LadyCrimson

"You have claimed a portal!" "One of your minions cannot reach the treasure room." <---imp stuck in a wall "A trap has been manufactured." "A new spell has been researched." "Your library is too small." "Your creatures are fighting among themselves!" "The enemy has broken through your walls!" "The enemy is destroying your rooms!" "Your creatures are under attack!" "Ahh! Ayee! Wheeeee! Whoahhh! Wahhhh! Eeeeee!" <----sound of you and AI dropping lots of minions on a tile "Your creatures are attacking the enemy!" "Your creatures are falling in battle." "Your minions are winning a battle." "Food is scarce; enlarge your hatchery." <---too many bile demons "A new room has been researched." "Beware, the Lord of the Land approaches!" "Your dungeon heart is being attacked!" "Your minions are winning a battle." "You have conquered this land!" "It is payday." ....still the most funzies game ever.

Yeah, it's The Thing. ...Cash. I've never seen/cared to see that movie. Guess that's why it didn't make my brain go "ding."

*runs into the room* "Lina Inverse and Xellos 4ever!!!!" *runs out of the room*

The names Plissken, O'Neil and MacCready jump out at me, but that's it. I'm not good with number references tho, if any of those are anything. I still love that movie. Can't say why, outside of Kurt being in it. I mean I don't think it's 10/10 uber classic, but as one would say in the days of non-streaming TV - if it's on/I surf to it, I'd stop to watch it.

Cambell's condensed mushroom soup - like many of their condensed soups - goop-plopped into a bowl with water and just heated up as soup .... is disgusting. Which is why most people use them as marinades/sauce mixers, not soups. I've had restaurant mushroom soups (not just creamy ones) that are good - assuming one likes mushroom flavors - but that's a whole different thing.

Oh and to be more on the original topic: I think in the US, women definitely are more likely to seek out mental health counseling of some kind, possibly asking a doctor for a psychologist recommendation, where said psychologist may then tell them they seem to have a mental health issue. But just going for an annual health checkup, psychology checking does not typically factor into that. They just do physical stuff, they don't bring out the ink blots. When people feel blue, if they can afford it, they find a psychologist or counselor on their own, either to talk or to try to get drugs. If for no other reason then to try to keep it under wraps more. I'm not sure how it works these days, but some level of mental health is often covered in medical plans. Not sure how much on average. I'd guess some medical would cover initial/emergency mental health care and some visits with a psychologist but not really extended treatment. I'm probably out of date on that end tho, I haven't bothered to check up on such in years.

80% coverage of something (example, pulling #'s out of my hat again) sounds decent until the bill gets so high into the stratosphere that the remaining not covered is still far more than most people are going to have liquid/available to them. Although tbh, unless it's 100% all the time/all conditions/time-period lengths, I'm not sure how one gets around that even if you did some reforming of the current system. At some point there could be this bill for hundreds of thousands and even 5% of that could bankrupt most/average people. Medical costs just go up and will keep going up. Re: dental in the US ... it's separate from medical here, as well. Usually less expensive (the plans I mean) then medical insurance, but also usually even less comprehensive. The more common things that tend to crop up - root canals, cavities, etc. while not cheap, are likely going to be "only" hundreds, or under a few thousand, vs. hundreds of thousands for extended hospital stays/surgery or whatnot.

Figured out why the gog version of Dungeon Keeper 1 felt laggy when using the alt+r higher res. option. Running the higher res means you have to adjust the dosbox cycles. So hitting ctrl+F12 4 or 6 times does it. Now it's nice and smooth like I remember. Yay! Maybe I can play the tunneler levels now without fear of being mouse-lagged to my doom.

Cambell's Cream of Mushroom - that classic staple of most mothers from a certain generation or three. My mother always seemed to have at least four or five cans of it in the pantry at all times.

^ It's a system for the rich, basically. >.>

Monthly upkeep of any medicines can also be a huge factor for uninsured in some cases, relative to income. I think the insulin I'm taking would be around $150-$200 per month retail which for many would be a not unsizable annual burden. And that's not some uber expensive or rare drug. And those blood test strips can be $1 a strip, and considering one is "supposed" to use one at least once a day, maybe thrice - altho at this point I mostly just check it once or twice a week. We currently have an insurance plan that pretty much covers everything - we weren't billed a dime for my multiple-day hospital stay last year and all the tests/scans they ran on me, or when they want to rerun the standard checkup tests, for example. But we also don't get any true personalized care. It's the typical US hospital factory. And we didn't always have such a policy. Most people don't. Most employers can't afford the really pricey/comprehensive plans and even if they did, it also means more taken out of your paycheck if you accept it. Still, better health insurance is definitely one factor that can motivate people to switch jobs.

I'm telling y'all, I'm going to buy some raw land somewhere in the boonies and dig myself an underground, concrete, hobbit-hole and that's what I'll die in. My tomb. No one will even know my corpse is there unless a tax man comes calling.

