Metatalktail Hour: (Spooky) Open Thread! October 26, 2019 5:34 PM Subscribe
Good Saturday evening, MetaFilter! 👻 This week, open thread! But a slightly spooky open thread, full of ghosts! 👻👻👻 Naw, not really, just spooky in the Halloween mood. 👻
In the lowest-stakes, highest-drama situation possible, I got volunteered for my 8-year-old's class Halloween party. I was like "okay, cool, tell me what to do." There followed FORTY-SEVEN E-MAILS (and counting!) among seven women to figure out half an hour's worth of activities for 3rd graders, and one of the women is like the most passive-aggressive possible person. (I have contributed three e-mails: "Just tell me what to do!" "I'm pretty crafty, I could manage that spider web craft." and "I have acquired all the materials for the spider web craft.") I get to spend the weekend preparing materials to turn black plates into spooky spider webs, wheeeeeee! I am both laughing and rolling my eyes about the whole thing. (Although operating under the assumption that at least 6/7 of us are also laughing while rolling our eyes.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:39 PM on October 26, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:39 PM on October 26, 2019 [9 favorites]
There followed FORTY-SEVEN E-MAILS (and counting!)...
Well we can close up the thread, I don't think a scarier scenario will be broached here
posted by tivalasvegas at 7:01 PM on October 26, 2019 [18 favorites]
Well we can close up the thread, I don't think a scarier scenario will be broached here
posted by tivalasvegas at 7:01 PM on October 26, 2019 [18 favorites]
I've somehow caught the mother of all headcolds, and feel pretty astonishingly bad, but hoping another day in bed will have me in shape to go back to work (from home, luckily) on Monday, since I've got a pretty hard Wednesday deadline for something. And also to be part of a group chat with my CEO about realistic expectations for a very small team. Until then, I am extremely snotty and lightly feverish and even more incapable of concentrating on anything than usual. Blech.
(I'm also going to try to wake up at 2AM to watch Wales v South Africa. If Wales wins, there's no way I'll fall back asleep anytime soon, and also sorry all of Twitter for the excited screaming in advance. But otherwise, I'm hoping to snatch a few more hours of sleep and hey, maybe possibly even enjoy my Sunday!)
posted by kalimac at 7:10 PM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
(I'm also going to try to wake up at 2AM to watch Wales v South Africa. If Wales wins, there's no way I'll fall back asleep anytime soon, and also sorry all of Twitter for the excited screaming in advance. But otherwise, I'm hoping to snatch a few more hours of sleep and hey, maybe possibly even enjoy my Sunday!)
posted by kalimac at 7:10 PM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
So here’s something fucking spooky- I managed to make 200 posts on my nothing garden blog. I can’t believe I’ve done this- so I made my special post about one of my favorite lesser known veggies- kohlrabi! I know like 90 percent of my traffic comes from metafilter (and inexplicably India) so thanks everyone! I’m too happy to be spooked today.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:40 PM on October 26, 2019 [20 favorites]
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:40 PM on October 26, 2019 [20 favorites]
In Sonoma County, which is currently evacuating 80,000 people due to the 26,000-acre wildfire, and winds tonight are supposed to gust to 80mph, which is not going to help. I was preparing a Samhain service for church tomorrow and I've been seeing ghosts all day. We (mostly I) just decided to scrap the service, or at least seriously pare it down, but I think I need to address the ghosts as we gather together for comfort. Praying that things don't get worse overnight.
posted by lazuli at 8:00 PM on October 26, 2019 [11 favorites]
posted by lazuli at 8:00 PM on October 26, 2019 [11 favorites]
OK I mean SERIOUSLY how did the bathmat I hated when I was married suddenly end up in my completed load of laundry? I haven't seen that thing in seven years, I didn't take it after the divorce, there is no reason it should be in my dryer. The veil is thin and the bathmats are active.
posted by lazuli at 8:15 PM on October 26, 2019 [43 favorites]
posted by lazuli at 8:15 PM on October 26, 2019 [43 favorites]
Whaaaa??? Everyday Is Halloween - Ministry.
I did break out the decade old black nail polish a few days ago and after a few minutes of shaking... I have my nice black nails once again. You know the only thing goth-er than black nail polish? Chipped black nail polish. And now that plastic skull that sits on top of my bookshelf is glaring at me.
posted by zengargoyle at 8:22 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
I did break out the decade old black nail polish a few days ago and after a few minutes of shaking... I have my nice black nails once again. You know the only thing goth-er than black nail polish? Chipped black nail polish. And now that plastic skull that sits on top of my bookshelf is glaring at me.
posted by zengargoyle at 8:22 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
Before I forget: How to make a fold-and-cut bat for Halloween!
posted by zengargoyle at 8:26 PM on October 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by zengargoyle at 8:26 PM on October 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
Damnit, Halloween "Remix 12 Single" (1984) - Ministry, should have dropped the remix.
posted by zengargoyle at 8:32 PM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by zengargoyle at 8:32 PM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is the first time I've been in a house that will (hopefully) get trick-or-treaters. I've decorated and as of this morning, I have 108 full sized candy bars (plus 30 little things of play-doh for the kids with food allergies) and 200 spider rings for everyone. I'll either have not enough candy or WAY TOO MUCH candy. No idea which way it's gonna go.
posted by Weeping_angel at 8:37 PM on October 26, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by Weeping_angel at 8:37 PM on October 26, 2019 [7 favorites]
Tonight for dinner I made steak (discount-pile top round/London Broil, sous vide 8 hours and finish in a cast iron skillet with a lot of butter), and it was pretty good for what it was. But the Halloween-y stars were fingers of butternut squash and halved brussels sprouts, tossed in ghee and Penzey's Florida pepper blend and kosher salt, in the air fryer at 400 for a while (might have been 30m total on the squash, 15ish on the sprouts). I announced it was Zombie Veg, and we'll be making that again soon.
Like Weeping_angel, we have about 100 full-size candy bars (also toys and play-doh) in the house and I duct-taped them closed because I have a lot of work stress right now and am in the frame of mind to make some very bad decisions.
