Questionable Content XV: I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! I Told You This Thread Was Weird

[Hackman]

"Tell me which D-word Faye called me, and I promise to teach you at least three others that she apparently did not call me."

Dimple, doohickey, dowager

[Wraith]

Him being corrected on this is pretty much Jeph's joke for #4140.

I get that, but I was also paraphrasing a line from a Discworld novel. For some reason I didn't think it would be so obscure - my bad.

[Agi Hammerthief]

I get that, but I was also paraphrasing a line from a Discworld novel. For some reason I didn't think it would be so obscure - my bad.

Campaign for Equal Hights Anatomy

[Willie the Duck]

I get that, but I was also paraphrasing a line from a Discworld novel. For some reason I didn't think it would be so obscure - my bad.

Eh, I have some nerd-culture blind-spots. I hafta have my wife explain Dr. Who references to me, and I know nothing of the Star Trek or Star Wars novels.

[archon_huskie]

I know nothing of the Star Trek or Star Wars novels.

You may be blessed. Not all of those novels where created equal.

[mythmonster2]

Is Claire angling for Marten's job here, or trying to get him to stop being passive (or both)?

[Morquard]

Marten has an untrained helper position in the library essentially, she studied the whole thing. If anything she'd be angling for Tai's position I think.

I believe its to get him to start realizing his dreams a bit more (since most of their friends are in one way or another)

[Traab]

Its more highlighting the difference between highly goal oriented people and marten. Someone like claire sets a goal then starts working towards it while marten has vague goals and only pursues it when driven to do so. Otherwise he will stay right where he is. Im guessing this is to setup the next bit of drama as claire wants to "help" but marten isnt really interested in working to improve his situation, because his situation is still in the workable stage. I am very much so a marten in personality. If my bills are getting paid and im not miserable at my job, I feel no real pressing need to push forward or go for my dream or whatever. And it would make me really uncomfortable if someone started shoving me in that direction. Its not laziness, as we work hard at our job and do what needs to be done. its lack of motivation and desire.

[Mechalich]

Marten has an untrained helper position in the library essentially, she studied the whole thing. If anything she'd be angling for Tai's position I think.

I believe its to get him to start realizing his dreams a bit more (since most of their friends are in one way or another)

Tai's not a librarian either. She's the lead library technician, while Marten is just a general library technician. Momo has the same position he does. Clare has, exams pending, a Masters in Library Science, which qualifies her to be an actual librarian, meaning if she could be hired into a position where she'd instantly outrank Tai (Tai probably has a library science degree of her own, but apparently hasn't attempted to pursue a career with any ambition, hardly a surprise). Smif's actual librarians are apparently very hands off and don't want to actually spend any time dealing with the students for some reason (perhaps they spend their days researching Victorian pornography), but they do exist and have been referenced.

The important thing is that without a library science degree, Marten has no career path working at the Smif Library. At best he could move up to Tai's job, and of course, depending on how Jeph wishes to talk about automation in QC, the librarian technician job is highly at risk of replacement. Momo is better at all the actual technical tasks than any human already, something that was mentioned, which means the techs are one book-shelving machine away downsizing. Clare, of course, is deeply aware of this and wants to knock Marten out of the rut he's placed himself in.

[Keltest]

Assuming Jeph doesn't get bored of drawing Martin again, I suspect this is a lead in to a "Claire tries to meddle in Martin's career and life without consulting him first, leading to drama" arc that's been done a time or two before. I hope it doesn't, because A: its an old shtick now, and B: Martin really does need to be pushed out of his comfort zone so interesting things can happen to him again. As much as the Faye/Bubbles stuff is interesting, I don't think it can sustain another couple months of arc about how theyre hanging out on the very edge of staying in business.

[Eurus]

Finding Martin unusually relatable here. I too would love to just not work.

Although ironically I think Martin would not handle retirement well, because he makes most of his friends from work and has no actual hobbies that he's willing to pursue with any real passion...

[Traab]

Finding Martin unusually relatable here. I too would love to just not work.

