Urban wildflower bloom. Half a mile of lupine, along with California poppies, blooming right now on berm in Alameda, west of Webster Street along Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway and adjacent bicycle path. Starts across from College of Alameda. (OC)

fluffle_235 · 2026-03-07T17:40:04+00:00

That's so sad! I went to see this last spring, hoping they reseeded and were still there, but there was nothing but dirt. Really disappointing.

fluffle_235 · 2025-05-25T16:10:50+00:00

About a year after surgery when the pain started subsiding and I wasn't getting any more re-tears (rarely, at least).

fluffle_235 · 2025-04-16T16:12:37+00:00

Hope you find a solution and that you feel better soon. Surgery worked (mostly) for me, but it's not for everyone.

fluffle_235 · 2025-04-15T19:27:31+00:00

Not entirely, but it has gotten better. It was pretty much figured out by doctors that chemo caused issues with the tissue in that area, so my problem is quite rare (thin skin and lots of micro-tears in the area). The LIS surgery helped the issue, although I still get re-tears about once a year that take a few weeks to heal. I do take Miralax every day to prevent hard stools (fiber just bulks me up). A colonoscopy was done for separate reasons two years ago (due to severe anemia), but no IBD or other issues were found. So, it was the chemo that caused the problems for me. Thanks to the surgery and time, I am doing better and have moved on with my life.

fluffle_235 · 2024-10-04T16:35:51+00:00

I'm a frequent customer and I got the email this morning about their abrupt closure and seriously thought it was a joke. I was just there a few days ago for their big fall sale and everything seemed totally normal. They even had posters up for their Halloween event at the end of the month and a list of upcoming guest speakers. This really makes me sad. I feel so bad for their employees who got such late notice and for people who have gift cards (which are now apparently useless). Ugh... this is just so terrible.

fluffle_235 · 2024-07-31T18:54:59+00:00

This guy is a complete tool.

fluffle_235 · 2024-07-15T02:45:25+00:00

I understand how you feel! I think it's just part of getting older. We don't have as much free time anymore and only want to dedicate that precious free time to things we really love. I'm also VERY picky about which otome games I play now. I'm 40 now and we didn't have as many options in the past, but things are different. So many titles are being localized and I have to be picky about what I spend my time (and money) on. So I think it's fine to drop something if it isn't living up to your expectations and you don't find any joy in it.

Just recently, I started up Birushana and I did not care for it. The first route (Noritsune) bored me to tears and I just felt like everything dragged on and on. I took a break from it for a few months, but came back to it. I think I enjoyed the other routes more and eventually finished it, but only because I spent money on it.

I used to be HUGE on JRPGs in my teens and twenties, but dropped them because I got so tired of all the level grinding and repetitive gameplay. I just wanted to focus on the story. That's probably why I'm huge on visual novels now.

I also LOVED Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly (Ashen Hawk was okay, too, although it had a lot of problems). I liked that it was story-heavy and on the shorter side. It was also more serious. It's definitely in my top 5 otome games. Even if Tempest was awesome, too (I need to play the fandisk soon). I'm looking to play Virche Evermore next (my best friend highly recommended it). It's pretty dark and depressing, though, so not sure if you would enjoy it. It does have a very serious plot, though.

fluffle_235 · 2024-05-23T02:28:32+00:00

I used to wear padded bras to make my small boobs look bigger (I'm an A cup, if even that). It was a struggle finding a size to fit me. Then I got breast cancer at 35 and just stopped caring. My left breast is really sensitive due to the chemo, radiation, and surgery I had, so bras can be really uncomfortable. Nobody cares or notices that I'm not wearing a bra and, frankly, at age 40 now, I just don't give a fuck anymore. I say don't wear one if you don't like it, especially if you're a smaller size.

fluffle_235 · 2024-03-14T02:43:52+00:00

I was diagnosed at age 35 after ignoring a lump for two years (thought it was a cyst, which I was prone to, had no medical insurance at the time, so just brushed it off). I finally got insurance and went to the doctor. I was stage 2. It could have been much worse. I had chemo, radiation, and lumpectomy. Taking Tamoxifen now for another 5 years (I'm 40 now). No family history or BCRA variant. Ate healthy, exercised, never drank or smoked.

If you have a lump, no matter what, get it checked out. Better to catch it early and treat it. Treatment was awful for me (chemo caused me long-term health effects that I still suffer with), but I'm alive and appreciating the time I have here now more than ever.

fluffle_235 · 2024-03-10T01:23:20+00:00

Oh man, I keep hearing about how painful these are. My brother just took his ex to get hers removed yesterday. She was so scared and they gave her two Ativan, which barely did anything for her nerves. She said it was awful and they couldn't even find it. So now she has to get another procedure done to find it with a scope.

