I don't even know where to start with this one. Just staring at my screen, thinking about how everything feels like it’s spinning out of control lately. It’s just one of those days where you wake up, look at the news, and think, "Really? This is what we're doing now?" Honestly, I’m just exhausted by the whole vibe of things. It’s constant noise, constant chaos, and zero substance. You try to find one bit of actual common sense in the middle of all this madness, and it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack—except the haystack is on fire and everyone's arguing about whether the smoke is actually "problematic." Anyway, I'm probably just venting. Grab a coffee, sit back, and let the madness wash over you. Or don't. Whatever. kaže: Nothing’s actually ruined; the photos are still looking vibrant and healthy. Hmm... maybe I should just grab a Sharpie and fix them myself. 🙂
Martin Luther King Jr. Day I don't even know where to start with this one. Honestly, just looking at the state of things makes me want to crawl back under my covers and stay there until 2030. Everything feels like a slow-motion train wreck lately, doesn't it? It’s like we’re all just circling the drain while pretending everything is totally fine. I'm sitting here, staring at the screen, thinking about how much nonsense we have to deal with on a daily basis, and I'm just exhausted. It’s exhausting! You try to make sense of it, you try to find some logic in the chaos, and you just end up hitting a brick wall. Anyway, rant over. Or maybe not. Who knows? Just one of those days. Independence Day --- 2007 US XYZ
Everyone better show up to work that day decked out in full-on traditional American folk gear!!!
I can't see any images attached here! You gotta upload the file if you want me to take a look. Once you drop it in, I'll give you my two cents.I can't see any image attached here! You gotta upload the file if you want me to take a look at it. Don't leave me hanging like this.
I can't spend my whole damn day stuck in this uniform. Seriously, with seven different sub-layers on, even hitting the restroom becomes a whole tactical operation. It’s ridiculous.
(wolf picture "that he swiped from my Drive" {in his dreams} was snapped right between these two --- while I was getting changed for the Shocking Ruby...)
I can't see any image attached! You gotta upload the file if you want me to actually take a look at whatever you're posting about. Don't leave me hanging here.I can't see any image here! You gotta upload the file if you want me to take a look at what you're talking about. Don't leave me hanging like this!
Man, you wouldn't believe the melting pot at my office right now. I’m looking around and there are literally 46 different nationalities represented in this building alone! It's absolute madness. One minute I'm grabbing coffee and I'm surrounded by people from every corner of the globe, and the next, I'm trying to figure out who actually knows how to fix the damn printer. It’s wild, honestly. Sometimes it feels like a tiny version of the whole country packed into one cubicle farm.
(you guys remember, right? i'm a civil servant.)
My bad. I’m telling you, if you think you’ve had good wings, you haven't lived until you've tried that specific spot in the city—you know the one. I was thinking about this the other day while staring at a menu, and it hit me how much people overcomplicate flavor. You don't need some fancy fusion nonsense or twenty different sauces that all taste like corn syrup. Sometimes, you just want that authentic, punchy, deep-fried goodness that hits you right in the soul. It’s about the glaze, man. The way it clings to the skin. Most places just drown everything in buffalo sauce and call it a day, but there's an art to it when you get those Asian-inspired profiles right. It's a whole different level of addiction. Seriously, my life is basically just a series of decisions based on which wing joint is open latest. This doesn't belong here... it belongs in some other thread, somewhere else entirely... and honestly? This is just a bit much. Man, I was just sitting here thinking about those old school border disputes and how much they used to stir the pot. It’s like looking back at some ancient, messy drama where everyone thought their little slice of territory was worth more than life itself. Honestly, it reminds me of those endless, pointless arguments you see on local town hall meetings in places like Ohio or Pennsylvania—people getting worked up over a fence line or a property dispute like it’s some epic battle for the soul of the nation. Just total chaos for no real reason.A little bit of Africa, a touch of the Middle East, a slice of South America... just to give you a little taste of what a "healthy lifestyle" looks like here in the States.
😁
TT, those are some killer shots. I see you squeezed right in between those two women from different backgrounds.
Man, looking at that bottom photo, I am absolutely loving all those classic American styles. It’s pretty obvious from this that you're some kind of folk dancer, probably twirling around to some old-school bluegrass or maybe even playing a banjo or a mandolin or something. You've definitely got that country soul.
jadetiger10 said:Vilko, go check it out—I saw that you can actually upload webcam shots over at .tinypic.com now.😉
Man, I’m actually bummed out that TT totally butchered this gorgeous photo. It feels like they did the exact same thing to that wristwatch, too. Honestly, if they had just taken a marker and drawn some glasses over her face, we wouldn't even be able to see her hair color or hairstyle. At this rate, nobody would be able to recognize anyone! Whatever, honestly. Maybe she'll just go and pull that same stunt again sometime down the road.😉
William Morales said:Don't you remember they were totally sucking up to you too, showering you with compliments? 😍 You know, those subtle, sneaky little "oh, I would never" types... 😬 until you finally called them out. 🤣
Vilko 🙂 😉
Vilko, if I ever praise some lady just because I actually agree with what she wrote, and then send her a 😘 or a 😘 😘 as a thank you, is that really "sucking up"?
for starting such a massive thread. It's seriously important,
both on a big picture level and just locally.
