If it's Monday, this must be ...
July 18, 2022 2:49 AM Subscribe
I'm sorry, dear friends, I hate to put you in this spot, but you are a prisoner in a vast blue space with endless doors, but only one door leads to freedom ...
You notice two threads seem to be guarding one door in particular. Aha! You think, that must be the door with liberty on the other side! But! Maybe it's the door behind which lurks the dreaded cat scan, which you are unlikely to survive the wedging into of. (You are a cat, by the way). Difficulty: One thread is free to tell the truth, the other thread is bound to only lie. You don't know which is which, and you may ask only one question of one thread. (You are a talking cat, by the way.) What do you ask?
You notice two threads seem to be guarding one door in particular. Aha! You think, that must be the door with liberty on the other side! But! Maybe it's the door behind which lurks the dreaded cat scan, which you are unlikely to survive the wedging into of. (You are a cat, by the way). Difficulty: One thread is free to tell the truth, the other thread is bound to only lie. You don't know which is which, and you may ask only one question of one thread. (You are a talking cat, by the way.) What do you ask?
Says something about my mental state that reading just the intro on the front page I thought “ah yes, the blue space is earth and the door goes to death, this will be some post about philosophy or something”
posted by thedaniel at 3:24 AM on July 18, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by thedaniel at 3:24 AM on July 18, 2022 [7 favorites]
Have you seen my butthole? Look at it. Look at my butthole. Have you seen it?
posted by adept256 at 3:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [14 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 3:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [14 favorites]
You ask: "Why is the fourth Doctor the best Doctor?"
posted by pompomtom at 3:40 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by pompomtom at 3:40 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
although the earworm du jour is running up that hill
the kate bush song running through my head is experiment iv
We were working secretly
for the military
Our experiment in
sound was nearly
ready to begin
We only know in theory what we are doing
Music made for pleasure,
music made to thrill
It was music we were making here until
They told us all they wanted[slyt]
posted by othrechaz at 3:53 AM on July 18, 2022 [7 favorites]
the kate bush song running through my head is experiment iv
We were working secretly
for the military
Our experiment in
sound was nearly
ready to begin
We only know in theory what we are doing
Music made for pleasure,
music made to thrill
It was music we were making here until
They told us all they wanted[slyt]
posted by othrechaz at 3:53 AM on July 18, 2022 [7 favorites]
Oh Pyramid Termite, you have thrown me into a nostalgic mood. My father used to wake me up for school (50 years ago) by singing that song through the crack on my door. He alternated with How are things in Glocca Morra and sometimes crowing like a rooster. He was a good guy.
posted by InkaLomax at 3:54 AM on July 18, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by InkaLomax at 3:54 AM on July 18, 2022 [11 favorites]
Back to the Old House - The Smiths, though I mangle it at the end. Kinda like Morrissey's career. Man I wish he didn't turn out to be such a wanker. That's a cat that licks their own asshole for sure.
I've decided to take on Interstellar - Hans Zimmer as a long term piano goal. It starts off simple enough then gets progressively harder, so at least I can start playing it. It'll be a while before I conquer that mountain.
That murder last monday, one of the crowd had their phone out and recorded the whole thing. Poor fellow was trying to get in between people and break it up. He wasn't threatening anyone. There are a few potted flowers where it happened, just below a kind of digital billboard. You know the kind, a TV turned on it's side? Like a grim future where every tombstone will advertise KFC and mobile phone plans. It sucks.
posted by adept256 at 4:14 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've decided to take on Interstellar - Hans Zimmer as a long term piano goal. It starts off simple enough then gets progressively harder, so at least I can start playing it. It'll be a while before I conquer that mountain.
That murder last monday, one of the crowd had their phone out and recorded the whole thing. Poor fellow was trying to get in between people and break it up. He wasn't threatening anyone. There are a few potted flowers where it happened, just below a kind of digital billboard. You know the kind, a TV turned on it's side? Like a grim future where every tombstone will advertise KFC and mobile phone plans. It sucks.
posted by adept256 at 4:14 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
I know the chewing gum song from camp, so here's another classic - the billboard song! I learned very slightly different lyrics, but I'm not about to foist my Monday morning voice on y'all so close enough.
I've been looking at adoptable dogs the last couple weeks - we might have a foster this week - and my goodness it is full on kitten season at the shelters. It is very hard not to try to stuff my bag with contraband kittens on the way out the door, whether that door is a liar or not.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:15 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've been looking at adoptable dogs the last couple weeks - we might have a foster this week - and my goodness it is full on kitten season at the shelters. It is very hard not to try to stuff my bag with contraband kittens on the way out the door, whether that door is a liar or not.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:15 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
Speaking of cat science, this week I learned that cats learn the names of their friend cats (and, presumably, enemy cats) who they share a household with.
posted by Jeanne at 4:36 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Jeanne at 4:36 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
Running up that Hill - First Aid Kit is my favourite cover of them all.
The other song that got a Stranger Things bump was Master of Puppets. I made a post a while back of videos of women playing Master of Puppets in their bedroom. One of them was an Indonesian girl in a hijab absolutely killing it. She's MelSickScreamoAnnie on youtube, and she's been posting a lot of original material lately. It's great to see her progress and make new stuff. It's really good! And sure, it's fun to see a girl in a hijab and a slayer t-shirt shred.
posted by adept256 at 4:43 AM on July 18, 2022 [6 favorites]
The other song that got a Stranger Things bump was Master of Puppets. I made a post a while back of videos of women playing Master of Puppets in their bedroom. One of them was an Indonesian girl in a hijab absolutely killing it. She's MelSickScreamoAnnie on youtube, and she's been posting a lot of original material lately. It's great to see her progress and make new stuff. It's really good! And sure, it's fun to see a girl in a hijab and a slayer t-shirt shred.
posted by adept256 at 4:43 AM on July 18, 2022 [6 favorites]
Speaking of cats, I just posted autoexec.cat from oulipian in Projects. I've had it open in my tabs for a week, and every time I land on that tab, I'm newly besotted.
posted by taz at 4:46 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by taz at 4:46 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
The other song that got a Stranger Things bump was Master of Puppets.
Someone pointed out that if you look at the explicit date the episode is taking place on and the date “Master of Puppets” was released, Eddie had like ten days to learn that song note for note, and he was in the run and in hiding for some of that time. Dude is a quick study.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:53 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Someone pointed out that if you look at the explicit date the episode is taking place on and the date “Master of Puppets” was released, Eddie had like ten days to learn that song note for note, and he was in the run and in hiding for some of that time. Dude is a quick study.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:53 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Raymond Smullyan wrote whole books of puzzles featuring Truthtellers (who never lie) and Liars (who never tell the truth).
posted by SemiSalt at 5:03 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by SemiSalt at 5:03 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Stare intently at my owner can-opener-operator while slowly pushing the first thread off a high shelf, smashing it into a 1000 pieces. Then ask the other thread 'is that thread dead now?'. Then attack its feet anyway.
posted by Absolutely No You-Know-What at 5:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Absolutely No You-Know-What at 5:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
Is Raymond Smullyan a cat? Because I think I know a song about him. Goes something like "Smullyan cat, Smullyan cat, what aaaare they feeding you?"
jk, I know who Raymond Smullycat is
posted by taz at 5:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
jk, I know who Raymond Smullycat is
posted by taz at 5:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm getting my fourth jab today, oh boy. We bought elastomeric masks (Dentec) and renewed our Art Gallery of Ontario membership so will be feeling footloose and fancy free to go indoors and look at art for protracted periods of times with hundreds of morons around us. Yay! Culture! In more ways than one.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:30 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:30 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
No thread is free when others are oppressed.
posted by adamrice at 5:46 AM on July 18, 2022 [16 favorites]
posted by adamrice at 5:46 AM on July 18, 2022 [16 favorites]
How Cats Conquered the World
Scientists use 9,000 years of feline genetics to chart their global rise to power
...but there were NO CHARTS in the linked piece and now my Monday is ruined.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 6:03 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Scientists use 9,000 years of feline genetics to chart their global rise to power
...but there were NO CHARTS in the linked piece and now my Monday is ruined.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 6:03 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
to tell the story of old Schrödinger's cat
who once sat in a box
Much like a famed apple
once bonked a noggin
posted by djseafood at 6:07 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
who once sat in a box
Much like a famed apple
once bonked a noggin
posted by djseafood at 6:07 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Watched The Worst Person in the World this weekend (finally) followed by When Harry Met Sally. Boy romcoms lost the com, amirite?!?
The former is actually a very funny movie though, until it isn’t I guess
posted by bxvr at 6:25 AM on July 18, 2022
The former is actually a very funny movie though, until it isn’t I guess
posted by bxvr at 6:25 AM on July 18, 2022
Pastor of Muppets
Did a bike ride on Saturday to prepare for RAGBRAI next week, and it kicked my ass. Only 54 miles, but hot and incredibly humid, out amid the cornfields--it was like riding wrapped in a wool blanket with steam constantly pumped into it. A good Samaritan out in the middle of nowhere blessed me with two bottles of cold water, may him and his house prosper forever. Should be better next week because there's a lot more opportunities to rest and refresh.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:57 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
Did a bike ride on Saturday to prepare for RAGBRAI next week, and it kicked my ass. Only 54 miles, but hot and incredibly humid, out amid the cornfields--it was like riding wrapped in a wool blanket with steam constantly pumped into it. A good Samaritan out in the middle of nowhere blessed me with two bottles of cold water, may him and his house prosper forever. Should be better next week because there's a lot more opportunities to rest and refresh.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:57 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
Watching Experiment IV. Hey is that Dr. House? Indeed it is...young Hugh Laurie as assistant 2.
posted by TreeRooster at 7:05 AM on July 18, 2022
posted by TreeRooster at 7:05 AM on July 18, 2022
I just found on TikTok this gentleman, B. Dylan Hollis, who...
You know how we see some of those early and mid 20th century recipes and go "oh god, why, this is why we live in a universe of horror, isn't it?" He makes them.
