unicorn

Because I don't take orders from you? 😜

Well, there are a lot of other songs which talk about welcoming death, but I found lyrics such as "No one ever cared if I should live or die," and "Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend" as particularly specific, poignant, personal, and disturbing. Who else have expressed the feeling that at no point in their life have they ever felt love? Not even as a child? Didn't even her brother tell her at some point that he loves her? How much more gut-wrenching can it be to think that the ONLY "friend" you'll EVER have are loneliness and empty days? A good understanding of anorexia nervosa continues to elude us, although a lack of self-esteem seems to be at the core. I suppose that by disfiguring themselves, anorexics feel a sense of self-control. They control the reason people won't love them? It's a form of self-mutilation, I suppose. For me, at least the examples you gave aren't at the level of starkness and specificity as KC's lyrics. One can have pain, but still have hope. It's one thing to express pain, but Karen's words expressed a complete abandonment of hope, at least as I understand them: one can look forward only the empty, lonely days. I wonder if anyone ever said to her "You matter to me!"? If I can believe those lyrics, it doesn't appear as if anyone did (at least not in a way that was communicated to her believably). And yes, I know she wasn't the actual song-writer/lyricist, but she clearly gave direction to whomever it was.

I had heard that song before; it was my husband who hadn't. That being said, my age was in the single digits when the song came out, so I never thought of listening to the lyrics before. Her beautiful voice has had no equal. I was an undergraduate at UCLA when she died. I remember when she died there were sick comments along the lines of "If only Karen Carpenter and Mama Cass had shared that sandwich, they'd both be alive today" (Mama Cass was described as having died choking on a ham sandwich by The Hollywood Reporter, though the person who wrote that in her obituary admitted in 2020 that she'd lied about that). https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/arts/music/cass-elliot-mamas-and-the-papas-death.html "...For years, the origin of the story that Elliot died from choking on a ham sandwich — one of the cruelest and most persistent myths in rock ’n’ roll history — was largely unknown. Then in 2020, Elliot’s friend Sue Cameron, an entertainment journalist, admitted to publicizing it in her Hollywood Reporter obituary at the behest of Elliot’s manager Allan Carr, who did not want his client associated with drug use. (Elliot died of a heart attack, likely brought on by years of substance abuse and crash dieting.) But that cartoonish rumor — propagated in endless pop culture references, from “Austin Powers” to “Lost” — cast a tawdry light over Elliot’s legacy and still threatens to overshadow her mighty, underappreciated talent...".

I can't remember the event, but my husband and I listened to the song "Goodbye to Love" by the Carpenters, and, as I often do when listening to old music, I asked him if he'd heard that song before. He said he hadn't, but remarked "Those lyric are really dark!" (or words to that effect). I was a young child when it came out, and it had never occurred to me to listen to the lyrics. I was shocked to read them, especially since we now know she died due to mental illness, apparently feeling unloved (she had an unhappy marriage and filed for divorce prior to her death). If a friend of mine had sung such lyrics, I would have taken him aside and expressed by concerns. It feels super-creepy to listen to those lyrics in retrospect. So sad that she never received the care she should have. "I'll say goodbye to love No one ever cared if I should live or die Time and time again the chance for love has passed me by And all I know of love Is how to live without it I just can't seem to find it So I've made my mind up I must live my life alone And though it's not the easy way I guess I've always known I'd say goodbye to love... All the years of useless search Have finally reached an end Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend From this day love is forgotten I'll go on as best I can...". I've definitely felt depressed before, but at no time have I ever felt that no one ever cared if I should live or die. If she really felt that way, and it seems she did, life must have been agony for her. 😢

On our ride back from the airport, the friend who house-sat for us asked us how we liked it, and my husband said it was the best week of his life! 😛 I wouldn't go that far, but the entertainment was amazing. Incidentally, he said he heard about the arrests on TMZ and even ABC news!!! 😬

You're right. I've been on dozens of cruises, and never seen drug-sniffing dogs, much less getting ON the ship/leaving the US. (I did notice them when boarding) It was an easy target, but targeted it was. Much more common to see dogs sniffing on arrival in the US (and generally only at airports). There have been some drug deaths on these cruises, but having border protection and Miami/Dade County involved on a ship leaving port clearly indicates the ship was targeted. The documentation from Atlantis did warn us about that possibility, but not about the drug-sniffing dogs. I wonder if that'll be a defense. I know that when entering the US, one can be searched without needing probable cause. However, I don't think one can search without probable cause just because one is leaving the US (plus, our first stop was in San Juan, PR, USA, so we weren't even leaving the US at that point). All I can guess, however, is that people who've held onto those suites for years on end will make some suites available. They're having an advance sale for next year, and getting a suite is apparently a complex process.

