explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

209: Kayak

2013-06-28T20:14:59Z

Daywood: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 209
| date = January 12, 2007
| title = Kayak
| image = kayak.png
| titletext = Man, there's future *everywhere*.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic deals with two linked themes, which both come under the umbrella of {{w|Existentialism|existentialism}}, a branch of philosophy.

Beret Guy invites Cueball to join him in a two-seat kayak trip. However, Cueball is confused by his intention.

Beret Guy initially words his invitation to Cueball as "come explore the future". However, this confuses Cueball, as he believes that Beret Guy's kayak can {{w|Travel through time|travel through time}} in a science fiction sense. In reality, Beret Guy is being more literal: after all, as the title-text emphasizes, "there's future everywhere"; everything is "travelling through time" simply by existing, as time is just another dimension. Beret Guy's comments show that he perceives all of life as an adventure, and just as exciting as time travel; his eagerness to "explore" it shows that he takes delight in the unpredictability of life. In this way, the comic criticizes people who become depressed with the lack of control they have over their future: Beret Guy suggests that, rather than continuously worrying, we should enjoy the thrill of the unknown.

Cueball asks Beret Guy why he wishes for a kayak trip, as there is no intrinsic purpose or logic behind this action. However, Beret Guy claims that, in fact, nothing has any intrinsic purpose in the long run, and thus there is no reason not to go on a kayak trip. In this case, if a kayak trip is likely to make you happy, it is the right thing to do. In this way, the comic could be seen as criticizing those who do not take advantage of life's opportunities.

Beret Guy's comments reference existentialism, which is a branch of philosophy that states that there is no intrinsic purpose or meaning to anything in life, as nothing will influence our eventual fate - death. It also states that there is no way of predicting what will happen to us, and that the future is always unknown. The solution is therefore to find one's own purpose in life, and make the most of life's opportunities while they are still still available.

Making the most of life, and rationalizing the familiar, has also been explored in these comics:

*[[167: Nihilism]]
*The [[:Category:Choices|Choices]] arc.
*[[308: Interesting Life]]
*[[187: The Familiar]]

==Transcript==
:Beret Guy in a kayak is talking to person on pier.
:Beret Guy: Come explore the future with me!
:Cueball: Huh? What's that you're in?
:Beret Guy: A two seat kayak!
:Cueball: I see, but why do you have it?
:Beret Guy: We'll find out! The future is a big place!
:Cueball: So the kayak travels through time?
:Beret Guy: Sure! Just like everything else! It also goes over water. Come on!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]

209: Kayak

2013-06-27T22:38:44Z

Daywood: Elaboration

{{comic
| number = 209
| date = January 12, 2007
| title = Kayak
| image = kayak.png
| titletext = Man, there's future *everywhere*.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic deals with two linked themes, which both come under the umbrella of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existentialism existentialism]], a branch of philosophy.

Beret Guy invites Cueball to join him in a two-seat kayak trip. However, Cueball is confused by his intention.

Beret Guy initially words his invitation to Cueball as "come explore the future". However, this confuses Cueball, as he believes that Beret Guy's kayak can [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_through_time travel through time]] in a science fiction sense. In reality, Beret Guy is being more literal: after all, as the title-text emphasizes, "there's future everywhere"; everything is "travelling through time" simply by existing, as time is just another dimension. Beret Guy's comments show that he perceives all of life as an adventure, and just as exciting as time travel; his eagerness to "explore" it shows that he takes delight in the unpredictability of life. In this way, the comic criticizes people who become depressed with the lack of control they have over their future: Beret Guy suggests that, rather than continuously worrying, we should enjoy the thrill of the unknown.

Cueball asks Beret Guy why he wishes for a kayak trip, as there is no intrinsic purpose or logic behind this action. However, Beret Guy claims that, in fact, nothing has any intrinsic purpose in the long run, and thus there is no reason not to go on a kayak trip. In this case, if a kayak trip is likely to make you happy, it is the right thing to do. In this way, the comic could be seen as criticizing those who do not take advantage of life's opportunities.

Beret Guy's comments reference [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existentialism existentialism]], which is a branch of philosophy that states that there is no intrinsic purpose or meaning to anything in life, as nothing will influence our eventual fate - death. It also states that there is no way of predicting what will happen to us, and that the future is always unknown. The solution is therefore to find one's own purpose in life, and make the most of life's opportunities while they are still still available.

