Watcha Doin' - 2016.1 Showing 3,551-3,600 of 3,910

[Rusalka, Moderator]

P.S. I'm back and exhausted. I need a holiday.

[Sarah]

I didn't realise it was legal in Australia.

Welcome back Rusalka. Sounds like you had a pretty hectic week!

[Janice, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "So Amsterdam. We had a good weekend. The city is beautiful, interesting and full of history. We especially liked it because of the canals. We went on a walking tour which was great and to the canal..."

I'd love to go to Amsterdam some day and you've painted a lovely picture.

I've realised that i don't particularly like traveling with big groups of people. It's like herding cats. Especially when everyone wants to do different things. I'd like to go again but next time just me and my partner

Funny you should mention that. After my trip to Mexico I said very much the same thing - smaller resort and smaller entourage. The group is getting together on Friday night to exchange pictures and the gal who took over organizing it used the same phrase (herding cats) in a group text last night.

[Lisa]

Welcome back, Rusalka!

[Janice, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "P.S. I'm back and exhausted. I need a holiday."

A holiday hangover... need a holiday to recuperate from the holiday.

[KimeyDiann]

Travis of NNY wrote: "As Lions were real good. Sixx am was real good Shinedown was good but volume was too loud for size of building. Woulf be better outdoors. Five finger death punch. I don't know. Buzz kill tonight. I..."

I've never heard of As Lions. I'll have to look them up.
So many venues/bands sacrifice the true sound of the music just to make it ear bleedingly loud. Yes, concerts, especially rock concerts, are supposed to be loud, but I still want to be able to understand what they are singing. Sucks about FFDP. I had the opportunity to see them this summer but couldn't make it. I hope he comes out of his funk because I really enjoy their music.

[Sarah]

How funny Janice! I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to travelling and like to check out where I'm going before i go, mark some nice places to eat, drink and visit in my guidebook. I'm happy to be flexible but generally like to do the things I've planned. Other people don't seem so bothered about what they eat and drink or whether they do anything or not. I guess if I were to travel in a group again I'd want to go to with people who were similar in that respect.

[Janice, Moderator]

KimeyDiann wrote: "So many venues/bands sacrifice the true sound of the music just to make it ear bleedingly loud...."

When we went to the local arena for Janet Jackson's concert last year, the music was so loud it was distorted beyond recognition. You couldn't even make out the tune to the song she was singing, let alone the words.

On Monday night, we went to Cirque Musica at the same venue. You could hear and understand every word spoken. Even with a full symphony orchestra behind him, you could hear the lyrics sung by the singer clearly. His rendition of "Oh Holy Night" was so beautiful, it brought me to tears.

[Travis]

I know hard metal head here but I love O Holy Night. Gives me chills when sung proper or by people kbowing what they are doing

[KimeyDiann]

I was actually singing Oh Holy Night in my head lying in bed this morning while I was trying to fall back asleep. It is just about the only Christmas song I like.

[Janice, Moderator]

Travis of NNY wrote: "I know hard metal head here but I love O Holy Night. Gives me chills when sung proper or by people kbowing what they are doing"

That's great to hear. I thought you all would think I was overly sentimental.

[Travis]

Phil Labonte of All that Remains just replaced Ivan Moody for five finger death punch to finish the tour and future of bamd unknown after that. Pending on Ivans "sickness". Glad tp know it wasn't jist me disgusted with his performance

[KimeyDiann]

I guess it is good they are keeping the shows, but I'm not sure how I would feel if I had bought tickets to see a specific band but now they suddenly have a different singer. I guess it would be better than going to see them perform and it be a total buzz kill like you experienced.

Complete opposite of a hard rock concert, but I'm going to see the Great Russian Nutcracker Ballet tonight. I've never been to a ballet so I'm excited. Then tomorrow night I have my company's Christmas party. It is going to be a busy and hopefully very fun weekend!

[Lisa]

You have a good weekend lined up, KimeyDiann! I hope you enjoy the ballet and have a fun Christmas party.

[Travis]

My truck went to gwt inspected went up on the lift and the frame bowed in two places and broke in another. Went down to the welder they said scrap it and get a different one. Ho hum. Truck has been paid off for 8 years and I wasn't looking to buy a new one. And yet tgere will be a slightly used one in the yard by year end. Pobably the 2012 f250 with 30000 miles on it I looked at yesterday. If its still there in 2 weeks . Unless they get one with low miles and leather for similar price. Not big on cloth seats . Leather is so much cleaner and doesnt holf barn smell. But beggars cant be choosy I guess.

