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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

I desperately hope that, yet again, i am wrong.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

I did not have this on my fuck 2025 bingo card.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Giving in to doom is how we fail to fight for ourselves & one another.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

This really is a full service blog.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Evening No-Politics Open Thread

Evening No-Politics Open Thread

by Cheryl Rofer|  November 13, 20177:31 pm| 162 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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A neighbor across the arroyo has a big old cottonwood tree that is just gorgeous at this time of year.

I’m about ready for an open thread without politics, too. How’s the weather in your part of the world?

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Reader Interactions

162Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    November 13, 2017 at 7:32 pm

    I don’t like short days.

  2. 2.

    dopey-o

    November 13, 2017 at 7:33 pm

    i recognize the town even without the moon rising over the Sangres!

  3. 3.

    dlwchico

    November 13, 2017 at 7:33 pm

    Off and on rain here in Chico, CA.
    Picture of new cats. They are settling in nicely.
    https://i.imgur.com/7HfzO0R.jpg

  4. 4.

    rikyrah

    November 13, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    No politics?
    Oy

    Ok, I hate coming home in the dark

  5. 5.

    Manyakitty

    November 13, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    Tonight’s coping: homemade macaroni and cheese, paired with plans for a calendar photo shoot of the cats.

  6. 6.

    Frankensteinbeck

    November 13, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    I have gotten exactly one distinct alpha reader comment about the ending of this book. “The Audit is scary.” I have gotten one distinct beta reader comment. “I like Gerty Goat.” This is what it’s like to be an author.

  7. 7.

    philpm

    November 13, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    Can I ship them my cottonwoods? I’d be happy to be rid of them.

  8. 8.

    burnspbesq

    November 13, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    Dear Mattel,

    You’re not off the hook. A hijabi Barbie based on Ibtihaj Muhammad DOES NOT make up for Man-Bun Ken.

  9. 9.

    lamh36

    November 13, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    Ok…no poltiics…

    Saw this video on twitter and had to share it. Love it.

    Reminds me of my youth choir days.

    @TheView
    WATCH: @common, @AndraDayMusic perform their hit ‘Stand Up For Something’ — and ‘Rise Up’ — with the Cardinal Shehan middle school choir!
    https://twitter.com/TheView/status/930178719397769217

    Happy Birthday Whoopi!

  10. 10.

    ruemara

    November 13, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    The cats are doing very well. I think the roomie is grooming them for internet stardom.

  11. 11.

    TenguPhule

    November 13, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    Its November.

    Rainy. Humid.

  12. 12.

    TenguPhule

    November 13, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    A hijabi Barbie based on Ibtihaj Muhammad DOES NOT make up for Man-Bun Ken.

    I could have lived a full life without having to see that.

  13. 13.

    Jack Canuck

    November 13, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    Hot down here in Melbourne: high of 34C today, over 30 predicted for tomorrow. But then it drops back down to 20 or so and starts creeping back up. Summer is coming… Can’t wait for the end of the school year at the start of December, I am so ready for my summer holidays.

  14. 14.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    That is a beautiful tree. What a treat to get to look at it every day.

  15. 15.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    I just got off the phone with a nice young man from Amtrak who is going to try and alert the crew of the train I’m traveling on Friday to please assign me a window seat so my crutches don’t create a problem for everyone. If they don’t do it, well, then it’s their problem to deal with if my crutches keep falling in the aisle.

    Yes, I’m still going to San Francisco even though I’m still on crutches. Fuckit. I don’t want to miss my Coast Starlight trip.

  16. 16.

    Manyakitty

    November 13, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    Also, knitting and/or an early bed.

  17. 17.

    Roger Moore

    November 13, 2017 at 7:41 pm

    @philpm:

    Can I ship them my cottonwoods?

    Only if you pay shipping and handling.

  18. 18.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:41 pm

    @ruemara:

    If I weren’t on crutches, I would be showing up on your doorstep to snorgle them. I love my adult cats, but I miss the kitten stage.

  19. 19.

    TenguPhule

    November 13, 2017 at 7:42 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Yes, I’m still going to San Francisco even though I’m still on crutches. Fuckit.

    Do you have a plan for the hilly parts of the city?

  20. 20.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 7:42 pm

    I just had a nice cup of tea and slice of pumpkin bread. I generally hate the pumpkin spice everything this time of year, but a local place makes excellent pumpkin bread and I always treat myself once or twice during the season.

  21. 21.

    Corner Stone

    November 13, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    I’m trying to determine if we want to go somewhere cold and snowy over my son’s Xmas break. Or just stick it out in humidity hollow.

  22. 22.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    @TenguPhule:

    Lyft. I’ve already downloaded the app and hooked my card up to ApplePay.

  23. 23.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    No politics? I’m down.