Making the most of life, and rationalizing the familiar, has also been explored in these comics:

*[[167: Nihilism]]
*The [[:Category:Choices|Choices]] arc.
*[[308: Interesting Life]]
*[[187: The Familiar]]

==Transcript==
[Beret Guy in a kayak is talking to person on pier.]
:Beret Guy: Come explore the future with me!
:Cueball: Huh? What's that you're in?
:Beret Guy: A two seat kayak!
:Cueball: I see, but why do you have it?
:Beret Guy: We'll find out! The future is a big place!
:Cueball: So the kayak travels through time?
:Beret Guy: Sure! Just like everything else! It also goes over water. Come on!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]

625: Collections

2013-06-27T20:56:29Z

Daywood: Addition of the 'philosophy' category

{{comic
| number = 625
| date = August 19, 2009
| title = Collections
| image = collections.png
| titletext = You know what really helps an existential crisis? Wondering how much shelf space to leave for a Terry Pratchett collection.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] enters, excited that he's managed to buy every one of author {{w|Terry Pratchett}}'s {{w|Discworld}} books for his {{w|Amazon Kindle|Kindle e-reader}}. [[Megan]] says that it seems pointless to her to build a Kindle collection.

Cueball interprets this to mean she thinks it's pointless to build a collection on an electronic device, perhaps due to the {{w|Digital rights management|digital rights management}} software common on these devices which can (for instance) make it difficult to transfer the files if the device breaks.

However, Megan is ''actually'' commenting on the futility of building up any kind of collection at all, since nothing we do can change the fact that we're inevitably going to die. This view is in line with those advanced by the philosophical movement known as {{w|Existentialism|existentialism}} which theorizes that life has no deep, hidden meaning and hence even things that we personally feel are meaningful (like building up collections) will not change the outcome of life in the end. (A {{w|Magpie|magpie}} is a bird traditionally thought to be drawn to collect shiny objects and bring them back to its nest.)

This doesn't bother Cueball, though, and in the title text he gleefully ponders how much shelf space he'd need to accommodate physical copies of all of Terry Pratchett's books.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: I now have every Discworld book!
:Megan: Eh. Building a Kindle collection seems pointless.

:Cueball: Yeah, I know the DRM means I'll probably lose them someday.
:Megan: No, pointless in general.

:Megan: Sure, you satisfy deep magpie-like urges by building neat collections, but you still die alone.

:Cueball: Sorry, sometimes I mistake your existential crises for technical insights.
:Megan: Sometimes I mistake this for a universe that cares.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]

73: Zeppelin

2013-06-27T20:54:44Z

Daywood: Explanation of the similarity of humour styles between Buttercup Festival's comics and this one, & thus why this is a tribute to Buttercup Festival.

{{comic
| number = 73
| date = March 10, 2006
| title = Zeppelin
| image = zeppelin.jpg
| titletext = A tribute to Buttercup Festival
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|Zeppelin}} is a type of rigid dirigible aircraft, used in the early part of the 20th century for commercial airline traffic. They were well known for being the most luxurious, comfortable air travel of the time. The {{w|Hindenburg}} disaster, as well as World War II, led to the end of their use as commercial airliners. Also associated with the Zeppelin name is a particular design of wristwatches,[http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0230003HV5] notable for having the word "Zeppelin" at the top of the dial, at or under where the number 12 would be. In this comic, [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] implies that, since the hour hand of the watch is pointing to the word Zeppelin, it is time for a Zeppelin to appear in the sky.

The title text refers to the webcomic {{w|Buttercup Festival}}, which, at the time of this comic, was defunct. It was later revived by the author. It is a tribute to Buttercup festival in the way it interprets things in the world naïvely and literally to achieve humour, in a simple yet effective and uncontrived way.

==Transcript==
:What time is it?
:[Picture of a Zeppelin style watch, indicating the time about 12:13 o'clock.]
:[Figures look up at the sky.]
:[A huge Zeppelin is visible in the sky.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Airships]]

8: Red spiders

2013-06-27T20:50:15Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 8
| date = September 30, 2005
| title = Red Spiders
| image = red_spiders_small.jpg
| titletext = They are six-legged spiders
}}

==Explanation==
The early comics often feature a style different to what would become the signature xkcd stick-figure style. This comic is the first in an arc of comics, spaced out over 3 years (so far) in which Red Spiders are seen attacking humans. It's objective is not to be funny, philosophical or scientifically interesting; it just tells a story, in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionable_Content questionable content]-type way.

The full series of [[:Category:Red Spiders|Red Spiders]]:
*[[8: Red spiders]]
*[[43: Red Spiders 2]], in which the spiders begin building.
*[[47: Counter-Red Spiders]], in which the humans begin a counter-offensive.
*[[126: Red Spiders Cometh]], in which the spiders attack a city.
*[[427: Bad Timing]], in which, in a style more typical to xkcd, the spiders attack a couple in the middle of a serious relationship discussion in a hot-air balloon.

