2019/09/30 - Circle Of Life

[fenrirblack]

I know he’s rambling randomly but what “Mortal enemies” would he have in Canada? I mean it’s Canada. OMG the Moose! It all makes sense.

Personally, I think it's more interesting analyzing how Lois is acting. She seems kinda used to this, and the idea that this was pretty much in keeping in how he probably acted as a human does make it a little more enjoyable to read. Also, seems Marion is taking well to his climbing abilities. Pretty lame as far as animal superpowers he could have gotten (Do squirrels get the cheek pouch thing? Maybe he'll find a use for that if so) but at least he's finding some uses for it.

Honestly if this is a more common occurrence of Marion “breaking down” then I fear for their relationship. But props for Lois for her stern “take no carp” attitude. It takes a lot of patience to deal with someone who is having a moment.
There is so much to notice from how she’s handling this situation. The first question she asks is “Why are you naked again?” (In her mind she probably asking “Why are you so embarrassing?”) which tells me that she stills sees Marion as more human than squirrel or want to anyway. We come a long way from her roughing him up in the woods.
It is also worth questioning why she’s out there looking for him? If this is still lunch break then did something happen that would compel her to look for him or is this a routine check-in to see how he’s doing? Does she know that he’s been having a hard time because it would be obvious that he would be. We all knew this was going to be hard. I would have loved to see her reaction to Miles’s announcement.
Judging from the hands on hips I have a feeling she’s about to drop some tough love on him. I can’t wait to see that.

[Argent]

What mortal enemies would a squirrel have in Canada?

Marten, mink, fisher, red fox, arctic fox, brown bear, black bear, polar bear, wolf, coyote, bobcat, wolverine, badger...

[dr_eirik]

Judging from the hands on hips I have a feeling she’s about to drop some tough love on him. I can’t wait to see that.

Lois: Marion! Stop it!
Marion: What?
Lois: Gather your clothes and get down here, now!
Marion: <Looks at her grumpily, then gathers his clothes> Fine. <He climbs down the tree as if he was born that way> What do you want?
Lois: <Taken a bit aback> Melinda told me she saw you run out the back door. I thought something was wrong. What happened?
Marion: Don't ask.
Lois: Did someone hurt you?
Marion: No, just... just don't ask.
Lois: Well, get dressed. We have bio in 10 minutes. i can walk you to class.
Marion: What's the point? What use is a diploma to a rodent?
Lois: Where's this coming from? You were anxious to do this yesterday.
Marion: Lois, no one believes me! You know how many times I've been told, to my face, that my own friends don't believe me? What am I going to do? I might as well just head back into the woods.
Lois: That's not fair, I believe you.
Marion: You remember that corgi at the police station?
Lois: Sure, that husky officer said he was once human.
Marion: And he's been a dog for years! He has a wife, who is a dog by the way, and even puppies! What does that mean for me?
Lois: I don't know, but we'll get through this together...
Marion: Really? How long are you going to stay with me, huh? You going to buy me a little bed to sleep in the living room? I can spend the rest of my life as a pet? Or just go feral.
Lois: <Boiling a little now> That isn't fair! We don't know what's going on! We might find a solution this weekend!
Marion: Or never.
Lois: Fine! Then go back to the woods! Go find a tree to live in! If you want to give up, then just do it!
Marion: <Quiet now, head down, his cheeks getting wet from tears> I don't...
Lois: <Lets him cry a bit, then reaches a finger under his chin and raises up his face> Listen to me, you little pest. We've been together too long for me to let you throw that away because of a little problem like this!
Marion: *snerk, sniffle*
Lois: I don't care what the others say, I know its you in there. You are the same kind-heated person I grew up with.
Marion: And if we never find a solution?
Lois: <shrugs> Then we figure that out. Now are you going to get dressed, or would you rather let that hawk over there take you for a ride?
Marion: <Looks frantically around, then spots the said bird perched in a nearby tree, staring> Uh, yeah, I'll hurry. Can you, uh, carry me inside?
Lois: Sure. <Leans in to kiss him on the head>
Marion: <Holds his hands up to stop her> Uh, not that I don't appreciate it, but you might want to wait until I've had a shower. And wash your hands once you're back inside...