If you don't want to click on the link, I would like you to imagine a pre-super soldier serum post-seven cups of black coffee Steve Rogers doing these recipes, and how utterly silly it is.
If you watch one, you may find your day a little lighter.
posted by mephron at 7:19 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
You know how we see some of those early and mid 20th century recipes and go "oh god, why, this is why we live in a universe of horror, isn't it?" He makes them.
If you don't want to click on the link, I would like you to imagine a pre-super soldier serum post-seven cups of black coffee Steve Rogers doing these recipes, and how utterly silly it is.
If you watch one, you may find your day a little lighter.
posted by mephron at 7:19 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
B. Dylan Hollis is an absolute treasure. He does a nice variety of things that sound delicious and are, things that actually turn out much better than expected, and horrors beyond the comprehension of humankind.
posted by Jeanne at 7:29 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Jeanne at 7:29 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
^ thanks mephron.. just watched the Coca Cola Salad episode and not disappointed one whit :)
posted by elkevelvet at 7:32 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by elkevelvet at 7:32 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Thank you all SO MUCH for B. Dylan Hollis. I needed that.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:51 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 7:51 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
My back
is out
yet it's very much
in there
but
so
wrong
Oww
The puppet strings are messed up
posted by winesong at 7:53 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
is out
yet it's very much
in there
but
so
wrong
Oww
The puppet strings are messed up
posted by winesong at 7:53 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
I know we always talk about the weather here in the UK but it's +37°C in London at the moment and my entire block of flats just had the power go out.
My eyelids are sweating. On the plus side I now "have" to eat all this ice cream before it melts.
posted by slimepuppy at 7:59 AM on July 18, 2022 [9 favorites]
My eyelids are sweating. On the plus side I now "have" to eat all this ice cream before it melts.
posted by slimepuppy at 7:59 AM on July 18, 2022 [9 favorites]
Found some old photos of myself. Oh wow.
A school photo probably taken around 1985. Fourteen years old?
This was me in high school with my dogs Katie and Nomsa. Lovely dogs. That's not the normal school uniform I'm wearing, that's choir uniform, long skirt and fancy shirt. . School was still racially segregated then. I graduated in the last year before desegregation.
1995 me with VHS tape for some reason.
Me as obnoxious art student experimenting with public performance art.
Slightly less obnoxious performance art piece that combined embroidery with recorded sound. Audio was made possible by about 10 Walkmans and little headphones on super long wires. Late 90s.
So odd to see these pictures I haven't looked at for so long.
posted by Zumbador at 8:06 AM on July 18, 2022 [13 favorites]
A school photo probably taken around 1985. Fourteen years old?
This was me in high school with my dogs Katie and Nomsa. Lovely dogs. That's not the normal school uniform I'm wearing, that's choir uniform, long skirt and fancy shirt. . School was still racially segregated then. I graduated in the last year before desegregation.
1995 me with VHS tape for some reason.
Me as obnoxious art student experimenting with public performance art.
Slightly less obnoxious performance art piece that combined embroidery with recorded sound. Audio was made possible by about 10 Walkmans and little headphones on super long wires. Late 90s.
So odd to see these pictures I haven't looked at for so long.
posted by Zumbador at 8:06 AM on July 18, 2022 [13 favorites]
TIL: Lonnie Donegan was a real person and not just syllables that Letterman put together when he couldn't think of Jimmy Kimmel's name while riffing on Leno.
posted by Ickster at 8:24 AM on July 18, 2022
posted by Ickster at 8:24 AM on July 18, 2022
I think that I shall never see
a thread as lovely as one that's free
posted by mmrtnt at 8:38 AM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
I've been feeling especially burned out lately because of [gestures broadly at everything.] And so, I decided to lay off drinking for a while to take it easier on myself. It's going pretty smoothly so far, and that's pretty cool. I'm even changing out my shrink and therapist, in an effort to get a fresh start.
I hope you're having a good day and feeling optimistic where you are, too.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:45 AM on July 18, 2022 [8 favorites]
I hope you're having a good day and feeling optimistic where you are, too.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:45 AM on July 18, 2022 [8 favorites]
DirtyOldTown, a friend laid off the beer and the change in his weight was remarkable.. I mean, he is quite active also but I think the sharp reduction in beer was a big contributing factor
anyhow, good luck. I have to be careful with booze, and I'm generally in a better state when I go off it for extended periods
posted by elkevelvet at 8:50 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
anyhow, good luck. I have to be careful with booze, and I'm generally in a better state when I go off it for extended periods
posted by elkevelvet at 8:50 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm even changing out my shrink and therapist
It's a good idea to do that every few thousand miles. because otherwise they'll get too clogged up with crud to be effective.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2022 [9 favorites]
It's a good idea to do that every few thousand miles. because otherwise they'll get too clogged up with crud to be effective.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2022 [9 favorites]
Oh no, oh no!
You've got it all wrong.
How can you
Think you're chocolate
When you're chewing gum?
posted by signal at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2022
You've got it all wrong.
How can you
Think you're chocolate
When you're chewing gum?
posted by signal at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2022
they'll get too clogged up with crud to be effective
Just turning them inside out and running them the opposite way for a while works too, if you've got one of the flexible kind.
posted by flabdablet at 9:10 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
Just turning them inside out and running them the opposite way for a while works too, if you've got one of the flexible kind.
posted by flabdablet at 9:10 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
Riffing off the first post…
When I was a kid growing up in Kansas City, my folks had a record. I’m trying to look it up. It was a live recording. The only two songs I remember being on it were Does Your Chewing Gum Lose it’s Flavor, and Hava Naghila. I think the group had “All Stars” in their name, also possibly “String Band”. Any ideas?
posted by Windopaene at 9:11 AM on July 18, 2022
When I was a kid growing up in Kansas City, my folks had a record. I’m trying to look it up. It was a live recording. The only two songs I remember being on it were Does Your Chewing Gum Lose it’s Flavor, and Hava Naghila. I think the group had “All Stars” in their name, also possibly “String Band”. Any ideas?
posted by Windopaene at 9:11 AM on July 18, 2022
One thread is free to tell the truth, the other thread is bound to only lie.
I saw Labyrinth; just ask one door what the other door will tell you. Finito!!
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:23 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I saw Labyrinth; just ask one door what the other door will tell you. Finito!!
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:23 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm about to post to FanFare re: the new Nathan Fielder project (The Rehearsal) but I think the title needs to be verified first? Anyhow, I started watching Episode 1 last night before my streaming service crapped out on me, and it's really something.
posted by elkevelvet at 9:24 AM on July 18, 2022
posted by elkevelvet at 9:24 AM on July 18, 2022
You are in a twisty little maze full of passages.
Welcome to life.
posted by SPrintF at 9:26 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Welcome to life.
posted by SPrintF at 9:26 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
We just ran out of bags for the vacuum cleaner, so we can't vacuum before tomorrow, when the specialist vacuum cleaner shop opens. This is OK, since we own the Sun City Album version of vacuum cleaners and going to the vacuum cleaner specialist is a party. I strut in there and place my order, and the atmosphere changes. "Do you own that machine?" "I do, since why else would I even be here". "Respect! here are your bags". "Thank you. have a nice day".
posted by mumimor at 9:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 9:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [7 favorites]
xyzzy
posted by sammyo at 9:49 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by sammyo at 9:49 AM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
I was still a kid living at home when the door-to-door Kirby salesman showed up one day
if you have seen a Kirby vacuum cleaner, you know it's all about the chrome.. a powerful motor.. and just a bizarre range of attachments/accessories. At one point the young fellow was describing how you could run a meat grinder off the main motor, I don't think my memory is making this up. my folks bought a Kirby vacuum from a door-to-door salesman, is the upshot here.
I had friends who sold door-to-door for one of the vacuum brands, I cannot recall which.. Sun- something? They could tell stories well into the night, imagine Glengarry Glen Ross but just weirder, like through a Napoleon Dynamite filter. At one point my friend was starting his day with a liver milkshake so he could stay on the road making calls till dinnertime. One of the older veteran salesmen had all these strategies for the different situations, and there was totally a "get the idea that their home is a deathtrap of bacteria and fungi and it's killing their infant/children" strategy.. the "I don't really want to sell you this one, it's my demo" strategy, etc.
posted by elkevelvet at 9:51 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
if you have seen a Kirby vacuum cleaner, you know it's all about the chrome.. a powerful motor.. and just a bizarre range of attachments/accessories. At one point the young fellow was describing how you could run a meat grinder off the main motor, I don't think my memory is making this up. my folks bought a Kirby vacuum from a door-to-door salesman, is the upshot here.
I had friends who sold door-to-door for one of the vacuum brands, I cannot recall which.. Sun- something? They could tell stories well into the night, imagine Glengarry Glen Ross but just weirder, like through a Napoleon Dynamite filter. At one point my friend was starting his day with a liver milkshake so he could stay on the road making calls till dinnertime. One of the older veteran salesmen had all these strategies for the different situations, and there was totally a "get the idea that their home is a deathtrap of bacteria and fungi and it's killing their infant/children" strategy.. the "I don't really want to sell you this one, it's my demo" strategy, etc.
posted by elkevelvet at 9:51 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
but you are a prisoner in a vast blue space
Careful, you may be eaten by a Hooloovoo.
posted by nat at 10:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
Careful, you may be eaten by a Hooloovoo.
posted by nat at 10:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
Yesterday I woke up with no real plan for the day, save for churning up some ice cream sometime mid-morning so it would be ready for the evening. And fittingly, while having my coffee, I discovered that yesterday was National Ice Cream Day. Well then.
I spent a couple hours plotting out a sort of self-guided ice cream shop crawl, and spent a lovely afternoon on a lovely long walk punctuated by modest scoops of mint chocolate flake or black cherry chip or raspberry sorbet or lemon sorbet, finishing with a scoop of Night At The Moo-seum under the Brooklyn Bridge before heading home to lay there like a beached whale for a while before sampling my own cherry chocolate chunk. I had to tap out of visiting one place because the line was way too long.
