Fifth Disease (Really, that's what it's called)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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So, have we been having the exact same weather? I went for a walk a bit ago and almost needed a sweater. A few days ago, we were melting pretty much 24 hours a day.

::In sing-songy better-than-you voice:: “I got soaps from The Soapy Bear, haaa, ha, haaa, ha…” Or something like that. That would be from our dear Bumba’s soap-selling establishment. Lavender, and grapefruit/oatmeal and lemongrass. They smell VERY NICE. And the lavender has a nice discreet scent after you wash your hands with it. (I don’t like soaps that take it as their mission to make you smellable from miles away.) I’ve had a really stressful work week and was thrilled to come home and find a nice aroma-therapeutic box waiting for me.

So, did I mention how cute I thought Brody was? Way up there on the cuteness scale. Definitely worth the weeks (months, practically) of anticipation. Your cat and puppy story was quite entertaining, too, Rue. I can just picture the cat’s little brain whirring while she’s figuring out the optimal lurking location so she won’t miss Brody.

swampy, despite my amusement at Ashes[sup]2[/sup]'s joke, I’m sorry that ACBG is having to work extra. It’s UNFAIR!

merrily, I’m sure the puppy-scented monitor smell will have dissipated by the time you get home. The ferrets will never be the wiser.

Bob, your weight loss is amazing! Congratulations! Glad everything’s going so well.

No exotic dinner tonight. Cheese pizza slice and an orange.

So, when do we get to see more puppy pictures? Just askin’.

GT

202

Hmm … I haven’t posted yet. I really have nothing to say. Well, that’s not true, I just don’t feel like typing.

I just had a strawberry-bah-nah-nah milkshake, it was yummy but now I have strawbetry pips stuck in my teeth.

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I was in the turkey the WHOOOOOOOLE time!

Geez-louise, I turn around for five seconds and you cats go and add a whole extra set of pages! That’ll show me like, won’t it now?

Thanks for the intro Garden, sorry I got losted again, I saw something shiny over behind the sofa, I thought it was puppy pitchas, but it was just tin-foil. I was probably there when you looked, but you didn’t see me, n’stuff.

awww, Tuppy, don’ be like that, I was busy, really really busy (lazy). But I’m here now, so the shenanigans may be partaken of!

Let us all begin the wild dance! Woot!

Swampy, what do you mean lure Kalley back? Is she gone? We could put out a plate of cookies or something. I got lured back by guilt. Ah, sweet, sweet guilt!

I know I need to respond to everything else, but I got a post to post, dammit, so… I’ll 'spond later. (unless the lazy-fairies get me again, and then I’m all, ‘oh, I’ll post to the MMP later’ and stuff, but I won’t be like that. Nosireebob, I really won’t, ).

ok, I said I’d tell you about StarWars dress-ups, so, I will.

Ok, we dressed up for star Wars and saw it four times inside of a week (three times before the official opening!). Woowoo! I think I overdid it a bit, cos I ended up being off work for three days with the 'flu.

Maybe if I’d not been such a wild and hedonistic geek I would have been not-so-sick. (#1DangerSon and the lovely wife have both since had the same 'Flu. I shall call it ‘DangerFlu’ if that’s ok).

ANYWAYS, we (the Cosmic gang which sounds dorky, but we’re called that cos one of the guys used to own a toyshop and we all basically met hanging out in the shop. So even though the shop’s long gone, we’re all still ‘the cosmic gang’. Go on, laugh, but I tell ya, we’re a tough bunch of geeks!).

Yes, we (as I was saying) saw it at the official Lucasfilm screening (there’s a new Lucasfilm office here in Singapore, apparently it’s in the Millenia Walk building, they’ll be producing the new Clone Wars 3D cartoon there. I’d love to work there, but I’d hate for Starwars to become ‘work’ and stop being fun. That’d be a bummer). We were at the screening to add flavour, i was a Jedi dude, cos I do that well, but we also had a bunch of Stormtroopers, a Darth Vader, and lots of ushers running around asking for pics. It was actually quite cool, cos the industry types appreciated us being there, and a lot of kids asked for pics with us (and me, cos I
bearded-up for the event, so I looked all Jedi-y, whereas a bunch of the guys just looked like office-workers in Jedi costumes (snark snark).

