Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Fani Willis claps back at Trump chihuahua, Jim Jordan.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

Shut up, hissy kitty!

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

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

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

Let me file that under fuck it.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

No Justins, No Peace

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.

Consistently wrong since 2002

“That’s what the insurrection act is for!”

Motown is Joe-Town!

Never forget that he train is barreling down on Trump, even as he dances on the tracks.

Everyone is in a bubble, but some bubbles model reality far better than others!

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

Donald Jessica Trump found guilty as fuck – May 30, 2024!

It’s a new day. Light all those Biden polls of young people on fire and throw away the ashes.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Holy Christ, let’s have another open thread, shall we?

Holy Christ, let’s have another open thread, shall we?

by | 222 Comments

This post is in: 

This has been a stressful as fuck day for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. I’m not much for respite threads, but here’s two dudes spreading a little joy nonetheless:

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

222Comments

  2. 2.

    japa21

    Haven’t gone through last night’s thread. But has there been any discussion of the awful interview Pelley did with Joe on 60 Minutes. JC on a cracker, it was horrible. And Pelley is, normally, one of the better ones.

     

    ETA:  Even Mrs. Japa, who isn’t as tuned into to media bias as most Jackals, got upset.

  4. 4.

    twbrandt (formerly tom)

    Thank you!

    I’m excited for my trip in a couple of weeks to Scotland, where I will hike the West Highland Way, a 100-mile trail that starts just north of Glasgow and ends in Fort William. After that, I head to Stockholm for a week. I’ve never been to Sweden before and am very much looking forward to visiting. I have some work colleagues who live in and around Stockholm and are anxious to show me around.

    There will be some OTR posts as a result.

  7. 7.

    Brachiator

    @twbrandt (formerly tom):

    I’m excited for my trip in a couple of weeks to Scotland, where I will hike the West Highland Way, a 100-mile hike that starts just north of Glasgow and ends in Fort William. After that, I head to Stockholm for a week.

    Scotland to Sweden. Sounds like a reverse Viking invasion. And a wonderful vacation.

  8. 8.

    Alison Rose 💙🌻💛

    Welp, I’ll take the respite since I just handed in my letter of resignation at work. It wasn’t what I wanted, but I was sort of backed into a corner where it was the only option due to health issues. Now I have to spend the week trying to teach my dipshit coworkers in my department how to do all the million things I do (among the three of us, I do at a minimum 50% of the work). Then next week I have to start my disability application. Bleh.

    But I will be glad not to deal with the bullshit anymore.

  12. 12.

    Cameron

    I’m taken aback, Ms. Cracker.  I thought you’d be starting a new thread to pour bile on troubled waters.  Or maybe I’m misremembering how that phrase goes.

  13. 13.

    RedDirtGirl

    Boy, do I need some respite. Recently moved my 90 year old mother into a nursing home and am really not happy with the care there. Every day brings a new fear/anxiety to the surface.

  14. 14.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    @japa21:

    Pelley as a better one is relative.  He’s awful, always has been.  I remember when he first appeared on 60 Minutes, it was during the Clinton impeachment.  I remember his reporting and other non-reporting remarks showing his clear bias and absolute fury over what Clinton “had done” and how he might skate.

    THat was when I stopped watching 60 Minutes.  He’s just another Feckless Corporate Media Reporter I’d put on an ice floe and shove out to sea.

  16. 16.

    CaseyL

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛: I’m sorry you had to resign, though not having to up with a never-ending stream of BS and a lack of appreciation for doing most of the work will hopefully do wonders for you.

    Regarding the disability application – I’ve heard these are very very difficult to get approved.  If you can afford to do so, you might want to hire a SocSec/Disability attorney who is good at helping you get through the process successfully.

  22. 22.

    FelonyGovt

    @RedDirtGirl: Ugh that’s tough. We may be approaching the need for nursing home or similar care for my similar-age FIL and there seem to be very few good alternatives. Glad you’re close enough to keep an eye on her.

  23. 23.

    S Cerevisiae

    Yeah, fresh thread was definitely needed.

    Positive things? It’s a lovely sunny afternoon in the city of Minneapolis with a high above 80, my 11.5 year old German Shepherd is still running around like a puppy, Joe Biden and his competent and diverse cabinet are running the executive branch properly, and I have some cold Summit Sàga to enjoy. Have a great day everyone!

  24. 24.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @twbrandt (formerly tom): Wow!  Once upon a time, pre-Covid, we fantasized about doing one of those Scotland hikes where you stay at a different inn, every night, for my wife’s 50th birthday.  Unfortunately Covid, family health issues and a desire to eventually move to Hudson Valley sorta killed all our planning for big trips.  Hopefully someday…

    Have a great trip and I’d love to see pix from the hike in the OnTheRoad segment if you feel like sharing.

  27. 27.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Positive things: it’s cool, sunny and lovely in Los Angeles (after what felt like a never-ending  heat wave).  Enjoy it for next few days because starting Weds it gets warmer and next week we will be back to low-mid 90’s.  On the upside, that will get us VERY ready for the cooler temps we will expect up in the E. Sierra the first week of October for leaf-peeping.

  28. 28.

    coin operated

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛: Had to do the same last year.  I resigned when they slow walked my transfer request to get away from my abusive former-coworker-turned-manager.  I hope you get a little healthier once you get out of the shitstorm…I did.

    Oh…and they asked me to train my completely unqualified replacement in my last week there.  There’s only so much you can do in a week…my replacement ended up bringing down the *entire* business a month after my departure.  Heard it cost them millions to get the systems back online.

  29. 29.

    New Deal democrat

    Okay, here’s a topic that hopefully will be upbeat.

     

    I’m probably going on my first trip ever to NM and AZ next month.

    Aside from the Grand Canyon, any recommendations for things I should see?

  30. 30.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @japa21: I turned 60 Minutes off less than a minute in. Something something ARE YOU DENYING THERE’S INFLATION? Click.

    Unfortunately, our betters on the FRB will apply their usual fix of cranking up the cost of money and trashing tens of millions of jobs and people’s lives because you know, recessions are so much better. All my obscenely wealthy bosses loved recessions. So many bargains!