I recommend doing that even when it's not a fake holiday.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [6 favorites]
I spent a couple hours plotting out a sort of self-guided ice cream shop crawl, and spent a lovely afternoon on a lovely long walk punctuated by modest scoops of mint chocolate flake or black cherry chip or raspberry sorbet or lemon sorbet, finishing with a scoop of Night At The Moo-seum under the Brooklyn Bridge before heading home to lay there like a beached whale for a while before sampling my own cherry chocolate chunk. I had to tap out of visiting one place because the line was way too long.
I recommend doing that even when it's not a fake holiday.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:16 AM on July 18, 2022 [6 favorites]
"a friend laid off the beer and the change in his weight was remarkable.. I mean, he is quite active also but I think the sharp reduction in beer was a big contributing factor"
I really wish this were true in my case. I quit alcohol at the start of the year and my weight has slightly increased since.
I had been drinking about 5-10 beers per week, high calorie microbrews, so not a lot but not a little either. So I'm a little bummed TBH.
Hard to guess why, but I might be substituting my evening beer treat with more-than-usual boredom eating, ice cream, etc. Curious what others have experienced.
posted by splitpeasoup at 10:18 AM on July 18, 2022
I really wish this were true in my case. I quit alcohol at the start of the year and my weight has slightly increased since.
I had been drinking about 5-10 beers per week, high calorie microbrews, so not a lot but not a little either. So I'm a little bummed TBH.
Hard to guess why, but I might be substituting my evening beer treat with more-than-usual boredom eating, ice cream, etc. Curious what others have experienced.
posted by splitpeasoup at 10:18 AM on July 18, 2022
splitpeasoup, I have managed to curb most of my snacking but it was not long ago that salty snacks were my kryptonite, I just try to limit what comes into the house to peanuts, and make popcorn on occasion.. I have no self control for that stuff otherwise
my beer intake is much closer to 15/+ per week over the summer, my first instinct after mowing the lawn is to get a cold beer. I'd say the tight-ish waist on some pants is def. a beer consumption thing. it helps to grab a piece of fruit when I need a snack, but my brain doesn't want that apple/orange/etc, it wants Sweet Chili Heat Doritos
posted by elkevelvet at 10:25 AM on July 18, 2022
my beer intake is much closer to 15/+ per week over the summer, my first instinct after mowing the lawn is to get a cold beer. I'd say the tight-ish waist on some pants is def. a beer consumption thing. it helps to grab a piece of fruit when I need a snack, but my brain doesn't want that apple/orange/etc, it wants Sweet Chili Heat Doritos
posted by elkevelvet at 10:25 AM on July 18, 2022
Covid finally caught me after two and a half years of depriving myself of every living joy my city had to offer (and ultimately leaving that city altogether as a result). It has been a miserable, many-headed hydra who changes forms literally every day and night. No way of knowing what strain it is, but fucking hell, it doesn't play nice for these ostensibly lighter (lol) new variants. My partner was at the same event as me, didn't catch it there, but caught it from me, at home, a few days later. He's just getting into the worst of it now, and I'm still in some long tail of weird effects. The weirdest thing so far has been my taste and smell coming and going literally three times in one day. I could taste one meal and not the next, and back again. It's like when cartoon characters are fighting over some giant lever and causing the sun and the moon to be yanked back and forth across the sky. Anyway, It's been eight days post-exposure and I'm still brightlining the at-home tests, so I guess that's our week sorted. As an athlete, I'm just crossing my fingers for no long Covid, because that's been my greatest fear.
I was the child who liked both Metallica and Kate Bush in 1986, so I find very little to be angry about in that department. Eddie and Max are, not coincidentally, my fave ST characters.
I've experienced disordered eating my whole life, so I'll abstain from joining the beer/diet conversation, but godspeed to all who enter there.
posted by mykescipark at 10:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
I was the child who liked both Metallica and Kate Bush in 1986, so I find very little to be angry about in that department. Eddie and Max are, not coincidentally, my fave ST characters.
I've experienced disordered eating my whole life, so I'll abstain from joining the beer/diet conversation, but godspeed to all who enter there.
posted by mykescipark at 10:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
I spent the weekend fondling plants (ok, like, repotting) my green kids are looking sassy and having fun! it was a nice day to play with dirt, then did some art (virtually) with a friend. ate too many beans for dinner but didn't overthink it...
posted by supermedusa at 10:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 10:27 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I ran the WIll Run for Tacos 5K over the weekend. And by run, I mean jogging with some walking thrown in for good measure. I finished with my personal best of 46:37. My legs are still killing me since the area was hillier than I've ever done before. After the race, I had a free taco.
I've decided that next year, I want to do a race a month. I'm already signed up for the Cleveland Marathon 5K.
My next race isn't until November. It's the Pigskin Classic on the day of the OSU Michigan game (Go Bucks!).
posted by kathrynm at 10:30 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've decided that next year, I want to do a race a month. I'm already signed up for the Cleveland Marathon 5K.
My next race isn't until November. It's the Pigskin Classic on the day of the OSU Michigan game (Go Bucks!).
posted by kathrynm at 10:30 AM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
splitpeasoup purely anecdotal but I myself, and others I know, have tended to crave sweets more when quitting drinking. I think, in the short term at least, a small weight gain is no biggie if you are able to stay off the sauce. but maybe you have been making up the difference with ice cream and cupcakes? love handles are a lot sexier than fatty liver!
posted by supermedusa at 10:31 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 10:31 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was really good about running until I got Covid. Starting in the spring of 2020 I was doing about a 3mi run/walk every evening. I stopped when winter came, but I picked it back up in the spring of 2021. Then this April, just as I was about to take it up again, I got covid, spend several weeks telling myself that I'd go running after I recovered, and now here I am in July and I still haven't.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 10:41 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by RonButNotStupid at 10:41 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
The other song that got a Stranger Things bump was Master of Puppets.
wonder if "Enter Sandman" will get a bump from the cover in Westworld Season 4
Season 4 is hot garbage BTW, I swore I wasn't going to keep watching after season 3, but I got sucked in and am watching out of morbid curiosity now.
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:43 AM on July 18, 2022
wonder if "Enter Sandman" will get a bump from the cover in Westworld Season 4
Season 4 is hot garbage BTW, I swore I wasn't going to keep watching after season 3, but I got sucked in and am watching out of morbid curiosity now.
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:43 AM on July 18, 2022
love handles are a lot sexier than fatty liver!
But excessive snacking can lead to both :-( Someone told me...
posted by mumimor at 11:18 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
But excessive snacking can lead to both :-( Someone told me...
posted by mumimor at 11:18 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I attended a premiere screening of the new documentary about Gwar last night, but was dismayed that the band didn't hose down the first few rows of velvet seats with their proprietary goo.
posted by emelenjr at 11:43 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by emelenjr at 11:43 AM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
splitpeasoup purely anecdotal but I myself, and others I know, have tended to crave sweets more when quitting drinking.
My understanding is that alcohol is metabolized into sugar (and optionally, fat), so that makes sense.
does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?
There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop, Swears He's Elvis
posted by rhizome at 12:50 PM on July 18, 2022
My understanding is that alcohol is metabolized into sugar (and optionally, fat), so that makes sense.
does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?
There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop, Swears He's Elvis
posted by rhizome at 12:50 PM on July 18, 2022
Raymond Smullyan wrote whole books of puzzles featuring Truthtellers (who never lie) and Liars (who never tell the truth).
You are in a twisty little maze full of passages.
Smullyan also wrote Lady or the Tiger?
They Might Be Giants wrote Lady and the Tiger
The hall remains,
it still contains
a pair of doors, a choice.
Behind one door,
a muffled roar,
behind the other, a voice.
posted by othrechaz at 1:01 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
You are in a twisty little maze full of passages.
Smullyan also wrote Lady or the Tiger?
They Might Be Giants wrote Lady and the Tiger
The hall remains,
it still contains
a pair of doors, a choice.
Behind one door,
a muffled roar,
behind the other, a voice.
posted by othrechaz at 1:01 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
You are a prisoner in a vast blue space with endless doors.
That's it. Deal.
posted by signal at 1:04 PM on July 18, 2022
That's it. Deal.
posted by signal at 1:04 PM on July 18, 2022
MetaFilter: A vast blue space with endless doors, but only one door leads to freedom
posted by ZenMasterThis at 1:04 PM on July 18, 2022
posted by ZenMasterThis at 1:04 PM on July 18, 2022
There is a cold remedy called Zicam, you put it up your nose. It is Zinc, something yadda. In some cases when people use this med, they lose their sense of smell entirely and forever. It is a part of the warnings in the packaging. I wouldn't use this at all, but especially not with covid which intereferes with the sense of smell in some cases.
It was oh, 107 yesterday. I went for a drive in my no AC van. I put my chocolate in my purse. When I got home there was this envelope full of goo, instead of a Ritter Sport. I am housesitting for family who has great AC. That is the reward. At my place I keep it at 78, it is cold in here. I think I will turn it down, if I can figure out the setback thermostat, with my luck...
posted by Oyéah at 1:30 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
It was oh, 107 yesterday. I went for a drive in my no AC van. I put my chocolate in my purse. When I got home there was this envelope full of goo, instead of a Ritter Sport. I am housesitting for family who has great AC. That is the reward. At my place I keep it at 78, it is cold in here. I think I will turn it down, if I can figure out the setback thermostat, with my luck...
posted by Oyéah at 1:30 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Our tiny town (circa 250 people, about an hour from a town with 80K people) was, for some reason, a regular stop on the door-to-door vacuum sales circuit. Also, the Jehovah's Circuit. Perhaps they are the same circuit. But, I digress.
One day, a vacuum cleaner salesman came to our door, and offered my mother her choice of two gifts. I don't remember what the first one was, but the second one was a a roll of paper towels. So, not terribly valuable gifts, but useful things, and my mother chose the paper towels, which he gave her.
So then he asks to come in and demonstrate his vacuum cleaner to her, which she refused. So he asked for his paper towels back.
"But you said they were a gift?"
"A gift in exchange for doing the vacuum cleaner demo."
"Well, you didn't say that. You said you had a gift for me, and you asked me which I would like, and you gave it to me. So it's my gift now. You doing a demo had nothing to do with it."