    I think I’m about 1200 words away from finishing this draft of my novel. Second draft, but a major revision. Then one medium revision and a spit-polish, but this one will be done ANY DAY NOW! Seriously excited. Super happy.

    Also I’ve been tinkering on Pathfork, my writing site. I added autosave and word counts in the last few days.

    @rikyrah: I love leaving home in the light, though. And standard time evening darkness doesn’t really bother me either, for some reason. It’s the savings time october mornings that fry me.

    @Mnemosyne: Ew, you’re just giving Peter Thiel money! :P

    ETA if you’re using a car, though, that means you can visit Samwise!

  24. 24.

    Ruckus

    November 13, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    @ruemara:
    That is a calendar shot if there ever was one. Are they as innocent as they look?

  25. 25.

    daverave

    November 13, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    Like dlwchico said, intermittent rain. C’mon winter!

    The leaves on the trees have barely started falling here in Sactown. I’ll be raking leaves for the next 8 weeks if my back holds up while my neighbors all have their gardeners mow the lawns that aren’t growing and blowing the leaves back and forth with their infernal leaf machines. Fortunately The Claw has started its yearly rounds to pick up the piles of biomatter in the street.

  26. 26.

    chopper

    November 13, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    windy AF here in seattle.

  27. 27.

    philpm

    November 13, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    @Roger Moore: I might actually consider that. Mine have caused me nothing but problems.

  28. 28.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    November 13, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    Drizzly here in San Francisco. My HS freshman son had to come home early from school with the sniffles. I told him if he’s too sick for school, he’s too sick to look at his phone – and if he’s well enough for Snapchat, he’s well enough to do homework. World’s Meanest Mom, I is.

  29. 29.

    guachi

    November 13, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    I’m actually excited by some of the Holiday Sales I see dropping into my inbox from my favorite retailers.

    Gonna go broke, I tell you!

  30. 30.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    From Joan Didion

    A childhood fan of films and John Wayne, she laments that no one ever repeated to her his movie offer to build a spouse a house “at the bend in the river where the cottonwoods grow.”

  31. 31.

    Ruckus

    November 13, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    @Mnemosyne:
    Heading up to Sonoma county next week on the train myself. Not the coast route though.

  32. 32.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Unless SOMEONE wants to volunteer to chauffeur me around all day, I don’t have another choice. Uber is the devil.

    ETA: But I would not turn down an opportunity to greet Samwise.

  33. 33.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    @Ruckus:

    Coast route is the best route. Seriously. You get closer to the ocean than you do while driving on the 101.

  34. 34.

    Mary G

    November 13, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    @dlwchico: @ruemara: Kittehs! All gorgeous. Love the name Danger Mouse.

    You all will hate me, but yesterday housemates and I were bitching about how cold it’s gotten, getting out the thicker warmer blankets and closing windows open since March. High today 67, low 53. Sorry, I’m acclimated.

  35. 35.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Easy there, Boldyface McAllcaps, I don’t have a car.

  36. 36.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    @Corner Stone: What are your picks for cold and snowy? Skiing or some place more exotic like Iceland?

  37. 37.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Go you!

  38. 38.

    Roger Moore

    November 13, 2017 at 7:50 pm

    @philpm:
    They are a hassle, what with the branches that fall off with every wind storm and the fluff and the leaves and whatnot.

  39. 39.

    Baud

    November 13, 2017 at 7:50 pm

    Where are the meetup pics!

  40. 40.

    delk

    November 13, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    17 more days until we close on our new condo. 18 more days until we move. Already bought a new couch and a kitchen table. Can’t believe I’m so happy to have a big enough kitchen to need a kitchen table!

  41. 41.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    We’ll see how it goes. Since some people don’t check their email, I’ve been kicking around some ideas about what to do with my day. The California Academy of Sciences has wheelchairs that can be borrowed, but they’re a bit pricy.

  42. 42.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    @Mary G:

    High today 67

    That’s ghastly, how do you cope with the heat? Sincerely, San Francisco

  43. 43.

    Roger Moore

    November 13, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    @Baud:
    Ask BillinGlendaleCA. He was the one with the fancy-pants camera.

  44. 44.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    I need a vegetable side dish to take to a very early Thanksgiving dinner this week. It can’t be green beans or Brussels sprouts. It needs to be something I can make ahead and something that can sit if necessary, not something that has to be pulled out of the oven at the last minute. Relatively easy and not too time consuming to make would be good. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it.

  45. 45.

    philpm

    November 13, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    @Roger Moore: The branches are the worst. I’ve lost a car to one, and had a dead cottonwood that we were getting ready to remove come down and hit the house, knocking out our power and leaving us in a hotel for two months.

  46. 46.