  31. 31.

    Scout211

    Good news here in NorCal. The rain and cooler weather has really helped the firefighters battling the Mosquito fire near Auburn (east of Sacramento). Currently at almost 80,000 acres, it is the largest fire in California but they are now at almost 40% containment. Many families have been able to return to their homes.

    My granddaughter and her boyfriend are still evacuated (staying with my daughter and SIL) but they will likely be able to return soon to their home if things keep improving.  😊

  32. 32.

    Layer8Problem

    If you’re into historical movies, have Amazon Prime, and are interested in a typical day in New York City in the early 1970s, with particular focus on the Transit Authority’s famed IRT 6 – Lexington Avenue Local subway, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three‘s free for the rest of the month. That’s the original one, with Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Jerry Stiller, etc. A respite? Maybe not so much, but loads of attitude.

  39. 39.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @New Deal democrat: I recommend Abiquiu/Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. Reasonable day trip from either Santa Fe or Taos. Good hiking, Georgia O’Keefe home/museum, amazing canyons and scenery.

  42. 42.

    Central Planning

    I’m taking my kid to England later this week to drop them off at university. At a minimum we’re visiting Stonehenge, the Eden Project, and The Grapes (one of the oldest pubs in London) before the actual move-in to the flat farther north. It will be a great time.

    ETA – that video rocked. Anyone know artists like that I can stream on Spotify?

  43. 43.

    Betsy

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛:  Premature congratulations.  You are doing what is right for you (I’m sure it’s a mixed bag, but you are exercising your power of choice which is a good and principle-based way forward) and that generally speaking will open new possibilities “more often than not.”  (Lots of qualifiers because of course I can’t know your exact situation and constraints …)

    Best wishes to you, and for your health.

  45. 45.

    S Cerevisiae

    @New Deal democrat:  If you are near Tucson the drive up Mt. Lemon and the AZ-Sonora desert museum and so much wonderful food, both states are great for that. If you like cheeseburgers get one with a slice of green chilie on it.

  46. 46.

    What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?

    @Brachiator: Yeah that does sound pretty great. I was in Sweden in the summer of 2019. The photography museum in Stockholm is great. Also the town hall is worth a tour – nicer than the American Capital Building IMO. The Gamla Stan, though somewhat touristy, is fun to walk around. I thought the royal palace on the outskirts of town was a bit of a letdown.

    If you’re looking for night life I can’t help you as I never went looking for it. I was travelling with my Septuagenarian parents. Plus in the summer it’s never really night there.

    I’m super jealous about the Scotland portion of the trip as that sounds fantastic and I’ve been dreaming of doing something of the sort there for years.

  50. 50.

    FelonyGovt

    @New Deal democrat: Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, NM. Ancient ruins, pictographs, trails, caves you can climb ladders into. (Check to make sure it’s open- there has been some flooding)

    And of course, the beautiful Santa Fe Plaza.

  51. 51.

    Sister Golden Bear

    Cat conundrums…

    I’m planning to become a cat servant for the first time. I also finally found a lounge chair/ottoman combo I love — the catch is that is that it’s leather.

    I’m assuming that’s not a good combination, but I’ve heard that high-quality leather fares better resisting murder mittens. Anyone have experience or advice?

  52. 52.

    Geminid

    @New Deal democrat: If you happen to hit Santa Rosa, New Mexico the Comet II Restaurant has really good chile. Blue Hole is also worth a look. It’s an artesian spring on the edge of town.

    The traditional weavings found in the town of Chimayo, between Santa Fe and Taos, are very pretty and come in many sizes. They make nice presents.

  53. 53.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @twbrandt (formerly tom): Have a wonderful time! I walked the WHW earlier this year. The Rannoch Moor was my favorite part among many beautiful sections. Fingers crossed the weather gods smile on you, especially on the moor, which is wild and without shelter. FYI, the last stage into Fort William starts out beautifully, but unfortunately there are long stretches through felled pine plantation, which is decidedly unlovely. But a small price to pay for the extraordinary sights you’ll see on the rest of the WHW. Enjoy!

  54. 54.

    Kelly

    Probably the last 80 degree summer afternoon here in Oregon’s western Cascade Foothills. I’ll be hanging out by the river and getting in one last swim

  57. 57.

    New Deal democrat

    @Sure Lurkalot:

    @S Cerevisiae:

    @FelonyGovt:

    Thanks for the suggestions. I’m nerdy enough to be interested in the Rio Grande rift. Is there a good place to view it, or a geology museum? Also is the sky usually dark enough at night to see the Milky Way, or do I need to find a dark skies park?

    E. T.A.Also, thanks Geminid.

  60. 60.

    CaseyL

    @Sister Golden Bear: I don’t know anything about which types of leather are more resistant – maybe because the good stuff is thicker? – but my rule of thumb is, you can keep fine furniture in good condition OR you can have cats. (Ask me how I know.)

    You might be able to try one of those sprays that is supposed to repel kitties from particular areas, but if it works then you risk the cat not wanting to come anywhere near the sofa, even to sit with you.   Or maybe put a lot of double-sided tape along the leather until the cat just gives up.

    Werebear might have some good advice.

  61. 61.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @New Deal democrat:

    The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is worth a visit, if it has reopened by the time you come. It’s located off of I-25 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, so a pleasant detour of an hour or two, depending on how much hiking you want to do. Unless the weather has cooled off between now and then, it’s best to visit in the morning, before it gets too hot. As with all desert hiking, whether short or long, bring water.

    ETA: White Sands National Park is also cool.

  62. 62.

    narya

    @New Deal democrat: Death Valley, if you have access to a car. It’s not so much that there’s a lot to “see,” but it’s just otherworldly. And Mesa Verde. They may not be within range for you, though.

  63. 63.

