Daily Discussion Thread: Sun 26 Nov 2023

In weather like this, there's nothing to do except curl up with a book

I'll be reading my book It's The Menopause, eating doughnuts and drinking tea today.
- Is that the Kaz Cook one? Let me know what you think of it
  And, ooh, doughnuts. I could use some of those…
- if it's called the menopause does that mean it will menoplay in the future
Shove over on that couch. Me and the cats brought brownies.
- delicious thank you
And figure out how you are going to get all your camping gear dry....
i bought some acrylic paint, i think i’ll try it out
And a second pot of tea, with fruit toast. Loving it.
just some light housework and ironing
Had to do a dash to Kmart to pick up an order, but that's the plan for the rest of the day (with the addition of a snuggly cat or two). Bliss

This little magpie would be at least 20-30yrs old. Has a little chat before being fed (with sneaky CaCO₃)

How do you know how old it is?
- He was yelling at the clouds.
- She used to swoop me when I was a kid. same markings. We've since come to an agreement.

Word vomit ahead:

I had the best day yesterday in a long long time. Met with a friend for some dranks and she's a very close friend. I did have a crush on her about two years back (maybe I still do) but I'm not about to go tell her that now am I?

Anyway, she was pouring out about her life and how she wants to get married by 28 and have 2 kids blah blah and was talking about her ex and their issues (which I won't go into). Then she was talking about this mutual friend of theirs, how he ticks a lot of boxes for her but she felt weird after their interactions (all platonic). She gave me a few examples of certain situations that put her off but she wasn't able to reconcile why. I put my analytical hat on and laid out stuff the way I saw it and she was genuinely surprised by what she had missed.

Anyway, she then said it must be nice being me cuz I'm so happy and have a good job etc etc. Which is obviously not true and I told her as much, I just don't talk about it as much because I'm a very private person. We then spoke about me and I told her a few things about me. A lot of it was self doubt. Starting with my biggest issue - not having a wide enough friend circle. I felt that I didn't have the conversational skills, maybe I was boring, something about me that puts people off idk?? And she reassured me that I just haven't found my people yet. That she loved hanging out with me and that's a testament to this. She generally doesn't hang out with guys 1:1 but she felt comfortable and safe with me. Anyway, I felt great after the chat as I really needed to get it out of me. She got a bit touchy touchy towards the end but I think she was quite tipsy.

I think I like her but we have very different priorities in life. She wants to get married soon, and while I'm not completely opposed to that, it might be a bit early for me. She wants two kids and I'm borderline no kids / 1 maybe. Also she needs to get married to a Christian cuz family pressure (which I'm not). Also sucks that she's exactly my type 😩. Oh well.

Thanks for listening to my word vomit.

Well, even if either of you don't persue each other sounds like a solid friendship to me :)
- Exactly, and I'm grateful for that
I have found that having different interests and to some extent different priorities is not the obstacle that society thinks it is.
Compromise, respect and good will is most important. Usually a good partnership will nurture each person in their growth, interests and aims.
Miss Seagoon learnt this the hard way, her 1st husband actively discouraged her career and interests to the point where discouragement wasn't enough to stop her, he started abusing her. He just had no interest in an equal partnership or her as a person.
What I'm saying is. If it feels very right then pursue it. This good feeling rare. You can sort out the rest later.
- That's the thing though. I do want to pursue it but it wouldn't be fair to either of us. She wants to get married soon, I don't. She wants kids, I'm a maybe. And the biggest one is she needs to marry a Christian.

I am in trouble with Bill Cat. Ted Cat jumped up onto the bench while I was making my lunch ( Ted has alreay had two breakfasts and a bowl of lactose free cream ) So I smacked his bum and shooshed him off. Bill then reassured Ted and is giving me dagger stares. 😔

Cat to cat bonding on track.
He’s had second breakfast and elevenses yes, but it is well past time for lunch and it is almost time for afternoon tea.

Extraordinarily happy new Doctor Who is up (please no spoilers). That said though, fuck the BBC and their refusal to make anything pre-2005, nor any of the spin-offs available here.

You'd really think they'd make it available, given we've been the only country in the world to have televised every episode at one point, but nope.

And companies wonder why piracy is such a big fucking issue in this country...

2005 was season one. There was no Doctor Who before then. 😃
On a more helpful note, I don't know whether you can get older content on Blu Ray in the UK, but if you can, they're the same Blu Ray region as us. I've imported a few Blu rays from the UK, and they work fine here.
- Indeed, got my Torchwood collection that way. Might do some digging, see how much I can get a hold of. Thanks mate :)

If Saint Nick was exclusively a Melburnian what would he be like? Mannerisms, hobbies, clothes etc.

