it’s just a rather solid example of how unneeded societal disenfranchisement leads to socially and personally negative consequences on all fronts, which in turn is a topic I don’t get the chance often enough to just let go about without some rather serious nasty implications packed into anything I may say on the topic.
Her first weeks in college has been nothing but a disaster, the kinda positive things she and Ruth managed to build nonewithstanding. Hopefully now she will get the chance to build herself an identity other than “chubby, desperate, former cheerleader who bonks to RA”. Get some new friends (other than Joyce), make a proper start with her schoolwork.
Billie from the beginning of the comic would have had a rough time even without Ruth’s harassment campaign, but this is a new Billie. I think she can do it.
Although, knowing her luck, I kinda assume she will be neighbor with Alice. Escape her drama from college only to be confronted by her drama from high school.
“…but this is a new Billie. I think she can do it.”
Huh. We somehow took two completely different things away from this strip OMG. You’re hopeful Billie may have a better time than her (admittedly rough) debut, while I’m worried this is actually a sign she’ll backslide into her old habits and away from her recent character development. IDK, I guess I’m just nervous because of the way she rebuffed Ruth’s offer to help her move. :C
Yeah, I agree with you. This, even without asking Ruth not to come, but especially in light of it, really feels like Billie’s planning to try to return to Alphatude.
My impression of what Billie is thinking is pretty much the same, but my expectation of what will happen is different. Basically, I expect her to try to act like she did at the start of the year, pushing back on the progress that she doesn’t see as progress. But I expect her to fail at that because she’s not the same person she was then and ultimately won’t be able to mimic it.
I’ve had various times when I’ve been like, “I wish I could be the way in was back whenever.” But I can’t because I’m not, and that’s what I expect Billie to learn. Time’s arrow marches forward, after all.
Oh… yeah, that is a risk as well. I don’t know what is more likely, but it wil be interesting to see what Billie looks like if she finds a sliver of stability.
Sounds fun, but how will we keep relevant while trying to defy predictability…?
BBCC
Predictability who now?
SgtWadeyWilson
Pineapple murder.
Yumi
That’s when people murder you for liking pineapple pizza, right?
Probably how I’m gonna die.
SgtWadeyWilson
As someone who’s ordered pineapple in a calzone, along with taco beef and cheddar cheese… I sure hope not.
Schpoonman
The only time you should ever care about what someone else is putting on their pizza is when you’re sharing it. Like if jalapenos upset your stomach but your brother says “Fucking deal,” instead of getting half without jalapenos but we’re splitting the fucking pizza 50/50 anyway.
Ssshit, that was supposed to be subtext, not text.
3oranges
I thought all early replies weresubtext. Whereas now we’ve hit the indentation limit, so what I’m writing is context – instead of replying to you directly I had to reply to your pretext.
Also, since Joyce is not with her, she must have carried that large box with one hand while the other hand was occupied with the suitcase. And I know she’s a head cheerleader, but that still seems a stretch?
But mostly I want to know how she’s going to function without her glasses. I can walk and not bump into objects without glasses, but that’s about it.
199 thoughts on “Take”
Ana Chronistic
why does Billie look like she’s about to snap those glasses in half
SgtWadeyWilson
Maybe she’s giving up her “Clark Kent” identity to become a superhero full-time.
Abel Undercity
“Why does the new girl keep bumping into walls and tripping over furniture?”
“She kept mumbling something about closure.”
Scar Man!!!
+1
Br44n5m
+2
Architex
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO
Architex
Also, happy belated anniversary to Davs and Mags.
King Daniel
Contacts established?
Maveric1984
One joke I always have and always will remember from Family Matters.
During the American Gladiators episode (), Steve is about to compete in The Joust. Waldo, who’s cousin is a gladiator, and the reason Steve and Carl are able to compete against each other, calls up to Steve, “Hey! Where are your glasses?”
Steve calls back. “I don’t need them, I got contacts!”
Waldo replies, “I don’t care who you know, where are your glasses?”
Maveric1984
Dangit, I screwed up the HTML… Oh well, it takes you to the correct Youtube clip at least.
Ronnie
Waldo is so amazing. I headcanon him as autistic with a special interest in cooking and learning disabilities.
(Am autistic myself)
Puckish Rogue
Not that it means anything but she looks better without glasses
Pablo360
I disagree, but mostly out of obstiance
Puckish Rogue
Well to be fair its just my opinion but the glasses Billie wears have, at times, made her look like an old women
MiaKitty
Pretty sure she’s fine with that since it helps her avoid trouble when she buys booze
MM
I think it’s less the glasses than the expression. She looks so hopeful.
