Ah, head-in-the-sand financial planning. I'm also on that plan.

It's good for the soul, but the interest rates are killer.

BT made me grin -- I really hope you two can make it to the F2F.

BT made me grin -- I really hope you two can make it to the F2F.

I'm afraid I won't be there. I'm visiting around August/September, though. I do still need to work out how my current circumstances affect that.

I'm visiting around August/September, though.

Ooh, all of us, or just the Left Coasties?

Ooh, all of us, or just the Left Coasties?

I want to get to DragonCon, in Atlanta, and I'm going to Chicago as well. I want to visit either NYC or Boston (for the novelty value); but I've just recently found a limiting factor, i.e. Wallybee may not be able to get a visa, and I don't want to be away from her that long (nor does she, I think). I may have to think carefully about this.

I want to visit either NYC or Boston (for the novelty value);

Go Boston! Choose Boston!

Though not over Wallybee. We know from priorities.

Aaaand I'm off for bed. Good night, all.

Wallybee may not be able to get a visa, and I don't want to be away from her that long

If you want, I can ask my FiL if he has any advice for her (he's been a consular officer for nearly 30 years, and Asia is his niche territory).

If you want, I can ask my FiL if he has any advice for her (he's been a consular officer for nearly 30 years, and Asia is his niche territory).

That'd be great, if you could. The key variable: she's applied for permanent residency in Australia, but hasn't yet received a decision.

I'd be happy to. Could you email me with all the relevant information, and how far she's gotten in the application process so far?

Also, why is the actor who used to play Roman Brady playing some other not-Roman character?

I skimmed and didn't see an answer to this, so here goes nothing.

It began with the forging of the great blue collar heros. Three (if you don't count Bo, and the second generation of hottie blue collar guys) were given to the Days of Our Lives fans, immortal, wisest and fairest of all fanly beings.

Chris Kositchek (played by Josh Taylor) craftsmen of Salem's halls, was gifted to the race of women, who above all else, desire hottie working men.

Then The Cordays--the Wise didst say, "If one hottie non-doctor, non-nightclub owner, non-lawyer character is good, are not two better, still?" And they didst forge police officer Roman Brady (Wayne Northrop) from the salt air of the suddenly fresh water Salem waterfront, and he was a son of a...fish shop owner.

Then it came to pass that Wayne Northrop fell from the graces of some dark lords or another, who most likely desire money above all else, and thus did Stefano DiMera slay Roman Brady. Somewhere in there, Chris Kositchek faded from memory of the executives, but not the fans.

But hope (not Hope, although her too, but that's another story) remained, 'tho the quest lay on a razor's edge, for the dark lords did invoke the deepest magicks in the land of serial entertainment, darker than even the dread SORAS, and they didst recast Roman Brady, in the form of Drake Hogestyn. The race of women was appeased. Their wrath lay not dead, but at least dormant.

And then, the queerest thing happened--a last alliance of Wayne Northrop and the Days of Our Lives Lords marched back into Salem, and they did invent new magicks, and turned--by now fan favorite--Drake Hogestyn's Roman Brady into John Black/Forrest Alamain (don't ask), and re-recast Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady. Again.

Alas, the alliance did not last, and Wayne Northrop again departed from Salem's shores/riverbank/whateverfront, and the race of women was sad. Or angry. Or disinterested. Or perhaps Deidre Hall likes her character to stay at the center of a triangle whenever possible. It was in this moment when all hope had faded, that Ken Corday son of King Ted and Queen Betty, took up his parent's sword, and wand, and various orbs, and recast the character of Roman Brady. Again. With Josh Taylor, who was once Chris Kositchek.

But the hearts of soap opera fans are easily corrupted. And the casting director has a will of its own. It betrayed the fandom. And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend, legend became myth and for a few years, Wayne Northrop nearly passed out of all knowledge, and he wasn't ready for that. When chance came, he ensnared a new character--Alex North, who is *also* in love with Marlena, or trying to kill her, which isn't always a conflict of interests, as well you know.

But he's a doctor this time, instead of a hottie blue collar/cop/secret agent/forgotten millionaire brother. This shall not pass.

and turned--by now fan favorite--Drake Hogestyn's Roman Brady into John Black/Forrest Alamain (don't ask), and re-recast Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady. Again.

I was actually still watching when this all happened -- Drake Hogestyn was The Pawn, and then recovered his memories and realized he was Roman Brady, but then lo, those weren't actually his real memories, because he *wasn't* Roman, but Forrest Alamain (and his brother Lawrence, though a jerk quite often, was HOTT), and then wasn't he (John/Pawn/Roman/Forrest) also a priest?

In any case, when I stopped watching, Wayne Northrop was back as Roman, and poor Marlena was all conflicted and torn between Roman and John.

And (I watched Days for a LARGE part of my life) I *remember* Chris Kositchek -- and in that fictional incarnation didn't *he* also hook up with Marlena? the woman gets around, I tell you what -- so I find it very confusing that he's back as Roman Brady (and apparently not married to Marlena). And then my years of watching 90210 make me think of him exclusively as Dylan's dad.

Also -- is the actress who played Adrienne Whoever back in the day (she married HOTT Justin Kiriakis) back, but as Mimi's mother? Recycled actors confuse the hell out of me.

Shawn Douglas is a total cutehead, which makes me feel like a VERY dirty old woman. And Bo and Hope -- I'm going to say it -- are not aging well. Bo needs some sleep, and Hope needs about 15 more pounds to soften her features.

Apparently Alice Horton and Caroline Brady will never die, which is kind of comforting, and kind of creepy. And everyone still hates Sami Brady, so I feel like I never stopped watching.