Been waiting patiently for the open thread so I could share this!

http://obamaproject.windonwater.net/2008/11/fdic-coupons/

QT

Oh! And also, {{{{{{{{{{{{{{Bob and Lee }}}}}}}}}}}}}

for being awesome, and as a demonstration of the cyberhug, which LiveFree was unfamiliar with! :)

QT

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Queen}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Thank you!

oh, wow, thanks QT! Back at ya'!

{{{{{{{{{{{{{QT}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

oh, and for all of you at this misfit meetup

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{GDAB}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

NOTICU:

MARK BEGICH INCREASED HAS HIS LEAD ON TED STEVENS TO 2,374 VOTES!

That is all.

It's a lovefest! (maybe a gropefest?)

{{{{{{{{{{{T, Bob, Lee, LFOD & GDAB}}}}}}}}}}}

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ GDAB }}}}}}}}}}}}

(What can I say! I'm in a huggy mood today!)

QT

Well shit, if you throw in a gropefest I'll learn this thing.

{{{{{{{{{{T, Bob, Lee, LFOD , Kat & GDAB}}}}}}}}}}}
and {{{{{{{ Packy }}}}}}} who is trying to sneak by. Ha.

Thanks thanks for the votecount, Packy. I didn't mean to not listen to your awesome news. I just couldn't slip it into the group grope thingie.

(make that one "thanks"--oops)

Katin - dang. I should of thought of the groping when I had Bob and Lee in my clutches. Think I can try again? Let's see:

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{\Bob & Lee/}}}}}}}}}}}}

LOL!

QT

I meant 'QT' by the way. I got all caught up in the love and forgot how to type for a brief moment.

And thanks for the update Packy. A year ago I never would have imagined I would be sitting on pins and needles waiting for the results of an election in Alaska.

DP - You're welcome welcome.

In an abstract way, this even kinda qualifies as a room, so, continue hugging with abandon.

Hugs gleefully and with abandon

{{{{{{{{{{{{KatinWilm, DP, Packy & lame duck hunting}}}}}}}}}}}

QT

I want in on the group grope for the simple reason that my heat is out and I'm fer eeeeezin.
(Taping cats to my body.)

QT - Thank you for my first cyberhug.........allow me to return the favor:

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{QT}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

and one for the house

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{GDAB}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Is it OK if the parens on either side of the hugee are unequal, or is that only a problem in EXCEL?

pssst...i could use a hug too...

although a group grope would be good too..

ldh - just means one arm is stronger than the other. No big.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{jane}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

That should warm you up some! :)

Who's watching House tonight? Or is everyone here doing MSNBC?

QT

Is this an a) Orgy or b) Cuddle Party?

Because depending on the answer, I've either been to a few of them or would never be caught dead at one. You decide which is which.

QT, I don't know if this will do any good, and believe me I mean no disrespect, but with respect to Prop 8, and gay marriage:

Imagine if your father's downfall (yes I read your story, excellent) came from AIDS. Imagine if his financial hardships came from a debilitating disease not covered by health insurance. Imagine if he suffered from ostracization due to the stigma of being homosexual. Imagine if you had to overcome your own feelings about homosexuality rather than your feelings about drug abuse. It would be hard to rationalize all these conflicting feelings with your faith.

Now please try to see how to incorporate acceptance of gays and their rights with your faith.

(Hugs regardless.)

{{{{{Cminri! LameD! Jane and Taped Cats!}}}}}}}

This feels like election night but gropier. Not a word but it works.

Stranahan is diiiirty.

{{{{{{{{{{\cm/}}}}}}}}}

I'm a total serial groper.

Uh oh, my cat allergy is back.

Good dirty?

I like Stranahan sorta dirty.

Jane...what the fuck are you doing without heat? You need to some visit me? It supposed to be fucking cold tonight!

There's a rumor a kerosene heater is en route, eta 9pm. I have fuel and c batteries ready.

The batteries are for the heater's igniter, you pervs.

Besides, what could c batteries do? (Jenny, do you agree?)

Is Rep. Gingrey dying his hair to match his name? Whatever the reason...he seriously needs to stop.

How cold IS it there, Jane?

I need to some visit Kat in Wilm. Heh.

I have a gazillion blankets, comforters, throws and quilts. (But then, if you have been paying attention you probably already knew that...)

Hats, gloves, scarves, mittens, fleece coats and jackets, fleece jammies, flannel jammies(shut up, DP).

And 2 dogs. And a partridge...

Batteries, solar flashlights, camp hand heater...

Packy, it got up to 39 for a windy high today, so I'm sure you're laughing at us but this is fucking COLD by NC November standards.

Oh Packy, you'll just call me a pussy. There were flurries today, 37 degrees now (?), 25 degree low tonight. But (geographical anomaly!) it is ten degrees colder in my house all year round.