So…how many strips until it all goes wrong?
Puckish Rogue
Depends, does she still think shes superior to nerds?
Yumi
Does she? I don’t read that expression as hopeful at all.
Sev
You can’t be nervous without at least some degree of hope.
foamy
One in that storyline, but who knows how many will intervene :v
Pylgrim
*IW Danny fumes in your general direction*
smparadox
I disagree, as a matter of personal taste – everybody looks hotter with glasses.
Nono
Not pictured: Billie then untying her ponytail and letting her hair dl that slo-no swish as she bursts through the door.
Doctor_Who
Light streams in behind her. Everyone looks up from their playing cards. The piano player stops.
Roborat
Two people in the background:
1st person: “what’s going on?”
2nd person: “shhh, we can’t talk until she starts moving again.”
Cholma
Also not pictured: Asma passing on a copy of Billie’s face with “Alcoholic” typed above it, to the person running the new hall’s reception desk. :O
Doctor_Who
They meet in a park, wearing trenchcoats and fedoras. They pretend to feed the birds, and Asma slips over a manila envelope.
Yumi
I first read this as “they pretend to BE the birds,” which is actually my new headcanon, keeping the rest of your details the same.
SgtWadeyWilson
“Kaw! Kaw!”
“Chirp chirp?”
“Hey, are- umm… are you guys okay?”
HeySo
I have assimilated your head canon and taken it as my own. I attempted to resist, but it was too endearing- in the end, resistance was futile.
CJ
As it’s part of her official record, the new hall people and RA will know both that and that she’s supposed to do therapy.
Not slinking in dark corners required.
CJ
Hmmm, seeing the preview panel for Friday…. ?
Gwen
If they’re not as much of a mess as Chloe, the RA and administration will know, but the other students shouldn’t. That said, gossip, at least about her and Ruth, is almost certain to get around.
ValdVin
Uh, he has a name. I believe it’s Forest Counter.
Pablo360
You can’t prove he has a name. Except maybe by ∀-elimination.
laladoria
How is she doing this with her hair?!
Kernanator
It’s too late Billie. You’re at the campus where everyone knows your name.
Doctor_Who
And they’re aaaaaaalways glad you ca-
Well, no, that sort of caused a big headache for the administration staff, that’s why they are moving you.
Yumi
Damn you and your ninja ways.
Anyway, I doubt everyone knows her name. It’s a big school, and it’s not like she’s the first string quarterback on the football team (was trying to think of someone at least most people at a school like that would know). Still, I think it’d be kind of funny if somehow literally everyone knew here. Even people who have no business knowing her, like professors she’s never had, who teach subjects she’s never even taken a class in.
Maveric1984
And your husband wants to be a girl…
(seriously, that’s a lyric from the second stanza. Listen to the whole song sometime).
EvilMidnightLurker
O.O
…for the past thirty years, I have been convinced that that line was from a[I] parody[/I] of the Cheers theme. But lyrics searching says you’re right.
I don’t know anything anymore.
EvilMidnightLurker
…my kingdom for an edit button or the wisdom to have remembered the markup list directly below.
SgtWadeyWilson
If your kingdom spent its time coding instead of reenacting Monty Python’s Holy Grail, maybe you wouldn’t need to trade it for an edit button.
(Sarcasm, obviously. I don’t know how you run your kingdom.)
Clif
But Holy Grail.
vlademir1
Indeed it is. Mind you, considering that the song’s lyrics are mainly a litany of stressors that could incite a person to desire getting out of the house to go socialize and possibly drink and what the time period was when the song was written, it’s at least understandable why that was included.
After Stonewall it took quite a few years for the LGBT community to coalesce into a cohesive movement let alone a cohesive community. The early to mid ’80s was, between the AIDS epidemic and various other factors, a time when a lot of previously closeted members of the LGBT community started coming out including a lot of older individuals who, for myriad reasons, had been living a “normal” public lifestyle for years or decades while keeping their sexual and/or gender identity a secret from everyone up to and including their spouse. Regardless of what one thinks of the inclusion of that lyric, it’s rather undeniable that suddenly finding out that one’s long time spouse is trans when one thought they knew everything about that spouse would cause a significant amount of stress, quite possibly on a similar level to what the spouse had been experiencing daily for however long. In this way, it’s not too dissimilar to the reaction one could imagine to other lyrics such as one’s shrink running off to Europe, and not even writing, or one’s third fiancee not showing (that last one is ambiguous mind, as it could imply a pregnancy and possible resultant shotgun wedding or just not showing up to the wedding).
not someone else
That’s a lot of apologetics for a line nobody’s bothered to attack.
vlademir1
Hardly apologetics, it’s just a rather solid example of how unneeded societal disenfranchisement leads to socially and personally negative consequences on all fronts, which in turn is a topic I don’t get the chance often enough to just let go about without some rather serious nasty implications packed into anything I may say on the topic.
