Will do. Happy to pass info on

It'll be in a couple of days cause stepmom left for traveling when dad and I got back and I KNOW she's the only person who can give me names, brands and info. But I will e her tonight and she'll get me the details when she's back home.

Any thoughts

Honestly, no. Which is unfortunate. I had a some weird and kinda rough talks with dad where it was clear he was listening to one place and not totally being able to see it was skewed. No matter the side. It's hard because the world seems more polarized than ever and really ugly to me.

bonny, I've been meaning to ask you if you recommend any specific brand/formulation for canine joint support. Kato is 9-ish, and we noticed the other day, after he had been on a long-ish walk (40 minutes, divided into 2 parts, with a rest period of about an hour or so between them), later that evening he was really stiff and having some trouble getting up and moving around. We gave him a quarter tablet of Novox, figuring that since it's an antiinflammatory, it would help, and he was fine the next morning.

Steph, I give Bartleby Nupro Silver after doing loads of research and it gets the thumbs up (or hips up, as the case may be) from the vets that I have mentioned it too.

I like the combination of ingredients better than any other similar product I have looked into or used in the past.

Speaking of pet health...I'd love to hear folks' thoughts on pet insurance they like and/or avoid.

In my full-on panic attack last night, I signed up for Trupanion, which seems better than VPI, but I don't know.

What does the hivemind use?

It's hard because the world seems more polarized than ever and really ugly to me.

That kind of sparked a thought. Our family has always been "polarized" taking sides in political battles where, I think even in retrospect, the other side really really wrong. In many cases I'd even use the word evil.

So I don't think the problem is one-sideness. I think the problem is constant and unremitting stirring of anger. Take Maddow who I like, and who even in a way tries to be fair. But you she makes jokes by pointing out (quite fairly) that Newt Gingrich is being hypocritical on Marriage. And even though Maddow is being good humored it stirs justifed anger against Gingrich. And then five minutes later she points out some hilarious Hypocrisy on the part of Walker. And then Limbaugh. And so on. And so if you watch the whole show you can easily end up saying "arrogant bastard" or "those bastards" 12 times in an hour. And I'm not sure an hour does any harm. But if you let your self being stirred into a rage for three or four hours straight then it does not fade away when you do something else. I think the same thing is true of Fox. If you watch an hour of Fox a day I think you are being terribly misinformed, but I don't think you are being changed emotionally. But someone who wathces three or four hours of Fox or Fox type stuff (let alone more) will get stirred into a rage that does go away when they turn off the TV. Part of it is time, part of it is the concentration on stirring up anger. "Democracy Now" is to the left of anything on MSNBC and just as one sided. (It also tries to be very very factual, but so does a lot of MSNBC.) But Democracy Now also tries to be nuanced. It tries to give root causes and historical context. And even though it has a point of view, if there are facts that contradict that point of view it tries to make sure that if you listen, you hear those facts too. But the big thing is that even though a lot of what it covers is stuff will make people it angry, it is not focused on stirring up anger. I think if Democracy Now was a three hour program, people would not walk away in a rage. During the height of the Egyptian Crisis, my Mom would listen to Riz Khan and David Frost on Al Jazerra, and Democracy Now, and Free Speech Radio News, and then one of the three MSNBC programs and not get stirred up into a rage.

Sorry to post so much TLDR, but it is helping me think it through.

I can hear drunk people shouting outside. The hell? The stupid made-up holiday drinking is supposed to be downtown, not way out here.

If you find anything let me know, Typo. DH spends a lot of time being angry . And while I get , and don't disagree; I find the anger hard to deal with. The only thing I can have done is ask the question -- ok we know things are bad. what small thing can we do to make thing better? ( pizza for the protesteros. a letter that is smarter than any other in the paper. research all the stores you buy from and only buy blue. send out mailing for the local good guy... etc) My theory is that all the yelling doesn't change things --esp. if all the talk is to me - and I agree. So I keep trying to find a positive outlet / focus for anger. Some times he hears me, sometimes he doesn't.

I know that one pizza doesn't make a lot of difference. But what if 700 people ordered pizza one day --

Typo, I had the same problem as your mom - after almost a solid year of watching MSNBC for three hours a night, I was so burned out with outrage overload I had to stop watching any of it. I don't even enjoy The Daily Show anymore. I have enough residual anger to deal with, I don't need an anger infusion every day!

bonny, I have both cats on PetPlan, and I've been happy with them so far. They're affordable and their plans are good. I always thought, I've got some savings, I can afford a trip to the vet, then Leo racked up over $1000 in three days and I decided pet insurance would be a good idea!

Oh my goddess, I'm gonna vomit. I finally just emailed my biological sister. For the first time ever.

I wish you peace and joy with this. It's enormous. I have this mental image of two women touching hands then hugging. It would be so sweet if your contact with your sister went like that - metaphorically in email if not in person.

Selfishly, I want the little guy's influence on my mental health in my life for as long as possible, and so far, so good. He does not have cataracts, I give him a supplement with joint support even though he does not have joint pain, his muscle mass is good and he has great energy.

Daniel and I feel something similar with Harvey. I think perhaps it is more intense for Daniel. I was there when Harvey was born, so I have more years with him, and more of a whole life-span perspective on his life. Every time he climbs into my arms for a snuggle, I put some effort into soaking up the moment, putting away thoughts of the past, or fears for the future. I know I've bragged on his chasing his tail up on that eight inch wide ledge by the stairs (pretty spry for a 12 year old cat, eh?) He used to do that every once in a while, but since I came home from the hospital, he has been doing that at least twice a day. I swear he's doing it to make me laugh, keep my spirits up.

I might not totally suck at this supervisor thing

Unsurprising. You rock.

I agree.

Travel~ma for Cass and meara.

Any thoughts?

Jon Stewart's speech from the Rally to Restore Sanity?

It's hard because the world seems more polarized than ever and really ugly to me.

Oh my goddess, I'm gonna vomit. I finally just emailed my biological sister. For the first time ever.

That took courage, and I wish the best possible outcome!