Yeah, that part better be spelled out just a little in the comic. It’s not obvious why she’d do that. Even with that hat, surely you could stuff the phone in under the flap?
Long rant incoming, you might want to get some coffee. XD
Initially, I DID spell out her reasons for using the speakerphone in the panel dialogue, for exactly the reasons everyone here is commenting on: it feels a bit “indelicate”, writing wise, for her to be on speakerphone like this. It’s kind of like what people say about a bad joke: if you have to explain why it’s funny, it isn’t funny. Similarly, if I need to explain why using speakerphone makes sense, it probably doesn’t make sense.
The dialogue explaining why she was on speakerphone, though, felt forced and unnatural. Like, people who use speakerphone don’t generally feel a need to explain or justify it, so why is Andi doing so now? The answer to that question would be, because she needs to explain it to the viewer. It’s dialogue that doesn’t need to be there, and sticks out as shoe-horned in for meta-effect. The use of speakerphone here is already kind of “shoe-horned in” as is, and I felt adding explanation dialogue for it’s existance not only compounded that issue, but called un-needed attention TO it.
I do have an in-universe explanation for her use of speakerphone that the deleted dialogue referenced: it’s cold, and she doesn’t want to expose her ears to the chill by raising the flap to hold her phone to her head. In addition to the above reasons, it’s kind of silly for dialogue to be there that expressly states what can just as easily be conveyed by the art: snow on the ground, snowflakes falling, boots jacket and fuzzy winter hat.
That doesnt mean the use of speakerphone here doesn’t still “feel” strange. I fully accept and agree that it’s presence is an indelicately orchestrated plot device. There’s not much, if any, tact to it’s use here. But it’s serving another purpose beyond plot-device: avoiding further complications.
In the last couple strips there are several comments along the lines of, “I smell a Misunderstood Conversation Snippet trope coming”. That thing where someone is saying, “Tony is such a jerk, how dare he say ‘Amanda’s useless and stupid and I hate her'”, only for Amanda to walk up and hear the last half without context. “Amanda’s useless and stupid and I hate her.” That is something I considered much earlier in the planning phase and chose to actively avoid. Speakerphone accomplishes that goal.
Is it blatant and tactless plot devicing? Yes.
Is it preferable to having things dragged out more by creating more drama and further delaying Amanda’s learning of Certain Unpleasant Things? Hell yes.
The Amanda Arc serves a larger purpose, but it still needs to have it’s own wrap up so other phases of the story can happen. Plus, it’s a Christmas story that I started in September. I’d like to finish it up before the year ends so I’m not still drawing tinsel in March. If I need to bite the bullet and ham-fist something small in to accomplish those goals and avoid larger problems of clunky over-explaining dialogue, so be it.
I’m generally of the opinion that “if you have to explain why it makes sense, it probably doesn’t” but sometimes you’ve just gotta deal with things to keep the plot moving instead of spending another ten or twenty pages getting to the point where it fits with less fudge.
As a reader, I’ll trate “a bit contrived” for a buch of unnecessary time spent getting where you want us to be—I’m also of the opinion stories should be just as long as they need to be, no longer, so cutting out transition filler that doesn’t really need to be there is a worthwhile tradeoff for slightly contrived setup.
That said, I’ve done the same thing (use speaker because I’ve got a hood on or something over my ears), so it’s not at all unrealistic.
And, since you brought it up in the dialogue anyway, you could have just had her respond “You’re on speaker. It’s cold out here so I’ve got earmuffs on.” or something of the sort, which could still segue into asking where she is.
I hope this doesn’t come across as telling you how to do your job or how you should be writing your dialogue—you do a great job with natural dialogue and varying flavors of voice. Just pointing out one way that you could shown your work without adding more than an extra sentence or so.
My sister uses her speakerphone literally always unless her daughter’s in the room. Someone who isn’t used to having a kid around and is used to using speakerphone regularly – I can see them not thinking to check and making this mistake.
Basically the speakerphone thing didn’t strike me as unusual or contrived at all, I figured it was just something Andy did.
I agree with Paul. It didn’t feel contrived to me either. I use the speaker phone regularly with certain relatives and especially in situations where I think the other person is going to get loud.
If Andi is anticipating her mom yelling at her having her on speakerphone so she doesn’t get blasted in her ear makes sense.
Using the speakerphone so you don’t have to have cold metal next to your ear on a snowy night makes perfect sense to me as well.
Okay, I’m convinced — both of the reasonableness of the speakerphone and of the reasoning for not mentioning it directly in the comic.