Although ironically I think Martin would not handle retirement well, because he makes most of his friends from work and has no actual hobbies that he's willing to pursue with any real passion...

How long has it been since the band last practiced? lol

[Shadow of the Sun]

How long has it been since the band last practiced? lol

Sort of addressed in today's comic, in fact.

[runeghost]

Who is this Marten guy, and why is his personal life suddenly intruding into my favorite alternate reality AI-themed webcomic?



(Note: above is sarcasm. I like QC a lot, and have enjoyed pretty much all of it, no matter which characters storyling Jeph chooses to follow. It's nice to see Marten back, and this feels like good timing to me.)

[Traab]

At the very least this will make for a decent story arc as he tries to get into instrument repair. Maybe he will discover he really likes this and has found something to be passionate about, other than his lady friend there. Maybe he will find out he sucks at it and he spirals into a depression so deep it forms a black hole that engulfs half the town. We then follow the story of the survivors of the freak disaster that befall this small town.

[tomandtish]

Always love the menus in the background.....

Burger: 1 (presumably dollars).

Bacon: 16

Maybe the $1 is just for the burger bun, and you pay extra for anything on it, including the patty?

[diremage]

Always love the menus in the background.....

Burger: 1 (presumably dollars).

Bacon: 16

Maybe the $1 is just for the burger bun, and you pay extra for anything on it, including the patty?

It was the sort of burger where the bun was buttery, crispy; gourmet and large; but the patty, swallowed by bread, was little more than a greasy whisper of regret that called for another beer. Cheese could salvage such a burger, if only just; but only a generous portion of fresh, crispy bacon could bring the burger to the fully-realized potential that could fill the emptiness inside the bar's half-drunk patrons, if only for the time it took the mass of grease to escape from its erstwhile host.

[Wraith]

I like Steve. He and I were thinking the same thing, for the same reasons, and I admire his honesty.

[Keltest]

Maybe that's not a dollar amount, but a weight? A 1 lb burger is a big burger, but 16 lbs of bacon seems normal, right?

[Ibrinar]

Maybe that's not a dollar amount, but a weight? A 1 lb burger is a big burger, but 16 lbs of bacon seems normal, right?

A bit much but maybe it is for a shared plate like a cheese plate, that much is probably enough for two or three people.

[tomandtish]

A bit much but maybe it is for a shared plate like a cheese plate, that much is probably enough for two or three people.

You've obviously never seen me eat bacon....

One day i will fall and my arteries will SHATTER!

[Radar]

It was the sort of burger where the bun was buttery, crispy; gourmet and large; but the patty, swallowed by bread, was little more than a greasy whisper of regret that called for another beer. Cheese could salvage such a burger, if only just; but only a generous portion of fresh, crispy bacon could bring the burger to the fully-realized potential that could fill the emptiness inside the bar's half-drunk patrons, if only for the time it took the mass of grease to escape from its erstwhile host.

This got me immediately thinking of Philip Marlowe and Tom Waits.

[Cikomyr]

That robot sure didn't miss the chance to make an ass of herself

[Mith]

That robot sure didn't miss the chance to make an ass of herself

Indeed. She just butts into every conversation now.

[Willie the Duck]

Indeed. She just butts into every conversation now.

Definitely implants herself as the center of attention.

[Ibrinar]

The great thing about drunk mode is that you aren't susceptible to people trying to be reasonable about turning it off!

[Thufir]

That robot sure didn't miss the chance to make an ass of herself

Indeed. She just butts into every conversation now.

Definitely implants herself as the center of attention.

Good thing she's a happy drunk, wouldn't want her bumming people out.

[Willie the Duck]

Good thing she's a happy drunk, wouldn't want her bumming people out.

Don't make her the butt of your jokes.

Edit: It won't end well.

[Radar]

Don't make her the butt of your jokes.

Edit: It won't end well.

Bottom line is, we probably should not extend the chain of puns.

[Traab]

Bottom line is, we probably should not extend the chain of puns.

If we do it could cause a rumpus.