A Maid Needs a Maid [Week of 5-10-10]

[OzoneSama]

Well, that was unexpected, for me anyway!
The stereotypical "French maid" uniform... will she start speaking to Ari with a French accent, next?

Being French, I just don't know how long this "cliché" sexy outfit will remain associated with my country, maybe for 1 or 2 centuries.
And next millennium's archaeologists will surely wonder why we enjoyed cleaning with such impractical clothes!

Best regards, Oz.

[furrykef]

Wonder where this will go.

Current hypotheses:
* Ari won't come home soon enough and Miriam will get bored of waiting and leave
* Ari will come home but completely miss Miriam's intentions
* Ari will come home and will get it, but feel pretty awkward about it

[Serge Stiles]

That's quite a coincidence. I want you to have them all, too.

Well, we'll see what happens if I get this job I just applied for...

I like how Miriam decided to dress up for it.

[Ostracee]

Well, Miriam, you're a subtle one.

Really, if you're going to leave pictures on her camera of yourself posing in a French Maid outfit, you may as well just ask her directly. It's really not much less subtle.

[MrLeffel]

Jeepers!!!

[furrykef]

Well, so far we've struck two of my hypotheses already...

* Ari won't come home soon enough and Miriam will get bored of waiting and leave
* Ari will come home but completely miss Miriam's intentions

[Marley]

Hahah, I make those sorts of lists, too... I'm not the only one!

This could ruin any of Miriam's romantic intentions, though. Who takes kindly to people reading bare lists of problems that a person has with themselves? Still, it'd be interesting if any of them relate to Miriam, or if she could twist them to relate somehow to herself...

[diddledop]

[sapphite]

:o

Right there with you.

I don't *quite* get it though - which thing "wasn't Rod's fault"?

[Serge Stiles]

JOHN! <3

[rcmonroe]

I don't *quite* get it though - which thing "wasn't Rod's fault"?

I'll let someone else look up the links if they're interested, but essentially:

1) Ari and Rod had a fling
2) Ari rejected the idea of commitment, perhaps because she didn't believe Rod would seriously commit (and for other reasons too, possibly)
3) Rod and Miriam had also had a fling, during the time that Rod and Ari's non-committal fling was taking place
4) Ari found out, wasn't happy about it

She's basically saying she should have known better, and she's taking responsibility for her feelings getting hurt.

[sapphite]

*blinded by artist-divinity*

3) Rod and Miriam had also had a fling, during the time that Rod and Ari's non-committal fling was taking place
4) Ari found out, wasn't happy about it

She's basically saying she should have known better, and she's taking responsibility for her feelings getting hurt.

Okay, so I was on the right track... what I am missing is why Miriam is upset (and it looks like we are about to find out possibly, no need to spoil if so). Because she hadn't found out about Rod and Ari? Or is Miriam misinterpreting the letter... I suppose I'll find out shortly.

As 'gut-punch' as the walk-out scene was, it felt hollow from confusion.

Thanks for clarifying the root!

[rcmonroe]

Okay, so I was on the right track... what I am missing is why Miriam is upset (and it looks like we are about to find out possibly, no need to spoil if so). Because she hadn't found out about Rod and Ari? Or is Miriam misinterpreting the letter... I suppose I'll find out shortly.

It's all in Ari's notes to herself: be true to your ideals, don't do things you know you'll regret, next time the wrong one comes along, say no. Ari is looking for something long-term and serious; Miriam's track record indicates their dalliance will be short-term and casual. Miriam realizes she's "wrong" for Ari in every way that's important to Ari, and is sad about it, and maybe even a little guilt-ridden.

[sapphite]

Ohh... totally wasn't even considering Miriam might look that far ahead.

Much appreciated!

[rcmonroe]

¡No problema!

Admittedly, looking ahead is atypical for Miriam.

[toadpipe]

I don't see this looking ahead as atypical at all, instead, I see it's been building for a while. Miriam really wants some meaning in her life. She left the relationship with Chuck knowing that she was the trouble, he needed a stable thing she couldn't give. Steven was a train wreck, and she's wondering how she ended up there. With Rebecca, I think she hung around with her as much as she did because she really wanted to see how a real relationship should work.

Miriam really likes Ari, and Miriam knows she messes things up. If anything this is a good step for Mir, maybe she'll be open with Ari about having read the list, her fears, her hopes... and maybe it'll be okay. Or maybe she'll keep going like she does, and maybe Ari will always wonder.