They argued for about five minutes, and he tried a whole series of sales tactics just to get the paper towels back, including telling her that his manager was in the van and would be mad if he returned without the paper towels.
"Oh, well, you go get your manager and have him come here and explain the situation and maybe I'll give the paper towels back."
No manager materialized.
They argued for a little more time, and finally she said "I'll tell you what. I'll give you these paper towels back, but then I'm going to phone every woman in town and let them know that they can't trust you and shouldn't let you in."
So, finally, this aggrieved salesman gave in and said she could keep the paper towels and then as what he must have thought was a clever parting shot, he said "Now are you going to phone all your friends and tell them to let me in?"
"Of course not. I'm a busy woman. I don't have time for that sort of bullshit."
posted by jacquilynne at 1:54 PM on July 18, 2022 [13 favorites]
One day, a vacuum cleaner salesman came to our door, and offered my mother her choice of two gifts. I don't remember what the first one was, but the second one was a a roll of paper towels. So, not terribly valuable gifts, but useful things, and my mother chose the paper towels, which he gave her.
So then he asks to come in and demonstrate his vacuum cleaner to her, which she refused. So he asked for his paper towels back.
"But you said they were a gift?"
"A gift in exchange for doing the vacuum cleaner demo."
"Well, you didn't say that. You said you had a gift for me, and you asked me which I would like, and you gave it to me. So it's my gift now. You doing a demo had nothing to do with it."
They argued for about five minutes, and he tried a whole series of sales tactics just to get the paper towels back, including telling her that his manager was in the van and would be mad if he returned without the paper towels.
"Oh, well, you go get your manager and have him come here and explain the situation and maybe I'll give the paper towels back."
No manager materialized.
They argued for a little more time, and finally she said "I'll tell you what. I'll give you these paper towels back, but then I'm going to phone every woman in town and let them know that they can't trust you and shouldn't let you in."
So, finally, this aggrieved salesman gave in and said she could keep the paper towels and then as what he must have thought was a clever parting shot, he said "Now are you going to phone all your friends and tell them to let me in?"
"Of course not. I'm a busy woman. I don't have time for that sort of bullshit."
posted by jacquilynne at 1:54 PM on July 18, 2022 [13 favorites]
A friend from my youth owned just 3 things: a bed, a set of drums, and a FilterQueen vacuum.
Now THAT was a salesman.
posted by Artful Codger at 2:09 PM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
Now THAT was a salesman.
posted by Artful Codger at 2:09 PM on July 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
Kiddo got her second dose of vaccine on Saturday. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Then yesterday night was the first real rain/thunderstorm of the monsoon season here in my part of AZ. It was great, I opened the window, lay across my bed and propped my arm and chin up on the windowsill. For awhile the lightening was happening so fast and often it looked like the sky was having a bright light rave. Got rain on my face. Had taken an edible a couple hours before that so everything was wavy and white noisey around the edges.
So yeah, overall it was a good weekend.
posted by sharp pointy objects at 2:11 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Then yesterday night was the first real rain/thunderstorm of the monsoon season here in my part of AZ. It was great, I opened the window, lay across my bed and propped my arm and chin up on the windowsill. For awhile the lightening was happening so fast and often it looked like the sky was having a bright light rave. Got rain on my face. Had taken an edible a couple hours before that so everything was wavy and white noisey around the edges.
So yeah, overall it was a good weekend.
posted by sharp pointy objects at 2:11 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
In 2007, Nine Inch Nails published the album Year Zero positing an alternate reality in which Republicans instituted an American theocracy in 2022. The story line includes a president impeached for treason in 2018, nuclear deployments, and conspiracies involving big pharma and alien entities.
From the perspective of 2022, it's refreshingly optimistic in a way, in how it assigns the US a free hand in the international order, without any meaningful opposition, and expects bioterror agents to be used as assassination tools instead of like, accidentally starting a global pandemic. Every bad thing that happens is intentional, rather than a side effect of people too dumb to fully understand the risks they took.
So yea, I guess my chief complaint is that it needs more hubris.
posted by pwnguin at 3:19 PM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
From the perspective of 2022, it's refreshingly optimistic in a way, in how it assigns the US a free hand in the international order, without any meaningful opposition, and expects bioterror agents to be used as assassination tools instead of like, accidentally starting a global pandemic. Every bad thing that happens is intentional, rather than a side effect of people too dumb to fully understand the risks they took.
So yea, I guess my chief complaint is that it needs more hubris.
posted by pwnguin at 3:19 PM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
Also too
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIS AFFECTION FOR THESE TINY MEAT-PREDATORS, BUT I SHALL STAND BY MISTRESS’S OPINION THAT HE WAS THE LEAST WORST INCARNATION, HAVING LET ME ESCAPE HIS MADNESS AND REMAIN ON GALLIFREY WITH HER
posted by mubba at 3:57 PM on July 18, 2022
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIS AFFECTION FOR THESE TINY MEAT-PREDATORS, BUT I SHALL STAND BY MISTRESS’S OPINION THAT HE WAS THE LEAST WORST INCARNATION, HAVING LET ME ESCAPE HIS MADNESS AND REMAIN ON GALLIFREY WITH HER
posted by mubba at 3:57 PM on July 18, 2022
I still haven't gotten over the surrealness of shopping while "Dark Side of the Moon" was playing on the grocery store sound system this weekend.
Another thing - anyone else noticed that the cashiers have stopped asking us if we found everything we were looking for? These days they know damn well we didn't.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:16 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another thing - anyone else noticed that the cashiers have stopped asking us if we found everything we were looking for? These days they know damn well we didn't.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:16 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Actually, in the smallish grocery store near my house I've gone to for 20 years, I have been asked this every time, and twice I can remember say "well, I didn't see X which I usually get here" and then found it on the shelf within a day or two. I don't know if that was a late shipment or them being responsive to customers, but it does still happen.
posted by hippybear at 4:22 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 4:22 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
I just completed spending 36 hours hours traveling 1300 km by plane. First plane was broken. We got on, then off, then on, then off, then waited two hours, then went home. Second plane at the crack of dawn the next day was late. Connecting flight didn't exist because the plane was broken somewhere else. Fourth plane only took 45 minutes to fix while we were on the runway. I could have driven in less time. I almost could have done it on a bicycle. It's not the longest unintended flight delay I've had, but the last one was due to a hurricane.
I don't think I'm going to be taking Fr*ntier airlines again any time soon, no matter how cool turboprops are. Though, I will say their customer-facing staff were incredibly nice. And ready to speak seemingly competent Cree without advanced warning, which was very cool. Not with me, but with an elder sitting across the aisle from me who spoke little else. I learned how to say luggage in one Cree dialect, which increases my vocabulary by 20%. (But, I can't spell it.) They were very thoughtful interacting with her.
Then I discovered that my new cell phone company doesn't automatically enable roaming and had to figure out how to get from the airport to the hotel the old fashioned way. That part was actually pretty fun. If very wet. (It's raining with ambition at the moment.)
posted by eotvos at 4:33 PM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
I don't think I'm going to be taking Fr*ntier airlines again any time soon, no matter how cool turboprops are. Though, I will say their customer-facing staff were incredibly nice. And ready to speak seemingly competent Cree without advanced warning, which was very cool. Not with me, but with an elder sitting across the aisle from me who spoke little else. I learned how to say luggage in one Cree dialect, which increases my vocabulary by 20%. (But, I can't spell it.) They were very thoughtful interacting with her.
Then I discovered that my new cell phone company doesn't automatically enable roaming and had to figure out how to get from the airport to the hotel the old fashioned way. That part was actually pretty fun. If very wet. (It's raining with ambition at the moment.)
posted by eotvos at 4:33 PM on July 18, 2022 [4 favorites]
I still haven't gotten over the surrealness of shopping while "Dark Side of the Moon" was playing on the grocery store sound system this weekend.
No! Say it isn't so!
This thread is not truly free while it is bounded by these blue walls.
posted by dg at 5:16 PM on July 18, 2022
No! Say it isn't so!
This thread is not truly free while it is bounded by these blue walls.
posted by dg at 5:16 PM on July 18, 2022
Found out that my previous place finally got rented, meaning I don't have to pay double rent for two more months. Phew.
About a month in to the new job and figuring out that whole there is indeed a lot for me to learn, these folks are not well organized, probably because we are all part of a huge ongoing acquisition cycle by our parent company. I still like the job for what it is and my coworkers are a nice bunch.
Still haven't gotten out to hike, which in Colorado is practically sacrilege, but between the heat and getting over COVID I figure I can wait.
Definitely soliciting recs for baby beginner hikes, for lo, I am out of shape. I have some good boots at least. Mostly I'd just like a nice walk and a good view.
posted by emjaybee at 5:33 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
About a month in to the new job and figuring out that whole there is indeed a lot for me to learn, these folks are not well organized, probably because we are all part of a huge ongoing acquisition cycle by our parent company. I still like the job for what it is and my coworkers are a nice bunch.
Still haven't gotten out to hike, which in Colorado is practically sacrilege, but between the heat and getting over COVID I figure I can wait.
Definitely soliciting recs for baby beginner hikes, for lo, I am out of shape. I have some good boots at least. Mostly I'd just like a nice walk and a good view.
posted by emjaybee at 5:33 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
love handles are a lot sexier than fatty liver!
As someone with both, can we not do this here? I know this wasn't a comment directed at me or anyone specifically but it is depressing anyway. Not trying to make anyone feel bad, just saying.
Besides, are livers (fatty or otherwise) really sexy? I guess if you're Mr Lecter they could be appetite-inducing but only if you have fava beans and a nice chianti...
posted by Athanassiel at 9:20 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
As someone with both, can we not do this here? I know this wasn't a comment directed at me or anyone specifically but it is depressing anyway. Not trying to make anyone feel bad, just saying.
