Sorry for the delay. We had a few emergency remodels on the house. Washer blew up and we had to redo the laundry room on top of taking down two walls in our kitchen. Some minor flooding and parts of the house that just had to be striped out. Super time consuming. But 4 kids.. gotta have a laundry room and kitchen that function and you can't have the potential for mold. Had to be done. Claire knows I don't want to talk ill on the comic, but her house did have sections of it that were in disrepair, and many issues have kind of culminated at once. We have been solidly working on these things for the last six months. Thankfully we're at the point everything can be maintained for a while. We have to get new kitchen flooring and redo a lot of ceiling, but it's nothing that can't wait a few more months. We're pretty remodel'd out at this point. We're also super cool on childhood staples like all 4 kids getting head lice because SOME UNNAMED CHILD decided to wear a scrunchie they found on the bus. This was on top of kids with ear infections and strep throat... so yeah. It's been a thing. Claire and I had a joke where each day there was a new 'disaster.' We started marking some on the calendar. "Day of the Bee" were someone left the door open and a swarm of honey bees got into the house. "Day of the Puke" where everyone got stomach flu. There was the day the brakes totally went out on the car and Claire almost crashed into the front gate. My favorite was the day one child got upset at another and threw a metal fidget spinner through the air at their head, missed, and cracked the screen on the 55" living room flatscreen. (I'll spare you the story behind "Day of the Poop." Merry Christmas.) Anyway.. I'm good for now. Life/God/Karma/Universe.. I know you're reading this. Take a break. Come back in the summer or something with all your dumb hurdles. Or in August/September since you made Claire pregnant. Way to go... XD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE: After much delay, next comic will be up Tuesday, Feb 3rd. I will also have 2 Patreons up that day or the following. Thank you everyone for your patience.
Little Mind Reader
101 thoughts on “Little Mind Reader”
I realize that Pumpkin and I are a bit too similar….
I understand the urgency of both mold and needing to feed children. And with a 10 year-old getting into sports, a washing machine is very necessary.
I have a 10 year-old that’s going into sports, that is.
Wait..Claire is pregnant? Congratulations!
Indeed, congratulations
Indeed.
“Are you two flirting? You are flirting! Flirterers!”
It’s shameless the way they flirt.
Congrats!
First off wow, way to bury the big news! CONGRATS! I’m so excited for you! Second, I’m living for this style update. Pumpkin is looking peak cuteness. There’s something fun and bouncy about the style and I’m here for it. Lastly, I’m so glad you’re ok. But also I feel like an update post could’ve and should’ve been made sooner, now that we know what happened. Just a quick; house is falling apart, bbs when it’s fixed. What about getting active on Twitter again and just shoot out a tweet or two when something bad happens? We were all pretty worried!
Ditto on hoping the Galaxy leaving you alone for a little while. I think you’ve met your quota for bad luck for a while.
I would make the motion for an inktober style update for sketches to be placed into what could possibly be a desk calendar in a week format that diagrams a new family circus style cartoon. With enough of those sketches, you could morph it into a day by day calendar. Then having a calendar app that would do the same, formatted into a month/week/day display.
This CANNOT be the first statement to describe the banner splash. Congrats on the newest addition in addition to the remodeling.
“My Neighbor McFatFat” doesn’t have the same impact. It sounds like a Farrelly Brothers movie.
I have a fanfic I wrote here about your life. Where should I mail it?
You know, you could ease the burden by selling one child. Pick the one that brings in the most dough. Life can be simple, yes?
First, CongaRats on the pregnancy!
Second… damn dude, you just can NOT catch a break! Here’s hoping for some good karma!
The mention of the Day of the Poop brought this to mind: https://cad-comic.com/comic/early-morning/
Grats on the pending cast member!
If you still need a washer/dryer, we have spares since we just replaced ours, and we only live in Plano. Yours if you want them, just let me know.
If karma is really out to get you Claire will have twins.
If I didn’t know any better I’d say the household is shaping up to be like a season of Meerkat Manor.
Now with more projectiles!
Did Quinn write out her fic in *longhand*? Either that or she took time to have it printed out and bound. How 90s Kinko’s is that?
It’s a gift, man. When you’ve only got so much cash on hand, you go with what you’ve got.
I agree, but only $1.00. That looks like something aa processor expects to have a paper turned in. One inch margins, with offset for left and right pages.
