Steph, that is awesome.

Like Buffista Island won't be TROPICAL?!

It can't be TOO hot ALL the time. And snow is fun. We can have a nice snow capped mountain and little cabins up there for sledding and skiing and General winter wonderland purposes.

I despise cleaning the cat box and litter that surrounds it. My surprisingly effective solution has been a top-entry box lined with a garbage bag and a thinnish depth of litter. There is a layer of baking soda between bag and box so if there are any breeches it absorbs. She doesn't track out any litter and Every week I chuck the bag and change the soda if needed. No smell, no tracking, no scooping... it's pretty much glorious.

Steph, you are awesome and your niece is brave, and lucky to have you to talk to.

I feel bad for her, because I asked her if she told her parents (who are, in general, really fantastic; I lucked out so hard in the in-law lottery), and she said yeah, but they don't really get it, and her mom was basically like, "Well, once you meet someone, you'll figure it out." Facepalm.

Sometimes I wish I were ace, but only so my life and my mind would match more.

Teppy, you are pretty awesome.

I remember telling a teenage babysitter once when she said, "Owen is going to break some girl's heart someday" that he might break some boy's heart. Or nobody's heart. This was when he was four. It's just that simple. We don't know but we accept them for what they are and love them because we love them. Not for what they are going to be.

One of the reasons I love b.org so much (and roller derby, too, because it is fully accepting) is that we know humanity is one big spectrum and that keeps it interesting and wonderful and vibrant.

And even though I am a total misanthrope, I do like individuals. Most of them are here.

My sister and I have a running joke that I want my nephew to be gay - because what auntie wouldn't want a devoted gay nephew? So any time he, oh, loves Betty Buckley or refuses to take off a tutu we're all "point to Auntie Mame." (Because, seriously? That girlfriend was a beard.)

We don't do this within his hearing.

One of our cousins was APPALLED. Not that his being gay would be bad, but that "you should love him no matter WHO he is..." She really got rolling. It was hysterical.

On a less jovial note, I'm pretty sure one of my little cousins IS gay. Alas, he is of Super Catholic parents (who would come around eventually, but it would be rough going for a spell to be sure and they might try and make him be a priest in the interval). The bigger cousins have been trying to communicate to him for a while that we love him and are proud of him and that we have gay friends and don't give a shit. I only hope that when/if the time comes he knows he can turn to us the way Teppy's niece turned to her.

OK, entirely random question--where does one purchase cheap but not completely awful furniture, other than IKEA or Target? I'm looking for a specific size of bookshelf/cabinet to line my wall (can't be over about 38" high, but don't want it too much shorter or it's wasting valuable space) and nothing at either of those places quite works...unless I have a specific piece in mind, Craigslist has too many results, but my brain isn't really working this morning coming up with other places to look.

West Elm? I've gotten a bunch of stuff at overstock.com, too.