Thufir's Third Random Banter #224

[PhyrexianShovel]

My cat can be quite ornery.
She rubs against you ankles gently and purrs so as to beg for a bowl of cream

What
what I don't like is verbal and physical abuse to a human or an animal, especially to a child.

I don't think anyone likes that.

[Anonymouswizard]

In defense of some dogs I know, I really feel sorry for both dogs and cynophobes in surprise meeting situations. Because some dogs just want to make sure you are ok, and their thoughts go like this:

That human over there looks stressed out, better go help them, oh no they look really bad, gotta hurry....ARE YOU OK HUMAN! I AM HERE TO HELP!!!

When I have been walking with a friend who also has a fear of dogs, I become a dog interceptor to either distract dogs who are looking for new friends, or console those care takers that really need to go over and take care of the stressed human.

Sure, I get that mentally, but that doesn't stop the '****! dog!' thoughts. I'm also generally much more comfortable if their owner notices my discomfort, asks them to stay/sit/come back and the dog responds.

I also find small dogs much more scary than large dogs. This is because I don't tend to run into large dogs in professions where they'd have to be aggressive, they tend to be either pets or disability-assistant dogs (mainly guide dogs, but I've met an emotional support dog once or twice), and large pet dogs tend to be well trained so they don't keep knocking the stressed humans over when they run up to them. Medium dogs tend to be more varied, but are at least quiet. I cannot deal with small dogs, they are the second scariest kind of being on this planet.

EDIT: I juse remembered how in a production years ago I got to see Sir Ian McKellen's Twanky. Maybe I should see if it's still possible to get cheap panto tickets.

[Mith]

Sure, I get that mentally, but that doesn't stop the '****! dog!' thoughts. I'm also generally much more comfortable if their owner notices my discomfort, asks them to stay/sit/come back and the dog responds.

I also find small dogs much more scary than large dogs. This is because I don't tend to run into large dogs in professions where they'd have to be aggressive, they tend to be either pets or disability-assistant dogs (mainly guide dogs, but I've met an emotional support dog once or twice), and large pet dogs tend to be well trained so they don't keep knocking the stressed humans over when they run up to them. Medium dogs tend to be more varied, but are at least quiet. I cannot deal with small dogs, they are the second scariest kind of being on this planet.

EDIT: I juse remembered how in a production years ago I got to see Sir Ian McKellen's Twanky. Maybe I should see if it's still possible to get cheap panto tickets.

I wasn't being critical of your thought process. Just observing that unfortunately the nature of some dogs mean that your aversion to them makes an unfortunate situation where they try and help you overcome whatever seems to be the problem. My parent's dog would likely have that issue (although he's usually calm enough after the initial "New Friend!" Phase to be guided away to Other Friends)

I really pity small dogs. Everything is so large compared to them that they must be fairly constantly scared.

From what descriptions I have heard about them, panto shows always seems to be a solid entertainment investment.

[Insane Jeenyus]

I don't think anyone likes that.

I wonder about the people who do those atrosities, however, I better stop before I cross a line of post content and get in trouble with the miods.

[Anonymouswizard]

From what descriptions I have heard about them, panto shows always seems to be a solid entertainment investment.

Anonymouswizard: Oh no it isn't.

Audience members: Oh yes it is!


In all seriousness, I wish work would allow me to have some control over my shifts, so that I could find a way to get back on stage. But I can't even get one solid day a week*, so I have no ability to commit to rehersals.

*compare to the people who have that and are only ever put on the earliest shift.

[LaZodiac]

I've always been a big fan of dogs, but I totally understand being afraid of them. Even tiny ones can be scary.

[Anonymouswizard]

I've always been a big fan of dogs, but I totally understand being afraid of them. Even tiny ones can be scary.

Thank you, that makes a nice change from all the 'how can you be scared of dogs' comments I get.

Anyway, there is no cat here and so I am sad. I am also a fail at talking to people, especially if I find them pretty.

[Peelee]

Thank you, that makes a nice change from all the 'how can you be scared of dogs' comments I get.

Anyway, there is no cat here and so I am sad. I am also a fail at talking to people, especially if I find them pretty.

