it's impossible for me to believe that my life would have been worse without my father. It seems to me that feeling rejected by an absent father would be less painful than being rejected and criticized by one who was present every damn day.

And Ginger sums up what I was going to say in a much longer post. I was glad when my father left my life and I know I was better off without him, but that's because I had him for 4 years and I knew what that was like. If my mom had stayed gone after she left him when she was pregnant with me, arguably I might have been better off, but I would probably have spent my life wondering what my father was like, and imagining him to be a much much better person than he actually was.

Ginger, I'll send the link to the Cancer Society to her, but she doesn't want this to be public knowledge. I highly doubt there's much crossover between her world and the Buffistas, but I don't know how she'd feel about my talking about it with my circle.

{{{Bitches in need}}}

A pox upon yesterday and an earnest wish for a better day today!

Dear Universe,
Pls to be laying off Connie's family. Stat.

Ta, ever so,
Buffistas

green bean casserole

We do a veggie casserole from frozen veggies and mushroom soup topped with Jarlsberg cheese (my mother hates Swiss) and fried onions. Cooks in the microwave, which is a good thing on Thanksgiving, and is teh nom.

*(Did I equivocate enough? That's my favorite Buffista pastime -- making sure that statements are equivocated, because absolute statements are often [though not always (see what I did there?)] followed by a post where someone immediately provides proof/anecdata to the contrary.)

There's a reason my tag used to be "I await your inevitable well-crafted responses proving me wrong."

Oh! I forgot to tell you all, I downloaded some of the samples from the Jeeves alarm clock website, and was greeted by the dulcet tones of Steven Fry saying "Good Morning Madam"

Awesome! How did you do that? I think I tried to right-click and dl but it didn't work.

We could work out a plan to brand or tattoo the ones that have already proven themselves.

Maybe make it part of the divorce settlement, so at least any future potential wives are well-warned.

he tried to lean in to give me a hug, started to fall over (because he was leaning on me, a small kid on crutches!) and saved his beer before saving me.

!!!!!

That should be a question on an "Are You a Douchnozzle" quiz.

7. A drink and a child (the latter on crutches) are both falling. Which do you catch first?

Connie, I'm sorry about your sister's cancer. My mom's was ovarian, and, while aggressive, it was also probably a different thing than uterine cancer. Much anti-cancer~ma to your sister in whatever treatment regimen she works with.

*(Did I equivocate enough? That's my favorite Buffista pastime -- making sure that statements are equivocated, because absolute statements are often [though not always (see what I did there?)] followed by a post where someone immediately provides proof/anecdata to the contrary.)

There's a reason my tag used to be "I await your inevitable well-crafted responses proving me wrong."

I probably need to learn to be more precise in my communication, but I really dislike how, too often, "precise" looks like "equivocation." And I hate equivocating.

Excellent use of parens, btw.

Connie, much -ma to your sister.

I don't really have the experience to comment on the douchenozzle parenting conversation. My dad died when I was a baby, and it hurt to be without him, but I was always comforted by people telling me what a good father he was.

I have a friend who is recently divorced. Just as his youngest graduated from college. He regrets waiting so long, because he is afraid that his daughter has no idea what a healthy relationship looks like ( his son , the younger one seems more perceptive.)

and ma~~ to your sister, connie

but I don't know how she'd feel about my talking about it with my circle.

There's always "I have a friend who had chemo and I can ask her if she has any suggestions."