CuriousByNature

Well, it's been a terrible fire season this summer.

I'm surprised nobody is asking for someone take Juan for the team

But was it a 'good thing'?

I certainly hope not. At least not for another 60 years or so...

I think it looks like a hemorrhoid cushion. Art is art, and what is considered art is in the eye of the beholder. Perhaps at the very least, the sculpture will attract proctologist conventions to Palm Springs.

Someone needs to tell JoeB to change his name, otherwise he can't be mentioned here due to forum rules against political content...hahaha.

100%!!! It's wonderful to go to the hospital here and not be charged a penny. But you also risk dying in your chair waiting to be seen by an ER doc. This has happened multiple times due to poor triaging and 12+ hour wait times. It's great being able to call an ambulance and not be bankrupted by it, as long as you don't expire waiting the 1 or 2 hours it can take for it to arrive. It's awesome not having to pay for visits to the family doctor, assuming you can manage to find one taking new patients. And you MIGHT even get to discuss one of your medical concerns fully, since most doctors squeeze in 6 patients per hour to cover their costs and you're often rushed through. Having more than one issue? Please come back for another appointment... Yes, we have most of our physical medical health care covered. But it's not free. The costs are there in terms of ridiculous wait times, bureaucracy, and sometimes even incompetence. Is it the worst system in the world? Absolutely not. Is it a system worthy of praise and imitation? Also a BIG no.

Maybe they close their eyes and think of England?

It seems from the shots of texts and conversations you have had with disappointing clients and potential clients, that you spend a lot of energy trying to explain your point of view/rationale to them. That is an added investment of your time and concentration to those people who are not bringing any benefit to you. I appreciate that you attempt to reason with prospective clients, but in all honesty, some people are simply unreasonable and will drain you emotionally. When contacted by people who try to bargain, for example, maybe it is best to simply say "it looks like we would not be a good match, and I wish you well" in order to draw things to a quick close? I think it's beneficial to be the driver of your own bus, so to speak, and not let a potential passenger take the wheel from you. By spending all that time trying to reason with the unreasonable, it might give a bad potential client the idea that you are willing to compromise, and in effect, you are letting them have unnecessary control over what should be your own domain.

Spending the winter in TO is hardship enough for most people. Add in the lack of hot water and the experience becomes excruciatingly painful. My heart goes out to him. LOL.

Haven't been to Hawaii in a while, but others I know who have been both before and since the pandemic have seen a doubling of hotel rates in some places, and triple in others. You may need to prepare for some sticker shock...

Here's three for ya

That is very sad - I don't think I am familiar with that name. Is there a link, or expired profile that can be shared?

I agree that it takes a lot of courage to approach people in that scenario, but you evidently have a way about you that did not cause offence. I haven't worked up the courage to even arrange a therapeutic massage yet, so perhaps I shouldn't comment, but it's not like you ran up on stage and grabbed the mike away from the emcee to make the proposition - lol. We've seen that running onto the stage uninvited and taking the mike from the person who is supposed to be speaking does not generally garner a positive response. 😁

This warms my heart more than you can imagine. You and @Alex.Blessings should both be commended for turning around a negative situation in such an amazingly productive and powerful way. You, @dk582, have gone out of your way to correct any misperceptions, and with great maturity and integrity, have not only acknowledged what you could have done better the first time around, but have walked the walk and not just talked the talk. And despite the earlier critical and negative posts you made about your first massage with Alex, @Alex.Blessings clearly has the professional fortitude and inner kindness to meet again and show you what a great experience with him should be like. I don't want to gush, but you guys are both awesome, and you've shown all of us how two adults can work together to make a challenging situation positive. This has made my evening because it reinforces my long held view that humans were made to be in relationship with one another, and that disagreements and misunderstandings do not need to result in the breakdown of relationships, but rather, can actually strengthen those connections if we approach our differences with kindness and a willingness to understand each other. ❤️

His photos look way better than what I normally think of when I see the words XL Chocolate...

That sounds like an interesting meet up...

@Gar1eth, I was also confused when I saw the photos. Who'd want to have to undo their pants all the time to check what time it is? LOL

I'm confused by the controversy. Prosthetics are used all the time in film to alter the shapes and sizes of facial features - not to become stereotypical, but to enhance the accurate portrayal of a character in the eyes and minds of the audience. If LB had a small nose but the makeup artists gave Cooper a big nose because society expects Jewish people to have larger noses, then that would have been inappropriate and offensive in my view. The makeup on Cooper was to enhance his appearance, and I think it was done pretty tastefully - it is not caricature like in any way, and to me it is no different than if his hair colour was changed for a role.

What I found most shocking about the Russell Brand story is that some people think he's a comedian.

My favourite is Apple Butter. Pretty much like apple sauce but you cooking it down, uncovered on a medium low heat, for hours longer. It becomes caramelized and thickened, and you can spread it on toast or sandwiches - or eat it straight out of the jar. I'm going to try making apple butter Danishes at some point, with store-bought puff pastry and a drizzle of cinnamon icing sugar glaze.

Were the portion sizes at the restaurant in line with the generous proportions of his painting subjects?

So the supporters of a conspiracy theorist believe the allegations against him are part of a conspiracy theory against his support of conspiracy theories? 🤔

This raises a few questions. What kind of ink pad do they use for that? Will it be coming soon to a police station near you? Will criminals start burning off their anal prints? Can it be used to unlock your cellphone, or gain entry into your building?

Thank you so much! I am flattered beyond words, but there's no need to offer me compensation. LOL