Orville Kitten update, from Saira:
Oh. My. God.
My wife and I are so incredibly overwhelmed by the generosity and general awesomeness of the BalloonJuice community. We have one person scheduled to visit Orville tomorrow and hopefully that will work out; if not, we have several people who have expressed interest as well.
I always knew the Balloon Juice community was amazing but really, you people rock! Thanks for helping create this wonderful space on the interwebs… I look forward to the day we will be able to pay this forward and adopt a pet ourselves.
Have a wonderful rest of your week, and I shall keep you updated on the adoption process – I’m sure the commentariat will want to know :) (I know I always do!)
Who’s got more good news to share, on a midweek summer evening?
JPL
Anne, Thank you for the update because I was a tad concerned about the kitty. Hopefully who ever adopts Orville, will share pictures with us.
tybee
we finally got some rain.
Just Some Fuckhead
You’re making me blush.
TaMara (BHF)
Excellent news on Orville! I knew someone would succumb to his formal attire.
I picked up a new client today and I think I’ve finally settled on my new car. So kinda a good day.
Corner Stone
I’m probably going to have pizza later. So I got that going for me. Which is nice.
MomSense
My dog is eating again!! I can’t tell you how relieved I am.
Fingers crossed for sweet, little Orville.
Mnemosyne
My mom agreed to come to my dad’s memorial on Sunday after all.
Yes, it was seriously in question, but we finally got her to agree. Still not sure if she’s going to speak to my older brother while we’re all there or continue to give him the silent treatment, but … baby steps.
ETA: In my mom’s defense, my brother is being a Grade A asshole to her right now, so I can’t entirely blame her for not speaking to him. Still, it’s yet another thing I get to try and fix during my “fun” vacation next week. Sigh.
PurpleGirl
Yes, the BJ community is awesome. Glad to hear Orville has several potential new parents.
SiubhanDuinne
@tybee:
You* moved to Georgia?
*(Actually, your nym would indicate you are already here. Whatever, we in metro Lanna have rain to spare.)
cathyx
I hope the new owners rename Orville.
Corner Stone
Did he really use the word “shall” in that message?
GrammyPat
Good for Orville Kitten
Bad “Orville Kitten” link
SiubhanDuinne
@Just Some Fuckhead:
I love you so hard.
JPL
@MomSense: Oh what good news. Give the pup a hug from me.
Ted & Hellen
@SiubhanDuinne:
You said “hard.”
Just Some Fuckhead
@SiubhanDuinne:
Not as much as I love you. Shh, let’s not speak of this again.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mnemosyne:
You are not actually required to “fix,” jsia.
Corner Stone
@SiubhanDuinne: I want to know where our love has gone?
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Mnemosyne: Sometimes I’m really grateful to be a lonely only. And that I was able to talk my mother into picking someone other than her asswipe brother to be her executor.
SiubhanDuinne
@Just Some Fuckhead: It shall be our little secret.
Corner Stone
@SiubhanDuinne: Damn youse!
PsiFighter37
I think after running today, I can definitely say that I run shorter distances faster when I’ve had a few. Ran a 7:15 mile over more than 4.5 miles after taking down a pint and a half of Goose Island IPA.
Yippee
PF37 +1.5 Goose Islands
MomSense
@Mnemosyne:
I’ll be sending good thoughts your way. Sorry to hear about your Dad and that your Mom and brother are fighting.
@JPL:
Thank you!
Just Some Fuckhead
AL, if I change my nym will you release me from comment jail?
Roger Moore
@efgoldman:
The NCAA has it coming. If I had my druthers, they’d eliminate all athletic scholarships and restrict college sports to people who are their as students first and athletes second. If the NFL and NBA need development leagues, they should have actual, professional development leagues like the minor leagues do for MLB, not push the whole thing into colleges.
SiubhanDuinne
@Corner Stone:
Beyond the blue horizon? No, wait.
Over the river and through the woods? Uh, nope.
Upstairs, downstairs, in my lady’s chamber? Perhaps.
Here, there, and everywhere? That could be it.
