Small Talk: Chili's

[Glory]

Lexi has such a cute, funny face. She looks like she's loaded with personality!

She is! She's still getting settled but she's such a clown! If you don't pay attention to her she rolls all around the floor or couch or bed until you do! I love her so much!

I can't wait to take her shopping for girl dog clothes! LOL

[King of Birds]

NO. Stop right there. Do NOT dress the dog in girl dog clothes! That is in poor taste. Don't do that to the doggie. Don't. Nope. Nuh-uh. No nononoonono.

[Glory]

NO. Stop right there. Do NOT dress the dog in girl dog clothes! That is in poor taste. Don't do that to the doggie. Don't. Nope. Nuh-uh. No nononoonono.

Well... maybe just a pretty, girly collar and leash then. And a sweater. For winter. Yeah, for winter. And the holidays!

 

@stewedsquash - Dozer is definitely, top dog. I've volunteered in dog rescue (and fostered lots of French Bulldogs) and I've never seen him defer to any other dog - including my sister's 75 pound pittie and my parents two 90 pound labs. He. Is. King. 

 

Lexi is a bit more submissive, but she's NOT a pushover. If he snaps at her she snaps back. So it's just easier to keep them separated during feeding. I might work with Dozer a bit on relaxing during feeding time because he scarfs his food down like a maniac (despite the fact that she's in another room) while Lexi is a more relaxed eater (the way she should be). But he's 10 years old and a "senior" so old dogs, new tricks and all that. Our house is set up really nicely for separating with baby gates so that's a bonus. 

[Kalliste]

Lexi is so cute. I think I'd love to see her rolling around for attention :)

[Too Late Kev]

Cute dog. I like her seatbelt. I've been behind cars before with a big dog up in the front seat with the driver, poking its head out the driver's side window, etc., while the car is moving. Aaahhh!

[King of Birds]

PTV: I don't like the ads on the right side of the page.

 

Dogs, if not connected to the seatbelt, should only be in the backseat of a car. My dog LOVES going on car rides. And then I have to clean the dried up drool on the back door passenger side afterwards.

[Pixel]

I don't like those ads either, but I bet the influx of people from TWOP allowed them to make a little cashola from advertising! Can't hardly blame TPTB for jumping on that opportunity.

 

I started watching Big Brother for the first time this year so that my friend who moved cross country and I would have something to talk about because we like to chat every day, so new topics are always in demand.  I am now obsessed with the feed watchers thread over in that topic. I don't even feel like I like the show that much, but I never take on a new hobby without getting obsessive, so it is what it is.

 

Topic two: I'm so fricking sick of being in school.  Three more classes and I'll have my master's, but I just can barely force myself to do the minimum work to get an A.

[Too Late Kev]

I don't see any ads. Adblock, I guess.

[Kalliste]

The format of the forums was changed a bit but it broke things a bit so they've been put back to how they were.

 

So now we don't have squished forums anymore :)

[King of Birds]

So now we don't have squished forums anymore :)

Thanks?

Topic two: I'm so fricking sick of being in school.

Welcome to me when I was in Jr year of college.  How my GPA dove ...  Good luck with your last remaining classes.

 

Kalliste, I looked at your bio. How do you get American TV in Australia? Torrents? Illegality? (you don't have to admit to that, just wink or something.)

[Kalliste]

KOB it depends on the shows.. for example it's doctor who day! (nearly anyway) and it gets aired the same night of release here, that being said I don't even have an antenna hooked up to my tv.. 

 

If I wink am I admitting guilt now? :P

 

I download/stream most of what I watch and then if it's something I really like i'll buy it on dvd.. assuming it ever comes out here on dvd. with Veronica Mars, for example, it took years and years to get it on dvd because the tv stations were holding up the release, even though they had no intention of airing anymore of it. I think I ended up buying it in 2009 even though the show ended in 2007.

 

Gravity Falls is the same, it's not available to buy anywhere :'( In physical form anyway, I'm dying to buy it on bluray but I doubt it'll ever get released locally here, I'll probably have to buy it from overseas somewhere.

[Pixel]

Yup, ads are gone now for me too. At least, the forums are back to normal size.

 

I watched Dr. Who last night. I already like Capaldi better than Matt Smith, and I was amused that they addressed his age over and over and over in the show.  I felt like that was pretty meta, because I'm sure it was discussed when the choice was announced.  