Whenever I post, I’m always thinking about my fellow Americans more than people over in the US, because we've actually been somewhat educated on this stuff here. Over there, they’re probably still just dreaming up the idea of an info brochure—God forbid they actually try to enforce any laws about smoking bans in public places.🙂 🙂
It would be awesome if someone could link this forum or this specific topic somewhere in America (assuming there are any decent folks out there—meaning non-smokers or future non-smokers—who'd actually do it).
And honestly, I really hope all the info we’re swapping here ends up doing some good... someday.
I've personally learned a ton just digging through the web for these discussions, especially when I get hit with opposing views from other users. There’s nothing more progressive than a little constructive debate or hearing a different perspective.
Cheers,
Gospodja TT
Thanks for the compliment, Gospodja TT, and sorry for getting the name wrong earlier.
I totally agree with you, and I'm glad you joined us to add your voice to this discussion.
William Morales;8955244 said:when Richard Booth35 says "he's known for being the type to flirt with skirts, just like he did before, then changes his mind later"... he's clearly read your lovely little rant about how "you wouldn't be writing like this if you weren't so simple."[/B][/URL]
Look, Vilko, I saw what you wrote. What "simplicity"? That's just basic street talk. It's how people actually talk sometimes, you know? Everyone slips into it now and then.
But seriously, Sjor Vilko, you gotta give credit where it's due—the lady has killer teeth and great legs. 👍
Bradley Diaz48 said:(never buy a Dodge Spirit) and I
As for me, I actually bought that exact same Dodge Spirit back when I was still working at the old firm—got it for my wife in '92—and honestly, thank God, it’s still cruising down the road today. We take care of it, you know? Regular car washes, fresh oil, new tires... the whole bit. And here's the kicker: Zagorka actually prefers driving this thing over the Lincoln. It’s got about 149 miles on it, but it's still running with the original engine and transmission. Yeah, it gulps a little oil here and there, but it doesn't smoke.
jadetiger10 said:It’s like you freaking knew I was gonna be born next year or something. 🙂 Honestly, who wouldn't be head over heels for someone like that? Seriously, who wouldn't? 😘
You didn't mention which day or month you were born, so we won't know when to drop the birthday wishes for you—assuming it hasn't already passed, of course. Mine was back on May 29th. Hey there! Hope everyone's doing alright out there. 😘 😘
Major props to everyone out there who finally kicked the habit. I gotta be honest, quitting wasn't some walk in the park for me. I spent forever lying to myself and everyone else about it, until that one pivotal moment when I just snapped. I took my packs and my lighters, dumped them right next to the ashtray, and told myself, "That's it, I'm done." And I meant it. It all went down on October 10, 1972. I actually headed out to go vote that afternoon, and from that point on, I haven't taken a single puff.
Man, oh man, you guys have sure covered a lot of ground talking about smoking. Believe it or not, I used to be a smoker myself back when I was just a kid, maybe 12 or 13 years old. I actually picked up the habit while I was living in Italy, but finally kicked the habit back in '72.
I still remember when I first moved over to the States back in 1960. Back then, a pack of 20 cigarettes would set you back about 32 cents—practically the same price as a gallon of gas. Nowadays, a gallon of gas is around $3.50 and a pack of smokes will run you about $8.00.
I hope people back home in America don't take this the wrong way, but whenever I visit, it honestly feels like the entire country is constantly puffing away. And you know what the absolute worst part is? When you're out hanging with a group; even if they know you don't smoke, nobody ever bothers to ask if it's okay to light up right next to you.
So I was scrolling through The New York Times this past Friday and saw this absolutely wild headline claiming that "as many as 40 percent of American fifteen-year-olds are oral sex enthusiasts."
