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~head perks up in interest~ Are we tempting paladins into falling?Just noting it's good enough for some people - who are certainly not me, mind you, as I'm far too morally upright to do that sort of thing obviously you know - to steal.
(I.e. It's solid and I may use it some time.)
Of course you're too Lawful Good to steal an idea. Whenever I see you I think "Now there's a bastion of Law and Good. He is everything a Paladin aspires to be." So, I therefore SPECIFICALLY DO NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO USE IT! ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD MAY, BUT NOT YOU!! NO NO NO NO NO NO NEVER NOT GONNA HAPPEN NO!!!!
Oh, go ahead and use it if you want.
No. No no no no no nonononono.
Yes.
I am pure in thought, word and deed. I'm not worried.
** spoiler omitted **...
I'm so sorry, lynora! We'll be praying for your swift recovery and awesome vacation...
My mother died today, after several months of illness. She had qualified medical attention the entire time, was not in pain until the last two weeks or so, and crossed so much off the bucket list. She slept the last three days, which was what she wanted. And now, it's over.
It's just a new world for me now.
Yes. Condolences on your loss, but congratulations that she went the way she wanted to.
I'm old enough to have watched most of my older generations pass on (grandparents, father, stepfather-in-law, uncles, friends, etc.), and it's always easier to deal with someone who says, "It's time for me to go. This is how I want to do it. Goodbye!" than it is a stunning, out-of-the-blue loss.
It's a whole new world, but knowing she went the way she wanted to will mean more to you than you can imagine.
This.
I'm sorry she is gone - I am grateful it was as she would have wanted.
Peace to you in your time of mourning and your newest phase of your journey.
Thank you. It was a long process. She was ill for six months before anyone understood what was wrong. Then when we finally knew, it was four good months. And then a few weeks of suffering, pain and confusion. It feels like everything has been put on hold for ages now. And when she died yesterday, maybe it's possible to finally go on for us. I am not sure what I am feeling yet. Equal doses grief and relief, maybe.
Mixed emotions are normal and healthy during times like this. You will be in prayer.
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I'm so sorry, Sissyl.
The only word of comfort I can offer is that, when people say "They will always be with you", turns out it's not just a stupid line, it's true.
There will be so many moments over the years when you will hear them over your shoulder, reacting to something you've just seen or heard, as if they were standing there next to you. And at first it hurts so much. But as the years go by and the grief fades, it becomes an unexpected joy. Occasionally to the point that people will stare at you, wondering why you just laughed for absolutely no reason.
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At the repair shop waiting for the estimate on my car. They're really nice here at least. So that makes things a little less awful. Still really nervous because there's body damage I didn't notice right away and I hope it doesn't end up getting totaled as a result. Silly as it might be I have an emotional attachment to this car. I've always been so careful with it and taken good care of it because it's the first 'nice' car I've ever owned. So here's hoping it can be fixed.
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Speaking of repair shops, biking home from the repair shop in Berkeley is always such an adventure:
Fortunately, I was about half a block away when the inevitable dog fight between her dogs and someone else's broke out. Unfortunately, I heard enough piteous yelping to know at least one dog got bitten pretty hard. Fortunately, both owners were there, so not my issue.
Biking in Berkeley. Always an adventure.
And can I complain about the ubiquitous lack of helmets throughout Berkeley, or is that "politics"?
EDIT: Yeah, I know your pain, lynora. I just did the Kelly Blue Book worksheet for my Celica, and its total trade-in value is $300-$500. So I just put in more than 10x its value on repairs for it. Because I love my car. But yeah, I no longer pay insurance to cover repairs on it, because the deductible would more than cover the cost to total it.
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And can I complain about the ubiquitous lack of helmets throughout Berkeley, or is that "politics"?No, not politics. Just willful stupidity. Show them pictures of bike accident victims and roadside memorials, and they'll wise up real fast.
I've pointed out before that between my mother and I, we have over 50 years of commuting by bicycle. In 50 years of riding, we've cracked a grand total of 3 helmets.
In other words, we almost never needed them, but neither of us would be alive today without them.
Kind of important, in my mind...
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No, not politics. Just willful stupidity. Show them pictures of bike accident victims and roadside memorials, and they'll wise up real fast.Speaking of repair shops, biking home from the repair shop in Berkeley is always such an adventure:
4-way Stop #1: There's a car there ahead of me, so I... stop! The driver flashes his lights at me, motions vigorously for me to go ahead, then flips me off and yells at me for stopping (i.e., obeying the law).
