Home and Dry
August 29, 2022 2:56 AM Subscribe
This thread is the next best thing to be ...
because it's free as a bird.
(Some info; John Lennon's original demo; list of references in the song, with screen captures; text list)
So, on your way home, feel free to rest your wings here and chirp, twitter, and squawk without restraint. 🐦
because it's free as a bird.
(Some info; John Lennon's original demo; list of references in the song, with screen captures; text list)
So, on your way home, feel free to rest your wings here and chirp, twitter, and squawk without restraint. 🐦
Where is the Artemis thread? It's launching in less than an hour! And I know about the cost, the delays, the single-usedness but ... can we keep this positive? All of that aside, this is awesome!
Shepard's awesome post on Chiac music reminded me of something that happens all the time when I listen to Japanese music. They'll throw in random English words.
There's a Japanese band called Band-maid and their riff-frenzy Thrill has two English lines in the chorus. I've got to be on my way / Just breaking new gate. This has been in my driving playlist forever, they're the only part I can sing along to.
What is breaking new gate? It must be a Japanese idiom that doesn't translate well. I would love to know.
posted by adept256 at 4:19 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Shepard's awesome post on Chiac music reminded me of something that happens all the time when I listen to Japanese music. They'll throw in random English words.
There's a Japanese band called Band-maid and their riff-frenzy Thrill has two English lines in the chorus. I've got to be on my way / Just breaking new gate. This has been in my driving playlist forever, they're the only part I can sing along to.
What is breaking new gate? It must be a Japanese idiom that doesn't translate well. I would love to know.
posted by adept256 at 4:19 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm flying out today. Goodbye USA, heading to Scotland. This should be good, although I'll be job hunting once I get there (spouse is one with job) and the current government (UK, not Scotland). is doing its best to ape the GOP, so wish me luck.
Also, any mefites in the Edinburgh area (or visiting after two months or so), drop me a line.
posted by Hactar at 4:58 AM on August 29, 2022 [12 favorites]
Also, any mefites in the Edinburgh area (or visiting after two months or so), drop me a line.
posted by Hactar at 4:58 AM on August 29, 2022 [12 favorites]
Stupid random no-trigger PTSD had me up panicking and throwing up all night. Called in to work today because I'm a wreck and if I'm still puking, puking at work is least fun. Saw a thing online where I could get very-low-dose ketamine prescribed to maybe give me enough distance from whatever trauma I'm fucked with to get some recovery going. It's not cheap, over $100/mo, but for a few months, could be the help I haven't been able to find so far.
posted by hippybear at 5:15 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 5:15 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
Where is the Artemis thread? It's launching in less than an hour! And I know about the cost, the delays, the single-usedness but ... can we keep this positive?
Sounds like you know more about it than I do, maybe you should make a post 😊
posted by box at 5:25 AM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Sounds like you know more about it than I do, maybe you should make a post 😊
posted by box at 5:25 AM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oof, today is another day where I ate like a child at a funfair on Sunday, and Monday is the Adult Tummy Reckoning.
It resulted in me staying off work today because it feels like a gigantic bee sting in my stomach. A 45 year old tummy is not the same tough stuff caliber as a younger tummy...
posted by Kitteh at 5:33 AM on August 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
It resulted in me staying off work today because it feels like a gigantic bee sting in my stomach. A 45 year old tummy is not the same tough stuff caliber as a younger tummy...
posted by Kitteh at 5:33 AM on August 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
Artemis is scrubbed for the day. Bummer, but maybe better weather for you tomorrow.
posted by Cris E at 5:37 AM on August 29, 2022
posted by Cris E at 5:37 AM on August 29, 2022
Nevermind, the launch is scrubbed. 'An engine bleed that couldn't be remedied' during tanking. The rocket is fine though. September 2 is the next available opportunity - given that this issue is resolved.
posted by adept256 at 5:38 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by adept256 at 5:38 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I recently started back into therapy/counseling. It's remote, which I'm on the fence about. And, despite the intake person assuring me whomever they match me with (it's a mental health center) will be in-network for my insurance, I'm not sure my guy actually is in-network, which would be a very expensive mistake on my end. My guy says he has no clue about the insurance side of things, that it's all handled on the center's end.
*ugh*
posted by Thorzdad at 5:57 AM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
*ugh*
posted by Thorzdad at 5:57 AM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
So, that colonoscopy that I was supposed to get last month, which was cancelled due to flooding after I'd already done the prep? The one that was rescheduled for tomorrow?
The physician "had to take medical leave" (making me wonder if it was Covid), so it has to be rescheduled again. This time thankfully it was before I did the prep.
posted by Foosnark at 6:02 AM on August 29, 2022 [12 favorites]
The physician "had to take medical leave" (making me wonder if it was Covid), so it has to be rescheduled again. This time thankfully it was before I did the prep.
posted by Foosnark at 6:02 AM on August 29, 2022 [12 favorites]
Visiting my parents and my brother is in town. A nice get together and much needed visit.
I just started reading “Train Dreams” by Denis Johnson and I really love this book. A novella with vivid imagery and descriptions of a world not too far away from us.
posted by glaucon at 6:05 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I just started reading “Train Dreams” by Denis Johnson and I really love this book. A novella with vivid imagery and descriptions of a world not too far away from us.
posted by glaucon at 6:05 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
So hey, my brother is sick. We have the same genetic illness and we're no strangers to surgeries and hospitals and weird complications and grave looks from doctors and I don't typically get nervous about this kind of thing but I'm kind of nervous this time. Just feels different. So if you're the type to light a candle or throw a little energy toward the mountains of southern Colorado this week, I'll throw a little kindness back.
posted by mochapickle at 6:08 AM on August 29, 2022 [76 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 6:08 AM on August 29, 2022 [76 favorites]
I finally got my father's Voip phone working!
Or rather I got all the information together, and organised for a technician to do it, once it became clear it's beyond my abilities.
It took him more than an hour of figuring out settings. All the time being really patient with all the cats and dogs in the household trying their luck with climbing into his lap.
Then he finally got the phone to work. He was so pleased! He told me that it was his birthday and that solving a new problem was like a special treat.
What an excellent person.
I can hardly believe that the phone is working now.
posted by Zumbador at 6:32 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
Or rather I got all the information together, and organised for a technician to do it, once it became clear it's beyond my abilities.
It took him more than an hour of figuring out settings. All the time being really patient with all the cats and dogs in the household trying their luck with climbing into his lap.
Then he finally got the phone to work. He was so pleased! He told me that it was his birthday and that solving a new problem was like a special treat.
What an excellent person.
I can hardly believe that the phone is working now.
posted by Zumbador at 6:32 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
foosnark, I am sure that your second rescheduling is very frustrating, but I hope you can forgive for saying that a "colnoscopy....which was cancelled due to flooding" is kind of funny.
(I just experienced my first colonoscopy this summer, and I am to have my appendix out as a result. The doctor assured me that scheduling it is better than waiting for surprise appendicitis.)
posted by wenestvedt at 6:39 AM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
(I just experienced my first colonoscopy this summer, and I am to have my appendix out as a result. The doctor assured me that scheduling it is better than waiting for surprise appendicitis.)
posted by wenestvedt at 6:39 AM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
So in case this helps anyone else out: I was very generally excited last week about the announcement of student loan forgiveness but also a little personally disappointed. Gambling that it wouldn't happen, and taking advantage of a minor windfall, I went ahead and paid off my principal in full in September 2021.
I'm not sad that I did it. That loan has been with me for over 20 years. For a lot of that time I wasn't even able to pay all the interest that was accruing each month. At certain points I assumed I'd just keep paying monthly until I died. Paying it off was one of the more emotional moments of my life — up there with marriage and the birth of my kids. But having that money back would make a big difference in other ways, of course.
