Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

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June 1, 2026

Threatening

by David M Willis on January 6, 2024 at 12:01 am
  • 02 – It's The Love I Haven't Got
└ Tags: jennifer, ruth

Discussion (177) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    January 6, 2024 at 12:04 am | #

    yes, absolutely nothing can possibly go wrong here

    • clif
      clif
      January 6, 2024 at 2:55 am | #

      Jennifer is like an almost stopped clock that’s close enough to right for about 15 minutes every twelve hours, but you’re never sure which 15 minutes.

      • milu
        milu
        January 6, 2024 at 8:58 am | #

        this server, meanwhile, [server clock rant]!!!

      • Imogen
        Imogen
        January 6, 2024 at 1:04 pm | #

        THIS! You summed it up perfectly.

  2. Animedingo
    Animedingo
    January 6, 2024 at 12:05 am | #

    I mean getting laid might help

    • Yumi
      Yumi
      January 6, 2024 at 12:06 am | #

      Or make everything worse! Depending!

      Let’s find out!

    • Cmasta1992
      Cmasta1992
      January 6, 2024 at 12:18 am | #

      It’s amazing how sometimes the answer to “Why is everything pissing me off lately” is just “I haven’t had sex in a while”

      No one actually cares about the Monty Hall problem

      • Yumi
        Yumi
        January 6, 2024 at 12:49 am | #

        I have had sex recently and care about the Monty Hall problem, but I do recognize that sometimes people just need to bone.

        • Freemage
          Freemage
          January 6, 2024 at 4:44 am | #

          Perfect Gravatar-comment alignment, there.

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        January 6, 2024 at 12:59 am | #

        I think you would be surprised how angry the Monty Hall problem can make people

        • DaveM
          DaveM
          January 6, 2024 at 1:41 am | #

          Honest question, why would the Monty Hall problem upset people? It’s been solved. If you stay with your first door you have a 1 in 3 chance of winning, if you swap doors, you have a 2 in 3 chance. Mythbusters even did some pretty extensive manual testing and proved that it worked IRL as well as mathematically. What’s to get angry about?

          • David DeLaney
            David DeLaney
            January 6, 2024 at 2:18 am | #

            because some people have a deeply innate but wrong sense of how probability OUGHT TO work, dammit deity

            –Dave, they don’t realize that math constrains the divine as well

            • clif
              clif
              January 6, 2024 at 2:57 am | #

              Dave — It’s a miracle how that happens.

            • foamy
              foamy
              January 6, 2024 at 4:20 am | #

              There’s a fun one with two coins that is essentially the same as Monty Hall and that can break people’s brains who have internalized ‘coinflips are independent 50-50 chances’.

              Suppose I flip two coins and show you one of them, with it being (for example) heads. What are the odds the other coin is tails?

              The answer is 2/3.

              • David DeLaney
                David DeLaney
                January 6, 2024 at 7:42 am | #

                because you can pick which coin you show

                contrast to “you turn one over without looking and it happens to be heads”; _then_ the odds for the other one are indeed 50-50, as they would also be if Monty picked a door without knowing where the goats were

              • TerribleTransit
                TerribleTransit
                January 6, 2024 at 11:30 am | #

                There’s got to be some missing rules to make it 2/3 though, right? Like, if you *preferentially* show heads it’s a 2/3 chance to be tails, but if you just show a coin at random it’s still 50/50.

                Prefer heads: could be HH, HT, TH, 2/3 have tails. (TT is excluded, of course)

                Show one random coin: could be HH or HT (but not TH or TT) so 1/2 chance it’s tails.

                • David DeLaney
                  David DeLaney
                  January 6, 2024 at 7:58 pm | #

                  yes, the missing piece is that Monty KNOWS which doors have goats behind them, so he’s not gonna accidentally open a door and show you the new car and ruin the game

                • Lurker in the Wires
                  Lurker in the Wires
                  January 6, 2024 at 9:00 pm | #

                  The missing rule is hidden in the Monty Hall problem. When they reveal one of the doors after the first choice, they will NEVER get rid of a winning door unless more than 1 door can win. The mathematical probability is founded upon your initial choice, not your second choice.

                  – Blind Choice 1: You chose right. They remove a bad door. The other door is wrong.
                  – Blind Choice 2: You chose the wrong door. The other door is right.
                  – Blind Choice 3: You chose the wrong door. The other door is right.

                  2/3 of the time, you chose wrong at first, so 2/3 of the time, the other remaining door will be correct.