Besides, are livers (fatty or otherwise) really sexy? I guess if you're Mr Lecter they could be appetite-inducing but only if you have fava beans and a nice chianti...
posted by Athanassiel at 9:20 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Since I seem to be awake and not capable of doing work, the good news about the very weird trip (in the airplane sense, not the drug sense) that I'm on, is that I got complemented twice in French for my absurd fashion choice today. It made me feel unreasonably très cosmopolite. Even though it's actually because I've packed all my professional clothing and haven't done laundry enough recently. Perhaps there's a lesson there.
(A year of not drinking has been correlated with losing 20kg for me, which has been welcome. I don't know if it's causal or driven by other things. Definitely not gonna judge anyone else. But, I take liver pills and am still larger than I would choose. I understand both why it's worth talking about and why doing so in public could seem unkind. Sympathy and I understand your point, Athanassiel.)
posted by eotvos at 10:39 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
(A year of not drinking has been correlated with losing 20kg for me, which has been welcome. I don't know if it's causal or driven by other things. Definitely not gonna judge anyone else. But, I take liver pills and am still larger than I would choose. I understand both why it's worth talking about and why doing so in public could seem unkind. Sympathy and I understand your point, Athanassiel.)
posted by eotvos at 10:39 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
alas, i think i just failed the translation trial for the job i’ve been interviewing for.
i’ll find out for sure in a few days, but i’m not feeling very good about things.
posted by emmling at 11:42 PM on July 18, 2022
i’ll find out for sure in a few days, but i’m not feeling very good about things.
posted by emmling at 11:42 PM on July 18, 2022
Carrie Fisher wrote something in passing in Postcards From The Edge. Two characters are catching up by phone; the main character's friend is in New York City on a film shoot or something. The main character asks what New York is like, and the friend says:
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:54 AM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
New York in the summer is like a cough. It's like the whole country came here and coughed.I read Postcards From the Edge about 30 years ago now, and I have remembered that line every single summer since then.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:54 AM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Greg_Ace, the muzac systems must be keeping track of this thread because I was shopping to "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf.
posted by mightshould at 6:06 AM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by mightshould at 6:06 AM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
get your trolley runnin
get out on the aisle way
lookin for a special
or whatever comes our way
yeah bargain gonna make it happen
gonna win in the bog roll race
run over their feet to start with
and scream in their face
posted by flabdablet at 8:15 AM on July 19, 2022 [8 favorites]
get out on the aisle way
lookin for a special
or whatever comes our way
yeah bargain gonna make it happen
gonna win in the bog roll race
run over their feet to start with
and scream in their face
posted by flabdablet at 8:15 AM on July 19, 2022 [8 favorites]
Up in Whistler at my old college buddy's timeshare for the first guys week we've been able to get in since before the plague. I hadn't realized how much this previously annual get together meant for my physical and mental health. He's much more physically active than I am, and keeping up with him on our daily hikes is always an inertia boost that helps me get back into a regular workout groove. The mental boost comes from hanging with people that share a passion for gaming, and the comfortable warmth of a decades long friendship.
We've gotten in some good games of Flash Point and Forbidden Desert, and I'll be running a DnD one shot tonight. New to us games of Skulk Hollow and Call of Cthulhu have been a hit and will definitely be making repeat appearances on the table.
posted by calamari kid at 9:22 AM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
We've gotten in some good games of Flash Point and Forbidden Desert, and I'll be running a DnD one shot tonight. New to us games of Skulk Hollow and Call of Cthulhu have been a hit and will definitely be making repeat appearances on the table.
posted by calamari kid at 9:22 AM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
Born To Re-sto-oo-o-ock...
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:10 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:10 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
So I want to update on the vacuum cleaner situation because it is so opposite to the general consumerist attitude to appliances. I go there and ask for the bags and he brings them. You should know that these are very expensive bags, but you only need one a year. They last very long. I don't know how this happens, but as I am paying he says: "given that your vacuum cleaner is quite old, you might want to change the filter".
Listen guys, he is not trying to sell me a new machine. The spare part is really cheap. It's like if your car mechanic is your uncle. This is how the world should be, IMO. I hope my kids will inherit my machine and the service.
posted by mumimor at 2:52 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Listen guys, he is not trying to sell me a new machine. The spare part is really cheap. It's like if your car mechanic is your uncle. This is how the world should be, IMO. I hope my kids will inherit my machine and the service.
posted by mumimor at 2:52 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
The heat in the UK got to me, and the few working thoughts I have say: Worse is better, mumimor. Worse is better.
posted by k3ninho at 3:47 PM on July 19, 2022
posted by k3ninho at 3:47 PM on July 19, 2022
Well, fuck.
The bicycle known as Joy died today. The downtube in the frame snapped right behind the headseat due to metal fatigue. I feel like I want to throw up.
This is the same bike Gman's brother so kindly bought for me almost ten years ago when I was homeless and going through a really bad time. The same bike I lived on when camping and homeless. The same bike that's saved my life - multiple times. The same bike that's been my constant companion and only reliable source of, well, joy for a just a bit over 1/5th of my years on this earth at this point.
I was just trying to figure out how to throw a "10 years old" anniversary or birthday party for Joy and now I'm wondering how to throw a funereal and wake for a very good bicycle.
I'm really emotional and sad. I feel like a close family member or my dog just died. Except for very rare moments when I left Joy at home or somewhere secure overnight indoors they've either been within viewing distance, parked right next to my bed and wherever I slept.
You were the best bike. Thank you for saving my life one more time and not failing at a really bad time, like just moments before the end when I was blasting down that huge hill at 35+ mph. Thank you for not letting me turn into a meat crayon, because that would have been a mess.
I guess that last shopping trip and ride down the gravel bike path was it. You did good, Joy. You did real good.
(Crap, I just started bawling. Imma go touch grass. :( )
posted by loquacious at 6:56 PM on July 19, 2022 [11 favorites]
The bicycle known as Joy died today. The downtube in the frame snapped right behind the headseat due to metal fatigue. I feel like I want to throw up.
This is the same bike Gman's brother so kindly bought for me almost ten years ago when I was homeless and going through a really bad time. The same bike I lived on when camping and homeless. The same bike that's saved my life - multiple times. The same bike that's been my constant companion and only reliable source of, well, joy for a just a bit over 1/5th of my years on this earth at this point.
I was just trying to figure out how to throw a "10 years old" anniversary or birthday party for Joy and now I'm wondering how to throw a funereal and wake for a very good bicycle.
I'm really emotional and sad. I feel like a close family member or my dog just died. Except for very rare moments when I left Joy at home or somewhere secure overnight indoors they've either been within viewing distance, parked right next to my bed and wherever I slept.
You were the best bike. Thank you for saving my life one more time and not failing at a really bad time, like just moments before the end when I was blasting down that huge hill at 35+ mph. Thank you for not letting me turn into a meat crayon, because that would have been a mess.
I guess that last shopping trip and ride down the gravel bike path was it. You did good, Joy. You did real good.
(Crap, I just started bawling. Imma go touch grass. :( )
posted by loquacious at 6:56 PM on July 19, 2022 [11 favorites]
loquacious: you might contact some welding shops and see if they can do a repair that would be worth a damn over time. It's possible your friend just needs some time in hospital? *hugs* I know how heartbreaking this can be, and I feel for you.
posted by hippybear at 7:06 PM on July 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 7:06 PM on July 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
loquacious: you might contact some welding shops and see if they can do a repair that would be worth a damn over time. It's possible your friend just needs some time in hospital? *hugs* I know how heartbreaking this can be, and I feel for you.
Thanks for the hugs. I'm a wreck, but at least I'm just an emotional wreck and I'm not in the ER.
It's aluminum, so, nope. Aluminum bicycle frames are heat treated after welding and trying to weld a broken, fatigued frame back together from a broken tube isn't really possible without major problems.
It would be less expensive to buy a new custom frame than have it repaired. I've done the homework on this already in the past because I was curious about what I would do if this bike failed, but, yeah, it would literally be cheaper and safer to have a custom frame welded up out of titanium.
I'm super bummed because they don't even make this particular bike frame anymore.
The company that made it is called Redline, and they've been making BMX bikes and forks back to the dawn of BMX bikes in the 1970s. They only branched out to 700c road/tour/adventure bikes for a couple of years, so it's a very unique kind of bike and bike frame that's basically a gravel bike almost 8 years before "gravel bikes" became the hot new thing. It's not a road bike, not a hybrid or commuter bike, on the edge of being a touring bike or an old school 90s era mountain bike.
Imagine if a really light, high performance but also very sturdy professional grade racing BMX grew up and went to college and worked their way through grad school and that's basically my bike.
All aluminum frames are subject to metal fatigue and will eventually fail, especially after the abuse I've put this one through hauling my fat ass around plus way too much cargo.
The bicycle known as Joy is done. At this point I'm wondering if I can make something useful out of the frame as a keepsake, or a tool or chair, or maybe a piece of art or something, because throwing this bike in the recycling bin just doesn't feel right. I might saw up the tubes of the frame and use them for something or just to keep part of it for the stickers and memories.
In more positive news it didn't fail while at speed and turn me into a meat crayon or get run over by a car or something, so the only thing that's actually broken is the frame. Fork is fine, all the other stuff is fine. Everything else can be reused and I have the tools and know how to rebuild it using what I have if I can find a frame that fits me.
It's just not going to be the same. I really liked having this particular bike. I even have a number of Redline accessories and parts I added to it over the years so the badging and look and feel all matched up and fit me like a glove. It's some weird bike weeb stuff but I'm a weird bike weeb.
posted by loquacious at 7:38 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Thanks for the hugs. I'm a wreck, but at least I'm just an emotional wreck and I'm not in the ER.
It's aluminum, so, nope. Aluminum bicycle frames are heat treated after welding and trying to weld a broken, fatigued frame back together from a broken tube isn't really possible without major problems.
It would be less expensive to buy a new custom frame than have it repaired. I've done the homework on this already in the past because I was curious about what I would do if this bike failed, but, yeah, it would literally be cheaper and safer to have a custom frame welded up out of titanium.
I'm super bummed because they don't even make this particular bike frame anymore.