Then I learned (from a tossed-off comment on NPR) that you can get a refund for any payments you made during the pause. I called my loan servicer, and even though my loan was fully paid they sure enough sent me a refund. So my loan is active again, and I am going to sit on that money until I'm sure the forgiveness goes through.
If it does, I'll have that small windfall back. If it doesn't, then I can just pay it back again!
posted by heyitsgogi at 7:00 AM on August 29, 2022 [39 favorites]
I'm not sad that I did it. That loan has been with me for over 20 years. For a lot of that time I wasn't even able to pay all the interest that was accruing each month. At certain points I assumed I'd just keep paying monthly until I died. Paying it off was one of the more emotional moments of my life — up there with marriage and the birth of my kids. But having that money back would make a big difference in other ways, of course.
Then I learned (from a tossed-off comment on NPR) that you can get a refund for any payments you made during the pause. I called my loan servicer, and even though my loan was fully paid they sure enough sent me a refund. So my loan is active again, and I am going to sit on that money until I'm sure the forgiveness goes through.
If it does, I'll have that small windfall back. If it doesn't, then I can just pay it back again!
posted by heyitsgogi at 7:00 AM on August 29, 2022 [39 favorites]
mochapickle , I did an image search for "Southern Colorado" to see where I was sending the good vibes to, and it's absolutely beautiful! Good luck to your brother from the mountains of Norway!
posted by Harald74 at 7:05 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by Harald74 at 7:05 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
I'm happy to report that I'm no longer being stabbed.
I was being stabbed for five years. In the post-operative report, the surgeon said that the hernia mesh had folded up into a spike pointing upwards. For five years, every movement, every turn in bed, every moment of stillness was accompanied by a random burst of pain anywhere from a four to a seven on the smiley-face pain chart.
So now it's time to figure out what my health is like post-stabbing, and see what I'm capable of doing for a living next. I'm still immunocompromised and have a few health issues, so that'll be challenging, but...
I'm not being stabbed anymore! Yay!
posted by MrVisible at 7:08 AM on August 29, 2022 [56 favorites]
I was being stabbed for five years. In the post-operative report, the surgeon said that the hernia mesh had folded up into a spike pointing upwards. For five years, every movement, every turn in bed, every moment of stillness was accompanied by a random burst of pain anywhere from a four to a seven on the smiley-face pain chart.
So now it's time to figure out what my health is like post-stabbing, and see what I'm capable of doing for a living next. I'm still immunocompromised and have a few health issues, so that'll be challenging, but...
I'm not being stabbed anymore! Yay!
posted by MrVisible at 7:08 AM on August 29, 2022 [56 favorites]
One of my coworkers was going to go see Artemis. I'm sorry the launch was scrubbed.
My wife yesterday: I'm sure that there aren't any LGTBQ friendly churches around here.
Today: The church hosting the seminar I'm going to is LGBTQ friendly.
That resolved itself quickly!
posted by Spike Glee at 7:09 AM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
My wife yesterday: I'm sure that there aren't any LGTBQ friendly churches around here.
Today: The church hosting the seminar I'm going to is LGBTQ friendly.
That resolved itself quickly!
posted by Spike Glee at 7:09 AM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
In a follow-up to this MT post from 6 months ago, we got married over the weekend.
posted by KingEdRa at 7:12 AM on August 29, 2022 [37 favorites]
posted by KingEdRa at 7:12 AM on August 29, 2022 [37 favorites]
KingEdRa: 30 years is a long time to wait, but 30 years is nothing if you are waiting on your love. Mazel Tov.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:23 AM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:23 AM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
Good morning. I am sending you all "It's gonna be a great week!" energy.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:38 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:38 AM on August 29, 2022 [10 favorites]
mochapickle, sending good wishes for your brother's health. I hope your bad feeling is proven wrong.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:40 AM on August 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:40 AM on August 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
Shepherd's [handle corrected] awesome post on Chiac music
… which was first mentioned in a Free Thread back in March, just to complete the circle. I saw that FPP and thought "wait, didn't I already learn about this on Metafilter?" (The FPP is indeed awesome and more than the couple songs that were mentioned in March).
posted by fedward at 7:42 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
… which was first mentioned in a Free Thread back in March, just to complete the circle. I saw that FPP and thought "wait, didn't I already learn about this on Metafilter?" (The FPP is indeed awesome and more than the couple songs that were mentioned in March).
posted by fedward at 7:42 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
“This silver bird takes me, cross the sky. Just one more hour and I’ll be, home and dry”
posted by Windopaene at 8:55 AM on August 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Windopaene at 8:55 AM on August 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
I love hiking. And I'm fortunate enough to live near a big, undeveloped public forest that's covered with trails. No signs, no blazes, almost no one else on the trail. No highway noise, no litter. The only sign that other human beings exist is the occasional sound of a jet passing overhead. Nothing but ponds with marsh grass and water birds, and creeks and streams, and shady fern glades, and little sunny meadows, and birds singing in the treetops, and mushrooms (so many cool mushrooms!) and snakes and moss and millipedes.
I fell completely in love with it during lockdown in 2020. It's heaven – compared to regular blazed trails in a state park, it's on a whole other level. After walking for ninety minutes, the stresses of everyday life feel like they're a million miles away. I could happily die out there.
I have a friend who wasn't a big hiker. I mean, she enjoyed the occasional trek on clearly blazed, well-traveled trails – but I think she was intimidated by the idea of plunging into the middle of nowhere on unmarked trails.
I kept inviting her to come with me, and she eventually accepted a few times. And after a couple of trips, she got it. Now she's inviting me to go out, and she's excitedly pointing out all of the wonderful flora and fauna to me. (She still leaves it to me to read the trail maps and lead the way, but I'm perfectly happy with that.)
It's great to have a hiking buddy! We went out for three hours yesterday morning. Saw a couple of big ponds, and snacked on almonds and dried tangerines at a neat rock formation on top of a hill. It was a hot and humid day, but the sun was behind the clouds for much of it. If that isn't a good Sunday morning, then I don't know what is.
I might buy her a hydration pack as a gift. She's been eyeing mine.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 8:57 AM on August 29, 2022 [16 favorites]
I fell completely in love with it during lockdown in 2020. It's heaven – compared to regular blazed trails in a state park, it's on a whole other level. After walking for ninety minutes, the stresses of everyday life feel like they're a million miles away. I could happily die out there.
I have a friend who wasn't a big hiker. I mean, she enjoyed the occasional trek on clearly blazed, well-traveled trails – but I think she was intimidated by the idea of plunging into the middle of nowhere on unmarked trails.
I kept inviting her to come with me, and she eventually accepted a few times. And after a couple of trips, she got it. Now she's inviting me to go out, and she's excitedly pointing out all of the wonderful flora and fauna to me. (She still leaves it to me to read the trail maps and lead the way, but I'm perfectly happy with that.)
It's great to have a hiking buddy! We went out for three hours yesterday morning. Saw a couple of big ponds, and snacked on almonds and dried tangerines at a neat rock formation on top of a hill. It was a hot and humid day, but the sun was behind the clouds for much of it. If that isn't a good Sunday morning, then I don't know what is.
I might buy her a hydration pack as a gift. She's been eyeing mine.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 8:57 AM on August 29, 2022 [16 favorites]
What's that, nice driver person in a bike friendly suburban town? You want to know if you should signal your approval of bicycles by acting as if there were stop signs or red lights or other right-of-way rules in random places that are determined primarily by your mood? So you can wave me across a street I'm waiting to cross?