I just remembered I forgot to buy glow-sticks today for glowy eyes to put in all my box hedges and cedar trees, which means I'll have to go out again tomorrow, which is very scary.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:43 PM on October 26, 2019 [7 favorites]
Like Weeping_angel, we have about 100 full-size candy bars (also toys and play-doh) in the house and I duct-taped them closed because I have a lot of work stress right now and am in the frame of mind to make some very bad decisions.
I just remembered I forgot to buy glow-sticks today for glowy eyes to put in all my box hedges and cedar trees, which means I'll have to go out again tomorrow, which is very scary.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:43 PM on October 26, 2019 [7 favorites]
...5 more days til Halloween, silver shamrock®
posted by clavdivs at 8:50 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 8:50 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
People have been going all out for Halloween this year in Seattle. I walked past a two-story high inflated black cat in front of someone's house in Green Lake yesterday! I love it. Especially when I'm walking a dog and we see one of those dog skeletons people have on their front yards, then I encourage the dog to check it out and take a cute photo for their owners.
Speaking of dogs, I currently have a 50 lb Formosan mountain dog on my lap as I write this. I had never heard of such a thing before yesterday, but here we are!
School is going well. I have a 4.0 GPA for the first time in my entire life! I'll be happy if it stays above a 3.6. My goal is to graduate without any debt- I got a tiny bit of financial aid because I applied so late, but better than nothing. And I have a spreadsheet I made with 70 different scholarships I can apply to (over a two year period.) My first essay applications are due on Halloween, so I need to start writing about my all time favorite costume and what I'd do during the zombie apocalypse. 🤷
posted by mollywas at 9:11 PM on October 26, 2019 [8 favorites]
Speaking of dogs, I currently have a 50 lb Formosan mountain dog on my lap as I write this. I had never heard of such a thing before yesterday, but here we are!
School is going well. I have a 4.0 GPA for the first time in my entire life! I'll be happy if it stays above a 3.6. My goal is to graduate without any debt- I got a tiny bit of financial aid because I applied so late, but better than nothing. And I have a spreadsheet I made with 70 different scholarships I can apply to (over a two year period.) My first essay applications are due on Halloween, so I need to start writing about my all time favorite costume and what I'd do during the zombie apocalypse. 🤷
posted by mollywas at 9:11 PM on October 26, 2019 [8 favorites]
Oh my gollyness I've never heard of Formosan mountain dogs but now I want one on my lap! How lovely!
posted by lazuli at 9:21 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by lazuli at 9:21 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
What with real life and mild partisanship I tend to dip in and out of Strictly Come Dancing (US equiv = Dancing With The Stars) but I always enjoy the Halloween week, in fact I think that's what sucked me into watching in the first place. Wasn't a classic one this year, but it was fun.
Otherwise telly-wise, I scrolled through my NetFlix queue and realised I had 240+ things earmarked for later, obviously not counting those which have silently disappeared (i.e. the reason for the aforementioned scrolling). Am now on a mission to watch as many non-Netflix films and series on Netflix as soon as possible. Unintended consequences strike again!
posted by I'm always feeling, Blue at 10:07 PM on October 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
Otherwise telly-wise, I scrolled through my NetFlix queue and realised I had 240+ things earmarked for later, obviously not counting those which have silently disappeared (i.e. the reason for the aforementioned scrolling). Am now on a mission to watch as many non-Netflix films and series on Netflix as soon as possible. Unintended consequences strike again!
posted by I'm always feeling, Blue at 10:07 PM on October 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
Finished building some stuff for a family member today, and I think it looks great. I feel like I was able to handle the challenges of the situation and make the right decisions when I needed to. I'm going to reward myself for a job well done by buying a denim jacket, which is something I've wanted for a long time. I don't care what it says about me that I want one. I just want one.
Next project is to fix a bunch of stuff in the bathroom. Snake out the drain, replace pretty much all the caulk in the shower, cut out and replace all the grout that's moldy and discolored. I'm drawing the line at refinishing the bathtub, because one of the guides I saw called for hydrofluoric acid. I know just enough chemistry to know that stuff is nasty.
I wasn't planning on dressing up for Halloween, but I was invited to a night out, and now I have to come up with something cheap and easy to make. If I get my denim jacket in time, I'll see if I can incorporate that somehow. I also own a pink silk (or mock silk) jacket that I haven't worn in years. I feel like either one of these things could lead to something, but I don't know what.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:23 PM on October 26, 2019 [6 favorites]
Next project is to fix a bunch of stuff in the bathroom. Snake out the drain, replace pretty much all the caulk in the shower, cut out and replace all the grout that's moldy and discolored. I'm drawing the line at refinishing the bathtub, because one of the guides I saw called for hydrofluoric acid. I know just enough chemistry to know that stuff is nasty.
I wasn't planning on dressing up for Halloween, but I was invited to a night out, and now I have to come up with something cheap and easy to make. If I get my denim jacket in time, I'll see if I can incorporate that somehow. I also own a pink silk (or mock silk) jacket that I haven't worn in years. I feel like either one of these things could lead to something, but I don't know what.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:23 PM on October 26, 2019 [6 favorites]
Three mornings this week I found my front door's deadbolt locked from the inside. I've never locked it at night, have a dog that barks at any nighttime activity, and live a mile from the nearest house.
sleep tight everybody
posted by Rust Moranis at 10:28 PM on October 26, 2019 [14 favorites]
sleep tight everybody
posted by Rust Moranis at 10:28 PM on October 26, 2019 [14 favorites]
Also, have I already talked about how I cut the sleeves off one of my old shirts? People have been surprisingly OK with sleeveless me. Like, I thought it would just be a punchline, but people are like "nah, you look good." I really feel like it's bad to be encouraging this. But ohh kayyy... Actually, it felt great to be whacking spikes with a heavy hammer in 62 F weather in a sleeveless shirt. Also moving me that much closer to my life goal of being some guy who's always working on my '88 Suzuki Cultus, "doesn't start right now, but when I get it tuned up and running this baby is gonna flyyyy."
