Yes, when used “””in anger”””, the “””excessive””” application of “””air-quotes””” can prevent violence by keeping the hands “””occupied””” so they cannot “””throw””” punches. Myself, I am vibrating in “””rage””” at your “””abuse””” of them, since you did not properly “””close””” your “””air-quotes”””.
To some degree, depends on the person. I’ve known people who are pretty open about their Complicated Family Issues, and apart from ‘my half-sister flirts with boys I like/am dating,’ most of what we currently know isn’t TOO complex, or particularly rare. (In that what we have confirmed is ‘parents split, Mom had subsequent relationship producing half-sibling, maybe Dad also had a subsequent relationship.’ By comparison, I had three maternal grandfathers and all of them had been married at least once aside from my grandmother, and had children from at least one other relationship. We’re in contact with people from every branch of the family. Explaining who’s who gets complicated fast.)
However, Sarah’s a pretty private person, so I 100% see her not wanting to talk about her family in general beyond ‘I have a (half-)sister and my parents divorced when I was really young.’ Even if it weren’t A Thing, you must be Friendship Level 7 to hear Sarah’s Deepest Family Lore.
Wait, forgot the Stepmoms comment already. To our knowledge, then, we have at least three relationships in play here among parents, most likely four. (Sarah and Liz’s Mom – Sarah’s Dad, Sarah and Liz’s Mom – Liz’s Dad, either Liz’s Dad or potentially depending on how close she was to Sarah growing up Sarah’s Dad – Stepmom. Possibly also Remaining Dad – Second Stepmom and/or Liz’s Dad – Stepmom 2.)
milu
i have to believe Sirksome said “who wants that” in their Sarah-voice
Thag Simmons
The Stepmoms thing might only mean one stepmom because apparently using the plural when you mean the singular is a thing now. This hurts me but it does mean it could just be four parents: their Mom, Sarah’s Father, Liz’s Father and a Stepmom.
Sam
Impossible. I demand a complicated family tree with so many stepmothers that Dorothy makes a family tree and there is still a mystery stepmother where she can’t find where she fits, she’s just there.
eh, whatever
It’s not a plural at all, it has the same s as in cutesy. Millions of Germans call their dad “Paps”.
Hey, masturbation is a great way to relieve stress and anger. It’s also recommended to do before you make decisions like “should I call my ex?” or “should I send my crush a picture?”
Make sure your downstairs isn’t doing the thinking for you.
I wonder if Joyce will be able to learn that technique and use it with Sarah (as everyone in her family seems to do) or she will stay stuck in talking to her and tackling problems one after another just using reasoning and understanding.
Ah, but considering the phrases a vibrator, and (back in that arc) I think my Nana gave me this one, there is more than one Other Male Liz can be referring to.
(Also, I’ll take suggestions for best collective term rather thann Other Male–that’s just off the top of my head.)
Sooo… two ways to take that last sentence, that I can think of:
1. Vibrator as a blunt object that is also kinda gross if it’s not your own, like flicking your boogers at someone.
2. More alike the nervous husband who, returning home on his wife’s period day, opens the door just enough to throw a big chocolate bar through. Waits patiently for her to devour it, and only comes inside once it’s safe.
“his wife’s period day”
…
_day_, … “Day”?! … I think I know why this husband is skittish at this time, if he thinks it’s only a day. Like, yeah, sure there are outliers, but that includes the other side, with some women where it can last a week (or more). And that’s just menstruation, not PMS + menstruation. Also, for dudes not in the know, a cycle is _typically_ ~28 days, but can vary a _lot_ between women, and for the same woman. Lastly, if he’s throwing chocolate at the ‘mysterious period monster’ his wife becomes, why the hell did she marry him? Dude seems to have no capacity to learn enough to be compassionate.
I know this is absolutely unrelated to the point you were making. I just… I’m not a woman, but there was just so much material here.
Also, throwing a vibrator at someone shouldn’t be gross. WASH your damn sex toys after you use them! people.
I mean, I don’t care how well someone’s washed it, if they throw their or anyone else’s vibrator at me, it’s gonna be gross.
If they threw one of *mine* I’d just perish in a bonfire of embarrassment and mortification…
Decidedly Orthogonal
Ex’s keep taking mine with them. Actually, that’d be a good ask reddit: when a couple separates, who gets the sex toys? Is it a thing that people only want to use new sex toys in a relationship? Because that sounds artificially hygenic (i.e., not really), and wasteful.
BBCC
I’m pretty sure Liz means one of Sarah’s.
Sol
I was more reacting to “throwing a vibrator at someone shouldn’t be gross” as a blanket statement.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Fair enough. Still, I imagine fights flinging phalluses at the dildo factory would be pretty clean.
95 thoughts on “Origin story”
Ana Chronistic
nooooooo not Other Jacob
…wait she wouldn’t have had that one to throw
unless Other Jacob is the secret identity of Nana’s Vibrator
Doctor_Who
Walky also subdues girls by throwing toys at them. Maybe he and Liz should compare techniques.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Compare techniques, or you know, compare robots.
