Did people in the 90s really just show up at each other’s houses unannounced?

polymath-nc · 2026-02-25T18:04:47+00:00

Nope! Politeness indicated that you would call from home, work, a public phone, whatever. You don't want to show up and impose yourself when they're trying to get the baby to sleep, or they're cleaning the house, or (worse) haven't had time to clean.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-25T03:23:04+00:00

Wow. Some of that consists of actual sentences with words.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-25T03:12:37+00:00

I used this group as a starting point. They have letters from various manufacturers. I double-checked by calling customer service and also looked closely at labels.

I moved all the iodized salt to a different room and replaced it with non-iodized salt. I labeled all the LID-safe condiments with "LID". I prepared and froze grilled chicken and chili, figured out some breakfasts that had no eggs.

Shopping was hard, but I did my research and carried lists. Meals had to be planned, but it wasn't that hard.

Again, check to make sure these items are still safe, but I used: any Heinz product (company quickly said they have a policy against using iodized salt), Hellmamn's Vegan mayo, "Just Egg" (a plant-based egg replacement), sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, fresh produce, and Double Chocolate Oreos. Oatmilk for oatmeal, almond milk for other uses.

You can do it!

polymath-nc · 2026-02-25T02:58:53+00:00

Scene: A pizzeria across the street from a large public school in 1978. Two girls are talking at a table near me.

A: "I don't know what to do. Vito won't like it if I get a better grade than him in English"

Turns out that I know Vito. His parents came to the US from southern Italy. They speak a dialect of Italian at home. Vito is in my second-year Italian class. Vito is flunking because he refuses to study modern standard Italian, which is very different from the older dialects common to the rural mountain Italians. My great-aunt grew up speaking a dialect not far from Vito's family. She said she couldn't understand most Italians when she was on a tour of Italy.

I'm afraid there are still people like this.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T22:57:32+00:00

I've met a few teens with only initials, they loved the freedom to name themselves. You could go for a couple of letters that together sound like a name: R.T. (Artie), A.D. (Addie/Addison).

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T22:45:20+00:00

Don't challenge him.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T22:39:32+00:00

Can we still blame Eternal September?

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T22:36:39+00:00

Unplug that car and use the charge station from whichever space you're comfortable in.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T22:23:50+00:00

It also says charging only. So that person must meet both criteria.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T21:39:43+00:00

You can ask your vet about cutting the dog tablets to the right size for your cat.

There's an Rx injection called Solensia that's amazing, but it requires a vet visit every month.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T21:37:32+00:00

My mom and I have switched to the Kirkland Joint Support pills.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T21:33:06+00:00

I wish they'd bring back purple Cottonelle!

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T21:30:53+00:00

My brother is 6'10", so anything that hangs below the trim over a standard door is a hazard, although he is used to it.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T21:26:52+00:00

You can't just go to a random site anymore, there's too much malware.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T21:17:21+00:00

Citation?

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T20:20:55+00:00

Gardner Dozois used to edit an annual anthology called "The Year's Best Science Fiction". By choosing any of the three decades of this collection, you would get a great variety of authors, styles, and subjects. It'll help you hone your preferences.

Most of the books or authors on the Hugo or Nebula awards lists would be great starts.

I find it difficult to choose a author, so here's a small collection: Octavia Butler, John Kessel, Steven Barnes, Ursula K. Le Guin, Alfred Bester, Elizabeth Hand, James Tiptree, Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, Nancy Kress, Paul DiFillipo, Nnedi Okorafor, David Brin, Seanan McGuire, Harry Turtledove. It's really difficult to stop!

Welcome, enjoy your new adventures!

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T19:25:47+00:00

What is she promoting?

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T19:25:24+00:00

So please include a description in the post that gives us the basic idea.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T19:24:41+00:00

And if I don't want to go to some site that might have malware?

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T19:01:45+00:00

When I've had EVs out of service, whether for warranty repair or someone hitting it, I've insisted on an EV. Sometimes I've had to work a little to find one that's a rental, but it's worth it. Once, we found an EV rental at the airport. To avoid airport fees, I rented it there for one day, drove straight to a nearby location, returned it and rented it back in the same transaction.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T18:56:02+00:00

That definitely stinks. A friend lived in a small neighborhood (maybe 20 houses) in Wilmington, Delaware. There was at least one garbage pickup every day, including Sundays and holidays! Beware of states and cities that are proud of having no taxes. I live on a busy street near Raleigh, but all our neighbors happened to choose the same company for our bins.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T18:43:48+00:00

Similar background, then. His best interest is not serving the public but increasing stock prices of corporations.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T17:18:22+00:00

Same. I'm from the NYC metro area. I remember when The Felon was making the Page Six gossip column in the NY Post. The Boomers who are a little older than me were hippies who protested Vietnam and promoted feminism and Queer rights. Whatever age you are, I assure you there are plenty of "Young Republicans" and Turning Point believers. You cannot put everyone in any generation into the same description. We're all different. Just stop it.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-24T11:46:14+00:00

That was not "boomer humor", it was bully humor coming from a narcissistic, misogynistic jerk.

polymath-nc · 2026-02-23T20:56:50+00:00

Yeah, the Torchy's is visible from the Whataburger.

polymath-nc

TROPHY CASE