![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-17616-100x100.png\")
If you order nasty smelly lunch and I am at the front desk...at least have the courtesy to come get it within...I dunno...an hour?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-16563-100x100.png\")
@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: Dripping saliva into briefly opened containers seems to make it smell better, I've found.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-389492-100x100.png\")
ok, the last few times i have posted adoptable kitty pictures here, the kitties got adopted over the weekend. so you guys are the rescue's good luck charm... or something
this week's adoptable kitten pics:
introducing jayden, julius [orange] and [snow white] blizz
poor blizz was hit by a car and found in a parking lot, here's her first baby pic [she's much better now]
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-505944-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: I want the stripey brown! It's probably a boy, though; our little guy is scared of other male cats, so we need a girl. But if it's a girl. . .the spouse did say he was open to the idea of a fourth!
@JulesNoctambule: jayden is a little girl
Petco Brier Creek
Alexander Promenade Place
Raleigh, NC
Saturday and Sunday
November 7-8
12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-244548-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: Heart is melting for Blizz. As a kid I rescued a white kitten during a Chicago snowstorm. Neighbor kids raised him and yes, he was named Blizzard. Blue eyes, deaf, and lived about 18 years.
Are you fostering or are they at a shelter? Link please?
@SkokieGuy: i'm not fostering right now, those are with my sister at the moment. i foster off and on when there's an extreme need because i am not home much and can't give them the attention they need.
mostly i do stuff like proofread the flyers, lug stuff around, buy food and medical supplies, and get people out to events.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-131723-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: If I was looking for a cat, I'd consider you guys, but I don't think one would like the 7 hour car ride back to MD
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: it's been done before, but i don't recommend it. if you are looking for a cat or know anyone who is, just go to a local rescue or shelter.
@catastrophegirl: Yeah, there's a nearby one I could take a look at, but not in the cards right now, my schedule sucks for owning a pet in general
@Taliskan: if you're being that generous, we actually have a few dozen right now. i just picked the ones for today that my sister is fostering. or rather, three of the five that she is fostering.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-537475-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: I love the kitties! I especially love the orange one. And I love the one in the post itself, the one playing with cords.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-488475-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: Oooh I WISH I could take the stripey kitteh....(not the orange one, the other one).
@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: not a clue. 'orange' julius is her brother [we name litters by letter for easy tracking]
they were ferals captured as babies and hand raised.
there's also jazz from that litter.
i know, too may kitteh pics for one day.
of course, if you guys want to see the really cute ones there's pebbles
and udder moo moo [sorry, he's already pending adoption]
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-498964-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: Jazz looks like Bastien and I'm pretty sure he's a Bengal too. I read all I could find about them when we got him. People pay big bucks for them, especially the marbled ones (like Jayden)
They are really interesting to read about. The personality traits are not typical for most house cats.
@HogwartsAlum: well she'll be at the adoption center this weekend. crossing my fingers for them all!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-529488-100x100.png\")
@catastrophegirl: Aww, he looks like the kitty I met last night. He had a broken hip :( but he was rambunctious.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-449801-100x100.png\")
I know that merchants aren't allowed to set a minimum amount for in-store credit card purchases. Does this apply to online shopping too?
Amie Street charged me $3 for a $1.50 album, since $3 is their minimum price for credit card purchases. I accepted it and now have a $1.50 credit on my account toward a future purchase.
@ovalseven: I don't know about the allowableness - and they shouldn't be able to CHARGE you more - but I've seen many places that will not place an order under X amount because it just isn't cost effective.
Todays news: It's my birfday! WOOOOO! PARTAY!
So far the haul has been: Bluetooth Headphones. (Awesome)
Two tripple chocolate cakes (One cheesecake, one regular cake, two different givers.)
and Viva Pinata for PC! WOO!
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-417012-100x100.png\")
@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Hippo Birdies! I mean Happy Birthday! Don't eat all that cake at one sitting--it's no fun having a tummy ache on your birthday.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-929652-100x100.png\")
@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Happy birthdayyyyyyyyy! I'm very jealous of the bluetooth headphones, I've really been wanting some. I hope you have a good birthday! :)
@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Yay, happy birthday! Reach around and give your tush a slappie for me!
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-545239-100x100.png\")
@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Happy birthday! Viva Pinata is tons of fun. My favorite animals were always the worms; the simplest to get and to take care of. The squirrels are great too. :)
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-773952-100x100.png\")
@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Happy birthday, Kimaroo! Hope Mr. Aroo got you something good - sounds like you already got some nice presents.
@InsertPithyNicknameHere: Thank you! : )
@squinko: Thanks! I feel ashamed that I haven't even opened it yet.. but I will.
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: Thank you! : ) I was secretly hoping that they would some how spring one on me for my birthday.. but I guess not. I mean.. they did give SteveDave a labcoat.. so my request can't be that far off base!
@Trai_Dep: Umm.. Thanks.. lol. Mr. Aroo did that for you, hopefully that is ok.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Thanks! : )
@HogwartsAlum: Thank you! WOO!!!
@pecan 3.14159265: Thank you! : ) I should have had a cupcake.. you're right.. but I did have pie.. and chocolate mousse.. and I still have those cakes in my fridge. I have no idea what I'm going to do with all of it.
