So I found out who Wink Man is. Is that bad? He changed his username to his real first name and last initial, and he's studying Classics for a PhD and he lives right here so he was obviously at UVA... giving out that much information, it's like he *wanted* me to go look him up. And I really do want to meet him. I wish he'd message me already, geez. That's all the stalking I care to do.

Zen, I would encourage you to go on and send him a message, but since this is such a delicate matter for you I understand why you wouldn't want to.

Almost twelve hours, no reply to my text. So possibilities would seem to be 1) he's pondering 2) he's sexing up Other Chick right now AIFG 3) he didn't think any response was required 4) he's just done.

I guess I'll text him around lunch and see if he still wants to go to the movie. Don't worry, Nora, I may have someone for the other ticket if he doesn't come.

I just spent a delightful few hours hanging with R and her roommate. They fed me and helped keep the brain weasels at bay. I introduced them to Cute Animals, Bad Dates and found further proof that its creator is One Of Us - [link]

askye, meant to say - I'm so glad y'all had a lovely day together. Sounds like laid back, comfortable with each other fun.

I think that one's on me. We were having a very fast-paced text conversation, and I made the decision fairly unilaterally.

Okay, that's no red flag for that item then. I misunderstood.

I do think you need to value yourself and thus already established friendships because you are a rocking thing that rocks ... rocks? But it's way different if you just decided.

He should have mentioned if he was actively seeing someone else pre-sexytimes but he wasn't under any actual obligation, just that would have been more morally awesome. [I've had two glasses of wine. Those were really difficult sentences. I hope I got the case-ages right.]

I hope he is worthy and steps up to that soon, smonster. Or that he at least lets you know he's not there. Putting yourself out there even a little and then waiting sucks.

That's all the stalking I care to do.

It's a creepy, slippery slope but sometimes people make it really easy to casually look them up. And, frankly, that was sparking the curious and then easily there to find. Nothing creepy.

I hope you hear from him soon and can schedule a non-binding beverage meeting.

Dinner with mom was good. We looked through an old photo album. Ate nice food. It's nice to be this near family.

Time to get some sleep and leave early tomorrow to go visit my Dad. It's really nice to be a couple of hours from him.

I miss Portland. I miss the PNW. I really miss my friends. But this is so the right call. Actually I would love to just close the distance up and modify the climate somewhat. Maybe dim the sun. Which falls under climate but I feel I should also specify. I've become terribly tanned. SPF vampire has saved me from sunburn but I still am showing the UVs.

Smonster, maybe his phone ran out of juice? Or the text didn't go through. (I know, sometimes I'm too much the optimist).

I procrastinated too long today. By the time I finally left the condo to run errands, Home Depot was the only one left open. But I did manage to fix my water heater problem. A little CLR on the shower head, and then it wouldn't cause the tankless heater to stop heating. A water pressure thing. Weird. But I'll take a $4 bottle of CLR over buying a new $1000 water heater. Now, if I can wake up early enough in the morning and beat the heat, maybe I can get some errands before the sun turns to broil mode.

I'm catching up and what's wild is that everytime smonster mentions "z" I read "Zenkitty" and then I get confused anew reading Zenkitty's posts. Whiplash.

I think: "when did smonster and Zenkitty start dating?"

"No! they aren't dating"

rinse. repeat.

I procrastinated too long today. By the time I finally left the condo to run errands, Home Depot was the only one left open.

I feel your pain. I did manage to buy some locally roasted coffee, am ridiculously excited to drink it tomorrow, and got a $280 suit for $68. I went to Costco to get gas, decided to come back to do my shopping after going to Macy's since I wanted to grab some dinner there and the place closed at 6:30PM. On a Saturday?!?! WTF Connecticut?

The latest exploits of our little boy: he's taken to reading stories to his parents. (Not reading reading, just relating them back to us.) Yesterday, he read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to his daddy. The highlight was when he faultlessly recounted the ten items that the caterpillar ate on Saturday - all with the book sitting firmly closed in his lap. His memory work seems to be coming along ok.

Today we watched some Life of Mammals. (Every time David Attenborough came on the screen, he asked me, "This is the man you saw?") When we got into the echidna footage, he told me (entirely unprompted, I swear), "The echidna is my favourite animal."

Good week. Good weekend.

(Every time David Attenborough came on the screen, he asked me, "This is the man you saw?")

Yes, yes it is. And we love him maybe slightly less than (Ryan's) Daddy. But only that tiny bit.

Echidnas are awesome. I should think about re-upping my Zoo membership now that I'm within three hours.

I need some advice folks. My upstairs neighbors are moving, and are selling their HE stacked washer & dryer. The w/d in my unit is a bit wanky. Works fine. But to fit it n the closet, it's not properly assembled, so the dryer feels like it could fall over at any time. Mine is a Maytag, gas dryer and at least 10 years old. Work. but can't dig up any manuals for them. The neighbors units are about a year old, Whirlpool. Electric dryer. HE units. The reviews for them are average. Some great reviews, some super poor reviews. I couldn't find Consumer Reports review for them, but the Whirlpool line with close model numbers had review numbers in the 70's. They are selling the pair for $700, which is rather good price.

Should I buy? or pass?