Took a bunch of pictures of Lily in the snow this morning, but none of them turned out very well except for this one:
We just had a bath, and now we are going to Woof’s to get some dog stuff and some catnip for his royal highness. No matter how many baths she gets, she always acts like I am murdering her, then the moment we are done she runs around he house flinging herself on the furniture like she is having the time of her life.
It’s pretty damned adorable, especially when she runs by Tunch and he takes a swat at her.
Emma
Excuse me, but the Tunchness must be addressed as His Majesty. Protocol must be observed at all times, please.
Ben JB
Dog blogging open thread question:
What do you (dog experts and enthusiasts) do for your dog’s teeth?
abo gato
OMG, Tunch on catnip….
words fail.
WereBear
Like anyone, dogs appreciate Bad Things Being Over.
Yutsano
I’m still trying to figure out the logistics of bathing the dog with one wing…then I realize it’s my day off and I don’t HAVE to think if I don’t want to. So nyah.
eemom
also, didn’t we spend about 98 comments not too long ago trying to convince you that the doggie doesn’t need a bath?
soonergrunt
You just know he’s thinking “have you NO dignity? Really?”
Comrade Mary
@abo gato:
Wouldn’t that be something like seeing a sloth on meth? Or, to go back to the nun-taunting of my childhood, could God make a rock so heavy that he can’t lift it?
Mike E
Squirrel!
Max
@Ben JB: I brush them, not as often as I should, with chicken flavored dog toothpaste.
I also make sure he has crunchy treats, not just soft ones. It took a little bit to get him used to it, but now he loves his crunchies.
Max also goes to vet and gets put under about once every 18 months to get the major cleaning done. He’s due again. It’s about $450, so it’s pricey.
licensed to kill time
My last dog h.a.t.e.d. baths. All I had to do was say the word bath, and she would shrink into herself and try to slink away unnoticed (fat chance). She would stand in the tub or yard looking as dejected and defeated as a dog can possibly look during the bath.
Once the hose was turned off, she suddenly became Zippy the Speed Freak and would tear around the yard madly rolling in any handy patch of dirt or grass to get the nasty clean smell off. Toweling her off became a tug of war until she triumphantly liberated the towel and trotted around the yard with her prize looking all smug and happy.
I h.a.t.e.d. giving her baths. Now she is gone, and I would give anything to have one of those epic bath battles again. Man, I miss her.
jeffreyw
Mrs J reports “squirmy” was adopted out today.
Brick Oven Bill
Lily is a nice dog.
WereBear
@licensed to kill time: My malamute mix proved how well trained he was in the middle of a bath. I got told something, and yelled back “Okay!”
Unfortunately, “okay” was our “you are released from commands” word. He bolted from the tub and trailed suds all over until we managed to remind him that baths have to be finished.
eemom
Ugh.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28health.html?pagewanted=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
Piddling, craven pussies.
Query why any of them would want to be reelected as a member of party that is going to be fucked if this thing doesn’t pass.
Oh, and FUCK Stupidpak. Again and again with that pointy thing the pope carries around.
Yutsano
@licensed to kill time: This could very well explain why my parents have never bothered to bathe their border collie
terrorpuppy Jack. He really really needs one though.Mnemosyne
Some happy news for my family: the mass in my father-in-law’s brain is not cancer. They’re not entirely sure what it is, but it’s definitely not cancer. Now we can all finally breathe again.
gogol's wife
I just this minute received my Tunch “OBEY” mouse pad and a Lily “I for one” apron for my husband’s birthday. He’s actually getting two Balloon Juice related presents out of three. I got him a book about B-17s recommended on one of these threads by the author. (His third present is a Fallingwater Lego set.) He’s allergic to blogs but adores Lily! I always know he’ll come look if I tell him there’s a Lily pic.
licensed to kill time
@WereBear:
Oh Gawd, I know the “chase the soapy dog routine” too well. And they are slippery then, too! Greased pig, etc. and all kinds of comic potential for onlookers.