    Jager

    We got a bunch of camping pictures from my Hawaiian cousin. Ben and Gina were camping on the beach on Ohau’s North Shore. In one of the pictures was a pot of sweet potato chowder, it looked great. I asked Gina for the recipe, she said sweet potatoes, onions, kale, garlic, something, something curry, and coconut milk. “Oh and don’t forget the bacon or side pork. It’s really easy, my great grandma made it all the time”. Ben who is an engineer, cornered her and sent me the ingredient list and instructions. I’m making it for dinner on this “cool” SoCal night.

  64. 64.

    eldorado

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛:  i have firsthand knowledge of the process and it is routine for your initial application to be denied regardless of merit. prepare yourself for this. also, having someone to help shepard the paperwork is a great idea

  66. 66.

    Trapped Lurker

    @New Deal democrat: second the vote for Carlsbad caverns. Saw them them in 1972. They are unforgettable. White Sands is astonishing—utterly white as far as the eye could see, and smoother than silk to walk on. Also Palo Duro canyon—the last hidden home of the Comanches. It is in utterly flat desert country, and you can’t see the canyon till you practically fall into it, inside it is utterly lush a beautiful.

  67. 67.

    Ohio Mom

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛 : As someone above said, if by “disability application,” you mean Social Security, do NOT do anything until you talk to an attorney. You want one who specializes in Elder Law. They are the ones who know the Social Security rules and procedures.

    Applying for some Social Security programs — retirement, spousal benefits, SSDI for Adult Disabled Child — are slam dunks. But not SSDI.

    They will make you jump through 1,000 hoops and turn you down. Really, a huge percentage of applicants are turned down; it’s almost expected that you will have to appeal.

    You will have to prove that you can’t do your job and if you have been doing 50% of your department’s work, you are going to need help in framing why you are too disabled to do your job.

    Don’t get me wrong, I don’t doubt for a second that the job is destroying your health. You should take care of yourself and your body. That has to be your priority. And I get any reluctance to have to pay a lawyer the big bucks they charge. But if it’s Social Security Disability you are pursuing, you don’t have a choice.

  69. 69.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Tony Jay: Good boots are a must. Cantaloupe calves, I dunno. Most of the walk wasn’t too difficult, although climbing up the Devil’s Staircase took some effort and many little rest stops. There’s a local craft gin by that name, by the way. Highly recommended.

  70. 70.

    stacib

    Open thread – I’ve been waiting to share this.  I work for a large pharma company, and generally we get cookies and cupcakes when they are showing their “appreciation”.  At last week’s townhall, here are the changes – effective October 1st, eight paid weeks of FMLA at 100% of salary, faster accumulation of vacation days and (here is the big one) – if you can’t get your healthcare in the state in which you reside, the company will cover airfare, lodging and a per diem for food for you and one other person.

    My mother is 91, and having a lot of health issues.  I was truly conflicted on how I was going to take care of her as I can’t afford a lot of unpaid days.  I’m now using my vacation days to do all doctor’s appointments.  Man oh man, am I feeling relieved.

  71. 71.

    J R in WV

    @CaseyL: ​
     

    Regarding the disability application – I’ve heard these are very very difficult to get approved. If you can afford to do so, you might want to hire a SocSec/Disability attorney who is good at helping you get through the process successfully.

    Many at Social Security appear to think that their primary job os to find an excuse, any excuse, to deny a disability application. Wife went to Dr appointment after appointment with Soc Sec doctors, many in disgusting dirty offices. Finally hired a labor lawyer. They filed a lawsuit in Federal Court, eventually got her disability after a couple of years!!! Without a trial, settled days before trial was to start. Best of luck!!!

  72. 72.

    sheila in nc

    @Central Planning: ​
     
    If you want my opinion, go to Avebury instead of Stonehenge. They’ve got all the ancient dolmens and circles, but there’s a village right in the middle of it. Great vibe.

  75. 75.

    Mo MacArbie

    @Sister Golden Bear: I found that leather (of the probably not so fine, Ikea variety) worked fine and really shone when my cat…expressed her displeasure on it. Waterproof! Gets cold in the winter, so have a blanket available.

  79. 79.

    Tony Jay

    @O. Felix Culpa:

    It all looked horrifically steep to me, though to be fair, the only time I got out of the car during the drive was to sit in a pub garden and drink coffee.

    The island we stayed on was blessedly flat, but the views of the west coast from the cottage were mint. Love to move up there.

  80. 80.

    Gin & Tonic

    Bought a car today, primarily for my dear wife. Mazda CX-5. Given the type and amount of driving she does, an electric vehicle, while desirable, wasn’t a viable option. But I like Mazdas, and this is a nice vehicle. The car it is replacing has over 200,000 miles, so we tend to drive our cars until they have no residual value.

  81. 81.

    C Stars

    @Scout211: Excellent news indeed, thank you for sharing. We got a lot of rain here in the East Bay but I hadn’t heard yet how the fire areas were affected.

  82. 82.

    Mike E

    @Sure Lurkalot: I persevered through the entire interview, despite the contentious start, to see how Joe responded to the loaded questions and unsurprisingly he did very well.

  84. 84.

    twbrandt (formerly tom)

    @Tony Jay: it skirts the western edge of Loch Lomond, then heads pretty much due north, so it passes quite a bit east of Oban. But yes, it goes around Ben Nevis before hitting Fort William.

    I’ve done these sort of hikes before, so I’ve got the gear for the terrain and the Scottish weather.

  87. 87.

    Ohio Mom

    @RedDirtGirl: Your best bet is to visit your mom very often, on an irregular schedule. That will keep the staff a little on their toes. And chat them up.

    Learn their names and ask them how they are doing, make small talk. They are terribly underpaid, under-trained and unappreciated. If they have warm feelings for you, that may translate into better attention for your mom. It’s worth a shot, anyway.

    You are doing all that you can with very limited options. You are a good daughter.

  93. 93.

    West of the Rockies

    @Scout211:

    And compared to last year, it’s been a pretty mild fire season for CA.  We’re in Noyo Harbor for a few days.  I can report that seagulls are assholes.

  94. 94.

    Jay

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    trim claws regularly. Handling the feet, little paw pad and boopy toe massages on a regular basis, gets them used to being handled and makes the task easier.

    @CaseyL:

    It starts with no scars in the hide, the thickness of the hide, and then a slower, less aggressive tanning process.