Ah, you have no trouble talking to me! To be fair, though, I am already married, so that probably makes it easier.

I choose to believe nobody will excercize the other option of why it might be easier...

[LaZodiac]

Thank you, that makes a nice change from all the 'how can you be scared of dogs' comments I get.

Anyway, there is no cat here and so I am sad. I am also a fail at talking to people, especially if I find them pretty.

I've got difficulty talking to people too. Ultimately the one way you can get better is trying.

[Anonymouswizard]

I've got difficulty talking to people too. Ultimately the one way you can get better is trying.

People on a D&D forum having trouble talking to people, who'd have thought!?

Anyway, I've been trying to work out a way to start a conversation with one of the nurses at work. Not in a 'I want to get into her pants' way (I think she has a partner anyway), but she's one of the few people who shows any actual willingness to talk with me. Unfortunately roles mean we never share a break (she has to help during mealtimes, and guess when my breaks are!).

[oxybe]

Really pissed at Canada Post right now.

So I just received my copy of Pokemon Shield. Actually great that it came super fast, so I can play it tomorrow afternoon on my day off.

However...

I live in an apartment. Our units aren't actually numbered inside the building.

Canada post, without calling or texting, dropped the envelope containing my game at my door and not the mailbox while i was asleep. Anyone could have just swiped it, heck I could've easily stomped on it when I left to grab my delivery poutine (which is when i saw the package) because i didn't expect it to just be there on the floor (every other parcel was either pickup or in my mailbox).

Delivery guy likely should have no reason to know why my apartment (number not-2) is the second one inside the building (there are "outside units" if that makes sense) outside of a wild guess or asking someone in the building.

Someone could have easily taken my game dangit. I'm glad my neighbors are honest folks.

[factotum]

Sure it was Canada Post? Could have been some third-party parcel delivery service, and frankly, it's entirely a crapshoot what those guys will do. Best one I had was when I ordered some flowers to be delivered to my mother, and they got left outside an entirely different house and discovered about two weeks later!

[LaZodiac]

Sure it was Canada Post? Could have been some third-party parcel delivery service, and frankly, it's entirely a crapshoot what those guys will do. Best one I had was when I ordered some flowers to be delivered to my mother, and they got left outside an entirely different house and discovered about two weeks later!

I can say definitively that it's absolutely Canada Post. They've always been real bad about actually delivering the mail.

[oxybe]

Sure it was Canada Post? Could have been some third-party parcel delivery service, and frankly, it's entirely a crapshoot what those guys will do. Best one I had was when I ordered some flowers to be delivered to my mother, and they got left outside an entirely different house and discovered about two weeks later!

Yeah. It had the Canada Post delivery labels on the enveloppe.

[Fyraltari]

delivery poutine

Is Canada even real?

[LaZodiac]

Is Canada even real?

"People who come to deliver food to you" is... literally one of the most common, actual staples of all cultures.

[Peelee]

Is Canada even real?

"Delivery poutine" are two of the greatest words in the English language when combined like that. That sounds amazing and I want this service in America.

And on a completely different topic, I finally got to see Jojo Rabbit last night. Beautiful movie, it was everything I was hoping for and more. However, I've gotta say, if I was a Hollywood star and was offered a lead role in a movie where Sam Rockwell had so much as ten minutes of screentime, I'd pass, because he'd steal the damn show. He always does. He might be my favorite actor at this point (sorry, Dustin Hoffman). Dude has his charisma dialed to 11. I will never not love that man. Plus, I have yet to ever see him in anything bad (I will fight anyone who claims HHGG here). I have the biggest man-crush on Rockwell, he can do no wrong.

[Anonymouswizard]

Someone could have easily taken my game dangit. I'm glad my neighbors are honest folks.

Maybe this is because I've only lived in a flat while at uni, but IME neighbours are very good at not taking your post, or at least bringing it round if they grabbed it for safekeeping (yes, I've had that happen once, my neighbour noticed our parcel was in full view of the road, grabbed it, and brought it round at 6ish). It's everybody else you have to look out for.


