Bastet

They are so grossly irresponsible. And, you're right, Sean, you're not crazy -- y'all left crazy behind several children ago. Even bat shit insane is in the rear-view mirror at this point.

I hate those things and would never subject an applicant or employee to them. I'm sorry you didn't make it past the phone interview; if nothing else, it would have been good to get some fresh (in-person) interview experience for a "real" job. I'm glad you've been able to pick up some extra shifts, but I understand how simultaneously frustrated you are working so many hours for so little income. And, yeah, I don't understand the store manager's beef with it, either -- what does he care which worker he's paying for that shift? It's not like you're a higher-paid employee, so that when you cover he's paying more for those hours than he would with the employee originally scheduled.

Oh dear, those clues were better suited to students (and not of the university variety) than teachers; it drives me batty when the Teacher’s Tournament clues are noticeably easier than those in a typical game. It’s insulting. Woolworth being a TS surprised me, but maybe they only knew the last name and figured they’d also be asked for the initials because of the category. I have no theory – other than “before their time” – for the Everly Brothers TS. Or meal ticket. The Love Boat and Tollund Man TS were a bit surprising, too. I was rooting for Julia (while I normally don’t pay much attention to contestants, in tournaments I like to pick someone to root for each game, and a female chemistry teacher was definitely going to get my vote – plus, I like when people hold the buzzer with their arms crossed like that, as it’s how I would find it most comfortable), but car accidents as her answer in place of power outages for the recurring problem caused by free-flying mylar balloons made that momentarily difficult.

I've always had opossums come through my yard at night (among other critters), and for a while years back I had one living in my stack of firewood. She/he had disproportionately large ears, so I named her/him Mickey. Maddie and I (Baxter was already gone by this point) weren't often still out in the backyard by the time Mickey would venture out, but every once in a while we crossed paths, and the two critters would just stare, sniff, and keep their distance. Since both species hiss, I was expecting a hiss-off (especially since Maddie was prone to conversations with squirrels and crows - and one enamored skunk [who, of course, promptly became Pepé Le Pew]), but it never happened. I once found two dead - really most sincerely dead - opossums in my yard, with no visible wounds, so I suspected they were collateral damage from someone using poison, rather than traps, to target their rat problem. I hope that shit is outlawed (there's a bill pending in CA). And then there was the seemingly dead opossum at my parents' house, who turned out to be playing possum; I happened to be looking out the window when she/he got up and carried on. They really do play at being dead quite believably. Opossums are in the "so ugly they're cute" category for me, and I rather miss Mickey. I had another one on top of the wood stack a couple of years ago when I took trash out one night, so I thought perhaps someone new had taken up residence, but it seems she/he was just visiting.

"Face it, girls, I'm older and I have more insurance." Towanda!

This is another episode I'll catch in re-runs/syndication, but I will definitely laugh at that scene when I get to it: I can't be awakened by the first alarm and just get up; I will doze back off, and need to go through the process several times before I wake up enough to stay awake and actually get up. So I have to set it for half an hour before I need to get up and hit snooze three times. It annoys my cat, let alone a person. (But I hate sharing a bed, so I hardly ever let another human sleep in it with me, making it a non-issue.)

What a great article by Stephanie; I like her attitude upon finally being chosen to compete on the show: And at being selected after having watched James win games three through five: And then when she lands on the first DD and hears the "this phrase for barrier to female success" clue:

No, that's what I meant, that they seem to have broken up the old design show by interspersing more antic segments, out of fear of losing viewers' attention (in this "I can't possibly concentrate on one thing for more than a minute" age of media) if they aired extended segments of how each project was accomplished and a proper recap interview between host and designer like they used to. Also that everything has to be a big surprise, so they show less of the room coming together so the final reveal is more of a, well, revelation than it used to be. I'm too lazy to compare ratings, but I wonder if the strategy is effective (because they are also keeping a number of old viewers frustrated with the changes who nevertheless keep it on/record it and just pay proper attention to the beginning and end). I've never seen that show, so she was new to me on this one, and I like her. I'm glad they've done away with the gimmick of both teams sharing one carpenter -- that's one improvement over the old show.

Yeah, with Miss Cleo dead, I had no one to call to prognosticate my entrée experience for me, so I had to go ahead and order on my own.

