24-01-2014 Banish these thoughts

[Ecchi-Spud]

A-HA!!

[Spidrift]

Hello, Mr Partridge.

By the way - what are the odds that Ruby has never deleted that photo from her 'phone - either through sheer carelessness, or to remind herself periodically what an awful person she is? In which case, it'll either appear some time when the writers are short of ways to embarrass Ruby, or - more sweetly - Ruby will eventually let someone else see it voluntarily. Which would be a sign that she was getting over her problems and taking down some of the barbed wire.

Though funnily enough, she was showing less in that photo than she did, regularly, when she was wearing that idiotic skirt. In fact, I now find myself almost wondering if Professor Conried wasn't a lesbian pervert, but was a ham-fisted but well-meaning teacher who noticed Ruby coming into classes in a series of floor-length sacks, and made a bungled attempt to build up Ruby's self-confidence.

[Patton]

Ah, Dillon...tactful as ever

[themacnut]

And once again we see... In any kind of realistic universe, Ruby would rate as so comprehensively messed up that she'd need several years of therapy (and wouldn't be funny at all). Fortunately, she's a comedy character, so she'll get off lightly.

Crazy people are more interesting and funnier - in fiction at least; Ruby wouldn't be half as entertaining without her neuroses. But you are right Spidrift, she does seem to reserve most of her hostility for her sister. Amber may find herself getting blown up at for seemingly nothing at the end of the night - which would be kind of sad far as Amber's concerned, because she may conclude that she and Ruby will never truly get along.

[FlashD81]

I can't believe I forgot to reply sooner.

I'm going to have to re-evaluate Ruby's attitude now. She has not "blown up" on these subjects and situations on this date like I thought she would. Now, don't get me wrong, this is not a bad thing. Spid I think your right. Ruby only seems to blow up around her sister.

As far as the strip goes. Her whole "HE KNOWS!" reaction is priceless. Ruby defiantly has a naughty side that she tries very hard to keep repressed, poor thing. The thing is, this might not be the end of it. What we are seeing now could be the tip of the iceberg... and a part of me hopes that I'm right.

[Don Alexander]

Hey, I called it! Well, kind of. Ok, Spi was right, no way would she ever assent to nude modeling (even if just for art students), but I was right about the basic "HE KNOWS!" principle!

I love the vortex of shame in panel two.

I think it's more of a "vortex of recollection" - she is getting lost in memory for a moment there, travelling into the past.

[Spidrift]

Amber may find herself getting blown up at for seemingly nothing at the end of the night - which would be kind of sad far as Amber's concerned, because she may conclude that she and Ruby will never truly get along.

Actually, it's possible that Ruby's brief blue screen effect saved Andy from getting ripped a new one, at least verbally, there. If he hadn't touched a (totally superfluous) nerve with Ruby, but had just said something that she could have taken as plain insulting, she might have flipped out briefly - and that line about taking her clothes off for cameras might have qualified. But Ruby finds it too close to home to blame him for it. She's ruthlessly fair sometimes.

Which might be what saves Amber, at least partially; remember, Ruby has apologised to her in the past for stuff that was demonstrably unfair. Ruby might accept that Amber can't really be blamed for any stress she's suffered this evening. Anyway, on her side, Amber seems to have the grace to feel guilty about what she did to Ruby, and so makes a serious effort to put up with Ruby's cranky moments. (Which probably pre-date Amber's leaving home, knowing sibling relationships, especially if we're right about Ruby being the clever kid sister who made Amber feel a bit stupid.) So I imagine that relationship will hang on by everyone's fingertips for a while.

Ruby defiantly has a naughty side that she tries very hard to keep repressed, poor thing.

The snag with talking about Ruby's "naughty" side is that it's really only measurably naughty inside her own head. Noticing that she's got good legs which don't look bad in photographs? That's just realism by most standards. Part of her getting her head straight is going to be judging herself (and others) by less insane standards. Though she may develop a mischievous streak later, with any luck; she strikes me as having the potential for a barbed sense of humour.

I think it's more of a "vortex of recollection" - she is getting lost in memory for a moment there, travelling into the past.

It reminds me of the sort of effect you'd get in '60s era films; the sort of thing that usually indicated that someone was going crazy or being brainwashed. Very pop art/hippie stuff.

[SilentChaos87]

Damn man. Ruby's repression has gotten to the point that it's almost getting to be adorable, but it's hard to think about that when I feel so damn bad for her situation.

[FlashD81]

It might be just me, but I think the photo session we were shown was just the start. She might have gone fully nude, but the writers just wanted to give us a hint of what she did. Again this is just me taking a guess of what happened afterward.

[Spidrift]

Nah. Ruby is Ruby, and comedy is comedy. It spoils the joke if she actually did anything even faintly shameful.

[tanonev]

And once again we see... In any kind of realistic universe, Ruby would rate as so comprehensively messed up that she'd need several years of therapy (and wouldn't be funny at all). Fortunately, she's a comedy character, so she'll get off lightly.

Actually, all that needs to be changed in order to have a realistic universe as far as Ruby's mental state is concerned is for her to not be straight. I nearly BSODed in a similar fashion during high school when a teacher mentioned that I seemed very home-oriented (and I misheard).

[Spidrift]

That would be a fairly comprehensive reworking of her character, though. And she'd still seem rather too old for her character to work easily. A high-schooler having some issues on that point is one thing, but three or four years of uni should give some opportunity to come to terms with the situation.

[tanonev]

Oh, I agree, Ruby's straightness is a key part of the comedy of her character. And as for three or four years of college, it can take a lot more than that if, like in my case, (1) your elementary, middle, and high schools were all deeply religious, and (2) your way of getting through those schools was to repress your desires and throw yourself at your studies, which lands you in a college where you can continue to throw yourself at your studies and have people actually look up to you for doing so. Now, 5 years into my PhD (which makes me ~4 years older than Ruby), I'm finally testing the waters with someone who didn't do any exploring himself either until after he finished HIS PhD.

Quote removed. The DAMNed

[Whisky-Tango-Foxtrot]

It might be just me, but I think the photo session we were shown was just the start. She might have gone fully nude, but the writers just wanted to give us a hint of what she did. Again this is just me taking a guess of what happened afterward.

---> "But maybe if I showed a bit more--No! It's wrong! ...Oo, that does look better..." <---

I agree with Spidrift that she probably didn't go "all the way"...but still, I think it's clearly implied that she did go a bit further than is shown, and that that is what she is so embarrassed about.

[Hogan]

... don't tell me that Ruby is a member of Reddit's Gone Wild group?

... look up any of that on your own NSFW risk! ;)