 

So, what new shows is everyone looking forward to? I'm going to watch Intruders on BBC America, because I heard Mira Sorvino talking about it and it sounds like it has potential.  As for returning shows, I'll likely be sticking with Vampire Diaries (even though I'm about 20 years past it's demographic), Hannibal, Lost Girl, and a smattering of bad reality shows. And of course, Supernatural. I'm in too deep now to get out until it's ended for good.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Pixel

[possibilities]

Thanks for the song suggestions, everyone! I was inspired, but then my driver was in a chatty mood so we talked instead. It was a fairly interesting conversation, so I'm not complaining. But I have banked the song ideas for next time.

 

I had to look up what Gen Con was. I'm glad you had fun!!

 

I have major dog and cat envy. Lexi looks like a fun dog. Those sparkly eyes!!

 

After my 20 year old cat died last year, I promised myself I wouldn't get another animal until my life changed to be more settled, but I keep dreaming about cats and dogs and how I really want to adopt them but I just can't right now. It appears that my resolve is deep-seated but ambivalent.

 

I don't even know what the new shows are this season. I am really looking forward to the return of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the most of all the returning shows.I need to look into what's new, though. I thought last year was a terrible year for dramas. Hoping there will be at least one new one I will like.

 

I'm still trying to decide what TV to buy. Does it need to be "smart"? I feel like there are too many choices. It was easier when I was just accepting whatever hand-me-down box anyone was getting rid of. I was actually considering just getting a used one at a second hand store for $10, but then I realized that my old 13" TV uses 75W and a new 40" TV uses 35W. I can't stand the idea of using more than twice the electricity for less than half the picture. It just seems wrong! I know this is a ridiculous problem. I should be grateful that I can wear a hoodie in public without being shot, not whining about how many TV choices are out there.

Edited August 24, 2014 by possibilities

[Pixel]

We have a smart TV because it was on sale. You don't need smart. I never ever use those features. Unless you want to watch Netflix, I guess, and don't have another way. I watch it through my Xbox.

[King of Birds]

So, what new shows is everyone looking forward to?

 

Gracepoint and Mulaney are two I'm very much putting on the dvr.

I've been so down on the spate of comic book movies (exception is GotG) that I'm unsure - but may at least catch the pilots for Flash and Gotham.

Marry Me and/or McCarthy's :   Am I so desperate to want a new sitcom to be good? At least last year we had Brooklyn Nine Nine.

Z Nation?  Any Walking Dead fans who will give this one a shot?

 

Can't wait for Orphan Black S3 and The Returned S2 next spring.

[possibilities]

Ooooh Orphan Black... that is something I'm looking forward to, also. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I am not sure if it was renewed or not, but if it was, I'm looking forward to "Playing House." Fun-ny!

 

Anyone have a recommended article that gives a good summary of the new shows? Last year there were a lot I was interested in, and almost all of them were canceled almost immediately.

 

Thank you for the reassurance that a regular old dumb TV is good enough.

[Kalliste]

I have a Samsung LED smart tv. I love my tv.. it's 46" and so shiny and pretty.. It has 3D and all the apps and internet and such but I don't really use it for much of any of that. I just like watching things in high definition really.

 

As for shows, Doctor Who and Gravity Falls are my shows of the season.. haven't really gotten attached to anything new but open to suggestion :)

[Glory]

Thanks, possibiiities! We had a great time!

 

I always seatbelt my dog. I have these straps I bought on amazon. You plug one into the seatbelt and the other other connects to their harness. They have enough room to sit or lie down but that's about it.

 

I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to, television-wise. Nothing has quite caught my eye. Though, I do think the rom-com with the mother from HIMYM and Brendon from My Boys looks intriguing.

 

I'll be glad to get some more Brooklyn-99 and Mindy Project. 

 

I saw a commercial for a procedural(?) in which there was a woman cop holding up a perpetrator and she said something like, "I'm going to count to 3. Drop the gun or I'll shoot." Then she just skips right to three and shoots the guy. Cut a shot of her shaking her head saying, "They never believe me." Heh. It made me laugh. 

[King of Birds]

How May We Hate You?  I was reading an article about comedian Anna Drezen (on Grantland) and now I cannot stop reading her blog!

 

edit

"I'm going to count to 3. Drop the gun or I'll shoot."

No idea. But here is the link I used to look up shows coming on.