[OdedZeituni98]

I keep thinking there is a Lion King reference

[dr_eirik]

I keep thinking there is a Lion King reference

There is. Marions last line there is what Mufasa tells Simba about the Circle of Life.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Mufasa tells Simba to wait until he has a shower before he tries to kiss his father on the forehead after talking about the Circle of Life and also to wash his paws? O_o

[D-Rock]

Talking about the strip itself, Dayzee.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Oh yeah that makes sense. Once again, I'm pretty stupid at times so forgive me. I haven't seen the movie in over a DECADE but I'm pretty sure that scene wasn't in the film. XD

[cglenn]

Squirrels, squirrels, squirrels.
They'll drive you nuts, they'll drive you insane.
Squirrels, squirrels, squirrels.
Running up and down all over the oak tree.
Squirrels, squirrels, squirrels.
Beady red eyes and a big bushy tail.

[Amazee Dayzee]

...Are you by some chance associated with Welsh Halfwit at all? XD

[dr_eirik]

Mufasa tells Simba to wait until he has a shower before he tries to kiss his father on the forehead after talking about the Circle of Life and also to wash his paws? O_o

Yeah, like D-Rock said.

There's no (intentional) Lion King in what i wrote.

[fenrirblack]

There is a parallel between this strip and the Lion King. Simba had a similar emotional crisis with Nala where, as far as Nala knew, he was rambling about "you don't know what I've been through!" In his own teenage roundabout way, Marion is saying the same thing to Lois about how she doesn't know what he's been through that day. Not to mention Marion is running away from his responsibilities like Simba did and Lois is there to drag him back to face those responsibilities.
Next strip should have Lois say "I would if you'd just talk to me." Then Marion can respond "I fell in a toilet, Lois. A toilet! Like Judy in Zootopia!"

What mortal enemies would a squirrel have in Canada?

Marten, mink, fisher, red fox, arctic fox, brown bear, black bear, polar bear, wolf, coyote, bobcat, wolverine, badger...

But no Moose...

[dr_eirik]

Next strip should have Lois say "I would if you'd just talk to me." Then Marion can respond "I fell in a toilet, Lois. A toilet! Like Judy in Zootopia!"

Hmm.. in HP, is Zootopia a live action film?

What mortal enemies would a squirrel have in Canada?

Marten, mink, fisher, red fox, arctic fox, brown bear, black bear, polar bear, wolf, coyote, bobcat, wolverine, badger...

But no Moose...

That's just what the moose want you to think. They have infiltrated the RCMP. They hide in the shadows. Big shadows. Like huge. Big enough to hide a moose.

[fenrirblack]

Next strip should have Lois say "I would if you'd just talk to me." Then Marion can respond "I fell in a toilet, Lois. A toilet! Like Judy in Zootopia!"

Hmm.. in HP, is Zootopia a live action film?

In the HPU, it’s a documentary based on Feraga.

[Dissension]

IHonestly if this is a more common occurrence of Marion “breaking down” then I fear for their relationship. But props for Lois for her stern “take no carp” attitude. It takes a lot of patience to deal with someone who is having a moment.
There is so much to notice from how she’s handling this situation. The first question she asks is “Why are you naked again?” (In her mind she probably asking “Why are you so embarrassing?”)

Why would that be Lois's internal thought process? I'd think compassionate concern would be more probable than ridicule.

It is also worth questioning why she’s out there looking for him? If this is still lunch break then did something happen that would compel her to look for him or is this a routine check-in to see how he’s doing? Does she know that he’s been having a hard time because it would be obvious that he would be. We all knew this was going to be hard. I would have loved to see her reaction to Miles’s announcement.
Judging from the hands on hips I have a feeling she’s about to drop some tough love on him. I can’t wait to see that.

Based on experience, sharing lunch with one's partner is, when possible, a common occurrence.

Likewise, one tends to understand when someone they're close to is in distress, even if they don't know exactly what's gone wrong. (I'd argue that, if one's loved one's inexplicably changed species and sex, one would tend to be on heightened readiness to lend support, with an expectation that otherwise minor inconveniences could be taken far worse than normally.)

Some folks just stand with their hands in their pockets (or on their hips), I wouldn't necessarily expect the stance to imply imminent scolding/lecture.

[VeryAngryDeer]

Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria

Yeah, that's not a thing.

On the subject of pronouns: Even if you do not believe in transgenderism IRL, It is part of the premise of the comic that a person can retain their gender even after having their sex changed. Therefore Marion has a masculine gender while being biologically female, and should be referred to as such.