@Yutsano:
My “only bathe if smelly” rule applies here :)
Back in the day before those flea drops on the back of the neck were invented, my only other criteria for bathing was crawling critters on dog. That was sucky because you had to leave the soapy junk on for X minutes, which leads to “chase soapy dog routine” above.
jl
What is Lily looking for under that snow? (FGS?)
gogol's wife
@Mnemosyne:
I’m glad. I’ll be praying for you.
@Brick Oven Bill:
This is a nice, sane comment that no one can argue with.
JenJen
Sounds just like a dog! They’re a trip. How is she when you try to trim her nails?
In other news, it’s a little creepy to have a Countdown to Tsunami thing going on, MSNBC.
geg6
eemom @15: Well, I can only speak on Altmire, since he’s my rep. And though he is nominally the D in PA-04, he is a wholly owned subsidiary of UPMC. He was their lobbyist before he was the D in PA-04.
geg6
Oh, and I forgot…Lily! Squeeeeeee!
Svensker
@Mnemosyne:
What a relief for you all. Prayers that things continue to go well. Whooooof.
Yutsano
@licensed to kill time: My parents have horses, and Jack LOVES to find all kinds of smelly stuff to roll around in that the horses make. So he’s definitely in the very stinky category. But I guess if they don’t mind (and he IS adorable) I can live with it.
eemom
not to be disloyal to Lily, but fellow doggie lovers MUST check out TBogg’s new basset puppy. He is to die for.
Yes, even if you DO gotta click on……..that place.
RedKitten
Well that’s good news then! We’ll keep our fingers crossed.
Nothing new here. Getting ready to make some chicken for supper. SamKitten (who is sporting two brand-new bottom teeth, thank you very much) is playing with his beloved stuffed cow and blowing raspberries at me.
Mike E
@licensed to kill time:
My daughter’s dog is (most) part beagle, so baths are not optional–right now, the dog’s wearing the cone of shame after minor surgery, so we’re counting the days until destinkification…
JenJen
@licensed to kill time: Sniff. :-( I’d give anything to give my old, departed, precious dog Stu another hell-bath, too. Strange, isn’t it?
@jeffreyw: What a lucky person that is, who took that little cutester home!
Violet
@Mnemosyne:
Good news! Hope things continue to go well.
Lily is so funny. She seems to have gotten over her fear of the snow on her paws.
@JenJen:
CNN is doing it too. Definitely creepy. Was in Hilo a few years ago and it’s easy to see how it could be bad there. I hope it’s not as bad as they fear.
Yutsano
@eemom: I think there have been links to TBogg and teh cuteness that is Wembeley here before, so you’re safe there. Hopefully the little guy has figured out how to negotiate his ears by now!
WereBear
@Mnemosyne: That’s wonderful news!
@jeffreyw: Awww! Cuteness sure helps, don’t it?
licensed to kill time
@JenJen:
Yeah, I never thought I’d miss the bath struggles but….you know what else I miss? I drove an old pickup with one of those camper shells on back, and she used to stand in the camper with her head stuck through the little window into the cab and drip saliva all over my shoulder. With a big happy grin on her face. My right shoulder was always gooey with dog spit. I miss that, too.
PaulW
I’m watching the tsunami countdown on MSNBC. I can’t look away. I know I shouldn’t be watching because people can get killed… OMG there’s a surfer out there! You fool! Oh god, there’s people along a wall with their cameras out! They’re worse than I am… THEY’RE IN THE WAY.
This is like you’ve been told there will be a 12-car wreck on the Interstate 2 hours into the future… and you can’t stop it from happening… but you can’t look away.
ruemara
is anyone finding the new Contemporary Art ad on the left a tad…regretsy?
@Mnemosyne:
Sorry to hear that there’s any mass at all but I’m happy that it’s not cancer. May you get even more good news.
mr. whipple
They look to be 100 feet up a cliff. I think they’ll be ok :)
Kryptik
On the subject of advantages of lying and the lack of consequence:
Katrina vanden Heuvel blogs on Van Jones…about 90% of comments parrot the ‘RACIST COMMUNIST USURPER!’ line unflinchingly. Proof positive that there’s no consequence for lying, since the lie will be remembered far beyond when the truth is.