[KimeyDiann]

Did you crash your truck at some point or what? Why so much frame damage?

[Travis]

Nope just use my truck as a truck. Plow with it and I forget how many times its had 3000#+ on bed. The 325 gallom water tank on it this summer doomed it. But rust. Up in the great white north you get all that road salt eating your vehicle

[Joan]

My sister had a galaxy 500 & its frame broke while driving, a very strange sensation, a shimmy, a clonk, then dead stop.
We were in the middle of nowhere Maine, just two teenage girls long before cell phones - seemed like the start of a horror movie but we were rescued by a kindhearted, fatherly logger.

[Travis]

Sounds lije you got more adventure than you signed up for Joan

[Sandra, Moderator]

Exactly like the start of a horror movie, Joan. You are right. :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Oh, Kimey!! Russian ballet! I would so love to see that. I saw Karen Kane in her farewell tour and it was magic.

Travis - yes, driving a truck like a truck will bend it's frame. LOL! I have a mental image of you bouncing over ruts in the fields, herding cows (maybe because I've actually done that myself - better than chasing on foot).

[Travis]

I would be lying if I said I never do that

[Joan]

Janice wrote: "Oh, Kimey!! Russian ballet! I would so love to see that. I saw Karen Kane in her farewell tour and it was magic.

Travis - yes, driving a truck like a truck will bend it's frame. LOL! I have a ment..."

And it is much safer in the truck (IMHO) When I was in college, I had to collect cow patties for my research - nobody told me that cows can run like the devil and will chase you clear across a field! I was terrified. (okay so I was a clueless suburban brat but I was scared)

[Joan]

Janice wrote: "Oh, Kimey!! Russian ballet! I would so love to see that. I saw Karen Kane in her farewell tour and it was magic.

Travis - yes, driving a truck like a truck will bend it's frame. LOL! I have a ment..."
KimmyDian- sounds wonderful, I hope you enjoy it.
I just saw the Royal Winnipeg Ballet perform Dracula - it was magical!!

[Cherie]

Joan wrote: "When I was in college, I had to collect cow patties for my research - nobody told me that cows can run like the devil and will chase you clear across a field! I was terrified. (okay so I was a clueless suburban brat but I was scared)..."

When I was a kid, we used to dare each other to run across the cow pasture and back to see if we could run fast enough to get back over the fence on our side before a cow caught us. The field was about 100 yards across. Yes, Joan - they can run like the devil! I am not ashamed to say that I was a big chicken. If a cow started running before I got to the middle, I turned around and ran like the wind!

[Joan]

I also collected sheep poop and let me tell you sheep are gangsters, they bunch up and close in on you in a very threatening way. I had to vault over a fence to escape. :/

[Trudy]

Joan wrote: "I also collected sheep poop and let me tell you sheep are gangsters, they bunch up and close in on you in a very threatening way. I had to vault over a fence to escape. :/"

Joan, I can't get this image out of my head. I have always thought sheep were passive! :-)

[Tasha]

me too!

[Joan]

Turns out they are passive but curious and nearsighted so they crowd around you like kindergarteners- not dangerous or scary once you understand them. But they did seem a bit dull-witted. Of course they might have judged me dull-witted since I was intent on picking up their poop.

[Tejas Janet]

Too funny, Joan, LOL!!

[Tejas Janet]

Enjoy the ballet, KimeyDiann, and hope the office party is a fun time, too : )

I'd love to see Dracula ballet. Sounds pretty cool. My favorite ballet is probably Ballet Austin's "Hamlet." Uses some Phillip Glass music to very good effect in the mad scenes. Really memorable work.

[Cherie]

I can't stand it now, Joan. Why were you picking up the cow dung and sheep poop? What were you doing with it? I can think of a few things but I need it from the source now. Ugh, pun not intended, but funny - after the fact. :0)

[Cherie]

I've been to see The Nutcracker Ballet a couple of times over the years, but I had to Google for The Dracula Ballet. I watched a video. Looks good. I will have to watch to see if it comes to Portland.

Hope you have a good time KimeyDiane.