Trans people do exist, so saying "I don't believe in that" is roughly the same as saying "I don't believe in salt."

I agree on both counts. As I noted, the medical community found there was not enough evidence for Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria to use it as a proper term.

I do believe that gender dysphoria exists. Some people don't, and I was making an argument directed at those people.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

Marion: <Holds his hands up to stop her> Uh, not that I don't appreciate it, but you might want to wait until I've had a shower. And wash your hands once you're back inside...

He could have washed himself and his clothes in the sinks... if he could get up there. He could probably jump up if he were unencumbered, but he's got to bring sopping wet clothes with him too.

[Llor Drei]

I wonder if Marion realizes the necklace is missing, after the toilet fail.

[fenrirblack]

IHonestly if this is a more common occurrence of Marion “breaking down” then I fear for their relationship. But props for Lois for her stern “take no carp” attitude. It takes a lot of patience to deal with someone who is having a moment.
There is so much to notice from how she’s handling this situation. The first question she asks is “Why are you naked again?” (In her mind she probably asking “Why are you so embarrassing?”)

Why would that be Lois's internal thought process? I'd think compassionate concern would be more probable than ridicule.

Notice her questions, "Why are you naked?" instead of "What's wrong?" "Now you're just rambling" is not exactly the most compassionate thing to say after Marion's lamentation. Notice her body language in context to the situation.
I wouldn't call that ridicule as much as frustration. Lois must be as frustrated with this situation as Marion. My thinking is that she would believe Marion is overreacting and embarrassing himself because of the fact that he is not handling the situation as well as she believes that he should. Judging from her previous appearances, she comes off as a direct no-nonsense individual who if the situation was reversed would handle it better than Marion is currently. She has expectations and frustrations with her inability to help Marion which causes her to react negatively in her own mind. In other words, she's projecting or at least that is why I would believe that she would consider Marion to be embarrassing himself.

It is also worth questioning why she’s out there looking for him? If this is still lunch break then did something happen that would compel her to look for him or is this a routine check-in to see how he’s doing? Does she know that he’s been having a hard time because it would be obvious that he would be. We all knew this was going to be hard. I would have loved to see her reaction to Miles’s announcement.
Judging from the hands on hips I have a feeling she’s about to drop some tough love on him. I can’t wait to see that.

Likewise, one tends to understand when someone they're close to is in distress, even if they don't know exactly what's gone wrong. (I'd argue that, if one's loved one's inexplicably changed species and sex, one would tend to be on heightened readiness to lend support, with an expectation that otherwise minor inconveniences could be taken far worse than normally.)

Some folks just stand with their hands in their pockets (or on their hips), I wouldn't necessarily expect the stance to imply imminent scolding/lecture.

You sure about that?

Lending support comes in all kinds of forms including but not limited to "tough love" and a possible lecture. She can console him and let him vent like before but would that help right now. Marion isn't emotionally upset like before. He's frustrated and annoyed which needs a different method of dealing with it. In all honesty, Marion needs tough love because the sooner he accepts this reality the better off he would be in the long term. Lois has to understand and consul Marion but also needs to get him off his tail and ready to face the challenges still waiting for him inside that school. He can't run away from his problems and right now she is the only one who can help him especially since they are on a time crunch.

"You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time." Charles F. Kettering

[D-Rock]

To be fair, I would do the hands-on-hips-or-jacket a lot at work when someone's talking to me and I'm not already carrying anything.

[fenrirblack]

In response to Marion's "glorious combat" comment, I give you this. https://youtu.be/gzUMNwsk4MI?t=46

[Obbl]

Why would that be Lois's internal thought process? I'd think compassionate concern would be more probable than ridicule.

Notice her questions, "Why are you naked?" instead of "What's wrong?" "Now you're just rambling" is not exactly the most compassionate thing to say after Marion's lamentation. Notice her body language in context to the situation.

Not that no nonsense tough love and compassionate concern are mutually exclusive (as you seem to be implying, apologies if you're not). Thinking "Why are you so embarrassing?" seems to lack empathy and compassion in a way that is rather dismissive of Marion's feelings, and would indeed seem to signal future trouble for their relationship. But it's also quite likely that she's genuinely concerned for Marion, and is simply the kind to be straight to the point. In fact, the first question can easily be read in any number of emotions ranging from concerned (in all shades of that word) to frustrated, and the hands on hips don't really give us much insight on that.