I think I’m just so unused to speakerphone (when my nephews do it — frequently — I always think it’s weird unless there’s a three-party conversation or they have something they need to get done with their hands) that it felt weird. I’m over that now.
And yeah, in retrospect, I do prefer it when comics don’t spell out every detail. I certainly like to avoid that “Luckily, my powers will protect me!” or “Jean, use your powers to do that thing that your powers do that you already know about and don’t need me to tell you to do!” school of old-style comics dialog.
Also like to see subplots wrapped up neatly, now and then. So that’s nice.
Oh, lord, you got me thinking specifically of an early Kirby FF scene in which our heroes are falling from a great height and Reed hollers, “Use your powers, Sue! Use your powers!” Gaaaahhhhh…
Thank you for explaining Dave – and I agree and am glad to see some of the ideas be avoided. I also agree with the others that it didn’t feel un-natural to me at all.
I love this story, and your art (I just re-read the whole archives the other day, and you’ve grown a lot in your art since the beginning). Thank you for taking your time to post a story this amazing for free for us!
Thats exactly the problem, its a lazy, obvious, plot device. Like Amanda getting drunk back in the art show. Dave’s writing is usually so much better so things like that really stick out.
The thing with the art show bit, is it was (A) based loosely on a couple similar occurrences from my own childhood and (2) intended to be some small bit of mischief that gave Todd and Andi a chance to have a “parenting moment” together. Essentially, I thought it would be funny, but the reaction was more “ridiculous, silly, immersion-breaking” etc.
It didn’t work out how I wanted, but it’s not the worst mistake I’ve made with this comic, soooo… *shrug*.
It was fine, Dave. There’s just too many idiots here who think kids don’t get into mischief, parents in this country aren’t sue-happy to the point of forcing a hands-off approach to deterrence, and a few seconds is too short a time for trouble to happen.
For what its worth, I like the rough edges when they’re small like these. Its why I prefer webcomics over more edited and polished media. You see stories and such that don’t exist elsewhere.
Thank you, Dave, for sharing this story with us. Especially when you’re referencing things from your own childhood.
This seemed perfectly natural to me. I use the speakerphone when talking to someone that I really don’t want to talk to. Sort of keeping them at a distance, or out of my head.
Obvious, maybe, but lazy? There’s really no way to work that into a conversation without it being contrived (such as Andi repeating everything as suggested above), and using speakerphone is a thing. I will often use it myself if there’s no one around because the speakerphone is sometimes easier to make out that my phone’s regular speaker, or because I don’t want to or can’t hold it to my ear.
As for Amanda getting drunk, that happens in real life, too. Reality is unrealistic. Not every child is the same, and you’d be surprised how many like bitter and/or ‘bitey’ things, and how many businesses have a ‘never make physical contact with a child EVER’ policy just to avoid being sued by parents for doing said parents’ jobs.
In short, the fact that you PERSONALLY haven’t witnessed something does not mean it does not happen EVER.
My mom, a school bus driver, yesterday physically separated two kids (3rd and 4th graders), one of whom was trying to poke the other kid’s eyes out and wouldn’t stop even as she tried to pull them apart.
She went into full Mom mode and marched them (while holding them by the arm) to the principal’s office. I think it was the best thing she could’ve done.
She will likely face consequences for this act, possibly even legal ones — because you’re not supposed to touch a kid. But what I would say in her place, and maintain, is “I saw an imminent threat to life and limb.” What was she supposed to do, let the victim go blind while she wrung her hands about it?
Nope! She should have magically saved the victim without touching the child, yelling, or doing anything but being nice! After all, if she let the victim go blind, she wouldn’t have been doing her job, but she certainly shouldn’t have put her hands on that child! /sarcasm
That would be a classic ‘bound for the lake of fire if you do, bound for the lake of fire if you don’t’ situation if ever I saw one. Personally, I’d do what she did, too. I’d rather lose my job and get sued for saving someone from harm than keep it by following the rules and standing by on the sidelines.
We’ve seen her use a phone before without it being on speaker (ex – calling the orphanage, calling Todd). This is a big stretch.
Kids are smart. Amanda does not need to hear both sides of the conversation to know what’s going on as is, but dialog can be fixed to make it more clear. “No, Mom, I am not at your house! No I’m not trying to ambush you with Amanda.”
Uhhhh spelling everything out like that feels a LOT more unnatural, like when you watch a sitcom and they say “oh I was talking to Christina, you know my sister in Philadelphia who went to our wedding?”. It’s robotic sounding
Actually, that specific one would seem robotic for being too short. Older people I’ve spoken to tend to give the entire genealogy of anyone they give even a passing mention of in a conversation, or pretty darn near it.