RassilonTDavros
“Your half-sister, Liz.”
— Head Alien in some universe, probably
Suet
Ah, yes, “”””Jacob”””.
Do air-quotes really need that much quotation marks?
Thag Simmons
I can’t put enough quotation marks around the word so I won’t try
milu
tfw your air-quotes need air-quotes
Decidedly Orthogonal
Yes, when used “””in anger”””, the “””excessive””” application of “””air-quotes””” can prevent violence by keeping the hands “””occupied””” so they cannot “””throw””” punches. Myself, I am vibrating in “””rage””” at your “””abuse””” of them, since you did not properly “””close””” your “””air-quotes”””.
Sirksome
With each strip it becomes more clear why Sarah never talks about her family. This is becoming a whole damn conversation and who wants that?
Regalli
To some degree, depends on the person. I’ve known people who are pretty open about their Complicated Family Issues, and apart from ‘my half-sister flirts with boys I like/am dating,’ most of what we currently know isn’t TOO complex, or particularly rare. (In that what we have confirmed is ‘parents split, Mom had subsequent relationship producing half-sibling, maybe Dad also had a subsequent relationship.’ By comparison, I had three maternal grandfathers and all of them had been married at least once aside from my grandmother, and had children from at least one other relationship. We’re in contact with people from every branch of the family. Explaining who’s who gets complicated fast.)
However, Sarah’s a pretty private person, so I 100% see her not wanting to talk about her family in general beyond ‘I have a (half-)sister and my parents divorced when I was really young.’ Even if it weren’t A Thing, you must be Friendship Level 7 to hear Sarah’s Deepest Family Lore.
Regalli
Wait, forgot the Stepmoms comment already. To our knowledge, then, we have at least three relationships in play here among parents, most likely four. (Sarah and Liz’s Mom – Sarah’s Dad, Sarah and Liz’s Mom – Liz’s Dad, either Liz’s Dad or potentially depending on how close she was to Sarah growing up Sarah’s Dad – Stepmom. Possibly also Remaining Dad – Second Stepmom and/or Liz’s Dad – Stepmom 2.)
milu
i have to believe Sirksome said “who wants that” in their Sarah-voice
Thag Simmons
The Stepmoms thing might only mean one stepmom because apparently using the plural when you mean the singular is a thing now. This hurts me but it does mean it could just be four parents: their Mom, Sarah’s Father, Liz’s Father and a Stepmom.
Sam
Impossible. I demand a complicated family tree with so many stepmothers that Dorothy makes a family tree and there is still a mystery stepmother where she can’t find where she fits, she’s just there.
eh, whatever
It’s not a plural at all, it has the same s as in cutesy. Millions of Germans call their dad “Paps”.
Thag Simmons
Alright so Sarah’s family situation is significantly more complex than I had assumed.
Clif
The only thing difficult to understand is how Liz has survived this long.
Kyrik Michalowski
Younger sisters have some innate power that allows them to survive their sibling’s wrath.
powerpowerpow
I know, right? First her grandmother, now her half-sister. The hell kinda gift-giving tradition is this?
Nono
If this was Joyce at the start of the semester, she would have short circuited five times by now.
RassilonTDavros
…I mean, by the start of this semester she was basically where she is now, character-development-wise.
…at the start of last semester, though, yeah definitely. What you said.
Tan
Dumbing of Age Book 12: Throw a Vibrator At Her and Come Back in an Hour
Keulen
Definitely the best potential book title so far.
Decidedly Orthogonal
I know it’s not following protocol, but it’s quoted so…
DoA Book 12: “Origin Story”
abb3w
Possibly a better title for a collection of the Slipshine side stories.
Also, possibly a candidate for a Slipshine side story.
Reltzik
… I feel like you’re reciprocating the half-sister title with positive reinforcement, Liz.
DailyBrad
I wonder if Sarah feels similarly about Liz to how Robin in Shortpacked felt about Roz.
Kyrik Michalowski
Hey, masturbation is a great way to relieve stress and anger. It’s also recommended to do before you make decisions like “should I call my ex?” or “should I send my crush a picture?”
Make sure your downstairs isn’t doing the thinking for you.
Bicycle Bill
Ohhh, yeah. Can we get an ‘AMEN’ on that?
Bicycle Bill
By the way, when guys do that, it’s called “thinking with the little head instead of the big one.” Is there a comparable phrase for the ladies?
Nayann Martinelli
“Letting the beaver call the shots”?
I am Nothing
Ooo, I like that one!
Decidedly Orthogonal
Thinking with the “tiny head” instead of the big one?
I mean, I like the beaver suggestion better, but damn it, democracy needs competition to stay healthy
Thag Simmons
I’ve heard ‘thinking with your legs’ but that’s kind of unisex
DrunkenNordmann
Though it is still kinda dickish to imply somebody’s only pissed off because they haven’t gotten off lately. 😐
Mr. Random
BONE?!?