    I had a Bootlegger Bomber jacket back in the 80’s that maybe weighed 4 lbs, when I got my first motorcycle. First chance I got I replaced it with a Corson that was the same size, shape, and weighed close to 20lbs.

  95. 95.

    Alison Rose 💙🌻💛

    Thanks for the kind words, y’all! I’ll be okay–thankfully I have enough to get me through at least a few months thanks to a little bit I got from a small inheritance my parents got, and my mom has said they will help me out if I’m not able to get assistance payments started before that runs out. Plus, I will be looking for something else–if any of you know of a job that can be done 100% remote, does not require being on the phone, and isn’t like…tech or accounting related or something, lemme know :P

  96. 96.

    J R in WV

    @New Deal democrat:

    I’m probably going on my first trip ever to NM and AZ next month.

    Aside from the Grand Canyon, any recommendations for things I should see?

    Navajo Nation!!!

    Monument Valley, a Navaho Nation park which is on the border between Utah and AZ, Canyon de Chelly, and Hubbell Trading Post, which is near the Canyon, which the entrance is in Chinle, AZ. The history is amazing, you can only enter the historic canyon floor with a native guide, ours was incredible, through Thunderbird  Lodge, which I believe is Native owned. That’s nearly a week’s worth of touring…

    Monument valley is in so many classic westerns, a flat appearing (not!) valley floor with dozens of vertical towers of red sandstone hundreds of feet high. Like being on another planet! You can drive in and park to get out and look at the vistas, but you can only hike and camp with native guides here too. I did an On The Road from our last trip in that area.

  97. 97.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Tony Jay: I’m an old, and I managed it by allowing myself many little breathing stops along the way. I happily allowed the younger and fleeter of foot ahead of me. There were no prizes awarded for getting up there fast!

    I fell in love with Scotland too. After the WHW, I did the Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness, also a lovely walk and different in character from the WHW. Then to Orkney (mainland, Westray, Papa Westray). Saw puffins, up close and personal! That was a highlight for me. They are as cute in real life as they are in pictures.

  98. 98.

    Betsy

    @sheila in nc: Agree.  And the South Wiltshire Museum nearby is a hidden treasure and you’ll have it all to yourself and see astonishing archaeological finds. Salisbury Cathedral is a spectacular gem and has England’s oldest clock – it dates from before mechanical clocks had faces.  You can see Stonehenge from outside the fence for free, but walk around the Avebury stone circle among the little sheep, and get an ice cream in the village that is IN the circle.

  101. 101.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @New Deal democrat: Taos, NM is really lovely, especially if the leaves are still changing.  Santa Fe is fine but very touristy to the point where much of it feels almost-fake, like you are in Epcot Center/Disney, so we didn’t really love it.  Taos is much more of a small-town vibe.  Still very artsy but a bit less pretentious than SF, in my opinion.  If you do get to Taos, check out Gutiz.  It’s a French/New Mexican restaurant that a friend of ours opened and is the owner/chef.  Their food is superb, as is most of the food you will find in New Mexico.  Make sure you try some of their Hatch green chili stew, and the red chili carne adovada.  Both are staples of New Mexican cuisine and hard to find anywhere outside of the state, sadly.  Also, get some Frito Pie, which is red chili, beef and Fritos in a bag.  It’s delicious.

    All that said, Santa Fe has a Museum Hill that has some incredible stuff, including a huge Folk Art museum, which we wished we had more time to explore.

    Flagstaff is a very cool city in AZ and you can visit there on your way to Grand Canyon.

  105. 105.

    J R in WV

    @What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?: ​
    HEY!

    I’m a Septuagenarian, and the last time I spent a week in NYC we did night clubs, shows and the theater almost every night. Ate out, walked miles. I passed on the new tower on the south end of the island, was at the Twin Towers long before the attack, didn’t want to go back. But Ellis Island was great, the Met Museum of Art was great (we hired a art professor guide for the afternoon!), the American Museum of Natural History was great.

    A Septuagenarian can still party, some, for a day or 6 !! No hard feelings, just had to express my sentiments, most of you young whippersnappers don’t know what a party is compared to someone with real experience!!!.. .. … … ;~)

    Why, when I was in the Navy I got to party in Key West with sailors off a Turkish destroyer, who had HASH but didn’t know much about drinking booze… Wheee!  Evidently hash was routine in Turkey at the time…

  107. 107.

    Ixnay

    @New Deal democrat: we visit friends in La Vegas, NM, up in the n east prt of the state. Santa Fe and Q are ok, but the best road trip was driving up to 4 corners and wandering about the Navajo Res. Shiprock, Toadlena, over the hills to Canyon de Chelly, then up to Monument Valley, back down to Window Rock, capitol of the Navajo nation. Oh yeah, Chaco canyon on the way up toward 4 corners, and we tried to stay at Navajo owned B & B’s. Keep the money local.

  110. 110.

    piratedan

    @New Deal democrat: lots of folks have chimed in on some of my favorites and a lot of it is dependent on the types of things that trip your trigger…. some of the places I would give a 2nd thumbs up to…

    The Tucson Area – the road to Mt. Lemmon, to Winterhaven, is about a 6k climb from desert plateau to high mountain timberland.  More than a few pullouts to grab the scenic view of the Tucson basin below.  It’s also marked lately as the sky island parkway.

    The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is highly acclaimed for it’s great display of flora and fauna, a nifty cavern display of the geologic formation of the area, a cool cactus garden and a wonderful array of critters great and small that are local, from the commonplace to the less so.  Also a pretty nifty hummingbird enclosure if you just like sitting in the shade and listening and watching them flit about.

    Carlsbad Caverns is an awesome experience and depending upon the season, watching the bat exodus out of the caverns is really cool.

    White Sands is also kind of a total surprise, considering the landscape around it, makes for a dramatic vista juxtaposition.

    As for other items not mentioned to google-fu…

    The Saguaro National Monument Parks (East or West, I prefer West myself because of the proximity to the Desert Museum).

