Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

It’s the corruption, stupid.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

These are not very smart people, and things got out of hand.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

We still have time to mess this up!

“Loving your country does not mean lying about its history.”

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

When we show up, we win.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

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Reader Interactions

214Comments

  1. 1.

    Mnemosyne

    Waiting for our professional organizer to arrive to help us plan our move and the new apartment. Or as I’m calling it, “marriage insurance.”

  4. 4.

    raven

    Hey John, I emailed you and hit your twitter. I had a misfire with the raffle, I was trying to buy 2 tix and ended up with 20. Hope you can help with this.

  13. 13.

    Anoniminous

    It’s woman and THAT’S NOT FUNNY!

    (Wrote he who is hitched to a graduate of Connecticut College for Women, something like Wellesley albeit with more snoot.)

  21. 21.

    Josie

    @Mnemosyne: I’m way ahead of you. I have two more boxes to pack – one from the kitchen and one from my bedroom and I will be ready for my son to show up with the u-haul truck tomorrow. I have no idea how my furniture will fit in the new house, but I am taking a page from Scaarlett O’Hara’s book and will think about that tomorrow. The stupid dog is completely unaware of what is happening, and the helper dog (the corgi) is really a basket case. I am looking for the ear plugs in preparation for listening to the cats complain for four hours in the car. Fun times.

  24. 24.

    Villago Delenda Est

    What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?

    Looking, obviously in vain, for more original opening pick up line gambits.

  26. 26.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @raven: The first Ferengi rule of acquisition is “Once you have their money, never give it back”.

    Hope that John’s frat isn’t a Ferengi frat.

  35. 35.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    @raven: Comma fail. Is that “Man, cats and dogs in Starkville!” or “Man, cats, and dogs in Starkville!”

  40. 40.

    Mike in NC

    The president of a local Tea Party group shared their deep thoughts in a letter to the editor today. The issues foremost on their minds:

    93% want the borders secured and illegal aliens apprehended
    93% do not approve of granting amnesty to illegal aliens
    91% feel the “Islamic Caliphate” is a severe threat to the US

    For the most important issue: 18% said open borders, 20% said jobs and the economy, 22% said growth of terrorism, 14% said executive over-reach, and 25% said attacks on our Constitutional rights. Education? Nada. The environment? Zilch.

    91% of these loons intend to vote next month, which is the scariest number of all.

  42. 42.

    KG

    @raven: I can’t imagine that playing in a blizzard is fun. Playing in the rain, so long as it’s fairly warm seems like fun, but cold with precipitation is usually miserable

  43. 43.

    kindness

    John throws down shotgun pick-up lines.

    Won’t work most the time hence the use of the shotgun.

  47. 47.

    raven

    And then there was this gem:

    What would prove to be the last College All-Star game was held on July 23, 1976.

    A penalty moved the ball to the 34, but by this point a torrential rain had struck and the officials called time with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter.

    The players left the flooded field, but many of the young fans in the crowd ran onto it and ripped down the goal posts. Unable to restore order and after consultation with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, the officials called off the remainder of the contest.

  49. 49.

    KG

    Marcus Mariotta just had a play that’ll be on both the top 10 and not top 10

    Read option, drops the ball, picks it up, and runs untouched into the endzone

  51. 51.

    suzanne

    I need some guidance. This is the place for it.

    I have some shitty Calphalon nonstick bakeware that I got when I got married almost five years ago. It sucks donkey balls. Scratched, with stuff stuck to it, warped, etc. I want to buy some better quality stuff. Eventually, I’d like to have a whole set of new, but the basic stuff needs to come first….13x9x2, baking sheets, roasting pan. I am seeing suggestions for the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch. Any thoughts or recommendations? Would love to not be super-spendy, but also believe in buying better quality one time.

  52. 52.

    KG

    I have no idea what to make if the Pac-12 anymore. USC beats Stanford and loses to Boston College. UCLA blows out ASU on the road and looks like they’re going to get blown out at home by Oregon (who list at home to Arizona). ASU beats USC on the road on a hail mary. Utah beats UCLA but loses to Washington State who has lost to pretty much everyone else they’ve played. Arizona is undefeated, but I can see them losing to USC, UCLA, or ASU. It’s a complete mess

  53. 53.

    kindness

    Oh and btw….Go Giants!

    @suzanne: for the baking pans get the Airbake stuff (2 layers w/air in between). I love my Calpalon Unison cookware. Costs more but great stuff. Lasts a little longer but as with anything not stainless, you have to replace them eventually. The better stuff does last longer though.

  54. 54.

    gogol's wife

    I don’t have an answer for Suzanne, but I have my own question. I have no use for a cell phone 99% of the time, but I have one for when I travel. If you never turn your cell phone on (it’s a plain cell phone, not a smartphone), how often do you have to recharge it? The manual doesn’t say anything about it because I guess you’re supposed to already know. And yes, I am a tech ignoramus.

  56. 56.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @Mnemosyne:

    I saw that the other day and thought it was brilliant. Apparently Paul McCartney hisself has said that the song is the greatest ever written. It still reminds me of the end of “Love Actually” and I absolutely adore it because of that.

  58. 58.

    delk

    What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?

    If she is holding hands with another girl, and smiling, she might be finally getting legally married.

  59. 59.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @efgoldman:

    Not to mention the fucking repair bills for all the reeds. When my DH’s band marched in a parade in the rain all of the reeds rode inside a school bus, with the brass and the drums following behind.