Since you asked, I appreciate the thought. But I'd rather you just drove predictably and safely. I have to worry about all the cars on the road, and if you expect me to follow your made up rules I'm less safe, not more so. And if there are no other cars on the road then you haven't helped at all by stopping, have you?
If you could get the other cars to stop drifting into the bike lane that would be more than enough, thanks.
(I would be haranguing some poor coworker about this as I got my coffee in the old days, but with WFH I haven't had a chance to unload about this in a while.)
posted by mark k at 9:01 AM on August 29, 2022 [17 favorites]
Since you asked, I appreciate the thought. But I'd rather you just drove predictably and safely. I have to worry about all the cars on the road, and if you expect me to follow your made up rules I'm less safe, not more so. And if there are no other cars on the road then you haven't helped at all by stopping, have you?
If you could get the other cars to stop drifting into the bike lane that would be more than enough, thanks.
(I would be haranguing some poor coworker about this as I got my coffee in the old days, but with WFH I haven't had a chance to unload about this in a while.)
posted by mark k at 9:01 AM on August 29, 2022 [17 favorites]
mochapickle, good vibes and best wishes for swift healing for your brother!
MrVisible, holy cow that sounds brutal. Hooray for the relief!
Zumbador, nice work!
heyitsgogi, that is terrific. Yay!
KingEdRa, Big Congrats, wow!
My poor Shi Tzu has an eye ulcer and instead of making him wear the cone I have been basically monitoring him non-stop so he doesn't rub his eye. Fortunately, he has shown little interest in doing so, possibly because he is on hydrocodone for another issue (chronic bronchitis and maybe Cushings). Ugh. If the antibiotic drops don't work it's going to be some serious, possibly heartbreaking, figuring of finances for next step. I am also moving in less than 2 weeks due to insane rent increase after one year at current place. 😟
But Dexter is doing ok so far, even with the drops, and I am trying to stay positive.
posted by Glinn at 9:05 AM on August 29, 2022 [8 favorites]
MrVisible, holy cow that sounds brutal. Hooray for the relief!
Zumbador, nice work!
heyitsgogi, that is terrific. Yay!
KingEdRa, Big Congrats, wow!
My poor Shi Tzu has an eye ulcer and instead of making him wear the cone I have been basically monitoring him non-stop so he doesn't rub his eye. Fortunately, he has shown little interest in doing so, possibly because he is on hydrocodone for another issue (chronic bronchitis and maybe Cushings). Ugh. If the antibiotic drops don't work it's going to be some serious, possibly heartbreaking, figuring of finances for next step. I am also moving in less than 2 weeks due to insane rent increase after one year at current place. 😟
But Dexter is doing ok so far, even with the drops, and I am trying to stay positive.
posted by Glinn at 9:05 AM on August 29, 2022 [8 favorites]
New MeTa revealing the first members of the Metafilter Steering Committee!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:11 AM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:11 AM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Somewhere in southern California one of my cousins is recovering from delivering her first kid; my parents got a text with a baby photo from the excited grandparents (Mom's brother and SIL), but she didn't send it to me "because I figure it'll be on that Facebook thing you do". It is not yet since I think everyone's letting the dust settle; I'm just glad to know everyone is okay.
This now makes me the only childless one amongst us cousins; I was already the only unmarried one. But the whole family (including me) has said for DECADES that I am our unmarried aunt Susan's Mini-Me anyway; I'll just lean into being the weird cool aunt that the rest of the family gossips about but the kids think rocks because "mom's always talking about boring stuff like bills or cleaning the toilet, but Aunt EC goes to amusement parks and weird museums and can make pickles from scratch and knows where to find the REALLY cool stuff in the museums and has friends who work on Broadway!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:18 AM on August 29, 2022 [9 favorites]
This now makes me the only childless one amongst us cousins; I was already the only unmarried one. But the whole family (including me) has said for DECADES that I am our unmarried aunt Susan's Mini-Me anyway; I'll just lean into being the weird cool aunt that the rest of the family gossips about but the kids think rocks because "mom's always talking about boring stuff like bills or cleaning the toilet, but Aunt EC goes to amusement parks and weird museums and can make pickles from scratch and knows where to find the REALLY cool stuff in the museums and has friends who work on Broadway!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:18 AM on August 29, 2022 [9 favorites]
Oof, today is another day where I ate like a child at a funfair on Sunday, and Monday is the Adult Tummy Reckoning.
Kitteh you have 1000% described my weekend (tacos for dinner twice in a row, and kids bday party with burgers and caaaaaaaake)
posted by supermedusa at 9:38 AM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Kitteh you have 1000% described my weekend (tacos for dinner twice in a row, and kids bday party with burgers and caaaaaaaake)
posted by supermedusa at 9:38 AM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
For the first time, I am attempting to propagate strawberries by potting runners. (The word stolon is now firmly in my vocabulary.)
posted by SPrintF at 10:07 AM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 10:07 AM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
My Weekend, a one act play:
My 3 year old niece: "Uncle Abehammerb...can you do the pushups?"
Me: "I can!" (51 year old uncle Abehammerb proceeds to do five very slowly)
Two minutes later, "Uncle Abehammerb, can you do the pushups with me on your back?"
My sister: "Oh god, no."
Me: "Hold my beer."
Most fun I've had all month. I can barely move today.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:09 AM on August 29, 2022 [29 favorites]
My 3 year old niece: "Uncle Abehammerb...can you do the pushups?"
Me: "I can!" (51 year old uncle Abehammerb proceeds to do five very slowly)
Two minutes later, "Uncle Abehammerb, can you do the pushups with me on your back?"
My sister: "Oh god, no."
Me: "Hold my beer."
Most fun I've had all month. I can barely move today.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:09 AM on August 29, 2022 [29 favorites]
I'm impressed the 3-year-old was able to hold your beer steady while you were doing pushups with her on your back!
posted by xedrik at 12:36 PM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by xedrik at 12:36 PM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
A couple of weekends ago, we took our first family vacation in years. All four of the kids, plus me & my wife, piled into the minivan and headed north. We spent three nights at an AirBnB outside Quebec City -- and people, you should go.
The drive from New England was like seven hours each way. The kids are old enough to drive: HURRAY! We spent all of our time walking and hiking and kayaking and walking -- and my news shoes felt great. HURRAY! They're old enough to wear their own daypacks: HURRAY! We didn't see a single museum or church: BOO!
The food was great: one of them said, "Does that word mean venison? I'm in." The poutine we ordered never arrived, so we hit an A&W on the way home just for poutine. (Do not do this: good poutine will be waiting for you next time.) I had a local cider and local beer: they were good. (I didn't bring any home.) We tried all-dressed chips (a huge hit) and I bought sacks of Mackintosh Toffee at a drugstore.
It wasn't a barrier that we didn't speak much French, near downtown. One of my kids wants to minor in French, so his big sister grabbed him at a store and hissed, "Ask what time they close." When they got to the counter, he nervously cleared his throat and said, "Uh, bonjour. What time do you close" -- in English. She was disgusted. We went to the same suburban ice cream shop two nights in a row. The first night one of the kids said a few things to us, then made another girl take our order. The next night we knew what we wanted so we were ready to order in French...but when we opened the door, we heard one of them holler in French, "They're back!" Anyway, most people were nice, and I fooled at least one guy into thinking I speak French, which was fun.
There are lovely parks all over the place, and waterfalls, and terrifying pedestrian suspension bridges. We hiked in the Jacques Cartier national park, and the views were amazing. Gas wasn't too expensive. There were only size small t-shirts at all the souvenir shops, which is a weird shortage to be so common.