Goddammit.
Martin
@Violet: Yeah, a little, but truth is, I’ve never seen a tsunami as it happened. This is pretty interesting to have cameras on an event when it takes place. I’m hoping its not _too_ dramatic – but the kids are learning a lot.
Louise
I just turned on CNN to see about the tsunami (my television creaked because I haven’t been to a cable news channel in so long) and there was a male and female anchor in front of a big globe graphic showing our side of the Pacific Rim.
And the male anchor pointed to a group of islands just off the northwest coast of South America (the Galapagos) and said to the female anchor, “And this is Hawaii?”
::sigh::
Yutsano
@Martin: I just wanna know which Republican will be the first to say tsunami warning money is a waste of government expenditures. Bets anyone?
A Mom Anon
@Mnemosyne: Yay! May the news continue to be good.
Thanks to everyone’s support on the morning thread re:my son. The kid has been through so much and fought so hard to get where he is,I’m pissed off that no one even bothers to think of THAT. I get that the other kids may not have a clue,but god damn it,the freaking educational professionals SHOULD understand.It’s high school,shouldn’t someone have a freaking clue? The school isn’t ready for me on Monday,they went and fucked with the wrong Mom. No one EVER has anything nice to say about this child,it’s always something bad and I’m OVER it. I know he’s no angel(boy,do I,lol)but he’s not a bad kid at ALL.
Just,well,thanks. For the kindness,the advice and the links.
bondwooley
@Yutsano I think Jim Bunning will be the person who says it’s a waste.
And I think it’s time to banish him and his ilk to Canada so that that the rest of us don’t have to move there:
The Last Straw
(satire)
Mike in NC
Jindal, of course!
JenJen
@licensed to kill time: Yep. I even miss Stu embarrassing me at the dog park by trying to first herd all the dogs there, and then attack them when they wouldn’t succumb to his will. Once, a bull mastiff put Stu’s entire head into his mouth while Stu went after the frisbee I’d thrown. A horrible argument ensued between me and bull mastiff guy. And yet, I miss those days.
Dog love. It heals, it burns. And then it heals again.
Yutsano
@bondwooley: Jim Bunning can DIAF for all I care. They had six years to play fiscal conservative and spent like sailors on leave. They only care because there’s a
darkieusurperDemocrat in the White House and he just wants to score cheap political points. Of course I’m not all that convinced he’s all right in the head.Kryptik
On more relevant, current news, it’s kind of odd seeing CNN relying on the Skype-cam from BJ Penn’s site, of all places, for coverage of things.
JenJen
@Yutsano: Shorter Jim Bunning: “Let them eat Three-Pointers.”
If not for Bunning, it just would’ve been Corker, or some other asshat, though. Bunning was the logical choice and he carried the mantle proudly. Assknob.
licensed to kill time
@Kryptik:
One of the things I found interesting from the quake coverage today was how many people were relying on Twitter for news and connecting with family/friends. No phone, tv or internet service but the Twitter still worked.
mr. whipple
A wingnut told me yesterday that the reason Bunning did it was because if you give people money, they won’t want to work./facepalm.
Mark S.
The guy who wrote the paper saying liberal atheists are smarter than god fearing conservatives is a fucking nut:
via
asiangrrlMN
Aw, Lily is adorable. So are you, Cole, with your ‘we are off’ to do things talk. And, Tunchie on cat-nip? Video is demanded to verify authenticity.
@Mnemosyne: Thank goodness for that. Lots of positive, strong vibes that they find out what it is.
@jeffreyw: Awwwww! YAY for Squirmy, and yay for his forever home.
Yutsano
@JenJen: Oh yeah I forgot that they take turns being Tool of the Week. Sigh. Let a few more folks suffer for their supposed newfound fiscal principles. I’m ill now.
JenJen
@licensed to kill time:
That’s the amazing thing about Twitter, for sure, and it was like that during the Iran Post-Election Uprising, too.