Different situations – people do different things in them. For instance, I usually avoid speakerphone like the plague (I have hearing problems, so it’s not as convenient for me). However, if I’m outside when it’s cold? I’m WAY more likely to use speakerphone if it’s quiet enough, because even with a hat or something, the pressure against my ear when it’s cold is enough to give me horrible discomfort, and occasionally earaches which last for hours.
I’m prepared to accept that Andi has some similar habit or reason where this is one of the times where she prefers speakerphone. For instance, it’s likely based on the tenor of the conversation already that talking to her mother is going to massively stress her out; maybe she wants to be able to put the phone down in order to use her hands to make a snowman or rip up weeds under the snow or bite her fingernails or practically ANYTHING as a way of handling the tension. Which, if she’s got the phone in one hand, she can’t do.
But also a positive message from her own mother, at least, contrary to what others have suggested in response to previous comics. Assuming Amanda can hear all of it, she should understand that Andi is putting her ahead of her relationship with her own mother.
“Something tells me that Andi’s done something similar with something bigger.” Or her mom has severe anxiety disorder and a tendency to jump to conclusions and assume the worst about people—including those she is closest to.
Well that too? Cuz what if she didn’t know Andi was pregnant until last minute? I sorta see Andi doing that,not being mean but it’s hard for a teen to tell their parent that kinda thing.
Spent 25 years of my adult life around my mom who would accuse me of things based off of nothing. I never did drugs or alcohol. I never got into trouble at school or with boys. I didn’t even skip until the last day of my senior year. My mom’s behavior really fucked with my head. Anyone who knows me closely is shocked when they find out how she views me.
So it’s not really unrealistic for me to believe a parent can that crazy deluded and controlling for no good reason (beyond their own warped experiences/mental illness).
I wasn’t actually saying that she did? I just don’t want it to be used in a negative manner and that’s how it felt is all? :/ I’m sorry if I wasn’t clearer.
I can relate – myself and my roommate both have mental illnesses. Having one does *not* make a person abusive. However, being abused/abusing can both be signs of a greater problem. People should watch that though – I know even having one I’ve used it as an insult, and the only way to stop that is to watch how we all talk/write.
And what makes you think I haven’t/don’t? I have respect for people who admit they have mental illnesses and work hard not to hurt other people.
Those are not the people I’m referring to. I’m referring people who have mental illness and either use it as an excuse to repeatedly harm others—especially if they choose to have children and do not make an effort to have self-reflection and make attempts to protect others—including kids and pets. Or people who refuse to even look in the mirror.
I’ve known plenty of people who have done exactly that and continuously used the “poor me” excuse and stories from their childhood to get people to enable them to continue that.
Andi’s mom strikes me as the kind of person with the superiority complex that she takes out on her daughter despite being a highly anxious, insecure, self-loathing person herself. I know that behavior too well in my mom and have even seen it in myself (though I spend a lot of time working on re-programming so I have a decent marriage and a well-adjusted).
On top of that, abusers deserve every label they get. Who knows if they are really crazy or not? But from personal experience, I can say my parents most definitely are. It is appropriate for me to label their actions and behaviors. That is my right as someone who has had to live with the repercussions of it. I will not stop labeling them to save someone else’s feelings. There is no being “PC” about when you have been continuously told you must love and forgive a father who threatened to “break off” your arm, kicked you, punched you, and choked you when you. There is no “being thicker skinned” when you are expected to endure a stepfather who repeatedly spits on you and calls you a “future baglady.” Who nearly steps on your toddler when he chases after you to throw you on the floor.
If someone hurts you like that, you are entitled to call that anything you want. So yes, my parents *were* and probably still *are* crazy. It is NUTS to do that to a child.
The best damn choice I ever made is walking away from those people. I have a happy marriage and a well-adjusted little girl from it, and I have finally found the courage to make a family of dear close friends in my life who are good people.
Where I work a LOT of the younger hipper set use speaker phone in the cafeteria, in the Library, outside a classroom, while conversing with a fox, or talking in a box, while they’re talking in the stalls, or conversing in the halls, I don’t like speaker phone sam-I-am, I don’t like speaker phone at all.
The fox says nothing, as it is a fox and lacks the required muscular structure and vocal chords for speech. It does, however, manage to bark out an impressive fanfare.
The fox also insists it is the 20th Century, so maybe take anything it DOES say with a grain of salt.
Well, I see Andi as having a card in her hand with dealing with her mother now. She can cut Patricia out of her life if Patricia is unwilling to be part of Amanda’s. Ammunition.
