Not really here, hugs and hairpats to everyone. Miss you guys.

Jessica, check this: [link]

When we were renting through a property management co, we were going to be on vacation when the rent was due. I asked them if I could post date a check. Turns out -- people do that all the time and they were very careful not to deposit any checks early. would have screed their reputation as a property management co.

And If you know when funds will be coming in -- don't you shift your payroll dates?( permanently ) Inconvenient ,but even your employees prefer checks that don't bounce.

Aims' boss: Still an asshole.

EX-boss. EX-boss.

EX-boss. EX-boss.

Things you don't want to hear from an oncologist: The tumor was so bizarre we sent it up to Sloane-Kettering for analysis.

Oh, dear. On the other hand, it could bring extra-special attention. Not in anything like the same league, but I once had a weird growth on my toe, and the dermatologist got every doctor in the practice to come look at it. My feet became very embarrassed. It turned out to be a mutant wart.

Oy, Calli. I mean, path samples are sent around all the time for further analysis, second opinions, whatev -- but ya think they maybe could've found a better way to put it?

:scuffs toe, blushes:

You guys! You're good for my ego I tell you what.

Things you don't want to hear from an oncologist: The tumor was so bizarre we sent it up to Sloane-Kettering for analysis.

Yikes, Calli! I am hoping this somehow makes the diagnosis more comprehensive? Or maybe it's so bizarre that it is actually totally harmless!

Belated Happy Birthday, Juliana!

Things you don't want to hear from an oncologist: The tumor was so bizarre we sent it up to Sloane-Kettering for analysis.

Yikes, Calli! I am hoping this somehow makes the diagnosis more comprehensive? Or maybe it's so bizarre that it is actually totally harmless!

Right -- I totally don't want to give you false hope, but when a pathology lab says "this is weird," sometimes it's harmless-weird that was mistaken for harmful because no one had seen anything like it before.

Teppy, was it this you were thinking of with the signature thing?

Actually, I had read that one before, but it was Madeleine L'Engle, in A Circle of Quiet. And she only did the check-signature thing once; very possibly I conflated her story with credit-card dude.

ION, the Apple repair dudes in my 'hood were awesome even on the phone, and told me that they could fix it in about an hour...once they have the part. So I'm dropping the laptop off Monday after work. They said that the part + repair will be in the neighborhood of $150, which is naturally more than I *want* to pay but far less than I was fearing. So that's cool. And they're Apple-authorized repair/training/etc. dudes, so I feel good about it.

when a pathology lab says "this is weird," sometimes it's harmless-weird that was mistaken for harmful because no one had seen anything like it before.

That would be ideal. Or maybe the tumors will eventually cause my dad to mutate into a superhero of some sort. It's Senior Man! Call Senior Man for all your senior citizen-related superhero needs. Those durned kids won't come within miles of your lawn.

Or maybe the tumors will eventually cause my dad to mutate into a superhero of some sort.

It's not a tumor; it's his POWER CENTER!!!! (Please tell me if making a joke about your dad's tumor is crass; I'll delete right away, with a thousand apologies. I'm just trying to keep things light, if I can.)

It's not a tumor; it's his POWER CENTER!!!

Hee! No, I figure if I'm making tumor jokes it's pretty much open season. But thanks for asking.