@Ratty: LOL Thank you : ) Can I send you some cake to off-load some of it?
@locakitty: Thank you!!!
@katstermonster: Thank you : ) If you do get some I can't recomend the Altec Lansing ones enough.
@Paladin_11: Tank Fu! I mean.. thank you! lol.
@h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes: Thanks : ) It was a nice one!
@MostlyHarmless: Finnally on my PC so I can answer this.
He didn't get me anything on his own.. but he let me pick a place to go pick out something.. so I picked Bed Bath and Beyond and had a mini-shopping spree. (I love the coupons!)
These are all my presnts. I already listed everything above but I wanted to post links incase anyone wants to know more.
I've been using the heck out of my bluetooth headphones.. My dad got me thoes. They are Altec Lansing Backbeat 903s and they are awesome. I'm suprised by how far away from my Ipod I can get without any dropoff or anything. I tried them with my phone as well and the calls sound really good. A happy accident happened when I reconnected them to my Ipod, my phone was somehow still connected. I was listening to music and I did a test call to my cell, I heard it ring and I could pick it up.. then when the call ended it went right back to playing music. Two different devices connected at one time. That is awesome.
Anyway, as for the Mr. Aroo presents I got:
Oster Bread Machine
Cuisinart Stick Blender
And I picked up Some \"cheese spreaders\" because I've been looking for some for a long time. Mostly for butter-knife use.. but whatever.
With all my coupons I got that whole set of things for $100 dollars. So I'm pretty happy.
He also took me out to dinner at WaZa, which is a Japanese restarant. I had Tuna steak.. but what ever it was he had was way better.. lol. Thankfully we kinda shared. I also had chocolate mousse, which is my most favoritest desert ever.
So it ended up nice. I guess it was as good as it could have been with how much time he spends at work all the time. We even had to spend an hour while he worked that evening, : /.
I'm going to bite the bullet and try online dating again because I've grown tired of the fact that many of the folks I know center their whole social lives around certain bars.
Any recommendations on dating sites where the folks want to do more with their friday nights than just sit at the bar and chat with their friends?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-580579-100x100.png\")
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: Another vote for OKCupid. It's fun, I like their messaging system, and the crowd seemed to be more early/mid-20s. I will come clean though and say that I met my fiance on Craigslist (and NO, not in \"Casual Encounters\", thx).
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: OKCupid! But you knew I'd say that. :) I like it...the people who run it are super clever and have a sense of humor, and best of all, it's free. I suspect that since you live in a metropolitan area, you'll have some good pickin's.
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: Okcupid is pretty good. I've met my share of crazies but its great for making friends and building on that.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/css/images/default.gif\")
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: I've lurked on this site for months without actually creating an account (as a grad student I'm already swamped, and don't really need another distraction...) but finally broke down and made an account just to reply here: I highly recommend okcupid. I've had great success, and so have several of my friends. Granted, you will meet some \"interesting\" people - but I'm in a great relationship AND I made a handful of good friends from the site.
Note: I am in no way affiliated with OKC, I'm just a *very* happy user. :)
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-6173-100x100.png\")
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: Doesn't DC have singles nights at museums and things? I've always heard those attract a better class of lush.
I meet a lot of nice singles by joining stuff, and then I invite them to dinner parties with other nice singles. :) Like, volunteer organizations (Junior League me, Jaycees hubby), doing outdoorsy things (orienteering), taking random classes (stained glass had a lot of dudes; pottery had a lot of chicks), and stuff like that. It's both a lot more fun than going to Yet Another Bar, and you have something to talk about right off the bat.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): That's a good idea.
There's actually a singles night coming up for a Washington Capitals game, but unfortunately I'm performing in a play the same night :-( They need to do more than one during the season.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-436259-100x100.png\")
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: OkCupid.com. But you already knew that.
However, an online dating site cannot help if the singles scene in your city sucks.
@HogwartsAlum: DARNIT
I tried that one but I think you're right; it depends on where you are. There's NOTHING here. :P
@MostlyHarmless: Yeah, I figured that, I just must be looking in the wrong places. Probably doesn't help that I like men as well
@MostlyHarmless: A second vote for okcupid. Two of my friends just met people on there and their relationships are doing really well. They're compatible and they really like the people they've found.
This weekend should be lots of fun. Going to a wine tasting at the local cider mill, playing some D&D, hanging with some friends tonight. I'm also going to my mom's tonight to dig through the attic and the crawlspace to see if I can find any of my old toys, specifically my Ghostbusters proton pack and ghost trap (see here: [consumerist.com]). Maybe some My Little Ponies too. Who knows? :-D
I also did my first big craft project this week; I made one of those knotted fleece blankets. It was a lot of fun, but it's challenging when you have a place that's too small for a dining table. I had to do everything on the floor. But it was a great success.
@squinko: All I can think of when I hear D&D is the Dead Alewives skit...
Okay, but if there are any girls there, I wanna do them!
@squinko: First, I love that we live in a world where you can say \"wine tasting\" and \"D&D\" in the same sentence.
Second, I just did one of those blankets too (found random Duke-logo fleece at the fabric store!) and it is SO. WARM!!!! And it was simple enough my husband could help. We did ours on the floor too, even though I have a big table ... it was just easier.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I love it too. D&D and wine tasting are on different days though, but maybe with the same people, depending on who goes. Hahaha.