Boy, is there ever enough entertainment to go around. Audra McDonald gave performances, for example. In case any of you don't know who she is, here's the start of her Wikipedia entry: "Audra Ann McDonald (born July 3, 1970)[1] is an American singer and actress. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four acting categories.[2] As of the 78th Tony Awards, she has earned a record-breaking eleven nominations . In addition to her six Tony Awards, she has received numerous accolades including two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award. She was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 2016 from President Barack Obama, and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2017..." . There was also a full production of Hairspray!, performances by Bianca del Rio, an ice skating spectacular, a production of the history of flight, complete with a cast member on an airplane riding through the theater, a spectacle of acrobats, divers, in a dance/water spectacular, a nude sexy acrobat production, and multiple drag queen and gay comedian performers. Of course, there's also the usual pool games, trivia games, bingo, and multiple dance parties (and a piano bar and other venues). Definitely not lacking for entertainment. And let's not forget the dick deck, deck 17, where open gay sex is encouraged. One would have to pay hundreds of $$ if one were to see those performers on one's own. Of course, there are those who come for the sex party atmosphere, but I didn't partake, and was amazed by the entertainment (definitely the best among the dozens of cruises I've taken).

The biggest problem for me is that the sying can lead to false assumptions and labeling. It can be fairly innocent, such as my asking the friend about Duesseldorf leading to the false assumption that I'm interested in going there. However, what if I ask about someone's experience in drug rehab, and getting labeled in the internet as a drug addict, for example. I should be able to have private conversations without having to leave my phone in another room, but I guess that's the way things are these days. If I want to learn more about Duesseldorf, I can figure out how to look that stuff up myself.

The WeHo Times went one better to totally shame the WeHo resident who got caught in the snare... https://wehoonline.com/west-hollywood-man-arrested-cruise-port-meta-onlyfans-creator/ "...Turns out Joshua Eddy, the West Hollywood man arrested Sunday at PortMiami before boarding a Royal Caribbean cruise is a Meta employee and OnlyFans creator with 306,000 Instagram followers. Joshua Eddy, 41, works as a Global Client Lead at Meta, according to a LinkedIn profile reviewed by The Advocate. The profile has since been removed or made private. Professional contact database RocketReach shows he also holds leadership positions at Instagram and Facebook and studied at both UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and UCLA School of Law, as well as Northwestern University. WEHOonline found California State Bar records show Eddy holds an active attorney license (Bar #292495) with an address listed as 1125 N. Fairfax Avenue, Unit 46102, in West Hollywood—the address of the West Hollywood Post Office. There’s no indication he currently practices law...". That post office is our nearest post office...

I could try to find out--though they probably wouldn't tell me at this point. I got these tix the first day they came available to prior Atlantis guests. The suites weren't available, and I learned later that you must call and ask them specifically for a suite, because some of them are "party-central," and I think they need to warn people of those suites. I usually get Junior Suites on Royal Caribbean, but for this cruise I just got the "extra-sized balcony."

We didn't upgrade. Too much trouble packing and repacking. I was tempted, though.