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:31 PM on October 26, 2019 [10 favorites]
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:31 PM on October 26, 2019 [10 favorites]
I got to conduct again today, not just the string section but the full orchestra (due to various atypical circumstances like a new baby and a violin solo, neither of them on my part...). So much fun. SO MUCH. I fucked up the time signatures here and there, but I think I did an okay job overall; the concertmaster (my longtime crush) seems pretty pleased with me, and the principal second violin came up to me afterward and said "I understand a lot better how to tackle the piece because of your directions, that was really helpful." So I'll be happy for a while, even though I have a huge pile of work to get through later today; that's not necessarily a bad thing either, knock wood.
posted by huimangm at 11:16 PM on October 26, 2019 [10 favorites]
posted by huimangm at 11:16 PM on October 26, 2019 [10 favorites]
I’m going back to England on Tuesday for my nana’s 99th birthday! We’ve got a public holiday on Friday here on Friday and I’ve taken a week off. My entire extended family is coming back for this, will be nice to catch up.
My nan was a French teacher in the 1940s, and still speaks to me in French today! She is the reason my mum speaks French and wanted me to have it from a young age, and so, the reason I am here.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:22 PM on October 26, 2019 [13 favorites]
My nan was a French teacher in the 1940s, and still speaks to me in French today! She is the reason my mum speaks French and wanted me to have it from a young age, and so, the reason I am here.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:22 PM on October 26, 2019 [13 favorites]
My garbage Halloween costume ideas: let me show you them
2005-era Gwen Stefani but with a flaming Jack O’Lantern for a head:
Sleepy Hollaback Girl
Wear a bag over your head with some eyeholes, some 1800s clothing, and a sign that says something like, “Don’t talk about me”:
The Elephant Man In The Room
Gorilla suit with a green tunic and peaked cap, plus sword and shield:
The Missing Link
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:54 AM on October 27, 2019 [10 favorites]
2005-era Gwen Stefani but with a flaming Jack O’Lantern for a head:
Sleepy Hollaback Girl
Wear a bag over your head with some eyeholes, some 1800s clothing, and a sign that says something like, “Don’t talk about me”:
The Elephant Man In The Room
Gorilla suit with a green tunic and peaked cap, plus sword and shield:
The Missing Link
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:54 AM on October 27, 2019 [10 favorites]
I’m just here to thumbs up everyone giving out full-sized candy bars. Thank you for thinking about the par....I mean the kids :)
posted by triage_lazarus at 5:21 AM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by triage_lazarus at 5:21 AM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
The real terrifying thing is that NaNoWriMo starts Friday and what I have right now is sort of a vague concept but zero details about either of the main characters.
Also, good-but-scary: I have one job offer on the table and am expecting to have a second by the middle of the week and will basically have to decide within a few hours of getting the second, if it arrives, which is part of why I have not put nearly enough thought into NaNo yet.
posted by Sequence at 8:43 AM on October 27, 2019 [6 favorites]
Also, good-but-scary: I have one job offer on the table and am expecting to have a second by the middle of the week and will basically have to decide within a few hours of getting the second, if it arrives, which is part of why I have not put nearly enough thought into NaNo yet.
posted by Sequence at 8:43 AM on October 27, 2019 [6 favorites]
There followed FORTY-SEVEN E-MAILS (and counting!) among seven women to figure out half an hour's worth of activities for 3rd graders, and one of the women is like the most passive-aggressive possible person.Oh my goodness, my friend showed me the multiple emails outlining in exquisite detail, complete with illustrations, the acceptable hairdo for her daughters' show-choir performances. Those show-choir moms are *intense.* My friend was like "my daughters have very thick and curly hair. We will do out best, but I can't guarantee it will be perfectly straight." And the response was like "it must be PERFECTLY STRAIGHT with EXACTLY ONE QUARTER IN A HIGH PONYTAIL and EXACTLY THREE QUARTERS DOWN. Frizzy or wavy hair WILL NOT BE TOLERATED." Sheesh.
I am not ready for Halloween. I am ready in the sense that I bought candy and non-candy-treats to hand out, but I need to procure a pumpkin, and I want to do some decorating, and I need to figure out a way to light up my steps a little bit, because kids always complain that they're scary. (They are a little scary. I only go in through the back door, and the front is not very well-lighted.) I am completely swamped today, and I'm not sure I have time to do very much, but I'm off to the dollar store this morning to get supplies.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:44 AM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
And the response was like "it must be PERFECTLY STRAIGHT with EXACTLY ONE QUARTER IN A HIGH PONYTAIL and EXACTLY THREE QUARTERS DOWN. Frizzy or wavy hair WILL NOT BE TOLERATED."
If this is a public school, it sounds like your friend needs to introduce the other show choir moms to the idea that insisting on particular (white-people-hair-friendly) hairdos is a civil rights violation that can get the school sued!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:53 AM on October 27, 2019 [26 favorites]
If this is a public school, it sounds like your friend needs to introduce the other show choir moms to the idea that insisting on particular (white-people-hair-friendly) hairdos is a civil rights violation that can get the school sued!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:53 AM on October 27, 2019 [26 favorites]
I've been taking a blacksmithing class the last few weeks. It's going pretty well, though when she demos what we're going to be doing it always looks really straightforward but then I go and try it myself and I screw it up. I burned off the end of my poker last week. You heard me.
I did make a sweet bottle opener a couple weeks ago though. Something about smithing really appeals to me. I think it's because everything you do gives immediate results. I love woodworking but sometimes you'll spend two hours setting up for a ten second cut and when you're done all you've done is cut a straight line in a chunk of wood. With smithing you smash the metal with your hammer and the metal changes shape instantly. It's very primitive, as am I.
Today's class got canceled because the teacher forgot her key to the shop so the four of us who were there all hung out and chatted. It's nice that we all get along.
I’m just here to thumbs up everyone giving out full-sized candy bars.
This has been my thing the last couple of years. We don't get a ton of kids so it's affordable to do it and it really was a thing I always dreamed about doing when I was a kid.