    Bisbee is kind of nifty as a historical throwback, small town artsy craftsy with a tour of old west hotels and the Copper Queen mine.

    The Painted Desert/Petrified Forest is a cool drive thru National Park that features cool geologic formations, Petroglyphs and Petrified Wood, the color of the landscape change depending upon the angle of the sun.

    Meteor Crater is to the West of that on your way to Flagstaff… it’s kind of chilling in a way, although the locals joke about how lucky they were to have it miss the Visitor Center.

    oodles of places to see that are scenic and beautiful in their own way, Canyon De Chelle, Montezuma’s Castle (cliff dwelling Indian ruins), Sedona red rock country, Madera Canyon, Joshua Tree and also something like Kitt Peak is also open to tourists if so inclined.

    in the summer, its quite warm, so dress accordingly and bring fluids… in the winter, a lot of these places are also quite cold first thing in the morning and in the evening.  Both AZ and NM are BIG, and services and conveniences are often 20+ miles away, so be aware.

  111. 111.

    Ixnay

    @New Deal democrat: we visit friends in La Vegas, NM, up in the n east prt of the state. Santa Fe and Q are ok, but the best road trip was driving up to 4 corners and wandering about the Navajo Res. Shiprock, Toadlena, over the hills to Canyon de Chelly, then up to Monument Valley, back down to Window Rock, capitol of the Navajo nation. Oh yeah, Chaco canyon on the way up toward 4 corners, and we tried to stay at Navajo owned B & B’s. Keep the money local.

  115. 115.

    Betsy

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛: I think getting SSD requires you prove yourself not to be able to do ANY job, so if they learn that you are looking for remote work, you may find that that disqualifies you.

    It can take years to get SSD.  Please get a professional on your side.

    I found a remote job and know many other people who have done the same.  (Not phone work). It’s a great time for that.

    Finally, if you are a single woman relying on your own income, please be aware that your lifetime earnings record will greatly affect your eventual social security payments in old age.

    For women this is a special concern, as we live longer and earn less, and more frequently end up in poverty in old age.

    Also if you are a single woman you will never get the (usually higher) benefit of a survivor’s SocSec payment after spouse’s death.  Single women are triply screwed this way, as that marital benefit to a lower-earning spouse is heavily subsidized by everyone who doesn’t get it.  Like single women.

    So my advice  to keep as much income coming in as you can over your working lifetime, as long as your health is not harmed.  Old age social security formula takes 35 or more of your working years and averages them (in part) to produce your old age benefit. For every year in 35 that you didn’t earn SS taxable income, a 0 (zero) gets averaged in.  So you can see what that does to your old age benefit payment  – greatly reduces it.

    If you are able to work remotely, that would be good!

  116. 116.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    With Elizabeth gone, the only female sovereign left is Queen Latifah

  117. 117.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @UncleEbeneezer: Thanks for the restaurant recommendation! We’ll check it out the next time we’re in Taos.

    The Santa Fe Plaza is indeed touristy, but the NM History Museum is well worth a visit, to help provide context for the state’s unique history and cultures. I’m not a huge fan of the Folk Art Museum unless you’re into what looks like a hoarder’s random collection of uncurated stuff, some of which is interesting but has little coherence.

    Somewhat off the beaten path, but highly recommended is the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden tour. Houser was Apache, grew up in Oklahoma and made his way to New Mexico. You’ll see his sculpture around town and on Museum Hill, but the sculpture garden tour is particularly illuminating. It needs to be booked in advance.

  118. 118.

    Captain C

    @New Deal democrat:

    In Arizona:

    *The Verde Valley area–Jerome is a wonderful former mining town turned art colony on top of a mountain.  Several bars (in particular The Spirit Room and Paul & Jerry’s) and good restaurants (try the Haunted Hamburger) and many art galleries/stores (and also my friend Tommy’s music store Tommy Rocks).  Down the hill are Cottonwood and Clarkdale (Crema in Old Town Cottonwood is a great brunch spot).  Lots of good hiking in the area too (including Sycamore Canyon which is about a 12 mile drive away along back roads), also the Tuzigoot National Monument.  The Verde Valley is located about halfway between Sedona and Prescott on the 89A–both those towns are good to visit also.

    *In the Phoenix area:  The following museums are excellent–The Musical Instrument Museum (seriously, go there if you have any chance at all), the Heard, and the Phoenix Art Museum.  The Desert Botanical Garden is a great place to spend an afternoon.  If you like libraries, the main Phoenix library downtown is pretty cool to check out.

    My favorite Mexican restaurant is Mango’s in downtown Mesa (a huge suburb southeast of Phoenix); if you go there, they also have a nice art center and a nice little natural history museum (the Arizona Museum of Natural History).  There’s a lot of good hiking/desert walks in the area–South Mountain and Camelback Mountain are pretty popular.

    Possibly more later, but this is what I got off the top of my head so far.

  119. 119.

    New Deal democrat

    @piratedan: Thanks, and thanks to all the other people who have weighed in!

    Now I have a lot to research and plan (keeping in mind that everything will take twice as long as I think it will).

    Also thanks to the commenters who mentioned Navajo nation. It would be great to be escorted on some sightseeing and patronize native owners.

  120. 120.

    J R in WV

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Bought a car today, primarily for my dear wife. Mazda CX-5.

    We bought one a couple of years ago, have 15K on it after nearly 3 years now. No maintenance issues but two oil changes. A collision, with parts back ordered, probably on a ship anchored off a west coast port. Made in Hiroshima, which surprised me.

    When in NYC back before the Trumpian plague we ate at a Japanese joint near the hotel, during a short November blizzard, and I had oysters from Hiroshima, were frabjous good too. Plus now I glow in the dark… not, but can’t help it…     ;~)

  121. 121.

    narya

    @Gin & Tonic: Friend had one until someone coming from the other direction crossed two lanes of traffic to hit him (not quite head-on–car was totaled, he was unhurt). It was a really great vehicle; it could haul a lot of stuff (camping, hunting, etc.), got good mileage, and was a pleasant ride.