Although we'd been told that all cabins had been sold out for our cruise, we were surprised on the 2nd day of our cruise by the announcement that a number of suites were available for upgrade. "I wished I'd known before getting unpacked," I grumbled. Then there were rumors that 12 or maybe even 25 of the 5500 passengers got arrested, all carrying methamphetamines, and most with other substances as well. Then news stories got printed in a number of gay publications including Instinct and The Advocate, prompting some others to grumble at how our own publications were demonizing our own community. (I suspect that the sniffing dogs were trained to find meth, as those without meth didn't seem to get arrested). I found the story legitimately news-worthy, although it does portray the gay community in a bad light. It's too bad they had to specifically call out the arrestees, however. I suspect they'll be out of a job when they go back home... https://www.advocate.com/news/crime/atlantis-cruise-drug-arrests "...In a statement, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Detective Joseph R. Peguero Rivera told The Advocate that deputies were called in around 6 p.m. Sunday to assist CBP with a drug enforcement operation at PortMiami. “MDSO arrested a total of nine individuals on various drug-related charges,” he said, involving MDMA or ecstasy, LSD, and cocaine. The arrest reports also reference ketamine, methamphetamine, and GHB precursor GBL, among the substances seized. Court records show those charged are Joshua S. Eddy, 41, of West Hollywood, California; Brad R. Kloha, 41, of Nashville, Tennessee; Adam Jones, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia; Hoi Le, 51, of San Francisco; Joshua Lee Jenkins, 39, of Tacoma, Washington; Ryan D. Medrano, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona; Tamar J. Wilson, 37, of Chicago; Daisuke Nakanoh, 40, of Chicago; and Ricardo Gabriel Junquera, 39, of Miami..".. https://instinctmagazine.com/tourists-arrested-gay-cruise/ "...On Sunday, as everyone was excitedly lining up to board the Symphony of the Seas, the usual pre-cruise chaos took an unexpected turn. Instead of the usual luggage checks and occasional confused tourist, trained dogs were on duty, sniffing their way through bags. And, let’s just say… these dogs weren’t there for the scent of sunscreen and sea air. So here are the alleged facts and charges in these arrests. Note: no one knows if they were carrying the drugs to use or to sell or both...". (Nb: the quantities for which these men were arrested suggests to me that sales would be involved) So do you think it's yellow journalism, just intended as click-bait, or legitimate news stories?

I now know for sure that our phones are spying on us, even when turned off. The couple we're traveling with are travel agents, and one of the luxury hotels in San Juan, PR, invited us to look at their property, and then for lunch. She asked about our prior travels to the enchanted island, and I talked about a trip my previous boyfriend and I had taken to Rincón, a town for surfers and scuba divers, which is 3 hours from San Juan, about 12 years ago. At the conclusion of the meal, one of my friends found ads about hotels in Rincón, although none of us had used to internet to look up anything related to that town in many years. Their phones were not on during the meal. Is there something one can do in Settings to prevent phones from listening in on conversations when they're not turned on? This feels disgustingly creepy to me. This seems to be a new phenomenon,, and I find it rather repugnant.

I doubt Republicans will do well in the midterm elections.

Which also reminds me of the story of a colleague of mine who went through a contentious divorce. His wife was rather nutty, and attacked him with a knife, prompting the divorce. Although she had a Ph.D., she demanded he fully support her, because a doctor testified that she was so obnoxious that she could never hold a steady job! 🫣🙄

I remember once as a physician asking how an apparently able-bodied woman ended up on social security (she was in her early 40s if I recall correctly). She said she was awarded social security simply because her personality was so obnoxious that she couldn't hold down any job in the US! 🫣😬

I'm wondering if these islands have any advantage over similar tropical islands such as Bora Bora or the Seychelles? I'd have trouble justifying going to an island in which homosexuality is punished with serious prison sentences, unless it provided a truly unique experience. There are other countries and islands which have overwater bungalows, so I would be more inclined to go there, all else being equal... https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g15333086-d21287095-Reviews-Nayara_Bocas_Del_Toro_All_Inclusive-Bocas_del_Toro_Bocas_del_Toro_Province.html https://www.sofitel-moorea-kiaora.com/ https://www.guestreservations.com/palafitos-overwater-bungalows-at-el-dorado-maroma-gourmet-all-inclusive-by-karisma-adults-only/booking?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=23351087656&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23351087656&gbraid=0AAAAADiMQMZBMKpzx0rDHcbO97XImSw-9&gclid=CjwKCAiAs4HMBhBJEiwACrfNZZGrQ0i9D7eJu27uwoZHn8KcNbOsaJMOLJesPmBvO5hq-kn7R35QixoC3L0QAvD_BwE&ctTriggered=true

Someone pointed out that people in Australia collect unemployment insurance for many years down there. I just wanted to point out that this situation doesn't occur in the US. If you don't find a job within about 18 months, you get nothing.

