Fantastic story, Laura. I am going to try to keep it in mind.

An aside, I loathe the claim that allergies are psychosomatic.

OK, watched the first four eps of Orange is the New Black with the roomie tonight. Good times. I have decided the issue is, I don't like watching things longer than a minute or two on my computer. But I can watch Netflix through my TiVo, so at home I'm OK. You'd think Netflix on the road would be useful, but I never use it. I think I must be An Old, to have this problem

Oddly, I can watch things easier on my tablet than my laptop. I've decided, based on almost nothing, that it is because the laptop has a keyboard *right there* but the tablet turns into a viewing screen.

Thanks, Laura, smonster, and pix. It's hard right now because this is one of my clinical internships, so there isn't actually another option (and let me be clear, I'm not actually getting in trouble. It just feels like that.), but I am glad to know that I am not the only one with that...personality quirk.

I can happily watch tv on my laptop while doing other things, but I do like having HBOGo on my tablet (on a coffee table while I'm sitting on the floor, so it's at eye level), and my "stuff I'm doing" on my laptop. As far as an actual tv, unless it's pretty big, the functional size, given the distance, is not much bigger than my hulu window, and is more likely to have distracting, extraneous stimuli between me and it, so I often prefer NOT to watch things on an actual tv.

OMG, you guys. I have to tell you. And then you tell me if I am way the fuck off base.

So my birthday dinner and party was last night. We had a res at Palm Palace (my favorite restaurant - Moroccan) for 7:30. We have these "friends". One of who you may remember is the passive-aggressive insulter - she of the "Your Christmas card photographer was go great the way he had you sit so it hides all your extra weight in your thighs and belly." fame? Anyway, they RSVPd late, but Joe squeezed them in on the reservation. I got a text from saying they would be late b/c their babysitter was running late. Okay. Shit happens with babysitters. I get that.

They showed up AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES LATE. AN HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES. We were all knee deep into our entrees, WAAAAAAAY past appetizers and salads.

So our waiter busts his ass (he was AMAZING) to add a new table for them and they sit down, She orders a lemonade and He orders a water and then they proceed to GRAZE off the table. They didn't order ANYTHING. Included in their graze? MINE AND JOE'S DINNER PLATE (we order a big sample platter). PICKED FROM IT WITH THEIR FINGERS. They were asking for part of other people's meals. It was ridiculous. It was one of those moments where I was too stunned to say anything.

So the bill comes. Joe and I covered the apps and the waiter put their lemonade on our bill. Okay - no big. They look at the bill (which was $94 - $15 of which was added gratuity for the size of our party), hand Joe a $20 AND THEN ASK FOR $10 BACK.

They didn't bring booze to the after party at our house. They didn't even BRING A FRICKIN' CARD.

WHAT THE EFFING EFF SHIT IS THAT MESS?? As our friend Ali said, "Never surprised, ALWAYS amazed."

What the fuck, y'all?

Aims, that is unbelievable. Any chance you could stop inviting them to anything, ever?

Oh, you can bet they won't be invited to any out-to-dinner type thing ever again. EVER.

Anne beat me to it.

As much as it is challenging sometimes, my motto is, "You can't be angry with people for exhibiting perfectly predictable behavior."

The fact that they SHOULD be polite...or at least not grossly, ridiculously rude...may be true, but it isn't relevant when there is so much evidence that they are who they are.

Bless my family, they taught me a long time ago that wishing people were better sadly does not make them so.

Along the same lines, I finally had it out with my frat house neighbors over the 4th of July debacle this morning.

They had obviously noticed how stand-offish I have been, since I've always been friendly and chatty with them. But, I was afraid I would say something I would regret.

In the end, I was able to say the important stuff. They may or may not have heard me, but at least I can move on from here.

The offending party hid behind his sister, who I am arguably closer to, thus solidifying my realization that I cannot trust them to not be stupid.

So. Next step is to be in touch with their landlord. No more Ms. Nice Guy...which makes me sad.

Oh, you can bet they won't be invited to any out-to-dinner type thing ever again. EVER.

Man, I wouldn't invite them to ANY anything. If they happen to be invited by someone else to a party/dinner/whatever that you're at, then so be it, but I would not invite them to a damn thing henceforth. Not a dinner, not a bible study, not a yard sale.

That is some straight up bullshit.