UGH. My son was born in 2000....his name (Liam) was not in the top 100 (okay it was number 96 by one list). Now it's number three. Apparently I'm a trend-setter.

I will never forget: I was a supervisor at a call center and a rep on my team said, "Hello, may I speak with Penelope?" but he pronounced it "pen-a-lope" (like cantaloupe).

I don't have any life-altering advice or anything, but I just wanted to say that I feel for you. I'm laid off and finances suck, I'm pretty worried about how to make things good for my kids for Christmas. Hang in there. I hope your new job goes really well!

Ugh that sounds like something my brother would do. On the other hand, my boyfriend has handguns and I don't feel bothered by his at all, because he's very safe with them.

My asshole brother. He also bragged that he would put the gun on the floor mixed in with his son's toys (boy was like 2 at the time) and "taught" him not to touch it. How his kids have survived so far is beyond me.

Well, there was the one time my brother proceeded to bring out his handgun and pass it around to show everyone. I freaked and immediately grabbed my two kids and went outside until he put it away. And everyone acted like *I* was the asshole.

Dutiful grey, aligned with your assessment and reporting for duty!

My point was more that there are some people (bf included) who drink but seem to have a double-standard about the drinking of their partner. It's anecdotal, not scientific. I'm not completely dismissing the claims made. I'm divorced too, and my ex was a teatotaler.

I do believe that's the creepiest gif I've ever seen. <shudder>

Eh, I don't know. My boyfriend has his drinking well under control now, and I rarely drink, but he was a binge drinker previously, when he was married. So was his wife, and he would speak very derisively about her drinking and talk about fights it caused. We had to have a couple of pot-kettle-black discussions.

I know what you mean. I mostly lurk and I think I will forever be a lowly grey.

A special interest of mine (one I've volunteered for) is Truckers Against Trafficking. People laugh and joke about so-called "lot lizards" (prostitutes at truck stops) but a great many of these women are victims of human trafficking.
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Thanks, I'll look that up!

If you want to learn more about human trafficking, The Polaris Project is a great place to start. Where I live, there are migrant farm workers and they have a high risk of trafficking.

As someone who lived through the original trend, let me just say NEVER AGAIN.

Definite red flags. I spent the last few years in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault education. What I find works best is to keep reminding her that she deserves better. Point out disrespectful or harmful behavior, always in as neutral a way as possible and always leading back to how she deserves better than…

Agreed, they're definitely very talented. They just don't have the panache of Puddles.

That's rad! Reminds me a little of Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Ron Swanson said he hates liars and skim milk, which is water lying about being milk.

I think the sass factor is a definite element of a capella performance too, they're very expressive.

He really does have a great voice, and I love this whole arrangement.