                  This feels wrong because, in isolation (as most probability is generally considered), each choice has its standard mathematical value (1/3, followed by 50/50). The Monty Hall problem/solution isn’t presented in isolation, but in a series in which one probability sequentially affects the second.

                • David M Willis
                  David M Willis
                  January 6, 2024 at 10:17 pm | #

                  BONE?!?!?!?!

                • Li
                  Li
                  January 7, 2024 at 6:03 pm | #

                  Thank you Lurker in the Halls for FINALLY explaining that in a way that makes sense.

                • Li
                  Li
                  January 7, 2024 at 6:04 pm | #

                  *Wires

              • Tan
                Tan
                January 7, 2024 at 4:33 am | #

                To be clear, this only works if I don’t know which of the two coins you’re showing me. Say you flip a nickel and a quarter. You show me that the nickel has come up heads, there are only two possibilities: the quarter came up heads, or the quarter came up tails. Now if you flip 2 quarters, show me one came up heads and I don’t know which one it is, either both quarters came up heads, quarter 1 came up heads and quarter 2 came up tails, or quarter 2 came up heads and quarter 1 came up tails.

          • Needfuldoer
            Needfuldoer
            January 6, 2024 at 3:43 am | #

            Hindsight when they lose.

            “I was right! I should’ve stayed!”
            “You were right! I should’ve switched!”

          • Yumi
            Yumi
            January 6, 2024 at 8:40 am | #

            Aldo, it’s a reference to an episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

      • Allandrel
        Allandrel
        January 6, 2024 at 5:16 am | #

        I understood that reference.

        Bone.

    • emeraldbeacon
      emeraldbeacon
      January 6, 2024 at 12:41 am | #

      Dorothy is falling apart, yearning for something self-destructive but comforting… while her most recent Ex is currently reeling from being dumped, because he wanted a more casual relationship than his new girlfriend.

      Sounds like a perfect time for Dotty x Walky hookup that everyone will regret tomorrow…

    • anon
      anon
      January 6, 2024 at 1:06 am | #

      I wonder if jen would try to set walky and dorothy back up together again after she finds out lucy broke up with him

      • clif
        clif
        January 6, 2024 at 3:00 am | #

        My long shot money is that she tries to set Dorothy up with Daisy. I mean look how well that worked last time.

      • Rabisch
        Rabisch
        January 6, 2024 at 12:03 pm | #

        Let’s hope so. That would be the last straw for Lucy for finally say to Jennifer what terrible person she is and ask for be moved in another room.

    • Plaaaaaa
      Plaaaaaa
      January 6, 2024 at 6:57 am | #

      Yeah, but is Joyce ready to admit her Sapphic desires as well?

      • milu
        milu
        January 6, 2024 at 9:01 am | #

        It doesn’t matter! Dorothy just needs to boink someone! anyone! But also, yes please

    • Firseal
      Firseal
      January 8, 2024 at 1:58 am | #

      And, to be fair, Jennifer was going to talk to Walky about other things today. What’s one more task for the quasi-sibling she’s working so hard to not have any human empathy for, who also dated Dorothy and just had his third college romantic interlude crash into the sea-wall of unpleasant realities.

  3. NGPZ
    NGPZ
    January 6, 2024 at 12:06 am | #

    Is Jennifer… threatening to basically cuck Ruth? 😮

    • RassilonTDavros
      RassilonTDavros
      January 6, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

      I mean, they aren’t dating anymore, I wouldn’t really count that.

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      January 6, 2024 at 12:09 am | #

      Only if she is trying to get Dorothy together with Jason, whose new file-photo under the cast section is way too sexy for me. It doesn’t help I had a remix of Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” on in the background – I find it funny.

      • cbwroses
        cbwroses
        January 6, 2024 at 12:17 am | #

        Huh. I checked and it is surprisingly sexy.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      January 6, 2024 at 12:10 am | #

      I can’t imagine Jason being her first choice to set someone up with, so probably not?

  4. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    January 6, 2024 at 12:06 am | #

    Yeah but the cast list of available to bang Dorothy options is pretty short. Who we lokking at…Ken? Lyle? Get outta here!

    • Agemegos
      Agemegos
      January 6, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

      Jacob.

      • Sirksome
        Sirksome
        January 6, 2024 at 12:10 am | #

        Jacob’s not a let’s smash type and I’m not sure if a slow burn romance solves the problem.

