"The man literally LIVES in their head nonstop!"

There's some truth to this but I think the same is true of supporters. Many seem to have lost the ability to think independently. And who also seem unable to recognize the daily stream of obviously made-up falsehoods and lies to be what they are.

OJ, he literally lives ON your head. It’a a cult.

I just wish someone could explain why she was allowed to be alone with the children after expressing fear of harming them. Makes no sense.

This has to be very difficult for any jury. The judge repeatedly reminded them not to let emotions factor in. That had to be extemely challenging with photos of the deceased children, descriptions of their injuries, the mother sobbing, etc. I was surprised when the prosecutor pulled the children’s pajamas out of bags to show the jury. The photos of them wearing them weren’t enough? IDK, was that an attempt to target emotions?

Yes and no -- it depends on whether alternatives are acceptable to me. Plastic has a lot of good uses too.

I will happily use paper instead of plastic straws, but I will not collect all my produce in loose pieces in the grocery store, especially if they're prone to leave pieces of themselves in my shopping bag or knapsack. I still use plastic bags to store some things (especially for the freezer) because it prevents freezer burnt and dried out food - which means less food waste - but I happily buy toilet paper that's wrapped in paper instead of plastic. I will only buy meat in a plastic bag - even butcher's cut that's wrapped in butcher paper will go in a plastic bag - because of the contamination risk.

I am mostly not eliminating plastic from my life, but I am taking a closer look at when and why I use it so I can consider alternatives.

I enjoyed some nice beach weather this weekend, with an onshore breeze keeping the sweat down. I cut the long weekend short as my wife gets ready to leave for 1.5 months tomorrow, I wanted to visit my mom at rehab, etc. I’m sorry to see summer leave us but I really enjoy all our distinct seasons so there’s always something to look forward to in that regard. But I’ve got a bunch of uncertainty in life, and I’m a little overwhelmed thinking about where things will land and how I’ll manage getting there, so that’s more on my mind than pumpkin spice lattes right now.

People are indeed hard.

Oh. Wait - you mean to paint! 😆

I love the portrait. It has a slightly abstract feel to it for me, almost like it is based on a dream.

That is such a lovely sketch Marti! Your friend is very talented ❤️

I used to be hesitant to try something brand new for which I have no affinity or skills….. in my third act I have clearly lost that inhibition 😎

FWIW, a trick I learned many years ago is to turn your work upside down to check for symmetry, distortions, etc....

Saw that news as well - I think Mapquest knows which way the wind blows 🙂

"I think Mapquest knows which way the wind blows "

Or certainly where all the hot air is coming from!

Since there is no legal requirement for the name change, maybe the swing in popularity will cause the more used apps to revert to the proper names for geographic locations....not those made up by some sharpie-wielding man-baby.

Update: The ibuprofen started my stomach hurting so I had to quit that too. Good news is I am now able to go without pain meds. The shooting/stabbing pains have stopped and I have just a slight headache and/or discomfort on that side. Scalp is still tender to the touch. A hint of rash is still visible on my face and into my scalp, but it is so much improved. It's not yet been 4 weeks, so I'm hoping this outcome is due to my being vaxed and getting the anti-virals quickly.

About 15 years ago, I met some people who went, and they just shook their heads at how crazy they were to have done it, but they didn't regret it either.

I love going to hear live music, and am a Grateful Dead enthusiast (ie deadhead) and went to many hundreds of their shows- as well as countless other concerts, beginning with the Beatles. I met my husband and the vast majority of my friends at Dead shows. I still see a lot of live music; I saw Maria Muldaur last Sunday! But…Woodstock doesn’t look appealing to me, primarily because of the mud and bathroom issues. I lived on the other side of the country, so I didn’t even consider it.

The deletions are getting very tedious.

Outpatientzero is Kevin, he has been posting here for years - and announced his name change so this is not me telling stories out of turn.

And frankly, I feel bad for both parties involved in the visit gone awry. Neither is happy with how things turned out and both have been dragged here enough. IMO, obviously.

I did have something good happen for me lately. I have a metal bench on my front porch that isn't any kind of standard measurement, so getting cushions was next to impossible.

My neighbor offered me a cushion she was no longer using for a window seat. It was perfect for depth and enough for a back as well but the material was not suitable for outdoor use.