Yes. I thought it was a nice look, but not worth having to dust at least the bottom of however-many squares every week or two. I wouldn't paint over most of the zebra stripes in Doug's room and just leave an accent wall, as I think the size (just big enough) and purpose (family room) of the room support the effect encompassing the room. But I would tone down/remove a few other things around the room to make the overall effect less busy. I'd ditch the ceiling "tent" first. I'd love to get an update on that room, because the male homeowner's first reaction to things in general seemed to be resistance, and his (male) neighbor who worked on the room predicted there would be an initial overwhelmed reaction that would give way to liking it, so I'm curious to see if that's indeed what happened, or if he's down in the basement and she's enjoying the safari room. I thought I had the answer to this, but then I remembered it was the other man who specifically talked about watching it for years. So I don't know. The even squeezed in Crying Pam, by staging that TS Trivia game in the opening segment. It's really glaring not just how little we see of the process (of working on the rooms) now, but also how much more superficial the review of the finished room at the end is -- we see it from fewer angles now (which is particularly ridiculous given how changes in camera technology make it even easier to film today), see far fewer close-ups on design elements (to avoid an HD reminder of why MDF screwed/nailed together is not at all a proper substitute for properly-constructed wood furniture [which, of course, isn't an option given the budget and time constraints]?), and spend less time on Paige and the designer reviewing the room. Heaven forbid they risk losing America's nanosecond attention span.

Why go? That's easy - because reviews were mixed so we wanted to give it a shot, and my friend having the comp card - which, not that it changes anything, is not transferable; it's a benefit provided by her employer - was the perfect way to try it. Our appetizer and salads had been fine, so we were hoping for the same with the short ribs, which - like everything else - had mixed reviews. And if you've got homeless folks in your neighborhood who'd be happy to receive four cooked carrots, cooled to room temperature, at 11:00 at night, by all means, you should get a doggy bag and bless them with it.

Which even in the "best" zoo doesn't begin to make up for the exploitation of wild animals as captive entertainment that is their business model, but thankfully none of that was implicated in the latest episode. I'm not in favor of birds as pets in general, but Scooter was nicely illustrative of one of the exceptions, and it was sweet that someone who'd never thought of having a bird as a pet got so attached to an injured baby pigeon - whom many regard as winged rats - that he took him in and provides bi-annual vet checks. I missed what instigated the poor little puppy's crisis in the first place -- did we learn what triggered the catastrophic condition that ultimately lead to a fatal crash, or was it one of those "not meant to be" medical mysteries in the absence of a necropsy? That was a huge abdominal tumor on the other dog; I'm glad it came out as well as it did, not having such an extensive network of blood supply Dr. Ross couldn't keep up with tying off bleeders. Dr. Blue as a mentor was nice to see.

It's odd that they don't show Poehler happening upon Xfinity in the electronics store, becoming mesmerized by all its options, and not leaving for hours (including ordering a pizza so she doesn't have to take a break to eat), but instead show her having donned her PJs and grabbed a blanket (but not her wallet) to settle in at the store with all the programming offerings there, instead of just having it installed at home; it sends the unintentional message the service is not affordable.

