Posted October 6, 2017 at 1:50 am

It hasn't come up a lot, BUT...

- First unintentional hint (wasn't intended to imply this trait yet)

- "Set phasers to sanitize"

- Washing hands after touching Elliot's hands

- Sanitize after shaking hands with Tensaided

- General hesitance regarding physical contact

I've winced that first panel wince in response to many a thing in my day, let me tell you.

Susan and I share a few traits, and this is one of them, up to and including the last panel. I tend to check chairs before I sit in them, and when I go to pick up an order at a pizza place, it takes a significant wait to get me to actually sit down while waiting.

And, though I will sometimes lean against walls, I usually don't, and there have been times when I've done so only to realize what I was doing and be bothered by it. I'm perfectly aware it doesn't make sense. I've got some survival instinct miswired somewhere.

Panel seven is also inspired by me, in which it's like "for all intents and purposes, yes", but also "it's not exactly that. and the distinction matters to me, gosh darn it".

Of course, this comic isn't just "Dan shares his anxieties for show and tell". We're comparing and contrasting Susan and Diane, and Diane does not share this trait.

Even though that's the plan, however, I didn't originally plan to address this aspect of Susan just now. I drew the previous comic, thought Diane would naturally lean against the wall at the end of it, and had my own little reaction to it. With Susan and I sharing that trait, I saw it as a sign to address the matter.

- EGS:NP