I can't believe how warm it is either. Mine is polka dots on one side and solid chocolate brown on the other. The other hard part of making it involved my cat thinking she could sleep on it whenever I rolled it out on the floor to work on it.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): the best part is they keep making new colors and the collection never has to stop - but they are small enough that they don't take up much space.
not that i am buying dice for anyone as presents lately, but been there, done that
Boring weekend - blood donation, homework, and crochet (and more homework). Hope some of you have some fun planned - I can at least live vicariously.
So I decided to read the Wheel of Time series about a month ago. I've finished the prologue through about 150 pages left in the third book (yeah, I have a long commute on the train).
Just so I know what I've gotten myself into, am I reading The Days of Out Lives, Geek Edition?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-2087-100x100.png\")
@nbs2: The 1st 3-4 books of WOT were terrific. I really thought Robert Jordan would be the next Tolkien. But around book 5, the series started dragging IMO. I kept wondering why Jordan's editor didn't try to get him to move the story along faster but then I read his wife was his editor which explains a lot :)And apparently Brandon Sanderson, who's finishing up the series, will take at least 3 books to do so. Aarggh.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-159004-100x100.png\")
@nbs2: It is really a great series, and I actually like it that some of them are longer.
The series itself starts to lag a little around 8,9,10, but knife of dreams was good and I finished Gathering storm in about 14 hours. It was the best book I've read in a really long time.
In Summary, it's a great read and very time consuming, which is generally the point of reading.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-543146-100x100.png\")
@nbs2: My advice is to put it down and read George R.R. Martin's \"A Song of Ice and Fire\" instead. I started WoT, got through the 8th book and realized that it took an awful lot of pages for not a lot to happen, really. Ice and Fire, though, holy crap. There's a hell of a lot packed into four books, with more on the way.
I'd also recommend Jim Butcher's Dresden Files if you like modern fantasy mixed with hard-boiled detective stories.
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: Ice and Fire? I'll check it out. Dresden Files sounds interesting, but I haven't found a good detective story in a while.
If it is any indication of what I can tolerate, I thought that Turtledove's Southern victory series was good, if a little repetitive and generally predictable (with the occasional twist). It was a bit soap opera-ish as well, but it managed to throw enough of the occasional action to keep things moving.
@nbs2: I really like Turtledove, but I'm also a history nerd, so I was constantly engaged with his work. Really, my biggest issue with WoT is that after Path of Daggers I realized I really had lost most of my interest in the story. Jordan's not a bad writer, he just seemed like he was padding things. Tight, fast paced narrative is not his strong point, it would seem. :-/
Martin, while not exactly lightening fast, definitely is not plodding.
I'm going to Epcot Food & Wine this weekend for the first time! I'm excited!!!
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: I didn't even know they had such a thing.. that sounds really fun! Did you meet any fancy celebrity chefs?
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: Oooo, used to do that when I lived in FL. Have a little extra fun so I can live vicariously!
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: don't miss the jalapeno walk [usually it's the 'rose walk'] down the right hand side headed from future world to the world showcase.
and a fun note: they replace almost all of the ornamental plants with edible plants during the weekend.
and if you play 'drink your way around the world' don't START with the yard beer at the rose and crown, you'll be out of the game before you get to morrocco.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1471334-100x100.png\")
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: I'm jealous. I would love to be in Disney right now.
Once again, outstanding job, Consumerist crew & fans, for planning and attending the First Annual Consumerist Meet-Up. Although FAC-MU sounds an awfully lot like FAK U, which brings up all sorts of giggly schoolboy word associations that I'm not sure if Earl Tigré would approve of.
Any more pictures?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-121828-100x100.png\")
See if I can get this img tag thing to work .... bears:
@larrymac - please put me on your do not call list: It's <img src=\"http://somesite.com/somewhere/pic.jpg\"> Nothing else.
@larrymac - please put me on your do not call list: a'ight, giving it a try. at least if it's too big it won't be at top level -
@larrymac - please put me on your do not call list: I'd really prefer that you not look here. Thanks. /images/churchill15-07.jpg
@MostlyHarmless: I am too tired to figure this out. I checked all file and directory permissions and things look right, but I didn't get any sleep last night, so who knows.
If anybody cares at this point, you can go back the polar bear thread and follow my flickr link, I think that one works.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-169958-100x100.png\")
Am i the only one that will type up a long response to something or someone, ten not submit it because i'm pretty sure nobody cares about what i'm talking about?
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-943594-100x100.png\")
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: My friend once made a comment about how hard it is to delete painstakingly written words though, the ones you've written by really agonizing over - and then you have to delete them...She looked up and said, \"God, it's like killing a baby.\"
In a room full of people.
I was one of few who laughed, because I knew what she meant - it's not something you'd want to do, not that she was actually thinking of killing a f'ing baby.
Though I can't say I usually agonize over internet posts. Deleting those is about as uncomfortable as swatting a fly.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-21970-100x100.png\")
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: I do it, and I write for the site! I frequently have to remind myself that the comment threads are for commenters, that I had my shot above, and that unless it's something really worth contributing I should sit back and enjoy the other half of Consumerist's content.
These Friday gabfests are particularly entertaining to scroll through.
