The phrase that comes to mind is "the prodigal returns", although I can't think of recent instances of that either.

In that scenario, do they usually mean someone who was profligate is returning, or just someone who left?

I've most often heard prodigal used to mean someone who was "lost" to the family, as in the prodigal son, whether returning or not, not realizing it really meant profligate.

So is "prodigal" related to "prodigious"? If so, then the element of excess comes into play again.

Someone who left under some sort of cloud, anyway. Although I probably make the assumption that if that does not seem to be what is meant, then "prodigal" is being used ironically.

I managed not to zombie! Went out to dinner with my friend and neighbor who's been AWOL for work as all summers, and then we went and caught the first set of our friend and neighbor's gig. And we left for once because she was pumpkining, not me (she'd been dealing with work emergencies in LA at 2am, so.)

I was chatting tonight in the pool with one of the regulars I hadn't seen this summer, and topic came up about the smallness of Baltimore and how complicated it is. I get so much satisfaction from what I can experience in a 3 mile radius, but even in that bubble,so much plays out. Turns out he lives closer to downtown, but had a similar perspective. "I spent the first half of my life in Ethiopia, where my town was my family, literally. Outside of early university in the US, I've never felt so much like I was back in my town again. Even with the troublesome kinsmen."

We also first greeted each other with, hey, you cut your hair!

I love my Y. And now I can place he& wife's accents.

So, whenever I try to search for a motel, even if the search engine or webpage says they're looking for hotels and motels, I only get hotels.

What's the best way to search for the cheapest, shittiest places to sleep? Or, less colourfully, how to search for simply MOTELS, not hotels. (And now those words look weird to me).

Do crappy motels have a web presence? You might have to get somewhere and drive around? Why do you need a motel?

Jesse, I hope you made it back into your house.

We're on our second day of Seattle weather--cool and gray and occasionally rainy. Usually it's sunny and 98F, so this is a notable improvement.

I've now applied for 42 positions. I feel like I should make something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea. If I get to 50 it'll be time to bring out the vodka.

I did make it back inside! Just 20 minutes or something on the porch.

I had truly massive insomnia as in not-even-feeling-like-sleeping last night. Usually I collapse of tiredness at some point, but I could have kept going past 3 AM. Expecting to be a bit zombified today.