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RTDNTOTO 🐻 Random Thoughts Deserving No Thread Of Their Own 20 (2025)

Just in case you were riveted by my commuting stories, I have an update about the question of "to chit-chat or not to chit-chat" with the city engineer that is riding the last leg of my commute with me: it appears that we will be chit-chatting. He may actually be more naturally talkative than I am. Today, I was able to introduce him to Jaleesa and Miyuki, other talkative commuters on my bus. The 834 is alive with chatter. May God have mercy on our souls.

I think our next step should be to find an introvert - maybe that long-haired guy who wears scrubs - and adopt him. Yes. I've decided. Longhair Scrubs will become part of the 834's conversation. It must be.
 
ursus said:
Just in case you were riveted by my commuting stories, I have an update about the question of "to chit-chat or not to chit-chat" with the city engineer that is riding the last leg of my commute with me: it appears that we will be chit-chatting. He may actually be more naturally talkative than I am. Today, I was able to introduce him to Jaleesa and Miyuki, other talkative commuters on my bus. The 834 is alive with chatter. May God have mercy on our souls.

I think our next step should be to find an introvert - maybe that long-haired guy who wears scrubs - and adopt him. Yes. I've decided. Longhair Scrubs will become part of the 834's conversation. It must be.
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If I were longhair scrubs guy, I'd be out buying a car on my next lunch break.
 
Went to Blaine's Farm & Fleet last night to get some more canning supplies. I happened to notice the price of a big bag of M&Ms was like half again what it cost last Halloween! Anyone else notice the price of chocolate go through the roof?

I've heard the chocolate farmers have been having lots of problems but I wonder if the sudden 50% price increase is because of tariffs?
 
Bubba said:
My commute is a brutal 10-second trek down the stairs in my house to my home office - there ain't no chit-chatting other than occasionally telling one of the cats to get out of the way.
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I could never get a single thing done from a home office - I don't have the discipline or the focus for that naturally and I don't know if I could develop it. I adapt to environments and respond to external stimuli as cues, so I need the office to be more...office-y.

I am a paramecium of a person, bouncing off of whatever petri dish walls I happen to encounter.

I am finding this self-reflection a little depressing, if I'm being honest. :) Imma go bother the front desk people and see if Kristine has Halloween chocolate out - @Maister 's story about chocolate farmers is making me feel chocolate-y. I'm bouncing off that petri dish wall hard!
 
I noticed my favorite coffee beans went up 2 bucks for the bag - wtf, this is an outrage (spoken like that TikTok Irish guy that says follow me, I'm delicious - lol)
 
ursus said:
I could never get a single thing done from a home office...
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I've worked mostly from home since 2008 , so it works for me (no pun intended). My current firm does have an Atlanta office to which I am nominally aligned, but it relocated recently, and while I know where it is now in general terms, I'm not 100% sure which building it's in or what floor it is on.
 
My kids lost one grandfather last week with the funeral this past weekend.

They now have my Dad and my MIL left.

My Dad is 9.25 years older than my MIL and will likely out live her.

Big Little Lies Hbo GIF by Foxtel
 
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I'm just picturing Team Ursus.

Their charismatic leader Ursus, known for his flowing hair.
Miyuki, the token hot girl with sharp wit.
Jaleesa, an expert in verbal kung-fu
And the mystery engineer, explosive with his oral presentations.

Together they cure introverts from shyness and maybe rob a casino or something.
 
Gedunker said:
My kids, like me, were down one grandfather even before conception.
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My wife was down three grandparents before birth and only knew the one remaining until he died in 2000.

I technically knew all four grandparents with the first dying when I was 5 yrs old, the remaining at 13, 18, and 24.
 
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DVD said:
I'm just picturing Team Ursus.

Their charismatic leader Ursus, known for his flowing hair.
Miyuki, the token hot girl with sharp wit.
Jaleesa, an expert in verbal kung-fu
And the mystery engineer, explosive with his oral presentations.

Together they cure introverts from shyness and maybe rob a casino or something.
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Why I always sat in the designated quiet car on the commuter train.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
Welcome to Detroit in the spring... the absolute worst time to be here! :rofl:

Honestly, late April might not be too bad, weather-wise. At least we'll be past the neverending dreariness and grey skies of December through early April.

And I apologize in advance if you happen to turn on a Tigers, Red Wings, or Pistons game while you're in town and are forced to hear this 84x a game:
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I'm thinking about sneaking over to Windsor just because. I've never been to Ontario,

WSU MUP Student said:
And I apologize in advance if you happen to turn on a Tigers, Red Wings, or Pistons game while you're in town and are forced to hear this 84x a game:
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If the Red Wings happen to be hosting the Canucks while I am there, guess where I'll be?
 
jumbach said:
If the Red Wings happen to be hosting the Canucks while I am there, guess where I'll be?
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Nope, just saw the dates of the conference. The chances of a Canucks/Red Wings match during those days are exactly 0%. Different conferences, season is over, they'd only play in the finals, which wouldn't happen until late May, at the earliest, if the Canucks even make it to the playoffs at all, which is unlikely in itself let alone the finals.

Jim
 
Knew 3 of 4 grandparents. Maternal GF died 10 years before I was born. Paternal GF died when I was 10. Both GMs died in 1984.

I was working my first real planning job out of school & had been there about 4 months when 1 GM died. I went to my boss & said my grandmother died & needed time off for the funeral. No problem. Well 3 months later, I went into my bosses office & said my grandmother died & needed time off for the funeral. He said to me that I already used that excuse. I told I knew that & this was the last grandmother. We both kinda chuckled awkwardly.
 