    Jeffro

    November 13, 2017 at 7:54 pm

    No politics = I’m down with that.

    Btw saw “Hamlet” last night and while I already knew it was the origin of several familiar English phrases, I had no idea that calling someone “a piece of work” came from it. (Perhaps this was not in the Cliff’s Notes version I read back in high school?) How about that? You really do learn something new every day…

  47. 47.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    @raven: Here’s the whole story if you would like to read it:

    John Wayne a Love Song from Slouching Toward Bethlehem

  48. 48.

    Corner Stone

    November 13, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    @Yarrow: Something in NA is most likely. I had to stop skiing and he’s never had any interest. Really more about the break from a high in the 80’s here around Xmas. And to get out of doing anything like family congregating.

  49. 49.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I only have time for brunch and a bookstore anyway.

  50. 50.

    Jeffro

    November 13, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    @Yarrow: How about roasted carrots or a mostly-carrot mix of roasted vegetables, something like that?

  51. 51.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    @Mnemosyne: If they are pricey you can’t “borrow” them.

  52. 52.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:56 pm

    @raven:

    Admission is pricey, but the wheelchair is free of charge, assuming they don’t run out.

  53. 53.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    @Yarrow: I made roasted brussel sprouts, sweet taters, acorn squash and onions tonight,

  54. 54.

    Brachiator

    November 13, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    No politics, eh. I posted a version of this before, but I’m still trying to help this little movie that a few people may have seen.

    SPOILER FREE review of “Thor Ragnarok.” The new Thor movie is a thoroughly enjoyable hoot. It is infused throughout with the comic sensibility of director Taika Waititi, a New Zealand director of Maori and Jewish descent. And yeah you should go look up all his other films. It says much that Marvel has banked so much success from their previous films that they felt that they could let this director stretch the standard comic book formula and not fear losing fans (except for a few grinches). And they were right. This Thor is not comical in the same way as are the two Guardian films. There is something in the tone that is distinctly non-American and nonwhite. And it is not just because the director is from New Zealand or that he uses some Kiwi actors he has worked with before. It’s how he approaches the characters and the universe he has built. Waititi has said that one character is based on New Zealand bouncers, big guys who always speak softly. And his own special Aussie and Kiwi Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the movie includes a spaceship whose colors are based on an Australian aboriginal flag.

    This all works because it helps make the two main worlds of the film, a gladiator planet and Thor’s home world, feel just a little more quirky, unusual and alien. And the way the humor is used makes you pay extra attention to the action and exposition, because you never know what’s coming next. By contrast, in the second Guardians movie you kinda knew when a gag was being set up and there was a predictable rhythm to how gags were played out.

    There are two main storylines, and the narratives are clearly told. You always know what is at stake. And the cast is fun. Thor is back, as is Loki, Heimdall, Odin and the Hulk. New characters are engaging, especially Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, who is big fun and has a tremendous physical presence. And the chief antagonists, played by Jeff Goldblum and Cate Blanchett are great, especially because they don’t have to act underneath tons of makeup. It also helps tremendously that the main baddie is not Anonymous CGI Monster Number 4. I overheard some guys saying that they were surprised that Chris Hemsworth had such good comic timing, but they clearly had not seen his hilarious turn in the “Ghostbusters” reboot.

    But Taika does not neglect the narrative demands of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). There are sly connections to earlier Thor and Avengers movies, although I think that attentive moviegoers could easily enjoy this as a standalone film. The production design and photography are vibrant and colorful and some of the costume design and creature makeup effects are clearly smart nods to Marvel Comic Artist Supreme Jack Kirby. And yeah, there is the inevitable bits that are a setup for a future Marvel movie, but this is still a coherent, unified film, and not just a part of a gigantic serialized blockbuster.

    So, good action, good story, good fun.

    It also was a welcome distraction from politics. I’ve heard from some that it really pops in 3D, but a standard screen was good enough. The musical score is one of Marvel’s better efforts.

  55. 55.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Gotcha!

  56. 56.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 7:59 pm

    @Brachiator: Ever see Utu with Anzac Wallace?

  57. 57.

    Roger Moore

    November 13, 2017 at 7:59 pm

    @Yarrow:
    I recommend roasted winter vegetables. Cut up a bunch of winter squash, carrots, parsnips, and the like into roughly equal sized pieces. Toss with salt and olive oil. If you want to get fancy, you can add some herbs like sage and rosemary. Place in a single layer in an oven-safe dish/cookie sheet and roast at 400°F for 1 hour. They re-heat nicely in the microwave, so you can even prepare them the day before and nuke them before serving. They’re even OK cold.

  58. 58.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 7:59 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    I’m not expecting more than that, just trying to plan my day. Especially since it looks like there will be torrential rain again.