Edited August 25, 2014 by King of Birds

[Glory]

Holy shit! It was "The Mysteries of Laura" with Debra Messing. I didn't even realize that was her! 

[smrou]

I didn't even realize that Playing House hasn't been renewed yet.  Get on that...whatever network it's on (USA?).  It should totally be renewed.  

 

As is usually the case, I'm pretty out of the loop when it comes to new series, so there's nothing I've been looking forward to or know I'm going to try out.  I've heard of a handful of shows, but not necessarily in a positive context.  From the list KoB linked to there are a handful that interest me based on the casting alone.  

[LiberryLady]

I watched Dr. Who last night. I already like Capaldi better than Matt Smith, and I was amused that they addressed his age over and over and over in the show.  I felt like that was pretty meta, because I'm sure it was discussed when the choice was announced.

 

So, when Obama was first running for president, people kept saying, "He's so young, so young!" And since he's just two months older than me, I was pleased as can be.  Now that the new Doctor is just three years older than I am but people keep saying, "He's so old, so old!" I feel like a damned crone.

 

Btw, when I first starting reading about Capaldi being the new Doctor, my mind was freakin' blown when I realized I had seen this wizened guy in the movie Local Hero in 1983. He was an INFANT.

 

[Pixel]

Sounds like. Kalliste has the same TV I do, just a bit smaller. Yeah, like she said (and I said). I really only got the smart TV because it was an open box. Someone had returned it because they wanted a 70" and mine is I think a 55". The open box made it $100 cheaper than the smaller, non-smart TV we'd intended to buy, so it was really just an opportunity. Even the sales guy told us the smart features were essentially a waste of money. We never use the smart features at all. We do occasionally use the 3D.

[Glory]

Oh, I forgot. I'm loving You're the Worst on FX lately. The two leads are just so freaking charming I can't stand it. The British guy reminds me of Hugh Grant so much, but cuter. Also, I love the guy who plays Edgar. If you haven't watched it yet, check out the pilot. I think they're only 6 or so episodes in so plenty of time to catch up. 

[MichelleAK]

The only new shows I'm really interested in are Gotham and Gracepoint.  I may watch The Affair, and see how it goes.  I started watching Intruders, and it's really confusing.  I hope the second episode makes things more clear.

 

For returning shows, I'm looking forward to The Blacklist, Sleepy Hollow, and Bob's Burgers.  Kind of looking forward to Boardwalk Empire (although I hated last season), Person of Interest (although I didn't care for the multiple conspiracy thing at the end of last season), and way off in the future, the final part of Mad Men. I've mostly lost interest in Homeland, The Walking Dead, and a few other shows I used to watch.  I've heard good things about Brooklyn 99, so I may try to catch up on the first season (at least some shows), and start watching the second season.

 

And, of course, looking forward to some football!

[Too Late Kev]

I generally print out a fall schedule and circle things I'm interested in trying out, but I haven't done that yet this year. I know I want to see Scorpion, because it looks good and cheesy.

 

I'm working my way through HitFix's Take Me To the Pilots (that link isn't to the first page, it's just where I am at the moment) which is a "brief gut reaction to not-for-air pilots." That helps me figure out what I might want to check out, and now I'll look at King of Birds' link, too -- that looks helpful.

[Glory]

I was staring at my pantry in a panic this morning because I was out of soy milk for my coffee when I spotted a can of coconut milk. Can I just say that this might have been my best idea ever? And at 6 in the morning, I might add.

 

I'm in heaven.

 

Any plans for the long labor day weekend? 

 

We're having my sister's bachelorette party this weekend. We're going on a Booze Cruise on Lake Michigan! I might just have to be the boss of dancing. 

[smrou]

Coconut milk for the coffee.  That does seem like an excellent idea.

 

 

 

Any plans for the long labor day weekend?

I'm going with some friends down to New York.  We're seeing If/Then tonight and hoping to get rush tickets to another show as well.

 

And then school starts for real (in that actual students will be present, as opposed to the two days of work I had this week) on Tuesday and I don't think I've ever been less prepared.  But...hey, I'll figure out something to do.  

