Comic Transcripts

[[Two inventors stand next to a smoking wreck – some sort of vehicle turned on its side, a pool of oil beneath. A body can be seen in the vehicle.]]
Pessimist: ARGH! THIS was a disaster.
Pessimist: Well, now we know what NOT to do for next time.
Optimist: How many problems did we AVOID, though? RIGHT?

Optimist: There are, EVERY DAY, things that we do RIGHT.
Optimist: There are NEXT TIMES that, when encountered, we KNEW what not to do, and DID NOT DO.
Optimist: But we EXPECT success! So we treat correct choices as ROTE. As the MINIMUM STANDARD.

Optimist: NO, man! Let’s TAKE a second! We only GOT as far as our mistakes because we ACED the PREVIOUS steps!
Optimist: Let’s acknowledge what we’ve LEARNED and PUT INTO PRACTICE and PROGRESSED THANKS TO!

[[A third friend appears.]]
Pragmatist: Henderson’s dead.

Pragmatist: Our failure has had real consequences vis-a-vis HENDERSON’S SKULL.
Optimist: See YOUR take on that is VERY negative whereas I am inclined to frame the whole matter as an opportunity to LEARN

{{header: an attempt at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{alt-text: “Anything that doesn’t kill me” makes for a pretty low bar. “The best that can be said of the experience is that it did not literally end my life.”}}

#1116; The Many Invisible Victories transcribed by in

[[Two inventors stand next to a smoking wreck – some sort of vehicle turned on its side, a pool of oil beneath. A body can be seen in the vehicle.]]
Pessimist: ARGH! THIS was a disaster.
Pessimist: Well, now we know what NOT to do for next time.
Optimist: How many problems did we AVOID, though? RIGHT?

Optimist: There are, EVERY DAY, things that we do RIGHT.
Optimist: There are NEXT TIMES that, when encountered, we KNEW what not to do, and DID NOT DO.
Optimist: But we EXPECT success! So we treat correct choices as ROTE. As the MINIMUM STANDARD.

Optimist: NO, man! Let’s TAKE a second! We only GOT as far as our mistakes because we ACED the PREVIOUS steps!
Optimist: Let’s acknowledge what we’ve LEARNED and PUT INTO PRACTICE and PROGRESSED THANKS TO!

[[A third friend appears.]]
Pragmatist: Henderson’s dead.

Pragmatist: Our failure has had real consequences vis-a-vis HENDERSON’S SKULL.
Optimist: See YOUR take on that is VERY negative whereas I am inclined to frame the whole matter as an opportunity to LEARN

{{header: an attempt at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{alt-text: “Anything that doesn’t kill me” makes for a pretty low bar. “The best that can be said of the experience is that it did not literally end my life.”}}

#1116; The Many Invisible Victories transcribed by in

[[Two inventors stand next to a smoking wreck - some sort of vehicle turned on its side, a pool of oil beneath. A body can be seen in the vehicle.]]
Pessimist: ARGH! THIS was a disaster.
Pessimist: Well, now we know what NOT to do for next time.
Optimist: How many problems did we AVOID, though? RIGHT?

Optimist: There are, EVERY DAY, things that we do RIGHT.
Optimist: There are NEXT TIMES that, when encountered, we KNEW what not to do, and DID NOT DO.
Optimist: But we EXPECT success! So we treat correct choices as ROTE. As the MINIMUM STANDARD.

Optimist: NO, man! Let's TAKE a second! We only GOT as far as our mistakes because we ACED the PREVIOUS steps!
Optimist: Let's acknowledge what we've LEARNED and PUT INTO PRACTICE and PROGRESSED THANKS TO!

[[A third friend appears.]]
Pragmatist: Henderson's dead.

Pragmatist: Our failure has had real consequences vis-a-vis HENDERSON'S SKULL.
Optimist: See YOUR take on that is VERY negative whereas I am inclined to frame the whole matter as an opportunity to LEARN

{{header: an attempt at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{alt-text: "Anything that doesn't kill me" makes for a pretty low bar. "The best that can be said of the experience is that it did not literally end my life."}}

''Anything that doesn't kill me'' makes for a pretty low bar. ''The best that can be said of the experience is that it did not literally end my life.''

#1116; The Many Invisible Victories

  — April 13th, 2015

[ Tags: , ]       Permalink: https://wondermark.com/c/1116/

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Applications open for Genius Northwest – an IRL gaming competition

May 8, 2026 by David Malki !

Last year, I participated in Genius Northwest, a gaming competition inspired by the Korean gameshow The Genius and its ilk.

It’s a reality show without the cameras — a 3-day, all-inclusive weekend retreat structured around a series of challenges and puzzles, in which personalities and dealmaking matter as much as playing games.

It’s truly a remarkable thing. I came in dead last in the competition, but I still had a great time participating.

The event is held annually in the Pacific Northwest (hence the name) and applications are now open to participate in the 2026 competition!

Learn more — and apply — at GeniusNW.com.


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