        • Thag Simmons
          Thag Simmons
          January 6, 2024 at 12:13 am | #

          Dorothy isn’t really a “Let’s Smash” person either

          • Sirksome
            Sirksome
            January 6, 2024 at 12:23 am | #

            Analyzing that leads to a deeper discussion and question we may not have answers too. Like we know Dorothy is sexually active and equally frustrated, but is Jacob. There’s a valid argument he’s a virgin. He’s at least spoken his aversion to purely physical relationships and being objectified. I don’t really ship Jake and Dorothy because I think it would be boring but the sex topic might add a compelling obstacle that creates more interest for me.

          • hatman
            hatman
            January 6, 2024 at 10:48 am | #

            That’s true. You wanna go for Booster or Walky when it comes to Smash as they have the Switch.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              January 6, 2024 at 5:31 pm | #

              Isn’t that back with Charlie?

              Or am I thinking of another device?

    • Nono
      Nono
      January 6, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

      If you combine those two, you’re just a Ren away from Kylo Ren.

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        January 6, 2024 at 12:12 am | #

        Lyle Ken is missing an “O” and an “R” and the “K” is in the wrong spot

        • David DeLaney
          David DeLaney
          January 6, 2024 at 2:20 am | #

          just add a passing dork, mix well, and bake steamily for 15 minutes

          –Dave, … o hai thar Arnold

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      January 6, 2024 at 12:14 am | #

      [glare]

      • milu
        milu
        January 6, 2024 at 9:11 am | #

        completely o/t, sorry but

        your avatar background is quite pretty

        • HueSatLight
          HueSatLight
          January 6, 2024 at 3:12 pm | #

          thank you, it’s from a June Brigman panel. https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Untitled.png

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 4:35 pm | #

      I honestly can’t remember if Jennifer already knows that Walky and Lucy just broke up.
      If she does, though, I’m betting her plan will involve setting up Walky with Dorothy. It could solve so many problems, from her perspective! Make Dorothy stop being sad by giving her some quick sexual satisfaction! Give Walky an easy rebound, so he also stops being sad! Affirm her sibling relationship with Walky once more, so she can stop feeling kinda icky about the fact that she accidentally dated Walky But He’s Taller And Also Smokes for a while! GENIUS!!!

  5. Thag Simmons
    Thag Simmons
    January 6, 2024 at 12:07 am | #

    Always love when Jennifer tries to play matchmaker. It never works, but it’s fun in a Coyote trying to catch the Roadrunner sort of way

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      January 6, 2024 at 12:10 am | #

      Yes, yes it is.

    • adam Black
      adam Black
      January 6, 2024 at 3:04 am | #

      She has a 100% After the fact ratio.

      If anything her real power isn’t matchmaking, it’s cursing and dooming already paired with her Dumpster aura

  6. Nono
    Nono
    January 6, 2024 at 12:07 am | #

    You know, gotta say, for someone who basically got broken up with at a big party and then was yelling at her to basically smash her face in just a few weeks ago, Jennifer is surprisingly pleasant to her ex.

    The hatesex must have been REALLY good.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      January 6, 2024 at 12:50 am | #

      This is only because Jennifer wants to tout how amazing she is.

      Their last interaction was her assaulting Ruth.

      • BOOSTER SHOT
        BOOSTER SHOT
        January 6, 2024 at 3:38 am | #

        …how? Their last interaction was posted just a few days ago, and Billie was… Mildly rude? A little callous? And before that they were in class together?

    • milu
      milu
      January 6, 2024 at 9:13 am | #

      No, see, it was BILLIE who got broken up with.

      JENNIFER only harbours neutral if aloof feelings towards Ruth.

  7. drs
    drs
    January 6, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

    Dorothy/Jennifer!

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      January 6, 2024 at 12:10 am | #

      I ship it! <3

    • BarerMender
      BarerMender
      January 6, 2024 at 12:24 am | #

      I’m still holding out hopelessly and desolately for Dorothy-Joyce.

      • anon
        anon
        January 6, 2024 at 1:08 am | #

        just end the series in one big ‘fuckpile’ 8D;

      • justin8448
        justin8448
        January 6, 2024 at 2:03 am | #

        I think Dorothy-Joyce is endgame. Or perhaps a V poly (not triad!) situation that also includes Joe will be where we finally end up.

        But if I had to guess, I would say that Willis probably has a few decades before retirement, so we’re going to take our time getting there.

      • David DeLaney
        David DeLaney
        January 6, 2024 at 2:21 am | #

        helllpless-ly ho-ping
        her harrr-lequin hovers
        nearby
        awaaaiting a word

    • Carla's #2 Fan
      Carla's #2 Fan
      January 6, 2024 at 2:46 am | #

      That’s how I read this interaction!