There’s a lot of reasons Andi could be on speaker phone. Maybe its cause her phone is cold, maybe she doesn’t feel like taking her hat off to put the phone up to her ear outside. Maybe she just doesn’t like the idea of having phones next to her ear (I don’t particularly, because I like being mostly hands free, not stuck in one position with my head). Maybe her mom talks too loud. My grandpa is hard of hearing so he talks kinda loud. When he calls me I sometimes put him on speaker. Maybe she IS hoping that Todd or one if his family members will over hear.. It could make the social situation a lot easier for her in explaining why she wanted Amanda there & how Andi didn’t want to be alone on Christmas.
But ultimately I would much rather have more Selkie comic than have to waste a whole day explaining why she chose to put her mom on speaker phone. It’s irrelevant to the story and the author should be able to do what ever he wants to propel the plot at an appropriate rate without anyone calling him a ‘lazy writer’. That’s totally offensive and really speaks to your complete lack of imagination.
A webcomic doesn’t need to explain every single little thing, especially something as insignificant as how a character talks on the phone. Some of them have weird quirks or do things for no reason, just like in real life. Accept it and move on.
Dave, please ignore the critics. It doesn’t even matter whether they’re “right” or not from some point of view. 1) Selkie is awesome. 2) Selkie is awesome. 3) Selkie is awesome. … 17)
If you completely ignore the critics, you don’t improve. Or at least you improve more slowly and less efficiently.
The important thing is to learn how to distinguish a legitimate criticism from a random opinion or unimportant detail.
There are plenty of people here whose experience with speakerphones has led them to think Andi’s action is perfectly within the realm of normal. Since that is the case, I no longer have a problem with it. It seemed weird, but only from my limited experience with cell phones (I’ve still got friends and family trying to convince me that not having a cell phone makes me deficient somehow).
But there are other bits, earlier in the comic, when Dave listened to his fans and corrected a problem, and the comic is better for it. As long as people are respectful and don’t get too uppity/insistent, it shouldn’t be a problem.
My dad usually uses speaker on his phone, I use it when I’m having trouble hearing the other person such as my dad or when I’m outside so Andi using speaker isn’t really a cheap move it’s cold she has her hat covering her ears and her mom might change her volume sporadically going from soft to loud hence speakerphone function makes sense.
“Well I didn’t mean for you to never call me”
Well, what was she going to call about, then? Because you don’t want to hear about the biggest and most significant point in her life, so that kind of rules out any conversation including “So how are things lately” or her calling you to share things about Amanda so you know, you kind of dug your own hole here Patricia.
who cares why she´s on speakerphone? it means amanda gets to hear *everything* AND ther´ll be no misunderstandings – which is both a blessing and a curse. hopefully she´ll hear her mom defending her, on the other side there´s no sugarcoating patricias reaction at the mere thought she could be ‘ambushed` by ‘that girl’
Of course Patricia somehow makes this about herself. How SHE doesn’t want to be “ambushed”. A parent cannot be this selfish… all I can see is how self-centered she is being. Gives me unpleasant flashbacks of when I was in an emotionally abusive friendship and every time I tried to talk to her about something–it was always “Me me me, WHAAAAAAAA MEEEEEEE!!!”
Patricia’s trying to make Andi look like the bad guy for wanting her to be in her granddaughter’s life. What a travesty. -___- And Andi didn’t even say anything about that right now. She wants to talk with her mom, and Patricia just assumed what is the worst in her mind.
The speaker phone feels like a stretch, but damn if that ain’t spelled out harsh.
Yeah, that part better be spelled out just a little in the comic. It’s not obvious why she’d do that. Even with that hat, surely you could stuff the phone in under the flap?
Long rant incoming, you might want to get some coffee. XD
Initially, I DID spell out her reasons for using the speakerphone in the panel dialogue, for exactly the reasons everyone here is commenting on: it feels a bit “indelicate”, writing wise, for her to be on speakerphone like this. It’s kind of like what people say about a bad joke: if you have to explain why it’s funny, it isn’t funny. Similarly, if I need to explain why using speakerphone makes sense, it probably doesn’t make sense.
The dialogue explaining why she was on speakerphone, though, felt forced and unnatural. Like, people who use speakerphone don’t generally feel a need to explain or justify it, so why is Andi doing so now? The answer to that question would be, because she needs to explain it to the viewer. It’s dialogue that doesn’t need to be there, and sticks out as shoe-horned in for meta-effect. The use of speakerphone here is already kind of “shoe-horned in” as is, and I felt adding explanation dialogue for it’s existance not only compounded that issue, but called un-needed attention TO it.