Edited August 29, 2014 by smrou

[King of Birds]

Coconut milk? Bleh.  What's crazy is I went into a brand new grocery store here in LA and they had about one-third of a aisle/row devoted to "waters" - like, the various vitamin waters, and then Arrowhead, Dasani etc.  IT'S WATER! Also, no grocery store needs not one but TWO escalators. I have a basket of food to take out, and have to put the basket in more than one accompanying basket escalator?  (That's just a visual help- not the store I was at)

 

Any plans for the long labor day weekend?

Hateball draft on Saturday!  Be there or be square.
 

 

We're going on a Booze Cruise on Lake Michigan! I might just have to be the boss of dancing.

Ha! PLEASE let there be a limbo competition. And, pix are always appreciated.

Edited August 29, 2014 by King of Birds

[possibilities]

Big fan of coconut. I give 27 seconds of silence to Glory's idea. And I don't even drink coffee.

 

My big plans for the holiday weekend are to sleep as much as possible. This is becoming my go-to special activity for any available holiday. I seem to be too busy most of the time, so this is my reward.

 

I still haven't found time to sift through the new shows for the fall.

 

I'm too stunned by the idea of a two storey grocery store to even form an opinion about the idea of one with a dual-track escalator. But I do find the bottled water industry fairly shocking. I guess if you don't trust the tap, you need the bottles. But I am lucky enough to have a clean well here.

Edited August 29, 2014 by possibilities

[Kalliste]

 

I'm too stunned by the idea of a two storey grocery store to even form an opinion about the idea of one with a dual-track escalator. But I do find the bottled water industry fairly shocking. I guess if you don't trust the tap, you need the bottles. But I am lucky enough to have a clean well here.

Same! I've never even seen a basket escalator before.. I don't even get the reason for it's existence, seems like it'd make more sense for the escalator to be a travelator so you could take a trolley up.

 

I think we've had massive water aisles for a while.. still water, carbonated, soda, mineral, lightly flavoured etc.

[EllieH]

 

I was staring at my pantry in a panic this morning because I was out of soy milk for my coffee when I spotted a can of coconut milk. Can I just say that this might have been my best idea ever? And at 6 in the morning, I might add.

Not a fan of coconut at all... but I have put ice cream in my coffee before when I have run out of milk, which was awesome!

[King of Birds]

Ice cream, in coffee. Will wonders never cease. You're a regular barista there, Trish!

[LiberryLady]

Same! I've never even seen a basket escalator before.. I don't even get the reason for it's existence, seems like it'd make more sense for the escalator to be a travelator so you could take a trolley up.

 

Kalliste, I live about a half hour away from KOB, and I've never seen a basket escalator, either.  I know what a trolley is (it's another name for a grocery cart, right?) but what pray tell is a "travelator"?

[Too Late Kev]

I've seen one grocery store with an escalator for carts, but for some reason, it was a 2nd-story grocery store. No idea what was below.

 

I was using olive oil as a butter substitute (cooking for someone with a lactose problem) and I didn't have enough olive oil, so I used a bit of coconut oil. It worked fine, but the homemade mac & cheese smelled a bit of coconut and was kind of sweet. It was the teensiest bit of coconut oil, too. Coconut kind of takes over, it seems to me.

 

My plans for the weekend? Not setting an alarm any of the days. I've been driving kids to school and picking up for over a week now (pre-season sports and one kid started school already) and getting up and out the door earlier than I've wanted to -- I already need a break!

Edited August 30, 2014 by Too Late Kev

[possibilities]

I do a lot of dairy-free cooking and my rule is olive oil for savory, coconut oil for sweet. So: pie crust for apple pie? Use coconut oil. Crust for turkey pot pie? Olive oil. Cookies? Coconut oil. Stir fry? Olive oil. I don't notice the coconut oil tasting like coconut, but it does have a sweeter disposition. Olive oil is good on popcorn, by the way-- and salads. I can't imagine using coconut oil on a salad. But it is good for cinnamon toast.

 

What is in dairy-free mac and cheese? It's not some tofu monstrosity, is it? My ex made tofu lasagne that was actually really great, but I suspect that might have just been because I loved her. Other than that, I've never known tofu to genuinely work as a substitute for cheese. If you've made it work, I want to know the secret!

[Pixel]

Ikea has cart escalators. I love them.  It's so much nicer than waiting for the elevator.

[Too Late Kev]

Sorry, it wasn't dairy-free mac& cheese, it was lactose-free (and of course, gluten-free). I used Tinkyada macaroni noodles (which I can find in most grocery stores), Lactaid for the milk, and cheese that says it's free of lactose, like Cabot's, and then olive oil for the bit of butter it calls for.

