Not to be confused with gerrymandering, which seems to have been named after Gov. Gerry of Massachusetts (in 1812).

I'm reading a Patrick O'Brian novel, and the characters say "jury-rigged". Given the quality of the research, I'm inclined to go with him.

ION, I took my folks to see the new place (this would be the 3rd time) and Mom started freaking out ten minutes into the visit. "I'm afraid, get me out of here!" Argh. This after being greeted really nicely by several staff members and a sensible conversation about furniture. We still managed to get to the Cost Plus, where she insisted on buying two leather chairs in a somewhat unfortunate shade of teal.

Which means I get to spend my Sunday picking up the chairs in my sister's SUV & shuttling them to the new apartment, and hopefully there will be a dolly I can use to get them upstairs...

Argh.

A mood changer show, in a good way.

He is a very fun host--he can make almost any guest not just palatable, but enjoyable.

I'm reading a Patrick O'Brian novel, and the characters say "jury-rigged". Given the quality of the research, I'm inclined to go with him.

Is he meta-textually saying that that's the "right" way to say it, or is he writing about people who say that?

Yipes, Laura, that makes it even more upsetting.

The day in question was the day that Al Sharpton was there for a Souls to the Polls drive.

I sure hope it's just a tabulation error and all the votes were counted. That's a disturbing coincidence.

Oh Suela, maybe the chairs will make her feel more at home?

is he writing about people who say that?

This.

Now I'm watching Bottle Shock On Demand, that movie about the 1976 wine contest where the Californian whites blew away the French.

How is it, Consuela? I remember wanting to see it, I think because Alan Rickman is in it.

Good lord, Suela. Does she need new chairs?

My grandmother was depressed all her life, and never particularly agreeable, but got incredibly disagreeable and/or sad after my grandfather died. It was awful. And I remember at one point she was in the hospital and my mom was like "Dude. She was SMILING. I don't know what they gave her, but they need to KEEP giving it to her!!" Sadly, they didn't figure out what made that happen so they could insist doctors keep her on it.

It's a little odd. But the cast is great: Bill Pullman, Chris Pine, Alan Rickman, Eliza Dushku (who plays a really predictable small-town bartender).

Does she need new chairs?

Well, yeah. That was the point: the new apartment is much smaller and won't have room for the big couch and loveseat they have in their current place.

The meds are so important, and I wish I knew which of them were the ones that kept her happy. Or at least less upset and anxious. But the Klonopin is definitely helping.

Shrift (and other Chicago types), have you seen Slightly Insulting Chicago Posters new River North design?

HAAAAAAAAAAAAA.