4-way Stop #2: There's a car there ahead of me. I check the driver. He's watching me, and showing no signs of going. So, after my previous experience on the very last block, I go ahead and go. He honks at me, flashes his lights, flips me off, and yells at me for taking his right of way.
Man walking his dog #1: I stop at a Stop sign. He's crossing. No problemo. I can balance for a little while, and he's moving at a good clip. He's on his phone looking down, talking to someone, barely noticing anything around him. Once he's directly in front of me, maybe 3' away, he comes to a dead stop to continue his conversation. So I have to put my foot down and work my bike around him. He looks up, notices me, and glares at me. Because obviously as a pedestrian he has the right-of-way, so where do I get off going around him?
Woman walking her dogs: The usual. "Oh, my dogs are far too well-behaved to need leashes!"
Fortunately, I was about half a block away when the inevitable dog fight between her dogs and someone else's broke out. Unfortunately, I heard enough piteous yelping to know at least one dog got bitten pretty hard. Fortunately, both owners were there, so not my issue.
Biking in Berkeley. Always an adventure.And can I complain about the ubiquitous lack of helmets throughout Berkeley, or is that "politics"?
Ohio, not to brag, but... Well, Ohio is pretty much the heaven of bicyclist. the Laws are both lenient, and yet in favor towards cyclists. Helmets are optional, unless biking at night, reflectors are mandatory, but only the front light is necessary at night. any road that Bikes are NOT expressly forbidden on allows them. They MUST be treated with respect, as per another vehicle, if they are using the road way, which allows them to operate better than any other slow-moving vehicle.
BTW a lot of amish use bike here, unless on longer trips, then they still use buggy, or have an Amish-cabbie pick them up.Edit: I like the optional helmet, because, while I would always wear one for a ride longer than 10 minutes, I don't want to be fined for popping on down for a short 5-minute joy-ride with no helmet on an empty street.
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Well, barring them finding anything worse once they get in there, it looks like my car is reparable so that's a good thing. Fingers crossed that there are no nasty surprises later.
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This is why I don't draw.
At least he's smiling and I got her combat boots right.
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In the meantime I'm driving a VW golf loaner car. Which is a big adjustment from driving a CRV. I need some kind of booster seat here. It's hard to see over the steering wheel because the seat is set so low :P
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According to our browser history Pea Bear watched six episodes of Glee last night.
I did not know that was possible.
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At the repair shop waiting for the estimate on my car. They're really nice here at least. So that makes things a little less awful. Still really nervous because there's body damage I didn't notice right away and I hope it doesn't end up getting totaled as a result. Silly as it might be I have an emotional attachment to this car. I've always been so careful with it and taken good care of it because it's the first 'nice' car I've ever owned. So here's hoping it can be fixed.
I know what it's like to have my first nice something, and to have it taken away... I'm sorry.
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Ohio, not to brag, but... Well, Ohio is pretty much the heaven of bicyclist. the Laws are...No, not politics. Just willful stupidity. Show them pictures of bike accident victims and roadside memorials, and they'll wise up real fast.Speaking of repair shops, biking home from the repair shop in Berkeley is always such an adventure:
4-way Stop #1: There's a car there ahead of me, so I... stop! The driver flashes his lights at me, motions vigorously for me to go ahead, then flips me off and yells at me for stopping (i.e., obeying the law).
4-way Stop #2: There's a car there ahead of me. I check the driver. He's watching me, and showing no signs of going. So, after my previous experience on the very last block, I go ahead and go. He honks at me, flashes his lights, flips me off, and yells at me for taking his right of way.
Man walking his dog #1: I stop at a Stop sign. He's crossing. No problemo. I can balance for a little while, and he's moving at a good clip. He's on his phone looking down, talking to someone, barely noticing anything around him. Once he's directly in front of me, maybe 3' away, he comes to a dead stop to continue his conversation. So I have to put my foot down and work my bike around him. He looks up, notices me, and glares at me. Because obviously as a pedestrian he has the right-of-way, so where do I get off going around him?
Woman walking her dogs: The usual. "Oh, my dogs are far too well-behaved to need leashes!"
Fortunately, I was about half a block away when the inevitable dog fight between her dogs and someone else's broke out. Unfortunately, I heard enough piteous yelping to know at least one dog got bitten pretty hard. Fortunately, both owners were there, so not my issue.
Biking in Berkeley. Always an adventure.And can I complain about the ubiquitous lack of helmets throughout Berkeley, or is that "politics"?
heaven. I'm in heaven.
