The temporary Hastings thread

Leave it to John to tie it all together for us; birthdays, biology, and edible pets.

(I like this one, but I'm not sure you should call K4l1 "yak." She seems cool and all, but that might be pushing it. The image is pretty great, though.)

Also, my final test is tonight (at long, long last) between 5:30 and 7:30. Please send good vibes my way if you think of it during that time period because some of the information I'm solid on, but some of it is slipping through my brane...

The really good part: tomorrow I get to start my baking and wrapping frenzy, and get started on the 90-100 Xmas cards I need to get out. YAY!

My sister's pet rabbit is here for a while.
Stew.
Babbits are frustrating. 'I love you...from the floor...forever.'

My cat is sitting across from, and staring at, my nephew.

merry mcbirthmas

Bit by bit the entire DrunkBoy Records librady will slowly be made available on Last.FM's previews and downloads.
This is likely be something we'll continue for a year or so as a promotion method.
Bit by bit things will be moved to eMusic, but with albums ranging from 6 to 81 tracks, things get expensive at $0.99/song.

I humbly as those here to listen to some things as they are put up, and recommend other do so as well if you enjoy it.

Hmmmm, could you explain Last.FM a bit more for the mentally incompetent among us (meaning me)? I'd be happy to check it out.

Also Dan, if you are reading this, thank you for being too polite to point out that none of the solutions to the proposed problem (on my blog) were correct. (Well, I'm pretty sure. Insomnia and exhaustion are still influencing my ability - or inability - to think. The sad part about it was that I was completely sober when I wrote it; since I had to make the hour drive home I didn't have the Bloody Mary I wanted. Probably a good thing!)

i wanna see yr blog sara!

Ha, no you really don't. It's just on my myspace. Here is last night's incoherence:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=68759503&blogID=205338175&MyToken=83687a29-d6c5-438d-ab03-db7eb6b2356e

The one before it, where I relate my humorous mistake about penis anatomy, is more coherent. Which is a sad, sad statement.

Er, Sara...? I kind of did point out that none of the solutions were correct. Sorry.

i would make you my friend but i've kind of been banning myspace for over a month now. seeing how long I can stay off.

Ah, Dan, but you were so circumspect as to be incomprehensible to my addled mind. So I'll still count you as polite. How did I pass grade school? I have no idea any more. SERIOUSLY!

Sam, not to worry about myspace. How long can you go?!

WOW I was addled last night. (I re-read your comment Dan... god I was out of it. WOW!)

I am going to drive to Hastings today to get my hair cut (yeah, yeah, the same person has cut my hair since I was 12). I hope my brain is functioning enough to drive by now. Maybe I should let J. drive...

Umm...
Last.fm is a site that allows you to do two things: see what other people are listening to(see Ugly Puppy on John's MySpace or bones on mine) and also to listen to and/or download music by clicking on the songs that are listened to by said people.
Once the DBR catologue is up, anyone listening to a DBR artist on the Last.FM system will automatically post a link to the relavant album.
This alone will help, but reccomending things to people who might be interested extends things past that.

So yeah. It's on it's way. I shall put up more Waking Up Corky and possibly some Satanists In Love and Warm [Ph]{F}ilters.

Thanks dude, I'll check it out when I get a chance.

I'm off to Hastings for the day... blah.

"blah" is definitely an appropriate response to going to Hastings. Another is "oh god, please no, anything but that".

It could have been way worse. J. had a great time seeing her grandparents and being fussed over by the lady who cuts my hair (who I also adore). Then we ate lunch out with my Mom, which was weird - I saw Kr1sty P34ch4 and Ms. D4v1s. (Remember Ms. D4v1s?)

Oh, plus my Mom gave me a blow dryer for my hair, cuz you know, she needs me to look prettier.

I'M IN UR AREA STEALIN MY NEIGHBOUR'S BROADBAND SIGNAL!!!!!!1!

Yay suzy's home!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just thinking yesterday about how you'd come home and it wouldn't be as cold as it was and how disappointed you'd probably be. ;)

I never want to fly Continental EVER AGAIN. The SHIT they fed us, the hassle of changing planes, the way BOTH Gatwick and Houston's relevant sections of the airport for Con Air smelled like dirty socks and the way anyone wearing shiny navy polyester trousers was delusional about thinking we, the customers, worked for them or something. One nice thing was the stew who gave us free wine and handfuls of pretzel packs because we were delayed for three hours getting on our "Express" flight.

Not too cross about the snow situ because I'd have to shovel for my mom otherwise. Also am sure we will have some while I'm here.

OH HOLY JESUS GOD my mom's alarm just went and it's OFFENSIVE - the Lone Ranger theme. WHY????

mmm, I kind of miss stealing my neighbor's wireless. Funky, Warthog, always wondered who they were.

