this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2025
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xkcd

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xkcd #3172: Fifteen Years

Title text:

"Want to feel old?" "Yes."

Transcript:

Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com

Source: https://xkcd.com/3172/

explainxkcd for #3172

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[–] SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 70 points 2 days ago (2 children)

For those who may not know, Randall Munroe is the author of XKCD.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Munroe :

In October 2010, Munroe's fiancée was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer; there had been no prior family history.[51][52] The emotional effect of her illness was referenced in the comic panel "Emotion", published 18 months later in April 2012.[53] In September 2011, he announced that they had married.[54] In November 2012, Munroe published a comic entitled "Two Years", reflecting on their relationship since his wife's breast cancer diagnosis.[55] He revisited the subject in December 2017 with a comic entitled "Seven Years"[56], in November 2020 in a comic entitled "Ten Years"[57], and again in November 2025 in a comic entitled "Fifteen Years".[58]

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 22 points 2 days ago

I've been a fan of xkcd for almost 15 years myself. Randall seems like such a genuinely great person and I cry with the happies a little bit every time there's another comic on how long they've had together after the diagnosis.

[–] deus@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago

Damn. I'm happy for them.

[–] Juice@midwest.social 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm not crying you're crying

[–] Darako@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

We both crying :3

[–] Kernal64@sh.itjust.works 157 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I'm not crying, you're crying! Shut up!

[–] Donjuanme@lemmy.world 83 points 3 days ago

I'm crying, and I'm not ashamed of it.

I have a para-social relationship with an Internet cartoonist and his life partner, that part I'm kinda ashamed of, but the tears are genuine happiness, and have I really been following him for over 15 years? There's some sadness in those tears, but they're covered by the happy ones

[–] pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 29 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Back in my day, webcomics weren't all fuzzy like reading through tears!

[–] Kernal64@sh.itjust.works 18 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Same! Who's responsible for this degradation in image quality?!

[–] anomnom@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I think we might be getting old.

[–] PabloSexcrowbar@piefed.social 2 points 4 hours ago

Nah, I'm gonna blame JPEG

[–] makyo@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

XKCD has a few of these tear jerkers that rank as some of my favorite all time strips

[–] Kernal64@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 days ago

For all the popularity they have for their comedic and science strips, they also put out some really good emotional ones.

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 98 points 3 days ago

I still remember the first one

Glad to hear everything is fine

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Who is peeling onions in here?

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The onions are pretty strong here. AND the dust.

[–] lol_idk@piefed.social 25 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

My SO and I celebrated a 12 year anniversary of some sort earlier this month and we always take a selfie at some point. I looked at the photo and realized we got old

It made me so sad that we have so little time here together

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 days ago

My husband has stopped joking about his hair growing distinguished and started admitting it's turning grey.

Now I feel old.

[–] 18107@aussie.zone 70 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I used to be afraid of getting old, but I like this perspective. It's not something to look forward to, but something to be proud of.

[–] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 38 points 3 days ago

I'm a hair older than him.

I hurt pretty often. I get tired more easily. I have hangovers now. If I jump out of the bed of a pickup my knees make noises. I could go on for days about it.

And it's great. I don't worry about what people think and I have adventures. I do what I want outside of work. And I have stories and hobbies and old friends.

[–] kubofhromoslav@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Wisdom of old age is great. Age related chronic diseases are not.

We can do better than now. But we need investment in research and development. You may ask your elected representatives to provide it.

[–] vladmech@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago

Every single one of these X-Years updates just wrecks me. Here's to many more!

[–] RebekahWSD@lemmy.world 46 points 2 days ago

I remember the first one. I cried. I cry at every one of these.

[–] birdwing@lemmy.blahaj.zone 39 points 2 days ago

Shit, right in the feels. This is nice to read.

[–] qaz@lemmy.world 48 points 3 days ago
[–] ConstantPain@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Is this win?

[–] FuyuhikoDate@feddit.org 5 points 2 days ago

This comic made me feel old and I love everything about it.

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 29 points 3 days ago

And I thought the other day that it has been a while since he's done a romantic comic.

[–] Krauerking@lemy.lol 4 points 2 days ago

That is the right kind fo want.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

My years are ticking by. I feel this comic hard.

[–] johan@feddit.nl 23 points 3 days ago

As we notice we're getting older (I'm still sort of young, honest!), my partner and I like to remind each other that aging is a privilege. I really hope we get to grow old together.

[–] fubarx@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago

Surprise wife hug attack. She won't see it coming.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 days ago

So happy for you, Randall! Enjoy every day, event he bad ones.

[–] DahGangalang 15 points 3 days ago

I was wondering what happened with this the other day (haven't kept up with XKCD since highschool).

It makes me happy that they're both still here.

[–] Jaggs@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago

Well I hate this day now.

[–] Boppel@feddit.org 12 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)
[–] Meowie_Gamer@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago
[–] Prikkeres@feddit.nl 2 points 2 days ago
[–] JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 days ago (3 children)
[–] CaptSatelliteJack@lemy.lol 19 points 2 days ago

Is this gain?

[–] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 1 points 2 days ago

This is if Buckley actually knew how to tactfully deal with the topic of grief.

[–] anomnom@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

I think you dropped a hyphen.

And no, it’s not ass-love