Then screening #2 was the Charity Gala, which was fun, and the Singapore president was there (being slightly baffled by the whole thing). And then
the big one (#3) was opening night, where we all dressed up just cos we couldn’t get the costumes off anymore! I helped Selena (who is relavent to this story, and makes more appearances later) make his costume, (a comedy Artoo, with a wok for the dome) and he (we) won a prize for outstanding costumery! Woo woo! I have the phat costuming skillz!

Praise my 733T powers of glue and paper and paint!

And THEN… session number the four was with my darling wifey! She had a day off work and I was still sliding into the dangerflu, so we hit the cineplex and took it all in. I figured I was ok going to the cinema, cos the previous sick days hadn’t been restful at all. #1DangerSon thought I was home to play with him, and I was really trying not to pass out from 'flu drugses! Bleagh!

And that was the tale of the StarWars excess… but wait! There’s more!!!

A portion of the cosmic gang then met up at my place a couple of weeks later to go do StarWars piccies in the jungle! First we traipsed down into the canals near my place (similar to the canals in every movie shot in LA, but not quite as big) and took some rather cool shots, including a mid-air lightsaber battle which didn’t need much in the way of post-production work. But the best shots by far were taken in the jungle nearby.

This was real jungle with mozzies and snakes and jungly plants. It was a little bit
scary, but not much, cos we’re tough geeky guys.

I’ll find a place the post the pics and let you all see what a dangergene actually looks like one of these days (bearing in mind I’ll be all costumed-up).

Next post… Orang Menyak!

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ok, so I figure it’s easier to break up the action into multi-posts and let others post in-between.

Ok, so Bubba, who sits behind me at work (that’s what he reckons he should be called!) tells me a story about his brother’s adventures last weekend. Bubba’s bro is a cop, in the local constabulary, which would normally mean dealing with teen-gangsterettes, drunken aunties and pole-thieves, but it can also be a whole lot more (cue mysterious music and slightly foggy, darkened location shot. Dangergene walks into shot talking).

One bright, sunny, sunday afternoon, recently, BB was out on patrol with two of his cop-buddies, doing that beat-cop thing. BB hears footsteps behind him and turns to see… nothing. He hears the footsteps again, but still… nothing. And then!!! He sees footprints appearing on the grass verge. ‘Alamak!’ he cries, as people do in these parts, and puts out his fut and does this shove, trip, jump, grapple thing, and lands on top of… something invisible!!! (are yah scared yet?). He shouts to his partners, ‘hey, bro, bring d’andcuffs! Here! HERE!’, they laugh and tell him to get off the ground, but he insists, so they come over and he says, ‘don’t ask questions, just click the cuffs here, where my hand is!’ And the cuffs click shut on something…

All three cops are now kinda wary-scary. So one pours water over the cuffs, and lo! A human arm appears!

They all look at each other and say things like, ‘gosh’ and ‘holy moley’. So they take this thing back to the Cop Shop, and wash it down. Smoke and soot and oil come away as an old man appears before them, crouching, naked in the lock-up. He’s writhing slightly and has the wierdest look on his face, he hisses as the water makes contact with his skin, and he’s carrying a sack full of loot taken from the houses in the area! He’d been coated in oil and majick to hide himself from knowing eyes.

The cops then put down a holy book (the quran for those interested) and the old man freezes tight! We don’t know what happened after that, cos the special forces from MUIS arrived to deal with things…

(Roll credits, play theme music)

So… how cool is that for an MMP entry? Hunh? hunh? Don’t you all wish you lived in the deepest, darkest tropics? Life here is just freaky-deaky!

