Smacky the Manpony, wasn't it?

Dude, WHY do you remember that?!?

mocked the world's stupidest fairy penguin with Steph L.

Good times.

Welcome, ZAR!

Dude, WHY do you remember that?!?

Because it was hilarious!

I once attended a meeting where my section manager was trying to inspire us with the tale of Ernest Shackleton, who became icebound for trying to lead an expedition to Antarctica. There follows a stirring tale of leadership and endurance lasting over a year, which culminated in Shackleton piloting a lifeboat to land at South Georgia Island in hurricane force winds, and then a prohibitively difficult island crossing to reach a whaling station that was only replicated by another party nearly 40 years later. It's quite a story.

Anyway, my reply began with the comment, "South Georgia Island is also home to the world's only species of carnivorous duck." Someone else interjected at this point.

"Good God, how do remember this stuff?"
"It's a carnivorous duck, how do you not?"

Ernest Shackleton later died on South Georgia Island of a heart attack, during another expedition. Wikipedia offers the following narrative, which I like to think indicates Shackleton's priorities rather nicely:

In the early hours of the next morning Shackleton summoned the expedition's physician, Alexander Macklin, to his cabin, complaining of back pains and other discomfort. According to Macklin's own account, Macklin told him he had been overdoing things and should try to "lead a more regular life", to which Shackleton answered: "You are always wanting me to give up things, what is it I ought to give up?" "Chiefly alcohol, Boss," replied Macklin. A few moments later, at 2:50 a.m. on 5 January 1922, Shackleton suffered a fatal heart attack.

Good times.

Wasn't it? And I still have the mole rat plush toy I bought there.

I am LOVING this thread!! I am so glad the lurkers are delurking and they are all getting a warm Buffista "One of us! One of us!" welcome!

I'm trying like heck to get MM to log in and update. He's stuffing his face with pahsketti right now.

I'm trying like heck to get MM to log in and update. He's stuffing his face with pahsketti right now.

You realise that my mental image here is indiscriminate with respect to choice of orifice.

I do realise. And would expect nothing less. Well done!

Hi Zar!

(I can not be the only one who really, really hopes that the lurkers thus far will continue to unlurk because they're super-cool and will add so much to the conversation!)

No, you're really not.

Count me in an being thrilled to meet our cool lurkers.

What Perkins said.

(1) Are you guys now married on Second Life? and (2) is there fiancedom happening of which I'm oblivious, or are y'all just thinking about it?

Second Life officially has partnerships rather than marriages but most people treat partnerships equal to marriage. Although some people don't consider you properly married unless you've had a ceremony. But personally we consider ourselves married in the game. I probably should have said he's my Second Life Husband Now Real Boyfriend, but I kind liked the symmetry of Boyfriend in their twice.

As for real life, we're not engaged but we're really sure that's what we want but we're not ready to take that step yet. This upcoming visit will be 10 days and that's the longest we'll have been together in person. He lives 1300 miles away and I won't be able to get up to Vermont until next summer. When he's here we're going to figure some things out including trying to plan when I can move up there, but the economy and job availability will play a part in that.

(I always mentally prounounce it "Slartibartfast".)

I do to!

Welcome Zar!