We went to a halloween party a couple weeks ago and I decided our costumes should be somewhat topical.
posted by bondcliff at 9:54 AM on October 27, 2019 [7 favorites]
I did make a sweet bottle opener a couple weeks ago though. Something about smithing really appeals to me. I think it's because everything you do gives immediate results. I love woodworking but sometimes you'll spend two hours setting up for a ten second cut and when you're done all you've done is cut a straight line in a chunk of wood. With smithing you smash the metal with your hammer and the metal changes shape instantly. It's very primitive, as am I.
Today's class got canceled because the teacher forgot her key to the shop so the four of us who were there all hung out and chatted. It's nice that we all get along.
I’m just here to thumbs up everyone giving out full-sized candy bars.
This has been my thing the last couple of years. We don't get a ton of kids so it's affordable to do it and it really was a thing I always dreamed about doing when I was a kid.
We went to a halloween party a couple weeks ago and I decided our costumes should be somewhat topical.
posted by bondcliff at 9:54 AM on October 27, 2019 [7 favorites]
I have posted this here before:
When I was about 9 years old, I was playing in the living room. My grandmother was on the couch. The phone rang and my mother answered it in the kitchen. After a moment she started crying hysterically and ran into the bathroom. I looked at my grandmother and said, "Uncle Vincent is dead." And shortly we found out that he indeed just passed away. I heard nothing of the phonecall. My mother said nothing, she just started crying. There was no way that I could know. Yet I did.
posted by Splunge at 10:25 AM on October 27, 2019 [5 favorites]
When I was about 9 years old, I was playing in the living room. My grandmother was on the couch. The phone rang and my mother answered it in the kitchen. After a moment she started crying hysterically and ran into the bathroom. I looked at my grandmother and said, "Uncle Vincent is dead." And shortly we found out that he indeed just passed away. I heard nothing of the phonecall. My mother said nothing, she just started crying. There was no way that I could know. Yet I did.
posted by Splunge at 10:25 AM on October 27, 2019 [5 favorites]
I was going to go as a leather daddy for Halloween. I’ve reached the age and bulk where it would not be unconvincing unless I started talking about mid-century Viennese sopranos. I grew out my facial hair to where I could shave it into a biker mustache and bought a surprisingly great biker jacket for $35. Then the slightly amusing part happened which is I ordered a pleather harness on amazon, found out it was shipping from China, tried to cancel and order one more likely to get here by Halloween, big fail, now own two harnesses. Punchline: don’t seem to have a Halloween party to go to.
posted by less of course at 10:51 AM on October 27, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by less of course at 10:51 AM on October 27, 2019 [7 favorites]
My mom's cell phone rang the house phone by itself at 5 in the morning the other day. Either that or she sleep-dialled. Either that or it was T̴̢̢̲̲̲͉̖̳̠̲̓̓̃̆̃̕͝ H̵̜̥̫͎̗̅̃̍̌̑̌̐̓ E̶͖̰̠̩̼̻̫̘̠̳̿̈̓̽̿ M̴̧̢̛̠͉̠̻̖̂̊̎̌͛̄̕͡͡
posted by Balthamos at 12:35 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Balthamos at 12:35 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
This seems like a good place for me to tell the story of the best prank I ever played.
Several years ago, my brother-in-law (R) and his wife (S) went out of town for a few days, and asked me and my wife to help take care of their dog while they were away. They'd also asked a couple who they were close with (A and H) to drop in and feed and walk the dog periodically too, because the dog is obnoxiously needy and they recognized that it was unfair to expect any one person to have to go by their relatively out of the way lakefront house 3+ times per day.
So A and H would come by in the morning, me and my daughter would swing by in the early afternoon after school, and A and H would come by again in the evening.
On the very first day, when my daughter and I walked in, we noticed that S had left a little notepad out for us to all write down when we had visited and what we'd done, I guess to make sure that we didn't overfeed the dog, or to have a record in case he didn't poop for a week, something. A and H had left a cutesy initial entry describing the dog's feeding and yard time and overall mood. As I looked at the entry, I was struck with a truly diabolical inspiration. So I wrote:
Fed [the dog]. All seems well although [my daughter] kept talking about "the boy in the lake"? That was weird.
And then we left.
The next day, we showed back up, fed the dog, and read A and H's next couple of entries, which were unremarkable, except for H having drawn a little arrow to our entry and written "Ha!" which was thrilling because it meant that they were reading ours. That day I wrote:
Managed to feed [name of dog] but it was a quick visit because [my daughter] refused to go in the house because she kept screaming that the boy in the lake was looking at her. Sorry about that! A and H maybe y'all can give him some extra play time!!
And then we left.
The next day (which was the last), A and H had once again left a couple of entries along similar lines as before. This time H had commented on our most recent entry something like "poor kiddo" with some hearts or something like that. With a hand shaking with laughter and excitement, I wrote for our final entry, in frantic all caps:
HE'S HERE
HE'S IN THE HOUSE
We heard later that A and H were so scared that they wouldn't go back in the house, so the dog missed his dinner that night, and when R and S got home apparently S was pretty shaken up too. To this day I have no idea where that idea came from, but I'm quite sure I'll never top it in terms of impact. I'm smiling just thinking about it.
posted by saladin at 1:43 PM on October 27, 2019 [16 favorites]
Several years ago, my brother-in-law (R) and his wife (S) went out of town for a few days, and asked me and my wife to help take care of their dog while they were away. They'd also asked a couple who they were close with (A and H) to drop in and feed and walk the dog periodically too, because the dog is obnoxiously needy and they recognized that it was unfair to expect any one person to have to go by their relatively out of the way lakefront house 3+ times per day.
So A and H would come by in the morning, me and my daughter would swing by in the early afternoon after school, and A and H would come by again in the evening.
On the very first day, when my daughter and I walked in, we noticed that S had left a little notepad out for us to all write down when we had visited and what we'd done, I guess to make sure that we didn't overfeed the dog, or to have a record in case he didn't poop for a week, something. A and H had left a cutesy initial entry describing the dog's feeding and yard time and overall mood. As I looked at the entry, I was struck with a truly diabolical inspiration. So I wrote:
Fed [the dog]. All seems well although [my daughter] kept talking about "the boy in the lake"? That was weird.
And then we left.
