What's up with you?

[Gonzo]

Originally Posted by Janet

Casablanca

dislike?

I've been interested.... there is a Bright eyes album named after that film... and a friend of mine brought it up in conversation a day or two ago, praising it, while we sat in a circle at the park during a city band concert.

So entirely strangely, she also went on to express her desire to rewatch Singing in the Rain in it's entirety. Are you her doppelganger? :S

[Gonzo]

Originally Posted by Ari

I've been finding myself angry and hating too many things lately.
It would be nice if the world could figure itself out enough to possibly not be douchey all at once.

Try dancing up and down the streets, for a bit.

[Janet]

Don't think so, but who can say?

[Gonzo]

Casablanca, though. What are your thoughts?

[Janet]

I love it. I was 20 the first time I saw it, mainly because I was resistant to the hype as a teen. I've been hooked every since. It's every bit as good as everyone says it is, and ridiculously quotable. Mostly, though, it's all about Claude Rains.

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by Ari

I've been finding myself angry and hating too many things lately.
It would be nice if the world could figure itself out enough to possibly not be douchey all at once.

For what it's worth, a lot of the time, things will seem like they're sucking extra hard because people are starting to notice and talk about things that have sucked all along.

In America, right now, we have some actually functional health care reform in place, which is not going away and which is very likely just the beginning of real change. We also have a media that is finally starting to pay attention to wealth inequality, after people made them.

Just a few years ago, nobody was talking about these things ever. It's painful, stupid, and shitty when people first start talking about injustices and inequities, but awareness (and subsequent denials, apologetics, and other whining) is the first step toward improvement.

[Janet]

My source tells me that there are Michigan tart cherries at the Farmer's Market. Apparently only 97% of the crop was destroyed with the freak weather. I'm off there in a little over half an hour to get as much as I can afford of that 3%.

[Ari]

Originally Posted by lisarea

For what it's worth, a lot of the time, things will seem like they're sucking extra hard because people are starting to notice and talk about things that have sucked all along.

Yeah I was chatting with my GF about this. I think a number of things are coming to a head and we are seeing both the reality and the backlash of these situations.
Frankly the activist part in me is getting pulled in too many directions at once and at the same time feels a bit helpless to really do any good.

[Qingdai]

Listen to the old time activists, that's pretty normal. There's a good reason why a lot of the old one's seem paranoid and insane, people are really out to get them.

[Janet]

I picked up my custom orthotics yesterday. I have to ease into wearing them but I should be full time next week. My doctor took the opportunity to again stress how fucked up my ankle is. When I asked about going back to walking for exercise he said, "With the orthotics you have a good chance. Without them you had no chance." That was a bit of a downer on my day.

Oh, and it's been over six months since they measured me for them. I'm sure glad we don't have long wait times for health care like Jerome says they do in Canada.

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by Qingdai

Listen to the old time activists, that's pretty normal. There's a good reason why a lot of the old one's seem paranoid and insane, people are really out to get them.

Why Anti-Authoritarians are Diagnosed as Mentally Ill | Mad In America

[LadyShea]

Frankly the activist part in me is getting pulled in too many directions at once and at the same time feels a bit helpless to really do any good.

Really that's how most decent folk feel. Try not reading/watching the news. It helps some for a little while. I go on news blackouts when I actually start sobbing or screaming at the monitor/TV.

[ShottleBop]

By this time tomorrow, I should have an offer to review.

[One for Sorrow]

My aunt, AKA my most favoritest relative ever, is flying in tomorrow! I've been planning her visit for weeks.

And my dad called a few days ago and told me he unexpectedly got next week off at the last minute, so he's driving here from Toronto with my stepmom and five-year-old brother, and they should get here Sunday.

It will be great to see everybody, but now I'm not sure what to do with all these people. My aunt wants to go on nature hikes and see wildlife, whereas my stepmom will freak out at the sight of any wildlife that isn't cuddly (if she sees a copperhead or cottonmouth, she's never coming back!). The only thing that everyone has agreed on is to go to the coast, but we can't agree on which beach, so I guess we're going to spend a few nights out there and visit both Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. I don't think my stepmom is that interested in Wilmington, but she just doesn't know any better because she's never been there. She wants to spend her entire vacation sunbathing and stretching her Canadian dollars at American shopping malls. My aunt has stated she'd rather shoot herself in the head than visit a mall, and has no interest in Myrtle Beach or hanging out at the beach in general (she just wants to see the ocean and various critters that live in or around it). Of course, there's a spoiled five-year-old to try to keep happy, too. Whee!