  62. 62.

    WaterGirl

    @Josie: You are taking me back to my last night in my apartment nearly 30 years ago. I was moving somewhere I wanted to go, to be with someone I wanted to be with, but that last night was hard.

    I can still remember the catch in my chest as the reality hit me, the finality of the situation. Too late to turn back now! Not that I wanted to… But It finally hit me that I was really leaving and there were lots of tears.

    That didn’t mean I regretted my plan to move, but it was the end of a chapter and endings are hard for me. Whatever you feel tonight and tomorrow as you actually leave your current place for another, it’s okay. It’s your transition and no one else can tell you how you should feel. You are very brave and I am so proud of you!

    I am reminded of a James Taylor song:

    Now she’s wild with expectation
    On the edge of the unknown

    Chorus:
    Oh it’s enough to be on your way
    It’s enough just to cover ground
    It’s enough to be moving on
    Home, build it behind your eyes
    Carry it in your heart
    Safe among your own

  64. 64.

    suzanne

    @kindness: Most of the brands seem to have the air-insulated sheets. I am just so sick of the unscrubbable charred grime getting on the damn pans. Then if I get aggressive, I scrub all the non-stick stuff off, or at least scratch it. ERGH.

  65. 65.

    WaterGirl

    @raven: I would have been right there crying with you.

    Remind me where Nap-town was again? I can’t remember where you went first when you left C-U.

  66. 66.

    Howard Beale IV

    @Mnemosyne: Now that brought a tear to my eye. Thanks. And fuck Comcast with a 20-ft long barb-wire-wrapped curare-tipped telephone pole with no lubricants for the buffering.

  67. 67.

    Violet

    @suzanne: Not sure about what kind off bakeware (I’ll be interested in the replies) but there will be plenty of deals on cooking stuff in the next month or two. Keep an eye out for those.

  70. 70.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @raven:

    Mum visit. She was here for a month. Loved it. Put her on the plane today. Flossie and Skeeter are besides themselves with grief and keep looking out the window wondering where Grandma and Norman are. I will now have to go through the fridge and haul out all of the two teaspoons of gravy and one leftover green bean that she refused to throw out during her visit. Hate putting her on the plane, at 81 next month I can’t help but think it is the last time I will see her.

  72. 72.

    Violet

    @gogol’s wife: That will depend on the age of the battery and how it’s stored among other things. Batteries release charge over time even when they’re not used. I’d recommend turning it on once a month or so just to check the battery status. At some point the battery won’t last long or may not take a charge, and you’d rather know that before you go on your trip.

    As for when you’re traveling and maybe using it, if you’re not using it much or at all you should be able to go a couple of days without even thinking of charging it.

  73. 73.

    Josie

    @WaterGirl: That was lovely. Thank you so much for the beautiful thoughts. My sons are the most important people in my life, and this move puts me in the same town with two of them and much closer to the other one. I am happy for that reason alone. My only worry is finding my way around in a new city, but I have my smart phone and a good map, so I’ll be fine. I will also be closer to some friends that I have not seen much lately, so that is a positive also. It’s all good.

  74. 74.

    WaterGirl

    @suzanne: I replaced all my non-stick with stainless steel, starting 3 christmases ago. I LOVE my stainless steel stuff – I will never buy anything else again for cooking.

  75. 75.

    Josie

    @suzanne: I have not had to scrub them. I wash them by hand with Dawn and they clean up like a breeze. Nothing sticks to them. I even do gluten free stuff for my son (which usually sticks worse than regular baked goods) and it doesn’t stick. I get the feeling they will last forever.

  76. 76.

    Howard Beale IV

    @gogol’s wife: Cell phones, even when they are not turned on, will have a parasitic drain on them due to the fact that the actual process of turning them on is software-based-the phone’s computer is basically in a very deep sleep polling the on switch, waiting for you to hold the button long enough to wake it up so it can actually act like a phone. If you want to extend the charge of your battery, physically remove it if you can. With today’s LiPo batteries, you can go safely 2-3 months without turning them on and still maintain a 60-70% charge.

  78. 78.

    RaflW

    What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?

    That is the question du jour! We’re in Norway, Michigan (in the U.P.) for a wedding reception party. The bride & groom tied the knot in Vegas a while back, and the family is gathering at a Legion Hall for cocktails, dinner, dancing.

    Quite the small-town treat.

  79. 79.

    Violet

    @WaterGirl: Oh, I can so relate! I was in the exact same situation. Did NOT want to move out of my apartment–I loved it so much. But I DID want to move where I was moving. Hard to explain those emotions but they were real. I really get it.

    @Josie: It sounds like the move is a positive one. I hope everything goes well. Are you still going to be in Texas? I think you told me but I’ve forgotten what you said.

  80. 80.

    WaterGirl

    @raven: Hmm. Was he replying to an email you sent him, or did he look up the email you used when you first came to BJ?

  81. 81.

    Karen in GA

    No answer for Suzanne here either, other than if it’s cookware don’t let me near it because you’ll hate the end result.

    Meanwhile, today is day 9 of Iggy’s — and, as a result, my — 30-day confinement. He’s hanging in. I decided to combat the boredom by practicing my low D whistle, and I actually improved. I should play it more. I have a wooden flute too; maybe I’ll even work on that while I’m stuck in the house. Perhaps I’ll sign up for the Online Academy of Irish Music — their free lessons look pretty good.