Hoping for a better year to come your way.
Congrats to you and Claire. We knew you had it in you…(or was it in her). Anyways, Congrats all around. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the new year bring no new disasters (but we know that’s not happening). Life as a homeowner sucks sometimes but in the end it’s well worth it.
Yep, due congratulations, and it’s good to have you back.
Pumpkin looks so adorable in the last panel.
Congrats! Glad to hear that the drama is mostly of the typical variety rather than the legal. Hopefully you’ve hit your quota for trouble next year and it’ll be smooth sailing from here on out. (We all know that’s not how life actually works and it’ll just keep coming at us all with new trouble like always, but we can always hope. Good luck. )
Aaaand, man, the art has suddenly gotten very cute! I like it! And that new header too!
I was afraid that they may have been hit with a complete order of silence.
Congratulations!
… holy cow! Ok, now that that’s out of my system, I understand that you couldn’t post a comic page, but could you please at least let us know you are okay in the future? I know this sounds weird, but a few of us, at least, were starting to worry about you as a person there. Otherwise, the comic looks great, as always, and big congrats on getting your color artist pregnant, lol. Welcome back!
Anon bro’s got a point.
Sorry, I was anon. Didn’t notice at first.
Omg… Congrats on the baby!
Also, i know how time consuming home repairs can be. Been practically overhauling my entire home while juggling the time for my job. Since you have kids, i know you have a lot more on your plate.
I wish you luck. *salutes*
Exotic….ooo, I know!
Joker x Batman Who Laughs. Hurt / Comfort.
Congrats on the forthcoming child(ren)! And gotta love the random life events that just keep compounding.
Though it’s good to hear you’re doing well, I honestly think you should sincerely apologize to your patrons and come up with new terms or something that they feel fair to donate to. It’s unfair you’re consistently falling back on your end of the deal while still getting almost 2k for one comic a month. If this is what they’re fine with, then great, but you should really discuss it with them cause that is not what’s being promised. Also, if life is getting hectic, you can turn off the Patreon payment for that time so as not to charge them, or at least let them know- not disappear without a trace, take their money, and come back like nothing happened. We all dearly love Shotgunshuffle. Hell, I’ve been reading since nearly the beginning. But it seems as though lately there’s less respect on your end towards your readers (especially the ones who donated to keep you from ending the comic). If need be, there’s nothing wrong with taking a break to get life resolved and continuing your work when you get back. We’d support it. But the lack of communication and still taking the money just isn’t right.
After nearly 2 years of patronage I finally remove myself two days ago for that very reason. It’s not the lack of updates as much as the radio silence. I get life happens but not having the respect for us enough to take a couple of seconds to give a brief heads up says alot. If I just didn’t show up to work for two months without any word I would just be fired. It is a shame since I’ve been with this comic since year one but I just don’t trust it enough anymore to support it on a regular basis.
Pumpkin (Panel 4):”This fanfic you gave me is just a bunch of stale boring mainstream straight normie canon drek!”
Quinn: “Yeah, so?”
Pumpkin (Panel 6): “I WILL TREASURE IT 5EVAH!!”
Just noticed the new banner at the top of the page, doing ‘My Neighbor FatFat’ with Quinn and a little Pumpkin on her back. Adorbs. Am I the first to mention it?
No, sorry but you are not the first to mention it.
Managerless Arsenal on worst winless run since 1Managerless Arsenal on worst winless run since 1
I can’t believe that you’d think that Arsenal would contemplate playing soccer without management.
Next thing you know, a soccer team will be wondering *why* they can’t play without an arsenal, and a new/old sport will be (re)born.
I think a lot more people would watch soccer if more teams had arsenals.
Especially if they still couldn’t use their hands. Imagine the crowd holding their breath as ordnance comes arcing down, and one of the team is chosen to take it down by heading it. Actually, belay that order Mr Sulu, I’d rather not think of that. Anyone up for a re-read of 17776, What Football Will Look Like In the Future?
Someone needs to explain to Rusch that it’s not karma that makes babies.
Developer
OMG YOU ARE ALIVE!
Seriously, the older I get the more people I know of are dying. Then there are those who have to give up the thing they love for some soul-consuming 65 hour-a-week job to pay the bills.