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In the meantime I'm driving a VW golf loaner car. Which is a big adjustment from driving a CRV. I need some kind of booster seat here. It's hard to see over the steering wheel because the seat is set so low :P
I would gladly offer you a boost for the seat, but I fear being slapped for being rude.
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heaven. I'm in heaven.
Well, you know what they say... West Virginia is ALMOST heaven 'cause it's right next to Ohio.
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Wisconsin has miles of bike trails, craft beer, cheese and farm girls.
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Careful, you're going to get Freehold excited again...
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Ohio. Wisconsin. Don't make me choose.
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At least it isn't a choice between Ohio and Michigan.
Some one could get killed doing that!
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It's funny because Berkeley *tries* to be a bicycle haven, but it has no concept how to do so; for example:
(a) Avoid the route entirely, or
(b) Ignore the stop signs entirely.
I think you've seen my "pet peeve" that when driving in Berkeley I am constantly avoiding bicyclists on busy streets with no bike lanes, when ONE BLOCK OVER is a dedicated "bike street". Because of the Stop signs AND...
I swear, I have an *almost* complete bike path from my car shop to my house: Down Channing (beautifully done) to Milvia, a couple miles on Milvia (true bicycling Hell) to a bit-o-fun that finally leads to Marin (another wonderful example of bike lane stupidity, where the bike lane just out-and-out ENDS two blocks from the bottom of the street).
But those speed bumps make me curse the person who thought, "How else can we discourage cars from using Milvia? I know! Side-to-side street humps with no way bicyclists can go around them!"
There's a fantastic north-south bike trail under the BART tracks. They keep it well-maintained. Except:
- Because it's better-paved than the pedestrian path 20' over, the path is always congested with pedestrians, especially with strollers, who feel that the big "bicycles ONLY" signs are just an inconvenience, and
- It has a stop sign on every block. Of course.
I commuted by bike to grad school when I was in Davis, and the 5-mile ride to and from campus was heaven compared to riding in Berkeley. Even in 106-degree weather, biking was WAAAAAY easier than driving.
And it's sad; I'd love to teach my kids to bike to and from Berkeley, but in spite of the half-dozen bike lanes leading there, not a single one of them is safe enough I'd trust an inexperienced biker on it.
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heaven. I'm in heaven.
And my heart beats so that I can barely speeaaaaaak....
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It's funny because Berkeley *tries* to be a bicycle haven, but it has no concept how to do so; for example:
Placing a Stop sign on every block of a designated bike route is sure to teach bikers to either:
(a) Avoid the route entirely, or
(b) Ignore the stop signs entirely.
I think you've seen my "pet peeve" that when driving in Berkeley I am constantly avoiding bicyclists on busy streets with no bike lanes, when ONE BLOCK OVER is a dedicated "bike street". Because of the Stop signs AND...
Filling the "bike streets" with speed humps is another great way to discourage bicyclists from actually using them.
I swear, I have an *almost* complete bike path from my car shop to my house: Down Channing (beautifully done) to Milvia, a couple miles on Milvia (true bicycling Hell) to a bit-o-fun that finally leads to Marin (another wonderful example of bike lane stupidity, where the bike lane just out-and-out ENDS two blocks from the bottom of the street).
But those speed bumps make me curse the person who thought, "How else can we discourage cars from using Milvia? I know! Side-to-side street humps with no way bicyclists can go around them!"
Completely failing to enforce "bicycle-only" lanes.
There's a fantastic north-south bike trail under the BART tracks. They keep it well-maintained. Except:
- Because it's better-paved than the pedestrian path 20' over, the path is always congested with pedestrians, especially with strollers, who feel that the big "bicycles ONLY" signs are just an inconvenience, and
- It has a stop sign on every block. Of course.
I commuted by bike to grad school when I was in Davis, and the 5-mile ride to and from campus was heaven compared to riding in Berkeley. Even in 106-degree weather, biking was WAAAAAY easier than driving.And it's sad; I'd love to teach my kids to bike to and from Berkeley, but in spite of the half-dozen bike lanes leading there, not a single one of them is safe enough I'd trust an inexperienced biker on it.
I love stop signs because everyone stops. I hate right hand turn lanes because they are deadly to ant cyclist obeying the rules.
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It's funny because Berkeley *tries* to be a bicycle haven, but it has no concept how to do so; for example:
Placing a Stop sign on every block of a designated bike route is sure to teach bikers to either:
(a) Avoid the route entirely, or
(b) Ignore the stop signs entirely.