    What I’d really like is to attend Celtic Week at the Swannanoa Gathering next year in North Carolina.

    I’ve always liked Irish music. No idea why it took so long for me to try to play it myself.

  82. 82.

    suzanne

    @Josie: I say this as someone who has an impeccable sense of direction who is married to someone who gets lost coming home from the grocery store: if you are the type who has a hard time navigating, study your new neighborhood on Google Earth at different levels of zoom. Then make yourself a very simple map of the ten places you go to the most. Include only the streets you need to get to those places, or major freeways and landmarks to orient yourself. Then recopy the map five times, turning it north, south, east, and west. That basic exercise will get you confident in the essentials, and you’ll feel much less stressed out.

  84. 84.

    suzanne

    @WaterGirl: What brand? I’m looking for cookie and roasting pans especially. I hate casserole and gratins and crap, so no Le Creuset for me.

  86. 86.

    WaterGirl

    @suzanne: Those look like the ones i got through King Arthur Flour (KAF) which I think are made by the same company.

    I have never had to scrub them because they have some sort of clear (maybe silicone?) coating on them, and everything comes right off with a sponge. But you have to be careful if you cut anything – just use plastic and you should be okay.

    But it’s like the non-stick stuff, you don’t want to scratch the surface.

  87. 87.

    SiubhanDuinne

    A girl like me spent the afternoon at the Met Live in HD season opener, and I gotta tell you, it was one of the best — if not the best — opera experiences I’ve ever had in my life. And believe me, I’ve had more than a few opera experiences in my life. I am still on a huge high.

    Verdi’s Macbeth. If you want to see some beyond-amazing singing and acting, catch the encore at your local theatre this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. local time.

    Anna Netrebko was born to play Lady Macbeth.

  91. 91.

    henqiguai

    @suzanne (#69):

    Most of the brands seem to have the air-insulated sheets. I am just so sick of the unscrubbable charred grime getting on the damn pans.

    Invest, heavily, in (silicone-treated) parchment paper. Worth every penny spent (my wife loves to bake cookies, etc) since I tend to do cleanup and dish washing.

  92. 92.

    bemused

    We finally got our gas stove after crappy flat top electric stove died. Love it. We have Lodge iron skillets, stainless steel pots and corning ware type casserole dishes. My aluminum muffin tin is my favorite, can’t stand the other ones I have. I use an aluminum cake pan, jelly roll pans for bars. Flat cookie sheets are a mix of materials but I end up using parchment paper anyway, like the results better. Aluminum is kind of old school but I was never happy with the non-stick type bakeware when it first came out and I haven’t tried any of the more recent products.

  95. 95.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @Mike in NC: Who’d a thunk that marriage equality would ever come to NC, like my friend Foggy said, it was like watching the Berlin Wall come down. Thom the asshole Tillis is going to waste a bunch of taxpayers dollars on defending the marriage ban but methinks he is going to eventually fail, the fourth circuit is going to tell them to pound sand.

  96. 96.

    Howard Beale IV

    @skerry: And yet the slack-jawed nanocephalic imbecilic Fox-watchers are all in a apoplectic apocalyptic fit over fucking ebola, failing to realize that there have been at least – what – 6 TIMES more deaths attributed to Enterovirus E 68 than to ebola in the United States? And the worst part? The E 68 deaths have been children…..

    When it comes right down to it, News Corporation is no different than the Islamic State.

  98. 98.

    burnspbesq

    Time to watch the second half of Duke – GaTech, which I missed because I was in a client meeting.

    Duke’s first football win in Atlanta since 1994.

  99. 99.

    Josie

    @Violet: Yes I will still be in Texas. I will be moving from deep south Texas to central Texas, so the weather will not be so brutally hot and I will have some fun gardening there. My yard is big with some very large old trees, including a pecan. I will have plenty of room to grow my vegies and herbs.

  101. 101.

    WaterGirl

    @Karen in GA: Have you thought about music to help Iggy stay calm?

    The reason I ask is that the day after my kitty soulmate had a transfusion was beyond awful. Sometimes animals can reject a blood transfusion, and he threw up every few minutes all day long – and it seemed like he was nearly turning himself inside out. It went on all morning and most of the afternoon, and I really thought I was going to have to take him to the vet and say goodbye.

    At some point when I was near despair and about to call the vet, it occurred to me to try some calming music. That was my last ditch effort before I called the vet. And I’ll be damned if that didn’t turn things around Almost immediately there was more time between throwing up and within a couple hours he had completely settled down.

    I recommend no Johnny Cash, no jailbreaks, just soothing lyrical music. It might be worth a try. It can’t hurt!

    Edited

  104. 104.

    Josie

    @suzanne: That makes a lot of sense to me and I will happily use it. I would rather do that than listen to some woman’s voice giving me directions in the car. I would much rather orient myself in the area and figure out how to find my way around. Thanks.

  105. 105.

    Violet

    @henqiguai: Agreed. I’ve moved to using parchment paper for baking. No exceptions. Gives better results than without and you don’t need to grease a pan.

  107. 107.

    Corner Stone

    @suzanne:

    I say this as someone who has an impeccable sense of direction who is married to someone who gets lost coming home from the grocery store:

    Some people simply can’t ever get their sense of direction, no matter what they do.
    I’m someone who, once they have been somewhere, can always find my way back there. Including neighborhoods, deer camps and etc.
    My ex is just like your current mister.

