Hostile16

What book? I just finished The Paris Architect and want very much to write the screenplay. So sad for Bol. There's been a horrid cluster of pet deaths among my Internet contacts recently, and my sister and two of my five best friends have had to put their pets down in the last six weeks. On a bit of a lighter note, postal services seem to be playing fast and loose with Secret Santa this year, and a lot of gifts have been late. Are we down to the final pair now (romantic idiot and me)? From what I understand, both had borders and oceans to cross. If you're still waiting, whether for your gift or to receive acknowledgement, please let me know.

Is that the "Making Spirits Bright" CD, buffyjunkie? I've got that one in heavy rotation, along with Joan Baez's "Noel," George Winston' s "December," John Denver and the Muppets's "A Christmas Together," and, of course, Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Album." Belated thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes. Much appreciated! Wouldn't "Growing Pains" be the name of a failed male porn star? I heard years ago that "Joanie Loves Chachi" had to be overhauled in Korea because "chachi" was slang for ... and I can't remember if it was the sex act, a sex act, or the male parts that contribute to the sex act.

Robin Sparkles is sad tonight. RIP Alan Thicke.

Preachin' to the choir, az. I'm a little concerned because I haven't heard from trudi_tru since I sent her half the Secret Santa list. Is there someone who *has* gotten an assignment who would be willing to spend about an hour matching folks and contacting them with their assignments? I hate for people to wait much longer since I was late in the first place. And Faby, if you're out there, let us know that Bilbo Baggins hasn't bitten all your cables in two. Edited to add: One of my people got the same recipient as last year. Does someone want to switch assignments? If not, I'll just swipe someone from the other half of the list. Edited again to add: Okay, kiddies, all the assignments are out so if you haven't gotten an email, let me know pronto!

Sorry to be so far behind with Secret Santa, but the good news is we've picked up some of the Facebook crowd. I'm listing them here by their old handles. Here's my current list; please let me know pronto if you're missing. I also have new addresses for JHeaton, romantic idiot, and Superflyse, and a new email for YME. AnnieF Barphe Boliver Chyna Darkpool dusky Erratic Harvester Hostile 16 JHeaton KPC romantic idiot smushergirl Superflyse trudi_tru YME ZenLizzy And speaking of pets and babies, my niece had a daughter Thanksgiving morning! She's not as cute as Bilbo Baggins, the most well-fed stray in history, but she's wee and petal-pink and rocks a knit cap. Also: How much do I love Apple's Frankenstein's monster commercial?

We're picking up some Facebook stragglers for Secret Santa so don't think I've forgotten about it. In the meantime, would anyone with a different mailing address from last year please pm it to me?

I've had more to drink this week than the previous year combined. That's not saying much, but I've also had a sore throat, and frozen pouch drinks are soothing in more ways than one. Dusky, if it's any consolation, Trump claims he will "amend" ACA (broken promise #1) instead of repealing it, keeping coverage for children living at home through age 26 and coverage of pre-existing conditions. Meanwhile, here in North Carolina (my city went Clinton by more than 58 percent, btw), we still have no governor or Attorney General because of races awaiting recounts, and the heavily Republican state legislature is making noises about appointing two State Supreme Court justices to offset the Democrat who unexpectedly ousted the incumbent and won control for his party. Adding insult to injury, the decision will be made in a special session that was called to vote for emergency relief for Hurricane Matthew victims.

Great Scott, would you look at the calendar?! Who's up for Secret Santa? And if you haven't noticed, a return from Daylight Savings Time means trivia starts an hour earlier.

I agree, Harvester. I'm certainly used to the gore and violence, but this episode gloried in it to a new degree. I might change my mind by next Sunday, but I think I'm through with it. Hey, my dad got a good report from his bone marrow test. Oreo Balls for everyone but Chyna!

Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize in Literature. Thoughts?

Thanks for asking. Here midstate NC, we got about five inches of rain with very little wind. My bestie in New Bern, inland from the coast, but on a tidal river, had street and yard flooding, but no power outages. B My family back in St. Augustine, FL had the usual "yikes, here comes the water/ phew, there goes the water" quick flooding and tons of yard debris and downed trees. Over the bridge, the beaches were very hard hit, with loss of dunes and beach erosion. The bridge has been closed evidently even to the media, and the newspaper coverage has been very bad. But the rumor is that the county (St. John's), which is fairly small with no big cities, has $2 billion in damages. Like, with a B. So I expect there is substantial loss of real estate from the idiots who build beachfront.

Donna Summer aside, you can be called for jury duty once every two years in these parts. It's just a one-day thing unless you're chosen for a panel, but you're assigned a day instead of being able to choose a time like Boliver. I suspect I'm called so frequently because I'm registered as an Independent, and they probably try to choose an equal number of Democrats, Republicans, and Whatevers. Over the years, I have served on two juries; been dismissed once for being a single, childless journalist and once for having gone to college with a judge (and running into her on my way court); never empaneled once; excused once (my mom was ill, and it was two days shy of being two years since I was called -- keep track of that, people!); and twice told my services weren't required.

True enough. My secret cold, dark, and silent place is the bedroom our vampire hero had in the TV show Moonlight. IIRC, it was a converted kitchen cooler. To sleep under a pile of blankets every night in absolute darkness... possibly beside a hot (pun intended) vampire? Livin' the dream. And while that ventures into TMI territory, here's news you'll all appreciate: I am not needed for jury duty tomorrow! Woot! All the benefits of fulfilling my Constitutional duty with none of the hard chairs, tedium, and miles-away parking. Yea, me.* * This is either my seventh or eighth summons so I'm not whatever the jury equivalent of a scofflaw is.

I'm blaming the election for the fact that I literally teared up when I heard the Rosetta rover crash-landed onto the comet it has been orbiting for two years. Was it because after working so hard, it has been abandoned in the dark and the cold and the silence? Or am I just jealous?

I regret taking your dad literally, trudi_tru, and not realizing that of course he'd be cool and ironic. Blame my own dad, who doesn't do (or get) whimsy, sarcasm, or irony. He also hated the radish, zucchini, and watercress-less salad. So into the recycling bin goes the recipe, and the rinsed radish and zucchini slices go into a regular tossed salad.