I think you've seen my "pet peeve" that when driving in Berkeley I am constantly avoiding bicyclists on busy streets with no bike lanes, when ONE BLOCK OVER is a dedicated "bike street". Because of the Stop signs AND...
Filling the "bike streets" with speed humps is another great way to discourage bicyclists from actually using them.
I swear, I have an *almost* complete bike path from my car shop to my house: Down Channing (beautifully done) to Milvia, a couple miles on Milvia (true bicycling Hell) to a bit-o-fun that finally leads to Marin (another wonderful example of bike lane stupidity, where the bike lane just out-and-out ENDS two blocks from the bottom of the street).
But those speed bumps make me curse the person who thought, "How else can we discourage cars from using Milvia? I know! Side-to-side street humps with no way bicyclists can go around them!"
Completely failing to enforce "bicycle-only" lanes.
There's a fantastic north-south bike trail under the BART tracks. They keep it well-maintained. Except:
- Because it's better-paved than the pedestrian path 20' over, the path is always congested with pedestrians, especially with strollers, who feel that the big "bicycles ONLY" signs are just an inconvenience, and
- It has a stop sign on every block. Of course.
I commuted by bike to grad school when I was in Davis, and the 5-mile ride to and from campus was heaven compared to riding in Berkeley. Even in 106-degree weather, biking was WAAAAAY easier than driving.And it's sad; I'd love to teach my kids to bike to and from Berkeley, but in spite of the half-dozen bike lanes leading there, not a single one of them is safe enough I'd trust an inexperienced biker on it.
I love stop signs because everyone stops. I hate right hand turn lanes because they are deadly to any cyclist obeying the rules.
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I love stop signs because everyone stops. I hate right hand turn lanes because they are deadly to any cyclist obeying the rules.
Placing a Stop sign on every block of a designated bike route is sure to teach bikers to either:
(a) Avoid the route entirely, or
(b) Ignore the stop signs entirely.
I think you've seen my "pet peeve" that when driving in Berkeley I am constantly avoiding bicyclists on busy streets with no bike lanes, when ONE BLOCK OVER is a dedicated "bike street". Because of the Stop signs AND...
This intrigues me. So on a 3-mile ride, you don't mind having to stop every 200 feet? Because that's how the bike lanes are set up in Berkeley.
EDIT: OK. Fair reporting: I just used Google Maps: The trip along Milvia is 1.5 miles, and includes 13 stop signs and 4 stop lights. So if we ignore the lights, that's a stop sign every 600 feet or so (with rounding). So I underestimated the sizes of the blocks by a bit.
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My condolences, Sissyl.
I love stop signs because everyone stops. I hate right hand turn lanes because they are deadly to any cyclist obeying the rules.
I live in terror that I'm going to hit a biker turning into a right turn lane one of these days. Not that there are many bikers in Phoenix, but that just makes it all the easier to forget that there are a few and to check those bike lanes before turning into one.
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Wisconsin also doesn't have baked city planners planning bike lanes.
They're just usually drawn on bar napkins.
Captain Yesterday fun fact: I used to work for a guy that not only was a city planner but also a landscape designer and barely functional alcoholic that would give me landscape plans hammered out with clients at bars and were on bar napkins.
And to make them look professional would include a scale that was inevitably wrong.
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Haha! I didn't even need Pea Bear to draw my Muppet wife.
It turns out all I needed was confidence.
And two cups of coffee in quick succession.
And a pencil.
Also, paper.
Now, off I go to start a Muppet Babies fanzine to perfect my Muppet art.
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Why am I drawing my wife as a Muppet no one asked.
I'm glad you asked!
You see back when we got married we created our own wedding invitations on whatever art program we had back then and stored on the most cutting edge technological storage devices, a Zipdisc, which is of course obsolete.
So I'm recreating it on paper from memory with my still limited drawing skills (I can also draw barns, and dinosaurs) and throwing on a Jim Morrison poem where we had all the wedding information.
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Trying to interpret the shopping list handed to me.
Steamer Dump Meal.
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Trying to interpret the shopping list handed to me.
Steamer Dump Meal.
I think I see the problem. That's supposed to say "Steaming Dump Meal". You need to get a meal that will cause you to take a steaming dump.
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Welp.
Today kind of sucked.
Oh well!
TKD and my family are both awesome, so at least there's that!