When a friend asked me what night I wanted to go to dinner this weekend, I started to answer “Saturday” since Friday nights I’m tired from the work week, but then I realized “Cutting Loose” and “Sweet Revenge” would be airing tonight, and changed my mind. These are two of my favorite episodes. As we discussed that it would be, it’s sad watching “Cutting Loose” now that Luke Perry is dead. He was a good man, and his loved ones lost him far too young. This is actually one of the few performances of his I’ve ever seen, and I think it’s great. As I mentioned before, I appreciate that the character isn’t written as a buffoon. He’s long lived in the special bubble of fame and fortune, and that means he’s out of touch in some ways, but he’s not an idiot. And he’s not a jerk in his fame; he treats people with respect. And, having learned what a humble, “normal” guy Perry was, I appreciate even more the way he honored that balance in the writing – and the fun he clearly had with the outlandish parts of Jon that were not at all part of himself. I love the grand reception they set up for Jon. There are so many good moments in just that scene – Sharon’s eye rolls (three in one scene!), Sharon making her way through the throng of people clamoring for Jon’s autograph, Provenza’s reactions to Jon grabbing the DMV printout as if it was a headshot and personalizing it “I am your biggest fan,” Jon’s reaction to making the Board, and young Rusty not having any idea who he is despite his long career (nicely mirrored later when the young woman at the storage facility just knows he looks familiar). There’s great stuff throughout -- Sharon’s reaction to Zelda’s fanfic (and, oh my gods, I once paused my DVD and read the story; it’s perfectly, hilariously, bad!), all the Jonny memorabilia - particularly Amy carrying in the life-sized cutout and placing it so that when the squad is standing in a group talking, it looks like Jon is standing behind them – the storage facility employee responding with a repetition of “it was cute, and old, and red, and a convertible” when they ask her for more detail on the car, Jon magically having a change of clothes, the beginning of Andy’s total annoyance with all things Badge of Justice (when he finds out Pope recommended Mike for the gig), Jon calling Taylor “Russ” by day two, and even the way the husband recounts, “ … so I decided to kill her.” And, of course, Sharon’s “I am just surrounded by people with no sense of occasion.” (Only because of the line delivery on that is Taylor’s reading of “frowny face” not the best of the episode.) Not to mention her actually hugging Julio. And her “It is exhausting, but not really, no,” when Rusty asks her if she gets tired of always being right. Last but certainly not least is what a pitch perfect representation of the celebrity assistant Kiki is. How she’s always on her phone, pays attention to everything that goes on yet fades into the background, rolls with things like last-minute meetings in Mexico (not to mention being picked up by the federales), always has a Sharpie at the ready for when Jon's asked for an autograph, knows all the logistical details about his life he doesn’t bother with, etc. “Sweet Revenge” is one of the episodes most retroactively affected for me by Sharon’s death <sob>. I love every single second of her confrontation with Ricky, but now whenever I watch him say he and Emily are both going to have kids some day and does she really want her grandkids calling that guy “Uncle Rusty,” I have to force myself to stay in the moment for her fantastic “That is a whole lot better than what I’m thinking of calling you right now” and full-naming of him before she knocks all the wind out of his sails by saying she’s so disappointed in him she doesn’t even know what to say. Because, now, my automatic reaction to the grandkids question is despair that she doesn’t live to see any of that happen. The only problem with the episode is that Rusty having never met Ricky while Provenza and Andy have (in fact, enough that Ricky calls Andy by his first name) doesn’t make sense. They wrote themselves into a corner with this, because to establish that Sharon has a good relationship with her kids (which I appreciate, since career women on TV are often given resentful adult children) he needs to have been visiting, but in order to tell their story of Ricky being suspicious of Rusty based on the little he knows and what he’s heard from Jack, he needs to not have been. But I go with it in order to enjoy Sharon’s handling of the situation. First, I greatly appreciate that she adores her kids and loves getting some Mom time when one visits, but when work interferes with some of that time, she’s bummed and apologetic, but not guilty. Second, I love that she’s not blinded by her love for Ricky; on so many shows, she wouldn’t see what Rusty was talking about until some big moment, but here she listens to Rusty (I love “they’re always three” when Rusty objects this isn’t the same as Emily not wanting a little brother), notices Ricky’s little jabs, gives him some leeway, and then nails him when he tries to mansplain her own life to her. Third, as I said, I love that conversation turned confrontation. Every frame of it, but highlights include deducing he’s repeating Jack’s words, mocking the notion of her “ever-so-lonely heart,” reminding him of the advantages he took for granted every day, and then laying one of the best guilt trips in the history of mothering. I also love the teasing in the scene between the three of them at the end – about Ricky’s hair, and Ricky mocking Sharon’s snort laugh – and especially the sweetness of the definition of family. It’s a good case, too. Scott Ward’s gross sense of entitlement is frustratingly realistic, that he would create this odious website as revenge against the “offense” of women breaking up with men. I love that the surviving website guys get nailed for their hacking and extortion. And Conner’s guilt at what he said to his mom when the pictures made their way around school, believing he contributed to her suicide as much as Travis Hall did, and the way he tries to take the fall for his dad as a result, is heart-wrenching (and I love how Sharon tries to reassure him mothers know when their sons are just being temporary idiots). Random notes: - I love that Mike’s phone is programmed to bring up a photo of Provenza in his white hat - Sharon’s reaction to Fritz’s reference to Brenda probably taking the job in D.C. indicates this is not news to her, so I wonder if she’s already heard about it from him or from her

Yeah, I'm not going to dig out potholders (and never those cumbersome things that fit over your entire hand and arm) unless it's something quite heavy or full that's going to require me moving slowly enough that I'll be holding it for longer than a towel - which is quicker to grab than my potholders, as it's on an exterior decorative hook while they are in a drawer - can protect me.