  109. 109.

    WaterGirl

    @suzanne:

    I say this as someone who has an impeccable sense of direction who is married to someone who gets lost coming home from the grocery store:

    I had no idea you and I were married!

  111. 111.

    burnspbesq

    @raven:

    So I heard. Tech let this game get away from them early. They could easily have been up 13-0 at the half, but they kept both Duke scoring drives alive with really inopportune penalties (offside on punt coverage? wow!).

  112. 112.

    Corner Stone

    @Josie: I still think it’s kinda sweet you’re making the move to be just a little closer to me. C’mon, admit it!

  113. 113.

    suzanne

    @Josie: It’s hard to learn navigation while you’re driving, since you have to, you know, drive. But if you can do the basics, you’ll learn the rest while you drive around.

    We’ve lived in the PHX area for 25 years, and I still have to drive my mom around sometimes, since she has a hard time.

    Another thing, I suggest, is not taking freeways for a while, if you have the time to burn. You learn more about how the city stitches together.

  115. 115.

    Howard Beale IV

    @bemused: I have a flattop radiant electric range but I’m seriously thinking about replacing it with an induction range. I have a standalone induction cooktop that I got on Amazon cheap and that thing is (1) quick and (2) safe – only the pan gets hot – not the cooktop.

  117. 117.

    Howard Beale IV

    @efgoldman:

    Well, to be fair, Rupert is a hideous human being but he hasn’t had anyone beheaded.
    Yet.

    That we know of. Besides, beheadings are so gauche.

  118. 118.

    jacy

    I’m just killing time until the hockey game tonight. (Thursday didn’t count and I’ve already forgotten it happened.)

  119. 119.

    Violet

    @jacy: How are you feeling? I’ve been out of the loop and have missed some of your updates. I think I saw the surgery went well?

  120. 120.

    JR in WV

    Cookware:

    Never buy non-stick. Those plastics emit seriously poisonous fumes when they get yea hot, which can be achieved in a regular oven for no longer than it takes. Plus the precursor chemical (C-8) is a known health problem near the DuPont plant that makes all Teflon. For frying and broiling I use cast iron, Lodge is a good brand still being sold.

    For stove top pots I have a gift from the Mrs J of stainless AllClad maybe? Has a layer of Aluminum in the bottom betweren two layers of stainless to spread the heat. I use pyrex to bake pies and stuff like bakery. I line little throwaway (recycle, really) aluminum pans with waxed paper to bake stuf to take to pot luck dinners.

    Tonight there’s a big potluck at a friend’s across teh county, I made artichoke/cheese/mayo with browned onions, garlic and oregano baked with a little extra cheese on top to brown. It’s smelling good. I may not go, been upset, changed some meds, things changing in my belly… I’ll let Mrs J take the pot luck to the party…

  121. 121.

    suzanne

    @Corner Stone: On our first date, Mr. Suzanne invited me back to his place. I agreed, and we got in our respective cars. He then called me, asking me how to get to his house. I said, “I don’t know, IVE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.” He still doesn’t know which way is north. Even when the sun is out and he knows what time it is.

    The ten-item map thing helps a lot. Drawing only the important stuff is a good way to make sense of it.

  122. 122.

    gogol's wife

    @Violet:

    Thanks. Now I just have to remember that I have it. Thanks, efgoldman — I wasn’t sure if that was enough information.

  125. 125.

    Violet

    @suzanne:

    He then called me, asking me how to get to his house. I said, “I don’t know, IVE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.”

    That’s hysterical.

  126. 126.

    WaterGirl

    @suzanne:

    For cookies, I LOVE my pizza stone from pampered chef.

    Cookies come out the way I like them, a little crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. I always bake cookies on parchment paper, so there’s basically no cleanup. But if you don’t want to bake your cookies on a pizza stone, then I suggest these:

    King Arthur Flour
    They make perfect homemade biscuits and cookies.

    For cooking, i felt overwhelmed when I went online and tried to decide between he various brands of stainless steel. So I bought pieces from 3 different companies so I could try them out myself until I realized that I preferred the way this one cooked to that one. Then I knew what to get.

    Edit: I don’t have a roasting pan, but I have been pleased with my Cuisinart and Calphalon stainless steel. The trick is to know that not everything within their lines is the same quality. I look for 18/10 – I have no idea what that really means but it’s the higher quality pan.

  127. 127.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @efgoldman: Different production. No ballet, and no nudity, although Netrebko came v-e-e-e-r-y close in her first scene. I (and, I expect, thousands of people around the world) were convinced she was going to spill out of that low-cut negligée and have a wardrobe malfunction that would put Janet Jackson to shame.

    Kapow singing. Do see it if you can. I’m trying to rearrange my Wednesday schedule so I can see it again in the encore presentation. It was that good.

  128. 128.

    bemused

    @Mike in NC:

    I just read a Rolling Stone article from July, Lone Star Crazy, and former Republican Texas Senator Jerry Patterson was talking about Texas voters approving Prop 6 that allowed $2 billion from rainy-day fund to be used for drought-easing projects saying, “The Republican primary voters – the Tea Party – were unanimously, vehemently opposed to it.”
    Interviewer: “Because it involved tax money?”
    Patterson: “Because they don’t understand what they are talking about.They were gullible. I think the Tea Party was a great thing. But it’s at a crossroads now. The problem with the Tea Party right now is, they can be had very easily.”