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 4:39 pm | #

      I was about to say that Jennifer wouldn’t do that, since she’s already dating Asher, and then I slapped myself for expecting far, far, too much from Jennifer. Actually, she’ll probably RELISH the chance to brag to Asher about how she totally got poetic revenge for him cheating on her with a guy that one time. Oh dear…

  8. Bo
    Bo
    January 6, 2024 at 12:09 am | #

    this is a lot more canonizing bi dorothy than i was expecting here we go lads <3

  9. Nono
    Nono
    January 6, 2024 at 12:09 am | #

    …I’m trying to think about where Jennifer could have gotten that idea about Becky. She’s loud and impulsive, but she’s never really been absent-minded.

    If anything, she’s hyper focused at times.

    • Jeremiah
      Jeremiah
      January 6, 2024 at 12:13 am | #

      (taken from a Patreon comment) She remind her of Walky attitude and so she is predisposed to assume she is equally careless about stuff because she doesn’t Becky all that well and Jennifer has a tendency of assume things about people and situations.

      • Jeremiah
        Jeremiah
        January 6, 2024 at 12:14 am | #

        *doesn’t know Becky all that well

      • DailyBrad
        DailyBrad
        January 6, 2024 at 12:38 am | #

        Yeah, she doesn’t really know Becky, and especially doesn’t know that friends are something Becky takes very seriously.

        Of course, irony being, Walky also takes friends pretty seriously, Jennifer perhaps most of all, but she’s not really in a headspace to look at that objectively.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      January 6, 2024 at 12:50 am | #

      The first thing you need to know is that nobody can help anyone except Jennifer.

      • StClair
        StClair
        January 6, 2024 at 1:03 am | #

        also, Marley was dead.

        • Dara
          Dara
          January 6, 2024 at 1:33 am | #

          True. None of which follows would make the least bit of sense if Marley was not, in fact, dead.

          • clif
            clif
            January 6, 2024 at 3:04 am | #

            Marley faked his own death so he could set up the greatest Christmas prank of all time.

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          January 6, 2024 at 3:49 am | #

          Marley and Marley are dead, you mean.

          • Steelbright
            Steelbright
            January 6, 2024 at 4:17 am | #

            The Marleys are dead. Dead as a doornail.

    • zee
      zee
      January 6, 2024 at 11:21 am | #

      Adhd coded

  10. Steve
    Steve
    January 6, 2024 at 12:10 am | #

    Wow, for being terrible at reading people, Billie is really good at reading people! That is in fact Dorothy’s exact problem. Well, one of them anyway.

    • Nono
      Nono
      January 6, 2024 at 12:17 am | #

      It’s really not.

      Dorothy’s need for Walky right now isn’t hormones, it’s an emotional blanket that she can’t get close to because he has (had) a girlfriend.

      If it was just horniness she would have rubbed one out by now; she doesn’t have issues with doing that.

      • HueSatLight
        HueSatLight
        January 6, 2024 at 12:40 am | #

        It’s Dorothy’s attraction to Joyce that Jennifer is almost right about.

      • Coatl
        Coatl
        January 6, 2024 at 12:47 am | #

        How would she react to finding out that Walky and Lucy didn’t work out?
        That’s what would really get attention, but it would also be interesting to see Walky’s reaction if Dorothy found out about that. After all, he still sees Dorothy at the top, but maybe it would also be Walky’s chance to finally see that Dorothy is not only “the greatness of the organization,” she is also a girl who has problems and realizes who also hurt her (not intentionally obviously), the latter is more of a whim, but come on, who hasn’t wanted whims in this comic?

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      January 6, 2024 at 12:31 am | #

      Always trying to be helpful, but in a way she’d kind of botch it.

    • Karadaga
      Karadaga
      January 6, 2024 at 12:56 am | #

      You know how in fiction, to disarm a bomb, the protagonists must cut every wire in the right order, otherwise it detonates and kills everyone in the building?

      I think Dorothy’s first wire is absolutely not the Joyce attraction

      • Proxiehunter
        Proxiehunter
        January 7, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

        Better cut it anyway just to be sure. What’s the worst that could happen?

  11. Rose by Any Other Name
    Rose by Any Other Name
    January 6, 2024 at 12:11 am | #

    … I love these two.
    Dating or not dating, their interactions are just the best. I love how they bounce off eachother and come to just the worst conclusions.

    Just… so good.