Ted & Hellen
The wise thing to do regarding family members who are a negative presence in one’s life is to simply remove them from one’s life, whatever is required to make this so.
I am amazed at how many people put up with asshole family members who bring them nothing but pain and drama and negativity for decades on end, yet each holiday there they are again, glaring at the dreaded relative over the mashed potatoes.
Expunging such people from one’s life is actually not a hard thing to do. It’s just that most of us are codependent and are getting something very satisfying out of the sickness, whether we admit it or not.
Nothing is as deliciously and self righteously comfortable as a discomfort we have known all our lives.
Roger Moore
@Just Some Fuckhead:
Can I vote for leaving him in, even after he changes his nym back?
Mnemosyne
@SiubhanDuinne:
Unfortunately, I am the only one who can fix, because I’m the only one who can translate between the two of them. If I can mix my Star Treks, I basically have Spock (all logic) and Troi (all feeling) talking past each other and I’m having to explain to each of them what the other person really means. I’m trying to get my brother to reassure her that, yes, we are planning to take care of her, but he’s refusing to say anything that could be held against him in a court of law.
He’s lucky we don’t have videophones, or I would have reached through it and slapped him several times last night.
SiubhanDuinne
@Ted & Hellen: I did. And I enjoyed every letter, every pixel, every moment.
Mnemosyne
Just out of sheer curiosity, is Anne Laurie going to delete personal comments made about other commenters by T&H, or is it only comments about T&H that get the banhammer and he can say anything he wants?
Origuy
Anyone looking to name a pet might want to check out this article on Medieval Pet Names.
Just Some Fuckhead
I have good news: I’ve been blog commenting here for over 10000 hours.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mnemosyne: My particular family dynamic is not yours, but the overall dysfunction is very familiar to me. First and foremost, please take care of yourself.
Corner Stone
@Mnemosyne:
And these two are expecting Darmok to improve the situation?
JPL
@MomSense: You gave pretty good advice during the time Miss Moxie was struggling, so I thank you also. My son would bring over his little Maltese to try to encourage Moxie to eat and I felt it necessary to add soft goodies to Nona’s food also. It seemed fair. My son was upset about the junk dog food but last weekend mentioned that it would be okay because Nona knows my house is special..
Just Some Fuckhead
@Mnemosyne: Apparently, Roger Moore gets a pass like T&H.
Corner Stone
@Just Some Fuckhead:
Oh, I’ve been hating on Malcolm Gladwell well before it was cool. Same thing with the whole TED thing. I got there way before the hipsters looking for something to hate on.
Just Some Fuckhead
@Corner Stone:
I’m proof it’s true. I’ve fucking mastered this commenting thing.
Corner Stone
@Just Some Fuckhead: You do seem to create a safe space around you when you comment. Almost like you kind of sit down in the middle of the room with treats in your hand and patiently wait for the other commenters to come and aggressively love on you.
The Dangerman
@efgoldman:
That’s an obscenity.
I can see a lot of things needed in a football facility. Marble isn’t one of them. Vulgar.
Just Some Fuckhead
@Corner Stone: lolz
I can’t improve on that. Moving on.
tybee
@SiubhanDuinne:
for months it’s rained like mad all around us but not here on our little island.
the sounds and tidal creeks look like tea due to all the tannin stained waters from the savannah river and the ogeechee river.
flooding all over the coastal georgia carolina low country.
finally, we got an inch this evening.
Shakezula
Good news? The weather has gone back to being freakishly pleasant. Some nights we’ve been able to sleep with just the window fan. Usually that’s unpossible between June and early October.
Fingers crossed for another winter full of Snowmaggedons, I don’t mind if Mr. President laughs at us again.
MomSense
@JPL:
How is Miss Moxie? Nona is your grandpuppy–you are supposed to spoil the grandpuppy! I am so going to be the grandparent (please FSM not now or in the next 10 years!!) who gives the grandkids sugar treats and generally spoils them rotten before handing them back to their confused parents who will wonder what I did with their mother.
Anne Laurie
@Mnemosyne:
Commentor in the local paper’s etiquette column came up with the perfect word for that: You’re (not) looking foward to your upcoming oblication!
