So, I get a little tired of the constant bitching I see from some people about various aspects of the Threads LARP.

Can someone explain to me please what's so complicated about BGAs?

There's a form. You fill it out. You post it on your Threads blog. Some people seem to have trouble with that. I haven't, so I can't speak to the tech there. I use my IC blog mostly to post recipes.

I submitted one for the first time yesterday, granted, but that's because I don't care. If I had a CC I might care more, but even then... you fill out the form, you see what happens. It's not a PBEM.

I mean, come on, in real life, do you snap your fingers and magically get results?

A friend submitted applications to grad school a couple months ago. He didn't immediately get a response, "You get admitted to grad school, and graduate with honors, and now you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company." In fact, as far as I know he's heard nothing at all.

If you want a rapid level-up... play WOW? or City of Heroes? Don't expect a bunch of volunteers who do this in their hobby time to function as quickly or geekily as a computer program. And for heaven's sake, don't WHINE.

Tweets for 15 September 2008. ( Read more... )

For those who don't grok Twitter: Look, kids, it's a way of making little updates that don't merit an entire journal post. Admittedly some people want to tell us when they are peeing, but that's a bit weird and unusual. If you don't want to read the twitters, fine, don't. In my case, you may actually miss something.

Feeling threatened/offended by Twitter makes no sense to me. Were you initially threatened and/or offended by online journaling services like LJ? And yet now you use them. Perhaps you are threatened by change/progress. Ask yourself why.

Some thoughts:

• Surgically sterilized is not the same as infertile. I don't know why I felt the urge to say that, but it is true. One is on purpose, one not so much so.
  
  
• Often the people who choose not to have children are the ones who oughta, and vice versa. Fortunately, the gene pool has its ways of self-correcting. Still, I do fear for the children of today.
  
  
• If you can't tell the difference between a toxic manipulator and a friend, you may deserve what you get (yes, this applies to me, too, given recent experiences).
  
  
• If you post about your sex life on the intarwebz, people will feel free to comment about it, both positively and negatively. You have made it a topic for public discussion. Deal with it.
  
  
• If you come on to someone and come visit them alone in their home, they may have some reason to think you want to fuck. No means no, and all that; still, changing your mind at the last minute does demonstrate a lack of forethought on your part.
  
  
• If you seem to feel that all around you are mean people who betray you, yadda yadda yadda, look in the mirror.
  
  
• If someone tells you that people are saying nasty things about you behind your back
  (1) Why do you believe it? and
  (2) Is that person much of a friend?

Obviously, if you are one of the wonderful people whom I have the privilege to call my friends, this rant doesn't apply to you.

Some myths and facts about fibromyalgia. This goes with the Spoon Theory as a winner.

Dear Cannon Avenue CVS Staff,

Thank you for reminding me why I no longer shop there, or fill prescriptions there, and generally try to avoid the place altogether.

For taking an hour and a half to fill a prescription for an Epi-Pen. How long does it take to slap a label on the damn thing? It's not like you have to mix the epinephrine, assemble the injector, or anything like that... all you have to do is make sure you have one, slap a label on the box, type a couple of things into the computer, and ring it up.

Oh, and speaking of the computer, thanks for trying to overcharge me for the Epi-Pen. How is it that every other CVS in the free world has my insurance information, yet you do not? Sorry, I'm not planning to pay three times as much just because you are either idiotic or lazy.

For refusing to honor my coupon for a free gift card because it was issued on my husband's CVS card. Um, hello? He used coupons issued on my CVS card just the other day, AT YOUR STORE, to buy soda. If you're going to be sticklers for policy, at least be consistent. And don't do it when I am already annoyed.

In fact, at first you tried to charge me for the "free" gift card. Way to go, morons.

I finally gave up and canceled the sale. I have no Epi-Pen(1) and no gift card. I guess I'll ask the spouse to use the damn coupon to pick up my Epi-Pen, but I'll have my insurance card in hand to beat you about the head and shoulders when you try to overcharge him.

Thanks for being one of the many problems with health care in the United States. Because God(dess) knows, we need more hassles trying to stay healthy.

No love,

chickgonebad

(1) I actually have an expired one, and it likely still works. I refill these damn things annually so I have one just in case. It's like an umbrella -- as long as you have it, you won't need it.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Okay, I admit that I spent yesterday evening drinking Gin & Tonics and reading Sex Tips for Girls, a book that makes me giggle even when I'm not under the influence. But still. Our nation has its priorities all fucked up. Look at just a few of today's headlines for proof!

