4/20/07

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* * * Comments: Why can’t it be just plain old Middle Class or Upper-Middle Class American Guilt? BECAUSE WHITEY IS REPRESSING THE WORLD, of course, silly. * * * Don’t feel guilt, Robyn. Your ancestors had the balls to make their way to this country from wherever so they and you could have a better life. Of course, I did not see Blood Diamond so maybe I’m missing the point but I refuse to feel guilty for the things I have. I work my ass off for them. I’d probably feel less guilty if I had to work my ass off to get where I am, but I really haven’t – it’s just chance that I happened to end up with a man who’s intelligent and talented enough to provide a service that not a lot of people can, and has figured out how to cash in on that. (Don’t ask for specifics on what Fred does – just know that he’s a geek and if I had to explain what he does, I’d fall asleep in the middle of the explana….) * * * Don’t hug the chicken. She’ll peck your eyes out. And you need your eyes so you can write and keep us all entertained. I haven’t hugged any of them yet, but I certainly feel the urge to! Last night we were rounding up the chickens to put them in the coop, and Oscar got under the thing Fred built to provide shade, and she decided she was lost and alone, and she had the SADDEST little cheep, and it was so severely adorable she’s just lucky I didn’t pick her up and squeeze the life out of her. * * * By your description of plotlines that hang on miscommunication – I have to ask – are you reading the latest in the series of “The Shopaholic” books? I just finished it and that *totally* fits!! That’s exactly what I was talking about! Heh. I love me some Shopaholic books. * * * Your e-mail asshat comments made me laugh like a hyena, but I REALLY hope you don’t get much e-mail like that! I’m appalled to think people could be that stupid, but I shouldn’t be so naive, I guess. Ugh. and robyn, you made me laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh with all your asshat references and misspellings!!! do people really write stuff in your comments about you and your wls? and People who write to warn you about every little piece of food you eat are retards. Were you poisoned at Applebee’s? I think every person I’ve ever known who has eaten there has been sickened in some way. I hate Crapplebee’s. and Do people really ever do that?? I mean about saying that you are going to get fat because you eat a bit of ribs or fries? That has me flabbergasted. I actually haven’t gotten many comments about it recently, but I’ve gotten a few in the past, and invariably they’re filled with misspellings and misunderstandings (for instance, the people who are dead certain the liver issues were caused by weight loss surgery, despite the fact that there were liver issues long before I ever considered weight loss surgery) and I love to read them aloud to Fred so that we can mock them. My particular favorite thing is when someone goes to a message board and talks about me, then links to me so I’ll see the link in my referrals and go to see what’s going on, thus reading what they’ve said about me. I don’t find that passive-aggressive assholery at ALL (and hi, I know who you are, stupidass, so can the faux-friendly emails, ‘k?). * * * I just got the Joe Hill book from my parents as a belated Easter Basket gift. Anybody read it yet? Your thoughts? I read it and really liked it, despite the fact that I was all “Oh, he’s only getting attention because he’s Stephen King’s kid!” at first. But I was completely wrong – his writing stands on it’s own. It’s just a great old-fashioned suspenseful horror novel and I liked it a lot. I’ll definitely check out his next book, whenever that might happen. * * * Robyn, where did you download Workout? I’ve looked on iTunes and Bit Torrent and can’t find it. I found it on iTunes, actually – maybe you’re searching on “Workout” instead of “Work Out”, so it’s not showing up? Or maybe it’s ‘cause you’re in the UK? I don’t know, all I know is that I’m definitely finding it on iTunes! * * * You know, I was a Snooddict many years ago. And I had made a full recovery. And now, thanks to you, I have made a full RELAPSE. I’m considering litigation. You can kick it again. YOU CAN! (But why would you want to?) Please, regarding litigation, you need to be aware that my lawyer, Thomas J. Cullen, has informed me that any litigation will be met with deadly and stinky force. Once the judge catches sight of Tommy’s pretty pink nail caps and catches a whiff of the TomStank, it’ll be all over. Don’t mess with me. * * * I think the lady wanted to know if Sugs was pronounced like “Sugar” from his