    • Drain
      Drain
      January 6, 2024 at 1:51 am | #

      For real. i expected more nuclear dumbing with these two together again but we’re getting this instead and it’s very cathartic. They’re being smart and self-aware in ways that aren’t enough to get them to come to any better conclusions but enough to show that time away has put emotional distance between the events of semester 1. They’re being good at being exes rn

      • David DeLaney
        David DeLaney
        January 6, 2024 at 2:22 am | #

        neither of them appears to currently be even a li’l bit drunk

      • Steelbright
        Steelbright
        January 6, 2024 at 3:53 am | #

        Nuclear dumbing is an excellent way to describe what often goes on here

        • Mark
          Mark
          January 6, 2024 at 8:55 am | #

          I’m going to swipe that term to refer to the outcome that the Cold War successfully avoided.

    • Jon
      Jon
      January 6, 2024 at 4:10 pm | #

      I’m actually the opposite. I very rarely enjoy their interactions in recent years — it all just feels like the same toxic, nasty energy. Kind of confused why they’re getting along this well, honestly

  12. UrsulaDavina
    UrsulaDavina
    January 6, 2024 at 12:13 am | #

    Or maybe get Dotty to open up her therapist so she get the help she needs. Remember when Jennifer tried the same thing with Daisy and Ruth? That didn’t really work out. And about Becky being flaky, I don’t get where Jennifer’s coming from with that.

    • Jeremiah
      Jeremiah
      January 6, 2024 at 12:16 am | #

      It’s Jennifer making assumptions and incorrect judgement of someone. It’s something she does sometimes.

      • Amelie Wikström
        Amelie Wikström
        January 6, 2024 at 12:46 am | #

        She likes to think she’s super good at reading people, an essential skill for the alpha bongo, trend setting, hub of the social wheel sort of person she somehow thinks she should be.

        We could summarize the difference between what Jennifer thinks she wants and her actual needs and wants by the fact she’s been more successful at writing Star Wars fanfiction than journalism. I think it’s actually much more important to her but she’s still listening to the popular girls in high school telling her otherwise.

    • anon
      anon
      January 6, 2024 at 1:09 am | #

      given that the comments section tended to seem that her therapist wouldn’t that effective with the ‘my emotional trauma is just grist for the mill’ that dorothy said, dunno if it’ll be helpful, tho hopefully it wouldn’t be more damaging XD

    • Vanessa
      Vanessa
      January 6, 2024 at 2:40 am | #

      Becky isn’t doing squat about Dorothy aside from antagonizing her. She’s busy boning her girlfriend and doesn’t like Dorothy anyway. I really don’t see how asking the roommate to keep an eye on her helps aside from being notified when someone is passed out in the bathroom or something obvious.

      • Jeremiah
        Jeremiah
        January 6, 2024 at 4:40 am | #

        But Becky does care about Dorothy? The antagonizing has been acknowledge by both of them to be pretty much just performative at this point. She was genuinely concerned when Dorothy told her that she hasn’t answered to Yale and encouraged her to do it because she wanted to at least someone get something good out of that awful event. Isn’t that a sign of caring?

      • Mark
        Mark
        January 6, 2024 at 8:59 am | #

        Dunno, I think Becky actually enjoys her (one-sided) rivalry with Dorothy.

      • Schpoonman
        Schpoonman
        January 6, 2024 at 3:25 pm | #

        You missed the entire exchange where Becky and Dorothy verbally acknowledged that their “rivalry” was for play, didn’t you?

  13. EAG46
    EAG46
    January 6, 2024 at 12:14 am | #

    Does Dorothy need actual sexual intercourse with a human or does she just need orgasms? If she just needs the latter, then use Amazon Prime to ship a nice selection of toys to her, either electric or battery powered. Sitting on washing machines doesn’t seem to be enough. Or ask Carla to invent something, she’s good with tools. 😉

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      January 6, 2024 at 12:19 am | #

      I’m pretty sure Dorothy teaching Joyce to use a washing machine was just the least most intrusive way to teach Joyce, that she could think of. I don’t know if that her most prefered method given that it’s a public place.

      • Schpoonman
        Schpoonman
        January 6, 2024 at 2:37 pm | #

        “Least most intrusive” is a way to describe that debacle.

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      January 6, 2024 at 12:32 am | #

      she needs to understand that she’s attracted to Joyce.

      • Dara
        Dara
        January 6, 2024 at 1:35 am | #

        Definitely. I don’t think we get to go there yet, but, well.

