No, no, no, sir. No more chick pit for you. Come on.

Riley ,'Lessons'


Natter 78: I might need to watch some Buffy for inspiration

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


meara - Sep 18, 2025 7:09:23 am PDT #9326 of 9339

Hipo birdies!

Today I left my travel companion and went to an elephant sanctuary and most of it was cool or whatever but the five month old baby elephant annoying the crap out of it’s mom, which was the very last few minutes of the trip, was absolutely the best and funniest part.


Jessica - Sep 18, 2025 7:11:54 am PDT #9327 of 9339
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

Happy birthday erika!


Matt the Bruins fan - Sep 18, 2025 7:14:11 am PDT #9328 of 9339
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand

Happy Birthday, erika!


Tom Scola - Sep 18, 2025 7:15:31 am PDT #9329 of 9339
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.

Happy Birthday, erika!

I went to this book reading last night. Tom Gauld! Mimi Pond! It was a nice respite.


Steph L. - Sep 18, 2025 7:37:23 am PDT #9330 of 9339
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine

the five month old baby elephant annoying the crap out of it’s mom, which was the very last few minutes of the trip, was absolutely the best and funniest part.

I am really enjoying living vicariously through you, meara! How fun!


Steph L. - Sep 18, 2025 7:42:02 am PDT #9331 of 9339
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine

I went to this book reading last night. Tom Gauld! Mimi Pond! It was a nice respite.

That's so cool! I follow Tom Gauld on Tumblr and saw he was doing a tour — glad you got to go!


lisah - Sep 18, 2025 7:57:29 am PDT #9332 of 9339
Punishingly Intricate

Happy birthday, erika!!!

I want to see the baby elephant!!!


-t - Sep 18, 2025 8:34:39 am PDT #9333 of 9339
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Happy birthday, erika!

the five month old baby elephant annoying the crap out of it’s mom, which was the very last few minutes of the trip, was absolutely the best and funniest part.

That is delightful!

Very nice, Scola!

I am working at my old office today because we have a corporate volunteer thing this afternoon that is much nearer to here than the other office. I may be the only person in the office proper. I saw a bunch of cars in the parking lot but everyone must be in the warehouse, I've only seen one other human and that was in the lunchroom. Eerily quiet and the lights turn off if I stay too still. At least the wifi is working.


Trudy Booth - Sep 18, 2025 8:54:02 am PDT #9334 of 9339
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart

Thanks for the Birthday Happies, guys. This week has been a ride.

September 10th: Mom's had a fall and is in rehab recovering, had a crisis, was transported to the hospital AND THE REHAB DID NOT TELL ME. Once I found out from her roommate's daughter (with whom I've exchanged numbers) the rehab then didn't know WHICH HOSPITAL SHE'D BEEN TAKEN TO. There's, like, 47 hospitals on the island of Manhattan and while there were two leading contenders... as I was being passed through phone trees I grew concerned that she was, in fact, dead, and no one was telling me over the phone. Finally found the right hospital and she's not dead and its not a stroke so hooray. Mom and I were supposed to see Hamilton that night so sister came in and stayed with mom and I went solo which I really didn't want to do but better than blowing both tickets I guess... and the box office told me me "our tickets do not expire, when your mother recovers we will reschedule her visit" which was really pretty great.

September 11th: My birthday. Went to the rehab to get mom's phone and oral chemo to take to her at the hospital. Not the best birthday ever, but, not the worst either!

September 12th: Took mom back to rehab. Not happy with them, obvy, but now she's in a single instead of a triple so maybe they're a bit contrite?

September 13th: Birthday party - rode around on ferries drinking wine dressed like a roman for my roman birthday (Initials? LV Age? Also LV). Went to night market. Decompressed a good bit.

September 14th: Two trips to mom's rehab for assorted non-life-threatening-crises. Read some good articles and had official 9/11 cry.

September 15th: Stepmother died... next three days a blur of mom meetings and stepmother calls and crying and getting some sleep while looking at the disaster which is my apartment.

I'm back at work today mostly because we're having COVID shots on site and, hey, those could be illegal soon.

So, yeah, a ride.


Calli - Sep 18, 2025 9:12:35 am PDT #9335 of 9339
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs

Trudy, that is beyond a lot. I hope your life calms down a bit soo, and my condolences on the loss of your stepmother.