Anyway, the new Star Wars film being due out soon has made me want to go back and play the Dark Forces games, and man has that reminded me of how stupid I was for dismissing shooters in my teens. Not that I don't have reasons, when your first introductions were the Modern Warfare games and Duke Nukem Forever (not a bad game, but pretty meh) it's easy to dismiss all shooters as big dumb jock games. I think getting a copy of Jedi Outcast just because it was the first time I had discovered a copy of KoTOR was the first time I actually enjoyed an FPS.

[oxybe]

Is Canada even real?

Sometimes I look at the country and wonder that very thing.

Like, did you know Alberta Canada is basically the only place on earth, outside of the polar regions, without rat colonies?

If you check the global rat destribution map you just see this one ratless, lopsided pentagon in Canada.

This is, as I found out, because Alberta has a deep and seething hatred of rats. They have a dedicated rat patrol guarding the border and a rat hotline to call if you see any.

It makes sense as a prairie province with a strong agricultural and livestock industry.

[LaZodiac]

Sometimes I look at the country and wonder that very thing.

Like, did you know Alberta Canada is basically the only place on earth, outside of the polar regions, without rat colonies?

If you check the global rat destribution map you just see this one ratless, lopsided pentagon in Canada.

This is, as I found out, because Alberta has a deep and seething hatred of rats. They have a dedicated rat patrol guarding the border and a rat hotline to call if you see any.

It makes sense as a prairie province with a strong agricultural and livestock industry.

Alberta has initiated extremanatus on the rodentia population and it's definitely A Thing, yeah.

I had something more relevant to say but I forgot it like so many ephemeral strands touching across my brain so instead I'll mention that in a month or two, my book will be published and that's super rad.

[Peelee]

If you check the global rat destribution map you just see this one ratless, lopsided pentagon in Canada.

Spoiler: That reminds me of the hog map.

Show

[Fyraltari]

"People who come to deliver food to you" is... literally one of the most common, actual staples of all cultures.

[Peelee]

I weep for the French people.

[Fyraltari]

I weep for the French people.

Oh we've got delivery alright. Of pizza.

[LaZodiac]

Okay seriously does wherever you live (presumably France based on what Peelee said) not have delivery?

Like, that's absurd. It has to have take out. At the very least it has those dumb phone based ones that are just hiring a courier to get you food to-go, right?

[Anonymouswizard]

Oh we've got delivery alright. Of pizza.

Wait, you don't have to pick your pizza up?

[2D8HP]

Is Canada even real?

I visited Canada in the late '80's, but I have my doubts, first because I didn't walk to and see the Great Ice Wall at the border, instead I took "Air Canada" where I was forced to be intoxicated by a hat wearing stewardess (with a French-ish accent!) asking me "Do you want a drink?" thus rendering me easily fooled, next Ottawa looked like a film set, suspiciously so!
Montreal on the other hand looked just like an American city, but French speaking to fool ya!
But the most damning indicator is that saw no moose!
Mexico had pinatas (so does Los Angeles, but Mexico had more!), but a "Canada" without moose?
I remain unconvinced that this "Canada" actually exists, there may well just be a few cities planted near the "border" as an elaborate ruse!

[Fyraltari]

Okay seriously does wherever you live (presumably France based on what Peelee said) not have delivery?

Like, that's absurd. It has to have take out. At the very least it has those dumb phone based ones that are just hiring a courier to get you food to-go, right?

Pizza is pretty much the only kind of food that gets delivered. If you want something something else you either cook it yourself or go to a restaurant and order it there.

Do you really have companies that just hire to-go for you over there? That’s surreal.

[Peelee]

Do you really have companies that just hire to-go for you over there? That’s surreal.

Think of it as "Uber, but with food." I like the idea, I'm not a fan of the execution, but I'll largely avoid going into why. I will say that whenever I use them, I always tip cash, because I trust those companies as far as I can throw them.

[factotum]

Do you really have companies that just hire to-go for you over there? That’s surreal.

We have them in the UK too--Deliveroo, for instance, whose entire purpose in existing is to deliver meals from restaurants to people's homes. Obviously tends to be used for food places that wouldn't normally deliver.