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R&D

August 27, 2021 by Tim

I’d assumed it goes without saying, but just to be on the safe side: the comics about “me” and my family should not be taken as historical recordings of fact. Though they are based on very real thoughts and personal observations, they are then filtered through the creative process to present then to you as entertainment.

That is to say, my wife did not just (after 16 years together) suddenly realize that games are a part of my work process. Nor does she give me grief over playing games in the middle of the day. I just want that officially stated, so that her record as the most amazing woman/wife/mother I know remains unblemished.

However a few days back someone asked me where I find the time to play the games I make comics about, and in answering it, I thought about the way I feel about playing games in the middle of the day.

There’s a weird blurry line/boundary that comes with being self-employed/working at home, where it can be tough for people to define when you “are” or “aren’t” at work. It’s something each person/family needs to navigates for themselves, because every situation is different. There’s a whole other facet to it when part of your work is literally doing a thing most people associate with leisure/off-work activity.

While it’s true that my wife rarely gives me the stink eye if I were to sit down to play something at 1pm while she’s vacuuming or watching the kids, I personally struggle to overcome my own projected guilt about doing something so blatantly fun while others do the annoying grown-up stuff our lives require, despite being able to say with a straight face that it’s part of my job and during work hours.

As such, per the original question, I end up doing the lion’s share of my gaming in the evening between 10pm-1am, after everyone is asleep. That way I can be relatively sure nobody needs me anymore.


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Vincent Price
Vincent Price
3 years ago

So, just to say, when do you sleep, and do you get enough sleep?

Tim B
Tim B
3 years ago
Reply to  Vincent Price

This is an excellent question. We want to make sure you’re getting a healthy amount of rest other Tim. We do love you. <3

Simon P
Simon P
3 years ago
Reply to  Tim

So kind of like a Wizard and arriving when they mean to?

foducool
foducool
3 years ago

when in doubt, draw about your day XD

Last edited 3 years ago by foducool
TomB
TomB
3 years ago

Yep, I know that feeling. My mother’s medical bedtime routine takes 30-90 minutes depending on pauses between phases. And by then, I’m past the ideal time my body wants me to go to sleep. Sigh. Then I try to follow the advice a therapist gave me (in the way that they will, which is devoid of any real idea how to make it fit in an already overwhelming schedule): I do something that a) distracts me or b) gets my head into something that can keep me going for a few hours until exhaustion sets in, but it gets my… Read more »

GUNnibal
GUNnibal
3 years ago

Looking at panel 4, I think I know who the next villain in “Analog and D-Pad” is going to be.

Leon
Leon
3 years ago
Reply to  GUNnibal

The Wife of Woe?

Robert Loughrey
Robert Loughrey
3 years ago
Reply to  GUNnibal

The villians are so far internet or gaming related. Maybe a wife who talks about how video games are for kids while playing candy crush on her phone?

Michael
Michael
3 years ago

As a woman with a mallet, the Candy Crusher could be likened to Harley Quinn, but is less obnoxious and more focused. Her mode of operations is to break into gamers’ homes and demolish their collections and her costume looks right out of the board game “Candyland”.

Last edited 3 years ago by Michael
TomB
TomB
3 years ago
Reply to  Michael

I doubt Tim wants to suggest that’s how he sees his wife, but the idea of a disgruntled vilainess whose spouse fell to internet gaming addiction and who had a huge chip for other men doing the same thing could make for a really great villain. And Analog and D-pad would be good targets as they are the poster children for online gaming.

foducool
foducool
3 years ago

“pause your online game, it’s time for dinner”

Gryphus
Gryphus
3 years ago

I remember back in CAD 1.0 someone criticized the pregnancy story because they thought it’d mean this comic becoming all about parenting and domestic life and stuff, and I remember you shutting them down pretty hard.

How the times have changed.