Yikes suzy, your flight sounds awful. If I'm remembering right, you didn't want to fly Continental anyway, but had to for some reason? I don't remember the last time I did, but it's not an airline that I have positive thoughts about.

Lone Ranger theme alarm? Okay, well, I guess it would wake you up... My Dad's cell phone ring tone is the Mission Impossible theme, if that makes you feel any better.

I am lame and have never stolen anyone's broadband signal!

Ah, but see the COMPUTER asks me if I would like to join a network, which counts as an invite to me!

I guess that's the trouble with having the DSL line. The computer just assumes I want to be good.

So, have you started your vintage shopping rampage yet?

Nah, I bought a pair of shoes at Heartbreaker*, and spent most of the time until I had to go meet my friend trying on all the skinny jeans in Uptown. Need more skinny jeans. The ones at the Gap are too lowriderish and I don't buy those jeans that cost $150. Perhaps back to Urban Outfitters for the Levi's ones? Ah, no sales tax on clothes-land, how I love thee.

APB: woman who goes to downtown Dayton's I mean Macy's to buy all the clearance YSL shoes to put on eBay, I HATE YOU. In fact I imagine you have podgy hands and a bad manicure.

*my mom hated the shoes, which is a GREAT sign in fashion terms, if you know what I mean.

I am desperate for any jeans that fit. Having a short waist combined with being horribly picky is causing problems. $150?! Good lord, no.

I love that your mom hated your shoes; definitely a good sign. My mother kept complimenting me on Thursday, which I feel might not be a good sign.

Dayton's/Macy's - I swear my mother has gone to the Burnsville Dayton's to tithe every Thursday since forever. I'm concerned that the switch to Macy's is going to kill her.

I fear for the health of the YSL/eBay woman if you find her, too.

The Levis are $68 at Urban Outfitters. They are low-riding but are at least ADVERTISED as such. I am very slender-waisted in contrast to my BUTT.

Hey, at least your mom isn't sat there trying to tell you that Halliburton is a nice company.

Tight jeans are a turn off for meself, friend al3x, and notable numbers of people I've met.

Al3x describes it with an MST3K quote. "GOD! She's Displaying like a mandril!"

Even if I like what I see I then think "Well, now that I've seen it, that leaves one less thing to look forward to later."

But then there are those who just look and drool and stumble forward(there are things that do that for me, namely girls in suits).

I realise most girls(and guys for that matter) don't buy clothes for other people, but that was really just me being reminded that the current trends leave me with alot of eye candy(though it's alot like Bernie Bott's Beans ;-_- ) I don't like feeling like I shouldn't talk to all these strippers around me, with their spray-on clothes.

But I do remember on like my second or third date with a girl about 3 years ago, she wore low-cuts, visible ruffled panties, not sure how long her shirt was(I love bellies...) but my brain turned off.
She walked up to my car(we met in the lot) and eye-level...blood...not...in...brain....

Knew she was a nice girl, though.
She was like, VERY feminist. Like, alot of paglia books in her room. Maybe she was demonstrating her ability to have equal power of a different nature...

Or maybe she got advice from her non-nerd sister.
She was nerdier than me....

Paglia books are not necessarily sign of feminism. But maybe I'm a bad judge of that because I think Paglia is kind of wacko.

Suzy, maybe I will try the Levis. I don't know; the one thing I do know is that NO ONE sees my belly, except my husband. I've seen a lot worse walking around our little college town, but that's an area that I've always hated.

She read the books and cared about her opinion.
Well, I take it she took some from here, some from there etc.
But she was moderately anachronistic in her feminism.
It was kinda annoying in some ways, like she wanted the rights and responsibilities of both societal gender roles, but refused to allow me the same.
Do you want me to be manly and protective or open the door for yourself??

Yeah. That was one of the very few real problems I had with dealing with her.

Oh, please, not the door argument. The person with the least burden opens the door for the person who is more burdened. What glands you were born with do not really matter.

I met Camille Paglia once and was not terribly impressed. She struck me as a reactionary who would never have troubled the cultural firmament had she been given proper employment in the late-'60s feminist industry because that's what all her issues seem to stem from. This is not a good enough foundation on which to build an academic career - and she never studied at anyplace particularly thrilling, or with anyone particularly useful, which is GROOVY for her self-styled 'I, Athena, sprang from the head of Zeus" shit.

Also please be advised that I wouldn't wear skinny jeans if they gave me camel toe or muffin top, because that = jeans which do not fit.

