Wood Goblin wrote: Sat Jan 25, 2025 9:38 am Thanks! And I’m sure it will be weird.

Congrats to you and them!!

Your kids are almost the same age as mine.. I have a freshman at Illinois State and a junior in high school. I had asked them about study abroad but both wanted to stay close to home for now.

Owen wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2025 1:11 pm A few days before Christmas I nearly died...from massive food poisoning.

... "did they find this body outside, or in water?" ...

Absolutely terrifying. I'm glad you've come through this and are ok now...but...just...goddamn.

Owen wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2025 1:11 pm A couple weeks later my health insurance sent me a letter saying they are denying my claim, saying I shouldn't have been hospitalized because of "tummy trouble"...

Infuriating. Which awful insurer was this?

Owen wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2025 1:11 pm Anyways tomorrow I turn 45 and I am glad to be alive. Don't eat old cheese.

Happy (belated) birthday and absolute best wishes. Give yourself anything but cheese.

Good times were had. Far too much scotch.

rsmurphy wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2025 11:42 am
Scotch and food.

The Arran got new bottles. Haven't seen a lot of that stuff around. Good Scotch! Food looks good too.

Owen, thank you for not dying.

As I've said elsewhere online, we're at the point where we can no longer pretend that what we are seeing is not what we are seeing, wrt to Trump and American Fascism.

As many of you know, I'm hosting another message board where people are discussing the possibility of emigrating to less insane places. You're welcome to join. I'll DM you the deets, if you're interested.

We're traveling to Ireland in March (Me, lovely wife, sparkly kiddo) to have a little look around. I'm in the hopper on ie.indeed.com to try and find the sort of employment for which they'll allow one to immigrate. If anyone is reading this in Ireland or other English-speaking country and thinking "Oh, I know about a job..." then please don't hesitate to reach out.

It's bleak out there.

One of my thirteen year old boys sprayed Axe Body Spray all over and now my house is going to smell like an airport bathroom for the next few days.

lol... I ordered these two pen refill packs and they shipped in this insanely overproportioned and over-sealed box. Never seen anything like it.