    Gullible, don’t understand what they are talking about and can be had easily describes the Tea Party to a tee and that was from a Texas Republican. I would add that this is what the Tea Party has been from the beginning and will always be, imo.

  129. 129.

    Manyakitty

    @suzanne: I swear by plain old heavy aluminum baking sheets. They’re versatile, reasonably cheap, and almost bulletproof. Lay down some parchment under whatever you want to bake and they’re nonstick and easy to clean.
    I have three roasters: one ceramic (awesome, but expensive and heavy), one black and white speckled metal one with a lid, and a Kitchen Aid nonstick one with a rack (no lid). They all do what I need, and have for years.
    9×13: I have a couple of Pyrex baking dishes and a cheap cake pan with a lid that I replace as necessary because those things always get trashed.

  130. 130.

    Corner Stone

    @suzanne:

    I agreed, and we got in our respective cars. He then called me, asking me how to get to his house. I said, “I don’t know, IVE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.”

    Wait a second. You continued the relationship FROM THERE?
    I, at least, always picked my ex up and we went somewhere together. If you told her to pick due North at any point when the sun was up she’d have about a 5% chance of getting it right. Yes, 5%.
    My dad used to have a place with acreage that was due West of Houston. I mean, straight down I-10 West for 1.15 hours. She could not have found that place on her own after 2 or 3 years of going there if you put a gun to her head.

    As an aside, I’ll be in Tucson this next weekend. No chance to visit the Mexican-Chinese fusion place in PHX, but I’ll be thinking of you and the Mr.!

  131. 131.

    bemused

    @Violet:

    Yup, my muffin tin is ancient and on it’s last legs. On the hunt for aluminum muffin tin, make that two if I find it, and the other tins will go to the Goodwill or someone who isn’t as fussy as I am.

  133. 133.

    WaterGirl

    @suzanne: I was 17 before I figured out that North wasn’t whatever direction you were facing when you held the map with the North symbol facing forward.

    I still can’t find my way out of a paper bag. If I go to the mall, I always have to park in the same place or i will never find my car. Some of us just don’t have that gene.

  134. 134.

    burnspbesq

    @Corner Stone:

    No chance to visit the Mexican-Chinese fusion place in PHX

    We have a couple of Mexican – Korean fusion food trucks here in OC. A kimchi quesadilla is quite a thing.

  136. 136.

    suzanne

    @Violet: It was awesome and I still bust his ass about it.

    @Corner Stone: Oh yes. I can do the navigating. It’s not like good sense of direction is a turn-on. Have a good time in Too-stoned! Get a Sonoran dog while you’re there.

    @WaterGirl: The stone works well? I don’t have one but that’s a rad idea. THX!

  137. 137.

    Violet

    @WaterGirl: It’s the fact that he called the girl he wanted to impress, who had never been to his house before, to ask her how to get there that’s the funny part. Couldn’t he have called a friend? A family member? Calling the girl you’re on your first date with to ask her how to get to your own house is just hilarious.

  140. 140.

    JPL

    @suzanne: If you are still around, buy t-fal fry pans and good quality sauce pans and stockpots. Non stick only lasts so long so it’s not worth spending a ton of money on it. Don’t worry about matching sets. Calphalon makes pretty good bakeware as does Chicago Metallic. All clad bakeware is not worth the money. imo

    Wahoo.. Mississippi State is winning. now back to reading the comments..

  141. 141.

    Mike E

    @bemused: TEA people were polled a while back and they self-identified as Repub voters who wanted more religion in govt…as operatives, they’re pretty transparent.

  143. 143.

    suzanne

    @JPL: I’ve got all the cookware I need, and I’m very happy with it. It’s Costco brand. Plus a cast-iron skillet for eggs. It’s the baking stuff I need. The Calphalon stuff I have is utter shit.

  144. 144.

    jacy

    @Violet:

    Surgery went well — some complications afterward that were annoying but not serious. Turns out I was in the 5% that had the invasive adenocarcinoma — but it was small and in the middle of the mass. They say they can’t find any signs of cancer anywhere, but I’ll be doing six months of chemo as an insurance policy. I’m having surgery to have a port put in my chest on Monday. On the upside, once all my hair falls out, I’ll be an incredibly tragic and sympathetic figure at school, which will crush the The Whore. So silver lining!

  145. 145.

    WaterGirl

    @suzanne: The stone works awesome and there’s no scrubbing if you use parchment.

    I stay away from the silicone parchment because I’m convinced that in 10 years they are going to tell us that silicone kills us. But regular parchment works just fine!

    Edit: I recommend getting a large pizza stone and a medium pizza stone. You won’t regret it.

  147. 147.

    suzanne

    @Violet: The even funnier thing is that, with only a little bit of information, I was able to tell him. He knew the nearest major intersection. LMAO. It was awesome.

  149. 149.

    WaterGirl

    @Violet: I think it makes him genuine, so I think it’s endearing. He wasn’t trying to hide a thing – he’s comfortable in who he is.

    I like to think that it is my being so bad with directions that it makes me more patient with other people in areas where they struggle.

    Edit: I have learned to say to myself: I have many wonderful qualities, but my sense of direction is not one of them. It is what it is.

  153. 153.