The next day, we showed back up, fed the dog, and read A and H's next couple of entries, which were unremarkable, except for H having drawn a little arrow to our entry and written "Ha!" which was thrilling because it meant that they were reading ours. That day I wrote:
Managed to feed [name of dog] but it was a quick visit because [my daughter] refused to go in the house because she kept screaming that the boy in the lake was looking at her. Sorry about that! A and H maybe y'all can give him some extra play time!!
And then we left.
The next day (which was the last), A and H had once again left a couple of entries along similar lines as before. This time H had commented on our most recent entry something like "poor kiddo" with some hearts or something like that. With a hand shaking with laughter and excitement, I wrote for our final entry, in frantic all caps:
HE'S HERE
HE'S IN THE HOUSE
We heard later that A and H were so scared that they wouldn't go back in the house, so the dog missed his dinner that night, and when R and S got home apparently S was pretty shaken up too. To this day I have no idea where that idea came from, but I'm quite sure I'll never top it in terms of impact. I'm smiling just thinking about it.
posted by saladin at 1:43 PM on October 27, 2019 [16 favorites]
Spent the weekend at a cabin with my in-laws. This time last year my MIL was in surgery for stage IV cancer. Now she's full of energy and has a full head of curly hair. The worst health crisis of the trip was that I caught a sinus infection and spent the weekend sneezing. Needless to say, way the hell better than last year.
posted by eirias at 2:04 PM on October 27, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by eirias at 2:04 PM on October 27, 2019 [6 favorites]
Eyebrows McGee and ArbitraryAndCapricious, thank you for those edifying stories of what to expect from parent orgs. I recently got yelled at by someone in mine for some minor error and have been wondering what the hell is wrong with that person, but perhaps there is selection bias in who signs up for these things that favors the yellers. Next time around I'll give it a pass and pick a different hobby...
posted by eirias at 2:15 PM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by eirias at 2:15 PM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
My students are a full quarter of the year in so they pretty much know what the deal is and we all understand what our goals are together and we are mostly having fun and enjoying the general forward gestalt. It’s nice, they are all not great players but they are pretty damn sweet. Below is the best conversation I have had with a kid all year, in my beginning orchestra class.
Me to the class: be sure you are practicing X, Y and Z at home!
Cellist: I don’t have time for that.
Me: Well,
Cellist, interrupting: It’s just that my parakeets are getting married next month on my birthday? And I want to play them What A Wonderful World so I am spending a lot of time practicing that.
Me: As long as you are practicing someth wait what?
Cellist, speaking slowly: 🦜💍🦜 🎶 etc.
Me, rebounding: How do you know they are ready to get married?
Cellist: I can just tell they are made for each other, and I have had them for a year and it’s about time.
Well then. Obviously.
posted by charmedimsure at 2:21 PM on October 27, 2019 [29 favorites]
Me to the class: be sure you are practicing X, Y and Z at home!
Cellist: I don’t have time for that.
Me:
Cellist, interrupting: It’s just that my parakeets are getting married next month on my birthday? And I want to play them What A Wonderful World so I am spending a lot of time practicing that.
Me: As long as you are practicing someth wait what?
Cellist, speaking slowly: 🦜💍🦜 🎶 etc.
Me, rebounding: How do you know they are ready to get married?
Cellist: I can just tell they are made for each other, and I have had them for a year and it’s about time.
Well then. Obviously.
posted by charmedimsure at 2:21 PM on October 27, 2019 [29 favorites]
"Eyebrows McGee and ArbitraryAndCapricious, thank you for those edifying stories of what to expect from parent orgs."
I feel like 90% of the problem with PTAs is that they're mandatory group projects, in the way of bad college assignments -- there is no reason this has to be a group undertaking but we're going to parcel things out in tiny bits so everyone has something to do. The schools want lots of parents involved, because that legitimately leads to better schools with higher student achievement, when the parents are invested, but there just isn't that much WORK that has to be done. I find them a lot more tolerable if you approach them as a social event, where you get to meet other parents in a low-key environment, and incidentally have to do a few annoying things. I always function under the assumption that only the PTA board, committee chairs, and room parents have anything to actually DO, and the rest of us are showing up to socialize and take turns doing the annoying bits (like supervising classroom parties or running carnival games at fundraisers).
There are always at least a few people in the leadership roles who are control freaks, but if you're not also in a leadership role, they're not really your problem! You're just there to socialize and, you know, make spider plate crafts. If the control freak wants to tell me how to fulfill my half hour of volunteering, that's fine! I will either do it their way, or ignore them -- what are they going to do, throw me out of the class party?
Honestly they could probably host parent social events with childcare at them and people would like it a lot better and get just as engaged. Pay the gym teachers to stay one evening to run the kids around the gym, hire the local taco truck, and let parents hang out in the teachers' lounge or whatever.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 2:32 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
I feel like 90% of the problem with PTAs is that they're mandatory group projects, in the way of bad college assignments -- there is no reason this has to be a group undertaking but we're going to parcel things out in tiny bits so everyone has something to do. The schools want lots of parents involved, because that legitimately leads to better schools with higher student achievement, when the parents are invested, but there just isn't that much WORK that has to be done. I find them a lot more tolerable if you approach them as a social event, where you get to meet other parents in a low-key environment, and incidentally have to do a few annoying things. I always function under the assumption that only the PTA board, committee chairs, and room parents have anything to actually DO, and the rest of us are showing up to socialize and take turns doing the annoying bits (like supervising classroom parties or running carnival games at fundraisers).
There are always at least a few people in the leadership roles who are control freaks, but if you're not also in a leadership role, they're not really your problem! You're just there to socialize and, you know, make spider plate crafts. If the control freak wants to tell me how to fulfill my half hour of volunteering, that's fine! I will either do it their way, or ignore them -- what are they going to do, throw me out of the class party?
Honestly they could probably host parent social events with childcare at them and people would like it a lot better and get just as engaged. Pay the gym teachers to stay one evening to run the kids around the gym, hire the local taco truck, and let parents hang out in the teachers' lounge or whatever.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 2:32 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
This seemed like an appropriate month to try to finally get through Hilary Mantel's Beyond Black, but it keeps upsetting me so much I stop – yet I don't really intentionally stop, I just find myself reading something else instead.