  59. 59.

    dexwood

    November 13, 2017 at 8:00 pm

    Old cottonwoods are really majestic in the Fall. To see them glowing in the bosque every October makes you stop and pay attention. Over the years, old neighborhoods here have been cutting down established trees in yards and that has really changed some familiar street profiles. As the town grew, early on, people wanted these beautiful trees around their new homes. Cottonwoods run deep and like water. They aren’t shy about damaging household water supply lines and sewer pipes to get it. Vast plumbing empires have been built upon the replacements of those pipes from the Valley to the Heights. Don’t get me started on the fucking elms.

  60. 60.

    Central Planning

    November 13, 2017 at 8:00 pm

    Just got back from rowing. Missed the past 2 months due to work commitments. This is indoor, not on the Erie Canal (on the water is always better. ROWING. IS. AWESOME.

  61. 61.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    @Mnemosyne: well, I’m sure you can discern when noonish is then. Jeez, we have a week.

  62. 62.

    Mike J

    November 13, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    How’s the weather in your part of the world?

    53 MPH wind on the 520 bridge.

  63. 63.

    Steeplejack

    November 13, 2017 at 8:02 pm

    Oops. Redacted because no politics.

  64. 64.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:02 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: Can I vent for a minute? I send all my colorado christmas gifts to my sister and she distributes them to the 4 different households. I sent Please Don’t Tell My Parents I’m a Supervillain for my niece who is 13. I sent your book to another niece when she was 13 and she loved it. My sister texted me:

    That book for (I’ll call her Alice) won’t work. Alice’s mom is trying to teach her daughter not to keep secrets, so that won’t work. PLUS, the story is very dark.

    I was furious! (This is my religious sister who voted for Trump because Hillary kills unborn babies.)

  65. 65.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 8:03 pm

    @Steeplejack: me too then

  66. 66.

    Suzanne

    November 13, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    Spawn was released from the hospital today. She is currently upstairs in her room, reunited with her phone, catching up on all of the Snapchat and group text that she missed out on for the last week and a half. Crossing my fingers, toes, ears, eyes, ass cheeks, WHATEVER that things look up from here.

    I mostly cleaned up my room. That feels nice.

  67. 67.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    @ruemara: You have cats again? Yours or the roomie’s?

  68. 68.

    raven

    November 13, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    I hear the cottonwoods whisperin’ above
    Tammy, Tammy, Tammy’s in love
    The old hootie owl hootie-hoo’s to the dove
    Tammy, Tammy, Tammy’s in love
    Does my lover feel what I feel when he comes near?
    My heart beats so joyfully
    You’d think that he could hear
    Wish I knew if he knew what I’m dreaming of
    Tammy, Tammy, Tammy’s in love

  69. 69.

    Eric S.

    November 13, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    40 degrees and getting warmer.

    Here’s a random one for you. I fully know and am aware of the differences between there / their / they’re. However, when typing out some thoughts on the fly I very often use the wrong word. (I never accidently type they’re.) What’s the explanation for this?

    See also your / you’re and its/it’s.

  70. 70.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    November 13, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    @Suzanne: Hooray! Small steps.

  71. 71.

    Corner Stone

    November 13, 2017 at 8:06 pm

    @Steeplejack: I did, especially the very end when she was like, “What am I, chopped liver?” when Ari tried to make her a sidekick for Velshi.
    Not a fan of the Sgt Pepper outfit, however. I also didn’t like the argument that “both things can be true”.
    But, yeah. Her, “I ain’t takin’ no shit from you” has been maturing over the last year.

    ETA, I didn’t think it was specifically political.

  72. 72.

    westyny

    November 13, 2017 at 8:06 pm

    @Yarrow:
    Broccoli rabe. Also Rosted carrots and shallots. You’re welcome.

  73. 73.

    westyny

    November 13, 2017 at 8:07 pm

    God I love New Mexico.

  74. 74.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:07 pm

    @Ruckus: hahahhahaha

  75. 75.

    TenguPhule

    November 13, 2017 at 8:07 pm

    @Yarrow: Onion bread.

  76. 76.

    Ruckus

    November 13, 2017 at 8:08 pm

    @Mnemosyne:
    Oh I know it is. Far, far, far better than the inland route. I know because I’ve taken it before. About 60 yrs ago. But getting to Santa Rosa becomes an issue. And the amount of travel time is far longer.

  77. 77.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:08 pm

    @Eric S.:

    What’s the explanation for this?

    I mean, how complicated do you want the answer?

  78. 78.

    Corner Stone

    November 13, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    @Eric S.: Lead paint chips as a yoot?

  79. 79.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    I found this on my street yesterday.

  80. 80.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    @Jeffro: I was thinking about carrots. Perusing recipes but nothing really grabbed me.