Lumi
Lumi
3 years ago
Reply to  Gryphus

You don’t read the comments too much, huh? There’s still a lot of that happening, but if you can preemptively respond to those inevitable comments, it’s for the better of everyone involved.

TomB
TomB
3 years ago
Reply to  Gryphus

Even were that true (that things had changed), how would that be bad? No sustained effort can live without growth and mutation. And as the creator ages and goes through different life stages, you can expect different topics and ways of looking at things to arise; That’s natural for any writer/creator.

I don’t know if your post was meant to be snippy, but it kinda felt that way and really all you said was ‘stuff changes over time’.

David K.
David K.
3 years ago
Reply to  Gryphus

And in what way has the comic become “all about parentings and domestic life and stuff”? It hasn’t? Oh, well then, I guess you are just being a donkey orifice for no reason.

Phaet
Phaet
3 years ago

Moments like that make me sooooo proud I’m 39 and still single xD “Still” because I’ve never been in a relationship in my entire life, never even tried to be in one. Can’t find a real reason to.

Pencoe
Pencoe
3 years ago
Reply to  Phaet

You’re proud of being alone? You don’t know what you are missing… (married for 29 years, 2 children)

raven0ak
raven0ak
3 years ago
Reply to  Pencoe

there are ppl who prefer hermitude, then there is ppl to who hermitude is nightmare; overall it doesnt pay to try force your view to others, ones preferring hermitude dont want out of it; just as family man you likely dont want to enter into hermitude

Michael
Michael
3 years ago
Reply to  Pencoe

As a wise space-fish once said, IT’S A TRAP! Or rather, a lot of women are way too much like Chi-Chi from Dragon Ball. Once they have their slave, they become horrible tyrants and good luck escaping via divorce with your financial stability in-tact; because Divorce Court would rather give babies and money to child-murdering crackhead moms than the most upstanding wholesome father.

Erik B
Erik B
3 years ago
Reply to  Pencoe

Wow. that’s a pretty judgemental attitude. Speaking as a married guy for only a measly 4 years, I would never tell anyone “they don’t know what they’re missing”. Everyone is wired differently, with different goals and viewpoints. Much like my wife and I have absolutely zero desire for one child, let alone more, it doesn’t mean we’re “missing” anything. It means we don’t want that aspect in our lives. That’s great that you’re happy, but Phaet is perfectly entitled to be happy as a single person, with no desire for a significant other.

TomB
TomB
3 years ago
Reply to  Erik B

I get the anti-judgement theme. I’ve been married 4 years and a bit too and I agree not to criticse. However, I am quite clear that people who don’t have kids do miss something. Is that a bad thing or a good thing? That’s a perspective thing, but they do miss that experience and the ineffable portions of it that are impossible to adequately describe until one lives them. My daughter is my step daughter and I love her at least as much as her biological dad, but I do know there are parts of the experience I missed out… Read more »

The Legacy
The Legacy
3 years ago
Reply to  Pencoe

The idea of marriage and children terrifies me. I may consider marriage down the road, but I absolutely do not want to have a kid because if it ever doesn’t work out, I could never survive a custody battle.

TomB
TomB
3 years ago
Reply to  The Legacy

I have had two friends who wanted zero kids. One stuck to his guns and his first wife thought she could bend his thinking but could not and it was a deal breaker for her (maybe her position went from okay without kids to kids are important – it happens). The other maintained his stance of never wanting kids until he met and married the right woman at about 38 and then within 3 years, he had two kids. And was happy about it. But he didn’t realize he wanted kids until he had the right partner and then it… Read more »

Phaet
Phaet
3 years ago
Reply to  Pencoe

I’m definatelly not missing new responsibilities, obligations, bills and people telling me “stop playing that video game, you need to [something]”. Hey, I have a brother so I know what’s it like when you play a video game and you hear “C’mon my turn now”. I actually saw a couple in love once and thought “Nahh” also in later years people have prooven to be too annoying for me to stay with them longer. That is why I never even tried to make friends. I’m in contact with very few people, I don’t call them “friends”. We usually contact each… Read more »

TomB
TomB
3 years ago
Reply to  Phaet

I was single until I was 41 and I married at 48. I wish I had found the right lady and the right daughter previously, but now that I have, I have zero regrets.

