I know it's not father's day or anything, but can I just take a moment and say that my geek dad (who helped me decorate my room like Sherlock Holmes' study WAY before geeks were cool) is the best ever.

The obvious answer is that Clarkson finally snapped, and is now using his wealth to turn himself into the very thing that he loves. Like Michael Jackson, but with cars. Unfortunately the science is still young, so we're getting more of a "Jeff Goldblum in 'The Fly'" effect.

*bow* Thank you. "Jack White in a hijab," that's me.

You're welcome! The nice version of Islam doesn't get a lot of airtime, so I like to share. Particularly since, as a convert, I tend to run in non-Muslim social circles.

There's a lot less variation in Islam, mostly because our prophet was very clear about what does/does not constitute Islam (the five pillars and all that). Although people, being people, very much do their own thing. Sufism, for example, is very much the Latter Day Saints to my modern-Muslim Anglicanism.

Yeah, we're pretty big on personal responsibility. We also believe there's no compulsion in religion, so everyone has to follow God as he/she feels fit. Or not. Up to you. I bet there's some good stuff in the Bible like that.

So I thought you guys might be interested in my experience with modesty. (Sorry if this is all tl;dr!) I'm a Muslim woman, and (as you can probably tell by the screen name) I wear hijab. 'Hijab' in this case not just meaning a head scarf, but that I dress "modestly." I'm actually a convert, so I also have experience…

I am having serious Carhartt envy over here. (I live in the part of NY that's closer to Pennsylvania, so Carhartt gear is de rigueur.) That sh*t is amazing. It lasts forever. Although I don't know if I'm more entranced by the warm goodness of the jackets, or the lure of the great outdoors...

This was in the late 90's, so I like to think there's a better chance these days. But then I've always been an optimist. I do recall that Young Me knew that women would be cast as Hamlet, but was doubtful as to how seriously it would be taken. No one wants to be "stunt" casting.

I quit acting when I realized that I would never be cast as Hamlet.

"Touching too many turkeys" should be a euphemism.

It's awfully dusty in here... *blows nose into comically oversized, polka dot hankie*

Terry is Dan's husband. (Formerly legal husband only in Canada, now also in the States.)

"If you are as interested in sex as you say you are"? Oh, no, I was just pretending. You caught me.

I'm having the same issue with lutefisk. (Norwegian heritage. You can tell; I can get sunburns from fierce cloud cover.) I can only find blog posts making tired jokes about how awful it is. No one will say what's so awful about it, though. I've also read that there's a matter of minutes between perfect, flaky lutefisk…

And then tell all their friends that light bulbs are bitches, and they'll just live in the dark from now on. :P

In Islam you have to have "intentions," so you can't just be all, "Oh, God forgave me! He's all forgiving! La-dee-dah." You have to really feel bad about it. I don't know from Christianity, but is there a similar thing? Seems like there would be a theological rule to avoid that kind of loop hole-ery.

I try to keep it real for the muslimahs. B-/ I'm concerned about what a "bat bogey" might entail, though. And why it might be hexed.

Judge Judy does not deal with poopy diapers. She speaks sternly to her infant grandchildren and they become potty trained, productive members of society. They also pay back that $456 in childcare they owed Daneesha but didn't think they should pay because of the time her step-son puked on their new couch.

My mom spent pre-Thanksgiving turning all the lampshades so that the seam faced the wall. But she also leaves her dishes piled up by the sink for days. PRIORITIES.