[ZAR22]

Sorry, I know this a late reply, and probably unwarranted(?), but I thought I might add to the location of babylonian garden location.

Miles is a good evidence to decide which state they are from. If it's one of the very northern states, near Canada, then it must be the one closest and farthest north to the Canadian wilderness,

OR

The state closest to The Yellowstone national park for one reason:

Wolves.

Now, if your wondering why wolves matter, you must take into account the history of USA's mainland wild life history. During sometime, ALL wolves were hunted to extinction in USA, which lead to devastating effects on the ecosystem, with coyotes picking up some of the slack left behind in some areas. This wasn't enough and Yellowstone became barren and unhealthy, due to loosing its keystone species. USA had to BUY wolves from Canada in order to make Yellowstone lush and healthy again. So takening into account that the wolf pack barely has to wander to far to leave the forest and enter what seem like the downtown part of the city, and vice-versa for the pets to leave the neighborhood and quickly enter the forest, the city has to be REALLY close to wolf invested areas, and since wolves aren't that prominent outside of Yellowstone and Canada, it has to be relatively close to one of those locations due to the wolves.

OR

I could just be seeing to far into things and this COULD (obviously minus the anthro, talking, longer live span animal part and the magical and super natural bits) be a alternate world where wolves were either never hunted out off all the states, and thus quite a few left; or this is a distant future where wolves did like bunnies and learned to use math multiply fast enough to spread it around where it could be any state.

Just my take.

[fenrirblack]

[Not that no nonsense tough love and compassionate concern are mutually exclusive (as you seem to be implying, apologies if you're not). Thinking "Why are you so embarrassing?" seems to lack empathy and compassion in a way that is rather dismissive of Marion's feelings, and would indeed seem to signal future trouble for their relationship. But it's also quite likely that she's genuinely concerned for Marion, and is simply the kind to be straight to the point. In fact, the first question can easily be read in any number of emotions ranging from concerned (in all shades of that word) to frustrated, and the hands on hips don't really give us much insight on that.

What I am saying is that, by definition, it is possible to have compassionate understanding with a no nonsense tough love approach to the situation. Lois is concerned and frustrated about Marion’s situation, Marion’s reaction to the situation, and her own inability to Alleviate the situation. What I am all saying is that I believe the hands on hips was a conscious decision by Rick to express Lois’s feelings and attitude towards Marion and the situation they find themselves in.

[Buster]

farthest north to the Canadian wilderness
Yellowstone national park

OBJECTION!
Those areas have already been eliminated as being outside the maximum travel distance to reach Kansas in nine hours.

also, i vaguely recall a short story ages ago involving sabrina that implied that sapient canines effectively took the place of Native Americans in the HPU, so history might be different?

[D-Rock]

Probably just as killed off, though.

History is written in blood, after all.

[Champion Wallace]

Does Marion have his hands on his shoulders in the second panel because he's shivering from being cold and wet, or is there another explanation?

what gender pronouns do I use

The pronoun thing really shouldn't be that hard people

It may seem that way, but as evident by the response from multiple different forumites, that appears to not be the case. For you and other people, this may be really simple, but understand others may not have been exposed to the same influences as you and this is harder to wrap your head around if you've only been around cis people.

Next comic: Marion shows up somewhere soaking wet because he facepalmed so hard that he fell in the toilet.

Calling it now.

Called it!

...Well, ok, he's not soaking wet. But I was right about all the other stuff.

Well, his clothes at least a soaking wet. Do you think Marion used paper towel to try and dry himself off?

I always pictured the comic as being a Minnesota/Wisconsin/Upper Midwest style place...But in all honesty it's generic for a reason so everyone can project their own thoughts into it and now end up stuck in the ball of "It's a (insert place here) thing, you wouldn't understand."

Honestly, I think you are the most right with that sentiment. As fun as reading into stuff is, I get the feeling Babylon Gardens' location isn't a secret to be found, but something without answer because if it had a real location Rick Griffin would be tied to that fact.

Also focusing in on the fact that the odd ramblings of Marion might be a reference to Diss... wonder if there are any other references Rick has planned. Can't go so far as to make another Karishad basically, but be neat to have some in-jokes for the forumites.

A couple of us have made cameos directly and ya never know when background squirrels mighta been subtle nods to me, at least. For example, a long time ago, I thought about changing from a squirrel fursona to a crow.

