English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

12:55 AM

Feb 25 at 17:40, by KitFox

What's with all the random starred crap?

Howdy do, @Wendi the Kidd

@cornbreadninja麵包忍者 ...how is it that random people in my life come up with that nickname completely independent of one another?

The mind boggles

;)

:D

1:18 AM

So I got a George Michael record tonight, the one with Faith and Father Figure and I Want Your Sex. It's making me remember my mother trying to shield me from I Want Your Sex when it came out.

I was seven.

I remember Dr. Ruth defending it, because the next line is "I want your love".

Well.

Sorry.

Don't judge me! I also got a Hendrix record and a Pet Shop Boys.

Ugh. I need to think of a topic that people research.

This shouldn't be so difficult.

The point is to find two websites about the topic and evaluate the credibility of each.

1:40 AM

Most people know about the Darwin Awards. Most people laugh at them. You stop laughing just as soon as one of you or yours perished for no other reason than their own incredibly naïve stupidity, misjudgement upon misjudgement, the one piled upon the other in painful serendipity, until the dice come up snake eyes and they die.

And then you never laugh again.

. . .

That reminds me that I need to fix my site.

@tchrist This stuff isn't real, is it?

Doesn't seem like it could be, but then you never know the limits of human stupidity.

@WendiKidd I wish it weren’t. It is.

@tchrist Oh wow. Okay, in that case you're being serious and you get a hug. hugs You doing okay? Or as well as can be expected?

This is the third day of pounding chests and pools of sorrow in my house.

1:44 AM

@tchrist I'm so, so sorry.

It is as can be expected.

Which is terrible.

@tchrist Yeah. I'm sorry. I wish I had something better to say.

Changes you — forever, I think.

I thank you, but saying anything is next to hopeless.

You have family around for support?

I’ll go on. I hope others will too.

@WendiKidd Yes.

But they’re still gone.

1:45 AM

@tchrist you were serious. :x

And stupidly.

All because they were alone with their stupidity.

Your garrulous brother, drunk, is babbling at his cohort, walking backwards, turns the corner and ducks into the elevator.

But it is an elevator shaft.

And he plunges to his death.

@tchrist I know. I'm so so sorry. There's no sense in a lot of terrible things that happen in the world.

Because he was dumb.

And unlucky.

That isn’t quite what happened, but it is close.

At least, metaphorically. Same in the wash.

Yeah, the metaphor stands.

:(

If you had been with him, it could not have happened, because all the warnings signs were there.

1:48 AM

Have you spoken to his family? (Or do you not want to talk about it? Either way is ok. Trying to help, not sure what will help if anything).

But you are not your brother’s keeper.

@WendiKidd God yes.

Every single fucking day.

@tchrist Exactly right, you're not his keeper. It really isn't your fault. I know it feels that way but it isn't.

I'm sorry.

It isn’t my “fault”, but if I had not told him to fuck off (actually, I didn’t; it’s more complicated than that, and I was not unkind, just not generous) he would not have gone off with people too stupid to raise the alarm when he walked into the elevator shaft.

He hurt himself, through his own stupidity. Prostate infection, bad. Two days in hospital. Painfully cathetered, and released after two days. Ripped out the catheter in frustration. Hurt himself.

Took pain pills against the ripping. Fell asleep on the couch. Drowned in his own spit.

Not even vomit, just spit.

I have to go.

@tchrist Okay. hugs

Still here if you need anything, any time.

Thank you. There is nothing.

I’m not alone.

It helps.

But we all suffer.

Lots of time on phone with Mom.

Moms. Even grandmoms. Changes nothing.

How can someone younger than you die before you?

It is not right.

1:54 AM

@tchrist That's good. Talking to your mom is always a good thing. But yeah, you're right, it doesn't change anything. It's not fair, and I'm so sorry it happened to you.

And to him, and his family.

But I will live. He won’t. Not fair.

No. It's definitely not fair.

I’m not so dumb as to rip out medical equipment against doctor’s orders.

Or to take 2-3x the pain pills that the Rx called for if it hurt so badly, instead of going to the ER.

Yeah, that sounds like it would hurt too. But didn't you say they released him too soon?

Yeah

No, he was released on an ok time.

1:55 AM

Oh, okay.

He just shouldn’t have freaked out at the catheter.

And then when he hurt himself, he didn’t call the doctor or go back to the hospital.

I wish he would have. I'm sorry.

He self-medicated, fell asleep on the cough watching TV, and fucking died as the saliva dripped into his lungs.

Respiration too depressed by opiates to get enough oxygen to overcome the spit.

It was all stupid.

:( Well... I know it doesn't really make anything better. But if he was asleep then at least it didn't hurt him, right?

He didn’t die in pain, no.

1:57 AM

Yeah.

I know that doesn't really help. But it's something I guess.

In that he took enough opiates to knock the pain away.

And his life.

Ah. well. Yeah, nevermind then I guess.

But it wasn’t even a lethal does of opiates, GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!!!!!!!

I was thinking the 'asleep' part, not the overmedicating part.

I'm so sorry. I wish I could hug you for real, or make it better somehow. I know I can't but I wish I could.