@Chris Walters: Other comment events that I think are brilliant: when readers go on funny streaks, like the Beatles song knock-offs thread earlier this week.
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: I do it all the time. Here's the good thing: as long as your comment isn't just for the sake of being a douche, people actually DO care. :) Or at least, care enough to make conversation!
@pecan 3.14159265: after posting about my grandmother teaching me how to make chicken soup in the \"reporter measures 30 feet of noodles\" article, i want to create a weekly \"recipes\" thread in the open post.
@katstermonster: my original post was about how excited i was that we got a new clothes dryer. yeah, nobody cares about my new dryer, i know. (but HH gregg delivered it with no problems, they were in and out with the old one in less than 15 minutes!)
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: coming soon: consumerist cookbook titled 'i make my own at home'
@catastrophegirl: DUUUUUUUUDE!
I would gladly submit recipes to a Consumerist cookbook they could sell to raise money ... but only if it was called \"I Make My Own at Home\"!!!!!!!
(Also? The title page should have Consumerist Bingo on it.)
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): recipes that i can think would definitely fit certain themes:
a hollow, somewhat deceptive golden bread recipe: cash4gold
souffle [full of hot air] - 'taking it seriously'
mostlyharmless has suggested that EECB be a pizza recipe
i'm a bit disgusted by laura northrup's suggestion for 'executive customer service' to be chocolate mousse with a side of foie gras though
got any suggestions?
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): i was sitting around waiting on my car repair today and thinking about recipes. i might scroll through the most common tags and think of ways to associate them with food and troll for ideas in the next OT.
incidentally, the mechanic actually showed me my own air filter today and didn't push when i pointed out it was still pretty clean and that's not what i came in for.
they don't try to upsell me too hard because i usually come in knowing what's wrong already. like today's rotor problem and leaky valve stem.
@catastrophegirl: heh, nice call!
i find that the majority of my recipes are altered in order to remove sugar, or replace with splenda. i've had some come out very well, others... not so well.
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: ugh. i can't stand the taste of splenda. and it actually gives me a weird unpredictable blood sugar problem. i could only tolerate it in carbsmart ice cream but then i found that somewhere between 4-8 hours later i'd have a crazy glucose spike.
nutritionist said some people react that way so i avoid it.
can you imagine? a commentor contribution cookbook - we'd have anti mayo recipes, bacon lovers, vegan, vegetarian, cheapskate substitutions, medical needs....
and we could title them all things relating to commonly seen topics
disturbingly, the only one coming to mind right now is how to make a banana pudding recipe that resembles the golden poo award.
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: It could be worse, sometimes the webfilter here at work will block my comments from posting. It doesn't block the site, and if I remember to copy, I can retry to post and get it on the third or fourth try.
Of course, by the thrid attempt, I've reread what I wrote and think it's crap.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1238150-100x100.png\")
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: I do the same thing. Mostly because I have a hard time controlling the sarcasm. If I read it once and I think it is too sarcastic or will be misunderstood, it gets deleted.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-479856-100x100.png\")
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: Sometimes I write paragraphs long comments and then think \"I'm wasting my novelistic energies on a fucking comment on the internet. Lame.\" And then I delete it all.
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: I do it too. I go on a tear and then I'm like, \"God, I'm an idiot,\" and delete it goes!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-483565-100x100.png\")
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Totally. Then there are a few \"Why didn't I take a deep breath instead?\" posts where I should have deleted instead. Fortunately, volume tends to bury things pretty fast.
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: Sometimes, or I've also cut it off because I was about to snark on something someone said and the whole \"If you can't say anything nice...\" part of my brain takes over.
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: Nope, not at all. But thanks for hitting \"submit\" on this one!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-483648-100x100.png\")
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: All the time. I feel your pain.
Though sometimes I will come up a super long response and then realize \"oh I am sure someone else has already said this in simpler terms\" or \"I really don't feel like reading backlash for saying this\". Thus, I rarely comment. :P
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-280375-100x100.png\")
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: Nope. I'm something of a novelist, before I delete 99% of it. :)
@gStein_has joined the star bandwagon: I do it all the time. Usually unable to briefly make my point, so when I'm on the third or fourth paragraph, often hit X.
I'm really surprised and disappointed that the Consumerist didn't post on the Philadelphia SEPTA strike. I understand it's a regional thing, but you guys did the 2005 NYC strike and this one looks like it isn't going to be resolved today, possibly not over the weekend, either.
This strike has been hell, I can tell you. I would think the commentors here would have interesting things to say about what the strikers are striking for, and commuting/transit in general.
@thesadtomato: I heard an interesting comment when they were talking about it on NPR the other day (I can't imagine something like that happening if I depended on public transit, tbh). Definitely going to inconvenience the lower income people worst because they're the ones that DEPEND on it, and most likely don't have extra transportation such as a car, and most likely also in jobs that won't let them skate by because of some stupid strike.
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: I have no idea what I would do if all the workers went on strike in the DC area. If Metro went on strike, I would still have one or two bus lines I could use. But if all of them went on strike, what am I going to do, walk across the bridge?
@pecan 3.14159265: Yeah, walk. That's basically what people are doing. That or driving their car into the city. By counting bikes on the Walnut Street Bridge, the local Bicycle Coalition determined ridership is up 38% this week. I do cycle for my commute, but the strike is bad news for everyone: gridlock and suburban drivers who don't know how to drive in the city have made it a dangerous week with a lot of near misses and angry motorists.