  122. 122.

    sab

    @CaseyL: I second the suggestion of using a disability lawyer. We went through that with my husband. I don’t rhink we’d have gotten the disability approved without the lawyer.

  123. 123.

    Scout211

    @WaterGirl: I should skip the previous thread?

    That would be a wise decision IMHO.

    Or was that a rhetorical question? If so, please ignore and carry on. 😊

  126. 126.

    Bupalos

    @WaterGirl: Meh, turns out there are a surprising number of defenders of the monarchy at BJ (any number over 0 being surprising to me) and at least 1 excessively virulent anti-monarchist.

  130. 130.

    O. Felix Culpa

    My last NM comment, cause I gotta do stuff, is that the Roundhouse (state capitol building in Santa Fe) has an outstanding New Mexico art collection on display throughout the building. They offer both guided and self-guided tours. I’m wowed every time I go.

  137. 137.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Baud: Thanks. As a request, please provide a heads-up in advance when your link is to a pdf file. Some devices download automatically upon clicking, which is not always desired.

  138. 138.

    Hilfy

    @Sister Golden Bear: I recently bought a leather sofa because it will be less attractive than one covered in regular upholstery fabric.  That is, less fun than sinking one’s claws into a deep, catchy-threaded surface that will give a strong tug to loosen old claw layers.  So far that seems to be true.  Combined with me screaming at them when they started to scratch.

    There will be a few tiny holes left from two cats just just jumping up on the sofa.   It helps to have cushions strewn about, and a throw blanket for snuggling.

  140. 140.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Layer8Problem: ​
      I didn’t mean that (though my grandfather worked in mass transit and he says the operations center scenes were spot-on). I meant 70s were marked with strikes, pollution, muggings, flashers, you know, all good stuff which you get in TOoTs.

  141. 141.

    Memory Pallas

    @Sister Golden Bear: ​ We put these on a very expensive leather club chair. They definitely discouraged scratching and weren’t very noticeable on dark chocolate-colored leather. It helped that the cats (plural) only seemed to want to scratch two spots both along the side on an arm. You can’t use them anywhere you’re going to put your own body. They do dull the leather underneath and leave it slightly sticky, but at $2000+ that’s way better than shredded.​​

  142. 142.

    Ocotillo

    @New Deal democrat:  I’m always late to these things!

    Some have mentioned White Sands, I had the fortune to go there when the rangers were giving a walk on the night of a full moon.  It has such a surreal vibe I would highly recommend if they still do that.  If not, go without the rangers.

  144. 144.

    coin operated

    @C Stars:

    Any recommendations for places to go/eat in Williams, AZ?

    Grand Canyon Brewing.  We visit the Cottonwood / Sedona area frequently and always end up stopping there on the way from Vegas.

  147. 147.

    Steeplejack

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    In my experience, cats can be trained to leave the furniture alone if they have another suitable scratching post or surface available.

    ETA: Also means you probably don’t have to trim their claws.

  153. 153.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Sure Lurkalot: A couple months ago my wife found some gloating op-ed by a call-center mogul eagerly anticipating how the coming recession (which he thought was imminent) would knock some sense into all these entitled millennials and GenZers who didn’t want to work. They love recessions so much.

  155. 155.

    Geminid

    @Trapped Lurker: Georgia O’Keefe taught school in Amarillo when she was a young woman. In her spare time she enjoyed hiking around nearby Palo Duro canyon and sketching the flowers.

    Ms. O’Keefe had to go back east when her job was not renewed, but she never lost her love for the Southwest and settled in New Mexico some years later.

  156. 156.

    Kirk Spencer

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛: First, congrats/condolences.

    Second, a different set of advice. Not about the disability application – others more qualified are advising you there. No, what caught my atttention was

    I do at a minimum 50% of the work

    in an office of three.

    See, experience says there’s a really good chance they’ll call you after you’re officially gone and ask you for just a little info or help. So you should decide up front what your response should be.

    Me, I have always been partial to working up an independent contract with an attorney to have ready. “Sure. Here’s my rates and my minimum hours billed per call.” But you may decide to make a clean break. Whatever, please don’t get caught in the “one more thing” for free routine, usually applied with the trowel of guilt.

    Just my two cents.

  158. 158.

    Alison Rose 💙🌻💛

    @Betsy: As I said, I was on disability before and was approved with no denial/appeal process. It only took a few months. I don’t know if it will be the same this time, but considering I am unable to even leave my home, I would hope so. As far as social security in my older years, I cannot worry about that right now. I will certainly never be in a position to retire. Not sure what that will mean in a few decades, but I don’t have the mental space right now to worry about what I’m going to do in 30 years.

  159. 159.

    JoyceH

    I recently spent quite a bit on a very nice leather sofa. And honestly, it was FOR the pets, because the sofa spot is in front of the window where everybody (pets) sits, and I sit in the recliner because that faces the television. And they wouldn’t sit on it! I had a nice aran knit afghan that I threw over it to look attractive, so they started sitting on that. The dog would scrunch up in a ball to stay on the afghan. Like, “What, you want me to sit right on the COW?” So I got one of those specific pet sofa covers, and now everyone perches all over it, and I can remove the cover and toss it in the washer.

    BTW, thanks to the person up-thread who called attention to Prime having The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (the ORIGINAL) – I LOVE that movie, and queued it, and just FYI, it goes off Prime at the end of the month.

  161. 161.

    Mike S (Now with a Democratic Congressperson!)

    @RedDirtGirl: I deeply sympathize. My sister did all the work of finding suitable places for my mother in her last years and I am so lucky to have such a great sibling! A safe and supportive place is a comfort, a bad place must be awful for a child’s mental health.

  163. 163.

    kalakal

    @twbrandt (formerly tom): If you’re going up Fort William you can see everybody’s favourite* highland castle Eilean Donan

    * Except mine, that’s Dunottar or possibly Crathes for the gardens, because that’s local prejudice for you

  165. 165.

    Dan B

    @Sister Golden Bear: My partner said that cats don’t scratch leather.  Ha!  It would be good to get an upholstery grade fabric to cover the furniture until you determine the scratching habit of the wee beastie.  They’re all unique.  Our current two almost never claw or scratch except the rugs when they stretch.

