Holiday blues = teh suck. Sorry, y'all.

I missed where you're trying to get to, Jesse, but a lot of car services aren't taking reservations at all during the strike, at least not during the HOV-4 window.

I'm going to Port Authority, so I'm flexible about when. I figured I wouldn't be able to make a reservation, but I was wondering if it would even be possible to get a car before 11am. Sounds like yes. We'll see.

The world of tipping is just craxy, no rhyme or reason. I'd never heard before about waitstaff getting taxed on what the IRS thinks they should be getting in tips regardless of the actual amount; that's just extra-craxy with craxy sauce on top.

It's true. That said, I know I never knew anyone who got taxed on more than what they made - just more than they wanted to claim. Still sucks, and the possibility is there, for sure. My hunch is, as ever, it's the people at the lowest end of the totem pole who are most likely to get screwed.

The rest of the time, mostly city and state gov't muckety-mucks and society ladies lunching together, her tips varied between 2 and 7%.

Eek. That'd do it.

Also, I used to work for a doctor who always (I knew this because I did his travel reimbursements) tipped whatever would round his bill up to the nearest $10

I got so many of those in my (albeit, shortlived) waitressing career.

I usually tip 10% for so-so service. If the service is complete crap, I'll still leave a tip but I usually try to tell someone who can correct the problem.

My dad is stuck in whatever decade it was where 10% was good. Drives my mom and I nuts. When we call it to his attention, he's always a little abashed. But then, he forgets. We make up for it, and thankfully, for business trips 20% is assumed, so he usually always does it when putting it on the university card. But it is kind of annoying. I've had to run back into restaurants when we realize we left the tip to Dad.

A while back, a waitress at a Chicago restaurant got a $10,000 tip (I forget the exact amount - it was at least ten grand, maybe more). The customer was obviously rich. She and the customer had been discussing her plans to go to medical school (I don't remember if she was already a student).

ION, a rainbow trout with two mouths: [link]

I keep smelling skunk. And no, it isn't the gas additive. That smells different. It isn't outside...

And how much do I LOVE the fact I'm going to see family where pictures will be taken with a HUGE cystic hormone zit on my chin? Not to mention that the cause still hasn't made itself known.

Thank god the flight is only 2 hours.

I am wrapping a present for my friend who is half jewish half catholic. I am wrapping it half chanukah paper, half christmas paper. hee!

Contiguous halves?