    Kathleen

    @gogol’s wife: I don’t have a smart phone, either, but I still charge 2G overnight every night. However, I went away for a weekend and forgot my charger but had no problems using the phone from Friday through Sunday. Hope this helps.
    .

  154. 154.

    Ruckus

    @suzanne:
    I use Scanpan which is ceramic non stick made in Denmark. I looked and it is sold at WS so maybe you are looking at that. Have had it for years and it is great. It is not completely non stick, if you burn stuff it can stick. But there is a way to cook it off and that works. I do notice that it does not require as much heat to cook well so overheating is really not a problem, if you know that.

  155. 155.

    suzanne

    @Corner Stone: I actually liked that he asked rather than lead me the wrong way. I also liked that he didn’t feel like he had to feel ashamed of asking me. I can’t help that I’m a good navigator.

    Plus, he’s good at other, more important things. Wink wink. Nudge nudge.

  156. 156.

    bemused

    @Violet:

    I can’t resist asking if he is a wilderness camper type person because that directional thing could be a bit problematic…

    Oops meant for Suzanne

  157. 157.

    jacy

    @Corner Stone:

    The “woman” my husband had the affair with is prominent at my 9-year-old’s school (in fact her son is in my son’s class.) I’m waging a quiet war to make her a figure of scorn and ridicule — which seems to be working because she doubles over every time she sees me. The fact that I have cancer and everyone knows it may send her over the edge…. (everybody needs hobbies)

    @suzanne:

    I asked and the doctor said no — but she said it was “really ugly.” I told her I had a jar ready to take it home and I’m not sure if she could decide whether I was kidding or not…..

  159. 159.

    Corner Stone

    @suzanne:

    Plus, he’s good at other, more important things. Wink wink. Nudge nudge.

    He’s a whiz with a toilet scrubber, and other implements of bathroom/kitchen cleaning?

  160. 160.

    Howard Beale IV

    @Ruckus:

    Scanpan

    Unfortunately, it appears that brand’s products are not induction friendly – which is somewhat of a surprise.

  161. 161.

    suzanne

    @bemused: He tries to get me to camp occasionally, but I refuse. I don’t like to get drunk enough that I can actually fall asleep on the ground.

    @jacy: I have no doubt that, very soon, you will succeed in making this woman feel like utter shit about yourself.

    To which I say: you rule, and please let me know if there’s anything slanderous or nasty that I can do to help. I like to help karma along from time to time. She’s got her hands full. It’s the least I can do.

  164. 164.

    shelley

    Found out my dog got into the garbage and ate one of those absorbent pads under the raw chicken. Planning on staying up late night in anticipation of intestinal issues.

  166. 166.

    suzanne

    @jacy: That’s a bummer. I like that kind of thing.

    When Spawn the Younger was born, my OB took the placenta and played with it afterward. Dude was flipping it around like he was tossing pizza dough. I was both grossed out and turned on. Gross things are cool.

  167. 167.

    Ruckus

    @suzanne:
    May not be the same brand, doesn’t look like it. But the technology may be similar, Scanpan is ceramic coated aluminum and has gotten better and better over the years. I first purchased some about 20 yrs ago and over time the non stick properties got less and less. But that’s not all bad, when I purchased they had a lifetime replacement warranty and I’ve used that a couple of times. The newer stuff is very good non stick as long as you follow their guidelines about temp and cleanup. And yes they are expensive. But so are my knives, Wusthof. I never skimp on tools, either for work or the kitchen. It has always paid off.
    So, I see that I have no real advice for you, just my own experience.

  168. 168.

    Violet

    @WaterGirl: Don’t disagree with you at all. It’s completely endearing and suzanne ended up marrying him so she must have thought the same thing! It’s still really funny though.

    No issue with people who have no sense of direction. It’s just a trait. No bearing on how smart or talented someone is.

  169. 169.

    jacy

    @suzanne:

    I’ve instructed the 9-year-old that if she ever approaches him (which she keeps trying to do — offering gum and such) that he is allowed to scream “Stranger Danger!” at the top of his lungs and run away. He had just been hiding if he ever saw her, and this makes him feel much better. He asked if he could also kick her in the shins, but I said that might be a little over the top…for now anyway.

    @Violet:

    I just figure I’m exceptional! And hope that Karma finally sits down and has a long hard look at what’s happened, maybe has a few drinks to assuage it’s conscience, and then does something at least slightly spectacular to even things out….

  170. 170.

    JPL

    @suzanne: We would go camping and it was not fun anytime, but especially when you are 8 months pregnant. I had to use a rope up one side of a mountain because of balance problems. Truthfully the dog had problems also, so not just me. Then even if I could sleep, I would awaken every two hours to go to the bathroom. I hate camping. .
    BTW, cooks illustrated does testing on kinds of things including bake ware. They are a good source for information.

  171. 171.

    Corner Stone

    @suzanne:

    When Spawn the Younger was born, my OB took the placenta and played with it afterward.

    I videotaped my son’s c-section birth, at my wife’s request. The doc took all the parts out of her, held them up, described them, cleaned them, put them on her belly and eventually put them back inside her.
    She’s showed that CD to about 50 people by now.

  173. 173.

    suzanne

    @Violet: He has no sense of direction, but is a wizard with languages. He is a bilingual speech-language pathologist, and he picks up languages with ridiculous ease. He’s working on ASL right now. OTOH, I can navigate in almost anywhere I find myself (and I’ve intentionally tried to get lost in foreign cities), but speak an embarrassingly small amount of Spanish, considering how hard I’ve tried to learn. So we’re a good team.