==Transcript==
:[Many six-legged red spiders standing on and hanging from cuboids. The cuboids hang in the air with no visible means of support. Some of the spiders have made a bridge out of themselves.]

==Trivia==
*This is the eighth comic originally posted on livejournal. The previous was [[13: Canyon]]. The next was [[6: Irony]]. View archive [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070927001941/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=40 here].
*Original title: "Spiders"
*[[Randall]] has been quoted as saying: "They're not spiders; they have six legs!"

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Red Spiders|0008]]

43: Red Spiders 2

2013-06-27T20:48:07Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 43
| date = December 2, 2005
| title = Red Spiders 2
| image = red_spiders_2.jpg
| titletext = This was actually drawn years before Red Spiders
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
This is the second-published comic in the [[:Category:Red Spiders|red spiders]] story arc, published just over 2 months after the [[8: Red spiders|first one]]. Like its predecessor, it is more of a sketch than a comic. The titular spiders appear to be ascending -- or possibly building -- a structure.

According to the title text, it was drawn years before [[:8: Red spiders|the previous Red spiders]].

The full series of [[:Category:Red Spiders|Red spiders]]:
*[[8: Red spiders]]: the first one.
*[[43: Red Spiders 2]]: this one.
*[[47: Counter-Red Spiders]]: in which we see the beginnings of a counter-offensive against the attack.
*[[126: Red Spiders Cometh]]: in which we see the red spiders attacking a city.
*[[427: Bad Timing]]: in which the red spiders pounce on an unfortunate couple having a conversation about their relationship mid-hot air balloon ride, in a more typical xkcd style.

==Transcript==
:[Red spiders, with round appendages at the end of each of their six legs, are seen navigating an environment of blocks and other geometric constructions. One spider appears to be holding a block down for another spider to climb onto to help it up, or they might be lifting the block together.]

==Trivia==
*[[Randall]] has been quoted as saying "And lo, they still have six legs", and that "This is the original that inspired the other one. It's my favorite of the two."
*This is the fortieth comic originally posted to livejournal. The previous was [[38: Apple Jacks]]. The next was [[39: Bowl]].

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Red Spiders|0043]]

43: Red Spiders 2

2013-06-27T20:47:14Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 43
| date = December 2, 2005
| title = Red Spiders 2
| image = red_spiders_2.jpg
| titletext = This was actually drawn years before Red Spiders
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
This is the second-published comic in the [[:Category:Red Spiders|red spiders]] story arc, published just over 2 months after the [[8: Red spiders|first one]]. Like its predecessor, it is more of a sketch than a comic. The titular spiders appear to be ascending -- or possibly building -- a structure.

According to the title text, it was drawn years before [[:8: Red spiders|the previous Red spiders]].

The full series of [[:Category:Red Spiders|Red spiders]]:
*[[8:Red Spiders]]: the first one.
*[[43: Red Spiders 2]]: this one.
*[[47: Counter-Red Spiders]]: in which we see the beginnings of a counter-offensive against the attack.
*[[126: Red Spiders Cometh]]: in which we see the red spiders attacking a city.
*[[427: Bad Timing]]: in which the red spiders pounce on an unfortunate couple having a conversation about their relationship mid-hot air balloon ride, in a more typical xkcd style.

==Transcript==
:[Red spiders, with round appendages at the end of each of their six legs, are seen navigating an environment of blocks and other geometric constructions. One spider appears to be holding a block down for another spider to climb onto to help it up, or they might be lifting the block together.]

==Trivia==
*[[Randall]] has been quoted as saying "And lo, they still have six legs", and that "This is the original that inspired the other one. It's my favorite of the two."
*This is the fortieth comic originally posted to livejournal. The previous was [[38: Apple Jacks]]. The next was [[39: Bowl]].

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Red Spiders|0043]]

43: Red Spiders 2

2013-06-27T20:46:41Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 43
| date = December 2, 2005
| title = Red Spiders 2
| image = red_spiders_2.jpg
| titletext = This was actually drawn years before Red Spiders
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
This is the second-published comic in the [[:Category:Red Spiders|red spiders]] story arc, published just over 2 months after the [[8: Red spiders|first one]]. Like its predecessor, it is more of a sketch than a comic. The titular spiders appear to be ascending -- or possibly building -- a structure.

According to the title text, it was drawn years before [[:8: Red spiders|the previous Red spiders]].

