Why can't I be a Mantaray?
April 26, 2011 12:28 PM Subscribe
Mr. Moritz and the Machine, How I Came to Work at the Wendy's and other comics by Nick St. John.
Imgur mirrors (hopefully faster):
Mr. Moritz and the Machine (Part 1 - Part 2)
How I Came to Work at the Wendy's
Imgur mirrors (hopefully faster):
Mr. Moritz and the Machine (Part 1 - Part 2)
How I Came to Work at the Wendy's
I'm enjoying the comic, but the load time and page navigation is killing me.
posted by wcfields at 12:40 PM on April 26 [+] [!]
It feels me with pleasant nostalgia. I can almost hear the modem dialing in, and my mother scolding me for tying up the phone line all evening.
posted by Stagger Lee at 12:43 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
Got to him inquiring about a position of walrus, thought "That would be pretty cool, just lie around in the shade all day" then got depressed.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:01 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by Ad hominem at 1:01 PM on April 26, 2011
MeFi's own Greg Nog was a host at the Olive Garden.
posted by explosion at 1:09 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by explosion at 1:09 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
The glacial load time fills me with anticipation. But not enough that I was able to finish it.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:13 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:13 PM on April 26, 2011
Others
have
said
it
before
me
but
perhaps
the
strips
could
all
be
on
one
page
posted by wittgenstein at 1:15 PM on April 26, 2011 [8 favorites]
have
said
it
before
me
but
perhaps
the
strips
could
all
be
on
one
page
posted by wittgenstein at 1:15 PM on April 26, 2011 [8 favorites]
I have a sneaking suspicion that we are going to bork this server.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 1:21 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 1:21 PM on April 26, 2011
The things about slow load times -- or probably just the breaking up of the pages -- is that they really affect how you will experience the strip.
Because as much as I, in theory, was supportive and depressed by the story of the story of how he came to work at Wendy's, I just kept thinking as the shit started running downhill for the protagonist, as it was slowly loading, slowly depressing me, my brain couldn't not skip over to other thoughts like "Um, dude, why don't you go look at Wendy's?" or "Oh he's going outside at night -- bet he's making a late night run for a Frosty and is going to get a job at Wendy's" So by the end, though I was sad for him, the asshole part of my brain -- which had grown larger than normal because of the wait -- couldn't help put think he should have taken that job earlier.*
* Yes, I realize that is not at all what it is "about" -- but seriously, the load times made it so I couldn't help myself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:26 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
Because as much as I, in theory, was supportive and depressed by the story of the story of how he came to work at Wendy's, I just kept thinking as the shit started running downhill for the protagonist, as it was slowly loading, slowly depressing me, my brain couldn't not skip over to other thoughts like "Um, dude, why don't you go look at Wendy's?" or "Oh he's going outside at night -- bet he's making a late night run for a Frosty and is going to get a job at Wendy's" So by the end, though I was sad for him, the asshole part of my brain -- which had grown larger than normal because of the wait -- couldn't help put think he should have taken that job earlier.*
* Yes, I realize that is not at all what it is "about" -- but seriously, the load times made it so I couldn't help myself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:26 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
I agree about the load time, but dammit, that was beautiful *and* and depressing.
posted by Kitteh at 1:31 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 1:31 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Even putting 2 strips per page would cut the number of clicks needed to get through it in half, and still maintain the slow feel of paging through a book.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:39 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:39 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you use the Coral Cache url (http://www.nickstjohn.net.nyud.net/w1.html) the pages will come up right away. If they aren't cached yet, clicking to load the next page won't be slower than the original site, and will leave it cached for the next viewer. I loaded the first couple pages already for you guys.
posted by closetphilosopher at 1:42 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by closetphilosopher at 1:42 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Times are tight in the Window household right now. Things have been rough at my job in the past. I can relate to these comics very well, but I also know things can and do get better.
Sweetie, if you see my comment in this thread, don't read these links. It won't always be like this.
posted by infinitewindow at 1:43 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
Sweetie, if you see my comment in this thread, don't read these links. It won't always be like this.
posted by infinitewindow at 1:43 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
Also (Coral cache) Mr. Moritz and the Machine and (Coral cache) nickstjohn.net while I'm at it. Guaranteed to load this week.
posted by closetphilosopher at 1:59 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by closetphilosopher at 1:59 PM on April 26, 2011
Imgur mirrors (hopefully faster):
Mr. Moritz and the Machine (Part 1 - Part 2)
How I Came to Work at the Wendy's
posted by Memo at 1:59 PM on April 26, 2011
Mr. Moritz and the Machine (Part 1 - Part 2)
How I Came to Work at the Wendy's
posted by Memo at 1:59 PM on April 26, 2011
...couldn't help put think he should have taken that job earlier.
The comics are haunting and beautiful, but I came to a similar interpretation -- he sees going to work at Wendy's as a crushing defeat by an oppresive enemy? When all he needs to succeed is to cover the rent and show his partner that he got himself any old job? As compared to, say, becoming a walrus at the zoo? Depression is painful, depressed artists produce beautiful things, but, man, the realist in me still got a job delivering windows to construction sites when things got tough.