In the US, Unemployment Insurance lasts only 18 months, I've heard up to 2 years. Of course, Social Security fraud is rampant. You're only supposed to get Social Security Disability benefits if you're unable to do ANY job in the US, yet there are plenty of able-bodied people who manage to get this. But this is usually only on the order of some $2500/month (depending), so not a path to riches.

A married couple and we were in Miami Beach before we'll be embarking on a cruise tomorrow. One of the couple bought a muscle hoodie at the store. After we'd left the store, his husband asked him if he'd seen that the store also sold MAGA caps. The hoodie-purchasing hubbie said he wouldn't have bought the hoodie had he known. I wouldn't have either (I guess I have to look more carefully). Later that day, I was surprised to walk buy another tourist store which sold both MAGA and rainbow flag caps, and prominently displayed them in the front window! I thought that was a strange combo. One would think that LGBTQ-friendly people wouldn't patronize a store which sold MAGA hats, and that MAGAts wouldn't patronize a store which sold gay-friendly clothing. Would you patronize a store which sold MAGA caps? Isn't this a strange business model?

I just reviewed my post, and realize I wrote in the last sentence "...this has been proven..." when I meant to say "...this hasn't been proven...". 😉

Some people are not aware that "cancer" is not a disease, but rather a collection of many hundreds of different diseases, all with different behaviors and different ways to treat. Even "pancreatic cancer" isn't a single disease, but I will comment on pancreatic adenocarcinoma, by far the most common (the beta cells, which produce insulin, for example, can also become cancerous, although that's very rare, and there are also pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas). Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (which I'll call PA for short) is one of the fastest-growing cancers that exists, and therefore cannot be screened for (similar to the fast-growing ovarian cancers). Although on occasion it is caught early from CT scans done for another reason, 80% of the time it's found after it's spread, in which case the prognosis is almost always measured in months, not years. Smoking doubles the risk. Diabetes mellitus is also a major risk factor. A somewhat small percentage seem to be genetic. The biggest risk factor is repeated episodes of pancreatitis (most commonly from alcohol), which greatly increases the risk. I once had a patient who'd had pancreatitis so many times his pancreas had basically turned into a pile of chalk. I already had to treat him with insulin and with the oral digestive enzymes the pancreas normally produces, so I consulted with an oncologist and asked if it would be a good idea to have his pancreas taken out as a precaution, but was advised that even in this case, it wasn't advisable (the surgery has a high risk of complications). High consumption of processed, red, or grilled meat have been associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer, but this has been proven as causative by randomized clinical trials, as far as I'm aware.

Another, probably avoidable death of a 19 year-old University of Michigan student: https://www.wilx.com/2026/01/25/university-michigan-student-found-dead-after-search-extreme-cold-conditions/ "ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WILX) - A 19-year-old University of Michigan student has been found dead after a nearly day-long search after he was reported missing on Friday. The Ann Arbor Police Department announced Saturday afternoon that Lucas Mattson’s body was found in the 1900 block of Cambridge Road around noon Saturday. The department posted to social media around 9 p.m. Friday that Mattson was considered missing and endangered due to the extreme frigid conditions. He had last been seen walking by himself wearing a t-shirt and jeans around 1 a.m. Friday in the 1700 block of Hill Street. He was reported missing at 4:30 p.m. Friday, according to the department. Officers spent the night searching for Mattson, but were unable to find him...There are no “obvious signs of trauma” and foul play is not suspected at this time, according to the department. The Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine cause and manner of death....". The cause of death has yet to be announced, and probably won't be until toxicology tests and perhaps an autopsy are done. While there are rare conditions that can cause an apparently healthy-looking young adult to suddenly drop dead, like Long QT Syndrome, I don't know of any medical problem that would cause an intelligent student at a competitive university to go out into -15C weather at 1 AM, other than substance misuse (such as alcohol). My suspicion would be alcohol or some other substance may have been involved. 😢 While there were few people out due to the frigid weather, I wonder how carefully they looked for him, since he wasn't far from the place where he was last seen.