Everything you’ve described seems [to my jaded mind] to be normal.
Abu Dhabi GP practice & moments of the seasAbu Dhabi GP practice & moments of the seas
Huh?
i have the opposite problem, why are the no/so few OTP canon couplings in porn? like find me one piece of porn where bruce Wayne makes babies with Andrea Beaumont?! cus there is none.
I wish it was longer, get him out – former woI wish it was longer, get him out – former wo
what kind of bot is posting this gibberish?
I really wouldn’t call any of that exotic any more. More like par for the course. :p A Batman x Catwoman ship would be more exotic in today’s shipping. :p
World Rugby investigates referees picture with World Rugby investigates referees picture with
What is it? Do we have a bot from North Korea spamming sports spam?
Where it went right – and wrong – for England iWhere it went right – and wrong – for England i
Why have you left me hanging? I want to know about England! You tease.
parallelism
Mercedes gain greatest label, but wont forget Mercedes gain greatest label, but wont forget
But. I have forgotten Mercedes Rhuel.
Who?
…oh, okay, I just Googled her and now I understand why I forgot her.
Research
Banana.
Soap
Banana.
Orange you glad I said. . . . .
Toys
primary
Yay an update.
Ill see yall next year.
Ohhhh-kaaaay byyyyyyyee…..
No, stick around.
engineer
“Who is doing it to whom,” Pumpkin. Mr. Stevens would be soooooo disappointed. Maybe not too surprised, though.
The whole point of English–and by extension grammar–is to be understood. Did any part of that sentence leave you in any doubt?
Even James Joyce left the wills and shalls, coulds and shoulds, and the like to his editor.
Well said.
Six people injured by lightning strike at Tour ChSix people injured by lightning strike at Tour Ch
Football Daily podcast: Sacking season, yachts Football Daily podcast: Sacking season, yachts
This comment left blank on purpose, intentionally.
But…but…it’s not blank at all! IT’S NOT BLANK AT ALL!! AAAAAA!
Incredible
Quality
Wooden
My business partner wrote Ranma 1/2 fanfic that had no sex scenes even though Ranma and Akane are married at the beginning of the fanfic (and as I understand it the end of the manga and anime series). The fic is about domestic violence as Akane continually loses her temper at Ranma and beats the crap outta him.
So, um, not to be “that guy” or nothing, but it HAS been another month, and things have been a mite quiet.
Coronavirus troubles? Day of the Terrorist Attack? …Australian wildfires?
Looking forward to your latest comeback!
I hope everything is okay.
To be fair, he IS a webcomic artist.. not like having one’s shit together comes with the territory.
JOKING!! …mostly. But seriously, Rusche? Good luck.
Rusche hasn’t disappointed in his strict adherence to expectations of typical webcomic artists.
Comic ded again?
Doesn’t look like we’ll be getting an update for January, but I have high hopes that there will be a February comic!
Someone recently brought up the idea of signing up for an email alert for when new comics go live. Is there a way we can make this a thing? Checking back on this site and having no update 30 days out of 31 is a little disheartening.
Yes please! I generally only check once or twice a week (when the banner claims there will be an update) but I would seriously like to just get alerts for updates. I do like the comic, but checking and seeing nothing is kinda exhausting, and I’m getting kind of close to just removing it from my list of webcomics I read.
I really like this comic, and would genuinely love to see it get back to a regular schedule, so if I might make a small suggestion: perhaps take an intentional hiatus to get a bit of a buffer going? That way when life does come back around and cause delays the comic doesn’t drop off the face of the planet for several months at a time? Again, just a suggestion, but I can see it really helping, especially with a growing family.
Looking back through the archive, this (Jan 2020) marks the first month in which there hasn’t been an update since Oct 2009
Chris, I hope your life is going well – know that your online family is still rooting for you. Looking forward to hearing from you again!!
I was juuuuust about to cancel my patreon (since it’ll charge tomorrow) when I saw the update that there’ll be comics Tuesday.
Ok Rusche, I’ve been a patreon for years at this point, I’ll stay on board. But please more of the verbal updates at least. Pretty please with sugar on top? These weeks of complete silence isn’t very fair to your patreons, and I’m not even talking about how there was no comic for January. The radio silence has been just awful as we’re worried about you.
Glad to hear you’re alive! Looking forward to Tuesday :)