Daily Chat Showing 12,651-12,700 of 13,123

[Tracey]

And I did not mention the fact that he pompously directed someone to look up the word "facetitious" if they didn't know what it meant. That definitely set me to giggling. Facetitiously, of course.

I also did not call him on equating his knowledge of German literature with John McEnroe's knowledge of tennis. Give me a minute, though.

[Lisa]

Tracey and Gundula, and Lance of course, I love your comments.

[Sylvia]

Lance Greenfield wrote: "Thought you'd like that one Lisa.

Anyone who's interested in what we're yacking about should flip over to my review of The Magic Mountain. There is a chap on there who will bring tears to your ey..."

You triggered my curiosity, so I read your review and "liked", because I can appreciate an opinion. Then I started to read the comments and yes, I laughed and read parts of it to my hubby. We enjoyed the discussion that is going on for months now. We're still laughing with tears in our eyes. Never seen so much stubborness.

[Lance]

That's just your opinion, Sylvia.

Or is it your point of view?

Gosh! What a conflict!

[Sylvia]

Lance Greenfield wrote: "That's just your opinion, Sylvia.

Or is it your point of view?

Gosh! What a conflict!"

Google translator makes no difference between opinion or point of view. I simply dislike people who can't respect other people's ideas, points of view or opinion. That's childish and 'puerile'.

[Tracey]

Google translator obviously is not the John McEnroe of language. (she typed facetitiously)

[Sylvia]

Tracey wrote: "Google translator obviously is not the John McEnroe of language. (she typed facetitiously)"

It isn't but it's helpful and that what counts. I'm not a native speaker as it comes to English, so I have to fall back on any help that is available. This may sound stupid, but I can live with my own stupidity. LOL

[Lance]

Wow! You are a brave lady Sylvia. Don't expect any sympathy from me. You have brought the wrath if Esdaile upon yourself! And you deserve it!

[Sylvia]

Lance Greenfield wrote: "Wow! You are a brave lady Sylvia. Don't expect any sympathy from me. You have brought the wrath if Esdaile upon yourself! And you deserve it!"

I'm not impressed. I have give my body guards and the local police force and the army the order to arrest him and tie him up for a hundred years like the Sleeping Beauty.

[Tracey]

Sylvia wrote: "Tracey wrote: "Google translator obviously is not the John McEnroe of language. (she typed facetitiously)"

It isn't but it's helpful and that what counts. I'm not a native speaker as it comes to ..."

I was teasing! It's terrific - and you do wonderfully well.

[Sylvia]

Tracey wrote: "Sylvia wrote: "Tracey wrote: "Google translator obviously is not the John McEnroe of language. (she typed facetitiously)"

It isn't but it's helpful and that what counts. I'm not a native speaker ..."

I know you were teasing, Tracey, and I don't blame you for that. Thanks for the compliment about my English. Probably my grammar is horrible, but you all understand what I mean, I hope so, and that's what I like.

[Lance]

I think Tracey was more having a dig at anyone who happens to think that not understanding the difference between "opinion" and "point of view" is the cause if most of the world's conflicts. He could be right, as very few people are so enlightened.

[Lance]

I ran the Tidworth 10k this morning: hilly, muddy and fun!

Here's a photo of me and my son, Pete, at the end of the race. Yes, he's the one with the three bulldogs.



And one of my back badge - "Running for George."



It's not too late to sponsor me. At least visit my sponsorship page and see why I was running for my nephew, George. International sponsorship is permitted.

[Lisa]

Lance, Congratulations!!! And it looks like fun, despite the mud & hills. Pretty too!

[Lance]

Thanks Lisa.

This is one of the hills that we ran over on Salisbury Plain. It looks lovely in the sunshine, but not so inviting in the pouring rain!



Still inviting sponsors. Even 50 cents helps towards the cause.

[Diane]

Congratulations, Lance!

And to Ghundula for getting her G license.

And waving to Tracey, so glad you are safe. Now I hear there may be another storm coming on Wednesday? :(

[Lance]

Thanks Diane.

It's the tail end of the weekend for you. I am just about to set off on the long commute to Monday morning work.

Sleep well!

[Diane]

Drive safe, Lance and yes, I'm headed for bed :) Happy Monday.

[Tracey]

Thank you, Diane - the media likes to keep using the word "storm" to scare everyone, but it's supposed to be rain and wind on Wednesday-Thursday, not too big a deal. Hopefully.

[Lance]

Today, on the radio, and in presentations at the conference which I am attending, I have heard FOUR mentions of "the perfect storm."

What does that mean?

Is it good, or is it bad?

I don't know!

Am I stupid?

Don't answer the last question!

[Diane]

Well, the book was not a happy ending!

[Tracey]

If they mean what I think they mean, it means a convergence of weather systems to create something big and ugly - some were adorably calling Sandy a "Frankenstorm". That's what THE Perfect Storm - the one in the book Diane linked to - was, I think. There was nothing "perfect" about Sandy unless you're one of those bloodthirsty meteorologists who jumps up and down about nasty weather.

[Lance]

Yes. You are right Tracey. I kind of get it when the commentators are talking about weather systems. But when they are talking about politics, travelling, current affairs, cookery, and all sorts of other subjects, I become befuddled!

[Tracey]

Oh! I don't know that I've ever heard it used in a non-weather context.

Now I'll probably hear it everywhere.