You might think, as I did, that depictions of English life couldn't get all that much grimmer and more awful than some parts of Dickens, and I like to think Mantel may have chuckled as she wrote the book imagining the reactions of readers as naïve as I was, because otherwise I don't see how she could have gotten through it herself.
But I did laugh pretty hard at an exchange between the main characters (Colette and Alison) about midway through:
You might think, as I did, that depictions of English life couldn't get all that much grimmer and more awful than some parts of Dickens, and I like to think Mantel may have chuckled as she wrote the book imagining the reactions of readers as naïve as I was, because otherwise I don't see how she could have gotten through it herself.
But I did laugh pretty hard at an exchange between the main characters (Colette and Alison) about midway through:
"It's not that I don't believe in you. Well I do. I have to believe in what you do because I see you doing it, I see and hear you, but how can I believe it, when it's against the laws of nature?"posted by jamjam at 3:26 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
"Oh, those," Al said. "Are you sure we have them anymore? I think it's a bit of a free-for-all these days."
We had birds nesting in our roof and the cheeping and chirping was driving us mad (right over the office) but then they fledged and flew away (yayy!) and left all their bird mites behind (boo!!) who are now wandering about looking for new hosts (super boooooo!). I hate spring. It's impossible to enjoy Halloween with my US friends because who feels spooky when it's 36C and everything is blossoming and your sinuses want to explode? Ugh.
However, the mention of NaNoWriMo gave me a fantastic fright (Thanks, Sequence! Seriously would have forgotten!) so I've got that going for me. I mean, I blew past the finish line the first and only time I did NaNo, so now I'm looking at it and thinking "It's never going to be that easy again, is it?".
Maybe I should just restart food blogging. I just got a new oven and I totally NAILED the pizza last night. Crispy/chewy crust with blistering and char and just the right amount of melty cheesy filling.
posted by ninazer0 at 3:43 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
However, the mention of NaNoWriMo gave me a fantastic fright (Thanks, Sequence! Seriously would have forgotten!) so I've got that going for me. I mean, I blew past the finish line the first and only time I did NaNo, so now I'm looking at it and thinking "It's never going to be that easy again, is it?".
Maybe I should just restart food blogging. I just got a new oven and I totally NAILED the pizza last night. Crispy/chewy crust with blistering and char and just the right amount of melty cheesy filling.
posted by ninazer0 at 3:43 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
My favorite Basque rock band, Zea Mays, just released a new single. I think their lead singer and songwriter, Aiora Renteria, is incredible, and wanting understand her lyrics is what first got me to make a serious effort to learn the language.
Because the single just came out two or three days ago, no one had posted a Spanish translation of it yet. So last night, I decided to have a go at it. I copied the first line and tried understand what it meant, then the second, then the third... I had to look up a lot of words, and the syntax was tricky in parts, but I got through it.
I'd always found Aiora Renteria's lyrics particularly intimidating. I think it's just because I started there. The vast thickets of Basque suffixes were incomprehensible to me then. I wanted to understand, but I couldn't. Since then, my comprehension has improved a lot, but I've been scared to go back there. Now I think I was just getting in way too deep way too quickly with only a rudimentary understanding of Basque syntax. Basque syntax is indeed very complicated, but Aiora Renteria's lyrics aren't really harder to understand than most Basque songwriters'. Now maybe I'll go back and listen to songs of hers I fell in love with earlier, but seemed impossible to comprehend at the time. (Maybe means definitely in this case.)
I feel like I've crossed a threshold in trying to learn to this language. I'm still a long ways from being able to speak it. But it's a threshold that's important to me. I'm really happy about this.
posted by nangar at 3:47 PM on October 27, 2019 [5 favorites]
Because the single just came out two or three days ago, no one had posted a Spanish translation of it yet. So last night, I decided to have a go at it. I copied the first line and tried understand what it meant, then the second, then the third... I had to look up a lot of words, and the syntax was tricky in parts, but I got through it.
I'd always found Aiora Renteria's lyrics particularly intimidating. I think it's just because I started there. The vast thickets of Basque suffixes were incomprehensible to me then. I wanted to understand, but I couldn't. Since then, my comprehension has improved a lot, but I've been scared to go back there. Now I think I was just getting in way too deep way too quickly with only a rudimentary understanding of Basque syntax. Basque syntax is indeed very complicated, but Aiora Renteria's lyrics aren't really harder to understand than most Basque songwriters'. Now maybe I'll go back and listen to songs of hers I fell in love with earlier, but seemed impossible to comprehend at the time. (Maybe means definitely in this case.)
I feel like I've crossed a threshold in trying to learn to this language. I'm still a long ways from being able to speak it. But it's a threshold that's important to me. I'm really happy about this.
posted by nangar at 3:47 PM on October 27, 2019 [5 favorites]
My favorite Halloween movie of my childhood was called Mr. Boogedy. It was a Disney Sunday movie for TV. Over the last “cough” 30 years I’ve looked for it here and there. And of course, my 12 year old found it streaming on Amazon Prime after researching for 2 minutes. $2.99 later, I was delighted. Totally family-friendly with a decent amount of spookiness.
posted by gryphonlover at 4:30 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by gryphonlover at 4:30 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
Today is Diwali and so my boyfriend and I got a lot of cookies from a local bakery and ate them slowly while watching Formula 1 with some candles lit. I just went to grab seltzer from my local convenience store, which is staffed by a friendly rotating crew of Indian grad students. The guy in there this evening asked how my weekend was, and I said it was nice, and asked if he did anything fun for Diwali and I basically BLEW HIS MIND. Yes, I know what Diwali is! He said he had lots of sweets to eat when he got home that his parents had sent him, and gave me a chocolate bar. It was nice!
I don't think I'll be doing anything major for Halloween except avoiding drunk college kids.
posted by ChuraChura at 4:45 PM on October 27, 2019 [5 favorites]
I don't think I'll be doing anything major for Halloween except avoiding drunk college kids.
posted by ChuraChura at 4:45 PM on October 27, 2019 [5 favorites]
Happy Diwali!
posted by lazuli at 5:02 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by lazuli at 5:02 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
Yesterday I partook in my first ever ghost hunt, whooo hooo! It was at a local historic site, with a local psychic as well (though she only had a minor role). We were treated to video clips of previous experiences there and then we took turns doing a "wine glass seance", which was very fun.
