Sorry I did not post yesterday, but I was sick. Had felt run down and achey for day and the just got wholloped. Went to bed last night at 6:30 and woke up at 8 am. Feel better but still run down. Also love opening up the bills at the end of the month that’s always fucking fun. Pisses me off paying for electric even when I am not there but am on that payment plan you pay the same amount year round because you never know. It’s like you spend the whole month thinking about fun things to do and then the bills come and it’s like “wonder what is on netflix.”
/oldmanyellsatclouds
Noskilz
Get well soon!
frosty
Thanks for checking in. Hope you’re feeling back to normal tomorrow … or the day after.
Chief Oshkosh
@frosty:
Meh, this is normal for Cole. We should wish him to feel better tomorrow. :)
And John, I’m right there with you on the utilities bills thing…
Suzanne
GO HIKING. OMG. There’s such a brief window when hiking is fun there, and you’re in it. Go hike A Mountain with Joelle, it’s super-short and easy.
ETA: And it’s so cheap. Shoes, water, bam.
Suzanne
Also, the Phoenix Art Museum used to be free on First Fridays. You should check that out on Friday night.
Suzanne
Alllllllso, the public libraries participated in this program called Culturepass when I lived there. They probably still do. You show up to the library, and check a pass out to a cultural institution that participates…. museums, science center, zoo, etc. Then return the pass (I think you get 48 hours to return it), And it’s free and awesome.
It’s good to get out of the house.
karen marie
@Suzanne: “Go hike a mountain.” Yeah, sure. I’m sure John Cole will get right on that.
The Riparian Preserve in Gilbert is probably a better bet.
I’m confused why you’d be opening bills if you’re on the pay-the-same-amount-every-month plan. Why not go the next step and make it automatic?
Suzanne
@karen marie: A Mountain is a hill with delusions of grandeur! It’s a 20-minute walk. And it’s close to where they live.
The riparian preserve is amazing, tho.
To be clear: I am talking about “A” Mountain, which is the butte next to ASU that has an A on it.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Feel better, John.
pat
not covid, we hope.
Betty Cracker
Hope you’re better soon!
Speaking of Netflix, I just saw an article about the incredible staying power of “The Gilmore Girls,” which I’ve never seen. Worth it or no?
gwangung
@Suzanne: That used to be the cheapskate hill where students would climb to watch ASU games. Great nighttime activity in fall, when temps are reasonable. (Nowadays, the stadium expansion has taken care of all the sight lines….)
Alison Rose
@Betty Cracker: I’d say mostly worth it. It’s funny and kind of comforting in its way. The characters can sometimes be a little grating, but there’s a lot of charm there, too
ETA Luke’s rant about kids and jam is one I have referred to many times when explaining my disinterest in having children:
Same.
rekoob
@Betty Cracker: Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls, was also behind The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The snappy dialogue is a hallmark. Great casting in both.
eclare
Feel better!
eclare
@Suzanne:
And socks! Good socks make a big difference.
Poe Larity
You could pay for a chatGPT bot to do your posts and that would give you time to do the bills.
Chief Oshkosh
@Betty Cracker: Mixed bag, IMO. First few seasons were great. Later seasons devolved into everyone yelling at everyone else. Reunion show was fun, though.
karen marie
@Betty Cracker: For some reason unknown to me, when I was waiting for my dog at the vet last week they had Gilmore Girls on the TV in the waiting area. It was weird – it had the visual quality of a daytime soap opera. Like they used the same kind of camera. I wasn’t driven to seek it out to watch when I got home. Perhaps if you’re in junior high or have a child in junior high it might hold some interest.
Suzanne
@gwangung: It’s still a popular hiking spot. It’s really short to get to the top — I took my older Spawns at preschool/kindergarten age — and there’s a nice view.
Papago Park has some nice easy hikes, too. Hole-in-the-Rock is a cool spot. Also in Tempe. February is the perfect time to do cheap/free outdoor activities.
I attended some Star Parties in Apache Junction in years past, and I think that is really fun. Out at Lost Dutchman/Usery Pass area.
gwangung
@Suzanne: Oh, yeah now is the best time to go hiking. (And even December isn’t bad for folks inured to colder weather).
Papago Park has some fond memories in my school aged days..
@Betty Cracker: Never seen the show, but I’m an acquaintance of Keiko Agena and Emily Kuroda (well, we can hold knowledgeable conversations when we run across each other), so I’m all for them getting exposure and what little residuals streaming gives them.
Suzanne
@gwangung:
You and lots of my friends! LOLOLOL!
Trivia Man
@Suzanne: my library even checks out a week pass for the shared e-bike program. No credit card needed but I still had to dock it every 30 minutes.
Jackie
Since this thread is currently discussing entertainment, how about some comedy…
TBone
Can anyone help with a question? Lungs are really bad right now, cannot smoke it and I’m wondering if I brew a cup of herbal tea will that work instead of smoking? Insomnia kicking my ass.
karen marie
@Suzanne: I’ve never been to Papago Park but it sounds like there’s something for everyone.
