After the decades of abuse from my mother, whom I only learned to start breaking away from at 30, and still, just yesterday had a pacing conversation to myself! with her haunting voice, of what I might have to do if faced with ever speaking with her again…

This example is the only kind of response. Even if just to myself.

I didn’t know I needed to see something so simple as a comic to help when she dominates my head, and I think I’m gonna cry a bit now. Fuck you, mom. I’m finally learning to enjoy being alive, without you in my life.

Probably not exactly matching your meaning, but in a round about way, Dune, post Machine Crusade –

It’s maybe not as evident without reading the series–which definitely isn’t a negative comment! I’ve enjoyed (almost) every bit of the truly shocking amount of Dune I’ve put myself through since the very early '90s, haha.

I’m, uh, mildly obsessive as well as critical of the SF I stand by, (just for myself personally!–everyone should like whatever they like!) but Frank Herbert, entirely, still remains in my top 2 favorite authors. You may enjoy all the books as a whole, if you’re looking for something less about ‘the machine’ itself, but how humans diverge from it and without it, but it’s…a lot, lol. And…well, I won’t spoil things. I just remembered it might negate my entire point. Oh, no. (ʘ‿ʘ)

Anyway! Regardless!

If you do ever get into full-ass Dune–and I’d recommend this “tip” to literally anyone–I’d definitely suggest audio books for the early works of Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. They took a bit to get into their groove from informational to actually entertaining. The lore is honestly fantastic, beautifully done, but physically reading their earlier Dune stuff can be textbook without diagram tedious. Love 'em both for the work, but shiiiiiiiiite.

Damn, too bad it’s not their Cranberry vodka!

Grapefruit is one of my favorite flavors, next to cranberry, and if you want to do a pitcher type drink, an easy thing might be a grapefruit Screwdriver (a nice OJ, or even with blood orange juice and the grapefruit vodka).

Jumping off the Screwdriver base, it would definitely support a hefty amount or even just a splash of cranberry juice (if you want intensity without dilution of added sweetness, I recommend Knudsen Just Cranberry for highly concentrated flavor), and plain or burnished fresh rosemary sprigs, a squeeze of lime and a wedge of lime, or orange, ahh, it’s endless! You could give it a fizz with soda water or flavored Italian soda, anything that slides into the profile, make it more holiday with a cinnamon stick, or stronger and more complex with botanicals of some gin, yadda yadda, I’m not helping! Too many options, I’m getting envious of your quandary.

A Grayhound, just also use the grapefruit vodka, similarly with Salty Dogs. I’d go so far to recommended Tanqueray Rangpur Lime Gin, for that added citrus with the botanicals, but I’m big on flavor, and that’ll get expensive pretty quickly in quantity. Fresh lime juice goes a long way.

You could also just get a bunch of cheap regular and diet tonic, (for options) and make up pitchers or pretty carafes of V & Ts. It’s nice enough flavor wise on it’s own, but great with all the above flavor options, too!

Regardless, you probably can’t go wrong with Deep Eddy, and a singular something tasty to mix.

Oh, no, that’s too much. Being from the Chicago suburbs, between Menards and Empire Carpet (before their growth to add the -Today- addendum), there’s a deep groove upon my brain made by those jingles. That, and John Madden’s congested cadence for various advertisements. Simply John Maddening.

^…588-2300 --damn, it!

It does! They’re both better than the degree of their overall popularity, and better than the other similar bands that were noticed when say, “Evil” came out… But, they still kinda half suck, sometimes, and it doesn’t seem like they should, haha

Which is maybe…exactly what you just said with more words.

Save big money at Menards, but not on Menards…

^…save ^big ^money– Gaa! That jingle will never leave me. Damn you, midwest!

I am very short, and sit up rather straight. My head hits what should be the most comfortable parts of every kind of seating in the most uncomfortable way. This is an accurate representation of the sensation, when curved neck portion ends up at top of your skull, and doubly so, if it’s a bucket seat. Special cushions help, in certain vehicles, which can also alleviate the seatbelt going practically across your throat. Our old Outback is tolerable, which is lovely.

We have a couple IKEA Poang chairs at home, and I need to make pillow booster-seats for the damned things, or it’s just this image, lol

Search ammonia and sulfur smells in bowel movements, and see if any typical causes match your current dietary habits or medical status/medications including supplements. If they don’t, see a doctor, then get to a gastroenterologist, if you can. Maybe just do that, anyway. Regular checks, and digestive health are extremely important, regardless of weird poo and especially because of weird poo, no matter how uncomfortable, it’s more comfortable than the alternative. Source: life of intense health problems. Get your butthole checked. We believe in you.

Hahahaha, I can hear her saying this, hungover, too.

You are only about 1/3rd wrong (but mostly correct)! Hotdogs absolutely have casings, sometimes natural animal intestine of pork or sheep, other organs, and collagen casings --those are edible, and stay on the 'dogs. Others use things like cellulose, and various filler type ingredients to create a casing, and those are stripped off before shipping. If you don’t know the ingredients, you can usually tell if it’s natural casing from the extra stiffness in the bite. And they’re usually more expensive, lol

Hooray! I think! Cause that is correct.

When my focal seizures weren’t as well managed, one of the closest descriptions I could give is it often feels like experiencing various Windows error noises. Like, all varieties of them, from '93-XP, fit the bill. Occasionally, it’s dragging the multiplying, cascading window that won’t respond, across a teeny screen of barely available conciousness. Meds make me feel pretty dumb, and some errors still get through, but I don’t dunk, donk, dink, or bonk so much!

Super cute and fuzzy wuzzy until it’s jumping spider season, and they’re in the house, and jesus goddammit jumping spiders, I just cleaned up this shit, can you not web up the entire kitchen every fucking morning? Tiny ass Cirque du Soleil across the light fixtures, every damned day! Cute little shits.

Kyle Maclachlan is a got-dang national treasure. 🫡

Ahhhh, I’m always excited when someone else mentions Northern Exposure! Sometimes it’s felt like enough people haven’t known what I was talking about, if I couldn’t pull up the IMDb, I’d think it was some kind of Mandela effect of memories. One of the most fantastic themes, too – like the coziest aspects of the 90s made audible. Time for a re-watch, it’s been a long time.

Just gonna leave this here…

There might be a less etsy type place to find that, but there it is.

Damn, that’s interesting! I’d think like any profession, some are just that good?

I’m a “better-safe-than-touch-up these fucking baseboards until I’m screaming” kinda person, so I’ll splurge my time on taping. I also tend to paint with strong-ass pigments, so I don’t wanna try to fix those blunders, haha. The previous owners of our home basically had the entire interior sprayed with matte ceiling paint over plaster when they moved out, so the kitchen, stairwell, and bathrooms are going to pros, especially so they can be done in succession. I just wanna be able to easily wash my flippin’ walls.

More power to you! I mean, I don’t tape outlets, just remove the covers, and be mindful of the plugs.But, my own house is riddled with crown moulding, including around the doorframes, which is very pretty and all, the contrasting white is lovely with painted walls, but DAMN if its jutting edges, corners, and curvy bits don’t sneak up on ya when you’re using a brush or a roller, no matter how carefully. So, for my clumsy bum, tape and more tape!

For reals, though - having painted several rooms–literally in the current process of painting another–you can use whatever “time saving” fucking scams tools are out there, but Frog Tape, friends! Tape, like you’re sealing a space station, and a little extra. Or just pay a professional to do it all properly, because it’s frankly a bitch, depending on your walls and layout.