For sure. But having a kid is not a hobby. It’s not an interest, or a career. It’s a life - someone else’s! - and mat/pat leave is a recognition of the fact that you need time to get that underway, for the good of that new life. I totally support the idea of people being able to take time off to do things they want to…

Yeah, but it’s not actually just for the “chance to spend some time on something you find to be important in your life”, it’s actually for the good of the child, as well. Or more importantly, for the good of the child. Even parents have things that are important in their lives that they don’t get time off to do. It’s…

My bf is black and I’m white and I forget about it all the time too. Maybe it’s where we live, but I don’t think I’ve ever registered anyone looking at us funny, even. Our mothers may be a different story.

Where both golf and I come from, golf sure CAN be a rich man’s sport (St.Andrews ain’t cheap!) but also the villages where my mum lives are laced together with golf courses along the coast, rough and ready, free to play and never watered (haha, it’s Scotland, who waters??) and the kids play with whatever old clubs…

Oh yeah - this was just the last in a long line of never-fulfilled IOUs.

My ex was the same, no idea what to give me. The last birthday I was with him (which was one of the Big Birthdays) he said “Tell me what you want and I’ll get it.” That’s not a fucking present, mate. A present says you’ve thought about me.

I WILL!! i WILL ADOPT IT! I’m not in Scotland, but I can move!

Turkey baster.

“I told you, one more fucking time! Right, that’s it! You’re fucking dinner now!”

Thank you! Drives me nuts when people immediately get out the pitchforks without reading the damned article!

The article is quite clear, they were NOT vegan! They started the kid on a cow’s milk formula that was rejected. As a vegan myself, I would SERIOUSLY LOVE if people could actually read the material. These people were not vegan, they were just idiots. Non-vegan idiots.

Except not vegans, actually.

WHAT A GREAT WEBSITE! There’s practically nothing more I need to know about any movie!

I just started watching The Drop (how bad could Tom Hardy and a puppy be, right?) but it occurs to me to wonder if anything bad happens to the puppy? Because I can’t watch that. Do what you like to humans, but don’t touch the fucking puppy. So: continue, yes/no?

Yeah, got some toys... No substitute for not knowing the sensation that’s going to happen next, though.

You too!

I had SO MANY plans for the holiday break, and I’ve done...sweet bugger all. I keep telling myself I still have time - not back at work till Wednesday - but seriously...

Haha, not intrusive! I mean, I started it! He thinks of himself as a boyfriend, but I think he’s not clear on what that means. We’re nearly three years in at this point, and talk in long terms; at the same time, he’s totally commitment-phobic (fair enough, after a long bad marriage, so am I) but has twice asked me if…

He gave me one of those. But really, no substitute for his actual self. I guess what I need to do is stop thinking “boyfriend” with all that implies (companionship and whatnot) and just keep him for the sex. Although he comes through randomly on the other stuff too. Argh. He’s a really sweet guy, we have a lot in…

I ask myself that all the TIME. And here I still am. So I guess yes.