The whole tour was interesting, and while no one heard anything or felt anything, I did try an EVP app on my phone that picked out appropriate words (IE: someone else's cell rang, and my EVP shoed "telephone" moments later. I also found an orb in one picture I took (and I am highly skeptical of orbs to begin with), but this one is bright white and not solid and apparently in front of the couch it was spotted on. (it was NOT visible when I took the picture).
This place has open houses once a week, so I am looking forward to going back in the daytime to see it better!
posted by annieb at 5:05 PM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
The whole tour was interesting, and while no one heard anything or felt anything, I did try an EVP app on my phone that picked out appropriate words (IE: someone else's cell rang, and my EVP shoed "telephone" moments later. I also found an orb in one picture I took (and I am highly skeptical of orbs to begin with), but this one is bright white and not solid and apparently in front of the couch it was spotted on. (it was NOT visible when I took the picture).
This place has open houses once a week, so I am looking forward to going back in the daytime to see it better!
posted by annieb at 5:05 PM on October 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
I am continuing my job search and made a great connection last week. It's the best one to date by far and he has promised to stick with me while I search. He has SO MANY contacts and is reaching out to them for me. Meanwhile, I'm brushing up on my Excel skills via Coursera. It's the first time I've used Coursera and am quite impressed.
On the way home from the grocery store today, I noticed that one of the four columns holding up the roof to the entryway at the front of the condo detached from roof and fell backwards where it is leaning against the brick between a window and the front door. No idea how that happened, but the HOA contractor will be here tomorrow to repair it.
We don't get trick-or-treaters here, so I'm not even going to try.
That's about all the news that's fit to spit!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 5:51 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
On the way home from the grocery store today, I noticed that one of the four columns holding up the roof to the entryway at the front of the condo detached from roof and fell backwards where it is leaning against the brick between a window and the front door. No idea how that happened, but the HOA contractor will be here tomorrow to repair it.
We don't get trick-or-treaters here, so I'm not even going to try.
That's about all the news that's fit to spit!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 5:51 PM on October 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
Homo neanderthalensis: I'm glad you included the link to your blog. You have created such a lovely—and productive—space.
I started gardening again this year, almost 20 years since I last had a yard full of plants (vegetables and ornamentals) to tend. I turned about 600-700 square feet of grass/weed lawn into perennial beds—exhausting work, often in ungodly heat and humidity. I suppose I should welcome the seasonal break, but in fact I want to get started on next year's plans right now.
To help me cope with this forced down time, I intend to read every single post in your blog between now and next spring.
posted by she's not there at 6:00 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
I started gardening again this year, almost 20 years since I last had a yard full of plants (vegetables and ornamentals) to tend. I turned about 600-700 square feet of grass/weed lawn into perennial beds—exhausting work, often in ungodly heat and humidity. I suppose I should welcome the seasonal break, but in fact I want to get started on next year's plans right now.
To help me cope with this forced down time, I intend to read every single post in your blog between now and next spring.
posted by she's not there at 6:00 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
Last year I counted, and we had almost 1000 trick-or-treaters. It was like 96something. CRAZINESS. Non-stop stream of packs of children. I spent like $85 on Halloween candy, and am crossing my fingers that it will be enough. If anyone likes to hand out candy and wants a primo gig doing so in the NW burbs of Chicago, memail me. Maybe I'll post it on Jobs. That being said, the weather this year looks like it's going to be bad, with possible accumulating snow for the first time this year.
My manfriend and I went to a wedding last night with a costume party theme as Kanye West and Taylor Swift. It was fun, it was a very low-key wedding and I enjoyed getting to spend time with the beau and meet more of his people.
Tomorrow morning I'm presenting to the Board of Directors for my job, which is a little nervewracking, but should be fine. I also get to go out to a fancy dinner with them tomorrow night, yaaay. There's nothing I like more than getting my workplace to buy me food and alcoholic beverages.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 7:40 PM on October 27, 2019 [8 favorites]
My manfriend and I went to a wedding last night with a costume party theme as Kanye West and Taylor Swift. It was fun, it was a very low-key wedding and I enjoyed getting to spend time with the beau and meet more of his people.
Tomorrow morning I'm presenting to the Board of Directors for my job, which is a little nervewracking, but should be fine. I also get to go out to a fancy dinner with them tomorrow night, yaaay. There's nothing I like more than getting my workplace to buy me food and alcoholic beverages.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 7:40 PM on October 27, 2019 [8 favorites]
*rolls in looking and smelling everything like Ozzy Osbourne, throws devil horns and passes the fuck out for at least 12 hours*
posted by loquacious at 8:19 PM on October 27, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by loquacious at 8:19 PM on October 27, 2019 [4 favorites]
She’s not there that is the sweetest comment! I sometimes feel like my blog is shouting into the void as I do not have the inclination or time to do the sort of insta-Facebook-patron stuff that most pro-bloggers do to get super popular, instead I just sort of using the blog as a way to keep myself accountable. It really warms my heart when people here and elsewhere seem to get a kick out of a thick-headed hominid exploring their way through the glories and horrors of San Francisco gardening.
For example- today after a major heatwave- we had 95 mph wind gusts! Luckily tomorrow is my day off, because I have a lot of tidying to do. Oh! Your break is because of impending snow right? (not my problem lol) consider putting in some Brussels sprouts now- or asap as plants not seeds- they apparently taste better with a little frost on them, and can survive most snows with a little help. I have some sprouts going but my east coast friends are telling me they won’t taste as good out west because of the lack of snow. I’m hoping they’re wrong...
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:22 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
For example- today after a major heatwave- we had 95 mph wind gusts! Luckily tomorrow is my day off, because I have a lot of tidying to do. Oh! Your break is because of impending snow right? (not my problem lol) consider putting in some Brussels sprouts now- or asap as plants not seeds- they apparently taste better with a little frost on them, and can survive most snows with a little help. I have some sprouts going but my east coast friends are telling me they won’t taste as good out west because of the lack of snow. I’m hoping they’re wrong...