The full series of [[:Category:Red Spiders|Red spiders]]:
*[[8:Red spiders]]: the first one.
*[[43: Red Spiders 2]]: this one.
*[[47: Counter-Red Spiders]]: in which we see the beginnings of a counter-offensive against the attack.
*[[126: Red Spiders Cometh]]: in which we see the red spiders attacking a city.
*[[427: Bad Timing]]: in which the red spiders pounce on an unfortunate couple having a conversation about their relationship mid-hot air balloon ride, in a more typical xkcd style.

==Transcript==
:[Red spiders, with round appendages at the end of each of their six legs, are seen navigating an environment of blocks and other geometric constructions. One spider appears to be holding a block down for another spider to climb onto to help it up, or they might be lifting the block together.]

==Trivia==
*[[Randall]] has been quoted as saying "And lo, they still have six legs", and that "This is the original that inspired the other one. It's my favorite of the two."
*This is the fortieth comic originally posted to livejournal. The previous was [[38: Apple Jacks]]. The next was [[39: Bowl]].

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Red Spiders|0043]]

8: Red spiders

2013-06-27T20:32:30Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 8
| date = September 30, 2005
| title = Red Spiders
| image = red_spiders_small.jpg
| titletext = They are six-legged spiders
}}

==Explanation==
The early comics often feature a style different to what would become the signature xkcd stick-figure style. This comic is the first in an arc of comics, spaced out over 3 years (so far) in which Red Spiders are seen attacking humans. It's objective is not to be funny, philosophical or scientifically interesting; it just tells a story, in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionable_Content questionable content]-type way.

The full series of [[:Category:Red Spiders|Red Spiders]]:
*[[8: Red spiders]]
*[[43: Red Spiders 2]]
*[[47: Counter-Red Spiders]]
*[[126: Red Spiders Cometh]]
*[[427: Bad Timing]]

==Transcript==
:[Many six-legged red spiders standing on and hanging from cuboids. The cuboids hang in the air with no visible means of support. Some of the spiders have made a bridge out of themselves.]

==Trivia==
*This is the eighth comic originally posted on livejournal. The previous was [[13: Canyon]]. The next was [[6: Irony]]. View archive [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070927001941/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=40 here].
*Original title: "Spiders"
*[[Randall]] has been quoted as saying: "They're not spiders; they have six legs!"

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Red Spiders|0008]]

8: Red spiders

2013-06-27T20:31:43Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 8
| date = September 30, 2005
| title = Red Spiders
| image = red_spiders_small.jpg
| titletext = They are six-legged spiders
}}

==Explanation==
The early comics often feature a style different to what would become the signature xkcd stick-figure style. This comic is the first in an arc of comics, spaced out over 3 years (so far) in which Red Spiders are seen attacking humans. It's objective is not to be funny, philosophical or scientifically interesting; it just tells a story, in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionable_Content questionable content]-type way.

The full series of [[:Category:Red Spiders|Red Spiders]]:
*[[8: Red spiders]]
*[[43: Red Spiders 2]]
*[[47: Counter-Red Spiders]]
*[[126: Red Spiders Cometh]]
*[[427: Bad Timing]]

==Transcript==
:[Many six-legged red spiders standing on and hanging from cuboids. The cuboids hang in the air with no visible means of support. Some of the spiders have made a bridge out of themselves.]

==Trivia==
*This is the eighth comic originally posted on livejournal. The previous was [[13: Canyon]]. The next was [[6: Irony]]. View archive [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070927001941/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=40 here].
*Original title: "Spiders"
*Original [[Randall]] quote: "They're not spiders; they have six legs!"

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Red Spiders|0008]]

1: Barrel - Part 1

2013-06-27T20:21:30Z

Daywood:

{{comic
| number = 1
| date = September 30, 2005
| title = 1: Barrel - Part 1
| image = barrel_cropped_(1).jpg
| titletext = Don't we all.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows a young boy floating in a barrel on a seemingly endless ocean. It comments on the unlikely optimism, and perhaps naïvety, people sometimes display. The boy is completely lost, it would seem hopelessly alone, without any plan or control of the situation. Yet, rather than afraid or worried, he is instead quietly curious: 'I wonder where i'll float next?' The title-text reveals that the comic actually carries a philosophical message, with the boy representing the average human being: wandering through life, with no real plan, quietly optimistic, always opportunistic, & always clueless about what the future may hold. The isolation of the boy may also represent the way in which we often feel lost through life, never knowing quite where we are, believing that there is no one to whom to turn.