The conspiracy theories surrounding the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS are wild. Some say it’s just a rock, others insist it’s an alien spacecraft. I’m not sure what to believe, but thanks to Douglas Adams, I feel oddly prepared: Don’t panic, and always carry a towel. I'll be alright as long as I am in close proximity to my truck as that is where I store my trusty towel.
 
There's a beach towel in my car. Always carry one. Mrs. P uses it as a blanket or pillow during roads trips. I use it when it rains & I didn't close my sunroof.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
If my kids were both graduated from high school I'd be applying to either the Jacksonville, NC or Carteret County, NC planning jobs @Planit put up in the jobs postings forum. Both are right near where I want to retire to.
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There are a few places in NC that are on my short list for retirement. You get mountains, coast, and 4ish seasons in a lot of the state.
 
Planit said:
Knew 3 of 4 grandparents. Maternal GF died 10 years before I was born. Paternal GF died when I was 10. Both GMs died in 1984.

I was working my first real planning job out of school & had been there about 4 months when 1 GM died. I went to my boss & said my grandmother died & needed time off for the funeral. No problem. Well 3 months later, I went into my bosses office & said my grandmother died & needed time off for the funeral. He said to me that I already used that excuse. I told I knew that & this was the last grandmother. We both kinda chuckled awkwardly.
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I was fortunate to know all four grandparents. Did not live near paternal so saw them a handful of times. I did interview they for a 5th grade project. Came across the cassette and had it digitized. Live near maternal for 9 months but did see them more than the other. First passed away in 1988 when I was 17 and the last in 2000 when I was 29. I often think of my paternal GF as he was married before he met my GM. His first wife and child died during childbirth. I know there are many factors that cause the same but one reason I am here is a that a person had to die for me to exist.
 
Planit said:
It’s beginning to dangerous sitting in the deck in the evenings. Acorns are starting to fall.
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Our big white oak over the patio drops big ones most years but none so far this one. So heavy some years I have to shovel them into buckets and haul them away with a wheel barrow.
 
I found the best tasting ice cream I've ever had (and that's saying something. I worked at Baskin-Robbins back in the day). It's in Marshall, MI.

True North Ice Cream

We believe in the magic of homemade ice cream. Made daily in our shop in Marshall, MI. Open 2-9 pm every day.
truenorthicecream.com truenorthicecream.com
They make all their own ice cream and frequently feature unusual flavors you don't find very often, like: sweet corn, apple pie, and lemon. It's a 38 minute drive to get there, but I consider it a destination worthy of the time and expense. They sell pints and quarts to go, so I've started taking our freezer bag along so we can take a couple quarts home with us.
 
luckless pedestrian said:
I will see you @Maister and raise you an MDI Ice Cream - Obama's favorite!

www.fearlessflavor.com

Mount Desert Island Ice Cream

We make premium, homemade ice cream from the ground up, no more than 5 gallons at a time
www.fearlessflavor.com www.fearlessflavor.com
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Indeed. I always thought Penn State Creamery ice cream was some of the best. And it is. But this place is next level. I will probably make at least 2 or 3 stops there next week.
 
Aggie Ice Cream is very good too !

Aggie Ice Cream

Famous Aggie Ice Cream, from the cow to the cone since 1888. Part of USU's College of Agriculture and Applied Science, students gain real-world experience in dairy production with delicious results. Aggie Ice Cream /aggieicecream/images/aggie-ice-cream-five.jpg
www.usu.edu www.usu.edu
 
JNA said:
Aggie Ice Cream is very good too !

Aggie Ice Cream

Famous Aggie Ice Cream, from the cow to the cone since 1888. Part of USU's College of Agriculture and Applied Science, students gain real-world experience in dairy production with delicious results. Aggie Ice Cream /aggieicecream/images/aggie-ice-cream-five.jpg
www.usu.edu www.usu.edu
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Can confirm. Good stuff.
 
A developer came in yesterday and noticed the AICP on my business card. "You are AICP and they only made you a PLANNING TECHNICIAN? That's offensive."

No, what's offensive is that he doesn't know that I like what I do. Lots of public contact, and I do a lot of things that the Assistant or Associate would normally do in other agencies, so it takes pressure off them. As far as I know, APA doesn't care if you work at McDonald's*--you pass the test and have the experience, you can keep the initials (assuming you pay the dues and get your credits) regardless of your job.

Jim

*Nothing wrong with working at McD. This is just an example.
 
I wrote a poem for today, as I was walking to my bus stop at 5:40 a.m., thinking about how I had walked back from that bus stop at 8:30 p.m. last night after planning commission. It's called "He".

He sleeps
He works
He eats
He sleeps.

the ends
 
Maister said:
I found the best tasting ice cream I've ever had (and that's saying something. I worked at Baskin-Robbins back in the day). It's in Marshall, MI.

True North Ice Cream

We believe in the magic of homemade ice cream. Made daily in our shop in Marshall, MI. Open 2-9 pm every day.
truenorthicecream.com truenorthicecream.com
They make all their own ice cream and frequently feature unusual flavors you don't find very often, like: sweet corn, apple pie, and lemon. It's a 38 minute drive to get there, but I consider it a destination worthy of the time and expense. They sell pints and quarts to go, so I've started taking our freezer bag along so we can take a couple quarts home with us.
Click to expand...

I fancy myself an ice cream connoisseur. I may have to use this as an excuse to take a road trip west sooner rather than later.

If you are ever out on this side of the state, I recommend Cook's Farm Dairy for some ice cream. It's right up there with the MSU Dairy Store in terms of freshness.
 
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