You guys, it was so fun! I want to go back in the winter now!
posted by wenestvedt at 1:37 PM on August 29, 2022 [12 favorites]
The drive from New England was like seven hours each way. The kids are old enough to drive: HURRAY! We spent all of our time walking and hiking and kayaking and walking -- and my news shoes felt great. HURRAY! They're old enough to wear their own daypacks: HURRAY! We didn't see a single museum or church: BOO!
The food was great: one of them said, "Does that word mean venison? I'm in." The poutine we ordered never arrived, so we hit an A&W on the way home just for poutine. (Do not do this: good poutine will be waiting for you next time.) I had a local cider and local beer: they were good. (I didn't bring any home.) We tried all-dressed chips (a huge hit) and I bought sacks of Mackintosh Toffee at a drugstore.
It wasn't a barrier that we didn't speak much French, near downtown. One of my kids wants to minor in French, so his big sister grabbed him at a store and hissed, "Ask what time they close." When they got to the counter, he nervously cleared his throat and said, "Uh, bonjour. What time do you close" -- in English. She was disgusted. We went to the same suburban ice cream shop two nights in a row. The first night one of the kids said a few things to us, then made another girl take our order. The next night we knew what we wanted so we were ready to order in French...but when we opened the door, we heard one of them holler in French, "They're back!" Anyway, most people were nice, and I fooled at least one guy into thinking I speak French, which was fun.
There are lovely parks all over the place, and waterfalls, and terrifying pedestrian suspension bridges. We hiked in the Jacques Cartier national park, and the views were amazing. Gas wasn't too expensive. There were only size small t-shirts at all the souvenir shops, which is a weird shortage to be so common.
You guys, it was so fun! I want to go back in the winter now!
posted by wenestvedt at 1:37 PM on August 29, 2022 [12 favorites]
Congratulations, KingEdRa! (And what a lovely backstory!)
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:03 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:03 PM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
mochapickle, I'm sending lots and lots of good thoughts to your brother AND to you.
posted by kristi at 2:40 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by kristi at 2:40 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
mochapickle, I am wishing for a good outcome for you and your brother.
posted by HotToddy at 4:03 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 4:03 PM on August 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Mochapickle, sending all the best thoughts possible your way, or more correctly, your brothers.
Just returned from a camping trip with my other half. What a great time. It's only our second trip together - I've camped solo since 2014, so it's been an adjustment having someone else. We visited a county fair, and I saw my first demolition derby - which I adored. Smashing cars - on purpose! It was great fun.
Followed by a difficult hike with spectacular views and waterfalls. I miss our campsite already.
posted by annieb at 4:10 PM on August 29, 2022 [7 favorites]
Just returned from a camping trip with my other half. What a great time. It's only our second trip together - I've camped solo since 2014, so it's been an adjustment having someone else. We visited a county fair, and I saw my first demolition derby - which I adored. Smashing cars - on purpose! It was great fun.
Followed by a difficult hike with spectacular views and waterfalls. I miss our campsite already.
posted by annieb at 4:10 PM on August 29, 2022 [7 favorites]
The nice exterminator came out on Saturday. We had a yellow jacket nest over the front door and a wasp nest over my youngest brother's bedroom. Three weekends ago I started seeing dead bees (actually wasps, but I wasn't in the mood to get a good look) in the bedroom. Then last weekend, I discovered the purring noise I was hearing was not actually my cat but the yellow jacket nest. Thankfully they hadn't bored through the ceiling like the wasps.
I'm all for live and let live, but not when a whole nest of them is inside the ceiling of the house.
posted by kathrynm at 4:13 PM on August 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm all for live and let live, but not when a whole nest of them is inside the ceiling of the house.
posted by kathrynm at 4:13 PM on August 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
No longer free, but back at work after a long weekend away a week after a normal weekend away :-( Only for two weeks though, then we're off to the far north in our new (to us) camper for a two-week tropical road trip :-)
posted by dg at 4:19 PM on August 29, 2022
posted by dg at 4:19 PM on August 29, 2022
mochapickle, best to your brother.
Our kid, who's had their challenges, just the spent the last 4 nights at college orientation, and doesn't hate it! Has been seen smiling in photos! Actively participating in some events! Seems to be okay living in a dorm! This is someone who didn't willingly leave the house for non-school related purposes previously. Classes start tomorrow, fingers crossed it keeps going well.
posted by mollweide at 5:49 PM on August 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
Our kid, who's had their challenges, just the spent the last 4 nights at college orientation, and doesn't hate it! Has been seen smiling in photos! Actively participating in some events! Seems to be okay living in a dorm! This is someone who didn't willingly leave the house for non-school related purposes previously. Classes start tomorrow, fingers crossed it keeps going well.
posted by mollweide at 5:49 PM on August 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
I'm not going to say publicly what I did today, because if I do it'll probably jinx everything* and my odds of it working out are about 33% anyway. But I did something fairly successfully and did a good follow-up afterwards and whether or not it works out, I did the best I could. So, good for me for accomplishing that, at least. I don't feel super strongly as to whether or not it works out, which is probably all for the best one way or another, but it'd be at least a slight improvement if it went through.
* Yeah, that date with the crush...turns out he was horrified that people thought we were a couple, because excessive affection at times means nothing. That was utterly hopeless after all and I will never talk about anyone like that with hopes ever again. Or probably him again either after this show's over. Sigh, but there it is. C'est ma vie as a weirdo old lady nobody likes unless they're 80. I wave the white flag of surrender on the entire topic and accept my permanent place on Crone Island.
I was not looking forward to posting that update, but it had to be done. Might as well sandwich it with a good day otherwise. I didn't even hate myself at work all day today, so there's something.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:07 PM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
* Yeah, that date with the crush...turns out he was horrified that people thought we were a couple, because excessive affection at times means nothing. That was utterly hopeless after all and I will never talk about anyone like that with hopes ever again. Or probably him again either after this show's over. Sigh, but there it is. C'est ma vie as a weirdo old lady nobody likes unless they're 80. I wave the white flag of surrender on the entire topic and accept my permanent place on Crone Island.
I was not looking forward to posting that update, but it had to be done. Might as well sandwich it with a good day otherwise. I didn't even hate myself at work all day today, so there's something.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:07 PM on August 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
Last Thursday a big limb broke off my avocado tree - not all the way off, but like halfway off so it was dangling from about 15 feet up. I tried and failed to find a tree service that would return my calls. So this morning I went to Lowe's and bought a cordless chainsaw, figured out how to assemble it properly (much more challenging than Ikea furniture), and chopped my wayward avocado limb into pieces small enough to carry to the curb. There are now about 100 pounds of avocados sitting on my kitchen counter (no wonder the poor limb broke off!) and a bunch of branches on the curb to be picked up tomorrow. I am very proud of being able to take care of it myself and enjoying the power that comes with wielding a chainsaw.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:40 PM on August 29, 2022 [18 favorites]
posted by Daily Alice at 6:40 PM on August 29, 2022 [18 favorites]
I am someone who put my TVs on the curb in 2006. So with the advent of streaming I am watching commercials while binge watching Star Trek Discovery. Ha ha ha ha ha ha, I can't believe what they think they can sell using modern body types, cultural memes, stereotypes, the "new" is so bouncy, plastic, contemptuous of normalcy, skin, skin, skin, perfection, (whatever that is,) but the sales of drugs to consumers, who, I guess, will supplicate their docs for them, is outrageous. Dangerous drugs, that interact with the other drugs they prescribed at an instacare, the gummies they buy on the side, the weekend wine. Anyway, I have watched the changes in our society with words, here, and in newspapers, side discussions, but not run through TV. So, for instance I have never heard Tucker the fu**er from Fox news, utter a word, nor Rush, nor any of it. The candy colored sell job of this day, is deadly comedy, morphing in such a way, that everyone is a cartoon played to the new multicultural US, and it is kind of terrifying. The lack of respect for viewers of all kinds with every single individual a cariacature designed to create the desire to consume the entire pill of looks, acquisitions, and cheap food porn I don't know, It just rattles me. Then there is the prosperity sell, everyone they are selling to is so prosperous, comfy houses, new clothes, new cars while they go searching for a skin remedy which will serve them on their beach volleyball vacation.I feel like a time traveler, like Gulliver, like alienated from the basic schema.