• Losing a Best Friend Along with the House
• Federal Credit Cards Misused: GAO Cites Charging Of Frivolous Items

People are losing their pets because the economy is so fucked up. GAO thinks it's a bad idea to spend government money on lingerie and steak dinners, rather than bullets and bombs. I think this is mistaken. Frivolity is good for the soul! Indeed, it's the only thing that will keep us alive in these trying times.

Worry isn't good for you. Frivolity is. Want to stay healthy? Stop worrying so damn much. The future will take care of itself if we don't abuse it. As Cynthia Heimel once said: "We must eschew anything trivial. We must embrace all that is frivolous."

What's trivial? Well, her list includes (among other things): food processors, tax shelters, committees, life insurance, dress shields, encounter groups, conceptual art, nouvelle cuisine (dude, it was the 80's), business suits, Volvo station wagons, mortgages, designer sunglasses.

I can't decide if war is trivial or not. It's surely not something I'd like to spend my life worrying about. I'd prefer we weren't at war at all... but that's not the point of this post.

What's frivolous? Heimel's list includes dancing, eating raspberries, driving in convertibles, drinking champagne, kissing, telling jokes, planting tomatoes, lying on the beach, talking on the phone, singing, fucking, and buying dresses. I'd add buying lingerie, eating delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, brunching with friends...

THINGS are trivial. ACTIONS are frivolous and to be embraced.

Love your pet. Never let him/her go. Do what you have to, but don't abandon a loved one, whether it is a human being, a dog, a cat... whatever. Love is IMPORTANT. LOVE WITH EVERY BREATH OF YOUR BEING.

Life is too short to get worry lines. To quote Heimel again, "The moment you decide that you're a grownup now, and therefore must put away childish things like staying out all night or cruising down strange highways is the moment you will lose that ineffable glow of youth." But it's not just about youth. It's about well-being. If your priorities are the trivial, you dry up and die on the inside.

I am not making this up. I've seen it happen to people.

I'm not saying you should quit your job, throw caution to the wind and take up a bohemian lifestyle, though that does work for some. I am saying you need to get your priorities straight. I, personally, had MUCH rather that our government employees ate well, listened to good music, and wore sexy lingerie (well I might not want to SEE the latter, but it's not ALL about me). I want them to make decisions based on a healthy and well balanced outlook... not one that is based around money and oil and revenge.

This has been your chipper rant for the day. Please go out and buy something sexy, or maybe enjoy a milkshake. Make mad passionate love to someone you care for. There will be a poll later today, because creating polls is without question in my list of the frivolous. Thank you for your time!

Love is the law, love under will.

This weekend I got to pet a retired champion Mastiff. He was very very cute, with extremely soft fur. Yay big puppehs!

I also had the pleasure of eating at the Famous 4th Street Delicatessen. I give it 6 out of 5 noms, because I didn't eat another meal that day. Also, the bonus of a warm complimentary chocolate chip cookie!

Had a nice refreshing drink (cold cider w/Captain Morgan's) at the City Tavern. Learned of Bluecoat American Dry Gin (it's not really all that dry... actually it's rather fruity-tasting, which *I* like); it comes in a pretty bottle, which I bought.

Assisted in the production of homemade lemon scones.

Mocked episodes III and II of the Star Wars saga, because, well, one kinda has to mock them. Posted a video along those lines yesterday.

Now for the girl stuff, which is cut for the squeamish. ( TMI within, and a rant. Now remember, if you read behind this cut, you have nobody to blame but yourself. I won't be the only one pointing and laughing if you whine. )

Oh, and VIVA LA FEMINAZI COOTER LEAGUE!

...because otherwise I would miss things like this. I truly wish I had written it, but I didn't.

Wasington, DC: Holiday party question...I live in a smallish house and want to have a cocktail party. Fun, right? However, I have some friends that bring their toddlers EVERYWHERE. I know that unless I put something on the invite, they will bring their son. What is a polite way to say "no kids"..is "adults only" better? Or "I am planning to get drunk and expose myself so don't bring anyone impressionable"?

Carolyn Hax: I like option c, but "adults only" is probably less open to willful misinterpretation.

The sad thing, is, Ms. Hax is correct. I know people who, when informed that there are adult themes/nudity/etc. respond with, "Oh that's okay [child's name] is used to that." No. Just no.

I don't hate children; I don't know what the hell to do with them. I chose not to have children for many reasons. I do not feel that someone else's decision to have children should be my responsibility. I do not feel that I should have to adjust my lifestyle because of someone else's decision.

I babysat neighbors' children quite often while I was in junior high, high school, and college. There are babysitters out there. You do not have to bring your children everywhere, nor should you.

[/rant]

But I still like option (c).