Would such an occurrence be represented like this?

Also focusing in on the fact that the odd ramblings of Marion might be a reference to Diss... wonder if there are any other references Rick has planned. Can't go so far as to make another Karishad basically, but be neat to have some in-jokes for the forumites.

A couple of us have made cameos directly and ya never know when background squirrels mighta been subtle nods to me, at least. For example, a long time ago, I thought about changing from a squirrel fursona to a crow.

You're alluding to your cameo in Keene's trip to heaven aren't you? Also, who else has had a cameo out of curiousity? I'm guessing it's not just people he chooses randomly, is it something related to patreon or something?

Sleet is eating dinner with Dissension in that cameo

There is a parallel between this strip and the Lion King. Simba had a similar emotional crisis with Nala where, as far as Nala knew, he was rambling about "you don't know what I've been through!" In his own teenage roundabout way, Marion is saying the same thing to Lois about how she doesn't know what he's been through that day. Not to mention Marion is running away from his responsibilities like Simba did and Lois is there to drag him back to face those responsibilities.

That parallel is rather close to crossing the line of being a similarity between the comic and The Lion King and instead being a similarity between the comic and the hero's journey.

Next strip should have Lois say "I would if you'd just talk to me." Then Marion can respond "I fell in a toilet, Lois. A toilet! Like Judy in Zootopia!"

Hmm.. in HP, is Zootopia a live action film?

You wouldn't be the first to suspect that.

Their playing Zootopia and Jungle Book? Now that I think about it, those two movies would look and feel a lot different in the HPU.

Zootopia would be subversive as heck, when you think about it.

Also live action.

[ZAR22]

How do we know the nine hours thing isn't a exaggeration or oversimplification? I mean given housepets humor, and that time is all over the place (example being the bath house scenario), it could easily be that it's possible that those areas could still count.

Huh. Don't recall sabrina ever saying that the wolves (in the context of swapping them out for another species in this case) replaced the human native Americans in this world.

Sure wish I knew how to quote people on here, as this will be my second comment, ever.

[Champion Wallace]

How do we know the nine hours thing isn't a exaggeration or oversimplification? I mean given housepets humor, and that time is all over the place (example being the bath house scenario), it could easily be that it's possible that those areas could still count.

The hot spring in its eponymous episode got away with it because of ambiguity and getting lampshaded. With Kansas Peanut was explicit about the time it would take.

Huh. Don't recall sabrina ever saying that the wolves (in the context of swapping them out for another species in this case) replaced the human native Americans in this world.

I don't blame you for not seeing the native Americans thing. You can find the story here

Sure wish I knew how to quote people on here, as this will be my second comment, ever.

There are several ways. Primarily, there is a button in the upper right corner of every post labeled QUOTE. If you click that instead of "Post Reply" you get taken to the same window, but there is the quote already formatted. Next up, if you scroll down on the post page there will be the last 40 messages on that topic. If you click QUOTE there it will paste the text wherever in the text box the curser was (if you have something highlighted, it will only take that). Something to note is you can edit stuff when quoting such as deleting superfluous material or splitting it up. You can also start quoting something on one topic, but then copy and paste that to a reply for a different topic. Lastly, you can use the "Quote" formatting option next to bold, italics and underline, but you have to type the person's name in the brackets with an equals sign and non-directional quotation marks (", not ” or “) so it would look like this: [quote="ZAR22"]Sure wish I knew how to quote people on here[/quote]. This is really only useful for quoting stuff outside the forums, like:

I'm going to sniff EVERYBODY!

Also, Welcome to the forums! I hope you enjoy your time here.

[Obbl]

what gender pronouns do I use

The pronoun thing really shouldn't be that hard people

It may seem that way, but as evident by the response from multiple different forumites, that appears to not be the case. For you and other people, this may be really simple, but understand others may not have been exposed to the same influences as you and this is harder to wrap your head around if you've only been around cis people.

Hence the "shouldn't" and the " "
People who are confused by this are actually making things a lot harder than they really are, and rather than taking a few minutes to figure it out so that they can stop worrying so much over it, they just... keep being not really that much sure about how they're supposed to handle this?
And I get it, cause that was me for years. Hence the "shouldn't" and the " "

[ZAR22]

I don't blame you for not seeing the native Americans thing. You can find the story here

That doesn't say that the coyotes replaced all the human native Americans, just seems like some coyotes that somehow use guns and are or native coyote descent.

also, Welcome to the forums! I hope you enjoy your time here.