  81. 81.

    David Anderson

    November 13, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    I need a recommendation of a simple place to take my wife out to dinner on Friday night somewhere in Chapel Hill/carrboro

  82. 82.

    Gin & Tonic

    November 13, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    @Yarrow: We went to Iceland in February. It was fascinating, and not as cold as you’d think. But it was also about 15 years ago, and from what I hear, Iceland is really swarming with tourists these days.

    For the travel-trivia buffs, there are reportedly geysers in four locations in the world. I have been to three. The fourth, from what i understand, is some almost inaccessible valley in the Kamchatka peninsula.

  83. 83.

    Frankensteinbeck

    November 13, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    …dark? I actually am stunned any time anyone of any conservative bent likes those books. They are deliberately morally relativistic. They are ABOUT how complicated and hard to define who the good guy is sometimes. But dark?

  84. 84.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:13 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Wow on your book! Was today your first “work” day, or is that tomorrow?

  85. 85.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 8:13 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Five days, but who’s counting? ?

  86. 86.

    Ruckus

    November 13, 2017 at 8:14 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    Wondered who would notice that first.

  87. 87.

    Denali

    November 13, 2017 at 8:14 pm

    @Suzanne,

    Hoping things will go well.

  88. 88.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    @WaterGirl: I had like two whole hours of real work today! Lol

    @Mnemosyne: it doesn’t take that long to pick where to have brunch is all I’m saying.

  89. 89.

    Gin & Tonic

    November 13, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    @David Anderson: Not quite Chapel Hill, but I used to have business in Raleigh years ago, and ended up at Margaux’s often, and really enjoyed it. 8111 Creedmoor – don’t know if you want to drive that far. Sorry, haven’t been to the triangle in many moons.

  90. 90.

    BruceJ

    November 13, 2017 at 8:16 pm

    The first yellowed leaves appeared on one of my mesquite foundlings. Then again, it was nearly 95 just couple days ago here in Baja Arizona. Sigh. I remember November here being sweats and flannel shirts weather.

  91. 91.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:17 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: It’s a good start. :-) Does the new project/work look decently interesting?

  92. 92.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 8:17 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    I’m afraid to read your comment to my spouse. He may injure himself laughing.

  93. 93.

    chopper

    November 13, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    @Mike J:

    they closed it I assume?

  94. 94.

    Eric S.

    November 13, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Dazzle me.

    @Corner Stone: I was born in 1971. Can’t rule it out.

  95. 95.

    Josie

    November 13, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    I’ve been fighting writer’s block for about a month or so. Today I decided to sit down and write something for an hour, even if it was stupid and/or terrible. Four hours later, I had actually conquered a section of my book that was giving me headaches. So I’m actually feeling pretty good, as long as i don’t think about politics. Walking every morning is starting to pay off. Tomorrow I have promised myself another hour of writing, at the very least.

  96. 96.

    Gravenstone

    November 13, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    @ruemara: Such adorable little fuzzballs.

  97. 97.

    NotMax

    November 13, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    @Yarrow

    Maybe something like classic creamed spinach? Reheats easily.

  98. 98.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    @Suzanne: Our collective fingers are all crossed too. Take care of yourself.

  99. 99.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    @Mnemosyne: then I guess you two will have to figure it out and I’ll avoid the drama.

  100. 100.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:23 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: Yeah, I wondered how many words she had to read before she came to that conclusion. Unbelievable!

    Part 2 of the story is the replacement gift I sent. I sent one of those murder mastery puzzles (one that looked really tame) and my sister told me that she (my sister) gave it away to someone else because THAT wasn’t suitable for my niece. (Her granddaughter.) My sister is now purchasing some gift for my niece that she (my sister) approves of, and that will be given in my name. (At this point I am livid!) So I guess you have to consider the source on “dark”.

    I am now considering a $5 gift card for my niece next year because I am so pissed, but of course that wouldn’t be fair to my niece, so I’m not really considering it. (great-niece, technically) Needless to say, no gift for anyone else EVER will be sent through my sister.

  101. 101.

    chopper

    November 13, 2017 at 8:24 pm

    this is a good amount of wind. and I have like 50 trees on this property so it’s getting real here.

  102. 102.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:25 pm

    @WaterGirl: sort of? I guess we’ll find out.

    @Eric S.: well, spelling is another layer of abstraction away from meaning, on top of the word itself which is usually gleanable by context. The part of your brain that’s producing the word isn’t thinking about much other than, well, producing the word. The spelling is extrinsic from that. Ish.

  103. 103.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 8:25 pm

    @Josie: That sounds like a breakthrough!

  104. 104.

    Steeplejack

    November 13, 2017 at 8:26 pm

    @Yarrow:

    What about sweet potatoes? Wait, hear me out. No marshmallows!