    • Fred
      Fred
      January 6, 2024 at 1:33 pm | #

      I think she needs the other person 100%. Hence her subconscious deciding it was AOK being IN THE ROOM with the first Joyce Does A Orgasm. I think it’s not just horniness, but Intimacy that she lacks. Her roommate is a constant sitcom frenemy battle. Her next life goal says “leave all your friends behind; you will make new friends at Yale.” Dorothy doesn’t have brain problems or vagina problems, she has heart problems, and that’s why she almost relapsed with Walky and is so upset about Joyce finding Joe’s heart. Nobody is looking for HER heart.

  14. Nevermaker
    Nevermaker
    January 6, 2024 at 12:17 am | #

    Jennifer, I do not know how many times you have to learn this, BUT YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE NOT UNIVERSAL

    • Jeremiah
      Jeremiah
      January 6, 2024 at 12:23 am | #

      She likes to think she is really knowledgeable about people and how they work which make it so funny when she is completely incorrect on her conclusions. It’s why I love her.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      January 6, 2024 at 12:51 am | #

      Except they are.

      • Jeremiah
        Jeremiah
        January 6, 2024 at 2:15 am | #

        What exact experience of Jennifer you think it’s s universal?

        • David DeLaney
          David DeLaney
          January 6, 2024 at 2:24 am | #

          well, remember that it’s HER universe

          –Dave, from a certain PoV anyway

          • Mark
            Mark
            January 6, 2024 at 9:01 am | #

            The Total Perspective Vortex told her so.

    • Imogen
      Imogen
      January 6, 2024 at 1:02 pm | #

      It’s not just that. She’s done this sort of thing before, and the issue is less assuming her problems are universal so much as a running gag that she always draws conclusions sliiightly to the left of reality. Remember “Sal is Amazi-Girl”? Remember “Walky needs my help to get with Dorothy”?

    • Belegcam
      Belegcam
      January 6, 2024 at 4:02 pm | #

      But you know what is universal? People believing that their own experiences are universal.

      (Seriously, I realized this a few years ago and it’s literally everywhere you look once you start seeing it.)

  15. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    January 6, 2024 at 12:21 am | #

    I no longer wish to be horny. I wish to be happy.

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      January 6, 2024 at 12:23 am | #

      🥺 I never thought I’d live to see you say that. 🫂

    • PirateTawnee
      PirateTawnee
      January 6, 2024 at 12:37 am | #

      You either die horny, or live long enough to see yourself become happy.

    • milu
      milu
      January 6, 2024 at 9:17 am | #

      but but both?

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 4:45 pm | #

      Can confirm that happiness is a pretty great emotion. 10/10, five stars, would experience again!
      Good luck getting there, along whichever path is easiest for you, Yotomoe!

      • Gigafreak
        Gigafreak
        January 7, 2024 at 12:17 pm | #

        As heartwarming as this all is, that specific sequence of words is a meme quote, and I believe they meant to apply it to Jennifer’s perception of Dorothy rather than to their own life goals.

  16. Grayfinity
    Grayfinity
    January 6, 2024 at 12:33 am | #

    She’s Jenning It Up™️.

    Anyone got popcorn and possibly a spare fire extinguisher?

  17. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    January 6, 2024 at 12:39 am | #

    Well, Ruth has plenty of experience coming to Jennifer, that much isn’t in dispute.

  18. Suet
    Suet
    January 6, 2024 at 12:44 am | #

    “Usual”? Sank those a long time ago. Just hasn’t caught wind of the news.

    Alas, thinking horniness is the reason can’t be it, or else we’re wandering into the “Blonde, Brunette, Redhead of Self-Destruction” zone

  19. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    January 6, 2024 at 12:51 am | #

    Absolutely nothing can possibly go wrong with this plan, and I unreservedly endorse it.

  20. Bryy
    Bryy
    January 6, 2024 at 12:52 am | #

    Yup.

    Called it.

    Jennifer is incapable of not making this about her.

  21. Alongcameaspider
    Alongcameaspider
    January 6, 2024 at 1:09 am | #

    This is going to be a disaster isn’t it?

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      January 6, 2024 at 2:44 am | #

      Maybe “It’s the love I haven’t got” isn’t referring to what I originally thought…

      When it comes to those titles, more than meets the eye, I guess.

      • HueSatLight
        HueSatLight
        January 6, 2024 at 3:21 pm | #

        I wonder how far Willis gets into writing a chapter before picking the title. There’s sometimes multiple situations it applies, matching the title in different ways (literal meaning, lyrical meaning(s), … )

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      January 6, 2024 at 3:54 am | #

      It’s a Jennifer plan, so… probably?

      • Schpoonman
        Schpoonman
        January 6, 2024 at 7:45 am | #

        She’s going to get back to her room and a very unhappy Lucy, and put 2 and 2 together in the worst way.