Anyway, I am watching the commercials like slapstick. Consume, consume, consume, and the Greenland ice is too far gone, they said today, at least one foot rise in the oceans, no matter what we do. Anyway, carry on. Pretty soon they will bundle statins with Little Caesar's Pizza, no worries.
posted by Oyéah at 9:22 PM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Anyway, I am watching the commercials like slapstick. Consume, consume, consume, and the Greenland ice is too far gone, they said today, at least one foot rise in the oceans, no matter what we do. Anyway, carry on. Pretty soon they will bundle statins with Little Caesar's Pizza, no worries.
posted by Oyéah at 9:22 PM on August 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Is fogginess a symptom of COVID? My kid is home with a sore throat and a fever, some nausea. I now have sore throat and fogginess/disorientation. Both testing negative though.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:59 AM on August 30, 2022
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:59 AM on August 30, 2022
Is fogginess a symptom of COVID?
Brain cloud. Could be quite lucrative.
posted by Literaryhero at 7:11 AM on August 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
Brain cloud. Could be quite lucrative.
posted by Literaryhero at 7:11 AM on August 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
Is _____ a symptom of COVID?
Yeah, pretty much.
posted by neuron at 7:57 AM on August 30, 2022 [6 favorites]
Yeah, pretty much.
posted by neuron at 7:57 AM on August 30, 2022 [6 favorites]
I often see people in cooking videos use a bench/dough scraper to scoop up handfuls of cut food pieces, clean up scraps, and so on. I thought it was a neat tool and bought one for myself ages ago, but it stayed in a drawer out of sight/out of mind and I rarely remembered to use it. Recently I figured out a nifty little thing and I'm far more tickled and proud of it than I have a reasonable right to be: since my cutting board sits on a non-slip mat (cut from a roll of cheap shelf liner) I could cut out one corner of the mat to make a little "pocket" to slide the scraper under the board, permanently stored right there and available any time I need it. And it works like a champ! Now it gives me a smile every time I easily scoop up food or scrape crumbs off the board to keep it nice and clean. Sometimes it really is the simple things in life...
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:44 AM on August 30, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:44 AM on August 30, 2022 [4 favorites]
Fever causes brain fog whilenit is ongoing, a sudden immune response does this too, it is nature's way of saying, "Take it easy." The immune system sometimes needs some total slack to get the job done.
posted by Oyéah at 10:10 AM on August 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Oyéah at 10:10 AM on August 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
Yesterday we brought 20yo to his 2nd year of college in Madison, WI, which was almost as lovely as I remembered it from last year but with WAY more road construction, and also last year I wasn't beset with the aching bones and muscles I've been dealing with lately (last year we happily walked all around downtown, toured the Capitol, etc - this year I was begging him to find close parking to everything so his ancient mother wouldn't expire). After we got him settled in (trip to Target, etc), 17yo and I headed west and landed in Onalaska, where we enjoyed a lazy hotel stay, and this morning headed over to Sparta, WI - home of FAST company, who are the people who make all the giant fiberglass statues you see on Roadside America. Their molds are kept in an easily-wanderable space where you can see Dragons! and Bears! and Ice Cream Cones! and whatever other roadside oddities you can imagine. Well, the molds, anyway. I'm exactly that nerd who will insist we pull over to get YET ANOTHER PICTURE of YET ANOTHER CHEESE MOUSE or whatever, so this was pretty fun for me.
Then we got back on the road, found a giant sunfish, a rural chicken, and a bear on roller skates, and then headed over to Winona MN, where 17yo got to be reunited with his GF, who he hasn't seen for TWO WEEKS, y'all. Young love was celebrated (and another Target run was achieved) and then 17yo drove the four hours home, at which point all the kitties were delighted to have us here and we promptly collapsed into bed. Except for me posting this update, which I'm sure you were all waiting for.
Tomorrow 17yo gets his Meningcoccal-whatever-it is shot he needs for 12th grade, and we both get Covid boosters. Which is good, as my mom currently has Covid (mild, she's vaxxed and boostered).
posted by cinnamonduff at 8:11 PM on August 30, 2022 [4 favorites]
Then we got back on the road, found a giant sunfish, a rural chicken, and a bear on roller skates, and then headed over to Winona MN, where 17yo got to be reunited with his GF, who he hasn't seen for TWO WEEKS, y'all. Young love was celebrated (and another Target run was achieved) and then 17yo drove the four hours home, at which point all the kitties were delighted to have us here and we promptly collapsed into bed. Except for me posting this update, which I'm sure you were all waiting for.
Tomorrow 17yo gets his Meningcoccal-whatever-it is shot he needs for 12th grade, and we both get Covid boosters. Which is good, as my mom currently has Covid (mild, she's vaxxed and boostered).
posted by cinnamonduff at 8:11 PM on August 30, 2022 [4 favorites]
I got lazy. Here is just converted from .heic to .jpg circa 1983 space camp thirteen year old me stuffed into an air force high altitude flight suite (think SR-71/U2): zengargoyle in space.....
Sadly it wasn't on the fake moon surface, but hey 40 years ago and I haven't seen it in 35 years so a bit of false memory. And my sister isn't that great at getting a cellphone scan of a picture.... sigh. Guess it's still on my list of things to do next time I go back home.
(the .heic file is in the same place if you like)
posted by zengargoyle at 8:19 PM on August 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
Sadly it wasn't on the fake moon surface, but hey 40 years ago and I haven't seen it in 35 years so a bit of false memory. And my sister isn't that great at getting a cellphone scan of a picture.... sigh. Guess it's still on my list of things to do next time I go back home.
(the .heic file is in the same place if you like)
posted by zengargoyle at 8:19 PM on August 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
I just made a post in projects here, about a short story I wrote. Genre = contemporary fantasy.
Writing it helped me process some of the difficult emotions around realising that I'm autistic, and deciding whether or not to pursue official diagnosis.
I also told my husband's family yesterday that I'm autistic. I had hoped to avoid doing that as they can be quite judgmental, but it's become clear that it's too difficult to avoid misunderstandings about the times I've shut down in social situations. So far they have been pretty good about it.
Trying to think of a T shirt for the occasion:
Maybe
"human" (self diagnosed)
Or
Normal in a different way
posted by Zumbador at 8:59 PM on August 30, 2022 [5 favorites]
Writing it helped me process some of the difficult emotions around realising that I'm autistic, and deciding whether or not to pursue official diagnosis.
I also told my husband's family yesterday that I'm autistic. I had hoped to avoid doing that as they can be quite judgmental, but it's become clear that it's too difficult to avoid misunderstandings about the times I've shut down in social situations. So far they have been pretty good about it.
Trying to think of a T shirt for the occasion:
Maybe
"human" (self diagnosed)
Or
Normal in a different way
posted by Zumbador at 8:59 PM on August 30, 2022 [5 favorites]
So I'm already starting to get into the planning stages for my garden plot next year. The small leadership committee (read: the handful of us who are nuts enough to want to do this kind of leadership stuff) is doing a little long-range strategizing for various parts of the garden, and we've already started turning two icky weedy overgrown empty patches into the official Pollinator Garden sections; we'll be seeding them with wildflowers in the fall and then hopefully we'll get nice pretty patches of native wildflowers.