    Last year I made a sort of “adult” sweet potato casserole. Yes, it’s a lesser side dish, and people will want smaller portions, so I just made it in an 8" x 8" casserole, but it turned out really well. It wasn’t too sweet, and the killer touch was a fairly thick crust of chopped, toasted pecans on top. Really got it dangerously close to the pumpkin pie zone, although I’ll deny that in court later.

    Not gonna hunt down the recipe unless this really grabs you. No offense taken if it doesn’t.

  105. 105.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 8:26 pm

    @raven: That sounds delicious.

  106. 106.

    NotMax

    November 13, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    @Yarrow

    Carrots, you say? These are quite nice and kind’a, sort’a fancy.

  107. 107.

    Mnemosyne

    November 13, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Is there any way you can send the gift directly to your (grand)niece, or at least her parents? It seems weird that the kid’s grandmother is getting veto power here, but I know families are weird.

  108. 108.

    Josie

    November 13, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): Yes! By the way, I loved your piece on your blog about voice. It was helpful to me in looking back over what I had written.

  109. 109.

    Cacti

    November 13, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    Same way it usually is this time of year in the Pacific Northwest.

    Grey and rainy, with a partially sunny day sneaking in here and there.

  110. 110.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 8:29 pm

    @WaterGirl: that sucks, and a good decision at the end.

  111. 111.

    TenguPhule

    November 13, 2017 at 8:29 pm

    Has there been any recent word on how Alain is doing since his mother passed away?

  112. 112.

    Mike J

    November 13, 2017 at 8:30 pm

    @David Anderson: Too bad the scene is dead.

  113. 113.

    chopper

    November 13, 2017 at 8:31 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    my oldest brother went all all religious way back when and among other things, I have to say it made giving presents for holiday times really fuckin difficult. one of those dumb little things you don’t think about that just infuriates you when it comes around.

  114. 114.

    Frankensteinbeck

    November 13, 2017 at 8:31 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    It will probably not surprise you that my soul burns with hate towards over-restrictive parents who want to force their children into an unrealistic shape with ignorance. Very little gets me angry, but that does. It is the biggest reason I hate fundamentalism, And heaven knows they’ve offered me plenty of other justifications.

  115. 115.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    @westyny: That sounds good. Thanks.

    @TenguPhule: Sounds good but it can’t be bread.

    @NotMax: That’s a good idea. I’ll think about that.

  116. 116.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:33 pm

    @Mnemosyne: No kidding! She totally crossed the line. A big read line. You should have heard me: “You gave my gift for Alice to someone else? Without asking me???????”

    The last line of my comment to Frankensteinbeck:

    Needless to say, no gift for anyone else EVER will be sent through my sister.

    I really wanted to use more capital letters, but I held back. I will also make sure the gifts are carefully wrapped so no one can cheat and make gift-gifting decisions for me again.

  117. 117.

    TenguPhule

    November 13, 2017 at 8:34 pm

    @Yarrow: Caramelized Onions with roasted mushrooms?

  118. 118.

    daryljfontaine

    November 13, 2017 at 8:35 pm

    @Brachiator: I thought this article was a pretty interesting take on the movie (and its two predecessors).

    D

  119. 119.

    Suzanne

    November 13, 2017 at 8:36 pm

    The holidays are sneaking up on me again this year. I was hoping to get the house spotless before Thanksgiving, but the last two weekends haven’t been really productive. Le sigh.

  120. 120.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:40 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Thank you.

    @chopper: I feel you. I have learned to send my sister an amaryllis because she loves flowers. That makes it safe, and it’s not too annoying for me because I love flowers, too.

    @Frankensteinbeck: I feel the same way. One reason I chose your book for “Alice” is that she is timid and lives in closed world and I wanted her to see a strong, interesting girl as a role model. So much for that. I’m sure I would be pissed if I knew what is actually being given in my name – that will definitely never happen again. Family. (sigh)

  121. 121.

    Steeplejack

    November 13, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    “Constable, has the body been . . . interfered with?”

  122. 122.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    @chopper: @Frankensteinbeck: @chopper: I wrote a comment with replies to each of you, eaten by FYWP. I don’t have the heart to try to reproduce it, so I’ll just say thanks for your replies.

  123. 123.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:42 pm

    @Suzanne: Hire someone to clean the house for you before the holiday. If you can afford it. You deserve a break.

  124. 124.

    Steeplejack

    November 13, 2017 at 8:43 pm

    @Suzanne:

    Yeah, I haven’t quite grasped that Thanksgiving is next week.

  125. 125.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 8:44 pm

    @Steeplejack: Sorry I was’t clear. It has to be some kind of vegetable not starch or sweet potatoes. I do love sweet potatoes that aren’t the standard marshmallow type. I’ve done one with pecans too Yum.