Has anyone in the history of gestation talked more about being pregnant than Laurie? She’s so drawn-out and dramatic about everything, but she’s at her worst when talking about being/having been pregnant. I liked seeing that the couple having their bedroom done had done checkerboard walls in their previous bedroom – finally someone open to something a little different in their own room, and who won’t get “scared” when the paint can at the house they’re working on contains something other than white, beige, or grey. So, of course, instead of giving them a room done by Doug, producers gave Doug to the other couple, and had Laurie - who does nice but typical designs - do the bedroom. (And then they did get scared by the paint colors! But then when it started coming together, they were into it.) I did not like wasting time with the plug for Sherwin Williams. At least this time they didn’t put the two Wayfair segments back-to-back, because last week it was really annoying hearing Paige go through her spiel just a couple of minutes after we heard her tell the first couple the exact same thing. Laurie’s room is still quite sparse for a bedroom that large, but she gave them something to build on. Another room that doesn’t look like a designer did it, but looks like a nice job by a homeowner, and the owners are indeed happy with it, so that’s a success. Doug’s room is a lot more interesting, but I knew the guy wasn’t going to like it. I wonder if it grows on him, because he seems like his initial reaction to things is resistance. It wasn't as overdone as the safari bedroom Doug was rebooting, but I can still understand someone finding it too much. I'd have felt that way if it was my bedroom, but for a family room I'm also not surprised to see the other person love it.

Stop utilizing her services. Maybe others have a much different relationship with theirs than I do with mine and can help you better, but if I was no longer happy with her work, I'd start paying someone else to do the job instead; we're not friends or romantic partners, so no need for a break-up conversation. I can see it being awkward if you wanted to start going to a different stylist in the same salon, but otherwise you're just no longer calling her for appointments and life rolls on for both of you.

No, because they're two different things (mooning is just a bare ass, while streaking is naked [or nekkid, as Lewis Grizzard would say, as naked is when you don't have any clothes on and nekkid means you don't have any clothes on and you're up to something]), and the clue referenced what happened while David Niven was onstage at the Oscars in 1974, and that was a streaker.

"... from Africa as pack animals," and pack animals is why I was surprised no one guessed camel after elephants were ruled out. But I think you're right that the contestants weren't associating camels with Africa, because I bet if the clue had said they'd been imported from the Middle East, it would have been a race to buzz in with "What are camels?"

Last night I ordered short ribs, which came with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, so I specified no potatoes and asked what the vegetables were. The answer was asparagus, which is one of my favorites, so I asked for extra of that in place of the potatoes and was quite happy. It turned out the vegetables were asparagus and carrots, and if the server had told me that, I could have told him to hold the carrots (they're fine raw, but I don't like them cooked). My friend got the same dish (with the potatoes) and she doesn't like cooked carrots, either, so that was four carrots wasted. Grrr. We weren't expecting much from the food - and, indeed, the short ribs were terrible, although our appetizer and dessert were good - because this is a restaurant infamous for its great view but subpar food (at prices concomitant with the view), but we were using a comp card; not being out any of our own money if our low expectations were met is why we were willing to give it a try. So I wound up more disappointed about wasted carrots than bad short ribs, because they could have been easily avoided had my question been properly answered. Food waste is a major problem, and I don't like unwittingly adding to it.

I don't know if this was an old or new episode as it has been quite some time since I've been able to watch, but the one-hour pizza was interesting; I wonder what that dough tastes like. It sounded like it had a good crunch on the outside when they bit into it, but it just seems impossible you could make a good pizza dough in such a short amount of time.

It's kind of funny, because I had soured on the Teacher's Tournament a bit when they were prone to making the clues easier overall in those games, something I found offensive, and I even skipped a couple (or at least didn't make a point to be done/home in time to watch) but now between wanting a pause in this string of runaway games and looking forward to seeing one of "our own" compete in this year's tournament, I'm excited for it!

Or perhaps the woman wrote a great script of which she is proud and for which she rightly received credit - both among fans and per WGA rules - and, whether or not she's even half as tired as I am of hearing it must have been written by Aaron Sorkin instead, when asked about the creative process she is happy to share details.

Creamed spinach surprised me as a TS, because I can’t think of another spinach dish that would be made in that quantity/vessel. I was also surprised no one at least guessed Johannesburg. Same with camel, since the clue spotted them pack animal. I hurt my eyes rolling them when James imitated streaking (well, minus the nudity, thank goodness); I can just imagine the "oh no, he didn't" reactions on set when he headed out of frame. The Vulcan salute made me laugh (even though I don't watch Star Trek), though, so go figure. My fatigue with runaway games that set in last night was still in effect tonight, so hopefully after the Teacher's Tournament, I'll be ready to pick up with James again; I don't want to not enjoy this show! I ran the first round, which I wouldn’t have predicted given the presence of a sci-fi category. I did pretty well in DJ, too, and got FJ, so it was a good game for me. (Like others have said, I didn’t think the term crowdfunding went that far back, but I couldn’t come up with anything else that fit the description, so I stuck with it.)

Whenever there is a character who evokes a seething degree of hatred in a lot of viewers, yet few of the vitriolic diatribes reference any specific actions of the character as the cause of that hatred, it's a safe bet the character is a woman.