I do have an in-universe explanation for her use of speakerphone that the deleted dialogue referenced: it’s cold, and she doesn’t want to expose her ears to the chill by raising the flap to hold her phone to her head. In addition to the above reasons, it’s kind of silly for dialogue to be there that expressly states what can just as easily be conveyed by the art: snow on the ground, snowflakes falling, boots jacket and fuzzy winter hat.
That doesnt mean the use of speakerphone here doesn’t still “feel” strange. I fully accept and agree that it’s presence is an indelicately orchestrated plot device. There’s not much, if any, tact to it’s use here. But it’s serving another purpose beyond plot-device: avoiding further complications.
In the last couple strips there are several comments along the lines of, “I smell a Misunderstood Conversation Snippet trope coming”. That thing where someone is saying, “Tony is such a jerk, how dare he say ‘Amanda’s useless and stupid and I hate her'”, only for Amanda to walk up and hear the last half without context. “Amanda’s useless and stupid and I hate her.” That is something I considered much earlier in the planning phase and chose to actively avoid. Speakerphone accomplishes that goal.
Is it blatant and tactless plot devicing? Yes.
Is it preferable to having things dragged out more by creating more drama and further delaying Amanda’s learning of Certain Unpleasant Things? Hell yes.
The Amanda Arc serves a larger purpose, but it still needs to have it’s own wrap up so other phases of the story can happen. Plus, it’s a Christmas story that I started in September. I’d like to finish it up before the year ends so I’m not still drawing tinsel in March. If I need to bite the bullet and ham-fist something small in to accomplish those goals and avoid larger problems of clunky over-explaining dialogue, so be it.
I’m generally of the opinion that “if you have to explain why it makes sense, it probably doesn’t” but sometimes you’ve just gotta deal with things to keep the plot moving instead of spending another ten or twenty pages getting to the point where it fits with less fudge.
As a reader, I’ll trate “a bit contrived” for a buch of unnecessary time spent getting where you want us to be—I’m also of the opinion stories should be just as long as they need to be, no longer, so cutting out transition filler that doesn’t really need to be there is a worthwhile tradeoff for slightly contrived setup.
That said, I’ve done the same thing (use speaker because I’ve got a hood on or something over my ears), so it’s not at all unrealistic.
And, since you brought it up in the dialogue anyway, you could have just had her respond “You’re on speaker. It’s cold out here so I’ve got earmuffs on.” or something of the sort, which could still segue into asking where she is.
I hope this doesn’t come across as telling you how to do your job or how you should be writing your dialogue—you do a great job with natural dialogue and varying flavors of voice. Just pointing out one way that you could shown your work without adding more than an extra sentence or so.
My sister uses her speakerphone literally always unless her daughter’s in the room. Someone who isn’t used to having a kid around and is used to using speakerphone regularly – I can see them not thinking to check and making this mistake.
Basically the speakerphone thing didn’t strike me as unusual or contrived at all, I figured it was just something Andy did.
I agree with Paul. It didn’t feel contrived to me either. I use the speaker phone regularly with certain relatives and especially in situations where I think the other person is going to get loud.
If Andi is anticipating her mom yelling at her having her on speakerphone so she doesn’t get blasted in her ear makes sense.
Using the speakerphone so you don’t have to have cold metal next to your ear on a snowy night makes perfect sense to me as well.
Okay, I’m convinced — both of the reasonableness of the speakerphone and of the reasoning for not mentioning it directly in the comic.
I think I’m just so unused to speakerphone (when my nephews do it — frequently — I always think it’s weird unless there’s a three-party conversation or they have something they need to get done with their hands) that it felt weird. I’m over that now.
And yeah, in retrospect, I do prefer it when comics don’t spell out every detail. I certainly like to avoid that “Luckily, my powers will protect me!” or “Jean, use your powers to do that thing that your powers do that you already know about and don’t need me to tell you to do!” school of old-style comics dialog.
Also like to see subplots wrapped up neatly, now and then. So that’s nice.
Oh, lord, you got me thinking specifically of an early Kirby FF scene in which our heroes are falling from a great height and Reed hollers, “Use your powers, Sue! Use your powers!” Gaaaahhhhh…
…Slightly OT, sorry.
Thank you for explaining Dave – and I agree and am glad to see some of the ideas be avoided. I also agree with the others that it didn’t feel un-natural to me at all.