  126. 126.

    Yarrow

    November 13, 2017 at 8:45 pm

    @Suzanne: Wishing you and Spawn and your whole family the best.

  127. 127.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    @Josie: Glad to have been of use!

  128. 128.

    Suzanne

    November 13, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    @WaterGirl: I’m not too worried about Thanksgiving, but I definitely will hire someone to clean before Christmas, since my in-laws are coming.

  129. 129.

    WaterGirl

    November 13, 2017 at 8:51 pm

    @Suzanne: Good for you. I often feel calmer when my house is in order. Figure you could use some of that right about now. :-)

    Glad she’s home, though I bet it’s a bit nerve-wracking, too.

  130. 130.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 8:53 pm

    @Yarrow: Marshmallow is inedible in any form. But pecans? Now you’re talking.

  131. 131.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 8:56 pm

    @WaterGirl: It occurs to me that your sister’s actions may be an acting out of family hostilities in which DON’T TELL MY PARENTS is a pawn. I base this on living in a family.

  132. 132.

    Zelma

    November 13, 2017 at 9:02 pm

    @Jeffro:
    I remember the first time I saw Hamlet. All I could think of was how many of the lines I heard all the time. It felt like one cliche after another, which is really unfair to Shakespeare since he was the creator of so many of them (or at least, their publicist.)

  133. 133.

    Brachiator

    November 13, 2017 at 9:03 pm

    @daryljfontaine:

    I thought this article was a pretty interesting take on the movie (and its two predecessors).

    Wow. A long, interesting and very well written piece of commentary. But even though the writer acknowledges the tremendous humor in the film, the piece reminds me of all those nervous critics who simply cannot enjoy sci fi or comic book films unless they can view it as an allegory about politics or current events.

  134. 134.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    November 13, 2017 at 9:04 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): I’m trying to say that your sister’s perceptions of the book are probably shaped by perceptions of you. No offense! We like you and don’t think you’re a dark force or anything.

  135. 135.

    Suburban Mom

    November 13, 2017 at 9:18 pm

    @Yarrow: Roasted butternut squash with cinnamon and walnuts. Easy and reheats well. You can add a little brown sugar at the end of roasting time if your crowd likes things sweeter.

  136. 136.

    MomSense

    November 13, 2017 at 9:21 pm

    @ruemara:

    Sooo adorable. I might die from the cuteness.

    It’s just cold enough to snow and just warm enough that it isn’t sticking. I’m making baby things and watching mindless tv. It’s all I can handle tonight.

  137. 137.

    MomSense

    November 13, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    @Suburban Mom:

    I make something similar but I add just a bit of maple syrup instead of brown sugar.

  138. 138.

    MomSense

    November 13, 2017 at 9:26 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Oh my goodness. That is such a good book and a little dark is good.

  139. 139.

    aimai

    November 13, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    Just finished my ethics paper on the Tuskegee Experiment. That’s not politics. But its politics. But what can I do–its my life right now! Still, the best paper is a done and submitted paper. And since I am very old and can remember that my first college papers were (gasp) typed on a t-y-p-e-w-r-i-t-e-r and I had to use white out and submit them directly to the professors, and these papers are all researched and written online and submitted online, the whole process, however agonizing, does seem kind of streamlined and user friendly.

  140. 140.

    Jeffro

    November 13, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    @Yarrow: make your own recipe! (Seriously!)

    What else do you like – red potatoes, sweet onion, ? What kind of seasoning are you in the mood for? Combine ‘em, toss ‘em with some good olive oil and salt, and you’re there!

  141. 141.

    Jeffro

    November 13, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    @Zelma: it really is the king of quoted Shakespeare lines, with Romeo & Juliet a close second

    I want to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream done well somewhere this coming spring or summer. I figure that is long overdue

  142. 142.

    MobiusKlein

    November 13, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Got two SF Sophomores in SF High Schools – Lowell and Wash. Which did you get?

  143. 143.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 13, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    It was nice here today, mid 70’s; so I went to Griffith Park and took a picture of the sunset.

  144. 144.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 13, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    @Baud: I sent them to AL.

  145. 145.

    I'll be Frank

    November 13, 2017 at 9:52 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): But any boy scout will tell you that, properly set on fire, marshmallows make the finest ammo for camp “firefights.”

  146. 146.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 13, 2017 at 9:54 pm

    @Brachiator: I haven’t read the piece but just wanted to say that I wouldn’t expect to find such a person blogging at Tor!

  147. 147.