And in other mystical-type MMP news; the funeral under our block over the weekend finished on monday night with the burning of papers and hell-objects (including a blue, paper Mercedes Benz) and the most ethereal drums/horns as the coffin was taken away for finalities.

Yeah, funerals here last for days and are very social affairs. Most interestingly, the body sits on display (yes, this is the tropics, why do you ask?) in a perspex-covered coffin, in the largely outdoor funerals, for days and days. It all finishes with a huge procession, like normal, but with music that reverberates across the suburb for hours. I’m kind’ve used to it, but that music still gets me every time! (except when I’m trying to watch tv, and then I want to shout at them to SHADDUP!).

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Whoa. dangergene is definitely back. And caffeinated. As usual.

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Wow, dangergene I think we need some of that Singaporese coffee you must be drinking. Why yes, I made up that word, but I don’t what you’d call it, Singaporean?

We’ve just returned from the 9th Grade Award ceremony. It was quite the production. The teachers opened it with a song and dance number that was quite entertaining. During the awards ceremony, they would cut to the back and go to “man-on-the-street” interviews which we (the parents and students) would watch on a screen in the front of the commons room. It was all very funny. There were many, many awards presented to many, many students. My daughter received one from the English department. I am very proud of her, although she’s upset she didn’t get the Presidential award like she received three years ago. She thinks her science grade must have dragged down her GPA. I have no idea what the grade is yet. She’s usually an A or B student. I’m proud of her, and I know she’s intelligent, witty, and humorous.

The concert choir sang a couple of numbers and they were both very nice. At the very end they had a video/slide show dubbed with music and interspersed with the students talking now and then about their best memories from junior high school. It was actually a very good production. The ceremony lasted two and one half hours.

gt, I got my Soapy Bear stuff last month and just love it. I receive many, many compliments on the scent of the Red Clover lotion. I took it to my office because the soap in the bathroom there is extremely harsh, so I always need lotion up after using the restroom.

Well, I think I better hit the hay now.

207

gene, you are forgiven…especially after that second, erm, fantastic post. :wink:

I don’t have too much this morning but the day is young. I’ll just say YAAAAY!!! FRIDAY!!

Tupug

208

Nope, and the evidence does exist. My personal site’s down at the moment, or I’d link everyone to the wonderful and graceful shots of dopers attempting to learn to belly dance.

209

Oh dear Og NO! :eek:

:smiley:

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This has become a very :eek: MMP. And much of the :eek: has been addressed to me! :eek: :eek: I feel so… honored…? :stuck_out_tongue:

I loved the cat and puppy story, Rue. I’m kitty sitting this week for a friend so I’ve got my two cats and my friend’s just-older-than-a-kitten. I think one of my guys is acting somewhat like Rue’s cat. Sitting where the kitten can see her, and just tempting the kitten to come get her. Then they go tearing around the apartment chasing each other. Very entertaining. Fortunately, nothing’s gotten broken yet. And the kitten’s going home tomorrow. But then she’s coming back in a week for THREE WEEKS! At least this time the cats should all remember each other and the hissing should be kept to a minimum.

Congrats on your daughter getting an award, Taters!

Sorry you had the DangerFlu, gene. All the Star Wars stuff sounds very cool though!

Today’s my mom’s birthday, but she and Dad just drove to see my grandparents Wed/Thurs so they didn’t want to drive up to see me today. And I was just there last weekend so I’m not going to drive down to see them today. So I guess the birthday festivities will just have to wait. Oh, well. At least I sent a card and a “happy birthday” email. But YAY it’s Friday!

211

Yes, thank goodness, it’s finally Friday. I didn’t want to get up, but I finally rolled out of bed and cleaned up and came to work.

This weekend I’m making lasagne for Father’s Day. The hubby asked me to, so I will.