Or maybe I'm projecting.

[SAGG]

RC, what's "Femme de Chambre" mean?

[rcmonroe]

RC, what's "Femme de Chambre" mean?

Literally translated, "chamber woman"; as in "chambermaid". I did ask an actual French-speaking person how to say "French maid" in French. Aside from that, I'm not sure I used the right phrase. But even if it's wrong, I can justify it: Sherry may be sharp enough to figure out Miriam borrowed her French maid costume, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's sharp enough to speak proper French. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Miriam really wants some meaning in her life. She left the relationship with Chuck knowing that she was the trouble, he needed a stable thing she couldn't give. Steven was a train wreck, and she's wondering how she ended up there. With Rebecca, I think she hung around with her as much as she did because she really wanted to see how a real relationship should work.

Sounds about right to me.

Being French, I just don't know long this "cliché" sexy outfit will remain associated with my country, maybe for 1 or 2 centuries.
And next millennium's archaeologists will surely wonder why we enjoyed cleaning with such impractical clothes!

No offense intended, OzoneSama. It's certainly not a sensible outfit for housekeeping but it did seem appropriate for Miriam's other motive. Or at least she thought so.

[BiBBi83]

Oooh, I like that she said that! That was an innuendo that doesn't really have that many ways to be interpreted. Can't wait to see how Sherry will react. Even if she won't do so right now. Judging from her expression, she's at least halfway figured it out by now. ^.^

On a sidenote: Poor Ari. She doesn't get to keep many secrets to herself these days...
Maybe it's for the best. If not for Ari, then at least the best for the development of the story.

[SAGG]

(From 6/2 comic): "I'm so happy for your Sher"? Shouldn't that be "you" instead, RC?

[rcmonroe]

Yes.

[rretter]

And lets, not let's, would be correct. What's so damned hard about using plural forms without so many people sticking apostrophes everywhere nowadays?

[rcmonroe]

And lets, not let's, would be correct. What's so damned hard about using plural forms without so many people sticking apostrophes everywhere nowadays?

The answer to that is, it's not hard at all. Unless it's in a strip that's on the last page of a book that I need to have printed and shipped before the Comic-Con (end of July), in which case it's nigh-on frigging IMPOSSIBLE.

Thanks for the catch, I do appreciate it.

[OzoneSama]

No offense intended, OzoneSama.

None taken, really. It's just a very long-lived "cliché" that French maid wear this. So when will it only be known as "sexy maid outfit" of no particular country? By the way, it does make me think that Miriam likes to play roles a lot in her interactions with people, like she's still looking for her true self, someone she"ll feel comfortable being (almost) every day. Most people have a moment like that in their life. I just hope she'll end up okay and happy, with friends (still) by her side.

Okay, I'm done over-analyzing a comic strip.

Still enjoying the story very much, thinking about buying a 4 books pack, can you mail oversea? And, pretty please with a cherry on top, just call me Oz, or Ozone if it reminds you too much of Oswald, but, long story short, the -sama part (Japanese) was just to distinguish myself from other Ozones around the WWWeb (and I don't really deserve the title of sama).

[rcmonroe]

No offense intended, OzoneSama.

None taken, really. It's just a very long-lived "cliché" that French maid wear this. So when will it only be known as "sexy maid outfit" of no particular country?

At the risk of speaking on the behalf of others, I don't think most people take the cliché seriously. When I see one of those outfits I think "costume worn for the purpose of titillation" rather than "uniform worn for housecleaning " or "attire that has anything whatsoever to do with France". As I understand it, the exaggeratedly-sexualized female servant's costume is of British origin (small wonder they opted to blame it on the French).

…Miriam likes to play roles a lot in her interactions with people, like she's still looking for her true self, someone she"ll feel comfortable being (almost) every day. Must people have a moment like that in their life.

Indeed. For Miriam, the moment appears to be particularly enduring. Of course, that might be because of the glacierly pace of my storytelling.

Still enjoying the story very much, thinking about buy a 4 books pack, can you mail oversea?

Sure can. Go here to start the process.

And, pretty please with a cherry on top, just call me Oz, or Ozone if it remind you too much of Oswald, but, long story short, the -sama part (Japanese) was just to distinguish myself from other Ozone, and I don't really deserve it.

Oz it is. I'm not even aware of the "other" Ozone. (I don't get out much, in terms of the Internet.)