I nearly got killed last night riding in the bike lane because some @$$hole decided he wanted to swerve into the \"empty lane\" next to him.
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: That's exactly right. And this is of course controversial, because the way most non-union blue collar workers see it, SEPTA employees passed up a pretty sweet deal: which would have given them 2.5% pay increase this year and 3% increase for the following three years.
@thesadtomato: The problem is, it's too far to walk and I don't have a car. I pretty much would have to take three buses to get to work, or I'd have to get a cab or a rental car.
@pecan 3.14159265: If MTA ever goes on strike, I'm toast. Without the MARC, I have no way to get to work. WMATA I gave up on after the Red Line accident. I can walk to/from Union from/to work in less time than it would take me to go three stops. Now that it's fixed, I can't be bothered.
How many other DC-working Consumerist are there on here?
Wheeeeeee open thread! :) This weekend should be a fun one...
Tonight I'm gonna correct some papers, write a few essays for fellowship applications, and make some yummy stuffed shells. Yee-haw.
Tomorrowwwwww I'm getting another piercing! I haven't decided what yet, but it will most likely be an industrial. I have helix and tragus piercings (one of each) in my left eat, I'll have to remove the helix to put in the industrial, because my right ear doesn't have enough cartilage for an industrial. In my right ear, I already have a rook and a conch. (Go here for a diagram, it's easier than my explaining: [images.marketplaceadvisor.channeladvisor.com]) My friend is going, too, and getting a conch piercing. I figure I have another 3 1/2 years of grad school, I may as well enjoy my ability to get pierced, etc. Also, some of my friends are testing for various degrees of black belt (I did taekwondo for over a decade), so I'm gonna go watch that.
Sunday....back to the lab to do work. :( Lame. But only one day of work this weekend, yay!
@katstermonster: Ooh, good luck! I really enjoy my industrials (I have 1 10g industrial on each side bordering two 14g helix piercings as a mini ear project). Be very very careful not to knock or bump them while washing/brushing your hair, putting on hats or earphones, etc. You will instantly regret it and it will affect your healing time. Also, natural sea salt water soaked cotton swabs are indispensable while cleaning those piercings. Stock up on those and cotton balls beforehand.
RE: tattoos, there are lots of places you can start work on without it being seen. Ribs, back, tummy, upper arms- it's all in the placement. My left upper armpiece was placed so that it was hidden by my scrubs and no one sees it unless I want them to. I think a lot of people are in the same position you are: they want to get something, but don't know what or where. In my experience there will be a day where you'll come up with an idea and just *know* that it's right. It comforts me to see a lot of people overthinking their first tattoos, much better than thinking too little. :)
Speaking of, I'm starting work on my left forearm on Tuesday. I woke up on Friday morning and went \"It's time to get the Dune tattoo.\" I bought a bazillion inexpensive long-sleeved shirts yesterday in preparation. Why can't it be Tuesdayyyyyy?! :(
@katstermonster: I'm glad you posted a diagram; I had NO idea what an industrial was.
Have fun! I wish your friends good luck on their tests!
@katstermonster: Industrials are so cool. I'd love to get another piercing (had an eyebrow one for three years), but I really hate needles and tattoos are more of my thing anyway.
I've always wondered how they come up with the names for the piercings...
@squinko: I want it mostly so I can put something like this in it: [www.funkytownmall.com]
As for the names, I think that a lot of them are named after the technical (medical?) names for the parts of the ear. Most of them seem to fit well, especially the conch. I love love love piercings. I want a tattoo eventually, but haven't found anything I want badly enough to make permanent, and I'll be in a somewhat conservative industry (either engineering academia or defense contracting) for the rest of my life.
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: Hahaha, that's too funny. My mom thinks piercings are icky, she hates them. I told her it's to keep me from getting a tattoo, which she would hate more. :)
@katstermonster: There's an industrial part of the ear? What industry is that?
But then I'm the person who keeps misunderstanding \"labret\" as \"lab rat.\"
@katstermonster: That looks awesome. You'll have to post a pic once it's done.
As for your job and the tat...You'll probably have to get something on your torso, or high up on your arms/legs. Somewhere that's very easy to conceal with normal dress clothes.
@squinko: Indeed. I was thinking on my hip or something, but it's somewhat cliche. Also, have to come up with a design first...I'm thinking something geeky. As my research progresses, I may find something fun. haha.
@katstermonster: Oh, and another comment (sorry); if you're looking for nerdy tattoo ideas, check out these sites:
[blogs.discovermagazine.com]
[www.bme.com]
My Bohr model carbon atom wrist tattoo was on Zimmer's original incarnation of the Science Tattoo Emporium, but when they moved it it didn't get added in again. Not sure why.
@katstermonster: if you ever plan to have kids, avoid piercings on any place that will get wider.
i know someone who used to have a lovely ring of dolphins around her belly button. now she has three kids and a ring of humpback whales
@katstermonster: As long as it isn't some poorly-done candy skull or some navigational stars, I think you'll e safe from being too cliche.
@katstermonster: My mom just got an industrial. Only because I told her one of my college friends had one.