[Joan]

Cherie, didn't Freud say that everyone is fascinated by poop?
Actually I was working on a research project on parasites (roundworms). The chemical I was working with is now used as a heartworm preventive in dogs (ivermectin). It as fascinating, I would have stayed in Michigan working on that but life carried me to Long Island and cancer research - follow the money as they say.

[Tejas Janet]

Joan, that's cool you worked on that research. Speaking of heartworm preventatives in dogs, do you (and others of course) care to weigh in about the safety and efficacy of Trifexis vs. Heartgard Plus?

[Kristie, Moderator]

Joan - That's so interesting. It's always good when you can find work that is interesting to you.

[Joan]

Tejas Janet wrote: "Joan, that's cool you worked on that research. Speaking of heartworm preventatives in dogs, do you (and others of course) care to weigh in about the safety and efficacy of Trifexis vs. Heartgard Plus?"

my step-daughter and her wife are both vets so I will ask them. I use sentinel, but not for any good reason, just habit.

[Joan]

Kristie wrote: "Joan - That's so interesting. It's always good when you can find work that is interesting to you."

Yes I was lucky. The interaction between our immune systems and the microbes that infect us is fascinating - one of those cases where it is good to have some dirt in your life!
Dr. Erika von Mutius discussing causes for asthma rate differences in East & West Germany

[Travis]

I know a woman a year younger than me in school who is in New Jersey working on cancer research

[Joan]

Travis of NNY wrote: "I know a woman a year younger than me in school who is in New Jersey working on cancer research"

There are lots of good research places in New Jersey - the challenge for everyone is funding - In the US currently less than 10% of applications get funded and the next administration has said they want to cut back federal funding further. So it is a tough career for anyone especially young people, but there a many rewards.

[Travis]

I see on facebook all these people going out to the tree farm, cutting their own tree, dragging back to car, then home and think yup I am so glad we switched to an artificial tree a few years ago . Things I miss, the smell. Things I don't miss. Sticky from pine pitch, getting the stupid thing straight and balance in the stand, watering it, getting pine needles stabbing my feet, and the pine needle mess when Christmas is over and it gets taken down. This prelit artificial is so nice , stand it up, plug it in and decorate

[Sarah]

Joan wrote: "Cherie, didn't Freud say that everyone is fascinated by poop?."
Indeed. Hmmm. Freud was definitely responsible for a lot of crap. Mainly of the bull variety. lol.

[Sarah]

Just been down in Bournemouth for my course again. I can't believe I'm already 3 months in. I had a good time. It was pretty cold down by the seafront that's for sure.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Travis - You could always get pine scented candles or oils. Then there'd be nothing to miss. We enjoy the process of picking a tree, so we'd miss that too, but I could definitely do without the dropped needles everywhere.

[Peggy]

When bf and I started living together 6 years ago I also really wanted a real tree. We got one. It left needles in the trunk of the car and he's still not over that. Comes up every year ;-)

I now got the artificial one my parents used, it looks like a real one. I'm putting it up next weekend. BF refuses to help though, because of the needles in the trunk story. I don't see how they are related!

[Sandra, Moderator]

Rancorous me??? :D

[Sarah]

We don't have a tree as there is no space on the boat. We have bought some lights though to put up on the outside of the boat which I'm quite excited about and we're going to put a wreath on the front of the boat as normal. I've never had a real christmas tree, always because of the needles. I know you can but ones which don't drop their needles but I'm dubious about those.

[Peggy]

Sandra wrote: "Rancorous me??? :D"

Haha!

We always had a real one when I was young. I think my mom would have preferred an artificial one, but my dad liked a real one and I always insisted I wanted a real one too. They got an artificial one as soon as my sister and I left the house, and I tried the real one for one year and finally understood why my mom rather had a fake ;-)

[Lisa]

Artificial trees all the way for me. I like real trees but the dropped needles are a nightmare, particularly when you have got pets walking around. One of our cats got a dropped needle stuck in their paw pad once.

[Lisa]

Sarah wrote: "We don't have a tree as there is no space on the boat. We have bought some lights though to put up on the outside of the boat which I'm quite excited about and we're going to put a wreath on the fr..."

I'm dubious about the "no drop" real trees too, Sarah. A friend once bought one and it still shed needles everywhere, although not quite as many as previous trees had done.