This is the first in a five-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first few dozen strips. The series features a [[:Category:Barrel|character]] that is not consistent with what would quickly become the [[xkcd]] [[stick figure]] style. The full series is:

*[[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
*[[11: Barrel - Part 2]]
*[[22: Barrel - Part 3]]
*[[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
*[[31: Barrel - Part 5]]

==Transcript==
:[A boy sits in a barrel which is floating in an ocean.]
:Boy: i wonder where i'll float next?

:[The barrel drifts into the distance. Nothing else can be seen.]

==Trivia==
*This is the fifth comic originally posted on livejournal. The previous comic was [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]]. The next was [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]]. View archive [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070927001941/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=40 here].
*[[Randall]] has been quoted as saying: "He's fairly upbeat about the situation!"
*{{1110|1|n|48|e}} from [[1110| comic 1110]] is a reference to this comic.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Barrel|01]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]

1: Barrel - Part 1

2013-06-27T20:18:35Z

Daywood:

1: Barrel - Part 1

2013-06-27T20:15:47Z

Daywood:

1: Barrel - Part 1

2013-06-27T20:14:08Z

Daywood: /* Explanation */ Addition of explanation of philosophical themes as evidenced in the title-text.

{{comic
| number = 1
| date = September 30, 2005
| title = 1: Barrel - Part 1
| image = barrel_cropped_(1).jpg
| titletext = Don't we all.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows a young boy floating in a barrel on a seemingly endless ocean. It comments on the unlikely optimism, and perhaps naïvety, people sometimes display. The boy is completely lost, it would seem hopelessly alone, without any plan or control of the situation. Yet, rather than afraid or worried, he is instead quietly curious: 'I wonder where i'll float next?' The title-text reveals that the comic actually carries a philosophical message, with the boy representing the average human being: wandering through life, with no real plan, quietly optimistic, always opportunistic, & always clueless about what the future may hold. The isolation of the boy may also represent the way in which we often feel lost through life, never knowing quite where we are, believing that there is no one to whom to turn.

"He's fairly upbeat about the situation!" – [[Randall]]

This is the first in a five-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first few dozen strips. The series features a [[:Category:Barrel|character]] that is not consistent with what would quickly become the [[xkcd]] [[stick figure]] style. The full series is:

*[[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
*[[11: Barrel - Part 2]]
*[[22: Barrel - Part 3]]
*[[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
*[[31: Barrel - Part 5]]

==Transcript==
:[A boy sits in a barrel which is floating in an ocean.]
:Boy: i wonder where i'll float next?

:[The barrel drifts into the distance. Nothing else can be seen.]

==Trivia==
*This is the fifth comic originally posted on livejournal. The previous comic was [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]]. The next was [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]]. View archive [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070927001941/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=40 here].
*[Original [[Randall]] quote]: "He's fairly upbeat about the situation!"
*{{1110|1|n|48|e}} from [[1110| comic 1110]] is a reference to this comic.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Barrel|01]]

1: Barrel - Part 1

2013-06-27T20:11:12Z

Daywood: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1
| date = September 30, 2005
| title = 1: Barrel - Part 1
| image = barrel_cropped_(1).jpg
| titletext = Don't we all.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows a young boy floating in a barrel on a seemingly endless ocean. It comments on the unlikely optimism, and perhaps naïvety, people sometimes display. The boy is completely lost, it would seem hopelessly alone, without any plan or control of the situation. Yet, rather than afraid or worried, he is instead quietly curious: 'I wonder where i'll float next?' The title-text reveals that the comic actually carries a philosophical message, with the boy representing the average human being: wandering through life, with no real plan, quietly optimistic, always opportunistic, & always clueless about what the future may hold.

"He's fairly upbeat about the situation!" – [[Randall]]

This is the first in a five-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first few dozen strips. The series features a [[:Category:Barrel|character]] that is not consistent with what would quickly become the [[xkcd]] [[stick figure]] style. The full series is:

*[[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
*[[11: Barrel - Part 2]]
*[[22: Barrel - Part 3]]
*[[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
*[[31: Barrel - Part 5]]

==Transcript==
:[A boy sits in a barrel which is floating in an ocean.]
:Boy: i wonder where i'll float next?

:[The barrel drifts into the distance. Nothing else can be seen.]

==Trivia==
*This is the fifth comic originally posted on livejournal. The previous comic was [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]]. The next was [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]]. View archive [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070927001941/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=40 here].
*[Original [[Randall]] quote]: "He's fairly upbeat about the situation!"
*{{1110|1|n|48|e}} from [[1110| comic 1110]] is a reference to this comic.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal]]
[[Category:Barrel|01]]