  22. AGV
    AGV
    January 6, 2024 at 1:13 am | #

    Yeahhh this goes a bit deeper than a lack of orgasming

  23. BBCC
    BBCC
    January 6, 2024 at 2:10 am | #

    I can foresee no way this could go wrong and unreservedly endorse what’s about to happen.

  24. David DeLaney
    David DeLaney
    January 6, 2024 at 2:26 am | #

    soooo much James D Nicoll influence in these here comments

    –Dave, the self-awarenesses in this strip are clear off the chart! says Faz

  25. Vanessa
    Vanessa
    January 6, 2024 at 2:44 am | #

    The only way this could be good is if Jenn just makes a pass at Dorothy, assuming her desire that dare not speak its name is just lesbian desire.Dorothy is having a whole self-image crisis though.

  26. Taffy
    Taffy
    January 6, 2024 at 3:03 am | #

    Stop thinking about dick for five seconds and focus.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      January 6, 2024 at 4:01 am | #

      This comment needs a Dina avatar.

  27. adam Black
    adam Black
    January 6, 2024 at 3:07 am | #

    None of this interaction makes sense.

    When did these two become on speaking terms again?
    (Is this about jen dumping Asher?)

    • BOOSTER SHOT
      BOOSTER SHOT
      January 6, 2024 at 3:30 am | #

      Jennifer generates self-worth by solving problems and establishing social dominance. She already vented some spleen at Ruth earlier this morning, and this conversation is giving her an opportunity to generate self-worth. And she has consistently been shown to be unable to help herself, especially when it comes to Ruth. That was kind of the hallmark of their relationship. And Ruth is genuinely trying to be better and earn her job.

      • Schpoonman
        Schpoonman
        January 6, 2024 at 7:44 am | #

        She isn’t t-posing nearly enough.

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      January 6, 2024 at 3:27 pm | #

      They’ve been on fragile speaking terms. Jennifer set Ruth up on a date even. They both have a desire to be on good terms, but also both have a lot of hurt and anger.

      • DailyBrad
        DailyBrad
        January 6, 2024 at 4:07 pm | #

        Yeah, civility between them comes and goes.

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 4:54 pm | #

      From what I recall, Jennifer is pretty consistently on speaking terms with Ruth. She’s done a lot of sniping, but I think she at least acts like she wants to just move on be, if not exactly friends, at least friendly acquaintances. Ruth understands that that would be a nice and relatively normal way to interact, but also kinda still wants Billie, and also kinda wants to stay as far away from Billie as humanly possible just in case. So like HueSatLight said, fragile speaking terms.
      At least, that’s how I remember it. I haven’t actually read the archives in a while.

  28. Dday
    Dday
    January 6, 2024 at 3:19 am | #

    DagNABBIT! That ain’t what “sublimated” means! You’re looking for the word “repressed”! I’m pullin’ my hair out over here!

    • Dday
      Dday
      January 6, 2024 at 3:21 am | #

      You “sublimate” your rage into clay sculpture and weightlifting!

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      January 6, 2024 at 3:29 pm | #

      I feel better being puzzled staring at wiktionary now.

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 5:01 pm | #

      I can actually see an argument for how Jennifer’s using it the correct way, because she’s implying Dorothy’s sublimated her horniness into overachieving and over-organizing her life. It’s still an annoyingly ambiguous usage, though, even if that’s true.

  29. DashWallkick
    DashWallkick
    January 6, 2024 at 3:36 am | #

    Jennifer, trying to not be Billie, continues to believe she’s a savant with people and fixing their problems like a boss bongo, despite everything that’s told her she’s not able to do that.

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 5:04 pm | #

      And Ruth continues to believe that it’s not her place to intervene in other peoples’ bad behavior, or object to their obvious bullsh*t, because she’s inherently poisonous and everything she does will surely only make things worse.
      Mmmm, just old times….nostalgia, nostalgia…

  30. Steelbright
    Steelbright
    January 6, 2024 at 3:48 am | #

    Their faces seem so weirdly vulnerable and sweet whilst plotting all this and it’s making me Feel Things

    • David DeLaney
      David DeLaney
      January 6, 2024 at 7:46 am | #

      joe avatar is joe-ing grittily

  31. Zaxares
    Zaxares
    January 6, 2024 at 4:39 am | #

    That’s far too simplistic an explanation. I mean, in this case Jennifer’s right, but STILL… 😛

  32. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    January 6, 2024 at 5:45 am | #

    Act with no integrity ; lots of regrets

  33. foducool
    foducool
    January 6, 2024 at 6:38 am | #

    yes, let’s all agree that Jacob needs to bone Dorothy lmao

  34. VanVelding
    VanVelding
    January 6, 2024 at 7:00 am | #

    What’s that Community quote about Jeff and Annie concocting little adventures so they can spend time together without talking about their feelings for each other?