(I mean, dang it, guys, I asked you to fix my dishwasher days ago and I waited patiently with faith that you were doing your best to get it done by tomorrow - getting back to me at the end of the business day when I'm already frazzled and also trying to get my kids out the door and asking me if you can come next week - in the middle of my Eldest's Open House, no less - and then only having openings that 100% conflict with my schedule is not helping. Sigh. It's not your fault, phone guy. But yeah, I'm kind of irritated. A bunch of light bulbs burning out all at the same time, today, doesn't help. Nor does a general collapse of society and/or regression from the "slightly-cleaner" house we had gotten to almost all the way back to the "total wreck" in the course of an afternoon, even though I was cleaning it. Or the leg cramps. Or ear aches. Or... bah, doesn't matter. Still good stuff today, I'm just venting, now.)
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I hope that the rest of your week goes well, Tacticslion, and that you have a great weekend.
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Welp.
Today kind of sucked.
Oh well!
TKD and my family are both awesome, so at least there's that!
(I mean, dang it, guys, I asked you to fix my dishwasher days ago and I waited patiently with faith that you were doing your best to get it done by tomorrow - getting back to me at the end of the business day when I'm already frazzled and also trying to get my kids out the door and asking me if you can come next week - in the middle of my Eldest's Open House, no less - and then only having openings that 100% conflict with my schedule is not helping. Sigh. It's not your fault, phone guy. But yeah, I'm kind of irritated. A bunch of light bulbs burning out all at the same time, today, doesn't help. Nor does a general collapse of society and/or regression from the "slightly-cleaner" house we had gotten to almost all the way back to the "total wreck" in the course of an afternoon, even though I was cleaning it. Or the leg cramps. Or ear aches. Or... bah, doesn't matter. Still good stuff today, I'm just venting, now.)
Sorry you're having a hard time of it, TL.
Sadly, one of other constants in life after death and taxes is that tradespeople are always, always late (so are sword-makers, but that's another issue entirely)
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Sorry Tacticslion,
Sounds like one of those days where you're better off huddling in a pillow fort until it's over.
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Ryan: Did you see Saw?
Dwight: Of course I see saw, I see saw all the time!
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Gee, Tac, would it help if I offered Bardic Performance?
"Scrub, scrub, scrub the dratted diiiiiishes!
Rinse, rinse, rinse,
And with the towel
WIIIIIIIPE!
HUZZAH!"
::bows humbly::
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(Sorry that things are rough, my friend.)
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Gee, Tac, would it help if I offered Bardic Performance?
"Scrub, scrub, scrub the dratted diiiiiishes!
Rinse, rinse, rinse,
And with the towel
WIIIIIIIPE!
HUZZAH!"::bows humbly::
It's fine. It's especially frustrating since I've the persistent equivalent of a series very, very deep paper cuts on my fingers - tends to crack the skin around that until it bleeds if I do it by hand too much (and to odd don't help - all that sweating does much the same; the cuts have healed over the past year and a half but haven't quite gone away, yet). Also, you know, busy. I got stuff I want to do that isn't dishes! Like clean up the house so Il not shamed in front of my in-laws tomorrow, and/or shop for schoo sullied today...! And PbPs! And learning about ancient Italy's earthquakes and plagues and stuff for a game! And finish Kingmaker! Dang it! Aaaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhh-!
(It's cool. It's cool. We're all cool, here...)
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It's fine. It's especially frustrating since I've the persistent equivalent of a series very, very deep paper cuts on my fingers - tends to crack the skin around that until it bleeds if I do it by hand too much (and to odd don't help - all that sweating does much the same; the cuts have healed over the past year and a half but haven't quite gone away, yet). Also, you know, busy. I got stuff I want to do that isn't dishes! Like clean up the house so Il not shamed in front of my in-laws tomorrow, and/or shop for schoo sullied today...! And PbPs! And learning about ancient Italy's earthquakes and plagues and stuff for a game! And finish Kingmaker! Dang it! Aaaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhh-!
(It's cool. It's cool. We're all cool, here...)
Oh, that sucks. I would recommend using lanolin on those cuts. Lansinoh is my favorite. It's marketed for nursing moms, but it has plenty of other uses. We have lots of trouble with eczema at my house and it is the absolute best thing for treating cracked skin no matter where it happens.
Good luck with those dishes in the meantime and I hope you get your dishwasher repaired soon.
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Thanks!
In my case, it was because my old phone case (inherited) was slowly coming apart and slowly and methodically lacerated that part of my skin - never as a single deep cut, but more of a "thousand paper cuts" sort of thing - until I finally got up the money to have it replaced. It sucks, but I'm getting better. Doesn't constantly ache any of and its much smaller than it was, so, I victories all around. XD