You keep breathing.

But you get no O2.

So you die.

I hate it. I was not there.

2:00 AM

It sounds like...even if you had been there...it would have happened some other time? Something, anyway? And you can't always be there all the time, right? I dunno if I'm helping. I'm trying but I might just be making it worse. Please feel free to stop me at any time.

Yes, I could not have been there forever to stop him from doing stupid things.

I have lamented this for years, decades.

Yeah.

And now it has come true.

Oh goodness. I really am so sorry. :(

We’re going to go to the TV cave (literally: in basement) to watch his favorite movie now. Not where he died —thank God, and it wasn’t me who found him.

Thank you for your kindness.

Just for being . . . alive, human.

2:03 AM

@tchrist Okay. No worries, here whenever you need. I hope watching the movie helps.

It distracts. Which is the entire point.

Yeah. That works too.

You keep replaying scenes of your past like movies in your head, from decades.

You need something to supplant that. I do, at least.

Yeah, I understand. Distraction is a good thing. Some time to help forget.

It was stupid, but anybody could have done it, and it is not fair.

2:04 AM

Try to, at least.

Ok, hasta.

No, definitely not fair.

Bye

hugs

comes back in to give hugs

@cornbreadninja麵包忍者 Yes yes, lots and lots of hugs.

<3

@cornbreadninja麵包忍者 I have a question. Why is your username cornbread, but your image of cake?

This perplexes me constantly. Which shows I focus on things that don't really matter more than anything, but eh.

2:22 AM

@WendiKidd it's the cake from Portal.

Do y'all have Boston Market down there?

@cornbreadninja麵包忍者 But...you're cornbread. @.@

Yeah, we do

Okay, so, until a few months ago, I had braces, and I ate Boston Market a lot.

They give you a cornbread.

DELICIOUS cornbread!

I have given my cornbread to Work Tim for many years.

You don't like it??

2:23 AM

He's a busy dude, so I usually wrap it in a little napkin thing and drop it on his desk

LOL. That is hilarious

I do, but I always forget to ask for butter and never have any room for it in mah tummy.

So like, one day he was in a meeting

I went and found the conference room he was in, because it was lunch tiem

I sneaked in and set it next to him. He didn't notice me at all.

Hahaha

Which made me a . . .

cornbread ninja

CORNBREAD NINJA!

:D

2:24 AM

:D

that's awesome.

I keep meaning to draw a little cornbread square with a ninja mask on

I love that a seemingly completely random username is actually based on actual events

and thank you

You totally should! Not that I don't love the cake, but it's so confusing. Because you're cornbread!!

;)

2:25 AM

I will!

You make me want to do it now, but alas I have been separated from my graphics tablet.

Aww.

Hi @PsychoData :)

Hello, I must be going

Okay, bai!

gonna play me some team fortressss

bai!

3:14 AM

/empty room is empty

(more than a decade ago, when it was amazing to have my first digital camera)

@aediaλ Awwwwww.

That's adorable!

Why do fish always look sad, though? :(

It seemed like the room needed some hugs.

And fish.

Although with all the cats...

Hugs are always a good thing!

Oh no! Did the fishies get eaten?

Fishy went to the Great Fishtank in the Sky a long time ago without the help of cats, nah.

Just the cat pictures lately in this room :)

3:23 AM

Ohhh I see!

Yeah, kitties always make you feel better, right?

So kitties are always good :)

Indeed!

I wish I could have one, but allergies.

We'll be babysitting some for a bit and see how that goes.

Ahh. I wish I could have one, but 1) we have dogs and 2) this might sound horrible of me, but adorable kitties grow up into cats, which are still cute but not nearly as much so.

Heh they sometimes have personalities that don't mesh with you by the time they grow up.

They're very independent.

I remember as a kid I would try to teach the cats not to do things and they were having none of it.

Hahaha

Yeah cats don't listen.

That's why I will stick with adorable pictures of kittens!

Pictures stay little forever!

3:28 AM

Yes! : D

I was looking at some pictures of my brother when he was younger the other day. Man, does that feel like forever ago. He was so adorable

Not that he isn't now, but it's not the same!

Well, it's off the interwebs and to bed with me before I stay up way too late again. I've not had much time to chat lately, but there's always hope for the morrow.

poof

3:43 AM

@WendiKidd I’m happy you have pix from later.

The James Dean thing is bullshit.

Live fast, die young, leave a beautiful corpse.

Who the fuck cares?

:( I'm sorry.

My brother's 13 now, I was looking at pictures of when he was 3-4. Do you have pictures of your friend from before?

(Also I'm really sorry but I'm going to have to go in a couple minutes. :( did the movie help?)

@WendiKidd From before 3–4? I don’t think so.

On movie break.

@tchrist Sorry, not what I meant. I just mean, pictures of you two together and stuff.

I have trouble identifying with kids before 3.

They kinda become "people" at 3, in some senses. People you can talk to, I mean.

I love kids :) But yeah, you're right, the personalities take a few years to grow in.

3:46 AM

Best pix are from teens. I guess.

Brightest, funnest, happiest.

That's good.

This younger pix are like something from the 19th century.

