msbelle, I vote next time mac's on your last nerve, just disappear into the memories of how silly and sweet he was with Nico & the kids as well as how, erm, patient he was with us in Vegas.

-t, it's been so gross here, most of my showers have been tepid to cold. Even the ones after my swim. Actually, especially those. Even with my house being quite pleasant. Choosing g hot is just not a reasonable option right now.

sarameg makes a good point about how patient he was.

I've been listening to a ton of On Being (today's installment was Elizabeth Alexander who is breathtaking). But she had john a powell on a few weeks ago and he wrote about white privilege in a way that is sitting with me and is such a good explanation. He wrote, "Whiteness is like the invisible presence of the narrator in a story told from the third person point of view.” It's the shaping voice.

Been thinking of that for a while, but your discussion upthread about privilege reminded me of it.

he had unlimited screen time in Vegas, that is honestly all he cares about.

Yes Dana, that one is being stupid. I cannot engage more than I did, no spoons.

We named two streets Wacker--upper and lower.

There's also Lower Lower Wacker.

You should campaign to rename them Greater Wacker and Lesser Wacker. And possibly Bigger Wacker.

And Weed Wacker.

We are trying to arrange to go out of town this weekend, on a bit of whim, to attend the funeral of my friend's father, and the man who officiated at our wedding. It feels like the right thing to do, but it turns out we can't just up and leave town on a whim. Who knew? But I think it'll all work out. That's been my mantra this summer, and so far so good.

The cool bath is by far the most effective means of cooling off I have at my disposal (without driving somewhere and/or spending money) but my tub remains egregiously uncomfortable.

"Whiteness is like the invisible presence of the narrator in a story told from the third person point of view.”

There's an urban London fantasy series (Rivers of London, I think, but I have a fever) in which the protagonist describes every person they come across in a police sort of way as black or white, and it gave me a sudden revelation that most books only point out nonwhiteness.

I think I have actually started to acclimate to some heat--we've had so much of it this summer in Seattle. And today it apparently got to 93 (and 80 in my bedroom--my office is the next higher floor) but it wasn't until late afternoon that I thought it was too warm inside. And it's supposedly still 88 but feels pretty nice out, with a breeze (in the shade). So, yay? But boo global warming.

It feels like the right thing to do, but it turns out we can't just up and leave town on a whim. Who knew? But I think it'll all work out. That's been my mantra this summer, and so far so good.

That seems like a good mantra!

You should campaign to rename them Greater Wacker and Lesser Wacker. And possibly Bigger Wacker.

Talley Wacker?