  174. 174.

    Ruckus

    @Violet:
    Works in many ways.
    I have a friend who is about the least mechanically talented person I’ve ever met, but he is a great person and a very, very talented writer. Skills is skills, we all have some, the trick is to find out what ours are and exploit and enjoy them, and still try to learn new ones.

  178. 178.

    Violet

    @jacy: Jacy, that sounds like an excellent hobby. I knew I liked you! The Whore deserves every bit of scorn heaped upon her. Every bit.

  179. 179.

    Corner Stone

    @jacy:

    I’ve instructed the 9-year-old that if she ever approaches him (which she keeps trying to do — offering gum and such) that he is allowed to scream “Stranger Danger!” at the top of his lungs and run away. He had just been hiding if he ever saw her, and this makes him feel much better. He asked if he could also kick her in the shins, but I said that might be a little over the top…for now anyway.

    I get some of this. But I’ll just say that during my divorce, and after it to this day and every day moving forward, I always put my son first and my ego last. The last thing I would ever do is denigrate my ex, or her choices, because he loves her very much.
    I get that it’s quite different, but I will simply say that IMO children should not be put against hard places. My ego can take it.

  180. 180.

    Violet

    @jacy:

    I’ve instructed the 9-year-old that if she ever approaches him (which she keeps trying to do — offering gum and such) that he is allowed to scream “Stranger Danger!” at the top of his lungs and run away.

    That is a thing of beauty. I hope he implements that plan early and often!

  183. 183.

    Violet

    @suzanne: @Ruckus: Yep, we’ve all got strengths and weaknesses. Doesn’t surprise me at all that Mr. suzanne has a lot of talent for languages. That’s a very different part of the brain from navigational ability.

  184. 184.

    Scout211

    Suzanne

    I am late to this thread but I swear by my classic Revere ware. They are stainless steel with copper bottoms. Fully scrubbable with steel wool. The pots and pans I have had for over 30 years and they are still perfect.

    Over the years I have added one large and one extra-large soup pot, two cookie sheets (they have the small edge,more like jellyroll sheets), a pizza pan, 9×13 cake pan, 9×9 baking pan, muffin pan, roasting pan and lasagna pan. All stainless and fully scrubbable with steel wool.

    I am so happy with all of it, most of the pieces are decades old and in perfect condition. And I use them often.

    I just saw a basic 7 piece set on Amazon.

  186. 186.

    Violet

    @Corner Stone: I agree with this. Put the kids first. I think jacy said in a previous comment that her husband may have some undiagnosed mental problems and The Whore may be a symptom of some of that. Sorry if I’m mis-remembering.

    If jacy’s kids are afraid of this woman then they need to feel empowered to do what they need to do to stand up for themselves. If their dad isn’t doing his part toward the kids then jacy has to do double duty, even as she’s in chemo. That’s tough stuff. The kids are probably scared of losing her, which is a complicated situation.

    Hopefully they can work out what needs to be worked out in whatever way is best for the kids and everyone going forward. Easy to say, not as easy to do.

  187. 187.

    Howard Beale IV

    My Prius has been throwing the triangle of death when I start it, which tells me the auxiliary battery in the rear of the car is on its last legs (which is a common problem with the Gen II vehicles.) So with the holiday weekend upcoming I get to do a battery replacement. Yay (heavy sarcasm)

  188. 188.

    bemused

    @Scout211:

    I have the same Revere ware pots and pans with copper bottoms, at least 40 years old. I don’t use the frying pans much, food sticks and the iron skillets are better to cook with. I have a newer heavier set of stainless steel pots that get used a lot, europro from Spiegels.

  189. 189.

    Corner Stone

    @SiubhanDuinne: Sorta, indeed.
    We had a sheet pulled up below her boobs, above the crown of her belly. And I taped over that from the viewpoint of standing behind her head looking south. (For Mr. Suzanne, that means I was behind her head and pointing the camera down range towards her crotch. It sounds like from what Suzanne says he’s lingually oriented so he should get that orientation.)
    Her OBGYN specialized in high risk births. I loved that dude. We took her in on Sunday as she was having high BP and not feeling well. He came in and said, ok, how do you feel about having a baby? Luckily he was only 3 weeks early and she was a pediatric nurse in that hospital so all the RN’s in the NICU wanted to take care of him.

  190. 190.

    suzanne

    @Scout211: Are you talking cookware or bakeware? I have good cookware, stainless with a copper sandwich bottom, from Costco. I need baking stuff. Cookie sheets and roasting pans. I haven’t seen Revere of that stuff. Do they make it?

  191. 191.

    Mike E

    TCU v Baylor was THE game…119 total points with the Bears kicking a game ending/winning FG. 61-58.

  193. 193.

    debbie

    @Scout211:

    Do you still polish the copper? I did years ago, when I hung pots and pans on pegboard, but I’ve slacked off since then.

  195. 195.

    Joel Hanes

    @suzanne:

    stuck-on grime

    If you’re baking on sheets, line them with parchment paper.

    Works better than greasing or nonstick, keeps you new nonstick from needing the metal spatulas and scrubbing that ruins it.

  196. 196.

