qotd

272 posts

QOTD: Do You Use Scent?

The word ‘scent’ is very useful, it gets around the whole ‘perfume’ vs ‘parfum’ vs ‘extrait de parfum’ vs ‘eau de parfum’ vs ‘eau parfumee’ vs ‘cologne’ vs ‘eau de toilette’ vs ‘eau de cologne’ business. (These terms have to do with, more or less, a scent’s concentration.)

I’ve used scent since forever. As a teenager I was given a bottle of Chanel No.5 without having any real idea what a big deal it was.

When that ran out I couldn’t afford to replace it, and so moved on to Zen, by Shiseido. I don’t think it’s made anymore, and if it is, I seem to remember reading that it wasn’t the same formula.
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QOTD: What’s Your Plane Travel Time Limit?

During the past couple of years Mr S and I have taken two trips involving loooong plane trips.

The first one was 3 separate flights, with flying times of 1 hour then 12 hours then 4 hours. Reasonable connections. About 24 hours door-to-door. For a four-week stay.  Jet lag not that bad, going or coming.

The more recent one was flying time of 1 hour + 10 hours, door-to-door being about 18 hours. For a ten-day stay. Jet lag going was unspeakable; coming home, not so bad.

It was the last one that got us thinking. Do we want to do this any more? Is it worth it? The hideous living death (and not in a fun zombie way) of being imprisoned in a tiny seat with your neighbour’s backrest and snores 2 inches from your nose? Continue reading →

QOTD: What’s The Title Of Your Biography?

The fourth volume of Robert Caro’s immense biographical series, The Years of Lyndon Johnson was just published; it sits at number three on The New York Times non-fiction best-seller list. Entitled The Passage of Power, it joins Caro’s earlier entries The Path to Power, Means of Ascent and Master of the Senate. Such strong, manly titles! Each one is more muscular than the last, what with all that “power”, “ascending” and “mastery”. Without even reading the books (yeah, that’s not gonna happen) you certainly get a sense of Johnson; he seems like a marble statue ever shouldering uphill, a towering force of absolute forward momentum.  Continue reading →

QOTD: If You Could Turn Back Time, If You Could Find A Way

Whether you’re 16, 36 or 60, there will have been many moments in your life when you’re reading a book, watching a TV show or a movie or staring down at the ruins of a lost civilization and thinking to yourself “whoa man, I wish I could have seen that, daddio!” (Note for 16 year olds: “daddio” used to be cool slang. Ask your Dad).

So, if you were granted the ability to go back in time (whether this is by means of a time machine, magic or an angel is up to you and your belief system) to observe 5 things but without the ability to interfere or change anything, what 5 things would you choose? Continue reading →

QOTD: Do You Belong to a Book Club?

I know a lot of you do, did, or are considering joining a book club. Got any good stories to tell us?

A few years ago I joined one briefly. It met in a large, accommodating coffee shop and I couldn’t hear half of what was said. So, pulled the plug on that.

Now I belong to one that a friend very kindly invited me into. They’re a very nice crowd, accomplished, talkative. It seems mean to say they’re boring, but I fear this is the truth. Well, no, wait. They’re not all boring, or at least they’re not all boring all the time. I can be funny, when on my game. My friend is funny, or can be when not held back by the general atmosphere of… well, let’s take a peek inside and see what the various book-club members are like.

We have the married couple who seem determined to turn the event into a thinly-disguised marital fight for control. They’ll go around and around about a particular point and won’t stop until one or the other concedes. So tedious. Continue reading →

QOTD: What’s Your Favorite Fake Holiday?

The Spirit of 4/20, a hilarious new Funny or Die video, gives the stoner day of celebration the Scrooge treatment, imagining a world where Birkenstocks are hung by the chimney with care. While I can’t say I’ve ever celebrated this particular faux-holiday, it got me thinking. We know Crasstalkers do real holidays right, but what non-traditional milestones have you busted out the cake and streamers for? (Or the booze and uncomfortable clothing.) Continue reading →

QOTD: What’s Your Mobile App Obsession?

I see a lot of you talk about “Draw Something” and “Words With Friends” in the Open Threads, but I currently play neither. Right now I’m all about Tiny Tower. I’ve got 35 levels and 54 Bitizens living in my tower. Some have dream jobs, some don’t and I’m looking for my 55th resident without having to spend a Buck.

Then of course, I have to check on my people in Oregon Settler (a knock off of the beloved Oregon Trail) or else I get the purple sad face letting me know the people in my settlement are not happy.

What games or apps are you currently obsessed with? Continue reading →