(Insert obligatory “let’s change all our avatars to ‘seafoam green'” comment here)
Mnemosyne
Thanks, everybody! Now our only remaining major stressor (for the moment) is wondering if our nephew will actually get to his special needs (psychiatric) boarding school next week or if he freaks out at the last minute and refuses to go. So far it looks like everything is on track, but you never know with him.
Fortunately, it turns out that one of his great-uncles was sent off to seminary school at around the same age (16) and it was really helpful for him, so he’s been talking to T about his experience and the whole family has been able to emphasize that they’re sending him there because they really think it will be the best thing for him, not because he’s being punished. Still, no fun for anyone.
asiangrrlMN
@A Mom Anon: I have not read the thread yet, but good luck to you in dealing with your son’s school. I know from experience that most schools are not well-equipped to deal with anyone who does not fit a narrow type.
@Mnemosyne: Oh, man. Yeah, that’s a tough situation as well. I hope the words of his great-uncle help.
P.S. Tbogg’s Wembley is so freaking cute.
Kryptik
@JenJen:
It’s certainly a more refreshing and relieving use of Twitter than listening to Palin try and push her latest sound bite.
bemused
@mr. whipple:
The wingnut doesn’t have any friends who have lost their jobs, are on unemployment, trying hard to find another job & don’t know what they will do when the unemployment runs out?
Yutsano
@bemused: Even if they did, their Randian philosophy would refuse to admit that government could EVER be the solution here. We are all Colorado Springs now.
mr. whipple
@bemused:
Who knows. This dood ranted for about 10 minutes. His main beef was the gvt stim during the recession. He thought the best way to handle a recession was to slah spending.
These people live in a whole nother world.
A Mom Anon
@bemused: These people really think unemployment is welfare of some sort and takes away any incentive to find work. It’s easy to think that if you’re set for life or have a job that’s not in danger at this precise moment,I guess. I’d like to ask any of these buffoons just exactly how a couple hundred dollars a week is incentive to do anything but fucking panic because you can’t support your family on that.
JenJen
@Kryptik: Except that Sarah’s last tweet was one of the classic tweets of all time:
Oh, hell yeah. Also, wut??
WereBear
@bemused: I do believe they betray their own leanings. As usual.
bemused
@Yutsano:
@mr. whipple:
It would be entirely Obama’s/Dems fault, no doubt.
bemused
@A Mom Anon:
I’m sure they would turn down unemployment payments on principle. lol
licensed to kill time
@JenJen:
Would that it WAS Sarah’s Last Tweet…
Yutsano
@bemused: Just like the conservative/libertarians who turn down Social Security/Medicare upon turning 65? Are there actually any real world examples of that?
John O
@Ben JB:
Only white chews, and the occasional dental-specialty tartar removing treat.
When I picked up Dweezil, I got some doggie toothpaste from my vet, but brushing my dog’s teeth? Seems a bridge too far, at least so far.
JenJen
@A Mom Anon: But, they’ll still pass UI extension. Bunning is just theater.
The sad part is that this “theater” puts the states on the ropes, as they wait, wait, wait. And pay overtime to their IT teams, limit online access, spend state funds sending letters to those whose UI benefits are about to expire, and make UI recipients worry endlessly and needlessly. It’s so pathetic and it’s amazing to me that our awesome liberal media never calls it what it is.
@licensed to kill time: No kidding! Shoulda called it “latest tweet.”
bemused
@Yutsano:
Nope. Haven’t met one yet & I know a lot of republican senior citizens. Most couldn’t live without either one let alone keep their homes.
asiangrrlMN
@A Mom Anon: Hey, I read your righteous rant in the earlier thread. I answered there, but I’d like to say here that my friend who home-schooled her two oldest kids would be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. You can email me at my website, and I will give her your email if you’d like. Both girls are now in community college (both skipped a grade) prepping for regular college.
WaterGirl
@jeffreyw: How come you guys get all the best dogs? We get almost none at our shelter, and nobody as cute as the ones you post!
