Snugs McMasters

Root beer? Are you out of your mind. I don't know how Maddy can drink that stuff.

Do you have any idea just how hard that is, Skell? Do you?!

This is what happens when Maddy fishes for a compliment. Now we're locked in disagreement. She finds you vexing. I find you interesting. You could cement that disagreement by finding me interesting and her vexing. I hope this clears things up.

I had a chat with her. She promises not to make the same mistake again. If she sees both of you online, she'll strive to make the connection.

Thank you, Dillon. It's nice to see you, too. Don't worry about Maddy doing something, she's all talk.

Yet forums don't give you enough time to pretend to be smart enough to avoid being annoyed by asshats? I agree, none of them are asshats... and they seem to be pretending to be smarter than you. ETA: Lordy, where are my manners? I like most of you!

Maddy's been trying for years. Give up.

I sense an uprising. "She who must be humored" will not be happy about this.

Are you out of your mind?

Though the reason might not be apparent, she'll be sitting right next to you. When she pats a place to sit, find someone else to take it.

I don't.

"Lifetime supply" of deadly donuts?

That was a two-way street, Maddy.

You all need to improve your aim. And please do aim a little left of center. Regardless what she says, my side is right.

It's not for lack of trying, Rolig.

Grrr.

It's more complex than that, or no woman would have a second child, and those of us who learn by observation wouldn't have a first. ;-). Memories of pain can protect, paralyze or prime us. If you're excessively prone to remember pain, you're also excessively prone to perceive it. I wear rose colored glasses not so much to forget pain, but to prime me for new experiences. I trust that any pain I encounter as a result will be quickly forgotten. I did not come by this way of thinking through hard work, nor has my way of thinking been severely challenged (or if it has, I've forgotten ;-). This is just the way I am, so I can't really offer instruction on how to do it, though there shelves at the bookstore filled with attempts. Happiness is about expectation and gratitude. I don't expect life to give me more than I give it, and I'm grateful for what I get. I've lived a charmed life and have much to be grateful for, yet I see people around me who have much more and are still unhappy. You'll never catch me complaining about how the world treats me. It has no obligation to make me happy. That's my job.

..and I thought OctoPussy was a lot of..octopi. You might also wonder whether the company 23andMe isn't a facade for something more... nefarious?

For Pete's sake Qie, was that really necessary? Now Maddy's frothing at the mouth.

That tends to happen when you vomit what you've scrambled to learn in just a few minutes on the internet in order to look like an expert. Yeah, but that doesn't stop Maddy, does it? At least I get to see her scramble.

Almost everyone else. I could do without Maddy.

When disaster strikes, Maddy blames me.