Legitly thought you were talking to peanut, until I realise you were probably talking to me or someone else.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Nope he was talking to you because Peanut doesn't need to be welcomed since the forum is about his and Grape's escapades.

[Llor Drei]

I honestly view Lois in the manner of Lois Lane. A take no nonsense, tell the truth no matter who it hurts, keeping her man bucked-up kind of girl, who would always be her man's moral compass and anchor when life got too hard for him, kind of girl. I feel she would move the world for him, even if, at the same time, she refuses to allow hopelessness and depression to suck him down, by being so blunt to him, that transference is caused to allow her to suck those feelings away from him, so that he can buck-up and move forward, rather then stay stuck in one place. She seems completely devoted to him, to me.

But, that's just my view on it, from what I've interpreted from all the past showings and mentions of her.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Wow. I did not know that Lois was Clark's anchor and moral compass but then again I don't pay attention to Superman much. Nice analyzation!

[Argent]

Sorry, I know this a late reply, and probably unwarranted(?), but I thought I might add to the location of babylonian garden location.

Miles is a good evidence to decide which state they are from. If it's one of the very northern states, near Canada, then it must be the one closest and farthest north to the Canadian wilderness,

OR

The state closest to The Yellowstone national park for one reason:

Wolves.

But that brings up Douglas Collier's map based on the Cory/Trinket arc.

https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... 49#p651149



I think the range of anthro animals in the HP! world is just not going to match the range of wild animals in our world.

Also, I just checked the original comic and it's actually 9 hours round trip. 4.5 hours to some part of Kansas.



I can't find the isochrone map service I used the last time, but this tightens up the scope significantly.

[Buster]

I can't find the isochrone map service I used the last time, but this tightens up the scope significantly.

and eliminates all of the states that have the correct climate, since they were on the edges.

[ZAR22]

But that brings up Douglas Collier's map based on the Cory/Trinket arc.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... 49#p651149

Yeah, animals can travel around, but seeing how people freaked out about wolves moving around, I doubt they could generally be anywhere without causing some sort of upheaval by the masses, IMO.

I think the range of anthro animals in the HP! world is just not going to match the range of wild animals in our world.

Well, yeah, not specifically, but does seem to loosely follow some area traits, and Jessica doesn't look like one to do something animalistcally illogical, as far as I know. And if animals can move around, what's to say humans didn't grow the park bigger and some how consumes most of Wyoming?

Also, I just checked the original comic and it's actually 9 hours round trip. 4.5 hours to some part of Kansas.

Yeah, another member already told me. BUT, you don't have to be in a state near Kansas to take nine hours to do anything, depending on where in a state you live. I recently took a trip from the lower top half of Texas all the way to kansas on the way to IOWA in LESS than 11 hours INCLUDING breaks on the way there by CAR. So it just depends on the car, how long you drive, if you take no breaks, and a few other factors. And I swear I am not lying about it being a relatively short time to get to Kansas (specifically a town closes to Kansas city to be precise) from texas, this RECENTLY just happend. Doesn't look like the wizard of Oz said it looked like anymore.

[CunningFox]

Also, I just checked the original comic and it's actually 9 hours round trip. 4.5 hours to some part of Kansas.

Is it ever actually confirmed that Rueben's farm is in Kansas? I just skimmed through the road trip/farm arc and didn't see any mention of it.

[Amazee Dayzee]

If it isn't, then that means that figuring out the location of Babylon Gardens and all of the information gathered thus far won't count since it hasn't been stated. If it was something that was just assumed, I take it people thought it was Kansas because Dorothy and Toto lived on a farm in Kansas in "The Wizard of Oz".

[Obbl]

Bailey's family lived in Kansas, and everyone mixed the two together early on in the forum's history

The whole thing is a little silly because the setting is definitely a pastiche of places Rick has lived and clearly not meant to be placed anywhere exactly, but we don't let things like that stop us from getting to the bottom of these mysteries! Especially if the "bottom" is more like a mobius strip back to where we started

[Buster]

Well there's still only four river ridge high's according to google maps. one is in Washington state, one in florida, one is in Georgia, and one is in Illinois. i originally discounted three of them due to being too far from Kansas, but if that marker is off the board, it still limits us to within 60 minutes by car of one of these locations, since miles would need a reasonable commute to and from work.