The hubby is getting a new stereo and speakers installed in the boat today. :dubious: :dubious: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
The boat already had a stereo, but it “didn’t have enough bass and sounded tinny”. Frankly, I’d prefer just plain old peace and quiet when I’m on the boat, but, again, this is what he wants for his Father’s Day present. I’m not overly thrilled, but he always gets me nice stuff and doesn’t flinch or begrudge it. So, I’m not going to either.

Well, the boss returns on Monday, after a six month absence. I need to get cracking and have some stuff done before he gets back.

212

Cooking, floor cleaning, dishes, grocery shopping, tidying. Grr. Today will be busy. Breakfast and then I will explode into action. Or at least start moving faster than a malnourished sloth. Why yes, I did get to bed late last night.

What do we want to eat this week? I’m going to the St. Laurence Market tomorrow and I’m working on a big fun grocery list. Oooh, real bagels.

213

Whoa! I want your job!

Tell your boss you were out with the Dangerflu.

214

Lesseee…

After work I’m going downtown, into the very centre of this great city, to throw off my clothes (metaphorically-speaking), let down my hair (also metaphorically-speaking), cut loose with wild abandon, and… play scrabble. :slight_smile:

But, as befitting a city on the verge of Pride Week, I will be playing with people of varying sexuality. Plus a guest from Germany. And we’ll be playing in Esperanto.

Saturday I’m editing video and, during the afternoon, meeting a friend about a project. Sadly, this friend is not interested in more than friendship, but this is something I will just have to deal with. Meanwhile we’re stuck together in this project.

Sunday, more video-editing, plus I’m meeting with the lady I’m doing the video for. This project forges onwards.

Somewhere in there I have to do laundry, buy food, and prepare my resume for meeting the job counselor next week.

And maybe I’ll get some returns from the expressions of interest I made to various interesting-looking women on LavaLife. And I’ll probably IM with various people, including some Dopers. And I really need to get moving on my design for the user interface for the club library’s new database. And actually do some writing on my story.

So, it may be busier than I expected.

At least I can sleep.

215

I love my cats. Truly I do. I must love them to spend about $3000 dollars on just one of them in the course of three months. Miss Sunshine has decided that $900 dollars for teeth removal is not enough. Oh no - she has to develop bladder and kidney stones. To the tune of $1900+. Yikes. Oh well.

On the positive side, they were so cute this morning. They were at the bottom of the bed, which is where they always are when I wake up. I was trying to pet Sunshine, but Miss Jody was putting her head under my hand, so I ended up petting her instead. I tried to be fair about them both getting enough love, but Miss Jody was just being greedy this morning.

I got some cool new spices in the mail yesterday, so this weekend is going to be baking time again. Yay! Tomorrow morning is going to be spiced blueberry muffins. Mmmmmm. Beyond that, I’m not saying. Basically because I have no idea. But since I haven’t had anything sweet in a week (to make up for a truely excessive weekend), I may do some baking. On the savory side, I am thinking of finally trying my hand at whole wheat tortillas & black bean spread. I’m back on the cooking wagon - yay! Last night was Curried Chicken Penne with Fresh Mango Chutney, which was interesting.

Susan

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Ah, fifth. I remember when My brother and I had that. Bad times, bad tmes.

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susan, do you have willing victims around to eat your baking? If you don’t would you like some? I’m available, and so are Attacks and Driving Husband. And Quasi-Daughter.

Mr. Lissar doesn’t really like most baked stuff except for foccacia and nanaimo bars. It breaks my heart. Nevertheless, today I am going to forge ahead and bake bread and foccacia and maybe try to invent a recipe for the triple ginger gingerbread with cream cheese sauce from Sunshine. Attacks Things Randomly Husband has selflessly volunteered to eat anything I bake, and we both like gingerbread.

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Dare I ask…

Kitten (or at kleast Cat) Pictures?

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Um, Taters, if the Mr is lurking in the MMp now, didn’t you just do that very thing you said you wouldn’t do?

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And Bobbio, it’s Nelson that goes “ha ha.”