I have never read Paglia's books (although I got one free last year at the end of the huge used booksale we have in Northfield every year, and it is on my shelf). My opinion about her is mostly from reading her stuff at Salon.com. I can't even remember any specifics; I just remember that every time I read one I'd end up thinking "WTF?!" several times.

Doors - suzy is exactly right. But it never hurts to be polite and try to open the door for any person - regardless of gender, in my opinion. I'm always a bit taken aback by the few men who won't go into a door before me, but whatever. I've got bigger fish to fry.

Like the fact that my kids seriously asked for Chia pets for Christmas. That is so SO wrong.

Suzy, I have no idea if I'd wind up with muffin top, but I'm afraid to find out. Maybe I should devote my life to Pilates.

Yeah, have cousins that are so young I feel like a dowager auntie and they want all this stuff that is also just WRONG. Usually the items are not exactly flame-retardant so I don't have to get into a tacky gift conundrum. I snuck a look at their report cards to see what they were capable of reading but this flummoxed me - the reports are nothing like we received.

Yeah. I was taller, and stronger. thus, I'd get to the door sooner, and be able to open it more easily.
I was opening the door because...I could and wanted to.
She like, seemed to take offence. That was just an example of a series of things. It was more that she didn't want me to do it because she seemed to think I was doing it because society wanted me to, rather than myself.
I bought her things and payed for movies and stuff. Again, took offense. Well, BUY ME SOMETHING if you're so concerned. I suggested the movie, I figured I should pay... YOU payed for the food you suggested...

Basically I had no way of knowing what was expected of me, or when.

suzy - the chia pet thing is definitely because they saw tv commercials. I don't know if that is consolation or not. Buy difficult reading material for your cousins; maybe they'll grow into it. (Must brag on Alex: he is a fantastic reader and speller and read a 500 page book last year, as a 2nd grader. Like his parents, he struggles more with math. But we parents like to talk about the good things...)

GZeus, your commentary is making me so happy to be an old married lady. Those issues don't even cross my mind anymore!

Also, everyone can be proud of me since I drove in both St. Paul and in Mpls tonight. Downtown Mpls even.

。。。You're welcome?

I'll be willing to conform to a degree to the Japanese Mr Right Rides a White Horse kinda thing.
I mean, basically it seems to be like the 1950s without the christian repression, societal arterial blockage, or as much alcoholism.
As much...

Hmmm, the arterial blockage I'd miss, I think. I only spent two weeks in Japan, but I seriously missed cheese and ice cream. And skim milk - all I could find was whole, and I hate that. (Not that skim milk clogs arteries, but I usually drink it with chocolate desserts...) But to each their own.

Parts of Northfield just recovered from a mysterious power outage. So I'm now happy to have heat. And light so I can work on my holiday cards.

SRC, I think it's going to be Charlotte's Web for this lot (but not the movie tie-in cover) and maaaybe something Little House. They're messy kids with *zero* attention spans and the sooner they get hooked into reading the better it will be for them. I despaired when I saw the report cards not because their results were crap but because they seemed to be measured on the most BASIC stuff (can they count to 100? Backward from 10 etc?), but they both scored high creatively. It's pretty useless to compare me at the same age because I was being given boxed sets of Little House and the hardcore real versions of all the fairy tales and going through them faster than my dad can eat a rack of ribs.

Those are great book choices for kids, I think; I was happy to have both when I was a little. (Otherwise, while I was a good reader, I was pretty well limited to my Mom's box of old Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames books. A. is constantly mentioning books for Alex and then, when I say I didn't read them, he acts all amazed. Sorry, I grew up with parents who didn't care about reading and who still disapprove of buying books!)

You know, I've never read the hardcore versions of the fairy tales, but I've been meaning to do so. For some reason I really want to read the real "Little Mermaid" one...

As for the current education system, it is totally geared toward measuring basics and standardized tests. Don't even get me started. Sounds good that at least your cousins had some kind of creativity score...

Yes, I saw Ju3l's Iowa test results too. It just reminded me of Lake Wobegon because of the 'above average' scores. I never had The Phear of those tests at all and I'm probably not the only person on this thread who tested off the scale.

I just got finished chatting with my mom, who told me to throw all comparisons between me and those kids out le fenetre because I was reading at three. The story is that we had gone to lunch and I was after a corned-beef sandwich (Lincoln Del, RIP) and she lied and said it wasn't on the menu. I asked her to let me see the menu again and apparenly I hit her with, 'look, there's corned beef and Reuben!' I'd had a really stonking case of meningitis before my first birthday so my mom did work with me a bit due to brain damage paranoia; nevertheless they were quite shocked.