Ted & Hellen
Trying To Fix Other People, otherwise known as Codependenting.
Yatsuno
Having a complete shit day at work. Glad I can haz happy kitteh & puppeh news.
Anne Laurie
@GrammyPat: Arrrgh!… Thanks, fixed.
Just Some Fuckhead
AL, are we fighting?
ruemara
Good news, hummm? I finished this month’s article 2 days early after much dithering due to circumstances. I pick up my pics from my show tomorrow, still not sure if I shouldn’t just throw them out. and week two of my new job is nearly concluded with minimal papercuts.
@Mnemosyne: Every family has one person who seems to be forced into the position of mediator. Just make sure you don’t let them abuse the fact that you’re it. On the other hand, you’re a nice person and the fact that there are no visible bodies or bloodstains is proof. That’s what I say to myself.
The Dangerman
@efgoldman:
Did you see that photo of the Alabama player and his stack of bills? Someone isn’t going to get much playing time if that leads to an investigation.
ETA: In case you missed it:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1719940-alabama-dl-dee-liner-flashes-wads-of-cash-on-instagram
Anne Laurie
@Just Some Fuckhead: Of course, but how will I know it’s you?
JPL
@MomSense: Miss Moxie didn’t make it. Even ground up steak didn’t work but she had a wonderful life. Nona is still trying to figure out what happened to her buddy and Nona still gets the special treats but now the son says it’s okay.
Anne Laurie
@Ted & Hellen:
You’re not revealing anything good about your relationship with the blogmaster, you know.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@Anne Laurie:
I’ll quote you like this in my reply.
Anne Laurie
@Mnemosyne:
I’m going to delete all comments I find overly offensive to/about other commentors. That’s why T&H and Corner Stone have both had comments deleted on this very thread.
ETA: You may, however, slang me all you like.
Ted & Hellen
@Anne Laurie:
Ha!
That love affair is of recent vintage.
Anne Laurie
@Just Some Fuckhead: Guess my skin is thicker than yours.
Corner Stone
@Anne Laurie: Wait, what?!
Man!
Waaaaaahhhhh!! Waaaahhhh!
I’m through with you, AL! Through! D’ya hear me? THROUGH!!
JPL
@Anne Laurie: Nice! btw, thank you again for the update about Orville.
JPL
sorry.. double post
Paddy
@Ted & Hellen: Soon after my older bro’s death, his wacked out family decided that I was the beginning and end of all the problems he ever had in life. (note- he was 17 years older) They snubbed my mom in a nursing home for over a year, and never let either one of us know when John was buried. That last bit still kills me, and I never told my mom.
Last time I saw any one of them it was my niece in the grocery store (she lives about 2 miles away). She wept, she keened and went on and on about how seeing me was too much because I reminded her of her father. I patted her on the back, said the number was the same and walked on. 9 years later, not one bit of communication and I’m relieved the drama is gone for good.
Family can destroy you or save you. Flip of the coin.
MomSense
@JPL:
Oh I am so sorry to hear about Miss Moxie. Sending you a hug. We are nearing at that stage with our old dog where we have had some health scares and know that every day is precious. The boys are taking turns sleeping on the couch because he can’t go up the stairs anymore.
Corner Stone
Dammit, it’s not the mustache thing I’m so pissed about but rather the continuation of my pedantry regarding the use of “shall” that shall never be enjoyed now.
This is starting to steam my clams.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
Frankly, there isn’t that much good news on my end. However, I’m +2, which for me means I’m singing and telling my kitty how much I love her.
Anne Laurie
@Just Some Fuckhead: Not that I know!
Ted & Hellen
@Paddy:
That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about. Sorry to hear of your situation, but admire the way you handled it. Kudos.
Anne Laurie
@Ted & Hellen: There are kids who feel they can only get attention by being obnoxious and needy — even if it’s abuse, it’s attention. I understand from my reading that some people eventually outgrow this disfunctional habit, given time and practice. So there’s hope!
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Roger Moore: Not gonna agree with eliminating all athletic scholarships. I’ve known too many people who only managed to pay for school because of them.