@TBone: You can. It’s more complicated than throwing a bud in hot water but not a lot.
Elizabelle
@rekoob: Good to know.
Trivia Man
@Betty Cracker: the first few seasons were quirky and charming. Likeable characters, rapid dialogue, sweet mother daughter dynamic. But as it wore on, Rory (daughter) gets more and more unsufferable. The most selfish character around – EVERYBODY else has to bow to her ever changing whims while she continually fails ever upwards. But she is charming.
TBone
@karen marie: thank you. I rolled it up, can I brew a doobie in with a cuppa ginger lemon tea and soak it in there for a long time? I feel really dumb but need the relief! I guess I should Google it? Ugh
Ksmiami
@TBone: lotus flowers make a calming tea
Ksmiami
@Trivia Man: I enjoyed Mrs. Maisel a lot more tbh
TBone
@Ksmiami: thanks but I only have buds at hand!
Geoduck
So how do you feel when you pay the Netflix bill?
Trivia Man
@Ksmiami: I’m a pushover for a strong female lead and rapid fire dialogue. Marv Maisel was also enjoyable.
TBone
@karen marie: oh I just saw your LINK man I need some sleep thank you! Sous vide, cool, can do.
TBone
@Betty Cracker: I loved it, binged during a difficult time and it really soothed me and the quirkiness kitchiness factor was adorable.
karen marie
@TBone: From that link:
Yeah, the link was easy to miss given its location. But here it is for posterity
So I looked up “terpenes,” being unfamiliar with that term. Interesting! Don’t boil the tea once the bud’s in there! Simmer, baby, simmer!
TBone
@karen marie: gawd bless you my lungs say! Don’t forget to bake it or sous vide it first! Add lipid!
Alison Rose
One thing I’ll say about Gilmore Girls is some people struggle with the dialogue because of its lack of realism in one way. When I was living with a partner in my 20s, I watched the show a lot, and he didn’t really care for it but would obviously end up watching it indirectly since, you know, same apartment. One evening he ended up sitting next to me and watching it, and at one point after a quick little back-and-forth between Lorelei and someone else, he sighed and shook his head. I asked what bugged him, and he threw his hands up and said “No one is that witty all the time!”
I mean, he wasn’t wrong. The amount of quips and comebacks and repartee was definitely over the top. But I told him if he could suspend disbelief required for superhero movies, he could do the same here.
karen marie
@TBone: I updated with some reading for you.
TBone
@karen marie: I’m very grateful!
SmallAxe
Damn Cole, you’re going to get even more upset when you start to see the Phoenix electric bills rise with the heat. They’re 2X to 3X what they are these months for AC. It’s our largest household expense by far those months
karen marie
@SmallAxe: Summer is when I’m grateful I live in a small apartment with only two windows and a sliding glass door. The landlord has light-blocking screens on the windows and a shade cloth for the front opening of the patio/balcony. Those things make a huge difference. The larger apartment I lived in before this one had cathedral ceilings in the living room and master and lots of windows – single-pane, installed in the ’70s. It was a nightmare electric bill in the summer.
As irritated as I get with the reduced space, I am delighted with the reduced electric cost. Sometimes I just say fuck it and crank the heat or AC because it’s only going to increase my bill by a couple bucks.
SteveinPHX
@Suzanne: Yes! We still do those Culture Passes in many PHX libraries. You check it out with your library card. Plan ahead because you have a 7 day window to use it. Admits two adults free-of-charge (kids, cousins & pets pay full freight!) Lots of places in the Phoenix area plus Tucson and a couple of other outliers are participants. Great deal!
Spanky
I noticed that none of the hiking advice for Cole recommended pants. That seems right, somehow.
satby
@SmallAxe: He’s crabbing about his bills for the WV house too. He also intends to bug out before it gets really hot, he’s said.
Jacel
@Alison Rose: I remember Lauren Graham being interviewed by David Letterman, and admitting that she was nowhere near as smart as her character could appear to be.
Suzanne
@SteveinPHX: Cole could go walk around the Botanical Garden!
I am imagining a hilarious-and-pratfall-filled encounter with jumping cholla.
Chacal Charles Calthrop
@Jackie: so this is what the qanon people are doing with their time?
figures.
Grumpy Old Railroader
Hahaha Okay Boomer! Opening snail mail bills? I bet you still pay your bills with a check too. Why even have a smart phone if ya ain’t gonna get bills via text and pay with a banking app? Its the 21st century John. You don’t need to be a rocket surgeon to do this stuff
Chris T.
@karen marie:
What constitutes a “nightmare electric bill”? $200? $400? $500? $600?
See ktla.com/news/california/2-california-cities-have-among-the-highest-utility-bills-in-the-u-s/ for some background. I remember reading of people who got SDG&E bills over $2000 during the Enron debacle (SDG&E were able to pass the crazy prices on to consumers).