name Sugarbutt, or Sugs, like Soogs, with no “sh” sound. It’s like Sugar, correct? Yeah, I must have gotten confused, there – it’s like Sugar. In fact, it’s pronounced like “Sugarbutt”, without the “arbutt.” Though, to muddy the water a tad, I also sometimes call him Toogs. Don’t ask me to explain why, because I have NO IDEA. * * * I was wondering if you’ve started packing your books to move to the new house. We are moving in one month -I’ve already packed 10 boxes of books and still not done yet! Arrrghh! Oh, HELLZ YES have I started packing my books. In fact, the books were the first thing I packed and the first thing I unpacked – they’re here with me in Smallville, safely shelved on the bookcase in my bedroom. I need access to lots of books at any given time, or I get nervous. * * * Robyn, where do you buy your soft paws? And how much do they cost? I really need to get some, my cat is destroying my house! Thanks! I buy mine on eBay (search on “Soft claws”; they’re the same thing, though I don’t know remember off the top of my head how much they cost – maybe $15 for a set? I usually buy more than one set, in varying colors. I lurve eBay. * * * I like that Sugs also supports Gay Pride! Does he get picked on for his rainbow toes? Sugs never ever gets picked on (except for sometimes by his big brother Mister Boogers, who hates everyone, whether they support Gay Pride or not; he’s an equal opportunity hater) because anyone who approaches him with the intention of picking on him is rapidly overcome by The Cute, and before you know it, they’re rolling on their back in deference to Sugs, who may or may not offer them a lick to the top of the head, depending on his mood. * * * Miss Maxi looks very beefy and badass. Miss Maxi has totally porked up. She was skin and bones when we first saw her last September (probably because she’d recently given birth), but after a few months of regular feeding and a nice warm place to sleep, she’s put on plenty of weight. Which means that when she wants to put the smack down on Newt, she’s got plenty of weight behind the swing of her paw. * * * I still expect to see a picture soon of either Maxi or Newt with a chicken hanging from her/his mouth. I’m just not too sure about those outdoor cats that aren’t yours. They like to eat raw meat like squirrel, and I hear squirrel tastes just like chicken. Before Maxi or Newt could eat a chicken, they’d have to be able to get to them, and they totally can’t. The chicken coop and yard is like Fort Knox and Maxi and Newt might watch the chickens, but they’ll never (though of course I should never say never, right?) get a paw on them, as long as we’re careful about closing the gate when we go into the chicken yard. * * * I know you posted this before and I searched for it – but what kind of cat litter do you use? My cat has taken to not covering (boo!) and I figure if you have 6 times as many cats as I do 🙂 whatever you’re using must be awesome! I use Fresh Step, and it says something on the box about odor-destroying carbon in the litter. It does a pretty good job of reducing the stank, and I very much recommend it. I’ve also, in the past, used Arm & Hammer for Multiple Cats, and it works pretty well, too. The Arm & Hammer clumps harder and faster, and the Fresh Step does a better job of taking care of the stank (though I’ll be honest – no litter on earth is going to completely do away with the smell from an uncovered pile o’ cat poo). I also like that you can collect “points” with the Fresh Step and earn toys and beds and stuff, because our cats do not have NEARLY enough beds. Two beds for every cat? NOT ENOUGH. What if they have to walk more than three feet to find a place to sleep? UNACCEPTABLE. * * * Robyn – I don’t know if you ever watch the NBC news, but if so, maybe you’ve noticed that the reporter David Gregory looks EXACTLY like one of the Snood characters. Seriously. Every time I see him, I think of Snood … take a look and you’ll know which Snood it is. And, yes, I probably have too much time on my hands. I had never noticed that until I went and Googled up a picture of David Gregory. I thought for a minute that you might think that David Gregory looks like Mildred Snood (did you know that the Snoods have names?), but Fred pointed out that he really looks more like Jake Snood. * * * If you’ve never read Tess Gerritsen I highly recommend her books. I’ve only read Vanish and Body Double so far, but really enjoyed them. Good mystery books. Oh, I love Tess Gerritsen! I’ve read most of her books, and have a few of her older ones sitting on my bookcase waiting to be read. She lives in Maine, y’know. I very much recommend her books. * * * Does The esteemed Boog