the guy who is single and seems the most uncomfortable around you is the one that the "date" is with.

Well, I just cancelled my Saturday night plans.

Is everyone else on a date with someone else too?

Kat -- nope. Well, I don't know about IMDB, since I don't know all their surnames.

YOU CANNOT CANCEL!

Hec, your ex-sil never met you? How long were you and EM married (at least before you separated)?

We were together 8 1/2 years, 4 married. But EM and her sister were Not In Contact during that time and have only recently reconciled.

Remember the whole Recovered Memory thing with the accusations of child abuse that was so popular in the 80s and 90s and then later proven to be a giant stinking heap of Bad Therapeutic Practice? Well, her sister had recovered memories of sexual abuse. From her infancy.

Personally it will take a fair amount of self-control on my part to not punch ex-SiL in the face, because she caused an extraordinary amount of pain in her family. I have never seen anybody more distraught than EM on receiving that letter.

Without getting into it in detail, I'll also note that ex-SiL has a long history which makes her credibility on the subject extremely dubious.

I'm close to a number of people, including my mother, who were sexually abused as children so I don't take the issue lightly. But I still have a ton of bitterness towards the therapeutic culture which ripped apart so many families.

There's a really good TAL episode on the subject, "Ask The Experts."

YOU CANNOT CANCEL!

I am not dating any of those guys, ever. I'm more likely to date one of the chicks, so you can assess the likeliness thereof.

Erika, that was one of the things I liked and still do about GG. Mom and Daughter care about each other, but they don't need to Donna Reed it. And they make genuine (sometimes fucking stupid) mistakes, they get angry, but they don't stop loving each other.

It doen't feel remotely real or authentic, but the emotional base seems at least genuine.

ita-- trimming back an overhanging tree, pulling weeds, gathering trash, climbing a tall ladder to try to pry a huge sign off the second floor, and fun things like that.

Kat--trip was GREAT!!!!! Hung with Best Friend for five days in the beautiful Berkshires in her cozy house. Ate great food and saw a play at Williamstown and visited our old college (where we met) and mostly just sat around and talked.

How was the play?

trimming back an overhanging tree, pulling weeds, gathering trash, climbing a tall ladder to try to pry a huge sign off the second floor, and fun things like that.

You need to read the fine print before you go signing employment contracts, missy! For *you* I hope the weather's not too hot.

Oh, good Lord, Hec. She sounds crazy enough to be one of ours...the J clan is mishegoss central, except too goyish to read the same books as me.Kat, sometimes R. and L. feel real, but not usually because my mother would NOT allow me to butt in her life that way. Ever. But the part where they have stuff that is inside between them, is. But honestly, emotionally the real-seeming bond is between L. and Emily...pain, estrangement, disappointment, that's the stuff I know! No, my mom and I are close, just more like Munch and Stanley, though.

What, not for me, ita?