@katstermonster: Wish your friends luck for me. I'm at brown belt in my discipline right now, and it feels like I'm spinning my wheels. Most people don't even get this far. >_<
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: Will do! And good luck to you! I left because I felt like I was spinning my wheels...and for some personal reasons, school politics, etc. I miss the training, but not the school. But I miss the training a LOT. What discipline do you train in?
@HogwartsAlum: Piercings have allllll kinds of weird names. I'll send along the good wishes. :)
@katstermonster: I do Shaolin kung fu with these guys: www.cscmarietta.com. I really lost my rhythm when I hit brown, but I've been starting to hit my stride recently, so maybe I just needed to get my mind right. ^_^
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: Ooooh sweet. One of my good friends did shaulin for years. It's so beautiful. I did a mix of taekwondo, hapkido, and judo. about a 60/20/20 split, kind of a weird school.
@catastrophegirl: Heh, I've heard such things. Stars on the front of the hips are popular for some reason, and I've seen more than a few stretched stars in my day. Heh.
@katstermonster: yeah, my poor little bull headed dragon is on my hip and it's small to begin with so it's a little distorted. not that i had kids, i just gained and lost a lot of weight repeatedly due to health over a couple of years.
skin moves. which is why my sister's waves and wind still look good after she lost weight and toned up her muscles. the shape didn't affect the design much
[www.flickr.com]
I just got over a cold and now I feel like I am coming down with the flu.
Grr. Aarg.
>_<
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-68654-100x100.png\")
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: i've got some kind of chest cold thingy going on. damn thing made me miss the meet-up.
i've been medicating with cranberry & vodka. not sure if it's working yet. i'll report back when i'm done with this bottle...
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: Have some Campbells Chicken noodle soup. It has more noodles ya know.
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: Use middle-class White people medicine: Dayquil, 7Up and Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. ;)
@squinko: I just took Dayquil! One of the pills went down the wrong pipe and I fear it's still there. I've downed about half a liter of water but I think it's still there! Oh noes!
Orange juice is good, so is chicken soup. Also, sleep. Sleep is awesome.
If you have problems swallowing because you're feeling mucousy, take Mucinex D. Be warned...it's pricey.
Otherwise, take a decongestant if your nose is stuffed up.
@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: @HogwartsAlum: @squinko: @pecan 3.14159265: Lol, thanks. ^_^ I've been drinking OJ like it's going out of style, but have yet to pick up Dayquil. I haven't been too mucousy, which is a blessing.
But yeah, everyone knows that more noodles make you get better faster. Just like new shoes make you run faster. :D
@MostlyHarmless: Oh, um.. harrumph... Get off my lawn, you kids, or I'll utilize my special secret ops martial arts firearms skills on you!
(Better?)
:D
This weekend I am hoping my mother comes down to visit so I can take a short baby break, since this has been The Week of a Thousand Screams. Except today, when he's been napping constantly.
I am also interviewing a babysitter this afternoon, so that's good.
I know it's Christmas Creepy of me, but I want to talk about Christmas! Does anyone have neat crafty ideas for Christmas this year?
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I skipped the \"How early can Christmas creep be?\" article because I don't mind Christmas creep at all. But I'll just admire your crafts; that's not one of my defter areas.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Yay, Christmas! I'm not going to be too crafty this year with Christmas because I have no one to give crafts to, but I think I've got to do something to decorate candy canes because I like hanging them on the tree but they always look so boring. Maybe some felt and a red nose to make them look like rudolph? That way we can package them up and use them again next year.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): No, but I'm looking for Christmas crafts, too. I usually try to make at least a few of my gifts. Last year I made clutch purses for all the women in my family. It was really fun to find all kinds of cute fabric, and the sewing wasn't too complicated. I don't think I can do a sewing craft this year, though, because the one time I have used the sewing machine the baby FREAKED OUT, and our place isn't big enough to put the sewing machine anywhere she can't hear it.
@Kuchen: For college students, if you bend a wire coat hanger into a circle, you can tie a couple pounds of starlite mints (and similar) to the hanger with green curling ribbon to make a wreath. (Some cinnamon for the berries, some butterscotch for gold accents, etc.) Then you just pull the candy out the far end and you end up with a pretty wreath of wrappers. :D
You can change up the color scheme to make Hannukah or Chinese New Year wreaths or whatever. Anyway, college students become very popular if they hang one on their dorm room door!
I'm probably doing a few footwarmers and maybe a tied fleece blanket this year. I also have some more fabric wrap to sew up ... trying to eventually have enough so we don't use any paper wrap.
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Aww, poor Eyebrows...although Week of a Thousand Screams was really funny.
What I do for Christmas is I bought a blank wreath and every year I change the decorations on it. It hangs on my front door between the screen and the actual door. One year it matched my tree (burgundy ribbon and gold beads) and another year, I put little tiny wooden ornaments on it and tinsel. It's fun to change it up a bit.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-350350-100x100.png\")
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I keep a scrapbook chronicling my wife and I's relationship. In it I have pictures, postcards, receipts from important dinners (our first valentines, first anniversary, engagement night, etc), tickets from trips we've taken together, a couple of poems I've written her, etc.
