Penny B.:

the bad mothers are not the ones worrying that they're bad mothers. The really bad mothers are watching American Idol and drinking too much beer as their children wander through ugly, bookless, underheated houses and apartments.

Would someone please program a Deena -bot poster, so that when she leaves us to have that new baby (and during the busy-ness that the new baby is sure to bring), we can at least have a cheap and meaningless relationship with her double? >

Without nattering too much in this thread (too late), congrats Deena on the upcoming baby. How far along are you?

we're at "any day now" wolfram. due anytime between Jan 31 and Feb. 6, but the doctor thinks it will happen earlier.

MM in the TTT thread, on the 60 or so years without word from Balin:

To: Gimli@lonelymountain.net
From: Balin@minesofmoria.com
(http://www.minesofmoria.com "We Have Mithril At COST!")
Re: How ya' doin'?

Gimster!

Things are going well here. We just hit a new vein of mithril. The wife says hello. There's some drumming that people are complaining about, but I don't think it's anythi;alkhdwknqengg..

Aimee, speaking truth to power in two different fonts, in Natter 7

"Folks, folks, calm down please. Now, I need all those that are happy-go-lucky and cheerful in the mornings to group to the right. That's it...keep going...you'll see the short bridge and the sign that says "Long Walks-Free". Okay, bitter and resentful, you'll be gathering to the left. Exactly right outside the "Eventually Will Rule Everything" room. No, no...that's the "Smarter Than You" conference center. We'll be going there later.....

This message is not meant to offend anyone happy-go-lucky and/or cheerful in the mornings. This message is to serve those that are bitter and resentful to pull their spirits up so that they too will become happy-go-lucky and/or cheerful in the mornings, since that is the one true race.

edited to add...

And Miracleman, in response, make it a two-fer for their household:

Who are you trying to fool? You're not happy-go-lucky and/or cheerful in the morning. You're barely sentient in the morning! It's all husband-helps-you-put-on-robe-
shuffle-to-living-room-have-cigarette-blankly-jump-in-
shower-get-ready-wander-out-door-to-work-with-
brief-kiss-for-robehelping!husband.

I will not be a party to your deception, love.

Signed,

Gonna-get-it-when-she-gets-home-husband.

[edit by John H for browser-stretching]

Phill in Buffy:

Xander: ...I think you're extrordinary.

Dawn: Hey, you...

W: Everybody, guess what, Dawn's a mutant, she can breathe fire AND fix windows with her mind!

X: I quit.

It's all husband-helps-you-put-on-robe-shuffle-to-living-room
-have-cigarette-blankly-jump-in-shower-get-ready
-wander-out-door-to-work-with-brief-kiss-for-robehelping!husband.

And Aimee's further followup:

Is that you??

[edit by John H for browser-stretching]

Emily: Anyway, if I can take a class at Harvard Extension for that little money, then I don't really mind dropping this one.

Sean K: And you get the privelege of telling people you went to HAhvahd. edited by Sean K on Jan 22, 2003 2:18:31 pm EST

Emily: Yeah, but Sean, you know my compulsive honesty. I'd always last about three seconds before saying, "Actually, the extension school, which you don't have to apply for."

MiracleMan: And after that she'd engage in ritual mortification in the linen closet with a cat o' nine tails made from shredded towels muttering "BAD Emily...BAD Emily...remember station in life...the sin WON'T COME OFF..."

Phill: Yeah, but you just need to add a few grunts, mutter chicken fucker, and twitch and people will think your adendum is tourettes.

billytea: I use the same approach when an interviewer gets onto past criminal convictions.

Miracleman: I just lunge across the desk and chloroform them, then slip a half-empty bottle of gin into their desk drawer. When they wake up I offer to "discuss" their drinking problem with HR.

billytea: Y'know, just once I'd like to see you solve a problem without chloroform.

Aimee: coughhowhegotmetomarryhimcough

Miracleman Hey, that's an unfair characterization.
I sometimes use a dart loaded with ketamine.
The hard part is sneaking the rifle past reception.

Phill: Ketamine? Laudanum? It's like you guys read my diary.
seriously, stay out of my diary.

BHP: Nobody is ever kidnapped with chloroform any more. I feel this is an important plot trope that should appear in more popular novels. Also white slavery. And duels.

Emily: Yeah, and what happened to the laudanum? What, it's not fashionable enough for your modern druggers? (Is druggers a real word? No. Look! Shiny thing!)

Segue from laudanum to absinthe, leads to debate on advantages and disadvantages of latter:

Sean K.: I think it's sort of like Jägermeister. Also big jujuu, much magic.
Aimeé: Hmmm... I do believe you misspelled "tastes like shit. Causes much vomiting."