  166. 166.

    Betsy

     

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛: Sure thing.  I’m on a mission sometimes to keep younger women from making the mistakes I made out of ignorance.  I often wish someone had told me stuff I had to find out about on my own.

    It sounds like you’re determined not to let anything harm your health any further, if possible, and that is 💯 good strategy  that far too many people neglect.

    Especially with jobs.

  168. 168.

    Trapped Lurker

    @Geminid: I didn’t know that about Georgia O’Keefe—-just remember being utterly surprised and amazed by Palo Duro canyon and the contrast with the bleak surroundings.  Found out later how the plains tribes kept it a secret for a long time before they were finally rounded up and the survivors deported to Oklahoma.

  175. 175.

    Sandia Blanca

    One place in Arizona that’s off the beaten path is Arcosanti, a brainchild of architect Paolo Soleri: https://www.arcosanti.org/

    “Founded in 1970, Arcosanti is a project of The Cosanti Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire a reimagined urbanism that builds resilient and equitable communities sustainably integrated with the natural world. At Arcosanti, we pursue this mission through experimentation and application of the principles of arcology, a combination of the words architecture and ecology that offers an alternative to urban sprawl.”

  176. 176.

    Tony Jay

    @O. Felix Culpa:

    I’m officially jealous. We’ve sort of turned Scotland into our prime holiday destination since Brexit made it too embarrassing to go anywhere on the continent, so I’m sure I’ll run into a puffin or two at some point, even if it’s only after one too many drinks in a seaside bar.

  177. 177.

    Another Scott

    @coin operated: Oh, it was a variation on the old USSR joke about 2 letters, right??

    “Make and seal 2 letters.

    On the worst day at work open #1.  ‘It was all the previous guy’s fault.’

    On the even worse day, the worst possible day open #2.  “sudo rm -…”

    ;-)

    Best of luck AR and everyone.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  181. 181.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @O. Felix Culpa: My wife loves Folk Art so she is always happy to see a nice big room or building filled with it.  I do remember it not feeling like the best presented exhibit.  Have you ever been to the Shelburne in Burlington, Vermont?  If you ever get a chance, that place is amazing!  It’s several buildings with more Folk Art than you can imagine and very well coordinated.  Also the grounds are lovely, especially in the Fall.

    We really wanted to check out the Native American Arts building at Museum Hill when we were in SF, but we got a bit of a late start to the day (drove scenic route from Taos to see Fall Color) and it was almost closing time by the time we finished with the Folk Art museum.  Hopefully we can get back there at some point.

  182. 182.

    Kristine

    @New Deal democrat: If you visit the West Rim–I’ve been told it’s not really the West Rim but that was what I was told–try the Skywalk. It’s an experience. 4000 ft above the canyon floor–part of the walkway is covered if you don’t want to see what’s going on beneath your feet. If you do, you might see birds flying below. I had my photo taken on the uncovered portion, and my lizard brain argued with me the whole time. I’m glad I did it, but it was pretty shuddery at times.

  183. 183.

    WereBear

    @Sister Golden Bear: Well, the rear claws aren’t retractable. And the front may be needed so. A certain amount of. Distressing. Might be inevitable. Unless you. Keep throws handy and use them to buffer the sharp parts of the cat. It really doesn’t matter. Keep it hydrated

    and it’ll get a wonderful crinkly, distressed look a few decades from now. And. Cats are worth it. Your call. Best wishes.

  184. 184.

    Old School

    @Baud:

    I think delay, delay, delay is their plan.

    I can see the highly-paid lawyers preferring that plan, but Trump?

    Is Judge Cannon the one who will be ruling whether he broke a law?  Or will that be a different judge?

  185. 185.

    Geminid

    @New Deal democrat: If you get to Flagstaff the Lowell Observatory is a nice place to visit. It was set up around a century ago when there were few lights around, and clear mountain air. They have tours and special events, but its a nice place just to hang out.

    I remember Flagstaff as a refreshing place when I drove there 3 years ago. It’s on the Coconino plateau, and after hours of flat desert driving it was nice to ascend into pines and shade.

    My late friend Chris was a trucker and loved to drive cross country. To him Flagstaff was “Flag,” an important waypoint on the way to “Cali.”

  186. 186.

    Ruckus

    @RedDirtGirl:

    Had to do that with both my parents, we found a great place for my dad with Alzheimers. Two Vietnamese ladies ran 5 nursing homes for Alzheimer’s patients. 3 to 4 patients per smallish residential homes. Amazing 24 hr care. Mom lived to 95, only in a home for about the last 18 months or so.

  188. 188.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    @CaseyL: I expect it depends on the type of leather. Softer leather is a bad idea, unless you want it to have a very ‘weathered’ look. When we went sofa shopping, we only looked at microfiber. It isn’t textured, so it isn’t as tempting. Plus, it stands up well to those wicked little claws. Good luck.

  190. 190.

    brendancalling

    Speaking of bards, if any of y’all are in Philly, I’m playing the open mic at Milkboy on South Street around 8 and then at Fergies on the 1200 block Sansom around 9, before I go home to bed.

  192. 192.

    Chris T.

    AZ: If you like astronomy at all, do the Kitt Peak tour if you can.

    Cats: microfiber fabric; our cats never tear those up.

  193. 193.

    Cacti

    @New Deal democrat: In AZ, visit Sedona.

    Always preferred it to the Grand Canyon.

    If you’re a fan of westerns, visit Old Tucson, which isn’t actually the old city, but a movie lot where lots of them were filmed.

    Never spent enough time in NM to have any recommendations about it.

  194. 194.

    Ohio Mom

    @brendancalling: On a school night? Did you quit?

    Just realized that tomorrow morning is my annual appointment with the grumpy endocrinologist for my osteopenia, or maybe by now it’s osteoporosis. Phooey.

  197. 197.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    @Sister Golden Bear: Get two stretching posts and put one on either front corner (put the legs of the couch on the base of the scratch post so that it’s as close to the couch armrest as possible).  Cats scratch what they see as landmarks, so as long as there is a scratching post immediately in front of the “landmark” of the couch arm, they’ll scratch the more visible, more prominent scratch post.