Black and white?

Or just formal or something?

Feels like that, but no, color.

Ah

3:47 AM

I mean, it seems forever ago.

And yesterday.

Yeah, I get that.

I’m being tugged away.

Okay. Talk later.

hugs

k thx supermuch

I have my 21-year kitty for cuddling. He doesn't understand.

Humans, too.

They do, and don't.

Mahnax

4:13 AM

@tchrist I am glad that he will still cuddle with you. Cats are wonderful.

9:53 AM

room topic changed to English Language & Usage: Celebrating incomprehensibility since ЭмЭмИкс (no tags)

Johan Larsson

what does the Russian part mean?

That is the question.

Will be a piece of cake for @Cerberus or @jsbձոգչ, though.

10:42 AM

@RegDwighт Since MMX: 2010.

I just woke and even I can guess the meaning.

We know you pass the litmus test.

That's why you're allowed on the premises.

@tchrist I wouldn't know.

Johan, on the other hand, must pay some sponduli in punitive tariff duties.

@RegDwighт I can't help sharing my job publicly.

Well thank you for not sharing it pubicly, at least.

10:47 AM

StoneyB provided a shocking non-answer to my non-rhotic question.

@RegDwighт You might add 二千十 in parentheses for those who don't get it. That will clear it right up.

Q: Is "working good" correct in "The server is not working good"? Why?

0

Take the sentence The server is not working good. I think that working good is right here, but why is it right? Is good an adverb in this position?

grammar

room topic changed to English Language & Usage: Celebrating (二千十) incomprehensibility since ЭмЭмИкс (no tags)

Thank you, Rob.

is this somehow not a dupe? the good/well thing pops up all the time

Perfect placement, too.

10:49 AM

I know, I am fluent in placementese.

*placemats

Placemats Hummels.

Mats Hummels

}} Mats Julian Hummels (born 16 December 1988) is a German footballer who plays for German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the German national team, as a central defender. He came through the Bayern Munich youth academy before joining his current club on loan in January 2008, and he officially signed for Dortmund in February 2009 for 4 million euros. Personal life Hummels was born in Bergisch Gladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. His father Hermann Hummels, was a professional footballer and manager. His father worked as youth coordinator at Bayern Munich until he was replaced by Step...

Placemats Hummels Figurines!

I bet he lives in Dresden, China.

Once day you're placemats hummels figurines, the next day you're placemats hummels figureouts.

I am catching a load of flak today.

I think I'll take the day off.

11:01 AM

i couldn't go to the local McDonald's yesterday because it was closed, and today I don't feel like a McDonald's

:-\

Bucket of suck.

@tchrist It's only two weeks ago that it occurred to me the movie's titled Zero Dark Thirty. I kept reading it as Zero Dark Trinity. In fact I still do.

They should pick a better font. And a better title.

And stop torturing, then making money off making films about it.

Everyone should just stop everything. And go play with LEGO.

I find it funny that a military joke is read as a totally menacing title in the trailers.

I had no idea it had any meaning, joke or otherwise.

Yeah, it's what they call really f-cking early in the morning.

So you could read "really f-cking early in the morning" in a menacing voice and laugh too.

11:12 AM

nice censoring. i couldn't tell what word you meant there and therefore am not offended. :-)

A: Is there a term for the period between midnight and sunrise?

1

Short answer: No. There is no common English term for the dark hours of the day that's appropriate at 12:30 AM and not appropriate at 11:45 PM. I'm not in the military, so I'm not an expert on "oh dark hundred", but I have heard the term (and the term "oh dark thirty" which means exactly the sa...

@Jez Thank baby christ you couldn't figure it out.

10

A: Is there a term for the period between midnight and sunrise?

In military (US) slang that period is referred to as "oh-dark hundred" or sometimes "zero-dark hundred". On the 24-hour clock the hours before 10 am start with a 0; so 1:00 am is 0100 and said as oh-one-hundred and so forth. Thus oh-dark hundred is anytime after midnight while it is still dark: ...

See, @Reg. You ought to have known. I am disappoint.

What, you expect me to read every shit I protect?

Yes. Yes, I do.

hmm, i can't remember whether a question i want to ask has been asked before but i have a feeling it has. could you use your leet search skillz to see whether it has?

@KitFox Then play the title tune for Lowered Expectations in your head please.

11:15 AM

basically i want to know whether using a bare plural (like "doctors say...") implies 'all' or 'nearly all' as a quantity

►

@Jez for me it implies "we are using weasel wording to make money off crap".

And I don't remember a question about that.

But as Kit has just demonstrated, I don't get to see every question.

♪ Wise men say, eat an apple a day.

i bet if i ask it, i'll discover it asked previously

So you'll have your answer and we'll have an additional pointer to the original.

11:52 AM

@RegDwighт Now you've messed up my in-head player with ur utubez.

@KitFox It's military slang, not really a joke (or not precisely a joke), though it may have started like that. Not all plays on words are jokes. What began as "zero four-thirty" or "zero six-thirty" became "zero dawn thirty", "zero lunch thirty", and "zero dark thirty". Useful tropes evolve.

Yeah, yeah. But you get the idea.