A Mom Anon
@JenJen: Yeah,I know,but really,what the hell is it about people just HAVING to go out of their way to be assholes? Was it totally mandatory he did that? Seriously,WTFFFFFF?
Max
Just read about Marie Osmond’s 18-yr old son committing suicide. Depression-related.
This tragedy, plus the actor in Vancouver, and Alexander McQueen really puts the spotlight on how serious depression is.
I hope those BJ’ers that are suffering from it are getting help.
/PSA
A Mom Anon
@asiangrrlMN: Thank you. BTW,I haven’t checked in on you at your place lately,are you doing any better?
JenJen
@A Mom Anon: Slapping DFH’s and pissing off the Dem Majority is their raison d’être. What else can they do in the minority? They’re milking it. It pleases the Limbaugh base. It has nothing to do with solving problems or formulating policy. But they also know that, at the end of the day, they’ll vote in wide majorities to extend UI. So they see no downside to the theater. Nobody’s going to punish them for it.
I fucking hate it, it sickens me, it’s exactly why I’m not a Republican, but calling it out is just about all we can do right now. And wait. And wait. And wait.
Svensker
Looks like the tsunami in Hawaii is very mild.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: BTW I’m not ignoring you hon, I’m just letting you talk to various folks without butting in. I’m not an attention hog. :)
Skepticat
My candidate for most incredibly stupid headline of the week, if not year, if not forever: “Is nature out of control?—MSNBC.
asiangrrlMN
@A Mom Anon: Um…look, it’s Rush Limbaugh doing the limbo! Did I distract you?
@Max: Yes. It’s very serious. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to depression, making it difficult for people to seek out help. This stigma is slowly fading, but it still exists.
JGabriel
Svensker:
So far. The first surge has only been about a foot or two – and about 3-3.5 ft. in Hilo Bay. It’s a good indicator that the later surges won’t be too much larger.
.
demo woman
@A Mom Anon: Hi, I need a few things done on the outside of my house.. pressure washing to prepare for painting, some wood rot and some caulking. I can paint the house myself but I was wondering if your husband my be interested. I’m in Roswell so not to far away.
jeffreyw
@WaterGirl: It may be selection bias. I know that there are many dogs Mrs J doesn’t take pics of, mainly the larger dogs out away from the building where she spends her time. I’ll ask her, see what she says.
gwangung
Call it out as a waste of government money. Asshats.
scav
@Skepticat:
I’ll second that motion, at least for the week. I think media insanity is akin to the wingularity. Unbounded, approached, but never attained.
JenJen
@gwangung: I mean, really. If Dems can’t demagogue the shit out of Bunning, and also Shelby’s statements re: Air Force administration nominees, then they’re committing political malpractice.
And, it’s the only thing they can do, even with sweeping majorities, weirdly. So why the hell aren’t they doing it?
amorphous
I can’t be the only one who thinks CNN and the other “news” networks are acting especially disappointed that Hawai’i wasn’t hit by a massive, crippling, destruct-o-matic wave.
How far they’ve fallen.
A Mom Anon
@demo woman: I’ll ask him,he’s got a couple of small jobs lined up,HVAC and something else. You’re so sweet to offer.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Yeah, you’re good like that. It’s one reason I fake-married you. Besides, you and I have that late-night steamy hot thing going on. Sorry I’ve been MIA the last few nights. My laptop is on the fritz, so no BJ and Olympics at the same time.
@amorphous: Well, you know, with the big count down and all that, they need SOME bang for their bunk. A light storm in Hawaii does not make nearly as good a headline.
demo woman
@A Mom Anon: This is an email address I check occasionally.. not my main address but I do check it periodically [email protected]
SIA
@JenJen:
So well put. In mid-March it will be 6 months since Maggie died, and because I feel I can still commune with her spirit it hasn’t been as painful as I expected. But today, having coffee with a friend, I saw a golden retriever and felt a horrible ache in my heart. The dog didn’t even look like her – she was a golden/pyrennes mix, but that affable, kind of goofy golden face was just enough to bring her back.
this is her on the right: https://balloon-juice.com/2008/12/18/a-breather/
Ah well. We miss you dear Maggie.
