My grandfather was half-dirt-worshipper, you know. Have some respect. That's okay, I'll use Fuzzy Dunlop.

Damn, was Rome good this week or what? I think the producers are determined to put Vorenus through every single walk of Roman life there was. And watching Pullo watch Vorenus going through the dark side, knowing it because he's already been there, and seeing how ill-equipped he is to deal with it...fascinating stuff. And the scene with Vorenus and Mark Antony! and Pullo shaving Vorenus! And Octavian growing some balls! I think I was vibrating with excitement through the whole thing.

Damn, was Rome good this week or what?

So good! I had this half-baked idea comparing Vorenus to Mal Reynolds and about them both losing their faith in (or the love has turned to hate for) god/the gods. Mostly I was just shouting (in my head) "Vorenus is Mal! He's Mal!"

Mostly I was just shouting (in my head) "Vorenus is Mal! He's Mal!"

Hey, I didn't think of it like that. I kind of agree. But not completely, because Vorenus is such his own dude that all I can think of him as is Vorenus. And Vorenus is awesome.

Last night (before the TV crapped out), I finally watched Deadwood S2ep3 -- New Money. The one where Al spends the episode on the floor of his office in crippling pain, before Dan dougherty breaks the door down (bouncing off of it the first time) and the Doc crams a steel rod up his dingaling. My g-d that was the most moving, touching, funny, wince inducing episode yet!

So many great lines. Luckily, S fell asleep halfway through, so we'll be watching it again, and I can maybe take notes on good lines and other stuff.

Oh yeah, and then at some point soon is ep4 Requiem for a Gleet, which many here have noted as a major episode. I can't wait.

(Also, I think some people, maybe erika, have said parts of it are almost as hard to watch as the stuff when Kristin Bell and her brother get killed)

Also also, I pray I never get kidney stones. Ow.

Oh, totally. Also, thanks to "House", I halfway expected to see Al's urologic tract.

Also also, I pray I never get kidney stones. Ow.

I read something somewhere the other day about how Neal Stephenson, who wrote an agonizing section of the Baroque Cycle on death from and the removal of kidney stones, mentioned in a speech that the changes in modern diets has reduced the incidence of kidney stones from a common to a mostly rare event.

I read something somewhere the other day about how Neal Stephenson, who wrote an agonizing section of the Baroque Cycle on death from and the removal of kidney stones, mentioned in a speech that the changes in modern diets has reduced the incidence of kidney stones from a common to a mostly rare event.

And yet? I know people (younger than my 40 years) who've had them. And they pretty much say that they are the most painful thing they've experienced in their life. As an appendicitis survivor, I'm skeptical (hellacious gastro-intestinal pain coupled with vomiting is about as big a lose-lose as I can figure) but would prefer not to do the Pepsi challenge on that one.

I hear you on that. I think the point is that instead of saying "half my friends have died from them," we can say "I know some people who've had them."