Some people are meant to be solo folks. The place it gets sad is later on when they need support due to health deterioration and they don’t have a family to help provide that. Otherwise, I guess it is okay, if a bit self-focused.

Bwauder
Bwauder
3 years ago

I’ve been told I need to get back out there, but I’m enjoying my solo time and this reminds me of why.
Anyway if something really needs doing i can eventually guilt myself into doing it, without anybody elses help or moods.

g00tch
g00tch
3 years ago

You made an optical illusion with her face.

It can either be her doing a cute little smile, or her staring at you like you’re an idiot.

Maxime Pearson
Maxime Pearson
3 years ago
Reply to  g00tch

Oh, oh ! I see it now!

Jeff CB Jones
Jeff CB Jones
3 years ago

The real question of course is whether you found a comic idea about a dishwasher? We need to know these things.

Thraxas
Thraxas
3 years ago

Yeah I can relate to that. After my kids were born my time for hobbies (especially warhammer) dropped to rock bottom because I couldn’t argue to myself that it is ok to invest so much time in a hobby while my wife is looking after the kids or doing housework. She always tried to encourage me but well it just didn’t feel right

lechuckGL
lechuckGL
3 years ago
Reply to  Thraxas

As long as you do the same for your wife and allow her to have time for her hobbies that shouldn’t be a problem.

TomB
TomB
3 years ago
Reply to  Thraxas

My wife and I used to walk nightly around the neighborhood. Then she got cancer in the a leg and got it taken out which buggered up nerve runs. Then she had both hips done and the second surgery left more issues. She can’t walk much or if she does, she’s in agony for half a day. She tells me to go, but a) the extra load on me during the day with the kids and elders now steals my limited time from my wife so going off myself for 20-30 minutes to walk is hard to accept and b)… Read more »

Tony
Tony
3 years ago

You could shift your working hours, so that you’re “off work” in the middle of the day. Then you can help around the house, if there is a need, but play games as a leisure otherwise.

P. S. And, of course, you’ll still be playing games in the evening – because it’s “work time” by then.

Last edited 3 years ago by Tony
Brian
Brian
3 years ago

So… does that mean you can write off games as a business expense?

*Furiously begins studying how to web comic*

Tony
Tony
3 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Even better. One can write off hardware that runs the games smoothly as business expenses too!

Tim
Tim
3 years ago
Reply to  Brian

I think you need to be ultra rich to get away with a tax loophole like that

Robert Loughrey
Robert Loughrey
3 years ago
Reply to  Tim

No you dont, the IRS just requires that you track how often that hardware is being ued for work purposes and how often it isnt. You can only deduct the percentage of the cost that is used for work.

David K.
David K.
3 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Not really, you just need to have enough itemized deductions to exceed the standard deduction for your income bracket/filing status. If you have a few large expenses or many moderate ones that count as itemizable it can add up quickly, even for average people. Mortgage interest is a big one for example. Medical expenses are another. Charitable donations too. And state/local taxes up to $10,000 count as well. Property taxes and state income tax would count. Using tax software it’s pretty easy to calculate whether itemizing is worth it for you or not.

Pulse
Pulse
3 years ago
Reply to  Brian

i guess in a way thats what game reviewing is. play games, post reviews of games, write off cost of game on taxes, get paid something hopefully.