[[deleted user]]

I just caught up on over 200 posts. Lee, bless your kind heart for doing what you do for animals. I was so sad to read about the goat, but I am so glad to know you.
Gundula, a late congratulations on the license. Yay!

[Manybooks]

CeeAnne wrote: "I just caught up on over 200 posts. Lee, bless your kind heart for doing what you do for animals. I was so sad to read about the goat, but I am so glad to know you.
Gundula, a late congratulations ..."

Thanks :-)

[Kim]

Tracey wrote: "Oh! I don't know that I've ever heard it used in a non-weather context.

Now I'll probably hear it everywhere."

According to a wiki article, a "perfect storm" is an event in which a rare combination of circumstances will drastically aggravate a situation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_...)

[Lance]

Thanks Kim.

I should have thought of looking it up for myself.

[Manybooks]

Kim wrote: "Tracey wrote: "Oh! I don't know that I've ever heard it used in a non-weather context.

Now I'll probably hear it everywhere."

According to a wiki article, a "perfect storm" is an event in which ..."

Kind of weird calling it "perfect" though, because for me, "perfect" has a connotation of something that is ideal or flawless (I think it would be better to call a super-destructive storm something like a "mega storm" or an "ultra storm").

[Manybooks]

Wasn't there also a movie called The Perfect Storm?

[Diane]

Gundula wrote: "Wasn't there also a movie called The Perfect Storm?"

Yes, following the book.

[Manybooks]

Diane D. wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Wasn't there also a movie called The Perfect Storm?"

Yes, following the book."

Thanks.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Nice to see you around CeeAnne!
And Gundula, I don't know if I congratulated you earlier so - Congratulations!!!! I'm so happy for you.

[Tracey]

Wow. It's blizzarding. This is exactly what all the weathermen said would not happen. "No accumulation", they said. "The ground's too warm and the storm is breaking up", they said. It's white-out conditions out there... And this is why my sister kept telling my niece "Be a meteorologist! No matter how wrong your predictions are, you won't be fired!"

[Lance]

My father is a [world famous] statistician.

He spoke as an after dinner speaker as a [UK] Met Office event a while back.

He told them that he understood, and sympathised with, the impossibility of predicting the weather with absolute certainty, but he was going to give them a forecast with a probability of ONE.

He then told them that their next weather forecast would be wrong!

[Lisa]

Tracey and Lance, Thanks. I got some good chuckles from your last two posts.

Tracey, I hope your weather improves, quickly!

[Tracey]

It's supposed to be lovely for the next few days, at least - thank goodness! Last night we had a foot of snow that NObody expected - my little town made the national news. Yay us. It took me about half an hour to shovel the first six feet of the driveway, and an hour to finish; my back is funky so I could only do a little, stop and sit down for a bit, then drag out to heft a few more shovelfuls, and at the end where the plows had been by there was three times the snow per square foot as the rest of it. But I did it, and did not pass out in the snow - partly because I knew the neighbors would figure I was making snow angels or something and leave me there.

[Diane]

Can't believe NY is having a Noreaster .. thoughts with you all!!!

I have a work function today/tonight. VERY out of the ordinary for me (as Lisa knows). I will be scarce on GR today.

[Lisa]

Diane, We love it though when people check in and let us know. And had fun emailing with you today about The Casual Vacancy. :-)

I know: the last thing the area needs is another storm. I feel very grateful for power right now.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I've just finished chopping potatoes, carrots, yams and beets for some roast veggies. I started peeling the beets and they were white underneath! I thought my husband had purchased giant radishes by accident until I remembered those pretty striped beets of Jeannette's. And sure enough when I chopped them up, they were like a candy cane! So pretty!

[Joy]

Lee wrote: "I've just finished chopping potatoes, carrots, yams and beets for some roast veggies. I started peeling the beets and they were white underneath! I thought my husband had purchased giant radishes..."

Do you have a specific recipe for that?

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Nope! I just chop up all the veggies about the same size and then toss them in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and throw them in the oven at 425 degrees. It usually turns out! The beets are really yummy roasted and the sweet potato usually cooks a bit faster and ends up a bit softer but it tastes yummy.

[Tracey]

That sounds so good. Have you ever made ratatouille? Same idea only tomatoes, onions, eggplant, zucchini, and peppers?

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Yes! I adore eggplant! Mmmmmmmmm. Actually, I have a bunch of tomatoes that need cooking, they are about to go off. Maybe I'll make some ratatouille when I get home. Thanks for the idea, Tracey!

[Joy]

Tracey wrote: "That sounds so good. Have you ever made ratatouille? Same idea only tomatoes, onions, eggplant, zucchini, and peppers?"

You two are making me hungry! ;)

[[deleted user]]

Lee wrote: "I've just finished chopping potatoes, carrots, yams and beets for some roast veggies. I started peeling the beets and they were white underneath! I thought my husband had purchased giant radishes..."

Glad my vast knowledge of veggie varieties proved useful! :) You could slow roast those root veggies, too,

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm using a higher temperature because I'm in a hurry! I got distracted......They smell good right now!

[Lisa]

Way too hungry. At least it's stuff I can make, though I don't have the ingredients at home right now.

[Kim]

I do the big roast veggie thing at least once a week. During the cooler months I always include cauliflower. Love roast cauliflower!

[[deleted user]]

Now I'm seriously hungry. We're getting Chinese take-out tonight. :)