Two cats for that reference. That's easy. I never get yall's movie references during the day.

jane: Thanks for the correspondence. I'm enjoying the hug/grope fest (and will happily hug /grope gays as well! Equal opportunity hugs and gropes!), so I'll try to reply later, and possibly on my own site. If I do on my site, I'll post here that I did.

Stay warm! And - I have to go for a bit, so

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{\GDAB/}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

QT

Yea, yea, yea Jane. Apparently I'm incapable of typing correctly tonight. You need to 'come' visit Kat in Wilm. Especially if you are going to freeze to death, because in my experience (which is pretty extensive) the only thing c batteries are good for are Wii remotes.

And Packy is totally laughing at us pussies.

Nah, not laughing.
25F with no heat in the house can get damned uncomfortable. Been there.
It was -5 here this morning, been a clear and sunny day. We're in the heat of the afternoon at 17 above right now. It's supposed to warm up a bit and snow tomorrow. We need it.

We might have hurt him. He may have laughed so hard he fell out of his chair, broke a rib, is now on his way to the hospital. Oh, shit. Can you kill someone by being a pussy?

5 to 15 tonight here. :)

Take care QT!

Ouch. When we get 5-15 the whole state shuts down.

Jane, did you and your rolling pin ever find Mr. Dingeldein? He missed a group grope.

Packy, we just get no warning when to dig out our winter gear. Go to sleep it's sixty degrees, wake up it's 25, rainy, and windy. It's the extremes here, the fluctuation. Same thing happens in reverse in Spring.

Yeah, today wouldn't have been that bad if the wind hadn't been a real fucker. I couldn't even light a cigar all day.

And random times throughout the year.

DP - and to follow your train...when it even thinks about snowing here, schools closed. We got 35 flakes in Wilmington today, and I think they considered it.

Kat,

That's what she said.

I got that same 35, Kat! Around ten this morning. Looked out and 35 fat windflakes blew by. Damnedest thing.

I make all winter ahead-appointments for afternoon so I know I'll have time to find out if the place will be open or closed on a snow/ice day. I don't drive in the shit unless someone's life depends on it (or in the distant past when my paycheck depended on it).

Kat, I was working on the defunct back lot in summer many years ago, and we got hailed out. Golf ball sized. (You have to compare to a dime, a golf ball, or a grapefruit. See below:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ilx/swop/swophailsize.php

Okay, okay...sorry if I repeated what DP posted. And I will be sure to refrain from venturing near anyone's Corn Flakes, too.

I can understand that "no warning," Jane.

I guess the real difference is that it's expected here. Cold and snowstorms are just part of winter life, a foot or two of snow overnight is a minor inconvenience. It slows things down a bit, but everyone shrugs it off.

Frankly, I can't remember when the schools here last had a "snow day."

A friend of me sent me this link today - it totally made me smile and get all gooey and lovefesty (not a word, I know) inside, so I wanted to share:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

(no, it's not porn)

Cats taped to body, check. KO on, check. 29 degrees and snow flurries, check. This is not normal for PA. We usually don't see snow until December. Remember it isn't Global Warming it is Global Wierding.

Packy, we expect heat. Humidity changes suck too. Stuff can't dry. I guess what I'm saying is, I miss my washing machine.

Hey I just got paid and can get stuff fixed now. Don't mean to whine. I am wearing three cats right now.

ok...i am new on here...who's from nc? i am currently in the mountians and it is "freeze your balls" cold (if i had balls that is)

p.s. can i get a welcome hug? (insert puppy dog eyes here)

Oh shit, guys. I finally got a cigar to light in the windy carport and a solid black woolyworm had crawled in there and died. I think that means we are in for more than a weird winter. Don't the brown stripes between the black mean the good weather? And the black stripes mean how much wintry weather we will get? We're fucked in NC, it would appear.

Gypsy, DP is in the foothills (?), Kat's near the coast. I'm from Raleigh. There were peeps from Cary and Charlotte too.

{{{{{{{{gypsysoul}}}}}}}} Welcome!

And it's a ball-freezing 34 degrees on the NC coast right now...forecast calls for even more appendage-freezing temperatures of 26 tonight. I seriously need to consider sending my resume to Fiji.

I have no idea what a woolyworm's stripes mean, DP, but it sounds serious. Although...if it means we're getting fucked...bring on the black woolyworms!!!!

Adding: Jane, after seeing pictures of Mooselini wearing animals I'm getting a little nervous for your cats.

Which mountains, Gypsy? I'm over here on the low and east side of Fancy Gap mountain (VA) and right below Pilot (NC).

(lost my innertubes to wind for a few)

Kat, you are such a slut. You should be named Jane.