    Christopher H

    November 13, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    I’m in the foothills, near Australia’s capital (Canberra). We are in the midst of the four weeks or so between ‘too cold’ and ‘too hot’, with spring growth and cool nights followed by warm to hot days. (In Celsius, anywhere from 4 to 12 degrees overnight minimum and anywhere from 22 to 30 degrees daily maximum. So say 40 to 86 Fahrenheit.)
    Great weather for walking. It will soon be Emergency Services volunteer peak season: looking for lost walkers, fixing rain and windstorm damage, flood incidents…

  148. 148.

    NotMax

    November 13, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    5 o’clock! Time to switch from white tea with honey for the raw throat (which helped a lot) to white tea with brandy (which will help further).

  149. 149.

    opiejeanne

    November 13, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Were in Redding CA, been driving up I-5 heading for Seattle and mostly out of touch. It’s trying to rain or maybe snow here and it’s 59 degrees.
    We are about to stop for the evening because it’s 7pm and we need supper and sleep.
    It was great seeing so many jackals yesterday. Yay!

  150. 150.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 13, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    @opiejeanne: It was good seeing you and Mr. Opiejeanne.

  151. 151.

    J R in WV

    November 13, 2017 at 10:29 pm

    @ruemara:

    oh, my! their noses are SO pink!!! How cute!

  152. 152.

    laura

    November 13, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    @daverave: I LOVE the claw and their drivers! Our beautiful maple turned crimson and dumped it’s leaves within 2 weeks. But the neighborhood elms, ginkgo and pistachio are rely putting on a show.

  153. 153.

    Brachiator

    November 13, 2017 at 10:48 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    I haven’t read the piece but just wanted to say that I wouldn’t expect to find such a person blogging at Tor!

    I don’t know that site well enough to know what’s standard fare. The writer has an interesting, but equally frustrating, article about Sarek of Vulcan on the same site.

  154. 154.

    J R in WV

    November 13, 2017 at 10:58 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Artichoke casserole, with mayo and parm and olive oil and garlic and sweet onions and such, then baked it can be served warm, hot, cold, it doesn’t matter. And yummy, so rich tiny servings will do. You can do it with one can, or with two cans, that’s pretty big already, I’ve never used three.

  155. 155.

    frosty

    November 13, 2017 at 11:12 pm

    @Central Planning:

    ROWING. IS. AWESOME.

    Agreed! I was a member of the Baltimore Rowing Club quite awhile back, and my take on it was that there’s no other place you can get some exercise, get on the water and socialize, all at the same time. It was a lot of fun.

    Loved swinging that big 11 foot oar in the 8s, too. Unfortunately, since I was the right size and weight, and had a loud voice, and knew port from starboard, I ended up as a cox a little too often.

  156. 156.

    frosty

    November 13, 2017 at 11:16 pm

    @David Anderson: Late to the thread. Chapel Hill? Mediterranean Deli on Frannklin St. Might be too casual for a “night out” dinner though, but great food.

    Otherwise maybe Southern Season? I think they have a restaurant.

  157. 157.

    Manyakitty

    November 13, 2017 at 11:24 pm

    @Yarrow: Sweet potatoes and apples in a maple syrup-ginger glaze

  158. 158.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    November 13, 2017 at 11:33 pm

    @MobiusKlein: He’s at Jewish Community High School in the Western Addition. He got into Mission, which is perpetually “up-and-coming” and where he would have been overwhelmed, and he looooooved JCHS. I freakin’ hate abandoning public school, but here we are.

  159. 159.

    catclub

    November 13, 2017 at 11:42 pm

    @Corner Stone: I always vote for grand Canyon in winter. You can always walk down to other seasons.

  160. 160.

    ellie

    November 13, 2017 at 11:58 pm

    It was just beautiful in Denver today, it was in the 70s. Love that tree.

  161. 161.

    dww44

    November 14, 2017 at 12:06 am

    @Yarrow: Here’s a carrot recipe that’s become a Thanksgiving tradition in our family. And the unmarried nephew is the one who brings it: carrots with turnips, turnip roots that is. At a ratio of 3:1, carrots to turnip roots, first cook the carrots, cut into smallish hunks in salted water, then add the uncooked turnip roots a few minutes later, as they cook and soften rather quickly.

    Cook together until mashable. Drain cooked vegetables, add butter, more salt/pepper if desired, and mash. The end result is a dish that tastes like neither vegetable but an intriguing blend of the two. Altogether good. Altogether simple.

  162. 162.

    Mustang Bobby

    November 14, 2017 at 4:04 am

    It’s days like these (pouring rain and thunder rumbling in Miami) that I miss Santa Fe. Forty years ago this month I arrived there for the first time and fell in love with it. I stayed a year and then moved from Michigan to Albuquerque in 1995, staying for six years before life intervened and brought me to Florida. But wow, do I miss the smell of pinon, juniper, sage, rising from the desert after a rain.

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