Then I learned of another neighbor who makes cushions for boats so I got with him and showed him what I had. He made a cardboard pattern, he had material that would work and for a very good price he made the perfect cushions for my bench!!! I am thrilled and it is so comfortable now.

Adorable dog!

Agree LL Bean is going downhill too, though it hasn't gotten as bad as LE. What I really noticed about LL Bean is the weird fits of tops. I haven't tried any of their tops in a couple years, though, so I don't have a current reference point.

What I do love is their "classic" PJ bottoms -- they are high-waisted and generously cut but not sloppy big. Who the heck wants low-rise or mid-rise PJ bottoms is beyond me, but someone must because that's how they're cut now. Tugging at them because they fall down or dig into my crotch does not make for a restful night's sleep.

I haven't purchased anything from Eddie Bauer recently, the last thing was a spring coat and a winter coat, but that was a few years ago. Both of them are excellent quality. I still have some EB sweaters and T's that have held up beautifully over the many, many years I've had them. I hope they haven't taken too far of a nosedive these days.

I've also notice Duluth quality slipping. Some of the stuff is still really good (pants, mostly), it depends what it is. I have some men's and women's tops that have gotten holes in them not even a year in, and I the women's T's have from Duluth lose their shape and get baggy quickly IME. (I like men's tops for heavy garden work, they're roomier and feel more more comfortable in).

LLBean quality has definitely declined. And they don't have the sales that they used to either. And they put their logos in more conspicuous places now, too, which I generally dislike on my clothing.

I read that thrifting is huge with young people and I see them looking for vintage stuff. They must have been in pig heaven when I donated ten pairs of 60/70s jeans a few years ago. When I donate, I swing around and walk through the store, really not looking to buy because of the quality of new clothing. But on my last trip, I scored big time with $10 brand new Hokas in my size, which is pretty small, and I had just paid $169 for a pair, so a real deal. And on the same trip, two pairs of REI shorts for $3 a pair. Daughter who practically lives at our REI says they're $30 and these were in perfect shape.

So it's worth it for any of you looking for quality to search out your local thrift store. It helps if it's in an affluent area.

" His niche is not the sort of 'entertainment' I seek out. "

Ah, that's the thing......he didn't really have a niche. He was the crazed transvestite scientist in Rocky Horror, but he was also a pirate with the Muppets, Cardinal Richelieu facing the Three Musketeers, and King Arthur in Spamalot.

Just saw the letter sent out to kids in her reading program. 💗

Can't remember where I read/hear this but people all over are talking about the good works she did, her advocacy, donations, education incentives, book program etc etc much more than recounting how many #1 hits, awards, movies etc. Which is not to diminish her music/film/songwriting prowess. It just shows what is, perhaps, most meaningful to people is how she truly lived the qualities she encouraged for us all.

@bbstx just fyi if you don't want ai answers just put minus ai (written as -ai) at the end of your query. The first responses will typically be just like a search from Google or whatever one you use. The ai responses will still show up but be further down the page. I use it a lot, not 100% but much cleaner.

Oly, it says you are retired and very happy about that! 😆

Agree that many of the answers can go either way depending on the situation. That said I go back and forth between an INFP and INFJ. I did take the really long test during the hiring process for a job many years ago, can not remember which INF I was that day. I do find personality types interesting.

Speaking of big fluffy hair -- a friend just sent me this photo of me at a NYC party around 1990. It must have been a very humid day!

We love our - gasp - Corian. I’ve never put hot things directly on the counters. Have some scratches, but they aren’t bad. No chips. Still going strong since 2012.

Ally I am looking at these brands and colors:

Avonite:

Pebble Saratoga

Pebble lane

Vanilla

Whipped cream

Bone

Ice cap

Corian:

Abalone

Alabaster

Almond

Cameo white

Bisque

Dune prima

Hazel cream

Tranquil

Meganite:

Antique shell

Antique white granite

Bone

Canvas mist

Wilsonart gibraltar:

Europa

Grey moonstone

Livingstone:

Ariston

Fleece

Parchment

Sea pearl

Hanex:

Athena

Lotte Staron:

Beige granite

Dandelion

Magnolia

Natural bridge

Pebble tea rose

Sanded Sahara

Affinity

Bisque

Clean

LG himacs:

Bologna

Cobblestone

Coconut

Crystal beige

Egg white

Ivory white

Merino

Moon mist

Vathi

Mystera:

Chardonnay