AhabTRuler
@amorphous: I’ve been streaming local HI radio and teevee feeds. They’ve been very calm and professional; It’s actually very soothing.
JenJen
@SIA: I still can’t look at my many photos of Stu without wincing in pain. It’s been three years. Memory eternal, to you and your sweet, sweet Maggie.
It may be early, but may I offer a toast to the renewing promise of Dog Love? A lesson: adopt more dogs! Dog love, it burns, it heals. And I know Stu is proud of me for not giving up just because it hurts.
Felicity Simpleton
@Mnemosyne: Last fall, my mom had a CT head scan that detected what docs diagnosed as a meningioma, which is a benign brain tumor. As I understand it, as long as it is watched (through follow-up scans to make sure it’s not growing or changing), it may never cause a problem. Does your f-i-l have other problems or symptoms? Wishing you and your family positive news.
SIA
@JenJen: Thanks JenJen. Stu looks like he was a real gent. What a smile!
Mnemosyne
@Max:
This +infinity. Part of the problem is that you become so accustomed to feeling crappy all the time that you think it’s normal to constantly walk around in a fog. Or that your problems aren’t “that bad” compared to people in, say, Haiti, so you should just shut up and keep trudging along.
I was very resistant to taking medication because I wasn’t “that bad” and that stuff was for people who were really depressed and suicidal, not whiners like me.
And then the Wellbutrin kicked in, the fog in my head lifted, and I could actually think about things, not just obsess over them, and actually make progress in therapy. Now I’m just annoyed with myself for wasting 10 years of my life pretending nothing was wrong.
WaterGirl
@jeffreyw: Seriously, when I went to look at our shelter, there were only about 6 dogs there, most of them older, nearly all of them black.
Edit: just checked the website to make sure I’m not exaggerating. There are 13 dogs up for adoption. Nine of those are either black or black and white.
WereBear
@Mnemosyne: I’m so glad the meds are working for you.
It’s a far cry from the 50/60’s, where the best they could do was Valium. According to someone close to me (who finally got relief in the ’90’s) you felt just as badly as before, but you didn’t care.
HRA
@A Mom Anon:
“These people really think unemployment is welfare of some sort and takes away any incentive to find work. It’s easy to think that if you’re set for life or have a job that’s not in danger at this precise moment,I guess. I’d like to ask any of these buffoons just exactly how a couple hundred dollars a week is incentive to do anything but fucking panic because you can’t support your family on that.”
It surely proves their lack of intelligence and their knowledge about UI. As one who worked for the program, I can tell you it does not come close to supporting a family. We had claimants come in weekly wearing clothes you knew were from working somewhere. Most of us overlooked the obvious. Some things you have to pass by for it could be you someday.
SIA
@Mnemosyne: I can so relate. Even though I had done well on anti-d’s off and on in the past, I still went a number of years thinking I shouldn’t need them, it wasn’t “that bad” etc. About 3-4 months ago I rejoined Prozac Nation and every day I think – “So this is how people get through the day”. It just brings the brain chemistry up to a normal functioning level and each day isn’t that hard any more.
WaterGirl
@jeffreyw: Just missed the edit window. When I just look for < 1 year on the website, there are 5, 4 of which are black.
JenJen
@WaterGirl: I wish people were more hound-friendly, because my local shelter for which I humbly volunteer is hound-heavy, and although we get swarms of people looking for their forever-friend, they just seem to look past houndy-dogs. Big, beautiful hound-beasts with yearning in their eyes. It’s heartbreaking, until that magical day when someone adopts them.
Do you ever find yourself attached to one particular dog until the day he’s adopted? Acting as a Don Draper, selling him/her to everyone that just takes a glance? Is it me?
WaterGirl
@SIA: She looks so sweet, I smiled when I looked at the picture of Maggie, and then I teared up, just thinking that she’s gone.
JimPortlandOR
There must have been some really good dog or cat pee under/inside that snow to lead to the nozzle in the snow so deep.