*starts ticking them off on my fingers* Three football, two basketball, two baseball, four track and field, two fencing, one swimming, one archery, and that’s just among the civil engineers I’ve worked with. I can add another football and two more track and field from the accountants.
Gimme an alternative plan, then we’ll talk.
Ted & Hellen
@Anne Laurie:
So are you trying to tell me that this philosophy of yours is why you have not long, long ago banned Mnemosyne?
Corner Stone
@Ted & Hellen: Say goodbye to comment #76!
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
If I was in charge, I’d delete the comments of anyone who argued. That shit gets old, day in and day out.
Josie
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: I don’t lol very often on this blog, but that comment just did it. Thanks for that.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@Josie: You laughed but amirite? Yep.
Corner Stone
I’ve been considering referencing other commenters using like cartoon names maybe. And not actually replying to any post, just floating it out there on the ether.
I’m sure there’s an xkcd guide that would be handy in a situation like this.
Ted & Hellen
@Corner Stone:
oops!
OK, this is getting ridiculous. I mean, foul name calling and filthy curse words are one thing, but relatively mild, benign, indirect insults? Really?
Come on, AL…”This explains so very much” up thread was over the line and worthy of banning? Especially as it regards a commenter who dishes out some of the ugliest verbiage on this blog? That’s not aimed at anyone in particular!
Corner Stone
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: Wait. Were you talking about me? Because if you were then I think AL should delete that overly offensive comment.
And if she doesn’t then she’s playing favorites.
Anne Laurie
@Ted & Hellen: Mnem has a much wider range of topics on this blog than you do, sir.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@Corner Stone:
Can you blame her? I just ooze moxie.
phoebes-in-santa fe
Glad the young Tuxie boy will have a home. I have a four year old male Tuxie and they are the best!
Anne Laurie
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: I think of this place as a pixilated version of the neighborhood bar. Arguing is part of the entertainment. But if you’re just trying to start a fistfight, take it elsewhere! — I don’t want to lose all my other customers because of a few compulsive dick-wavers.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@Anne Laurie:
I got yer back here as long as I continue to remain exempt from the rulez.
Corner Stone
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: Fuck this. I’m emailing John Cole.
Josie
@Anne Laurie: Anne Laurie, you have my sympathy. I spent 30 years as a junior high librarian, and I can relate to your attempt to herd these cats. Make a rule and they will bump up against it over and over just to check and see if it is still in the same place. Bless you for trying.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
I’m eating a Snickers Ice Cream bar and it sure is tasty!
(Sorry, my new gig as a Thought Leader requires me to pitch products.)
Ted & Hellen
@Anne Laurie:
YOU LIE!
Plus you just insulted me, so you have to delete your own comment.
Thanks ever so.
Ted & Hellen
@Anne Laurie:
So to you, being a know it all blowhard is a plus? :O
Ma’am
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
See how destructive arguing is? We had a good thing going here and then the arguing got out of hand and bam, dead thread.
I got products to sell, assholes. Think about me.
Corner Stone
Man, this thread was supposed to be all about good news and happy thoughts but now it’s all turned to shit like when I go to YouTube to find a dubstep remix of a song I like and I find one titled Nastiest Beat Drops and I’m all like Hells to the Yeah! and shit and then I click on it and it’s all like wuhwuhwuhwuhwuhwuhwuh shit and there ain’t no damn beat drops to be fucking found anywhere and I’m all like why the F did I put on my special bass enhancing headphones for this shit if the mofo beat isn’t dropping and nasty and shit and it’s just a bunch of wuhwuhwuhwuhwuh and some half muted siren type noise in the transition and thanks a lot AL for making this thread another damn disappointing non-beat dropping dubstep remix piece of trash that doesn’t make me happiest in the slightest damn bit.
Mnemosyne
@SiubhanDuinne:
@ruemara:
I’m hoping it’s a temporary madness set in motion by the fact that my brother was given a modicum of POWER by my dad and has gone a little nuts with it. There is a genuine dispute over some wording in a trust document that could be interpreted in multiple ways, but of course my brother and my mom have each decided that their interpretation is the One True Interpretation and that anyone who says otherwise is a heretic. That’s what I get for coming from a family of Republicans.