Leon
Leon
3 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Game developers do it

Ryan
Ryan
3 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Absolutely. Anything that is used for business purposes would be a legal tax write off, or a percentage thereof. The TV, the internet, the consoles, the games, the PC(s), all the electronic art equipment. If he uses his phone for any part of it – write off. Rent or mortgage I believe would be a write off. He could employ the Mrs. in some official role and that gets you benefits. If you don’t have a home business, you are throwing money away. Also, now that he has kids, I would recommend he employ them in some fashion, not full… Read more »

Dorander
Dorander
3 years ago

Ah, the price of having made a fun hobby into a fun job. Isn’t it funny how common the thought is that work is not supposed to be enjoyable or relaxing but rather stressful and disagreeable?

nealithi
nealithi
3 years ago
Reply to  Dorander

I think that comes from modern society saying you don’t need to like your job. Just do it. To the point that if you don’t hate your job, then some how you are doing it wrong.
Personally I think it is great when people find work they love not tolerate.

Bill
Bill
3 years ago

While I could wish I had your job on occasion, I do a lot of WFH these days, and there’s so much truth in that. Feeling guilty when you shouldn’t, wanting to game when I’ve been hold up in my home office all day as it is. Life, am I right?

Pulse
Pulse
3 years ago

every procrastinator has to learn when to bail and get to.. ill finish the comment later

Josh
Josh
3 years ago

My work from home job as a reviewer of things required I spend an entire day watching both versions of the Justic League movie (Whedon and Snyder) back to back. I usually sarcastically comment upon the “sacrifices I make” for my wonderful job. But man, sacrifices WERE made that day.

Crestlinger
Crestlinger
3 years ago

Depending on how far ahead you plan for these, the next comic can be a side joke about a recent game with so vile a play experence that not even a dishwasher could clean it. Or a certain weather-related company’s reputation taking a Further nosedive.

Baron R
Baron R
3 years ago

This spoke to me as a remote worker, doing a non-creative job. I’m not necessarily having ‘play’ time during the day, but I’m in the house while my wife is elsewhere taking care of the house, the kid, etc. Setting those boundaries are difficult. I die a little inside every time my daughter comes down and says “Why do you have to work? Let’s play!” and I have to tell her that I can’t. Occasionally, I’ll give in, but then it sets a precedent that’s hard to back out of.

SinfulKnight
SinfulKnight
3 years ago

Same except when I do all the chores and DARE to sit and relax, I’m suppose to find more to do, Like its 11pm, can I sit?

Verdiekus
Verdiekus
3 years ago

Now I really want to see a comic of the players murdering each other over who should do the dishes. Please do one Tim, it would be hilarious.

Henchman Twenty1
Henchman Twenty1
3 years ago

That classic “No Sale” expresion on the face of the Mrs. there. You got the hint. Plus, she’s holding a broom should you require further prodding!

Del Cox
Del Cox
3 years ago

Crazy to see how Tim’s avatar has aged over the years. Seems like only yesterday he looked almost like Ethan.

Vedrit
Vedrit
3 years ago

“That way I can be relatively sure nobody needs me anymore.”
Out of context, that can be interpreted as *very* depressing.

VibrantEvolution
VibrantEvolution
3 years ago

I work fulltime, 5 days a week, including weekends. On my day off I find it difficult to sit down in the middle of the day to play a game or do some other hobby because I have the feeling I “should” do some chores like cleaning or laundry or something. This is even worse when my husband is also home and especially when he takes out the vaccuumcleaner. Then I really feel like I should also do something, even tho he says I don’t have to.

At least you could actually say it’s for your work XD

Daniel S Long
Daniel S Long
3 years ago

I was married for 30 years (she passed away), my wife and I came to a few understandings about my gaming. She asked why I spent so much time playing online, I asked her one question. Would you rather I was here where you can see me playing, or out in a bar talking to some cute little hottie? She promptly went out and bought me a new computer.

As to the cartoon, all I can say is, those are some finely honed survival instincts 😉
That should be a game…. Survival Homelife

BakaGrappler
BakaGrappler
3 years ago

Responsibility is a hell of a thing, huh?

Draguss
Draguss
3 years ago

So basically, you feel guilty about the fact that a good chunk of your job lets you have significantly more fun than most people, including your family