AbacusWizard
ooooooh I could *hear* the multiple quotation marks in panel 3
RassilonTDavros
…was thinking about the structure of Sarah’s and Liz’s family and it just hit me:
Sarah was originally created, in the 90s, to be “a dumping ground for all the traits [Willis] thought were mockable, just to prop up Joyce as having hidden wisdom, or something“. And her last name is “Clinton.”
Every time I think I find a Willis character whose name isn’t a joke…
David M Willis
In this case, I think that’s just an accidental correlation.
RassilonTDavros
Huh. Guess I was wrong, then.
Hazel
hm. i feel like this sucks. poor sarah.
Nicoleandmaggie
Agreed. Poor Sarah.
William Leonard Reese Jr.
Does turning the Vibrator on before throwing mean that her anger has escalated?
BBCC
Oh, so THAT’S where Sarah got the idea to lock Joyce in their room with a sterilized hairbrush and a men’s fitness magazine.
Rabid Rabbit
So instead of asking people for their witnessing story or whatever that weird fundie thing is, she’s moved on to asking for people’s origin story.
Her shift from crazy religious to crazy nerd is complete.
Keulen
Crazy nerd is much better than crazy religious.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Especially because there’s a growth arc which allows crazy nerd to turn the crazy nerd part on and *off* at a whim. Here’s looking at you, me!
Jamie
You only say that because you haven’t seen the next step.
Nayann Martinelli
Sarah’s crankiness has no origin story, for it has existed since time immemorial.
Keulen
When the Big Bang happened Sarah was there, being cranky. When the universe ends she will still be around, and still be cranky.
StClair
“Matter. hmph. It’ll never catch on.”
Needfuldoer
Crankiness is eternal, Sarah is just its current vessel.
JepMZ
I wonder what Mototo’s fan comic of this would look like
Ray
Give her an extra half-hour if the batteries are fresh……
0phidiophile
Liz: “That’s her anger-detection system.” referring to Sarah saying “half-sister half-sister…”
How does that detect anger?
Alex
It’s how Liz detects Sarah’s anger, maybe? I agree that line is confusing.
Sam
Sarah calling her ‘half-sister’ helps Liz detect Sarah’s anger and know to give her a distraction and come back later.
Rabisch
I wonder if Joyce will be able to learn that technique and use it with Sarah (as everyone in her family seems to do) or she will stay stuck in talking to her and tackling problems one after another just using reasoning and understanding.
Bagge
We might not have learned more about Sarah but we sure got the origin story of Other Jacob.
Eldritchy
It should be renamed as The Wrath Slayer
ValdVin
Ah, but considering the phrases a vibrator, and (back in that arc) I think my Nana gave me this one, there is more than one Other Male Liz can be referring to.
(Also, I’ll take suggestions for best collective term rather thann Other Male–that’s just off the top of my head.)
Keulen
Yeah, Other Jacob was a gift from her Nana, so this must be the origin story of a different vibrator Sarah has (or had).
thejeff
Well it’s not necessarily a new vibrator every time Liz needs to distract her from her anger.
Hinoron
Sooo… two ways to take that last sentence, that I can think of:
1. Vibrator as a blunt object that is also kinda gross if it’s not your own, like flicking your boogers at someone.
2. More alike the nervous husband who, returning home on his wife’s period day, opens the door just enough to throw a big chocolate bar through. Waits patiently for her to devour it, and only comes inside once it’s safe.
Decidedly Orthogonal
“his wife’s period day”
…
_day_, … “Day”?! … I think I know why this husband is skittish at this time, if he thinks it’s only a day. Like, yeah, sure there are outliers, but that includes the other side, with some women where it can last a week (or more). And that’s just menstruation, not PMS + menstruation. Also, for dudes not in the know, a cycle is _typically_ ~28 days, but can vary a _lot_ between women, and for the same woman. Lastly, if he’s throwing chocolate at the ‘mysterious period monster’ his wife becomes, why the hell did she marry him? Dude seems to have no capacity to learn enough to be compassionate.
I know this is absolutely unrelated to the point you were making. I just… I’m not a woman, but there was just so much material here.
Also, throwing a vibrator at someone shouldn’t be gross. WASH your damn sex toys after you use them! people.
Sol
I mean, I don’t care how well someone’s washed it, if they throw their or anyone else’s vibrator at me, it’s gonna be gross.
If they threw one of *mine* I’d just perish in a bonfire of embarrassment and mortification…
Decidedly Orthogonal
Ex’s keep taking mine with them. Actually, that’d be a good ask reddit: when a couple separates, who gets the sex toys? Is it a thing that people only want to use new sex toys in a relationship? Because that sounds artificially hygenic (i.e., not really), and wasteful.
BBCC
I’m pretty sure Liz means one of Sarah’s.
Sol
I was more reacting to “throwing a vibrator at someone shouldn’t be gross” as a blanket statement.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Fair enough. Still, I imagine fights flinging phalluses at the dildo factory would be pretty clean.
Ana Chronistic
you’d think that