Former Member

We have counties larger than some states. A large percentage of geographical and city names in California are derived from the Spanish who invaded and claimed the area beginning in 1769. A few are derived from Native American names. Others were either named after early settlers or their hometowns. I used to live in Dublin, a compromise because several different Irishmen thought the town village should be named after themselves – the hills reminded them of home so it must have been winter or early spring! My current city was named after a city on the East Coast. ;–)

According to Wikipedia, most County related names use ‘Devon’ with only a few older references using ‘Devonshire.’ There are no California regulations on the use of city or town. In California there are a couple incorporated municipalities that choose to refer to themselves as towns in their name. But the rest of the 482 municipalities use the term city. ;–) I’m sure there are unincorporated municipalities that refer to themselves using terms like town or village. But they probably aren’t legal designations, more local affectations. These are the kinds of places where dogs are voted Mayor. ;–)

Dev has an interesting way of telling stories in a roundabout manner. I would have thought that people in Economics and Finance had to be more organized and logical in their thought process! My disorganized brain is why I didn’t do better in school. ;–) And although he didn’t specifically mention it, I recognized Devon* and Kent as English Counties. Most of us in the US are overwhelmed by the number of Counties in England since we only have 50 states in a much larger area. Even California only has 58 Counties, covering an area more than six times larger. We also get confused because sometimes they’re called ‘-shire’ and sometimes not. ;–) Maybe that’s why Dev’s thought process is so disorganized… ;–) * My two nephews have very English names: Devon and Jeremy. They’re cousins, not brothers, and are eight years apart. They both share first initials with their fathers and both have a younger sister whose name starts with ‘K’. ;–)

I have to say that my attitude when I was homeless made a big difference. When I was staying at a Rescue Mission (in a town I’d never been in before), there were people there who continually complained about everything, nothing was ever good enough for them even though they weren’t paying for anything they were being given. They stomped around with frowns on their faces and complained about how rude everyone was and how horrible the city was. I decided I didn’t want to be like them. I talked to people waiting at bus stops and on the bus. People were very helpful and friendly to me. I made sure to thank people for what I was given even if it wasn’t really what I would have wanted. My experience in the very same city was completely different. ;–) The woman who referred me to the Rescue Mission told me that she had moved into a part of town that was strange and intimidating to her. She explained that she decided to treat the experience as if it were a sociology experiment. She asked lots of questions and was curious about her new surroundings instead of being afraid. ;–) I took her advice and approached everything with curiosity and learned about the people around me and my surroundings. Patience had something to do with it because poor people have to wait in lots of lines for everything (and have to wait for free shipping). But how you deal with the frustrations of not having money has much more to do with attitude. ;–)

Other than the VA, I mean. In the Bay Area, for example, there is the Lighthouse for the Blind. Are there any similar non-governmental groups out there?

Are there any agencies for the visually impaired in South Carolina?

Slow down! You’re rushing too much. More zeros instead of ‘Os’. ;–) Does the Delkenzie machine translate Southern into English too? ;–)

Any estimate on its return?

Well we know Colleen loves the donuts, but will she continue to love them when she’s surrounded by them all day? When I worked at a bookstore, I was exposed to many more different kinds of books and authors which made things more interesting, but I read less during that period. When I worked in a computer store, it ramped up my interest in my computer as I learned new things and found out what sorts of things other people were using them to do. (The bookstore job was before Amazon killed superstore bookstores and the computer store was just as the internet was becoming mainstream.) ;–)

It’s funny how Connor and Ross are better brothers to Woody than Jon is. Of course, their father is even worse than Jon. Instead of asking if Woody could make him a sandwich politely, he childishly just takes it away. That gives Glenn & Glenda permission to do the same thing, but as younger siblings they do have the excuse of youth. Their mother flip-flops with the breeze. Not strong enough to do more to stand up to her husband than stomp off angry. Each seeming to know how far they can push the other without causing an irrevocable split.

Quite often police and families intentionally misgender people after they’ve died. In the case of the police, at best it is a misguided attempt to ‘preserve privacy’ of the deceased. With families, it is often out of their own personal embarrassment and a desire to deny the truth. Religious leaders sometimes ignore science and medicine to claim that Transgender doesn’t exist.