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:22 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
I have a new job. I am hopeful. It's a bit of a sideways/downwards step, but there should be potential to take it forward. The work seems very interesting, and hopefully the workplace environment is better (I was in a very loud open-plan, that my hearing loss made very unpleasant). There will be quite an adjustment in going from being the most experienced team member to the most junior one.
We also celebrated Diwali at my (old) work, with samosas and jalebi at lunchtime, along with a slightly odd and belated suggestion that everyone come in wearing "traditional wear". I'm not totally sure what this meant for most of us, given there aren't a huge number of Indian people in the organisation.
posted by Pink Frost at 10:42 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
We also celebrated Diwali at my (old) work, with samosas and jalebi at lunchtime, along with a slightly odd and belated suggestion that everyone come in wearing "traditional wear". I'm not totally sure what this meant for most of us, given there aren't a huge number of Indian people in the organisation.
posted by Pink Frost at 10:42 PM on October 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
I was part of a flash mob this weekend! It was super fun.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 7:09 AM on October 28, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by rabbitrabbit at 7:09 AM on October 28, 2019 [2 favorites]
It certainly does look like y'all had fun, rabbitrabbit.
posted by nangar at 7:22 AM on October 28, 2019
posted by nangar at 7:22 AM on October 28, 2019
Tomorrow morning I'm presenting to the Board of Directors for my job, which is a little nervewracking, but should be fine.
ahahahh my pesky new cat decided to knock my alarm clock off the dresser last night, breaking it, which I found out when I woke up super late. I was late to work, and late for my presentation. The presentation went well enough, and I got a "Great job" from my boss, so I'm pretty sure my jobs still OK, but blaaahhhh. I feel like the last 2 weeks has been a string of things not going well, and hopefully this was the grand finale of that?
posted by Sparky Buttons at 8:32 AM on October 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
ahahahh my pesky new cat decided to knock my alarm clock off the dresser last night, breaking it, which I found out when I woke up super late. I was late to work, and late for my presentation. The presentation went well enough, and I got a "Great job" from my boss, so I'm pretty sure my jobs still OK, but blaaahhhh. I feel like the last 2 weeks has been a string of things not going well, and hopefully this was the grand finale of that?
posted by Sparky Buttons at 8:32 AM on October 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Zelda gave me a horrible scare last week because she ate a mostly full bag of chocolate chips that I had forgotten to put away before I went to bed. She ate them sometime during the night and there were three mounds of undigested chocolate dog puke (with whole chips visible) when we woke up. Ok, good, she puked it all up. Money is so tight right now. I’m fighting with my work insurance over disability payments and my student loans just came out of forbearance this month (which we completely forgot about and were not prepared for) and I might be getting fired anyway so... But then she started shaking, and what is money anyway when you have a ten year old dog with a heart murmur? I’m not allowed to drive, not that it would have mattered because Kid Ruki had my car because her car needs new tires and we can’t afford that right now and there’s an unused, better car just sitting there anyway, so my mom left work to take us to the emergency vet half an hour away. Her heart rate was fine, but they want to admit her for the night so they can push fluids via IV and keep her on a heart monitor, because, you know, ten year old dog with a heart murmur who ate a bag of chocolate chips. Did you know calling animal poison control costs $75? I know that now. But Zelda’s my baby and I was the one who left the chocolate out and I will do anything. Even so, I burst into tears when they brought me the estimate. My mom offered to put it on her card, but thankfully, I was approved for Care Credit. What is money anyway?
The tremors stopped by the next day and she was cleared to come home. She was shaved a lot on both sides for the heart monitor and she was cold enough that she let me put the blanket over her that night, something she usually hates. Another thing she usually hates is wearing clothes, but I happened to have one of Kid Ruki’s very old t-shirts in my room. So I put it on Zelda. She accepted it immediately and took a nap. My husband, much like the majority of you MeFi football fans, hates the Patriots, but Zelda and I are New England born and bred. And she looks so cute wearing clothes.
Anyway, she’s getting extra spoiled and the whole thing has changed my perspective. The financial stuff will pass. Things are tight, but we still have a lot of financial privilege. The medical stuff will get sorted eventually. But there’s only one Zelda. Less worrying, more dog skritchies. It’s all about priorities.
posted by Ruki at 1:09 PM on October 28, 2019 [9 favorites]
The tremors stopped by the next day and she was cleared to come home. She was shaved a lot on both sides for the heart monitor and she was cold enough that she let me put the blanket over her that night, something she usually hates. Another thing she usually hates is wearing clothes, but I happened to have one of Kid Ruki’s very old t-shirts in my room. So I put it on Zelda. She accepted it immediately and took a nap. My husband, much like the majority of you MeFi football fans, hates the Patriots, but Zelda and I are New England born and bred. And she looks so cute wearing clothes.
Anyway, she’s getting extra spoiled and the whole thing has changed my perspective. The financial stuff will pass. Things are tight, but we still have a lot of financial privilege. The medical stuff will get sorted eventually. But there’s only one Zelda. Less worrying, more dog skritchies. It’s all about priorities.
posted by Ruki at 1:09 PM on October 28, 2019 [9 favorites]
Oh Zelda! What a cutie! I'm glad it looks like she's going to be ok.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 2:03 PM on October 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Sparky Buttons at 2:03 PM on October 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
I JUST BOUGHT A DENIM JACKET it's been a goal of mine for so long.
I started recaulking and regrouting my mom's bathroom, and it turns out it's a total shitshow, so maybe I'll get to retile it too!
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 2:21 PM on October 28, 2019 [4 favorites]
I started recaulking and regrouting my mom's bathroom, and it turns out it's a total shitshow, so maybe I'll get to retile it too!
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 2:21 PM on October 28, 2019 [4 favorites]
This is the first year of my life in which I'm not able to observe Halloween in any way except watching horror movies and reblogging spooky stuff on Tumblr. It's pretty depressing.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:49 PM on October 29, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:49 PM on October 29, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by Wobbuffet at 6:33 PM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]