Dogs are such pee sniffers. One wonders what goes on in their brains when a simple walk around the block results in dozens of sniffs. Is it like a MJ toke?
WaterGirl
@JenJen: I don’t watch Mad Men so I don’t get the Don Draper reference (thanks to google, I know that much).
But about 20 years ago there was a sweet cocker spaniel in one of those awful stores in the mall. I was missing my cocker spaniel but wasn’t ready for a new dog and would never buy from one of those awful places. He was 4 months old and had never had a toy! I bought him toys and visited every week and, yes, I tried to talk people into taking him.
I did this for 2 months until I found out that if he didn’t sell that week, they were going to ship him to each of their other 7 stores for a week at each one, and if he didn’t sell then, they were going to put him down.
I took him home that very day. He was a wonderful companion for the next 16 years.
Edit: I confess to being one of the people who looks right past the hounds. I am just not drawn to them, but maybe I should give them more of a chance.
Josh Huaco
Maybe it’s the four Shiner Bocks I drank while watching the BU-OU game, but the StraightlineZ ad on the left is creeping me out.
Yutsano
@JimPortlandOR: It’s more like checking out the scenery is for humans. Scent is the strongest developed sense for dogs, so they indulge it like we do a beautiful view. Plus a scent communicates a treasure trove of information for a dog. It’s one of the reasons why they love hanging out car windows on drives.
WaterGirl
@JenJen: SIA is right. Stu does look like a real gentleman. I had a real gentleman, too, when I was younger. What a treasure.
Betsy
@A Mom Anon:
I went back and read the other thread, and I’m SO sorry you and your son are going through this right now. I know it will get better; I just hope it gets better SOON.
I’ve kind of missed you guys. I haven’t been posting around here as much, because I’ve had a crazy couple months. January sucked enormously with my partner losing his anticipated job for spring and me not getting any interviews for jobs/postdocs and various other sucky things.
Then this month I got invited to give a talk in Germany (all expenses paid, of course), based on word of mouth about my work from people who don’t even know me; had an article proposal accepted from a good journal; found out I’m a finalist for a fab postdoc at Berkeley; and got engaged. ?!?! I’m kind of terrified of what will happen in March, if the months keep alternating between horrid and awesome like this.
But overall I’m just feeling incredibly grateful. It’s not like all my other problems went away (fiance still doesn’t have employment; I don’t know that I will actually GET said postdoc). But he WAS approved for Mass health care, thank god. It starts on Monday. I told him he’s not allowed to cross the street or handle sharp objects until then.
SIA
@WaterGirl: Thanks WaterGirl. Bar none, Maggie had the most emotional intelligence and the best temperament of any creature, human or otherwise, I’ve ever known. I’m not all new-agey (at least not to an extreme) but I feel more than ever that she was a spiritual being in our lives and still is.
jeffreyw
@JimPortlandOR:
Heard that.
slightly_peeved
This is the reason peer review and experimentation are so important to the scientific method. Science doesn’t work because scientists brains’ are wired in some more reasonable manner; that’s what the Greeks relied on for science and it gave us all that crap Aristotle believed in. It works because groups of people can reach a reasonable conclusion on an issue, when the discussion of that issue can be grounded in real data.
I don’t think there’s any evidence that the tendency of scientists to be less batshit loonball about religion makes them less likely to be batshit loonball about politics, economics, or any other area where they haven’t done the scientific groundwork.
SIA
@ WaterGirl, what a great story about your CS. 16 years is a very long life indeed!
slightly_peeved
@Mnemosyne:
Good to hear. Best wishes to your father-in-law.
WaterGirl
@SIA: In my earlier post, I started to write that Maggie looked like one of those dogs who have depth and a lot of soul. I had a dog like that myself.
But I told myself it would sound dumb, and, well, how can you tell that from a picture anyway? So I didn’t write it, but I’m really pleased to read what you just wrote. It really does come through, even in the photo.
Was Maggie abandoned before you got her? My dog’s previous owners had abandoned him – they just drove off to move to CA with the kids and the other dog, leaving him and the cat in front of the house. I always wondered if that played a part in what an incredible creature he was.