I love this story, and your art (I just re-read the whole archives the other day, and you’ve grown a lot in your art since the beginning). Thank you for taking your time to post a story this amazing for free for us!
that is a big stretch, unless we want to think that Andi’s unconsciously wanting to be overheard.
Some people regularly prefer the speaker phone – my husband, for example, almost always uses it.
I prefer speaker phone too when i can. Plus for the comic its a freaken plot device people. Stop reading to deep into it.
Thats exactly the problem, its a lazy, obvious, plot device. Like Amanda getting drunk back in the art show. Dave’s writing is usually so much better so things like that really stick out.
The thing with the art show bit, is it was (A) based loosely on a couple similar occurrences from my own childhood and (2) intended to be some small bit of mischief that gave Todd and Andi a chance to have a “parenting moment” together. Essentially, I thought it would be funny, but the reaction was more “ridiculous, silly, immersion-breaking” etc.
It didn’t work out how I wanted, but it’s not the worst mistake I’ve made with this comic, soooo… *shrug*.
It was fine, Dave. There’s just too many idiots here who think kids don’t get into mischief, parents in this country aren’t sue-happy to the point of forcing a hands-off approach to deterrence, and a few seconds is too short a time for trouble to happen.
For what its worth, I like the rough edges when they’re small like these. Its why I prefer webcomics over more edited and polished media. You see stories and such that don’t exist elsewhere.
Thank you, Dave, for sharing this story with us. Especially when you’re referencing things from your own childhood.
This seemed perfectly natural to me. I use the speakerphone when talking to someone that I really don’t want to talk to. Sort of keeping them at a distance, or out of my head.
Yeah exactly. Me too.
Obvious, maybe, but lazy? There’s really no way to work that into a conversation without it being contrived (such as Andi repeating everything as suggested above), and using speakerphone is a thing. I will often use it myself if there’s no one around because the speakerphone is sometimes easier to make out that my phone’s regular speaker, or because I don’t want to or can’t hold it to my ear.
As for Amanda getting drunk, that happens in real life, too. Reality is unrealistic. Not every child is the same, and you’d be surprised how many like bitter and/or ‘bitey’ things, and how many businesses have a ‘never make physical contact with a child EVER’ policy just to avoid being sued by parents for doing said parents’ jobs.
In short, the fact that you PERSONALLY haven’t witnessed something does not mean it does not happen EVER.
My mom, a school bus driver, yesterday physically separated two kids (3rd and 4th graders), one of whom was trying to poke the other kid’s eyes out and wouldn’t stop even as she tried to pull them apart.
She went into full Mom mode and marched them (while holding them by the arm) to the principal’s office. I think it was the best thing she could’ve done.
She will likely face consequences for this act, possibly even legal ones — because you’re not supposed to touch a kid. But what I would say in her place, and maintain, is “I saw an imminent threat to life and limb.” What was she supposed to do, let the victim go blind while she wrung her hands about it?
Nope! She should have magically saved the victim without touching the child, yelling, or doing anything but being nice! After all, if she let the victim go blind, she wouldn’t have been doing her job, but she certainly shouldn’t have put her hands on that child! /sarcasm
That would be a classic ‘bound for the lake of fire if you do, bound for the lake of fire if you don’t’ situation if ever I saw one. Personally, I’d do what she did, too. I’d rather lose my job and get sued for saving someone from harm than keep it by following the rules and standing by on the sidelines.
We’ve seen her use a phone before without it being on speaker (ex – calling the orphanage, calling Todd). This is a big stretch.
Kids are smart. Amanda does not need to hear both sides of the conversation to know what’s going on as is, but dialog can be fixed to make it more clear. “No, Mom, I am not at your house! No I’m not trying to ambush you with Amanda.”
Uhhhh spelling everything out like that feels a LOT more unnatural, like when you watch a sitcom and they say “oh I was talking to Christina, you know my sister in Philadelphia who went to our wedding?”. It’s robotic sounding
Actually, that specific one would seem robotic for being too short. Older people I’ve spoken to tend to give the entire genealogy of anyone they give even a passing mention of in a conversation, or pretty darn near it.
Different situations – people do different things in them. For instance, I usually avoid speakerphone like the plague (I have hearing problems, so it’s not as convenient for me). However, if I’m outside when it’s cold? I’m WAY more likely to use speakerphone if it’s quiet enough, because even with a hat or something, the pressure against my ear when it’s cold is enough to give me horrible discomfort, and occasionally earaches which last for hours.
