sundries

Forwarding Lou Dobbs's racist misreprentations of U.S. legislation to mailing lists about Harry Potter? Makes you an asshole. I was good though and wrote to the moderator asking him to ban all political discussion on the list, lest I need to call this person out publicly. Apparently that's being worked on.

Yesterday made me grumpy and insecure. Today I'm still a little bogged down in the aftermath of it, but things are looking up, but mainly only because today is not yesterday.

For everyone who is all like "OMG WTF!" at the James Moran story in Consequences, I pause to remind you that Ianto Jones is a lying liar who lies and who really digs James Bond. This is Ianto through Ianto's eyes where maybe he says there were 10 guys when there were six, and puts in all the quips he thought of as opposed to just the ones he said -- which doesn't mean he's not awesome.... just, you know. Third person narrative can do tricksy things like this, and assuming this is actually what the fuck Moran was doing (and I've no idea), it's brilliant. Otherwise, yes, slightly odd, but hey, the Whoniverse has no canon, so what do I care?

The rules of English language capitalization are harder than you think. At least they're harder than I thought until I had to sit down and write a document explaining them.

I left my mobile at home. If you need me, don't call, email.

buh?

From the department of What Just Happened There?:

So I'm in Chipotle getting lunch. I'm vaguely aware of the woman behind me ordering in that first-timer way that involves loudly reassuring herself about her Chipotle decision making skills ("yeah, the vegetarian, yeah, that sounds good, I think I'll get that. For here.").

As we approach the cash register, she says excuse me to me and I scoot out of her way so that she can reach around behind the counter and grab her side of guacamole. A little weird, I think, but she's new to the place and stuff does go awry sometimes. BUT THEN, she also reaches for her bowl and then trots over to the condiment and soda area (something which requires navigating AROUND the cash register all the people in front of her in line are currently paying at).

She has not paid.

Register guy and I goggle at each other, continue/conclude our transaction and generally keep looking at her. What Should We Do?

I go to get my fork and napkins and the woman has now gone and sat at a table with her food, completely ignorant is seems to the notion that one pays for food.

Being a completely nosy asshole, I go up to her as I'm leaving and I say "generally we pay before we take the food here, they think you stole it."

"What?" she asks. "I don't understand."

"You need to pay. Upfront," I say, pointing.

She shrugged at me, and as I walked by the window once on the outside, I can tell you she was sitting there eating her guacamole and veggie bowl still blithely not paying.

Based on my brief interaction with her, I have no reason to believe there was an English-language difficulty or a confusion about custom (her speech was unaccented and examples of how to go through the line were directly in front of her), although I suppose it's possible. I also have no reason to believe she was someone in need trying to sneak a meal (she was dressed in high-end business attire with jewelry, had a pristine professional manicure, etc), but of course we all know stranger things have happened.

So what just happened there? Chipotle thievery? Epic personal cluelessness? Some weird dare? Narratively underdeveloped performance art? I am confused! And I hope someone actually did something to address the matter.

ETA: Google AdSense, I love you! Ads on this post include "meet gay military men." I hope my Torchwood people are falling all over themselves laughing.

evening sundries

Cruise is now paid in full. As is the hotel, the airfare, everything. Rawr. We still have to choose and pay for shore excursions. The degree to which I am trying to refrain from the deeply unnecessary rental of a private cabana on the beach on the private beach complete with butler service is epic. But um, dude...

Enjoy the ultimate in luxury during your stay on Half Moon Cay with the use of your own private cabana. Board the first tender ashore, or have priority tender use, to maximize your time by being the first guests to arrive. For your comfort, you will find your cabana outfitted with a refrigerator, ceiling fan, air conditioner, table and chairs inside, and deck chairs and a misting shower on the private terrace.
You will be provided with fresh fruit, vegetables with dip, and chips and salsa to snack on as well as an assortment of soft drinks and bottled water to quench your thirst. Beach towels, floating mats, and snorkel gear are also included for your use throughout the day.

The Butler Service Upgrade Package includes:
- Unlimited beverages that are available from the various bars on Half Moon Cay. Drinks made from house brand liquor, all beers, soft drinks, bottled water and wine.
- A picnic lunch consisting of appetizer, entree, and dessert.
- Butler escort from your cabin to assist you ashore carrying all belongings to and from the ship.
- Your Butler will see to whatever needs you have on the island including shopping from the island shops and any Shore Excursion bookings you may like to make on Half Moon Cay.

So unnecessary, which is why I am posting it here to get it out of my system. On the other hand, what we really need to do is make friends with another couple on the ship and go in on it together, since the price is for up to four people.

Woah, Keith Olbermann tonight.

No matter what you think of him or him using this situation with his dad to talk about healthcare, I have to tell you -- on the odd chance you are well and everyone you love is well -- that the stuff he says, all rings very, very true to me, not politically, but as someone who has been through this healthcare drill with various cancer and stroke events with my parents, the parents of people I've loved, my friends, and of course my own relatively minor but completely frustrating healthcare adventures. The current system is fucked for a range of reasons included the fact that in many cases it enforces illness and poverty and then blames people for the illness and poverty the healthcare system has decided is their permanent lot.

I also think a lot of what he has to say about death in the piece, that idea that we're all so irrational about this critical discussion is related to the fear of death is also spot on. I should write a long thing about this at some point. Tonight's not that night.

Also, apparently, wanting to read and learn is a petty selfish want and a reason for a lawyer to berate an eleven-year-old in public. I am horrified. (thanks to copperbadge).

Hey the thing on my dad's kidney didn't change, so they think it's a benign cyst. Less family medical drama for the win.