I had been homeless when I was prescribed the meds and decided I needed to discover my baseline since I’d been housed for three or four years. Since the meds hadn’t helped in the first place, it seemed worth the effort. Both my therapist and psychologist noticed an improvement once I was off the meds. ;–) I have had what used to be called Dysthymia (Persistent Mild Depression) for more than 50 years. I think my depression has dropped back to that level – still there, but not as bad. And everything is linked to my Risk Aversion. ;–) I’m sorry about your daughter’s father. When I stayed in homeless shelters I met plenty of people like him. Many people making mostly poor decisions.

And in W.A.R. 8, Billy & Brett’s kid and Dustin & Nate’s kid bicker and fight with Sarah’s kid… ;–)

I’m on SSDI for clinical depression and anxiety. I’d been prescribed numerous meds over the years, but discovered that I do better without them. I should be getting therapy, but the non-profit I was using changed their programs and no longer offers interns. I know I could get therapy from a nearby Gay Community Center, but it’s two or three bus routes away.

I think it’s time for Ryder or Unity to have a special one-off benefit concert for some sort of disaster: a large apartment building fire in their towns, yet another mass killing (I’m afraid they’ll still be happening 20-30 years into the future), a huge flood, or a hurricane that affects the area where Ryder’s Florida home is. I cannot imagine Ryder wouldn’t want to help out. Or maybe Liz will run for political office and need a big fundraiser! ;–)

Of course SatW has other fun ideas too! ;–)

But it’s so much fun to tease Timmy! ;–) Just like the SatW cartoon, it’s fun to ignore real Danish inventions and crediting the Danes with random things they had nothing to do with! ;–)

I came by to see the reactions to the third chapter and got this page instead. I’m blaming @Timothy M.. ;–)

Me too! I was thinking it would be too abrupt of an ending and Dustin would have to wake up in the hospital. Of course he’d find out that he actually does have friends who care about him. And somehow Brett would figure out a way to get N8 to visit him there… ;–)

🎶 Maybe I hang around here A little more than I should We both know I got somewhere else to go But I got something to tell you That I never thought I would But I believe you really ought to know I love you I honestly love you You don't have to answer I see it in your eyes Maybe it was better left unsaid This is pure and simple And you should realize That it's coming from my heart and not my head I love you I honestly love you I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable I'm not trying to make you anything at all But this feeling doesn't come along everyday And you shouldn't blow the chance When you've got the chance to say I love you I honestly love you If we both were born In another place and time This moment might be ending in a kiss But there you are with yours And here I am with mine So I guess we'll just be leaving it at this I love you I honestly love you I honestly love you 🎶 ;–)

...I can't resist adding this... The Dramatic Groundhog set to Kill Bill music...

So during the speed dating, I was thinking Elizabeth might be the best choice for Trout. At least they’d have one or two things in common. She might have been willing to play along if there were a financial incentive. ;–) You’ve cleverly mentioned, barely, Amanda. But she didn’t give Trout much of an impression other than her ‘over-the-top green eyes and platinum blond hair’ and the fact that she seemed familiar. Did she really not recognize Trout after the event ended? Considering the descriptions of the other men involved, I’d think Trout would have been pretty obvious. ;–) I guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out why Amanda was there… ;–)

And this would have ended up being an amusing, but very short story! ;–)

Helen doesn’t seem to realize she’s just as much a freeloader as the people she’s denouncing! ;–) And it only took me two rereads of the chapter (due to its update) to figure out what Grandma Beth misheard that she thought was Trout’s fiancée’s name. ;–) There were also several clever phrases like ‘pink and pearl balloons pecking kisses on the ceiling’ and ‘Helen moved back to London with her substantial settlement straight after the divorce to find her roots, and a quick glance at her two-tone hairline confirms at least partial successful.’ ;–) I am wondering why Helen chooses to smoke an American cigarette heavily marketed towards men rather than a British brand. Is this a subtle hint that she’s not really as classy as she thinks she is or wants others to believe? Along with her career as a thermal underwear model, of course. ;–)

Not enough Tony’s bought Maybachs and Mercedes eventually demoted the brand into merely a model in the Mercedes brand – just like Chrysler had done with the Imperial. ;–)