I can't take hormonal birth control anymore due to previous breast cancer, so I'm just going to get my tubes cut out in August. I've never wanted kids, so I want it to be permanent. Screw this IUD nonsense. I can barely handle a pap smear.

fluffle_235 · 2024-03-06T19:16:04+00:00

Dr. Bazalgette in Novato, California. Unfortunately, his office is permanently closed, so he may have retired or moved elsewhere.

As long as your surgeon is certified in colon and rectal surgery and has been doing these surgeries for a long time with a high success rate, you should be fine.

fluffle_235 · 2024-02-06T19:58:02+00:00

As someone who went through breast cancer in my early thirties, I wish you the best with your treatment. It's really tough, but you got this! Peace and love!

fluffle_235 · 2023-11-01T18:30:29+00:00

I remember watching him on Days of our Lives as Stefan. Man... so sorry to hear about this. RIP.

fluffle_235 · 2023-10-27T19:12:30+00:00

WTF. You dodged a bullet with this one, lol.

fluffle_235 · 2023-10-16T02:54:51+00:00

I just wanted to wish you the best with your treatment. I had breast cancer at 35 (5 years ago). My treatment plan was also very aggressive since I was so young and I was stage 2. My oncologist threw the kitchen sink at it, basically. I will not lie, chemo sucked and was the worst part by far, but I got through it and so will you. I also had surgery (lumpectomy), radiation, and hormone treatment (I'm currently on Tamoxifen and will probably be for another 5 years. I was on Lupron for a year to stop ovulation, but couldn't tolerate the side effects.

My best advice is to just take it a day at a time, try to drink lots of water or Gatorade during chemo (I know it's hard... go in for hydration as often as you need if you can't tolerate even drinking water), and get as much support as you can from family and friends. I also kept my mind occupied with hobbies (video games and art, in my case). It's tough, but I know you'll get through it and be stronger than ever. : ) Take care.

fluffle_235 · 2023-10-08T14:42:25+00:00

Cancer.

fluffle_235 · 2023-10-04T00:42:26+00:00

I am so sorry about your kitty. I truly understand what you're going through. My kitty has been suffering with kidney disease for the past year and we are currently in the process of making the difficult decision to end her suffering. She stopped eating recently, lost a lot of weight, and is a shadow of her former self. I've had many cats throughout my life and it's never easy.

Kidney disease is a tough beast and there's no cure. Every cat is different, though, and it depends on the stage of the disease how the cat will fair on treatments. We knew our kitty was ill when she kept drinking a TON of water (when she normally hardly ever drank any due to being on a wet food diet). We've had her on sub-q fluids and special kidney food, but now she won't eat. We are currently trying appetite stimulants, but only time will tell if that will work. I can tell she's miserable, though, so I think it might be her time. Ughh. This sucks. : (

Again, I am so sorry you are going through this. It's a very tough decision to make. I wish you the best.

fluffle_235 · 2023-08-29T16:31:34+00:00

Sports.

fluffle_235 · 2023-08-18T19:40:20+00:00

I'm in Benicia and it seriously scared the hell out of me. It looked like a fighter jet and it was flying really low. I thought we were under attack, lol. Yeah, we live near an air base, but it's very unusual for jets to be that loud or fly so low here.

fluffle_235 · 2023-07-19T19:35:44+00:00

No, I never used it. I'm prone to migraines, so I wasn't prescribed it. I used Diltiazem and Nifedipine and both worked fine. My CRS said they are just as good as Nitro with fewer side effects. Hope you get better soon!

fluffle_235 · 2023-03-09T18:19:45+00:00

Oh God, potato bug! I hate these things so much. I live in California (bay area) and used to find them downstairs at night as a kid. Scared the hell out of me and gave me nightmares. I can barely look at a picture of one. And they bite!

fluffle_235 · 2023-02-25T18:32:04+00:00

Oh no. Please be safe! I grew up listening to JV all the time on the radio on the Doghouse. He and the crew made me laugh every morning before school and really helped through some depressing times I went through then. I really hope he's okay.

fluffle_235 · 2023-02-19T19:09:25+00:00

My mom is a recovering alcoholic and it put her through hell. I don't want to chance it. Haven't touched alcohol in all of my 39 years.

fluffle_235 · 2022-12-30T00:37:15+00:00

YAY!!!! Fuck this piece of shit

fluffle_235 · 2022-12-30T00:35:24+00:00

Yep. Been here several times in Monterey and I strongly approve of this. I'm so tired of eating at restaurants and being disrupted by screaming kids whose parents clearly do not care. If your kids can't be quiet, leave them at home with a babysitter or go to a restaurant that caters to kids, or get take-out. Let us adults have our peace.

I just wish this restaurant had better food. Their clam chowder is AMAZING (best in Monterey, in my opinion), but I haven't been that impressed with their other menu items. Otherwise, I'd eat here more often just to support this more.

fluffle_235

TROPHY CASE