For me I'd like to think him and the Mrs has a time-share in Mildura, spending time fishing and when they're not there they're down at the Country Club for a spot of lawn bowls.

Also he doesn't say "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas" he says "oi oi oi. What was that loud bang?".

H would be a good kind man helping the homeless and setting up scholarships for children, especially girls.
In his spare time I think he would like reading, travel, internet chatting. and protesting child abuse in the church.
- I reckon he'd have a lot of foster children too.
He'd have some kind of gimmick to stand out. Perhaps a large carrot he could carry around. He'd wear footy shorts as part of his head to toe black ensemble.

Day 43/70: First day of week 7 weigh-in.
Down 1.0kg. It's funny, bike problems had me running to/from work two days this week. A spike in runs (72km this week) has not translated to a spike in weight loss.

Edit: it was 0.9kg, but then I went to the toilet and lost another hundred grams!

What is your fitness objective for this 70 days?
- I want to be able to reliably run 10km in 45-50 minutes again.
  I haven't been that quick since I was in an accident in 2019. My lunchtime runs are only 7.5km, because I can't fit a 10km run into an hour.
You'll get there mate! Just keep plugging away at it. I've really dropped off on the exercises unfortunately.. I'm finding it hard to gouge even 10 minutes out of the day for just me atm.

The Gates of Melancholy
Hm, that title might say more about myself 😬
- Melancholy in art always sells.
Oooo oooo Sky So Pretty
- ohhh I like that
Devil's Tower
- I welcome the Apocalypse.
The Grim Reaper Goes Swimming.
- Poor fishies.
Indigo No. 34
- Now I need to write a piano & strings soundtrack to accompany that.
Dancing during floods.
- It is not recommended to go into the water during a flood. Could use this in flood warning.

Good bot.

- If you are offering assistance for me to improve how the bot runs feel free to DM me, but I am not keen to just hand over control to someone else who may not be here when things need changing or break.
  It would also be nice if you could not disparage the bot we have. It may not be perfect, but as someone with absolutely no programming knowledge I have invested a huge amount of time figuring out how to get this far, with pretty much no help.

Another to throw in to the GOAT album discussion: Aqua - Aquarium. It spoke the voice of a generation. Every single song would probably have topped the charts if released at different times

I think you're on your own there.
- Nope, there are dozens of us!
I missed this discussion, but isn't Thriller the GOAT album? Just about every track on it was a hit.
- Not on Aquarium's level imo
- but is it good?
This was my childhood album. The first album I ever bought. No skips even to this day. Roses Are Red was my jam.

Dr Jones, Jones, calling Dr Jones, Dr Jones, Dr Jones wake up now (wake up now)

YOU CAN TOUCH, YOU CAN PLAY ♫ IF YOU SAY I'M ALWAYS YOURS ♫
I knew there was a second one. I just couldn't think of its name.

Tommy Cat is pleased as punch, he's just had sardines for supper.

What he doesn't know is that this is Last Rations: he has to fast from 9pm for dental surgery tomorrow.

＼（´ Ｏ｀）／

Ah... the care is not yet booked. Filling out the form for her now and tomorrow I go get a gp referral for hospital. Gotta get the girl sorted before I go anywhere.

Ginger ale and crackers for dinner. Delicious. I love it when it gets to this

Miniest pestered me until I got the Xmas trees set up, and it looks pretty good. One is a cheapy they used at the local supermarket and sold to me for ten bucks when the place was closing down about 10 years ago. Mr P found one on the hard rubbish last year, neatly packed in its box and complete with decorations and lights. We put it together and it's one of those very shmick looking expensive ones. So we have 2 trees, which feels a little odd. My MIL insisted I take a picture and send it to a relative of hers who routinely sets up and decorates 6 trees in one room of her house, like we're competing or something lol.

Six trees you say?
- Yep. Was sent photos one year. It looked quite lovely really, and they've got the house for it. I couldn't be bothered dismantling it all and apparently neither could they.. it stays like that until around August my MIL tells me.

Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari Fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else.

Is it just me or do these characters seem a bit terrifying for a child's birthday cake?