It was so much fun and surprisingly inexpensive to put together and the great thing about is I can keep adding to it as the days go by. :) Something like that would make an excellent gift I think.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1221761-100x100.png\")
Unfortunately, I won't be able to be online this weekend, (kid and hubby will be on my comp) so here's my rant. Feel free to ignore this.
Took hubby to an orthopedic surgeon this week, he's got a herniated disc, and a torn disc in his back, been out of work since july. Surgeon, when informed that hubby has no feeling on the last three toes, and that half of his foot, says \"Oh, you don't need those toes anyway, it doesn't matter!!!\" Now I have to find another doc for him again.
Okay, food part....Anybody ever heard of Primani's in Pgh? Had a pastrami & cheese for lunch, and am still so full I can barely move! (for those of you who haven't heard of it, Primani's puts coleslaw, tomatoes and french fries on their sandwiches)
Catastrophe, wish I lived closer to you, would love to meet that beautiful orange kitty, he looks like a doll!
Happy bday Kimaroo
happy weekend everyone!
@katia802: Thank you! I'm jealous of those kitties too. I miss having kittens around.. both of mine are adults now. I still love them.. but cute kittens are irresistible.
@katia802: Haven't heard of Primanti's? That would be like not having heard of the Statue of Liberty or the White House or the Taj Mahal.
@katia802: hope you find your hubby a better doc. watch out for lack of feeling in extremities, it can be linked to circulation loss and accidental injury. help him check his feet every day for unknown cuts.
the little orange kitty is very sweet but kind of loud and whiny. some people like that though, pets who talk back to them
@catastrophegirl: I love pets that talk back. My lovely rabbit, who is so adorable, talks back once in a while with clicks and grunts (if he's mad at me).
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-901491-100x100.png\")
@pecan 3.14159265: Vera, my older kitty, was begging me to give her turkey while I made my sandwich for lunch yesterday. She rarely talks, so it was quite amusing. Especially when she answers me back in different meows when I ask random questions.
@katia802: \"Surgeon, when informed that hubby has no feeling on the last three toes, and that half of his foot, says \"Oh, you don't need those toes anyway, it doesn't matter!!!\"\"
I would be heading right out the door if I had heard that. Good luck finding a new doc.
Why do so many people not bother to sign their credit cards these days? The number of unsigned cards I see at work is staggering. Do these people not know that anyone could take their card, sign it and go on a shopping spree?
Apparently some people really didn't don't give a crap about identity theft.
@dragonfire81: I tend not to because when I try to sign them the friggin pen won't actually write on the place where you're supposed to sign.. so I have to sign it with a fine tipped sharpey and I don't always have one. I should make more of an effort though.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1034061-100x100.png\")
@dragonfire81: Many places let you just swipe your card yourself without signing anything, so the signature on the back is somewhat obsolete
@morlo: I believe you still have to sign for most credit transactions though. I am aware that some places won't have you sign if it's under a certain amount.
@dragonfire81: I actually just forget sometimes, when the new replacement comes, and I use them a lot online, where it doesn't matter, so I don't think of them as a \"new\" card any more but I still haven't signed the thing.
However, if a merchant notes it's not signed, I'm pretty clearly alarmed and dismayed, so it's obvious that it was actually a significant thing to me.
@dragonfire81: I pointed that out to someone who had an unsigned card once, and she said she didn't sign it because she didn't want anyone to be able to forge her signature.
>_<
@RecordStoreToughGuy_IsBeing(pur)SuedByAMonster: all I can say to that is wow, hope she doesn't breed!
WOOO OPEN THREAD!
I was mad I couldn't come to the Meetup. It looked like fun. I'm glad SteveDave got his lab coat. Those pictures were priceless, LOL!
This weekend doesn't look very exciting. I have skating and I'm almost done editing and with the synopses (plural?). I have a one-pager, a five-pager and a ten-or-so-pager. After this last pass and a spellcheck one and polishing the synopses, I'll be ready to query.
I'm terrified.
@HogwartsAlum: I'm jealous of the meetup as well.. I think it would be really fun.. especially if all of us regulars could show up there.
Good luck with the query. It does sound terrifying.
@pecan 3.14159265: Honestly, the ten-pager was harder than the one-pager. I kept wanting to put everything in!
Running my first 5k after beginning my running program tomorrow. I've entered them and walked them numerous times, but I'll be running essentially half of this one...so a wee nervous.
@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: Awesome. You'll do fine. I hear just to pace yourself and don't go gung-ho at the very beginning.
@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: Don't be nervous. Remember these two things:
1) If you truly cannot run anymore, you can walk. You know that already.
2) Don't worry about your time. But mark it down! You'll be better next time and it's nice when you break your old time.
Enjoy it!
My weekend is already pretty much over; I've got to drive into school to take a final exam, class all day tomorrow (MBA at MSU), and than a quiz and poker tournament on sunday.
Lastly, the lions aren't blacked out which means I have to watch my home team get demolished by whoever shows up.
On the bright side, hopefully no one is mowing their leaves on sunday and I can sleep in.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-605040-100x100.png\")
FUCK THE YANKEES!!!!! Sorry i had to get that out there. As a born and bred METS fan I am so fucking tired of the abuse from the fans and the city of NY acting like the Yankees are the greatest thing since sliced bread. It really sucked being two blocks away from the parade today but the good thing is they wouldn't let all those assholes past Nassau street so it wasn't chaotic by my building. Now I have to go home to Bay Ridge and deal with all the drunk, asshole Yankme fans. NYC can bite me today.