The company that made it is called Redline, and they've been making BMX bikes and forks back to the dawn of BMX bikes in the 1970s. They only branched out to 700c road/tour/adventure bikes for a couple of years, so it's a very unique kind of bike and bike frame that's basically a gravel bike almost 8 years before "gravel bikes" became the hot new thing. It's not a road bike, not a hybrid or commuter bike, on the edge of being a touring bike or an old school 90s era mountain bike.
Imagine if a really light, high performance but also very sturdy professional grade racing BMX grew up and went to college and worked their way through grad school and that's basically my bike.
All aluminum frames are subject to metal fatigue and will eventually fail, especially after the abuse I've put this one through hauling my fat ass around plus way too much cargo.
The bicycle known as Joy is done. At this point I'm wondering if I can make something useful out of the frame as a keepsake, or a tool or chair, or maybe a piece of art or something, because throwing this bike in the recycling bin just doesn't feel right. I might saw up the tubes of the frame and use them for something or just to keep part of it for the stickers and memories.
In more positive news it didn't fail while at speed and turn me into a meat crayon or get run over by a car or something, so the only thing that's actually broken is the frame. Fork is fine, all the other stuff is fine. Everything else can be reused and I have the tools and know how to rebuild it using what I have if I can find a frame that fits me.
It's just not going to be the same. I really liked having this particular bike. I even have a number of Redline accessories and parts I added to it over the years so the badging and look and feel all matched up and fit me like a glove. It's some weird bike weeb stuff but I'm a weird bike weeb.
posted by loquacious at 7:38 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Imagine if a really light, high performance but also very sturdy professional grade racing BMX grew up and went to college and worked their way through grad school
Wouldn't that be gravel school in this case?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:19 PM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
Wouldn't that be gravel school in this case?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:19 PM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
Wouldn't that be gravel school in this case?
So much fucking gravel. So, so many thousands, well, maybe tens of thousands of miles of gravel. So gnar. So much gnar.
I was going to try to work in a description and metaphor about imagining a BMX bike that worked their way through a civil engineering degree or architecture or something while working in a quarry. Classy enough for the faculty mixer, dirty and hard working enough to be the janitor.
There's a concept in adventure and offroad bicycling called underbiking, usually meaning taking a bike with skinnier tires, no suspension or road-focused geometry and going places that would be considered rather extreme and challenging for whatever bike you happen to be underbiking with at the time.
I have known and ridden a whole lot of bikes but I've never met any bike that could underbike this hard. Even before converting it to an ebike I've ridden right up fire roads so steep and rugged you'd have to be careful and skilled to get up them with a ICE powered dirt moto or capable jeep or 4x4, and it was roughly 60% bike and 40% dirt skills.
I went on a casual/fun group ride a couple of weeks ago along some familiar trails and spent a good portion of the ride on the single tracks next to the more sedate gravel or asphalt path chasing down someone on a full suspension mountain bike just ripping it up and unable to lose me at all.
Not in a race of speed or effort - because, yeah, I have an ebike conversion and I can just hit the throttle and go scooter or moped speeds if I want and yeet myself right into the brambles or off a cliff - but more as a mismatched fun kind race about underbiking skills and knowing every bump and turn in the terrain. As in a race of knowing that trail so well and I was able to go faster than them because of that skill and familiarity, even though they had full suspension and fat 3" tires, and I had no suspension at all, and cargo racks and panniers with stuff in them, all on a very rigid bike and skinny 1.5" touring/road tires and they were the one slowing me down
I've done those single tracks in 8" of snow, from memory. At remarkable speeds.
The people on the group ride we're hooting and hollering at us, and I loved being able to show off my old school nu suspension dirt skills and trail knowledge, and that guy on the full suspension MTB was totally stoked and surprised they didn't leave me in the dust and we talked about it.
This is like the car/truck to bicycle equivalent of chasing down a decent 4x4 off road racing truck over a milder section of the Baja 1000 with a Subaru Forrester full of camping gear and groceries, and maybe a nitrous injection boost kit and turbos hidden under the hood.
Something like "Ok, you shouldn't be able to do that, wtf?"
Which, yeah, some of this might explain a lot about why my frame finally failed. It's been on my mind that it would do this even before I converted it to an ebike because of how hard I ride. I know it's a thing with aluminum bikes. I've been pushing it way too hard.
This bike was more of an extension and reflection of who I am and my values and challenges than anything living or physical that's ever been in my life. I feel like I just lost a life partner or spouse. It's not just about all of the fitting, customization, work and accessories.
I can't even imagine having this kind of relationship with a car, it's just not the same, it's not this particular kind personal.
It's not just a bummer and a broken bicycle. I lost a limb today. I lost a best friend and a lover. I lost a very curious unusual kind of intimacy with a mechanical machine and an extension of who I am. I know where every single part and bolt is on that bike more than I even know the bones in my own feet.
Part of me is now gone and missing and I don't feel whole and it may be some time before I do.
I'm going to be grieving for a while and I'm working on that and processing. It's a whole lot for me right now, and writing about it helps a lot.
Joy was a very good bike. One of the best that's ever rolled on this good Earth.
posted by loquacious at 9:55 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
So much fucking gravel. So, so many thousands, well, maybe tens of thousands of miles of gravel. So gnar. So much gnar.
I was going to try to work in a description and metaphor about imagining a BMX bike that worked their way through a civil engineering degree or architecture or something while working in a quarry. Classy enough for the faculty mixer, dirty and hard working enough to be the janitor.
There's a concept in adventure and offroad bicycling called underbiking, usually meaning taking a bike with skinnier tires, no suspension or road-focused geometry and going places that would be considered rather extreme and challenging for whatever bike you happen to be underbiking with at the time.
I have known and ridden a whole lot of bikes but I've never met any bike that could underbike this hard. Even before converting it to an ebike I've ridden right up fire roads so steep and rugged you'd have to be careful and skilled to get up them with a ICE powered dirt moto or capable jeep or 4x4, and it was roughly 60% bike and 40% dirt skills.
I went on a casual/fun group ride a couple of weeks ago along some familiar trails and spent a good portion of the ride on the single tracks next to the more sedate gravel or asphalt path chasing down someone on a full suspension mountain bike just ripping it up and unable to lose me at all.
Not in a race of speed or effort - because, yeah, I have an ebike conversion and I can just hit the throttle and go scooter or moped speeds if I want and yeet myself right into the brambles or off a cliff - but more as a mismatched fun kind race about underbiking skills and knowing every bump and turn in the terrain. As in a race of knowing that trail so well and I was able to go faster than them because of that skill and familiarity, even though they had full suspension and fat 3" tires, and I had no suspension at all, and cargo racks and panniers with stuff in them, all on a very rigid bike and skinny 1.5" touring/road tires and they were the one slowing me down
I've done those single tracks in 8" of snow, from memory. At remarkable speeds.
The people on the group ride we're hooting and hollering at us, and I loved being able to show off my old school nu suspension dirt skills and trail knowledge, and that guy on the full suspension MTB was totally stoked and surprised they didn't leave me in the dust and we talked about it.
This is like the car/truck to bicycle equivalent of chasing down a decent 4x4 off road racing truck over a milder section of the Baja 1000 with a Subaru Forrester full of camping gear and groceries, and maybe a nitrous injection boost kit and turbos hidden under the hood.
Something like "Ok, you shouldn't be able to do that, wtf?"
Which, yeah, some of this might explain a lot about why my frame finally failed. It's been on my mind that it would do this even before I converted it to an ebike because of how hard I ride. I know it's a thing with aluminum bikes. I've been pushing it way too hard.
This bike was more of an extension and reflection of who I am and my values and challenges than anything living or physical that's ever been in my life. I feel like I just lost a life partner or spouse. It's not just about all of the fitting, customization, work and accessories.
I can't even imagine having this kind of relationship with a car, it's just not the same, it's not this particular kind personal.
It's not just a bummer and a broken bicycle. I lost a limb today. I lost a best friend and a lover. I lost a very curious unusual kind of intimacy with a mechanical machine and an extension of who I am. I know where every single part and bolt is on that bike more than I even know the bones in my own feet.
Part of me is now gone and missing and I don't feel whole and it may be some time before I do.
I'm going to be grieving for a while and I'm working on that and processing. It's a whole lot for me right now, and writing about it helps a lot.
Joy was a very good bike. One of the best that's ever rolled on this good Earth.
posted by loquacious at 9:55 PM on July 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Today's a little bit frustrating. Small rant below:
I am trying to help my father with a problem with his phone. The only way to get tech support is via WhatsApp chat. Each time I explain the problem and then they say "thanks, I will now transfer you to another agent". This has happened 5 times so far this morning.
So frustrating. Lauren-Lee transferred me to Jameson, who passed me on to Lazola, who transferred me to Stanton, who handed me over to Wandile.
Each time they assure me that the next agent can see my chat history. Each new agent still asks me for my customer code, phone number, address, and I have to explain the problem from scratch each time.
Wandile has just told me to give him a moment.
I'm feeling hopeful.
posted by Zumbador at 4:40 AM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
This is like the car/truck to bicycle equivalent of chasing down a decent 4x4 off road racing truck over a milder section of the Baja 1000 with a Subaru Forrester full of camping gear and groceries, and maybe a nitrous injection boost kit and turbos hidden under the hood.
The Subaru Forester is a phenomenal piece of kit straight out of the factory.
Ours recently died (motor is toast after breaking a timing belt). The rest of the family outvoted my strong preference not to replace it with a Mitsubishi Triton 4WD dual cab diesel ute, which I just fuelled for the first time yesterday... AU$100 to go from ⅓ to full. Sigh.
Best of luck finding Joy a new skeleton, loq.
posted by flabdablet at 4:59 AM on July 20, 2022
The Subaru Forester is a phenomenal piece of kit straight out of the factory.
Ours recently died (motor is toast after breaking a timing belt). The rest of the family outvoted my strong preference not to replace it with a Mitsubishi Triton 4WD dual cab diesel ute, which I just fuelled for the first time yesterday... AU$100 to go from ⅓ to full. Sigh.
Best of luck finding Joy a new skeleton, loq.
posted by flabdablet at 4:59 AM on July 20, 2022
The Subaru Forester is a phenomenal piece of kit straight out of the factory.