[Kalliste]

Kalliste, I live about a half hour away from KOB, and I've never seen a basket escalator, either.  I know what a trolley is (it's another name for a grocery cart, right?) but what pray tell is a "travelator"?

I actually googled travelator to make sure it was a thing :P it's an escalator but flat, so you can take trolleys (or prams or whatever), which I assume are the same as a grocery cart, up. According to wikipedia you might know it as a moving walkway?:

[Too Late Kev]

I've never seen a moving walkway with a slope, though. My experience with those is basically at airports and they've all been flat. I'd have a problem holding the cart in front of me and/or be afraid the person in front of me would have that problem!!

[LiberryLady]

I've never seen a moving walkway with a slope, though. My experience with those is basically at airports and they've all been flat. I'd have a problem holding the cart in front of me and/or be afraid the person in front of me would have that problem!!

 

Heh, yeah, I'm imagining that sloped moving walkway turning into a Mr. Bean skit.

[King of Birds]

Breaking TV news:  First, earlier in the week, there was an article that they're re-booting The Greatest American Hero. My buddy and I loved that show when we were... 13?  And now?  The Tick is being revived! With Warburton!

 

----

Now that you've had a chance to digest that re-boot / re-make news, here are this year's Hateball team names. We've moved far beyond Office/ Arrested Development/ P&R names.  Can you figure it out?

 

8.1

Valyrian Steelers

Tina's Butts

Tread Lightly

Homeless Ghost

The Beefsquatches

Trending on Twitter

Game of End Zones

The One Who Knocks

Dancing Hashtag

EP Lovers!

 

8.2

Alien Insurance Co.

Viral Ice Buckets

ParticipantsRHeroes!

Dancing Baby Groot

Sabotaging Chefs

Clone Club Originals

Wolves, Lower

Ew!

[LiberryLady]

they're re-booting The Greatest American Hero. My buddy and I loved that show when we were... 13?  And now?  The Tick is being revived! With Warburton!

 

Look at what's happened to meeeee...

I can't believe it myself.

Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,

it coulda been somebody eeeeelse!

 

Believe it or not I'm walking on air,

never thought I could be so free-eee-eee!

Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer,

Who could it beeee?

Believe it or not it's just meeeee!

 

(From memory, folks, not the internets.  From the time of tv opening credit jingles.)

 

And The Tick!!! Spooooon!!!

[Too Late Kev]

Can you figure it out?

 

8.1

Valyrian Steelers -- GOT

Tina's Butts

Tread Lightly

Homeless Ghost

The Beefsquatches -- P&R?

Trending on Twitter -- Obvious, I think (but not to mean it's not a good name; I like it)

Game of End Zones -- GoT

The One Who Knocks -- Breaking Bad

Dancing Hashtag

EP Lovers!

 

8.2

Alien Insurance Co.

Viral Ice Buckets -- the Ice Bucket Challenge, I assume.

ParticipantsRHeroes!

Dancing Baby Groot -- Guardians of the Galaxy

Sabotaging Chefs

Clone Club Originals

Wolves, Lower

Ew! -- Jimmy Fallon

Percentage-wise, I didn't do too well. Who can fill in more (without Googling)?

[Pixel]

I'm so excited about The Tick!  I can't even!

[Too Late Kev]

I never watched The Tick, but I was a Greatest American Hero fan. I remember that being on in the lounge of my college dorm with people congregated around.

[Kalliste]

I've never seen a moving walkway with a slope, though. My experience with those is basically at airports and they've all been flat. I'd have a problem holding the cart in front of me and/or be afraid the person in front of me would have that problem!!

The way they are designed the wheels of the trolley stick into the grooves of the travelator so that they don't roll you over :)

[Too Late Kev]

That makes sense, thanks. :)

[smrou]

I've never been to a supermarket with a grocery cart escalator but I've been to two Targets that have them.  One in Stoughton, MA where the store is one floor but is on the second level, so to get the cart to or from the parking lot you need to use the escalator.  The other is in downtown Minneapolis, where the store is multiple levels. 

[Pixel]

We have a Menard's here that has the sloped escalators for carts and flatbed carts. It's nifty. Some dumbasses without carts though, will stand in the middle of them instead of walking up or standing to the side.