That said, I want a bike with wings. Even if he eats all my clocks. Someday he will save my life and fly me away from everything that I ever failed at.
posted by AzraelBrown at 2:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
The comics are haunting and beautiful, but I came to a similar interpretation -- he sees going to work at Wendy's as a crushing defeat by an oppresive enemy? When all he needs to succeed is to cover the rent and show his partner that he got himself any old job? As compared to, say, becoming a walrus at the zoo? Depression is painful, depressed artists produce beautiful things, but, man, the realist in me still got a job delivering windows to construction sites when things got tough.
That said, I want a bike with wings. Even if he eats all my clocks. Someday he will save my life and fly me away from everything that I ever failed at.
posted by AzraelBrown at 2:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
Well, nice to see the Chris Ware aesthetic – spare and depressing as possible – is alive and well.
Seriously, though, I really hated this. It's awful.
posted by koeselitz at 2:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
Seriously, though, I really hated this. It's awful.
posted by koeselitz at 2:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
Yeah he probably should have applied to Wendy's before applying to be a foghorn, maybe worked a day shift and focused on foghorning at night, but hindsight is 20/20. It is better to take a chance and follow your dream, no matter what anyone says, and fail than to live with the regret that you never even gave being a foghorn a shot.
I gotta say his SO was not very supportive of his dreams and ambitions.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:13 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
I gotta say his SO was not very supportive of his dreams and ambitions.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:13 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
"I am trying so hard, Port Authority."
...
"Vrrrrm ..."
posted by mrgrimm at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2011
...
"Vrrrrm ..."
posted by mrgrimm at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2011
Mod note: moved mirror links into post per OP request, carry on.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:29 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:29 PM on April 26, 2011
I liked his job app for the zoo, but other than that, it left me rather...meh.
posted by Lynsey at 2:30 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by Lynsey at 2:30 PM on April 26, 2011
I have a feeling that this isn't the best time in my life to be reading that Wendie's comic. But I already read it, so no takesies-backsies.
posted by codacorolla at 2:32 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by codacorolla at 2:32 PM on April 26, 2011
I only read the scientist one. It was kind of great and crazy. Could have been a little more this or that but still, I really identified with going nuts and having your only friend be a flying bicycle that eats clocks and silverwear. That part was true so, props.
posted by From Bklyn at 2:51 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by From Bklyn at 2:51 PM on April 26, 2011
I half expected the machine to eat the dude in Mr. Moritz and the Machine.
It's still depressing nevertheless.
posted by WalterMitty at 2:52 PM on April 26, 2011
It's still depressing nevertheless.
posted by WalterMitty at 2:52 PM on April 26, 2011
The machine one is telling me to open a vein and lie quietly in a bathtub full of warm water. I'm guessing that I'm not the audience for these.
posted by Splunge at 3:46 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by Splunge at 3:46 PM on April 26, 2011
I ate at Wendy's today. The Asiago Chicken Club is really pretty tasty, although the sea salt sprinkles fries are a fucking scam like all sea salt.
posted by jonmc at 4:48 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jonmc at 4:48 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is good stuff. Cuts a little too close to home right now - I've been working as a cashier at a big box store for a month. I'd rather be a walrus too. Or a foghorn.
posted by mygothlaundry at 7:38 PM on April 26, 2011
posted by mygothlaundry at 7:38 PM on April 26, 2011
The whole self-reinforcing cycle of depression, inaction, unemployment, shame and self-indulgent whimsy starts with poor sleep patterns. Get yourself proper-sized pillows, for the love of God, man.
posted by Segundus at 11:43 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Segundus at 11:43 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
If it's obvious you should apply at Wendy's than as a foghorn, how much more obvious is it you should do so before your wife leaves you?
Seriously, dude who sees all that is wrong with humanity on the bus, examine thyself.
posted by DU at 8:47 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seriously, dude who sees all that is wrong with humanity on the bus, examine thyself.
posted by DU at 8:47 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
No one will read this comment, but:
It's not obvious to me that having the job at Wendy's would have preserved his relationship. Or at least that may be his fear. Who falls in love with and stays with a Wendy's employee?
posted by kavasa at 9:55 AM on April 28, 2011
It's not obvious to me that having the job at Wendy's would have preserved his relationship. Or at least that may be his fear. Who falls in love with and stays with a Wendy's employee?
posted by kavasa at 9:55 AM on April 28, 2011
Who falls in love with and stays with a Wendy's employee?
Millions of people. Well, at least thousands. Wendy's had 57,000 employees in 2007 (per wikipedia).
No one will read this comment, but ...
You are not alone. None of us are. Pick your head up!
posted by mrgrimm at 10:27 AM on April 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Millions of people. Well, at least thousands. Wendy's had 57,000 employees in 2007 (per wikipedia).
No one will read this comment, but ...
You are not alone. None of us are. Pick your head up!
posted by mrgrimm at 10:27 AM on April 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by wcfields at 12:40 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]