tmcm:

Shannon Wheeler (

tmcm) wrote,
@ 2004-12-19 23:55:00

(Post a new comment)

	bratpop 2004-12-20 08:07 am UTC (link)
	You should change the name of this comic to Too Much Depression Man. I thought coffee was supposed to be an upper. (Reply to this)

	scripturemonkey 2004-12-20 08:08 am UTC (link)
	http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/suicide.asp I really like the facial features in this comic, though. Especially panel 4. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	self 2004-12-20 10:08 am UTC (link)
	And yet, it's perfectly believable that a fictional character like this would have the same misconceptions as everyone else. Whether this echos reality or just a popular falsehood, the irony rings true. I laughed pretty hard, anyway. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

tmcm, 2004-12-20 10:39 am UTC (Expand)

therapy -

beefonthebone, 2004-12-20 10:41 am UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

beefonthebone, 2004-12-20 10:42 am UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

elizabethkenney, 2004-12-20 07:52 pm UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

tmcm, 2004-12-20 10:45 pm UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

elizabethkenney, 2004-12-20 10:46 pm UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

tmcm, 2004-12-20 10:53 pm UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

elizabethkenney, 2004-12-20 11:04 pm UTC (Expand)

Re: therapy -

tmcm, 2004-12-20 10:38 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) -

scripturemonkey, 2004-12-20 11:39 am UTC (Expand)

(no subject) -

cellogirl5874, 2004-12-20 02:18 pm UTC (Expand)

damnit -

cellogirl5874, 2004-12-20 02:20 pm UTC (Expand)

Re: damnit -

qwrrty, 2004-12-20 05:15 pm UTC (Expand)

	wuweibaby 2004-12-20 11:41 am UTC (link)
	hahahahahahahahahahaa!! yeah whatayagonnado (Reply to this)

	common_as_stone 2004-12-20 12:21 pm UTC (link)
	nice. (Reply to this)

tusixoh
2004-12-20 01:33 pm UTC (link)

In response to an earlier post, this is not some popular falsehood, but a trend well documented by psychologists (though actually not so high on or around the holiday itself, as it peaks in January, just after). I've had many friends (and even dated a few) that were psych majors in college, so I got to hear all about it every xmas.

On a side note, a few years ago I did my xmas shopping with a noose tied around my neck and would make similar proclamations as in the comic when asked about it, which got me thrown out of a store or two...

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	jacobmar1ey 2004-12-20 01:50 pm UTC (link)
	Has it been tied to regional studies? It is also well documented that lack of sunlight causes depression. I wonder how much of the depression is from Christmas (I'm a sure a lot) and how much worse it is made in the higher latitudes. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

dryad271, 2004-12-20 02:23 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) -

tusixoh, 2004-12-21 01:00 pm UTC (Expand)

	tmcm 2004-12-20 10:39 pm UTC (link)
	that's funny. I'm always a little sad after xmas or birthdays. It's the low after a high. I've been trying to keep the shopping and materialism to a minimum. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

tusixoh, 2004-12-21 01:07 pm UTC (Expand)

	sasha_bee 2004-12-20 01:48 pm UTC (link)
	ouch! :-) great comic! (Reply to this)

serenete
2004-12-20 01:55 pm UTC (link)

I've spent most of the lead-up to Christmas indoors under fluoro lighting, with only my thesis and study partner for company. Since I also failed to make my latest deadline, I'm already depressed (and had a bit of a tearful Sunday), but this comic didn't make me more depressed than I already am.

I'm far away from my parents this Christmas, and don't have the association with it that many might have, as we don't celebrate it. But it's a very powerful thing, the music, the smells, the lights, the singing and the SHOPPING - all together they make you nostalgic, maybe for better times. And while better times might uplift you for awhile, if your life isn't going the way you think it ought, just *knowing* that people everywhere are going on holiday or going to be with family really doesn't help.

I did find this comic disturbing in a few ways though.

1. I appreciate

self's comment, the idea that a fictional character could fall prey to the same things we do is interesting - though what we 'know' of Santa Claus would probably preclude what he looks like he's contemplating. But I find I'm going back and forth between which is scarier to me: his depiction as a normal person (such as having a stove and window in the background) - and thus, like us, or as a normal person who has the crap job of being a Santa.

2. To think that an institution such as a Santa Claus (or any other, like, er, dunno, the Easter Bunny or something) could be affected by the same things we are is disturbing, but perhaps not as disturbing as the possibility that in real life, all it takes is one person to completely turn your perception 180 degrees. For better. Or for worse. In this case.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	tmcm 2004-12-20 10:43 pm UTC (link)
	Sorry to hear about your missed deadline. It's always helped me to know that other people struggle. It's the thought that you're alone in your troubles that makes things worse - "everyone is happy but you." I've been wanting to do an kids xmas story about how capitalism was saved by the invention of santa. what's your thesis about? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

serenete, 2004-12-21 10:35 am UTC (Expand)

Hm.

malimar
2004-12-20 11:30 pm UTC (link)

I didn't think that was actually Santa Claus.
I thought that was just one of those street-corner dudes who dress up as Santa Claus.
I wouldn't think the real Santa would have a gun or alcohol *points at the bottle in the window*. And people who dress up as Santa are frequently portrayed as alcoholics.