really have one blue and one green eye or is it just something in that picture? It’s just something in the picture, apparently. He’s got two (very pretty) green eyes. * * * Please tell me you know that song is EBONY and Ivory!!!!! “Baby, I think someone in my comments just called me a complete idiot.” * * * I thought that South Park episode was really funny except for the actual Snuke parts. It was like, Hilary Clinton’s vagina? Really? Just didn’t seem the most creative thing and I was bummed cause I love that show and I LOVED Cartman as Bauer. Yeah, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are totally obsessed with people putting things up their vaginas (see: the faux Kenny climbing up into the bus lady’s uterus in the episode where Cartman goes to fat camp) and asses (pretty much every episode). They’re puerile motherfuckers, but I consider the pubescent obsession with vaginas and asses to be something you have to slog through (so to speak) to get to the funny. * * * I have never heard of these cup things. They must not be available in Canada. Where do you buy them from? I buy my Instead cups at Target, but I’m sure you can find them online. Google is your friend! By the way, other cups y’all recommended highly: the Keeper, the MoonCup UK (by the same people who make the Keeper) and the Lunette. I think I’m going to go ahead and give the Diva cup a try and see how it works for me (so far as I can tell, the Keeper and Diva Cup are shaped the same way). And Lyn said this about the Diva cup: One warning on the Diva cup – I don’t know anyone who’s been thrilled with the larger size, they one they say to use if you’re over 30 or have had children. Start with the smaller one (they’ll take it back if you need to go with the other one) and if you’re having leakage problems long before the cup ought to have filled up, then you can size up. * * * Here’s my TMI contribution–I have a light flow, and even light tampons (when you can even FIND the damn things) would “adhere” when I had a light day, and then pull on the tissues when I’d try to pull it out. The menstrual cups don’t bother me at all. I’m quoting this comment for the sole reason that “adhere” made me want to scream and run around in circles because I absolutely know that feeling and just thinking about it gives me the ookies. Can I get a “hallelujah”, ladies? * * * Love, love, LOVE my Diva cup. I have been using it for years and would not trade it for any other product! Only took a couple of cycles to get used to using it. I do feel that you need to be the type of person who is comfortable with their body to use it. I think you have to be pretty comfortable with your body to even use tampons. I was almost 30 before I was comfortable enough with my body to figure out how to get the damn things inserted right so that they’d be comfortable. I can’t imagine trying to use one of those cups when I was in my 20s – not that the average 20-something isn’t comfortable enough with her body to use them, just that I as a 20-something wasn’t. * * * I can’t imagine shipping 25 boxes. That sounds pricy. Is spud packing, or are you? It’s not too bad – UPS tends to be cheaper than the post office for stuff like that. The spud is going through her boxes of stuff, deciding which ones can go, and then leaving them for me to seal up and send – except for the two boxes of breakable stuff I mailed yesterday. I went after those boxes with the bubble wrap. Hopefully most of the breakable stuff will make it okay. * * * Several of you recommended the Roomba, and while I’m interested in the Roomba, I don’t think it’s going to be something I buy at this point. Our house is made so that each room is very much separate from each other, so I’d have to take it from room to room, wouldn’t I? And then move chairs and stuff so it could get around the room and do what it’s supposed do? With that much effort, I might as well drag out the vacuum and do it myself. (Also, it’s kind of expensive, and considering that I just put out a lot of money for the Litter Robot, I’m not ready to lay out more money right now.) * * * He’s gone country. * * * Previously 2006: No entry. 2005: No entry. 2004: So, to sum up: for almost a year, they’ve spent time staring up their property line, ostentatiously walked up and down it, yet it’s never occurred to them to come knock on the door and say “Hi, blah blah our side of the property line, blah blah, stop? Thanks!” 2003: No entry. 2002: No entry. 2001: No entry. 2000: “If we manufactured bon-bons, I would have sent you a package of those. Instead, this package should assuage the pain and horror of not working while you lay on the couch and watch Oprah and the soaps.”]]>