I don't fancy spending the next month trying to get librarian out of the carpet.

Spike ,'Chosen'


Natter 78: I might need to watch some Buffy for inspiration

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


erikaj - Jun 12, 2024 1:55:52 pm PDT #1091 of 3468
Always Anti-fascist!

Despite kind of looking like a delicate flower, I don't eat like one. But still, I always have takeout leftovers...I'm like a wife in an Eddie Murphy bit, always wanting half. maybe there is something to expanding portions and stuff.


meara - Jun 12, 2024 7:35:56 pm PDT #1092 of 3468

It still feels wild and futuristic to be posting here while on an airplane. Even though there’s been wifi on flights forever.

But y’all are not posting! What are you doing, having LIVES on the ground? Balderdash!


brenda m - Jun 12, 2024 9:12:23 pm PDT #1093 of 3468
If you're going through hell/keep on going/don't slow down/keep your fear from showing/you might be gone/'fore the devil even knows you're there

Um, David when you say you found it in the bin you mean…?


smonster - Jun 12, 2024 9:18:58 pm PDT #1094 of 3468
We won’t stop until everyone is gay.

I am so incredibly thankful for everyone that has helped and supported me from afar and in person.

And I am thankful all the way to the bone that they are ALL GONE. It is just me.

Today was a really tough day. Could have been worse, but plenty tough. Thing after thing went awry and I kept rolling and kept rolling with it, and then around 4 pm I went into bitch on wheels mode after a full day of three men either not listening well and/or me not communicating well. Plus other fuckery and confusion.

My helper is so earnest it makes the back of my teeth ache, and by the end of the day I wanted to kick that puppy so badly. The last straw was when i was stumbling over my words, because I'd been up for 12 hours, not to mention having twenty thoughts at once, and he laughed.

Normally, NBD. I took a very deep breath and said "I am this close to snapping-" and he jumped in quickly and said "I think you're doing great."

When I tell you I nearly pulled a Michael and dropkicked that puppy into the sun… I took an even deeper breath and said "…yes but you are the one that's here, so maybe don't make fun of me right now."

I am, quite legitimately, hypersensitive to men talking over me, interrupting, or failing to follow directions. And it was all day today.

Thank god I got two hotel rooms in Nashville and I'm going to Kate's for dinner. So today was about the peak amount of time i will spend with N.

So sweet!! Very deeply nerdy! Just wants to help! I might very well kill him!

Haven't even mentioned that he tried to take boxes out of my arms without asking. Which is something we just talked about the other day that really, really bothers me. He's the kind of nerd who believes in "chivalry" and argued with me about whether it's inherently gendered.

ISTG, next time it is all female movers. At least i have three women on the other end.

Rant over. Now i get to shower and sort my Halloween decorations and organize my tools, which I'm legit excited to do. Sorting things is so soothing, and I could use some soothing.


DavidS - Jun 12, 2024 9:23:48 pm PDT #1095 of 3468
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

But y’all are not posting! What are you doing, having LIVES on the ground? Balderdash!

I just got back from my Wednesday drink at Alembic with my friend Jes.

Usually I see her on the weekend, but was in LA so it was good to catch up. We had a really good conversation that took a kind of sad dip as we discussed how AI is going to devastate the finances for artists.

I've seen stuff in the last month that shows that it's much more advanced than most people think. It's already capable of creating a perfectly acceptable top 40 ready country hit, and animated movie trailers. Even on my FB posts it wants to re-write things for me.

It's already here and is more advanced and entrenched than people recognize. It's not just that there will be an AI generated pop hit on the radio, but it's going to be most of the songs that are streamed within a few years.

That was my little epiphany, because of everybody going to streaming and everybody getting used to autotune, Spotify (or whatever streamer) will ardently push AI hits because they don't need to pay artists. They already don't want to pay artists so all the streaming media platforms have a strong monetary incentive to cut artists out.

It's going to start with kids animation and romance novels and people will definitely buy it. Things which can be formulaic but with some variations.

It won't be everything; there will still be niche market for people who value artistic expression. But the big, profitable middle chunk of popular media is going to push that way so quickly.


DavidS - Jun 12, 2024 9:26:22 pm PDT #1096 of 3468
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

Ooof, that sounds like a long day with difficult friction, smonster.

They're helping but they're just working your last nerve at the same time!

Glad you get to see Kate! Huge bonus in my estimation.

Note to Everybody: Don't take boxes out of smonster's arms.


Calli - Jun 13, 2024 3:42:00 am PDT #1097 of 3468
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs

Ugh. I hate it when men think chivalry = not listening to women’s clearly expressed wishes and needs. “I know what you need better than you do,” is not charming. Best of luck with the move, smonster!


Laura - Jun 13, 2024 6:12:43 am PDT #1098 of 3468
Our wings are not tired.

I hope the rest of the move is easier, smonster. Moving always sucks, but often oh so worth it after it is said and done. Yay for Kate time!

David, the advance of AI is absolutely going to be faster than all of our worst fears. It is accelerating at a frightening pace. Yes, a serious threat to artists, but I also dread the summer political season. There is going to be almost no way to distinguish the deep fakes, and they are going to be nasty.

“I know what you need better than you do,” is not charming.

Honestly I know as many women who think they know better than their partners, friends or grown children. I find it more of a personality thing than gender. Prime example is my MIL. I've told her countless times, adults get to make their own decisions. My sisters too, now that I think about it. Personally, I don't want to tell anyone what they need to do as I have enough on my plate making my decisions. I won't hesitate to ask if I need help, or let you know if I don't! Thankfully my circle knows this well. Alas, I need more help with a lot of things than I used to.


Laura - Jun 13, 2024 7:05:20 am PDT #1099 of 3468
Our wings are not tired.

Well, at least SCOTUS got one right. They tossed out the case meaning that mifepristone will remain available.


Steph L. - Jun 13, 2024 8:04:48 am PDT #1100 of 3468
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

Well, at least SCOTUS got one right. They tossed out the case meaning that mifepristone will remain available.

I get a few medical-related e-mail newsletters every day, and I cheered when I read the subject line on that one this morning.

I have a cold (Covid test yesterday was negative), so I think today's going to be a day off for me. I might just go back to bed.