    Karen in GA

    @WaterGirl: Funny you should mention music. I made a playlist consisting of volumes 1-3 of “Through A Dog’s Ear,” which is a collection of classical piano pieces reworked to relax dogs. It’s been on repeat since I brought him home from the vet last Thursday. He’s been pretty relaxed in his crate, which may be the music or it may just be that he’s resigned to life in his crate. No idea. I just know I’m not turning it off.

  199. 199.

    jacy

    @Corner Stone:

    If he didn’t know the woman, I would totally agree that he shouldn’t be involved. But my husband and this woman used to take him WITH THEM when they snuck out. And would take him to events and practices, leave him there while they went off, and come back to pick him up later. Then they told him not to tell me. He was very traumatized, so much that whenever he saw her or thought she would be somewhere he was going to be he would throw up. (Before I even knew about the affair) His pediatrician and his therapist both said to him that he has the power not to have to see her. If she or her child approach him, he can walk away. If she speaks to him, he can ignore her or say that he doesn’t want to see her. She keeps approaching him even though I’ve told her not too, which has made him very apprehensive and reluctant to go to school, so I’m just trying to give him the power to control his situation that they tried to take away from him.

    (edited to add — and she’s everywhere. She head of the school fair committee, on the PTO, in charge of Teacher Appreciation, and teaches Sunday School at the church. (It’s a Catholic school). So he feels very threatened by her. He’s much better now that he knows he can get away from her if he needs to.)

  200. 200.

    suzanne

    @jacy: That is fucked up, and leaving a small kid when he expects a parent to be around is really horrible, even if another responsible adult is around. I think it’s great that he has that level of control.

    @Corner Stone: LULZ.

  201. 201.

    Corner Stone

    @jacy:
    Jesus fucking christ my heart hurts.

    And on the edit, God in His heaven have mercy. What an individual example of humankind that man is.

  202. 202.

    Scout211

    @suzanne:

    I hope you are still checking this thread. Sorry, I posted and then left for awhile.

    Yes, I have a 9×11 cake pan, a 10×12 lasagna pan, a roaster with rack, a 9×9 cake pan and two 9inch round cake pans as well as two cookie sheets and two muffin pans.

    I am not sure actually, if they still make all the bakeware. I’ve had mine for a long time.

  203. 203.

    Scout211

    @debbie:

    Late to answer, sorry.

    No, I was told when I got them originally that you shouldn’t polish them. It may have been a family myth, but I was told that the darkened copper held the heat better than the shiny copper.

    But the shiny ones are so much prettier.

  205. 205.

    jacy

    @Corner Stone:

    We’re going to be okay. His older siblings watch out for him when I can’t be there, and he’s a really bright, self-sufficient kid. He gets lots of support from us and his teacher and we try to focus on the positive and not the negative. My goal is to make her enough of a pariah that she gives up on the thought that she’s every going to have anything to do with him — it’s just not going to be worth it from a social standpoint (and she’s all about her self-image) for her to have to tangle with me.

  206. 206.

    JPL

    @jacy: It sounds as though your son, inherited your good traits. My ex had colon cancer and chemo sucks but it is worth it.

  208. 208.

    Violet

    @jacy: Oh, jacy. I have no words. She is awful. And your husband is terrible for going along with her (sorry, no offense, but it is terrible behavior on his part). Your poor son. I’m so glad you have found a way, with support of his doctor and therapist, to give your son a way to be in charge of how he deals with her. So empowering for him! You’re a great mom!

    I hope the community sees what a horrible person she is and her social standing collapses around her. She’s not the kind of person who should be interacting with kids in any sort of authority role at all.

  209. 209.

    cckids

    @suzanne: I’m really, really late here, but I bake lots, and for cookies or round layer cakes I highly recommend heavy stainless steel pans. I got mine at a restaurant supply place, I’ve used them for 15 + years & they are going strong. For cakes (9 x 13), I use Pyrex/Corningware type glass pans.

    I don’t like the double-layer air pans – they always warp for me.

  210. 210.

    Shana

    @suzanne: 13 X 9: go with pyrex; baking sheets: America’s Test Kitchen did an equipment corner a few years ago and said, I think, Lincoln half sheets. I needed to replace mine around that time and I’ve been very happy with them. They’re not non-stick, but get a couple of silpats and you’re fine.

  211. 211.

    Shana

    @Howard Beale IV: We have ordered an induction cooktop for our kitchen but it’s not in yet. I’ve replaced certain pots and pans that wouldn’t work with induction but am having a hard time finding a square griddle, other than cast iron, that will work. Any suggestions?

    BTW, the addition/remodel that started January 7th, had some weather delays, and the bad luck to be managed by a bunch of crooks (who got fired) will be done by Thanksgiving, we think. It was supposed to take 12 weeks. The existing kitchen got torn out yesterday. I’m already tired of going up and down stairs to reach the fridge.

  212. 212.

    Corner Stone

    I would never do that to my child. We’re all weak, but good christ. Get a hold of yourself, you asshole.

  213. 213.

    suzanne

    @Corner Stone: Srsly. I get that we all have carnal desire, but when you have a goddamn kid, you don’t get to have whatever you want all the damn time. UGH.

    Jacy, once again, if I can do anything, plz let me know.

  214. 214.

    Carrie

    @munira:
    Wow! You’re living my dream. I’d love to see pictures of your cabin.
    And it’s nice to meet an other Québécoise on this blog :-)

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