I’m prepared to accept that Andi has some similar habit or reason where this is one of the times where she prefers speakerphone. For instance, it’s likely based on the tenor of the conversation already that talking to her mother is going to massively stress her out; maybe she wants to be able to put the phone down in order to use her hands to make a snowman or rip up weeds under the snow or bite her fingernails or practically ANYTHING as a way of handling the tension. Which, if she’s got the phone in one hand, she can’t do.
She’s wearing a hat with earflaps. I’ve done the same thing, if it’s cold enough outside.
And that should have been a reply to kitenkaiba… sorry..
cool cool, I’ve never lived where it is cold enough to snow.
Heartbreak time for Amanda. At least she knows there IS a family that wants her.
But also a positive message from her own mother, at least, contrary to what others have suggested in response to previous comics. Assuming Amanda can hear all of it, she should understand that Andi is putting her ahead of her relationship with her own mother.
Well Andi,house can be used in general. Ya do need to be a little more specific when you speak. XD
Something tells me that Andi’s done something similar with something bigger.
“Something tells me that Andi’s done something similar with something bigger.” Or her mom has severe anxiety disorder and a tendency to jump to conclusions and assume the worst about people—including those she is closest to.
Well that too? Cuz what if she didn’t know Andi was pregnant until last minute? I sorta see Andi doing that,not being mean but it’s hard for a teen to tell their parent that kinda thing.
Spent 25 years of my adult life around my mom who would accuse me of things based off of nothing. I never did drugs or alcohol. I never got into trouble at school or with boys. I didn’t even skip until the last day of my senior year. My mom’s behavior really fucked with my head. Anyone who knows me closely is shocked when they find out how she views me.
So it’s not really unrealistic for me to believe a parent can that crazy deluded and controlling for no good reason (beyond their own warped experiences/mental illness).
Can we not talk this way about people with mental illnesses? It is kind of insulting,I have a mental illness and so does my mother.
Please,Dotcom? I would really appreciate it if you didn’t. It makes me super uncomfortable/brings back bad memories.
Dotcom is referring to their own experiences in their own life, about a single person. They are not talking about you or your own mother.
I wasn’t actually saying that she did? I just don’t want it to be used in a negative manner and that’s how it felt is all? :/ I’m sorry if I wasn’t clearer.
I can relate – myself and my roommate both have mental illnesses. Having one does *not* make a person abusive. However, being abused/abusing can both be signs of a greater problem. People should watch that though – I know even having one I’ve used it as an insult, and the only way to stop that is to watch how we all talk/write.
And what makes you think I haven’t/don’t? I have respect for people who admit they have mental illnesses and work hard not to hurt other people.
Those are not the people I’m referring to. I’m referring people who have mental illness and either use it as an excuse to repeatedly harm others—especially if they choose to have children and do not make an effort to have self-reflection and make attempts to protect others—including kids and pets. Or people who refuse to even look in the mirror.
I’ve known plenty of people who have done exactly that and continuously used the “poor me” excuse and stories from their childhood to get people to enable them to continue that.
Andi’s mom strikes me as the kind of person with the superiority complex that she takes out on her daughter despite being a highly anxious, insecure, self-loathing person herself. I know that behavior too well in my mom and have even seen it in myself (though I spend a lot of time working on re-programming so I have a decent marriage and a well-adjusted).
On top of that, abusers deserve every label they get. Who knows if they are really crazy or not? But from personal experience, I can say my parents most definitely are. It is appropriate for me to label their actions and behaviors. That is my right as someone who has had to live with the repercussions of it. I will not stop labeling them to save someone else’s feelings. There is no being “PC” about when you have been continuously told you must love and forgive a father who threatened to “break off” your arm, kicked you, punched you, and choked you when you. There is no “being thicker skinned” when you are expected to endure a stepfather who repeatedly spits on you and calls you a “future baglady.” Who nearly steps on your toddler when he chases after you to throw you on the floor.
If someone hurts you like that, you are entitled to call that anything you want. So yes, my parents *were* and probably still *are* crazy. It is NUTS to do that to a child.
The best damn choice I ever made is walking away from those people. I have a happy marriage and a well-adjusted little girl from it, and I have finally found the courage to make a family of dear close friends in my life who are good people.
Where I work a LOT of the younger hipper set use speaker phone in the cafeteria, in the Library, outside a classroom, while conversing with a fox, or talking in a box, while they’re talking in the stalls, or conversing in the halls, I don’t like speaker phone sam-I-am, I don’t like speaker phone at all.
Since you can overhear both sides of a conversation on speakerphone, maybe you can answer a question: What does the fox say?
The fox says {connection lost, call terminated….}
;-}}
The Fox says: “Give us your media outlets”
The Fox says “Give them another season of the Simpsons!”
