Ha! Thanks.

You know who's a good time? Mimi Smartypants:

Have you heard of this “alignment” schema? Chaotic good, neutral evil, etc? I hear this referenced sometimes, most recently in this great graphic about The Wire. (Oh! Just looking at that makes me so nostalgic for the show. I know I can watch it again but nothing will compare to the first time.)

Anyway, every time this formula comes up I idly wonder about its origins, but I never remember to Google it or anything. In the back of my head I had assumed it was invented by some philosopher, and my brain usually went to either Nietzsche or Spinoza because (a) it made a certain amount of intellectual sense, and (b) I have not studied or read either of those guys in depth.

You know where this is going, of course, but you cannot imagine my outrage when I finally get around to Wikipedia and find out that it comes from GODDAMN DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS, and I cannot believe I devoted brainpower to feeling inferior about not being aware of a philosophical algorithm that seemed so widespread. If I had been thinking clearly, the very fact of its being widespread and pop-culture-applicable might have tipped me off that maybe the source text was not SPINOZA, for crying out loud. Maybe I really am as dumb as I look.

Oh dear.

Tron cat

What possible secrets could Fluffy's memory disc contain? Probably some choice thoughts on its owner's choice of light-up apparel.

Oh, Jess, this is so random, but are you related to Amy [your old last name] of Powhatan, VA?

I'd have to ask my Dad or grandmother to be sure, but I don't think so - I've never heard of a Virginia branch of that side of the family.

If you google the name, and go to Jesse's employer's website, you can see a picture of her -- there is a strong resemblance.

An article about one of the coolest airplanes ever built:

Meet the XB-70 Valkyrie, Almost the World’s First Nuclear Aircraft

The Valkyrie was a plane decades ahead of its time, pushing the aeronautical engineering of the early 1960s well beyond what had been thought possible. It was even slated to become the world’s first nuclear-powered bomber.

I've seen the one remaining Valkyrie at the Air Force museum at Dayton, Ohio.

Huh - maybe! I'll send the link with the picture to Nana and Dad.

If you google the name, and go to Jesse's employer's website, you can see a picture of her -- there is a strong resemblance.

I keep looking at that picture and forgetting to ask! But she's not your aunt or whatever, at least.

I was bored, so I made brownies. Now the brownies are in the oven and I'm bored again.

I don't know her personally so the closest we could be is second cousins. (Or first once removed, etc etc.)