At least we'll have two cars, and can split up when necessary. I still plan to visit the mountains with just my aunt, as she'll be here a few days longer than everyone else.

Wish me luck. Part of me is excited, but I've been really anxious about it and mostly I just want to get this over with. Is my vacation over, yet?

[LadyShea]

OfS, it is not your responsibility to ensure everyone is happy all the time, especially with such variances in interests. You can say "We are going anaturin' so have fun beach lounging and we'll meet at 6:30 at X place for dinner", or "I am taking my bro to the kids museum while you go shop at the mall and Auntie goes art ogling and we can hook up for (joint venture of some kind) this afternoon".

Try to think a few compromises out to prevent the worst case scenario*, a bunch of people arguing "What should we do? I don't want to do that let's do this. No how about that?" all day long

*Don't ask me how I know about this! I never give up the planning, ever, anymore!

[lisarea]

I got an email yesterday that we are gonna have four or possibly five houseguests next week through August 4 at least. My mom, my sister, and my sister's two kids, plus possibly also one of my brothers.

I came this -><- close to giving away our second guest bed a couple weeks ago because I am like "Foo! We are never going to need two queen sized guest beds!" and now I have to ask around and see if I can find a spare air mattress or something; because I can not think of a non-awkward sleeping arrangement with only two beds, and I don't like making people sleep on couches.

We'll spend a day at the old amusement park (the non Six Flags one), then I guess the mountains because the kids haven't been there much. The rest of the time, I guess I'l just make up a big chore list for everyone to get to work on.

[LadyShea]

I called the local non-chain jewelry store because I have need of a gemologist to identify a thing, and the owner/gemologist answered the phone and when I mentioned my history in the fine jewelry industry he recruited me for an interview.

Man, back to jewelry after 15 years. I dunno. I miss it sometimes but other times not. I am gonna see what he is offering anyway. They close at 5pm and are closed Sundays so the worst part of retail, the hours, is not a factor

[ShottleBop]

Got my letter, now have to think about it. (Not playing games--a job is a good thing to have--but we currently have different conceptions of how my compensation should work. I'm thinking salary vs. a percentage of the firm's collections on all my time, whether I'm working on matters I bring into the firm or whether I'm working on matters that someone else in the firm brings in that I work on; they're thinking salary vs. a percentage of all fees collected in respect of matters I bring in, no matter who works on them. Thing is, to date, I've done all but a pittance of the work that I bring in--this is work that I could easily do as a solo, but which, because of the nature of the transaction, requires that I deliver a legal opinion on a firm letterhead, instead of one that says, "Law Office of ShottleBop"--and I would get little benefit from a (smaller) percentage of all collections on matters I bring in vs. a (larger) percentage of my time. Plus, I expand the nature of the services that the firm can provide, so that certain things that previously might have been referred out no longer have to be.) I will be discussing matters with the managing shareholder.

[Sock Puppet]

Another ER visit. Li'l Puppet was on a hammock that was hung from a swing set bracket in the backyard, when the entire hardware came loose from the wooden support and she landed flat on her back. Apparently it was held in by a screw rather than a bolt, I had no idea and now I feel like an idiot. Ambulance and everything. Shit. All X-rays negative, she's fine, just badly bruised. Which I'm glad of, but won't be having a Glad Day when the bill comes -- we're on a PPO since the HMOs around here utterly and irretrievably suck.

Better weekend news to come in the Woof Woof thread after I get the pics uploaded.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Poor LP. Virtual hugs of empathy.

[ShottleBop]

Mrs. ShottleBop and I met with a broker today and engaged him to put our house up for sale. Based on currently available information, we expect it to be a short sale that will have to be approved by at least the holder of our second.

It's been a nice house. We'll miss it.

Maybe we'll win the lottery, and not have to sell it.

Maybe we'd have a (very slightly) better than zero chance of winning the lottery if I bought a ticket.

[Gonzo]

In a month, I am getting a black kitten.

If it is a boy, I am going to name it Clarence like from True Romance...



or Vincent from Pulp Fiction.

[livius drusus]

Cool! You can join my Rare Chickenpanthers of the Savannah Appreciation Club.

[Janet]

But what will you name it if it's a girl?

[Gonzo]

Scout after the protagonist from To Kill a Mockingbird.



But it has been said that they are all three boys.