14F here, you betcha. And dropping. Gonna be chilly tonight.
And also.

Let me clarify: as in "Jane, you ignorant slut". Not as in Our Jane.

Whoa...Hagel ripped a few new ones today. Heh. :)

...and back to the serious stuff: I think Kat has earned the "ignorant slut" title. I'll cede.

I just wish I were a slut.

AP has called the Senate race in Alaska! :))

Me too, Jane.

And called it for...? (House is on here)

Oh, I see the smiley with the double chin. Woo hoo?

Ceu - While I disagree with Hagel on a number of things, I nevertheless have always found him to possess a quality which many of the Congressional Republicans lack - honor.

So, you betcha he's pretty mavericky and such.
Also.

Happy birthday, Uncle Ted!

Ceu brought a bitch-slap of Good News tonight! What an interesting twist.

MSNBC is saying that the AP is calling the AK race for Mark Begich! Woo hoo! Congrats, Packy!

I just report the news, dontpanic. Not my fault if it's occasionally good. :)) (wide grin, not double chin)

Happy Birthday, Tedman. Go celebrate and never darken our news again. :

3724 with about 2500 votes left to be counted.

Yay Begich!

And I totally take exception to the 'ignorant' part of my 'ignorant slut' title. I'm a well-read, choosy slut, thank you very much - I only bang Democrats. Well, except for my wager....

Yeah, Pack. I disagree with Hagel on almost everything except Iraq, but I have respect for him because he has, as you say, honor.
I could never vote for the guy, though...

"I only bang Democrats." Jeez, Kat - that's not a display of partisanship, that's just good taste.

Yeah Kat, the UPS guy. Whatever happened there? Did you collect on your bet?

(I'll be the ignorant part.)

Since they're Teamsters, aren't most UPS guys Democrats too?

I hope that for 8 years it is only the democrats who get banged.

Re Alaska:
Well, we batted .500. Too bad we couldn't dump Don "I'll bite you like a mink" Young this time around.
I'll be even happier when Franken wins his recount, and Martin whips Chambliss.
This could be a pretty good year all around.

DP - I say let the Democrats get banged, and the Republicans just get fucked.

Packy - most of the UPS guys here are southern boys through and through. Some of them don't particularly mind losing though.

And I'm waiting until January to collect my bet, Jane. The holidays are a busy time, and I don't like being rushed. And despite the name, I don't think ignorant sluts hang out on the GDAB.

So I leave my tv for a minute, and some MTV veejay takes over my Rachel's chair. What's up with that?

good plan - them not getting laid will surely make them sweeten their dispositions, not to mention making them less likely to pick up strangers in mens' rooms. That being said, I am not offering to help them out.

Ned is next up on Rachel's Show with Allison "The Eye" Stewart.
Yes, that Ned and he'll talk about the Lieberman thing and we all feel crappy again for having had our faces spit into.

I gotta say that when Lamont ran against Lieberman in '06, his commercials were really clever - different.

I sorta remembered I have gas logs. They're not efficient, but they are a heat source. And they're ancient and analog, god love 'em. It's actually cozier than camping now.

Talk to everyone tomorrow - pool night tonight.

Packy's goin swimmin?

Pool League - apparently it's an Alaska thang. Excuse to hit the bars on a Tuesday night.

Jane, you have gas logs. That just hit me funny.

Packy, I agree on the banged/fucked theory. They're already cranky and I don't see it getting better.

Allison Stewart is still around? I haven't seen her since the primaries or even before. ("The Eye"?)

Sorry, got hung up on House. (Swimming? Sheesh).

Henry Paulson looks like a dildo. That is all.

Not swimming. LOL! Pool.

Yes, The Eye. That's what she's known as in this house. Have you ever looked at her?
(yes, I know I'm going to hell)

Does she have a third eye? Or one squinchy one? I've never really paid attention. And don't have the remote.

Ooooh, that pool. I thought Packy'd lost it. Or was a polar bear not yet caught and wrestled to the ground by you-know-betcha.

Fook typekey

Must sleep. G'night, GeeDab.

G'night DP.

not sure who asked...but i am in little switzerland. i live in charleston sc.

black worm means COLD ASS weather! my grandma goes by all that stuff.

you guys are crazy! can't wait to read more from all of you!

Gypsy, I'm glad to get another opinion on the woolyworm. Those things rule the weather--even the Weather Channel probably bases our winter on them. And I'm not kidding by much. Charleston, eh? I don't know why I thought you said mountains.

This nightly bunch of people have become my favorite bar mates, kinda like "Cheers". Insanity rules until some real news comes along to get chewed on (from a somewhat-insane perspective). Then back to the position flexible.

my hometown is little switzerland, nc between asheville and boone....i am in and out of here all the time so i claim both mountians of nc and charleston!