@Anne Laurie:
As long as it’s fairly applied, that’s all I ask. It was the comment about Cassidy that was dragged in from another thread like a dead chipmunk that I objected to since that seemed to be a pretty blatant violation of the new ground rule.
Corner Stone
@Ted & Hellen: It’s not that some certain not to be named potential commenter is a know it all as such. It’s just that he or she could potentially be world famous for distorting, mis-quoting, and/or virtually recreating a commenting environment that never actually existed in real life.
Some people say that one should look for the tell tell sign of, “So you’re saying that”. And then words that have no computation with anything offered by any real commenter follow.
I’ve long considered it a forerunner to all the “American Monsters” series where a bunch of drunken and bearded middle age fat men load up their guns and go into the mountains at night looking for the Devil Dog or the Wampus Beast.
Lots of poor lighting and really awful acting and nothing close to reality at the end of it all.
Ted & Hellen
@Corner Stone:
Wow. I wish I had any idea who you’re talking about…
…you say this is a commenter here at BJ?
Hmmm…
J R in WV
@Anne Laurie:
I love your commanding aspect, and the way you keep people in line and straight with each other.
The kittehs are good too!
T&H on the other hand can be hard to handle while remaining calm and collected. You may hammer this remark if I’m over a line of some kind, I will hold no grudge.
Also, we’re all glad Orville will proceed to a happy home. We visited the local shelter last week, partly because we’re down a dog (coyote) and partly because they were full up and worried that they might have to euthanize perfectly good pets, which they don’t normally need to do.
We got a nice 9 month old white lab-ish sort of pup, who didn’t know about grass, and was shocked to find water falling from the sky, etc. So educating her is a job. Maybe her name will be Alice, although I prefer White Fang!
Corner Stone
@Ted & Hellen: The world may never know.
No, seriously. The world may never know because if I named them some person may delete the comment and then no one would ever know.
So, yeah. It’s a mystery.
Corner Stone
This New Era of Civility ™ is hard.
Anne Laurie
@Corner Stone: Consider it a learning opportunity.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
Anyone tried 5 Hour Energy(r)?
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
Surely we can all agree Cassidy is a douchebag, right? I mean, hell, he got banned once for his douchebaggery. Is this insulting or stating truth? Hell, who can know?
Corner Stone
@J R in WV: Fie! Fie!
Anne Laurie
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: I like Cassidy, myself. Strong prey drive, but then, I can get that way too, if I’m not careful.
Corner Stone
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: Man, you’re like a middle schooler in a library. All hopped up on sugar from a Snickers Ice Cream bar (c) and jacked out on a 5 Hour Energy (r) drink, just daring the school marm to bring out her ruler.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@Anne Laurie: You’ve trapped me here into agreeing when I don’t or arguing and breaking my own rule.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@Corner Stone: I’ve got a monkey on my foot, Travis!
Corner Stone
I’m not saying that our Thought Leader is necessarily right about any unspecified commenter or anything but what some people, just in general, might consider some type of reverse anthropomorphizing animal characteristic is really just ultimate douche. I mean, I’m no expert on what constitutes certain borderline sociopathic human behavior or anything, but there’s nothing admirable, or even in any way reasonably explainable, IMO, about any individual who repeatedly threatens other people with IRL violent acts and/or also threatens individual potential peoples’ IRL livelihood because they can’t handle the written word on a fucking blog. Some people would suggest that’s an issue beyond pointed commentary. Some might even suggest that kind of repeated behavior is incivil. I wouldn’t, of course. And so I’m glad that kind of thing doesn’t happen here.
JustRuss
Returned to my hotel room to find my laptop has been stolen. Damn.
Sent from my iPhone
Paul in KY
@Origuy: I’ve always been partial to ‘Mangler’ as a dog name.
Paul in KY
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: You forgot the little trademark sign. A professional ‘Thought Leader’ wouldn’t have made that mistake, IMO.
Paul in KY
@JustRuss: Very sorry to hear that. The hotel may have some video footage that would show the thief.