Yeah, I'm definitely not throwing Subarus under the bus, but it's a good analogy for my bike and the concept of underbiking. A modern Baja 1000 race truck or stadium is a whole different beast than a Subaru, just like how a good modern enduro MTB is a whole different beast than my skinny tired no-suspension bike.
I've seen some Subies do amazing things on and off road. Their original turbo WRXs were absolutely terrifying right off the showroom floor with no mods. I've seen those things tear up desert roads and throw 40 foot rooster tails of sand from all four wheels while getting sideways.
Shoot, my dad had one of their tiny little 3 cylinder Justy two door hatchbacks with AWD and every so often he'd try to break it loose in the turns zooming around the industrial parks near his business. Damn thing would heel over so far you'd get wheel rub and threaten to roll over but with the AWD we could barely get it to slide at all. It was like a Dodge Omni that didn't suck hopped up on meth and nitrous oxide.
If I was a car person into cars at all I'd probably buy a Subaru.
But I'm kind of a paradox about cars and car cultures. I can nerd out about cars and appreciate them for the engineering and fun aspects. I like watching Top Gear. I could probably beat the pants off of anyone on MetaFilter at a track day with equally matched cars, or in Forza or other racing sim games, and I love racing sims and know some stuff about good racing technique, culture and form.
But I dislike cars as a thing that has dominated our culture and landscape so much that I've never owned one and I don't even like getting into them as a passenger or asking for rides, and I'm trying to get through my whole life without every owning a car or ICE vehicle of any kind. Shoot, my ebike was the first *powered* vehicle I've ever personally owned and I've lived most of my life on bicycles because cars are ridiculous.
Best of luck finding Joy a new skeleton, loq.
Thanks. No luck at the co-op today. Two possible candidates but they're not quite the right fit. One was a vintage 700c steel Giant which *might* work but is vintage enough it might be weird to retrofit my newer-ish parts to it. The other was a 26er that also might fit and while I'm interested in fatter tires I'm not sure about the 26er wheel size because I'm large.
posted by loquacious at 4:50 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I'm definitely not throwing Subarus under the bus, but it's a good analogy for my bike and the concept of underbiking. A modern Baja 1000 race truck or stadium is a whole different beast than a Subaru, just like how a good modern enduro MTB is a whole different beast than my skinny tired no-suspension bike.
I've seen some Subies do amazing things on and off road. Their original turbo WRXs were absolutely terrifying right off the showroom floor with no mods. I've seen those things tear up desert roads and throw 40 foot rooster tails of sand from all four wheels while getting sideways.
Shoot, my dad had one of their tiny little 3 cylinder Justy two door hatchbacks with AWD and every so often he'd try to break it loose in the turns zooming around the industrial parks near his business. Damn thing would heel over so far you'd get wheel rub and threaten to roll over but with the AWD we could barely get it to slide at all. It was like a Dodge Omni that didn't suck hopped up on meth and nitrous oxide.
If I was a car person into cars at all I'd probably buy a Subaru.
But I'm kind of a paradox about cars and car cultures. I can nerd out about cars and appreciate them for the engineering and fun aspects. I like watching Top Gear. I could probably beat the pants off of anyone on MetaFilter at a track day with equally matched cars, or in Forza or other racing sim games, and I love racing sims and know some stuff about good racing technique, culture and form.
But I dislike cars as a thing that has dominated our culture and landscape so much that I've never owned one and I don't even like getting into them as a passenger or asking for rides, and I'm trying to get through my whole life without every owning a car or ICE vehicle of any kind. Shoot, my ebike was the first *powered* vehicle I've ever personally owned and I've lived most of my life on bicycles because cars are ridiculous.
Best of luck finding Joy a new skeleton, loq.
Thanks. No luck at the co-op today. Two possible candidates but they're not quite the right fit. One was a vintage 700c steel Giant which *might* work but is vintage enough it might be weird to retrofit my newer-ish parts to it. The other was a 26er that also might fit and while I'm interested in fatter tires I'm not sure about the 26er wheel size because I'm large.
posted by loquacious at 4:50 PM on July 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I can say this for Subarus: (a) I learned to drive on a Forester, and (b) when I had to drive an Outback in an emergency recently, I was able to figure out how to drive it quickly with no issues. I don't particularly want a hatchback/larger car and want a trunk where I can hide things and people don't see them in the car to steal them, but otherwise, they're not bad.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:02 PM on July 20, 2022
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:02 PM on July 20, 2022
Ours recently died (motor is toast after breaking a timing belt)
This reminds me that I picked up our Sunday car from getting a rebuilt transmission yesterday and discovered via a lengthy conversation with the tech (and business owner) that the root cause of the issue was a poor decision by the previous owner of the car. That decision was to take out the former stock motor and replace it with a 650hp version (not a bad decision) but not to upgrade the transmission accordingly (definitely a bad decision). A few years later, I'm the one paying the price. I'm assured the box now has the very best, strongest components from front to back and he is confident in this to the extent that, if I manage to break it at our car club's upcoming drag racing event, he'll fix it for free.
posted by dg at 9:29 PM on July 20, 2022
This reminds me that I picked up our Sunday car from getting a rebuilt transmission yesterday and discovered via a lengthy conversation with the tech (and business owner) that the root cause of the issue was a poor decision by the previous owner of the car. That decision was to take out the former stock motor and replace it with a 650hp version (not a bad decision) but not to upgrade the transmission accordingly (definitely a bad decision). A few years later, I'm the one paying the price. I'm assured the box now has the very best, strongest components from front to back and he is confident in this to the extent that, if I manage to break it at our car club's upcoming drag racing event, he'll fix it for free.
posted by dg at 9:29 PM on July 20, 2022
Late contribution: I've discovered the apparently-now-defunct YT channel LivePrudeGirls with Milana Vayntrub and Stevie Nelson.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:36 AM on July 21, 2022
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:36 AM on July 21, 2022
Subarus, the Forester is so the tall can see out the front window. Outback, two can sleep in the back of the Outback. I am looking for a van with lots of windows, not a minivan, must be cargo type, long, 6cyl, 28 mpg, or thereabouts. I have started looking at them on the street. I picked figs in the alley.
posted by Oyéah at 7:17 PM on July 21, 2022
posted by Oyéah at 7:17 PM on July 21, 2022
Chevy Express van or maybe a Transit/Sprinter if you want something taller. I've worked in delivery for a long time, and that's what you're looking for. (They make shorter Sprinter-type vans, too.)
posted by hippybear at 7:19 PM on July 21, 2022
posted by hippybear at 7:19 PM on July 21, 2022
Okay - my roommate is a great guy, don't get me wrong. But I think going through the pandemic together, where we were in each others' pockets to an unusual extent, has made us both more inclined to want to keep to ourselves more often....we're both trying to give each other heads-up for days when "I'm gonna be out of the house for a good while if you wanna enjoy the silence".
He's going out of town for a whole week, and leaves tomorrow - and I have SO MANY PLANS for what I'm going to do with him out of the place. (And to be fair, I'm going to plan a week away myself in the fall for his sake AND mine.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:10 AM on July 22, 2022
He's going out of town for a whole week, and leaves tomorrow - and I have SO MANY PLANS for what I'm going to do with him out of the place. (And to be fair, I'm going to plan a week away myself in the fall for his sake AND mine.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:10 AM on July 22, 2022
We just got a (2017) Transit 150 mid-roof and I am pretty sure it very much does not get 28mpg. The low roof probably does better, but the mid is juuust tall enough for my 6'2" husband to walk through it with his head only slightly ducked. It is a great van for van things, though, and a real pleasure to drive.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:56 AM on July 22, 2022
posted by Lyn Never at 10:56 AM on July 22, 2022
I was looking forward to having to do jury duty AND HAVE A LEGAL EXCUSE TO GET OUT OF WORK, but nooooo, it got canceled. I'll be here all week! I'm here to help! During busy season! Yayayayayayayay....um, nope. Jury duty is more fun than this. SIGH.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:51 AM on July 22, 2022
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:51 AM on July 22, 2022
I was always very interested in the possibility of serving jury duty -- I think it would be a fascinating experience. Finally, after over 20 years of eligibility, I got a letter indicating I was selected to a pool. It arrived approximately 2 months after I was called to the bar, and thus no longer eligible to serve on a jury.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:51 PM on July 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 12:51 PM on July 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've been selected for jury duty about 3 times in my entire life - the first one wasn't until I was well into my 30's - and I've never had to actually show up. Every time when I checked the phone number/website the night before, I was told I wasn't needed.
Meanwhile a friend of mine, who hates jury duty and finds the whole thing annoying, has gotten called like 6 or 7 times and had to actually serve every time. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:58 PM on July 22, 2022
Meanwhile a friend of mine, who hates jury duty and finds the whole thing annoying, has gotten called like 6 or 7 times and had to actually serve every time. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:58 PM on July 22, 2022
In our city, residents get called for jury duty reliably every year. Since I registered to vote here, I hadn't missed a year until 2020, but I haven't been back since, due to pandemic related jury trial delays. I got called in January this year, but trials were shut down again for omicron so I didn't have to report.
I have never made it past voir dire though, always just sit around with my book all day.
posted by the primroses were over at 3:28 PM on July 22, 2022
I have never made it past voir dire though, always just sit around with my book all day.
posted by the primroses were over at 3:28 PM on July 22, 2022
I've been called nine times: eight for county, one for FEDERAL. Jury duty loves me.
Three times now I've gotten dismissed before having to go in. One day I had to take the bus to get there and upon arriving, found out there was a last minute plea bargain and didn't have to do it. Of the four times I had to come in, I ended up on the jury three times, was foreperson twice. The final time I got dismissed to be an alternate on a murder trial at the dead last minute.
I never had to go in for federal, but they made me call to check once a week for six weeks (when they originally said four).