I've also called dibs on continuing the tea herb garden I started in some containers - a bunch of mints, lemon balm, lavender, and lemon verbena - and also pickup up another raspberry bush or two to go along with the one lone one we have for the group to share. We're also talking about moving our grape vine to a more accessible location (the only way you can reach the grapes now is by climbing over someone's plot and shimmying under the vines in a weedy, root-filled 4-inch gap along a fence) and I said I would keep an eye on watering/general care once that had been done. I summed that up by saying that I would be responsible for "Community fruit and cute herbs". Someone else in the group said that would make a great name for an indie coffee shop.
But the REAL fun is coming from planning my own plot...I already knew I wanted to go legume-heavy, since I had tomatoes in it this year and I'd read it was wise to put in peas and beans the year after tomatoes to kid of rebalance the nitrogen levels in the soil. And while I was browsing a seed catalog....I discovered that there is a variety of snap peas that is purple. I also knew I wanted to grow some runner beans (they have loads of flowers that attract bees), and found a variety where the dried beans also come in shades of purple. And then I discovered a string bean that was also purple....and I already knew there were a couple of varieties of purple carrots....and there is a purple-hued basil, and a purple-hued leafy vegetable I found...
....and so I have decided to go slightly silly and do an All Purple Plot next year. I'm even trying to figure out if I have room for a scarecrow that looks like Prince.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:21 AM on August 31, 2022 [4 favorites]
I've also called dibs on continuing the tea herb garden I started in some containers - a bunch of mints, lemon balm, lavender, and lemon verbena - and also pickup up another raspberry bush or two to go along with the one lone one we have for the group to share. We're also talking about moving our grape vine to a more accessible location (the only way you can reach the grapes now is by climbing over someone's plot and shimmying under the vines in a weedy, root-filled 4-inch gap along a fence) and I said I would keep an eye on watering/general care once that had been done. I summed that up by saying that I would be responsible for "Community fruit and cute herbs". Someone else in the group said that would make a great name for an indie coffee shop.
But the REAL fun is coming from planning my own plot...I already knew I wanted to go legume-heavy, since I had tomatoes in it this year and I'd read it was wise to put in peas and beans the year after tomatoes to kid of rebalance the nitrogen levels in the soil. And while I was browsing a seed catalog....I discovered that there is a variety of snap peas that is purple. I also knew I wanted to grow some runner beans (they have loads of flowers that attract bees), and found a variety where the dried beans also come in shades of purple. And then I discovered a string bean that was also purple....and I already knew there were a couple of varieties of purple carrots....and there is a purple-hued basil, and a purple-hued leafy vegetable I found...
....and so I have decided to go slightly silly and do an All Purple Plot next year. I'm even trying to figure out if I have room for a scarecrow that looks like Prince.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:21 AM on August 31, 2022 [4 favorites]
EC, I always enjoy your writing and I hope you write a book someday about your community garden.
posted by mochapickle at 6:23 AM on August 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 6:23 AM on August 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
*gasp* I just remembered that my plot is partially under our plum tree.
It's fate!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:29 AM on August 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
It's fate!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:29 AM on August 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
I am also taking so much joy rolling around planning my garden this year. A couple weeks ago my roommate and I wandered out to do some minor yard work and one thing led to another and we semi accidentally moved all the compost and built ourselves a raised bed right where the old chicken coop used to be, which we're overseeding with clover for the summer and going to plant vegetables in next spring. Later in the fall we'll move the rhubarb there, too. We did some overseeding elsewhere and have plans to overseed the whole yard with clover and fescue and creeping thyme; first I'm going to host a root beer float party for my lab, then we'll kill most of the current weeds especially the invasives (sparing all the volunteer sunflowers of course) and replace with the new ground cover. And we're going to do a big strip of native prairie along one fence: purple coneflower and little bluestem and a mess of sunflowers and other things the roommate has been sourcing from friends and family all summer.
My library (just a block around the corner!) wants donations of milkweed seeds and as a happy coincidence my front yard is full of milkweed, so I'm watching the pods carefully to see when they're ready to harvest.
I'm going to get a few chickens of my own in the spring, probably -- on the off chance the puppy I'm on a waiting list for is born in the next six months, I'll hold off, but otherwise the plans for a hoop coop are solidifying nicely.
And this afternoon I will be toddling off to the Minnesota State Fair for the second time, having spent all day Saturday there toddling around looking at all the livestock breeds--always one of the big draws for me--and the crafts barn. I even got to see four in hand draft hitches, which is always the dream (though I mostly missed the six-in-hand), and some of the draft pleasure driving classes. There was this lady driving a Percheron mare who made it look like her big black horse was effectively reading her mind as they maneuvered her little two wheel dog cart through the ring. Phenomenal. This time, though, I'm going to eat more ridiculous foods: the Oreo crumble Nutella funnel cake was a winner, sure, but I'm pretty sure there's more out there to try....
posted by sciatrix at 7:48 AM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
My library (just a block around the corner!) wants donations of milkweed seeds and as a happy coincidence my front yard is full of milkweed, so I'm watching the pods carefully to see when they're ready to harvest.
I'm going to get a few chickens of my own in the spring, probably -- on the off chance the puppy I'm on a waiting list for is born in the next six months, I'll hold off, but otherwise the plans for a hoop coop are solidifying nicely.
And this afternoon I will be toddling off to the Minnesota State Fair for the second time, having spent all day Saturday there toddling around looking at all the livestock breeds--always one of the big draws for me--and the crafts barn. I even got to see four in hand draft hitches, which is always the dream (though I mostly missed the six-in-hand), and some of the draft pleasure driving classes. There was this lady driving a Percheron mare who made it look like her big black horse was effectively reading her mind as they maneuvered her little two wheel dog cart through the ring. Phenomenal. This time, though, I'm going to eat more ridiculous foods: the Oreo crumble Nutella funnel cake was a winner, sure, but I'm pretty sure there's more out there to try....
posted by sciatrix at 7:48 AM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
I always wanted to start a bluegrass band named "Red Fescue and the Kentucky Bluegrass Band".
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:48 AM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:48 AM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
My fellow community gardeners were talking last night about radishes as a winter crop - specifically daikon, which when you just leave it in the ground I guess kind of aerates the soil by creating these deep roots that then rot in place and enrich everything. Does that sound right? Anyway it was exciting to think about.
I've also bought some winter rye seed and am planning where to sow it. I think I need to plant less garlic this fall - there is no way I'm going to be able to eat this year's crop, we are just not that garlicky around here. My co-gardener last year didn't take anything like half this year's yield.
I am thinking of writing to the garden listserv and asking if anyone wants to do a crop swap, or if we can have like a harvest party with giveaways.
After we cleared the delinquent gardener's crop, a couple of weekends ago, we tarped it over to try and kill some fraction of the weeds she left unchecked. I bought the tarps - surprisingly expensive! - and am hoping that someone wants the plot for next year, we seem to have reached the end of the waiting list. If noone does, I am thinking of maybe treating it like a communal experimental plot. Like, I don't want to put watermelons in my own plot but what if we just planted a bunch of them and saw what happened? I think a couple of us have ideas about it.
There are so many tomatoes anytime I go down there. Also someone asked me last night why I haven't harvested my chard and I had to say that in fact I HAVE, I just can't keep up with it. There is SO MUCH CHARD.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 9:15 AM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've also bought some winter rye seed and am planning where to sow it. I think I need to plant less garlic this fall - there is no way I'm going to be able to eat this year's crop, we are just not that garlicky around here. My co-gardener last year didn't take anything like half this year's yield.
I am thinking of writing to the garden listserv and asking if anyone wants to do a crop swap, or if we can have like a harvest party with giveaways.