  200. 200.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Sandia Blanca: There’s a name I haven’t heard in a very long time. I had a college roommate who was an architecture major, and had at least a passing fascination with Soleri.

  201. 201.

    Another Scott

    Meanwhile, …

    Hey, #LitigationDisasterTourists, we have 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨developments 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 in the Mar-a-Lago litigation.

    Requires some background, but let's just say it looks like TFG is going to regret suggesting Judge Dearie as the Special Master

    — Akiva Cohen (@AkivaMCohen) September 19, 2022

    A good thread. The next few weeks may be very, very painful for TFG even with Cannon trying to make him God Emperor.

    We’ll see!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  205. 205.

    bbleh

    @Alison Rose 💙🌻💛:  congratulations on a new phase of life! As one who was “JE’d” (not fired, that would be legally suspect), I have one piece of advice: make a plan.  Watch out for the quicksand!  Whether you wish to return to work or not — and especially if not — don’t wait for things to happen on their own, or as they “should.”  Even if you’re not 100% sure, pick an affirmative direction and move in it.  You can always change your mind later.

  206. 206.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @Sandia Blanca: I went there with my parents. They had a disastrous fire some years ago during a music festival. Hundreds of cars parked on dry grass in the desert heat, and the predictable happened: a fire started, and then one car after another exploded. I don’t think there were any fatalities, but a lot of property damage and liability $$$ incurred.

    The community isn’t what it once was and the architecture is of an era, but still worth a visit if you’re in the area.

  209. 209.

    Gravenstone

    @Dan B: My partner said that cats don’t scratch leather.

    They may not “Scratch” it, but mine turned my loveseat (granted, bonded leather rather than the good stuff) into a pincushion. The back in particular looks like it was machine perforated.

  210. 210.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @WereBear:

    A certain amount of. Distressing. Might be inevitable.

    I’m OK with that. Add character, amirite?

    @Gravenstone:

    (granted, bonded leather rather than the good stuff) into a pincushion. The back in particular looks like it was machine perforated.

    From what I’ve read, bonded leather and cats don’t mix well. An ex-girlfriend had a couch that was similarly perforated. The chair I’m interested in is top-grain leather, which is supposed to be far sturdier.

  211. 211.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @O. Felix Culpa: Yeah I can see what you meant about “chaotic”, I get that for sure.

    The Shelburne is unbelievable!  There are like a dozen buildings, all featuring amazing art exhibits.  We spent about 6 hours there and felt like we needed way more.

  212. 212.

    UncleEbeneezer

    This was a really good hour-long interview with Andrew Weissman of the Mueller Report/DOJ, Jill Wine-Banks (Watergate) and Victor Shi, a young journalist who is trying to boost GenZ/Millennial awareness and engagement in politics.  Lots of good stuff.

    One of the biggest take-aways that Weissman made and Wine-Banks seemed to agree with: there’s almost no way Federal charges against Trump (which they both want and think is crucial) will be completed before 2024.

  213. 213.

    dnfree

    @Gin & Tonic: the CX-5 is a great car.  My previous car was a hybrid and I loved it.  But then in 2017 I hit a deer going 70 mph in our other car, a Cadillac ATS.  There were no injuries and I drove the car to the body shop.  The results in my lightweight hybrid would not have been so good.  The CX-5 has an excellent safety rating and you’ll be amazed at the safety features.

  215. 215.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @Gin & Tonic: I loved my Mazda 3, sporty car without sports car pricing (the car itself and insurance rates). Drove it past 200,000 before the repairs finally made it not worth keeping.

    Hopefully one of these days Mazda will come out with an EV.

  217. 217.

    StringOnAStick

    @Sister Golden Bear: What we do when we get a new kitty is first make sure you have lots of cat specific things for them to scratch that are theirs alone and in the places where you hang out, because that is where they will be too. The other important thing is to cover with loose blankets anything of your furniture that could also be a good thing to scratch; you do this to make it unappealing and too difficult to scratch.  Cats will stay with the easy to scratch stuff and your stuff survives though you have to keep it covered until they fully mature, and that can be up to 5 years depending on the kind of cat.  We’ve never had any furniture scratched this way but I put new carpet in their favourite scratching post every 1-2 months.

    Go to wearbear’s website The Way of Cats and get her books; best cat parent information ever!

  218. 218.

    StringOnAStick

    @Kelly: We drove over Santiam pass Saturday and saw a tiny bit of maple colours at the very top; considerably more colours today on our way back.  Fall is coming.

  220. 220.

    StringOnAStick

    @Sister Golden Bear: i used those cheap Mexican tourist blankets.  Anything heavy enough that they can’t claw through it (like a sheet).  When it isn’t firmly attached like upholstery fabric is, then it’s not appealing.  When one cat started clawing the back of my husband’s computer chair, I whipped up a cover made out of heavy canvas that wasn’t too heavy to sew with a home machine.  She walked up to it to scratch, put her paws on it and was horrified at how it felt

    Our cats were barn cat orphans that look like Maine Coon cats so it took them a while to mature. Go to wearbear’s site, to be of info!  Learn to think like a cat; I’ve had cats my whole about I never really knew them like I learned to from her.

  221. 221.

    StringOnAStick

    @StringOnAStick: Another hint: when you see them picking out a target, immediately do something to make it unappealing, before the habit is set.  The attack on my husband’s chair was when they were 4 years old, so new ideas show up occasionally .  Just stay in top of their behaviour. Once their habits get set by time, and they have their posts that they love and use, then your stuff is mostly safe

    When ours were babies we had a fabric covered reclining loveseat.  I knew they would go after it so I used a large curved needle and closely sewed some heavy white cotton yoga blankets onto every obvious clawing surface and placed end tables to make other surfaces inaccessible.  That stayed in for almost 3 years and I took all of that off and sold the undamaged loveseat 2 years ago.  Teaching them to not claw is a matter of being consistent and understanding how they think and acquire habits

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