I've always been amused at how red hair seems to be an Irish thing and a Russian thing. Like how did that happen?

Funnily, Julian May implied that psychic powers run with red hair, and are found mainly in Celt-land and Georgia. But Vikings are not psychic.

Why I'm bringing up cheesy SF/F books from the 80s, I don't know.

Ginger, that's just Biblical levels of awfulness. Hopefully a lot of good comes her way.

Ginger, I have no words for how awful that is.

It's a cultural thing. I don't share it - my sister has gorgeous auburn hair, and we're Irish - but it's an inherited anti-Celt sentiment that it's hard to avoid here. But I like how the Weasleys are redeeming gingerness for a new generation.

Due to the part where my family's mostly Scottish, I'm still bitter I got the slightly-rusty-sandy hair rather than a proper red or auburn like my cousins, while still getting the full load of freckles and the ginger issues with painkillers. UNFAIR! It's like how I didn't get the curls from Dad, but got the curly eyebrows and the too much body hair and the knees that are prone to doing bad things, and I didn't get Mom's light frame, long legs, ability to dance, or seriously bright green eyes, but got her ASD issues and hip joint problems.

the ginger issues with painkillers

What are those?

I was complaining to my mom that I only get the bad part of her genetic heritage and she zinged me right back "You didn't get your singing voice from your Dad". And that's right on. My singing voice sounds like my mom. And she played an acetate recording of her mom who died when my mom was 1 and her voice is just like ours.

I once sent a "You Have given me so much" father's day card to my dad, with a cover illustration which I added arrows pointing to various body parts with things I got from him, like dry skin, migraines, big nose, etc. He loved it.

That's very funny, Scrappy. I'm glad he had a sense of humor about it.

Spidra, [link]

I haz nail polish! They are all so beautiful that I don't know which one to try first, except of course I do because I've been CRAVING olive green nails.

I think I love the flakies--or whatever they are called--but I have a wee pang of guilt because one is a bit close in color to an OPI color I have. Oops. Either I keep both or one will wind up in the polish exchange.

Hivemind question: If you are sending mail to a married couple who both have PhD's should it go to Dr. FirstName LastName and Dr. FirstName LastName on the envelope?

IorelatedN, if anyone who hasn't asked for one wants a wedding announcement from us in the mail, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Thanks, Plei. I've done 23andMe and have results for some of the MC1R SNPs but I don't know enough to see whether I've got the redhead ones or other ones. I didn't see anything there for PMOC at all.

I haven't had a pain-free day since 1995. Having a pain condition means I've gotten so that some types of pain are background noise and I've had to develop a high tolerance for them. The usual OTC stuff recommended for RSI - ibuprofen, naproxen, etc. don't work very well for me. But those aren't painkillers per se. When I got oxycodone after my ulnar nerve surgery, it worked *just fine*.

Meara'ing: thank you all for the friendship talk. That's why it took me so long to reappear here, actually: I got sucked into it. bonny, I can do nothing but echoing back Buffistas, and re-notify you that you're an excellent human being.

Eye contact: count me in for "it's embarrassing if it's more than a few seconds" club.

Kindda skimmed the dog talk, though. Steph, I'm sorry you have to go thought this with Chloe: you're on my thoughts. Also, glad to hear that Taz is alright.

I do miss my Lou, very much. Some days, it's easier to forget I ever had a dog. It might sound harsh and cold, but I prefer it than the pain it causes me sometimes, to remember him.

And as usual, much ~ma and hugs to those who need it. And Happy belated birthday, Jilli!

And God, Ginger. It almost feels as if ~ma won't cover it, but your family is in my thoughts.

Also, On The List: neighbors who are moving furniture on Saturdays, at 8:00am.