SIA
@WaterGirl: I had a longer post in response but WP just ate it for dinner (FYWP) but in short, very interesting you picked up on that. You are intuitive yes? Must be the water :).
SIA
@WaterGirl: And I can’t fucking believe the way people treat their animals. Just drive away and leave them in the yard. Who was it that said you can tell the quality of a society by how they treat their animals?
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
Judd Gregg.
Yutsano
@SIA: I wanna say that was Samuel Clemens, but don’t quote me on that. (See what I did there?)
@burnspbesq: I’d agree if he weren’t retiring and setting himself up for wingnut welfare. Not that it’s keeping Bunning from being a total douche.
WaterGirl
@SIA: The answer is yes. Maybe it is the water! :-)
Edit: I completely agree that you can tell a lot about people by the way they treat animals. Animals, old people, sick people, children.
burnspbesq
Hey, has Gen. Stuck been heard from since his Mildcats lost to Dog Gack Orange? I’m a little worried about him.
SIA
@Yutsano: Clever you. :) http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_said_A_society_is_measured_by_how_it_treats_its_weakest_members . Apparently some doubt the origin of the quote.
You guys are always making me learn things.
/shakes fist
SiubhanDuinne
For SIA, Demo Woman, and A Mom Anon:
Just saw news item that Rep John Linder (R GA-07) is not runnnng for reelection. I live in his district but am not up to speed on potential candidates for that seat. Can’t imagine it will ever go to a D, but if there turns out to be some interesting competition in the now-open R primary it will be kind of fun to play.
John O
For you fans of Dweezil.
Having so much fun it feels illegal.
Zuzu's Petals
Speaking of fat cat athletes…
SiubhanDuinne
@John O, @Zuzu’s Petals:
Those are both, in their own distinct ways, hysterically funny pix! Just what was needed after a long worrisome day.
SIA
@SiubhanDuinne: I heard that too, but read somewhere (Political Wire I think) that they expected the R’s to easily hold that seat. We can always hope! :)
Sorry to hear it’s been a vexing day – hope tomorrow is better. How was your Nashville trip?
SiubhanDuinne
@SIA — Thanks for asking, Nashville was great — very busy, very productive. It was only a couple of weeks ago but feels more like six months. Today, not so much vexing as just great concern about the quake/tsunami (like all of us, of course).
Still haven’t heard from my friend, but I know she gets very busy, and the time difference gets in the way too. I’ll try to catch her early next week. Any further news on your front?
Regardless, I *still* think our little Atlanta BJ gang should meet up for coffee one of these times soon.
Cheers, SD
Zuzu's Petals
@SiubhanDuinne:
It’s that look on its face.
SIA
@SiubhanDuinne: I know what you mean – my mind just didn’t want to take in another horrific natural disaster. Apparently the earthquake in Chile was much worse that the Haiti one because of the type it was. One of the projects I’m working on is in Hilo, HI and I know the client was freaking out when they heard about the tsunami; last update I got from them was at around 5PM and they were saying so far it was a non-event. But I haven’t heard anything since.
Re the situation here, it’s kind of in limbo, which is fine because I’m finding it’s something I might want to do, just not yet if you know what I mean!
Coffee for the Hot ‘Lanta BJ’ers sounds great!
Svensker
@Betsy:
Yay! So glad things look to be turning around. Congrats on all the good stuff and fingers crossed on the rest. And glad to see you around!
Betsy
@Svensker:
Awww!! – blushes – thank you. :)
asiangrrlMN
@Betsy: Good to read this post. Have missed you. Glad that this month is better than the last. Hopefully, each month will be an improvement.
@John O: Aw, he still looks cute even in such an undignified position!
@SIA: Sorry about your Maggie. She looks like a wise and gentle soul.
SIA
@asiangrrlMN: Thank you – that’s exactly what she was (is).
Betsy
@asiangrrlMN:
I’ve missed you too! I’m always glad to see your rusty pitchfok. (Assuming it’s aimed away from me ;)