For my next rantily rant...
When you are calling somewhere and have an extension and a LIVE PERSON answers...DO NOT DIAL THE EXTENSION IN THEIR EAR.
@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: *giggle* oh people would do that to me all the time. I'd ask for their phone number and they'd type it in. And I'd say \"hello? I'm a real person\" and they'd feel all embarassed.
This weekend I will be attending a vigil for the people that were killed in the Fort Hood shootings and helping my ex-husband cope with the loss of one of his friends.
@EtherealFlame: Are you nearby? That must be horrific, and your ex must be having a really hard time. It's good of you to be there to support him for that.
@floraposte: Very near by. Fort Hood is his Duty Station and up until August we actually lived on the military post where the shootings happened in the one of the Comanche family housing areas. It's just heart breaking because his father passed away two weeks ago, now this. We make much better friends then we do spouses so I have no issue with supporting him. I just hope they can really get to the bottom of why this all happened. There just seems to be too many puzzle pieces missing.
I get two days off work. I found a job, but it's a call center for Verizon Wireless Prepaid accounts. FOUR WEEKS of training. *sigh* Hopefully, some of the other jobs I've interviewed for will call me back and offer me a better paying job. And one that doesn't involve me having to deny people $.10 credits for funsies.
I was also able to budget $10 for going out for a beer or two. YAY!
In the next week or so, I want to post some ideas for holiday gifts that don't cost a lot. There's always the homemade route, but let's face it, only some people are good at pulling that off. What I'm looking for are ideas for how someone can assemble decent gifts for not much money, either by taking advantage of free offers, or coupons, or BOGO specials; or by repackaging cheap stuff or used stuff in a way that makes it special.
If I can't come up with a list that doesn't scream tacky, I'll probably shelve the post. But I thought I'd ask our most frequent readers if they have any ideas. If so, don't post them here! Email them to me directly at chris@consumerist.com and I'll try to use them.
New job for me! It's just like my current form of self-employment, though, but it's still a job.
@h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes: I'm dealing vintage! It's not dripping with high pay or benefits, but it's something I know and am good at doing, and it's butter on my self-employment bread anyway.
@catastrophegirl: I just saw your other post -- if she's still around when the adopt-a-thon ends today, please let me know! I'll see if the spouse will mind me coming home with another one tomorrow (our middle girl has been having anxiety issues, so we're still debating).
@JulesNoctambule: i won't be at the adoptathon today, not something i usually can do because of my health issues. but i'll ask and see if i can find out before the event tomorrow.
if you specifically want a brown tabby female, there are a couple you could meet before making up your mind.
here's the link to the main page - you don't have to wait for adoption events to meet them or apply either
[www.alleycatsandangels.org]
@catastrophegirl: CUTENESS! Now, the great debate -- tabby or calico? The spouse tells me 'not one of each', which is fair; five cats in a three-bedroom ranch would be a little much. Our girls are twelve and our little guy is seven, and I'd like to get the next generation going while the girls are still around to instill their goodness. My middle cat is a brown tabby and people swear she thinks she's my child, and while I know no cat could ever replace her once she's gone I figure I may as well go for a backup while the time is there.
@JulesNoctambule: went to my sister's tonight and made you something
sorry it's not brighter. make sure you have the sound on
@catastrophegirl: So. Adorable.
That's what I see when I wake up every morning, only it's my little Clare doing it!
Clare had another stress incident last night, but I mentioned to the nieces that we're thinking about getting another cat and the youngest wanted to get in the car and go right away! We had to explain that there was no way to get a kitty at half-past nine at night.
@JulesNoctambule: jayden didn't go home with anyone today, she'll still be there tomorrow if you want to meet her.
eureka was one i fostered for a while, she's still a bit shy but young enough to grow into her personality.
if you want an adult, and like the calicos, all three have been super sweet when i met them.
Tia knows them all really well and if you tell her about your existing cat family she can probably make good suggestions on who will fit in best.
and you can ask for a trial period, a foster-to-adopt situation, to make sure also.
i'm considering adopting earl grey [eureka's brother] because i love the grey tabbies myself.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-184636-100x100.png\")
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-129735-100x100.png\")
![[www.larrymac.org]](\"http://www.larrymac.org/images/churchill15-07.jpg\"){kind=link}
![[images.marketplaceadvisor.channeladvisor.com]](\"http://images.marketplaceadvisor.channeladvisor.com/hi/78/78256/ear-piercing-diagram.jpg\"){kind=link}
Finally...
Life's a bitch. It will set you up with the shiniest, coolest, spiffiest wireless internet tablet you can imagine with super sweet apps for anything you want... and then put you in a dead zone. Without a recharging point. Oh, and while it is at it, it will also break your paws so you can't walk around for a signal either.
Thats all.
/resentful.
@MostlyHarmless: The tablet BROKE YOUR PAWS? Omg. I would chuck it out the window.
@MostlyHarmless: Paws? Don't you mean \"fins\"?
Or, do penguins have some nefarious protection racket that entail breaking the lil' footsies of kittens who don't pay up?
@MostlyHarmless: Though at least I like my job.