But that's just my interpretation - with the Author here, maybe he could clear it up for us.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

Re: Hm. -

tmcm, 2004-12-21 12:10 am UTC (Expand)

Re: Hm. -

malimar, 2004-12-21 01:10 am UTC (Expand)

	dryad271 2004-12-20 02:24 pm UTC (link)
	Shannon, you are pure evil, and I would like to give you a big kiss. kiss (Reply to this)(Thread)

	tmcm 2004-12-21 06:34 am UTC (link)
	sounds good. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	chaoticgood 2004-12-20 03:30 pm UTC (link)
	Inspired by holiday shopping experiences? The expression in the last panel was fantastic. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	tmcm 2004-12-20 10:43 pm UTC (link)
	I have yet to shop this year. If I pretend xmas isn't happening maybe it'll go away. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

chaoticgood, 2004-12-21 05:26 am UTC (Expand)

	nnnslogan 2004-12-20 04:04 pm UTC (link)
	LOL! Score. Direct hit. (Reply to this)(Thread)(Expand)

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tmcm, 2004-12-20 10:44 pm UTC (Expand)

	full_of_baloney 2004-12-20 05:31 pm UTC (link)
	YES, I love TMCM! Hahahaha! I went as TMCM for a costume party -- Douglas was Too Much Espresso Man! (Reply to this)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

tmcm, 2004-12-20 10:37 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) -

kerenskys, 2004-12-22 05:29 pm UTC (Expand)

	alex_all_alone 2004-12-20 05:48 pm UTC (link)
	now thats what i call accurate fire on target. (Reply to this)

	malimar 2004-12-20 11:25 pm UTC (link)
	awwwwwww! that's TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! (Reply to this)

kerenskys
2004-12-21 03:37 pm UTC (link)

As I'm driving into work and listening to the radio the news blurbs comes on. Usually I switch stations but, because I'm finally getting over a damn cold and haven't had coffee (!!!!!) during that whole period, I didn't have the energy to this time. So, I'm hearing news of a killing... a drunk driver... then, something wonderful:

There is now a coffee shop on the top of St. Peter's basilica!

Hey, the 'Saint' Claus and Espresso Man oughta head on over to Italy and chill over a mug of St. Peter's Special. Wait, now that just doesn't sound right....

(Reply to this)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) -

tmcm, 2004-12-26 08:34 pm UTC (Expand)

	chrisv82 2004-12-21 04:17 pm UTC (link)
	I've been enjoying the past few comics quite a bit, but you should be aware that Bill O'Reilly is waging a one-man war to protect Christmas from... you know, from... Look, he's just protecting Christmas. And if you don't get in line and worship Christmas, then by golly he's going to... you know, he's going to... Talk, I guess. (Reply to this)(Thread)(Expand)

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tmcm, 2004-12-26 08:32 pm UTC (Expand)

	wow..... (Anonymous) 2004-12-25 10:27 am UTC (link)
	I never heard of your comic until yesterday, when a friend casually mentioned it. SO of course I had to go on-line the next day and find out about it....... it's 4:30 AM Christmas morning right now, and I've been sitting here reading every one single one of the comics from 2001 onward..... You are truly AMAZING! Please don't ever change. :) peace, ian (Reply to this)(Thread)(Expand)

Re: wow..... -

tmcm, 2004-12-26 08:30 pm UTC (Expand)

"No guns at the Xmas Table," my mom always said, "unless they're gifts."

revneongelus
2004-12-26 06:21 pm UTC (link)

I assume that a big part of the holiday-blahs (Or the Seasonal Suicides – the festive fatalities – the Christmas Cessation – Noel Necrosis– X-mas X-off) comes from all the light deprivation that we face. We’re low energy to begin with, and then we add to that the whole “busiest shopping time of the year” and all the importance on “being happy” whether you’re tired and miserable or not. We do get vitamins which we need to live and smile from sunlight, y’know?

I like it when people get aggressively in your face about being happy and jolly. Then they get mad at you if you’re not happy enough. People get down-right rude with me when I try to politely tell them that I don’t celebrate Xmas, like my lack of an Xmas stocking makes little Baby Jesus cry. Like every year, Jesus is sitting up there on a cloud, waiting for his birthday to come around, with a little party hat on, and then he’s all bummed out when I, a non-Christian, don’t show up at the party with a big present.

There’s less sunlight and more drinking around Xmas. There’s also a lot more selling of false ideals like the “made up family scene” and “phony friends” on the TeeVee. There’s more food, especially sweet stuff that sickens and burns a person out after just a little (It’s boxing day today and I’ve been to the bathroom about three times in the past hour and a half; sweating, swearing, and moaning in pain). There’s nothing to watch except that stupid log-channel. You’re not good enough unless you spend enough money, but if you spend too much, then you missed the point.

In the end, Xmas is really all about family, and I think that’s the sort of topic that can convince a lot of people that they’d be better off dead than alive. Why I remember that year that my drunken schizophrenic uncle punched out my drunken, elderly Grandma, and we had to call the cops in… I think I got a cowboy action figure that year. And a horsey! Weeee!

(Reply to this)

	vjacob 2004-12-27 01:36 am UTC (link)
	Like the work Shannon. Great points in it about human behaviour. (Reply to this)

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