Miniest (almost 10) inspected it coolly and declared, "It is cake. I will eat it." Elder (almost 12) said an appreciative "Mmmm" with a gleam of gluttony growing in his eyes. I think the cake could have Freddy Krueger on it and my kids wouldn't be fussed lol.
- I was thinking nostalgically about the cakes from the Woman's Weekly cookbook that used to be the norm. Then I found some pictures of people's attempts and reconsidered that being a good idea. I am going to have nightmares tonight about being attacked and eaten alive by birthday cakes.
Nah 10 year olds aren't frightened by cake. Vegetables on the other hand.....
Nope. That's Bonnie and Chica, they're very friendly!
- If they are friendly why are there so many teeth pointing at me? I feel like this cake wants to eat me.
like something from don’t hug me i’m scared

Has anyone else noticed that over the past 18 months fewer people on PT and other public places seem to be on their phones .

It used to be about 80% , now it seems to be about 50%.

Assuming that is true maybe all the scandals and revelations that apps are taking private information are influencing people's decision to use their phone less.

Maybe it's "I want to be more aware of my surroundings if a fuckwit or ticket inspector gets on".
- The fuckwit is a good reason to be aware. I hope people don't think they are alone if they feel threatened on PT. There is always help nearby.
No. But I'm either in the 50% or wrangling kids. Either way, I'm not paying other passengers any attention.
- If people weren't aware then you wouldn't have people helping mothers with prams or helping the disabled.
  iow, we live in a society and awareness is a good thing.

Today's RAVE CHOON:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDhpnglzmH4

Pulling chilli flowers off feels rude but it's for the best little chillos I read the internets you don't have internets so I'm right.

Wait, why pull off the flowers?
- The flowers are the start of plant sex, which is what leads to chillies. If you let them do that when they are too young you end up with welfare dependant chilli plants living in the caravan park raising juvenile delinquent chilli kids that will never amount to any good. If you make them wait until they have established themselves in a career with a good income and life skills they will be able to raise a much larger number of healthy well adjusted chillies that will be a credit to your garden.

In other news, I posted volleyball for the first time in my life today and have returned with a jammed finger. Fuck. It hurts. A bit swollen so will keep iceing it.

Breakfast 🍏🍎🍐🍊🍋🍈🫐🍓🍇🍉🍌🍒🍑🥭🍍🥥🥦🥑🫛🍆🍅🥝🥬🥒🌽🥕🥐🍠🫚🥔🧅🥯🍞🥖🥨🧀🧇🥞🧈🍳🥚🥓🥩🍗🍖🫓🍕🍟🍔🌭🥙🧆🌮🌯🥗🍲🍜🍝🥘🍛🍣🍱🥟🦪🍥🍘🍚🍙🐠🍤🪼🦀🐙 🍗🥮🍢🍡🍧🍰🧁🥧🍦🍨🎂🍮🍭🍬🍫🥜🌰🍪🍿🍯🥛☕️🍵🍺🍶🥤🧋🧃🥂🍷🥃🍸🍹🧉🔋

Do you have a remedy for these bloody crabs? Really... uncomfortable down there.
- Bacon. When they grab it with their little pincies you lift and then hurl as far away from yourself as possible
- This should do it drunken crab
- ☄️
Good thing I’m not allergic to shellfish. A nice prawny Tom Yum please.
- 🦐🍤🦐🌶️🌿🌱🍋🥣
What's with all the crabs? I'll have a lobster please.
- 🦞
- It's just a crab filled day.
  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-26/shark-bay-crab-mystery-prompts-calls-detailed-marine-research/103138312
Feeling crabby this morning... A platter of crabs please, and a large fruity cocktail.
- 🦀
  🍽️
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I'll take... An assortment of crabs, and a large fruit based cocktail please.
- 🦀^🦀🦀^🦀🦀
  🥭🍋🍉🍈🍹
It’s a bit off-menu, but there are lots of crabs around here, so could I have a bucket please? (And a coffee)
- 🪣☕️

I have spent far too much money on items that are not on sale…

I've been looking at the weather forecast for the next week and there is a definite theme. Possible Shower. Late Shower. Clearing Shower. The only respite we have from the showers is on Wednesday, where we will instead be graced with rain.

It is good practice to shower daily.
- every day? That seems excessive. I shower for Christmas, Easter, and any time there are five Wednesdays in a calender month.

I'm on the fourth floor (technically sixth if you count the carpark), so where did he come from?

I've named him Eight-Eyed Joe.

Much sauce is now many sauces.

Edit: and one sauce will soon be dinner.

🥭🍋🍉🍈🍹

🥭🍋🍉🍈🍹