Celery and hummus. Nom nom nom.

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Erin, a salad shooter is electric. It chops things. And then shoots them across the room. Or theoretically, into a bowl.

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The canister is great!

Dont the corset patterns have instructions? I have made several corsets, but mostly for theatre, and I find they are actally fairly easy, in that you have to be patient and neat and accurate, but you don't have to make it fir perfectly (because of the lacing) or somehow get arms in armhoes (which defeats me).

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OMG. MUST HAVE. The only thing better would be a kitchen tool that chops things, lights them afire, then shoots them across the room. I would so pay for that.

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Yay, askye!

Celery is evil,

I must not tell TCG about salad shooters.

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Cass lives close by right?

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Ha! The urn is made of awesome. Joe, even more for declaring it to be your urn. Y'all crack me up!

so even though some things have been going badly I paid off my credit card today.

Askye, that is truly fabulous! Awesome. Rad! Great! Congrats! It's a wonderful feeling, no?

ION- had (2) ego boost moments at work today! Dunno why I love ego boosts, but apparently my brain thinks I'm average, and craves compliments, even though I dunno how to take them.

First: Ubber boss has commented several times how great the new sound system in the small theater sounds. That I did a great job putting a "rep plot for sound" together. etc etc etc. Of course, part of the kudos goes to NoiseDesign for turning me onto the sweet new speakers that are very reasonably priced.

Second: Talking with associate boss (yes, I have too many bosses), who was looking really spent and tired. I asked if he's ok? Change is hard, especially when folks aren't responding to the tightening of screws. Huh? What? What memo did I miss? none. No need to memo you. your screws are already tight.

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Celery and hummus. Nom nom nom.

Totally! And totally unexpected!

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Some random comments to wade into the political debate:

Our beliefs (political, religious, or otherwise) are not our selves. Something all of us should keep in mind more often (us being humans, not just Buffistas).

I am pro-Buffistas, even the ones I disagree with, or get into stupid pointless shouting matches with.

More specifically to the Republican/Democrat, conservative/liberal thing - What everybody else said.

I will also add - while Republicans were in charge, they got to pass laws I didn't like. I'm allowed to say loudly and often I don't like it, but I also have to obey the law, or fight it through established legal means (or disobey, but accept the penalties for breaking said law if I'm caught and convicted).

Democrats are in charge now in all three bodies, so we get to pass laws Republicans don't like. We'll have more elections in the future, at which point the landscape may change. That's how it works.

IT DOES NOT TAKE SIXTY VOTES TO GET SOMETHING PASSED IN THE SENATE. It takes fifty one. We have fifty one. I'm getting irritated at the massive, widespread perpetuation of the myth that we need a supermajority to get things done.

While I appreciate to some extent the argument that people don't want their taxes to pay for this, that or the other social program, or other people's health insurance. I don't want my taxes paying for questionable foreign wars, bombs and tanks, or jerkhole politicians' salaries, but I don't get a choice. Once you turn your money over to the government, it belongs to the government. Just as the money you pay to a merchant belongs to the merchant the instant the transaction is completed.

More importantly, I DO want my tax dollars paying for this, that, or the other social program, and for health insurance for everybody. See above re: we're in charge for a while.

On the subject of Republican bashing, which is really what started this discussion - public officials are just that, and I get to say whatever nasty-ass thing I want about them. That was settled a long time ago. You're allowed to be offended, but that seems a little sensitive, unless said official is a personal friend or family member. But even then, I get to say bad stuff about elected officials, just like Coulter, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, or anybody else for that matter, is allowed to say whatever nasty-ass comments they want to say about public officials I agree with.

As for bashing Republican beliefs, ideas and positions, see above re: our beliefs are not our selves.

As for Republican bashing, as in "Shari H/DavidS/Gudanov/Sean K/[random specific private citizen] sucks because of their political beliefs," I'm not cool with that, but I also do not believe there has ever been a single example of that here on the board. Present me with an example, and we can discuss the inappropriateness of that comment, but I will be very surprised if such a comment exists.

Saying "Republicans/Democrats suck because of [belief X]" isn't quite the same thing, because I would presume such comment to be referring to the party, though such comments are dangerously close to crossing the line. And maybe sometimes can be a personal attack, and may not necessarily be cool.

I think I had more, but I'm kinda petering out.

All that being said, Shari H - I doubt we agree on much politically, and I'm certain that I personally am anti-your-beliefs, but I say without a doubt and without hesitation that I am pro-you.

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Democrats are in charge now in all three bodies, so we get to pass laws Republicans don't like.

Now if only we would.

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