Thanks, Martine, for the expert breakdown. So, what you're saying is we basically just flushed a bunch of water weight down the toilet during all those "fasting" days? Man, that sucks. I’m honestly pretty jealous of all those intense challenge articles in the magazines my wife gets. You know the ones—that gorgeous woman on the cover wearing oversized pants she used to fit into, but now two of her could probably squeeze in there, reading: "She lost 306 lbs! on the new scientific low-carb plan!" In Cosmopolitan, there's this one tempting diet that both of us actually tried, hoping it would help us maintain our current weight: www.healthyheartmiracle.com The diet is called: "Get lean and healthy ultra fast!" Just look at the bottom of page five, right near that photo of the bowl of oatmeal and shrimp. Martine, you really cracked me up when you said, "The weight didn't just 'show up' overnight..." It immediately made me think of some old folks back in my hometown who used to say about people carrying extra weight: "It wasn't wolves that caught them, it was the teeth." Thanks again for all the hard work. 🙂
Respect, Jamie Clark74, You’re totally right about that. But wait, does Maple even grow in Australia? Isn't Maple actually a maple tree? You know, the kind of tree where you see the leaf on the US flag.
For the first time in nine days, I woke up feeling absolutely famished and nursing a massive headache. When I mentioned it to Zagorka, she didn't waste any time—she went straight to making me some oatmeal with soy milk and strawberries. Man, let me tell you, that was easily the best breakfast I've had in nine days of fasting. And here’s the kicker: those five or six pounds I dropped during that initial five-to-six-day stretch? That’s literally all I lost. After that, the scale didn't budge a single gram. Gary Watson4, you probably have no clue what I'm talking about. See, Zagorka and I have been doing this Hollywood diet thing—you know, the one with just Maple Syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. In the beginning, I was dropping about two pounds a day, but after that? Even though we aren't eating anything—literally nothing—the weight loss just stopped dead. Does anyone have a clue why that happens? Seriously, what you're saying is spot on; if a person actually wants to stay healthy, they really need to focus on moderation.
Gary Watson4 said:I got this chicken noodle soup recipe from a nurse about a year ago. It tastes kind of bland to me, but the best part is you can whip up a massive batch all at once to last the whole week. I paired it with everything—just steamed veggies (no heavy flour or butter thickeners), chicken, turkey, or fish with brown rice, and then green salad every other day along with two slices of rye bread daily. I just had one cup of coffee in the morning and one in the evening, using 1% milk. I stuck to five meals a day and always ate an unpeeled apple before lunch. That’s how I dropped 45 pounds and got my cholesterol levels down.
The soup isn't just for dieting; it's healthy and really helps detox your system. 👍
Hi hi Nepto, There is no way you dropped 45 pounds eating that soup plus all those side dishes! You didn't even mention how long it actually took you to lose all that weight. I bet you look—or looked—like skin and bones right now. Zagorka says she lost weight too, but at least she's still mostly there. 😉
Speaking of fasting, I actually ended up jumping on a "liquid diet" this past Monday. I’ve been at it for six days now and honestly? I feel incredible. I’m already down five pounds. Starting Monday, I’m gonna ease my way back into regular eating. Day one will just be orange juice and water. Day two, I’ll stick to maybe a few slices of orange every couple of hours plus more water. Day three is vegetable broth only. By day four, I’m back to eating whatever I want. The weirdest part is, I don't even feel hungry. Like, food isn't even on my radar right now.
Here’s the breakdown: 1L 100% Pure Maple Syrup, Canada No. 1 Medium. 1L of freshly squeezed lemon juice. I mix the juice and the syrup together and drink the concoction five times a day—roughly every two or three hours. It's five tablespoons of the mix diluted with water and a little dash of Cayenne pepper.
They call this the "Hollywood diet." Maybe because you feel great while doing it, even though the weight just melts off your body lightning fast. 😉
Man, that Oleander guy was drinking water like his life depended on it. I’ve been digging into this whole starvation thing, and honestly? I finally heard the real story behind his fasting. You guys were spot on. By the seventh day, the guy's basically regular as clockwork.
Man, this brings back memories. I had some close buddies who ended up being the godparents for my daughter. One of the guys decided he was going on this hardcore fast—we’re talking a full 17 days of absolutely nothing. No food, no water, just pure willpower. His wife, who was calling in from Canada, used to call up this doctor out in California that her husband was seeing for his "treatment plan," just to give him a status update on how the guy was holding up. Once he finally broke the fast, you wouldn't believe it—his very first bite was just a single slice of an orange! Dr. Shelton says that's actually the absolute best way to reset your system. According to the doc, when you fast like that, your body basically starts "eating" its own diseased tissue first to survive. It sounds wild, but even though the guy wasn't eating or drinking for, what, 20 days? He was still peeing and having the occasional bowel movement! Obviously, the weight dropped off him big time, but honestly, he looked incredible. He told me he’s never felt better in his life. So yeah, there you have it.
I can't see any image attached here! You gotta upload the file if you want me to take a look at it. Don't leave me hanging like this.
I can't see any image here! You gotta upload the file if you want me to take a look at what you're talking about. Don't leave me hanging like this!