The fox says nothing, as it is a fox and lacks the required muscular structure and vocal chords for speech. It does, however, manage to bark out an impressive fanfare.
The fox also insists it is the 20th Century, so maybe take anything it DOES say with a grain of salt.
It’s a time-traveling fox!
:>
Official Prediction Checklist:
Amanda Eavesdropping: CHECK!
Hearing of Unpleasant Things: yet to be determined…
Well, I see Andi as having a card in her hand with dealing with her mother now. She can cut Patricia out of her life if Patricia is unwilling to be part of Amanda’s. Ammunition.
There’s a lot of reasons Andi could be on speaker phone. Maybe its cause her phone is cold, maybe she doesn’t feel like taking her hat off to put the phone up to her ear outside. Maybe she just doesn’t like the idea of having phones next to her ear (I don’t particularly, because I like being mostly hands free, not stuck in one position with my head). Maybe her mom talks too loud. My grandpa is hard of hearing so he talks kinda loud. When he calls me I sometimes put him on speaker. Maybe she IS hoping that Todd or one if his family members will over hear.. It could make the social situation a lot easier for her in explaining why she wanted Amanda there & how Andi didn’t want to be alone on Christmas.
But ultimately I would much rather have more Selkie comic than have to waste a whole day explaining why she chose to put her mom on speaker phone. It’s irrelevant to the story and the author should be able to do what ever he wants to propel the plot at an appropriate rate without anyone calling him a ‘lazy writer’. That’s totally offensive and really speaks to your complete lack of imagination.
A webcomic doesn’t need to explain every single little thing, especially something as insignificant as how a character talks on the phone. Some of them have weird quirks or do things for no reason, just like in real life. Accept it and move on.
Hear hear! Well stated Nikkasaurus!
Hear hear! Well stated Nikkasaurus!
I was about to say this, but you just said it.
Dave, please ignore the critics. It doesn’t even matter whether they’re “right” or not from some point of view. 1) Selkie is awesome. 2) Selkie is awesome. 3) Selkie is awesome. … 17)
If you completely ignore the critics, you don’t improve. Or at least you improve more slowly and less efficiently.
The important thing is to learn how to distinguish a legitimate criticism from a random opinion or unimportant detail.
There are plenty of people here whose experience with speakerphones has led them to think Andi’s action is perfectly within the realm of normal. Since that is the case, I no longer have a problem with it. It seemed weird, but only from my limited experience with cell phones (I’ve still got friends and family trying to convince me that not having a cell phone makes me deficient somehow).
But there are other bits, earlier in the comic, when Dave listened to his fans and corrected a problem, and the comic is better for it. As long as people are respectful and don’t get too uppity/insistent, it shouldn’t be a problem.
My dad usually uses speaker on his phone, I use it when I’m having trouble hearing the other person such as my dad or when I’m outside so Andi using speaker isn’t really a cheap move it’s cold she has her hat covering her ears and her mom might change her volume sporadically going from soft to loud hence speakerphone function makes sense.
Other possibilities — aside from Word of God 😉 — are that she might be concerned that she’s gonna be yelled at, and doesn’t want that in her ear!
Lotsa reasons. (Though, heck, I can often hear both sides of conversations on my spouse’s cellphone, even when it’s normal.)
“Well I didn’t mean for you to never call me”
Well, what was she going to call about, then? Because you don’t want to hear about the biggest and most significant point in her life, so that kind of rules out any conversation including “So how are things lately” or her calling you to share things about Amanda so you know, you kind of dug your own hole here Patricia.
who cares why she´s on speakerphone? it means amanda gets to hear *everything* AND ther´ll be no misunderstandings – which is both a blessing and a curse. hopefully she´ll hear her mom defending her, on the other side there´s no sugarcoating patricias reaction at the mere thought she could be ‘ambushed` by ‘that girl’
Of course Patricia somehow makes this about herself. How SHE doesn’t want to be “ambushed”. A parent cannot be this selfish… all I can see is how self-centered she is being. Gives me unpleasant flashbacks of when I was in an emotionally abusive friendship and every time I tried to talk to her about something–it was always “Me me me, WHAAAAAAAA MEEEEEEE!!!”
Patricia’s trying to make Andi look like the bad guy for wanting her to be in her granddaughter’s life. What a travesty. -___- And Andi didn’t even say anything about that right now. She wants to talk with her mom, and Patricia just assumed what is the worst in her mind.
Oh, more fun with half-heard conversations.
Not really half-heard, strictly speaking. Amanda can hear both sides of this one.
I find it easier to pace around outside with the speaker mode.