After we cleared the delinquent gardener's crop, a couple of weekends ago, we tarped it over to try and kill some fraction of the weeds she left unchecked. I bought the tarps - surprisingly expensive! - and am hoping that someone wants the plot for next year, we seem to have reached the end of the waiting list. If noone does, I am thinking of maybe treating it like a communal experimental plot. Like, I don't want to put watermelons in my own plot but what if we just planted a bunch of them and saw what happened? I think a couple of us have ideas about it.
There are so many tomatoes anytime I go down there. Also someone asked me last night why I haven't harvested my chard and I had to say that in fact I HAVE, I just can't keep up with it. There is SO MUCH CHARD.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 9:15 AM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
My garden, I failed my garden this year *sniff* But, there are only three weeks of the year that are not the growing season in this SoCal area.
So one more thing to be wary of. I am way allergic to poison Ivy and Poison oak. There are also poison sumac, pistaschios, cashews, and mangoes, which all have some of an oily compound called urushiol. This compound also comes from the Japanese lacquer tree, which is what the black lacquer comes from on asiatic furniture. Industry is trying to monetize the fruit covering of cashews which is so sugary it ferments almost instantly, which is where some of the videos of drunk monkeys and elephants come from. It made me think that if people have intestinal auto immune disease, or auto immune disease at all, they might should avoid these things. The urushiol is in the leaves of mangoes, so take care picking the fruit. The articles I read said the Langerhans cells react strongly to the presence of this compound, maybe in minute amounts. The entrance of the fruit covering of cashews into the human food chain, might come with health risks, I don't know what that additive is called. If you have little ones who touch or gnaw on lacquered furniture items then maybe they should go out of reach.
Should you choose to ignore this whole post, I wouldn't blame you. I don't have auto-immune disease that I k ow of, I can't eat cashews, but the rest is OK. However, watching a slew of TV commercials, targeted to Star Trek Discovery, I noticed a lot of drug sales, directed at Irritable bowel syndrome, and other immune GI dysfunctions.
posted by Oyéah at 11:50 AM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
So one more thing to be wary of. I am way allergic to poison Ivy and Poison oak. There are also poison sumac, pistaschios, cashews, and mangoes, which all have some of an oily compound called urushiol. This compound also comes from the Japanese lacquer tree, which is what the black lacquer comes from on asiatic furniture. Industry is trying to monetize the fruit covering of cashews which is so sugary it ferments almost instantly, which is where some of the videos of drunk monkeys and elephants come from. It made me think that if people have intestinal auto immune disease, or auto immune disease at all, they might should avoid these things. The urushiol is in the leaves of mangoes, so take care picking the fruit. The articles I read said the Langerhans cells react strongly to the presence of this compound, maybe in minute amounts. The entrance of the fruit covering of cashews into the human food chain, might come with health risks, I don't know what that additive is called. If you have little ones who touch or gnaw on lacquered furniture items then maybe they should go out of reach.
Should you choose to ignore this whole post, I wouldn't blame you. I don't have auto-immune disease that I k ow of, I can't eat cashews, but the rest is OK. However, watching a slew of TV commercials, targeted to Star Trek Discovery, I noticed a lot of drug sales, directed at Irritable bowel syndrome, and other immune GI dysfunctions.
posted by Oyéah at 11:50 AM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yes my “garden”, two trash cans filled with soil and such, one snow peas and one cucumbers, didn’t do well this year. Got some of the peas, but, despite the number of flowers, have only gotten one deformed cuke. Harsh. Was looking forward to spicy refrigerator pickles…
The blueberries have done pretty well, but they do that every year. Sigh…
posted by Windopaene at 3:04 PM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
The blueberries have done pretty well, but they do that every year. Sigh…
posted by Windopaene at 3:04 PM on August 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm even trying to figure out if I have room for a scarecrow that looks like Prince.
I mean, I know Prince wrote the music and the song, but really make it Morris Day from The Time and have some kind of minor animatronics and a sensor that plays The Bird to scare off the pests.
posted by hippybear at 3:20 PM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
I mean, I know Prince wrote the music and the song, but really make it Morris Day from The Time and have some kind of minor animatronics and a sensor that plays The Bird to scare off the pests.
posted by hippybear at 3:20 PM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
Alaska just elected Mary Peltola to the US Congress choosing the democrat over Sarah Palin.
posted by interogative mood at 8:16 PM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by interogative mood at 8:16 PM on August 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
Alaska just elected Mary Peltola to the US Congress choosing the democrat over Sarah Palin.There is an existing post where we have been discussing that, but honestly, I'm glad for people to be happy about it wherever they want..
The results were due at 4pm this afternoon and rather than sit around fretting and waiting for the announcement, I had decided to go for a walk to a local spot where bears fish a small falls while the salmon are running. Sadly, no bears just fish at the falls while I was there, but while I was perched at an overlook spot my phone started blowing up. The Alaskans I know are quite pleased by this result.
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:32 PM on August 31, 2022
Today is my first day of Ritalin, after a comedy of errors in getting ahold of my meds, and I feel ... more. Awake, alert, much more focused, but not entirely, as you can see from my taking a moment to be here. I'd feared, and maybe hoped, that it would be like that time on King of the Hill where Bobby stares at the milk carton. But no, it's like caffeine without the flying sensation or the crashing, and, crucially, without the running out and needing more. I didn't drink my coffee this morning and I don't need it as of now, even though I was very tired. We'll see, I guess.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:39 AM on September 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 7:39 AM on September 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
This is the first weekend in over a year that I'm not heavily involved in a volunteer project. I'm not involved in any volunteer project! I'm going to collapse for awhile.
Also I've finally decided on a govt name change, I think, which is thrilling and terrifying and weird. Names are the worst.
posted by curious nu at 9:28 AM on September 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also I've finally decided on a govt name change, I think, which is thrilling and terrifying and weird. Names are the worst.
posted by curious nu at 9:28 AM on September 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Boy, I seem to be getting fucked on the 3-day weekends this summer...the July 4th weekend is when I got Covid, and now this weekend, my allergies and sinuses are starting to get a bit funky from the weather change - and it's causing an earache, which is the first time in my life that's ever happened. So instead of heading out and playing this weekend I may be holed up with some Claratin and a hot compress on the side of my face. Piffle.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:31 AM on September 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:31 AM on September 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm gonna throw this out there to the theater people--it's not a formal AskMe and I already looked at AskMe anyway, but if anyone has thoughts, let me know.
I'm debating whether or not to learn part time tap dancing this fall. I took ballet/modern/jazz growing up, but am considered a non-dancer at this theater (literally, this has been said in my hearing, like "you guys in the back are non-dancers") since I suck/do not have dancer thin or flexible body anyway. I never felt particularly drawn to tap compared to everything else, so I didn't really care about picking it up growing up. I am vaguely considering auditioning at another snootier theater in mid-January (I don't have serious intent/upset if I don't get in on this particular show, but I like it better than what home theater is doing this winter/spring/summer) and the audition spiel says they want tap dancers, even though I've watched the show and it doesn't look particularly tap-ish usually. I think I probably wouldn't get in at this theater even as a warm body ensemble member anyway because this theater has more money/snobbery and I have very low expectations, but it might slightly boost my odds if I had a clue about tap. Or boost anything else for me at home theater, perhaps, I dunno.
Arguments for attempting this:
(a) One of my castmates who performs here and at Snootier Theater said she didn't know tap, was cast in 42nd Street here and was immediately thrown into tap dancing when she didn't expect to have to actually tap, and now she does it in shows, so it can't be THAT bad to have to learn on the fly?