I actually enjoyed it (though glad I didn't make it to the murder trial), as all my cases were completely lulzy and ridiculous and well, dumb criminals doing dumb things. It was amusing and I've done storytelling on 'em.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:57 PM on July 22, 2022
Three times now I've gotten dismissed before having to go in. One day I had to take the bus to get there and upon arriving, found out there was a last minute plea bargain and didn't have to do it. Of the four times I had to come in, I ended up on the jury three times, was foreperson twice. The final time I got dismissed to be an alternate on a murder trial at the dead last minute.
I never had to go in for federal, but they made me call to check once a week for six weeks (when they originally said four).
I actually enjoyed it (though glad I didn't make it to the murder trial), as all my cases were completely lulzy and ridiculous and well, dumb criminals doing dumb things. It was amusing and I've done storytelling on 'em.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:57 PM on July 22, 2022
On another topic: I hear the new Netflix Persuasion movie is quite bad and we have no FanFare on the topic. I'm kind of fascinated by the bad reviews of it coming out. As someone who's never read/watched any version of Persuasion, does anyone have any thoughts as to whether or not it's worth watching purely as something to make fun of/drinking game/for the lulz, or is it SO bad it's like the Star Wars Holiday Special, i.e. so bad you can't even enjoy making fun of it bad?
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:22 PM on July 22, 2022
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:22 PM on July 22, 2022
I'm curious about the Persuasion movie as well. I've read the book many times and love it.
Many people in the female autism reddit sub love it, I think they see it as neurodivergent representation? Which is really interesting.
posted by Zumbador at 10:46 PM on July 22, 2022
Many people in the female autism reddit sub love it, I think they see it as neurodivergent representation? Which is really interesting.
posted by Zumbador at 10:46 PM on July 22, 2022
No matter how bad the Netflix version is, I'll watch it after I listen to Juliet Stevenson reading the book again.
posted by kingless at 3:31 AM on July 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kingless at 3:31 AM on July 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Got a new album from a band I love. There is nothing about the things I love about this band on the new album. I'm feeling very very let down, because when I backed this album back in 2019 I was expecting a certain kind of vibe and uplift that is simply not at all on this new effort. So I'm trying to be philosophical and say "it was recorded during a pandemic and everything has been shit and the next album will be better" but mostly it's just feeling like yet another part of 2022 sucking.
posted by hippybear at 3:29 PM on July 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 3:29 PM on July 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
You have my sympathy, hippybear. I've encountered that exact thing more than once when I really loved a specific aspect of a previous album and it didn't happen on the new album. I get that artists/groups want to grow and evolve (or that they don't always have a brilliant next album in them), but sometimes in the process they lose or move away from what I liked best about their music. It's even more heartbreaking when you grow up poor like I did and every album must be a carefully-considered purchase. Fortunately, at my current age / outlook / economic status the disappointment is less deeply galling, but old hurts linger...
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:41 PM on July 23, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:41 PM on July 23, 2022
There's a song for that
I felt that way about every Pink Floyd album later than Animals. The Wall was competently constructed and all but feeling David Gilmour's soul crated up into a road case and wheeled out only for the obligatory set pieces was so far removed from the Pink Floyd of Live At Pompeii that it just made me sad.
One useful counter to this kind of disappointment, for me, has been exploring the back catalogue of acts I'd enjoyed but never really gone into in depth. I'd owned Hairway to Steven for years and loved it, mainly for the inspired rant of John E. Smoke, but it wasn't until recently sharing it with a friend that I was motivated to look for more.
Currently enjoying P - the gloriously deranged I Save Cigarette Butts has been on pretty high rotation on this phone lately. And then there's all of Velvet Underground...
posted by flabdablet at 10:26 PM on July 24, 2022
I felt that way about every Pink Floyd album later than Animals. The Wall was competently constructed and all but feeling David Gilmour's soul crated up into a road case and wheeled out only for the obligatory set pieces was so far removed from the Pink Floyd of Live At Pompeii that it just made me sad.
One useful counter to this kind of disappointment, for me, has been exploring the back catalogue of acts I'd enjoyed but never really gone into in depth. I'd owned Hairway to Steven for years and loved it, mainly for the inspired rant of John E. Smoke, but it wasn't until recently sharing it with a friend that I was motivated to look for more.
Currently enjoying P - the gloriously deranged I Save Cigarette Butts has been on pretty high rotation on this phone lately. And then there's all of Velvet Underground...
posted by flabdablet at 10:26 PM on July 24, 2022
I've got so much stuff on CDs, I couldn't listen to it all if I did nothing but sit and listen to them every waking hour. Some of it I haven't listened to in years. But I guess that's a discussion for another thread....
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:58 AM on July 25, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:58 AM on July 25, 2022
I felt that way about every Pink Floyd album later than Animals.
Yeah, I get why people feel that way, but I struggle to get into their earlier work to the same extent that I do with the period from Meddle to The Final Cut (which is really a Roger Waters album with the other members acting as session musicians). I have a theory that there are broadly two categories of Pink Floyd fans - Gilmour people and Waters people. That's not to downplay the impact of Sid, who clearly and indelibly coloured their early work, but it's the arrival of Waters and his eventual replacement of Sid that, to me, is the line where they diverged in style. From Momentary Lapse of Reason on, they're really just phoning it in.
You probably know that David Gilmour did a concert at Pompei in 2016, reputed to be the first live performance since Romans gathered there to watch gladiators battle, nearly 2,000 years earlier.
posted by dg at 5:04 PM on July 25, 2022
Yeah, I get why people feel that way, but I struggle to get into their earlier work to the same extent that I do with the period from Meddle to The Final Cut (which is really a Roger Waters album with the other members acting as session musicians). I have a theory that there are broadly two categories of Pink Floyd fans - Gilmour people and Waters people. That's not to downplay the impact of Sid, who clearly and indelibly coloured their early work, but it's the arrival of Waters and his eventual replacement of Sid that, to me, is the line where they diverged in style. From Momentary Lapse of Reason on, they're really just phoning it in.
You probably know that David Gilmour did a concert at Pompei in 2016, reputed to be the first live performance since Romans gathered there to watch gladiators battle, nearly 2,000 years earlier.
posted by dg at 5:04 PM on July 25, 2022
I keep Pink Floyd in a handful of phases: early, Ummagumma through Obscured, Dark Side through Animals, then a hodgepodge of everything else.
posted by rhizome at 6:20 PM on July 25, 2022
posted by rhizome at 6:20 PM on July 25, 2022
there are broadly two categories of Pink Floyd fans - Gilmour people and Waters people
Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!
Count me among the Nick Mason people.
posted by flabdablet at 7:15 PM on July 25, 2022
Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!
Count me among the Nick Mason people.
posted by flabdablet at 7:15 PM on July 25, 2022
there are broadly two categories of Pink Floyd fans - Gilmour people and Waters people
Hmm. I wouldn’t have put myself in either camp, but Animals might be my favorite Floyd album, and Dogs my favorite song on the album, but that’s definitely not because of the lyrics.
posted by mubba at 4:44 PM on July 26, 2022
Hmm. I wouldn’t have put myself in either camp, but Animals might be my favorite Floyd album, and Dogs my favorite song on the album, but that’s definitely not because of the lyrics.
posted by mubba at 4:44 PM on July 26, 2022
Netflix has a 2 hr Roger Waters live concert from 2019 ("Us and Them") that is mainly a Pink Floyd greatest hits set, but it is fairly intense, great musicians, and really well-recorded.
posted by Artful Codger at 11:57 AM on July 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Artful Codger at 11:57 AM on July 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I saw the Us and Them concert in 2019 - a wonderful experience, not only musically, but a fantastic visual show as well.
posted by dg at 8:59 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by dg at 8:59 PM on July 31, 2022
I once hung out with a young-un (my work-pub bartender in ~97, I think they were about 18 or 19 at the time) who was (in their estimation) The Biggest Pink Floyd Fan EVAAR. Their favourite album was The Division Bell. So: multitudes or whatever.
I like Meddle and Dark Side most, and my partner will tell me why I'm wrong, and they'll probably be right.
I can rarely be arsed to know who did what on anything: if I like the songs, I like the songs.
*Clicks Regurgitator link*
Oh, right, yeah I was wondering if that was it...
So my fave band is PWEI, and they reformed after a big break and I really really like some of their new stuff better than some of their new stuff.
Rando link
...but so anyway I have tickets for a PWEI gig. I bought them in 2019. First postponement was due to a car crash. Second and third were due to COVID. Support will (?) be Snog. I loved Snog in the 90s, have a shelf-section of their CDs (the CD-singles would always be filled to 90 mins with other stuff), but it seems like David Thrussell (...of Snog) is now some sort of anti-vax, anti-Semite, SovCit crazy. I've contacted PWEI & PWEI management to have a whinge, but what's one whinge?
IDK what to do. I mean, if they play A¨slander after an antisemite... umm...
(Hey, I can't do umlauts on this....)
posted by pompomtom at 7:48 AM on August 1, 2022
I like Meddle and Dark Side most, and my partner will tell me why I'm wrong, and they'll probably be right.
I can rarely be arsed to know who did what on anything: if I like the songs, I like the songs.
*Clicks Regurgitator link*
Oh, right, yeah I was wondering if that was it...
So my fave band is PWEI, and they reformed after a big break and I really really like some of their new stuff better than some of their new stuff.
Rando link
...but so anyway I have tickets for a PWEI gig. I bought them in 2019. First postponement was due to a car crash. Second and third were due to COVID. Support will (?) be Snog. I loved Snog in the 90s, have a shelf-section of their CDs (the CD-singles would always be filled to 90 mins with other stuff), but it seems like David Thrussell (...of Snog) is now some sort of anti-vax, anti-Semite, SovCit crazy. I've contacted PWEI & PWEI management to have a whinge, but what's one whinge?
IDK what to do. I mean, if they play A¨slander after an antisemite... umm...
(Hey, I can't do umlauts on this....)
posted by pompomtom at 7:48 AM on August 1, 2022
I like Meddle and Dark Side most, and my partner will tell me why I'm wrong, and they'll probably be right
(narrator voice) They're not right.
posted by flabdablet at 5:55 AM on August 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
(narrator voice) They're not right.
posted by flabdablet at 5:55 AM on August 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
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