The other two Master Li novels are The Story of the Stone and Eight Skilled Gentlemen. They're worth seeking out, although neither has the sublimity of the ending of the first.

Poking head to whine.

Is it OK if I only come to post for whining and downloading my whine-dose on innocent (not so) strangers on the internet rather than on, say, my computer? I hope it is, because I'm all poorPoorPOOR meMeME right now, and every other person I can whine to is pretty much timezoned to be asleep already (which, yeah, definitely contributes to the all PoorMe thing).

There is this report we have to write, specifying the progress we've made through a specific research grant. There are three other groups but us who collaborate with us on the grant, including more than a dozen people. For over two weeks now I'm asking for data so that I can write the report (I'm not even talking about the whole writing-it-alone part). People still didn't e-mail me all that I've asked. I need to improvize and blah-blah my way through subjects I have zero knowledge about. The report is due Wednesday.

Who wants to place bets on how many hours of sleep I'm going to get tonight? The winner will, um, I don't really have a prize. Oh! The winner will not have to read me whine for, say, two Natter threads. How's that?

t Not even pretending to close the whine tag

I just got back from Ikea. I managed to buy two lamps, a spice rack, a book case, and a TV stand/storage unit for under $150, so now I feel all accomplished.

Of course, I'll never put the book case or the TV stand together, but I still think I should get points for effort.

eta: Oh, poor Nilly. Please feel free to whine here anytime.

Please feel free to whine here anytime

Oh, thanks, Perkins. But if I do, what prize will I have to offer the winner?

Here's a question: if a Buffista whines online and there's nobody posting with them, will there still be vibes?

The answer to the above, by the way, seems to require a combination of too much chocolate, pretzels and blah-blah, mixed with lots of self-pity. Even I, apparently, don't have high enough amounts of all four elements. But, hey, not going to sleep yet.

I'll post with you, and send vibes, Nilly. Late nights of work suck. I hope you get to end yours soon.

Swung in, spotted the Birthday Greets, had to leave a message.

Happy Birthday Sean!

Just think, a year from now, you may be shackled in our basement...

I'll vibe chocolate at you, Nilly, or at least chocolate attracting vibes.

I have a terminology question -- cockblocking. If guy A is macking on girl B and guy C messes it up, cockblocking. Now, has girl B been cockblocked too, if she was macking back? If she was the only one macking, is it cockblocking?

If they're all lesbians, what do you call it?

Thanks, Perkins. You're sweet, and now I can't whine, because you're being nice to me. Or, maybe I can whine - about not being able to whine? But if I can whine, then I can't complain about not being able to whine. In which case, again I can't whine, and therefore can't complain. Lather, rinse, repeat.

OK, more chocolate.

[Edit: clearly, ita's vibes worked. Of course, I can't return her the favor, because I am not sure I even understand her question, and in my blah-blah state of half-awakedness, I'm not so sure that it's a bad thing]

Nilly, that's just no good - people not ponying up with the info. People. I tells ya'. I think vibing does work even if there's no one posting, because chances are there's someone reading... lurkers vibe, too, I firmly believe.

I'll send vibes of getting the rassenfrassen info. you need to complete the report.

ETA: Sevens!

OK, now I imagine the other students (oh, and the distinguished professors) involved in thie grant, suddenly waking up from their sleep for no apparent reason and starting to go over their papers and bureaucracy papers and looking for what I've asked and turning computers on and e-mailing me. And in the morning, they will wake up again, and wonder if it all had been a dream, because what possibly could be strong enough to wake a sleeping person from a sweet night's sleep and make them do the work they try to avoid during the day? And Buffistas worldwide will laugh, and then do the internet equivalent of blowing smoke of a newly-fired gun, 'cause, hey, they had managed to do it again.

Or something like that. Scary visual place, did I mention that already?