Other cool books I was given: my grandmother's friend worked for Houghton Mifflin or something and I was given box sets of everything from a child-friendly biography of Cesar Chavez to collections of folk tales eg. Anansi the Spider but the real piece of cake was the box set of Judy Blume novels when I was eight or so. Other box sets include Little House (obviously; it was on television) and anything horsey or animalish by Marguerite Henry. I really hated Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew though - pure allergy there.

They're all above average in Lake Wobegon. At least that's what I hear...

I think your story about reading at 3 is hilarious! I wish J. could read; she'd entertain herself a lot better, that is for sure.

Meningitis = SCARY. I know a kid who had it as a baby and he has so many problems...

Nancy Drew/Cherry Ames - what can I say, I worked with what I had access to... my kids are a lot luckier in this regard. (I re-read a Nancy Drew a couple of years ago and found it mortifyingly bad, wow. Were they all that bad? Entirely possible!)

Judy Blume, yay! My Mom once bought a copy of Are You There, God; It's Me, Margaret for a friend of mine without reading the back of it first. When she did, she was so shocked that we wound up keeping the book. (Which was a bonus for me...)

Oh! In a related Hastings, story, my mother introduced me to some woman who literally whispered that her daughter had gotten her "girl thing" when she was only 10 years old. It took me a minute to realize that she couldn't say that her daughter got her period when she was a bit young.

I've had a few conversations with young moms who are petrified that their girls will get early periods from bovine growrth hormone in the food chain. Back in the day I remember that only one morbidly obese girl got it at that age, ie. before the school sent the explanatory booklet home called How Shall I Tell My Daughter? I was already nose-deep in medical books by then, due to reading anything not nailed down.

Meningitis: I had the *worst* kind, meningococcal meningitis. Streptococcal is the one that causes deafness but mine is named after the meninges, the lining of the brain that becomes affected, hence brain damage paranoia. We think now that I had a massively impacted immune system; three years later it came to light that I had kidney cancer which had probably been with me undetected since birth. It meant that I caught every disease going from routine vaccinations and it wasn't found until the neighbour's dog bit me, emergency room doctor felt for infection related swelling and was all of a sudden HOLY SHIT, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Answer: total killer cancer that leaves most kids' renal systems obliterated and in 98 per cent of cases back then, muerte. Not me, however - and I still have all my kidneys. My mom told me I'd been very sick with a Lump until I was six and came into her room with a medical book open to TUMORS and she had to 'fess up.

On a lighter note:
Don't you hate it when porn stars call you in the middle of the night asking why you like sex?
...I....do...

Also, I was surprised to find that 8 hour parties with no drinking can be quite entertaining.

GZeus, I don't recall any porn star ever calling me. But that might be my dull past haunting me yet again.

Suzy - yes, this woman was very concerned that early menarche was becoming more common (some medical person said it was). Okay, increased childhood obesity is likely a factor, but it seemed impolite to say that. (And correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation, but still, some if it is likely that.)

Meningitis - yours was the viral kind, correct? I think that is what this kid had as well, although I never asked. My god, you are lucky wrt both the meningitis and kidney cancer. (I so want to read your medical records.) Your mother sounds like she had a hard time keeping up with you.

Also, it is clear that I have yet to be de-programmed from anatomy class, because the first thing I think of when I see the word "meninges" is "pia mater, arachnoid mater, dura mater." Knowing the layers doesn't tell me much; physiology is going to be so much more interesting. (And where I will faaaaaaiiiiillll....).

I must report that I am up to the "P" section of my address book for Christmas carsd. Only 20 or so more to go! After which I will pass out cold.

SRC, the main thing about the menarche trend seemed to be based on increased levels of estrogen/hormones in the food chain, which also means *little boys with moobs*.

Well, it could be; it's increasingly common.

I suppose I shouldn't be laughing at "moobs." If anything could scare old school corporate types (who would normally care less about what is in food; where is the money*!?), it is the idea of their grandsons with moobs...

*I'm basing this stereotype entirely on a friend of my Dad's.

Yeah, screw what happens to mere girls...;-)

The layers of coincidence.
http://kotonoha.monkey-pirate.com/ongoing-series/hourou-musuko/

Or maybe it's my mind losing its mind again.

I have Music from Taiwan in my head.
I don't even know if it's in CHinese or Taiwanese.

Because it's being sung by an antire party of people from Taiwan.

Also, it's an amalgamation of like 20 terrible songs.

Suzy, there's a whole thread about this article, but here's the link anyway (I can't remember the name of the thread):
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53327

They seem a lot more worried about the boys. (Warning: that article is beyond ridiculous.)

GZeus, twenty terrible songs could be good in Chinese. But if it's in your head and you don't want it there, I'm sorry.

As for me, I seem to have re-broken my left pinky toe somehow. I guess on the treadmill...? WTF.