(b) There's a dance studio in town that looks like you can take an occasional drop-in class when you have the free time. I note that I will probably be doing another show after this one from mid-September to the end of the first week of December, but it looks like class runs before rehearsal and I probably won't be in all rehearsals and I'd have a few weeks later to go to lessons. It would not be extensive learning time, but I could at least start it up a bit.
(c) Even though I will probably be taking 2023 off from doing musicals (I don't really like or fit the ones my home theater is doing in 2023, hence considering auditioning at Snootier Theater), maybe it's a good basis to have in the future.
Arguments against:
(a) Aforementioned "I suck at dance, so sayeth other dancers, my body is inadequate" and "seriously, long shot to get into this show anyway."
(b) Not having a super large amount of time to learn this fall before auditions in January anyway, not to mention god help me, having to buy tap shoes. Also I haaaaaaaaaaate shoe shopping because my feet hate shoes and that's a lot of money on something I am at least fairly likely not to stick with.
(c) Reading this Ask Mefi thread from the past.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:57 AM on September 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm debating whether or not to learn part time tap dancing this fall. I took ballet/modern/jazz growing up, but am considered a non-dancer at this theater (literally, this has been said in my hearing, like "you guys in the back are non-dancers") since I suck/do not have dancer thin or flexible body anyway. I never felt particularly drawn to tap compared to everything else, so I didn't really care about picking it up growing up. I am vaguely considering auditioning at another snootier theater in mid-January (I don't have serious intent/upset if I don't get in on this particular show, but I like it better than what home theater is doing this winter/spring/summer) and the audition spiel says they want tap dancers, even though I've watched the show and it doesn't look particularly tap-ish usually. I think I probably wouldn't get in at this theater even as a warm body ensemble member anyway because this theater has more money/snobbery and I have very low expectations, but it might slightly boost my odds if I had a clue about tap. Or boost anything else for me at home theater, perhaps, I dunno.
Arguments for attempting this:
(a) One of my castmates who performs here and at Snootier Theater said she didn't know tap, was cast in 42nd Street here and was immediately thrown into tap dancing when she didn't expect to have to actually tap, and now she does it in shows, so it can't be THAT bad to have to learn on the fly?
(b) There's a dance studio in town that looks like you can take an occasional drop-in class when you have the free time. I note that I will probably be doing another show after this one from mid-September to the end of the first week of December, but it looks like class runs before rehearsal and I probably won't be in all rehearsals and I'd have a few weeks later to go to lessons. It would not be extensive learning time, but I could at least start it up a bit.
(c) Even though I will probably be taking 2023 off from doing musicals (I don't really like or fit the ones my home theater is doing in 2023, hence considering auditioning at Snootier Theater), maybe it's a good basis to have in the future.
Arguments against:
(a) Aforementioned "I suck at dance, so sayeth other dancers, my body is inadequate" and "seriously, long shot to get into this show anyway."
(b) Not having a super large amount of time to learn this fall before auditions in January anyway, not to mention god help me, having to buy tap shoes. Also I haaaaaaaaaaate shoe shopping because my feet hate shoes and that's a lot of money on something I am at least fairly likely not to stick with.
(c) Reading this Ask Mefi thread from the past.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:57 AM on September 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Someone who has the time to do it right needs to eulogize Barbara Ehrenreich on the blue.
We lost a real one today.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:13 PM on September 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
We lost a real one today.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:13 PM on September 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
jenfullmoon, I think you should do it. Reasons: it appeals to you as a cool, enjoyable thing (I think!); not everything has to have a likely / possible payoff (it might! or it might, later. but even if it doesn't, how nice and groovy to have that extra knowledge and ability); what the fuck am I doing in my spare time that is as neat as this? Nothing! Nothing is the answer. So do it for those of us too lazy or dull to do it ourselves! Also, re $ for shoes, is there any chance you could ask for them (or part of the cost) as an early xmas or birthday or something thing? It would be a chance for someone to give you something you really would like to have, instead of them stressing with the guessing.
Anyway, I just want to say that I've enjoyed your theatre stories, and am always rooting for you!
posted by taz at 8:41 AM on September 4, 2022
Anyway, I just want to say that I've enjoyed your theatre stories, and am always rooting for you!
posted by taz at 8:41 AM on September 4, 2022
Screw it, I have come to an urgent care to ask if they can, like, vacuum my ear or whatever.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:12 AM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:12 AM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
My mom started coming down with "stuffy nose" Thursday and did not tell me. I arrived Friday night, she seemed fine. Saturday midmorning, after I've already slept in her house and in her bed (nowhere else to sleep) and used her bathroom, she starts needing to blow her nose a lot and coughing. I'm SO ANGRY at her for saying, "IT WAS JUST A STUFFY NOSE!" and not thinking it was any kind of issue or telling me before I arrived and stayed in her house with free face. It was probably too late for me, but after that I masked up and literally slept with a mask on last night next to an air purifier since I couldn't leave that night for reasons of practicality.
I went home this morning and now I'm STILL waiting around on her to get onto taking the damn covid test-- it's presumably day three for her and she has symptoms, and I have to turn in a test today to start tech week in two hours. She's more preoccupied with sleeping and watching the Hallmark Channel and asking if I noticed that she slightly cleaned the bathroom. After this weekend I feel like I'm the only person who notices that anything is crazy.
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:06 PM on September 4, 2022
I went home this morning and now I'm STILL waiting around on her to get onto taking the damn covid test-- it's presumably day three for her and she has symptoms, and I have to turn in a test today to start tech week in two hours. She's more preoccupied with sleeping and watching the Hallmark Channel and asking if I noticed that she slightly cleaned the bathroom. After this weekend I feel like I'm the only person who notices that anything is crazy.
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:06 PM on September 4, 2022
I don't know what the hell that was that was in my ear - and the doctor at urgent care said they didn't know either, it was some black stuff they had to scrape out and then wash out the rest of my ear - but it's been cleared out now and HOLY MOTHER OF GOD I feel so much better now. I've been walking around with a stuffed-up-feeling ear since Wednesday and finally it's stopped.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:29 PM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:29 PM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
EC: I've only had my ear medically cleaned out once, but it was quite an adventure. The med tech doing the work was all, "well, I think I'm done" and I said "I still can't hear out of that ear" so he went back in and then had a lot of barely professional exclamations after a giant amount of stuff came out and by god that ear hasn't ever been better in my life!
posted by hippybear at 12:36 PM on September 4, 2022
posted by hippybear at 12:36 PM on September 4, 2022
Oh, it was obvious things were better. They scraped some stuff out (I'd read that black earwax was just really impacted, and asked if it was that, but the doctor said that it wasn't - "and I don't know what the hell it is"), and were getting ready to prescribe some kind of antibiotic for me - but then they dropped in that hydrogen peroxide stuff and let it soak for a few minutes, and then squirted a syringe full of water in to flush it out, and pop my ear was clear.
My exclamation of "Oh, that's SO much better!" was so fervent they said they heard me two doors down the hall, and actually changed their mind about giving me the antibiotic!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:49 PM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
My exclamation of "Oh, that's SO much better!" was so fervent they said they heard me two doors down the hall, and actually changed their mind about giving me the antibiotic!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:49 PM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
That's what's known in medial circles as a "positive outcome"!
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:42 PM on September 4, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:42 PM on September 4, 2022
Or as a "disgusting discharge". These are not mutually exclusive terms.
posted by hippybear at 1:50 PM on September 4, 2022
posted by hippybear at 1:50 PM on September 4, 2022
So far, so good. Though my mom was being kinda shitty about my being anxious about this. Gawd.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:51 PM on September 4, 2022
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:51 PM on September 4, 2022
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posted by saladin at 3:06 AM on August 29, 2022 [1 favorite]