Yumi
Well, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.
adjudicus
You wanna go where megs won’t go, where all the drinks taste the same, you wanna go where ten can’t even say your naaaaaaaame
Bagge
God bless Billie. She deserves a take two.
Her first weeks in college has been nothing but a disaster, the kinda positive things she and Ruth managed to build nonewithstanding. Hopefully now she will get the chance to build herself an identity other than “chubby, desperate, former cheerleader who bonks to RA”. Get some new friends (other than Joyce), make a proper start with her schoolwork.
Billie from the beginning of the comic would have had a rough time even without Ruth’s harassment campaign, but this is a new Billie. I think she can do it.
Although, knowing her luck, I kinda assume she will be neighbor with Alice. Escape her drama from college only to be confronted by her drama from high school.
Doki
“…but this is a new Billie. I think she can do it.”
Huh. We somehow took two completely different things away from this strip OMG. You’re hopeful Billie may have a better time than her (admittedly rough) debut, while I’m worried this is actually a sign she’ll backslide into her old habits and away from her recent character development. IDK, I guess I’m just nervous because of the way she rebuffed Ruth’s offer to help her move. :C
I hope for Billie’s sake your take is right. ;~;
Kamino Neko
Yeah, I agree with you. This, even without asking Ruth not to come, but especially in light of it, really feels like Billie’s planning to try to return to Alphatude.
Yumi
My impression of what Billie is thinking is pretty much the same, but my expectation of what will happen is different. Basically, I expect her to try to act like she did at the start of the year, pushing back on the progress that she doesn’t see as progress. But I expect her to fail at that because she’s not the same person she was then and ultimately won’t be able to mimic it.
I’ve had various times when I’ve been like, “I wish I could be the way in was back whenever.” But I can’t because I’m not, and that’s what I expect Billie to learn. Time’s arrow marches forward, after all.
Bagge
Oh… yeah, that is a risk as well. I don’t know what is more likely, but it wil be interesting to see what Billie looks like if she finds a sliver of stability.
tim gueguen
Prediction: 100 comments or less.
Yumi
What makes you think that? Sunday’s comic got over 100, and I feel like there was less to to discuss with that one than with this.
BBCC
Well see, NOW I have to comment just to help bump it up. 😛
SgtWadeyWilson
Sounds fun, but how will we keep relevant while trying to defy predictability…?
BBCC
Predictability who now?
SgtWadeyWilson
Pineapple murder.
Yumi
That’s when people murder you for liking pineapple pizza, right?
Probably how I’m gonna die.
SgtWadeyWilson
As someone who’s ordered pineapple in a calzone, along with taco beef and cheddar cheese… I sure hope not.
Schpoonman
The only time you should ever care about what someone else is putting on their pizza is when you’re sharing it. Like if jalapenos upset your stomach but your brother says “Fucking deal,” instead of getting half without jalapenos but we’re splitting the fucking pizza 50/50 anyway.
Ssshit, that was supposed to be subtext, not text.
3oranges
I thought all early replies weresubtext. Whereas now we’ve hit the indentation limit, so what I’m writing is context – instead of replying to you directly I had to reply to your pretext.
Reltzik
Oh yeah? Well I’M going to counterbalance you and drive the comment count down!
….. wait….
Jhon
Ha! You forgot Grav Roulette!
Passchendaele
*stands there for a few seconds* “…Aaand that’s a wrap! Great job on set, Billie!”
ValdVin
“Aren’t you from the Method school of acting?”
“We have a method. It’s ‘remember your lines and don’t bump into the furniture!’ ”
–Charles Busch’s Red Scare on Sunset
Marsh Maryrose
Does she have contacts? Or does she just not really need her glasses to get around?
Marsh Maryrose
Has she been Rick-Perry-ing us the whole time?
Also, since Joyce is not with her, she must have carried that large box with one hand while the other hand was occupied with the suitcase. And I know she’s a head cheerleader, but that still seems a stretch?
But mostly I want to know how she’s going to function without her glasses. I can walk and not bump into objects without glasses, but that’s about it.
Yumi