I think that there is something seriously wrong with me. All these pain stories have made me laugh sooo hard. That just can't be right.

Re: taxes

Alaska has no statewide income, sales or property taxes, although some communities do have sales and/or property taxes. And we get Permanent Fund Dividends. This year's is anticipated to be lower than in recent years. Perhaps around $500-800. But it's really cold and dark and icy much of the year, and much of the state has no road system.

Plei, On the pickle recipe I linked to, I remember that the friend who made it cut out almost all of the sugar they suggested.

No, Jennifer Jason Leigh... she's a little older but she could play when I'm dark and when I'm vulnerable and fucked-up. She should play a crip, right now, it would be fucking...well, a little scary. But her best friends should be real disabled actors...that would rule. I don't think the brain damage is severe enough for me to admire JLH, ita.

Huh. Did we know there was a Ziggy (comic strip, not Stardust) Christmas special?

Worst pain: Having the inside of my nose cauterized with sodium chloride when I was about 10. Nothing like somebody intentionally burning your flesh to get your attention.

Well now I have to say something else, or I look crazy. Alton is making yummy-looking instant pudding on the teevee right now. Though, not low fat, that's for damn sure.

I don't think the brain damage is severe enough for me to admire JLH, ita.

No, sadly, my brain damage is sufficient to read it that way.

Having the inside of my nose cauterized with sodium chloride when I was about 10. Nothing like somebody intentionally burning your flesh to get your attention.

I have to admit the (two) times I tried self-cauterising my nostril with vinegar do rank on my list. I still toy with getting a professional to do it, but I assume that's more pain, rather than less.

Am I being overly sensitive when I notice that the Fudge Shoppe cookie forman is the only elf of color?

My first thought when I saw that was that it was, at best, in questionable taste. What were they thinking? Then I wondered why they didn't put a redneck elf over the cracker department, and it all went downhill from there.

The cauterizing of the nostril - this would be to prevent or stop too much bleeding? I've never heard of cauterizing a nostril before. And it sounds awful. Think I will knock on wood.

Las Vegas has a random guy in a wheelchair, he gets like a line per ep.

He's really paralyzed. I can't think of his name to save my life, but he was in a soap opera, I can't remember which one but People did an article about him. He's also been in Judging Amy.

Edited: Mitch Longley, [link]

There's Geri Jewell (I think that's her name) on Deadwood. She was on Facts of Life, it was all groundbreaking and stuff.