That’s horrifying. I don’t even know what to say except that your story is all too common in families and church communities that get very hung up on “purity” in female adherents. That is exactly what they do, blame the young women in question—many too young to legally consent to sex at all—for the reactions and…

If Sarah Palin had a ghostwriter to handle her writing, chances are she’d come out more coherent too. Left to her own devices, Bristol doesn’t fall far from the salad tree.

Oh my gosh yes, unfortunately. When I moved up to the PNW from the South, I freaked servers out by specifying that I wanted “unsweetened” tea (meaning I’d put my own sweetener into it). Tea was “sweet tea” by default where I was from, so if I didn’t do that I’d end up with tea-flavored flat soda. But it made servers…

It’s sick how misogynists put that act on, like rape allegations are insta-believed with no questions asked. There are some big name Republicans running around right now who seem to genuinely believe that women bring these accusations do it for the lulz or for the attention or for the glory of victimhood or something.…

Oh my gosh I wonder if we went to the same school. There was a situation exactly like you describe. It wasn’t too uncommon to see this coach walk the school halls around with the girl in question, his hand firmly nestled in her jeans’ back pocket. You’re right, it was a hell of a weird blind spot. I thought poorly of…

Kansas isn’t particularly either, but aside from being whiter than Wonder Bread and there being only three last names in the entire town of 10k I lived in, it was indistinguishable culturally in a lot of ways.

Er, are they still making those happy meals? I’ll go get one tomorrow if I can get a nerdy librarian HK in it.

I found out France has Doritos.

Friends, waffles, and work. This is good. But what is best in life?

I lived in the Deep South for some years before I could escape. I’ve learned to expect anything from parents there.

Another 46 and this is a good list.

It’s not that I stopped caring what they thought; I just stopped giving a fuck around age 25.

I don’t fucking care. I will never be too old for Hello Kitty pajamas.

It’s great to read about such a happy ending. I hope the next one is much easier!

Oh that kid. Does he not look like he’d like to burn the whole place down, or what?

Apparently Lambert’s is doing pretty well. It’s damn near a fixture in its areas (there are a few of them scattered around) and they’ve lasted three or so generations and are still pretty crowded. I think your idea sounds wonderful and would love to try it if it ever happens and I’m in the area. In one city I lived…

DOOOOOOOOOOOO EEEEEEEEEEEET

It’s just a Deep South thing. They name their sons Stacy and Marion, too. That’s when they’re not naming the kids after grain crops. I knew a whole family in Kansas whose kids were named Rye, Milo, Wheat, and the like. Then they had a daughter, who they named Daisy or something.

My mom used to love this place. I still have the mug she got there. It’s like a half-gallon insulated cooler with a lid. It’s been my favorite for years for iced water. Because of my allegiance to the mug, I’m on the restaurant’s side.

I keep wanting to tell her to leave the duckface to the professionals.