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      January 6, 2024 at 7:43 am | #

      “Jesus wep–”
      “Stop saying ‘Jesus wept.'”

      • VanVelding
        VanVelding
        January 7, 2024 at 1:08 pm | #

        Eh. Good enough.

  35. Steamweed
    Steamweed
    January 6, 2024 at 7:29 am | #

    Sublimated Horniness She Dare Not Speak Into Record.

    _There’s_ a DoA book title to end all DoA book titles.

  36. milu
    milu
    January 6, 2024 at 9:29 am | #

    damn, that’s some good writing :thumb_up:
    i love the back-and-forth of panels 2-4.

    Dday is right about “sublimated” though

  37. Pergola
    Pergola
    January 6, 2024 at 9:32 am | #

    If it weren’t for sublimated horniness, I’d never get anything done.

    • David DeLaney
      David DeLaney
      January 6, 2024 at 8:00 pm | #

      *Hee Haw intensifies, with banjos*

  38. Juanoku
    Juanoku
    January 6, 2024 at 11:52 am | #

    God she’s so cocky i fucking hate it

  39. Yeet
    Yeet
    January 6, 2024 at 11:57 am | #

    Jennifer. No. Fucking away the feelings is not healthy. Do not encourage Dorothy’s worst impulse.
    It’d also make way more sense if it was regular stress and not an actual mental health issue / mike grief / yale grief.

  40. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    January 6, 2024 at 12:08 pm | #

    Jennifer is stepping on the path for make Dorothy’s life even worse.
    Joyce will become an enemy and we all know that’s a very bad thing. Let’s hope Ruth is able to prevent the disaster.

  41. Imogen
    Imogen
    January 6, 2024 at 12:59 pm | #

    I love how Jennifer always wants to help and recognizes problems but is always just a tiiiidge off the mark on things. It’s one of my favorite running gags. She really means well here, and it’s nice to see her trying to help people again.

    • Imogen
      Imogen
      January 6, 2024 at 1:00 pm | #

      also these two have so much chemistry it hurts. like bleach and ammonia.

      • StClair
        StClair
        January 6, 2024 at 3:46 pm | #

        When they get together, it’s always a gas.

        • David DeLaney
          David DeLaney
          January 6, 2024 at 8:01 pm | #

          … sir

  42. elfroyalty
    elfroyalty
    January 6, 2024 at 2:41 pm | #

    Becky’s goofball facade continues to be neigh impenetrable

    • David DeLaney
      David DeLaney
      January 6, 2024 at 8:01 pm | #

      so you’re saying it would take a
      giant horse?

      • StClair
        StClair
        January 6, 2024 at 8:44 pm | #

        of course.

  43. Ambrose
    Ambrose
    January 6, 2024 at 2:50 pm | #

    Becoming an RA might actually be good for Jennifer, seeing how helping people through their problems seems really instinctive and her better impulses. Wonder if that may be a path she chooses later on.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      January 6, 2024 at 4:16 pm | #

      I don’t hate it, honestly. Like, I think it’d be better for her than for Dorothy, and she’d be better at it than Roz.

  44. HueSatLight
    HueSatLight
    January 6, 2024 at 4:07 pm | #

    I kind of hope this leads to Dorothy shouting for them to stop with the judgments and sex talk, and to leave her the hell alone. (one year ago today).

    • Mturtle7
      Mturtle7
      January 6, 2024 at 4:57 pm | #

      While Joyce is standing off to the side, with the most incredibly smug look on her face.

      • David DeLaney
        David DeLaney
        January 6, 2024 at 8:03 pm | #

        book the next title: “That’s Not Your Middle Finger, Joyce”

  45. poyo
    poyo
    January 6, 2024 at 5:49 pm | #

    oh, she still thinks she’s good at helping people. great.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      January 6, 2024 at 7:58 pm | #

      Her track record is mixed, but not all bad. She did genuinely help Joyce.

  46. Icalasari
    Icalasari
    January 6, 2024 at 8:41 pm | #

    Jennifer, uh

    …Actually wait, considering the homoerotic dreams about Joyce she had (before they turned into nightmares)…

    Nevermind, she might actually be right

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