Do you have a favourite mug/coffee/tea cup?

I got JZ this Sally mug and it's super pleasing to hold and drink from. The shape of the lip, and balance in the hand is excellent.

When my mother kicks it (because if she dies before my father I suspect he won't care to keep them) my sister and I split a shitload of plates. Part of me resists buying anymore in anticipation of this event that I hope is many decades in the future. But there are multiple sets, many of which predate my birth. Some are lovely, some are...something, but all of them are emotionally important to me, through the ones she bought when my father was posted in Moscow--she's diligent about taking advantage of postings.

Unfortunately neither my sister nor I want her jewelry. So our closest (in terms of interaction) cousin I think gets most of it.

Wow, that's a cool pattern, Amy. I'm not used to plates with that representative a picture on the plates I eat off of. Personally I never made it past colours. My mother stopped at floral. Imagine coming over to my home and eating off these: [link] . Except I can't seat more than three, so only bring a date, no kids. Or just your favourite kid.

Tom, are you working in Nairobi?

I love that set of dishes. I would still like to get some of the other designs, although we don't need that many. But I use it both for daily or for fancy, so.

What does it say about me (or my neighborhood) that I can always tell the difference between gunfire and fireworks? Guns have a flat, dull quality, as opposed to the boomy, showy quality of the sound fireworks make. And car backfires have a bangy sound to them. Most gunfire has very little on the bottom end (the bassy end).

Nah, I’m just klutzy.

Sean. I think it says that you are a good sound designer/engineer

Does anyone know offhand the driving time between L.A. and Palo Alto, especially if you're a fairly fast driver?

Six hours, give or take 30 minutes.

Thank you!