Serious Joe Dirt vibes.

This is a very good point.

I never knew how much I needed this word in my life. You have done a great service this day.

We Canadians are really quite polite about it! And the retail shifts don’t infringe on anyone’s familytime-holidays, which is a bonus.

There shouldn’t be anything shameful about adhering to a budget, or spending money responsibly. The big box stores don’t need that extra $300 on top of the TV price, or whatever.

My husband and I (starting out, money’s tight, etc) picked up a bunch of stuff today too—jeans, electronics, Christmas gifts for family…

But both are terrifying ...

That makes my heart very happy!

I, too, really love setting my own itinerary! I don’t usually go to Excel lengths, though. There’s not really another way to make sure you hit all the places you want to go besides picking ‘em out yourself. But I can empathize with the go-with-the-flow mentality; it takes a lot of energy to make those decisions.

What fantastic news! Please give all the snuggles to your kitty.

This is an old photo, of my parents’ dog, Penny. Super gentle, and super strong herding instincts (she loves everyone to be in one room. And if she knows we’re swimming in a lake, she barks until she’s allowed to join us. Then she swims in behind everyone and tried to herd us toward shore). She’s very flexible about…

Have done it! Would recommend it! Italy/Greece solo’d, New Zealand stuff as well, and a bunch of places in Japan (when I lived there, so not a big deal). The nice thing about travelling alone is that you can set your own schedule, flex your own schedule, and you will always love your itinerary! The downside is that…

As a fellow Canadian, and one who works in public health, I’m also similarly flabbergasted by the sentiments about “socialist” healthcare that I hear from some Americans. [dislcaimer: not a doctor][second disclaimer: forgive any lack of coherence on my part, I am a little bit drunk. But I still checked my facts!]

Awhh, glad things are going swimmingly! Well-orchestrated foreplay is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

We picked up a good one on Black Friday, and it is now my husband’s favourite thing. Don’t know how we managed without it! He has always ALWAYS got some rice warming in that thing.

I’m not sure about this. I think it’s a pretty common-sense consideration, and may have precedent in the US.

Thank you! This show has long been one of my guilty pleasures, and I haven’t been able to find it for a long, long while ...

Jane welcome back! We all miss you ... and Millihelen. I tell you, mu wedding makeup battleplan would be SO much better if there was still Millihelen to draw on ...

I am SUPER over this song. Unfortunately, my fiance is not, aaragh, and it’s on heavy rotation in our car and apartment. Just felt like sharing with someone I thought would sympathize.

I have both for you! Met my fiance in a club in Sapporo, Japan, while I was living elsewhere (a flight away) in Japan. (I know, I know, who actually meets their future spouse in clubs?!) Four months after we met, I moved home to Canada. So essentially, our whole relationship has been long distance ... After our first…

Awhhh but Serenity would be amaaaaazing! Don’t let spite enter into the wedding. This is about you and your handsome husband-to-be and your special day.

Good for you for not ‘playing by the family’s rules’. My sister’s ex had a family that judged everything ... and once you give an inch with that, they take a mile.…