I suspect a vacant (and buildable zoned) lot here, of a home-lot size (5000-6000sf to half acre) would still go for $350k to over a million, depending on the street/area. Also, such empty lots are extremely rare in most of the Bay Area outside of some spots in the SC hills or closer to the ocean, or way east in the more valley Valley, which would entail long and annoying commutes for Hurlshot most likely. And then you'd have to probably spend $400k-600k+ building something on it. I suppose one of those modular/prefab houses might save some $$.

This has been true for a long long time, really, for this area. Back in the early 90's, most people I knew who were I and hubby's age back then were able to purchase a (single-family) house here because of at least some help from parents/family, not because they saved entirely on their own. Of course, it's way way worse now. Generous parents probably wouldn't be enough, you'd need a rich grandparent. Haha. And yeah...the investment buying (vs those buying because they want to actually LIVE in it) is terrible.

There is no way to tell (far as I know) who may purchase a gun and then 1, 2, 4, 10 years later suddenly "snap" for some reason. Background checks and psychological evaluation upon purchase is fine, but does not address all the weaponry already out there, illegally purchased or stolen guns, kids/other family getting their parents stuff, and all that jazz. And because you never know if or when someone will "suddenly" mentally deteriorate, such a psychological evaluation, imo, would need to be repeated as a requirement to maintain gun ownership - and ofc even then it wouldn't "catch" most cases in time, at least imo. Because of this, I think the main long term solution would be ... people, and attitudes. That is, we need to be rid of the stigma and secrecy of mental health concerns so people aren't afraid/ashamed to talk to others and/or seek counseling (or fear of being fired, or something), we need to have more lower cost options for such, and we need to have more awareness in the general public. There is also, of course, the economic stress factor - the more the masses feel disenfranchised, "not economically viable", hopeless, live in fear of debt and/or debt is ever increasing while personal financial goals/dreams ever further away, the more people who might not have actually quite reached a breaking point, may reach their breaking point. So to speak. It all adds up. It is not, imo, just about "gun control". People want fast answers and results, tho ... I just don't think there are any.

*looks* ... 19 carbs/11g sugar for 2 pieces. Nope. And by nope I mean that if I had a bag, it would absolutely not be eaten one piece per day. So, nope. LOL. Per usual it's not that I can't eat any "junk" or plate of rice now and then etc. I just can't make it a daily meal/snack type of thing. Anyway, I don't actually miss most "junk" food too much, too often. I just hate cooking/spending 1-4 hours a day in the kitchen or whatever. The constant routine (and dishes...). Also, eating the same things day in, day out for months on end because that's the easiest to cook/deal with. Snack wise I did find this sugarless (Splenda) hard candy (brand: GoLightly) that tastes like really weak hot-chocolate. It is not calorie-free and it still has "sugar alcohols" and I think for some ppl even one may still spike their blood sugar some, but for me it does nothing. I can suck on 3-8 pieces a day or even in a row and it bothers my numbers not at all. Not exciting, but keeps snacking cravings at bay at least. So I bought 3 pounds a while back (it lasts months).

I am old-ish, lazy, and fed up with all this daily meal prep/cooking all the time (which I've never been a person to do in the first place) and the "gotta cook that before it spoils" considerations and I swear there are almost zero low-carb/low crappy ingrediant frozen dinners in grocery stores that I could use for, say, half my meals. It's all 50carbs, 45 carbs, 70 carbs because they all use rice, pasta, potatoes etc. as 80% of the meal as bulk fillers. Contemplating trying one of those pre-made delivery meal sites. BistroMD, maybe, they supposedly have diabetic considered meals. I dunno tho...such services can vary so wildly in experience depending on area and personal preferences/needs. Arrgh. Anyone want to be my personal chef.

Wait, there's going to be a new CSI:Vegas sequel/series? Even with the original being one of my fave crime shows (until the last 2-3 seasons maybe) and having Gil Grissom back, I have to say ... whyyyyyyy. Also sorta related: I saw some old clip of Alien: Resurrection and suddenly realized the hotshot gun dude of the mercenary group was Gary Dourdan (Warwick). The movie was before CSI, ofc, and I guess that movie was so forgettable I never had a "where have I seen that guy before" moment when I saw CSI. It almost makes me want to rewatch that turd of a movie. Almost.

"Your workshop isn't big enough." "Your (over 50) granary is full, m'lord." ...oh wait, sorry, wrong games. ...that type of thing is all very absurd tho. Sure, I get it - the fabled "balance" - but they almost always go overboard, imo.

Finnish crime/detective series: Bordertown, via Netflix. I initially thought it would be in the crime-a-season format but what it actually does is spend two or three episodes per crime (10-11 eps. per season). I rather like that format. Not too short, not too drawn out for each one. Not a flashy series, which I like. Main character is kind of eccentric but I'm not sure in what way. Not socially attentive/personable, socially awkward, "lost in his own head-space" most of the time, but not purposefully mean/arrogant ala Dr. House or modern Sherlock. Has that typical grey/dreariness and deliberate pacing to everything but the lead actor is very interesting, imo, main reason to watch. His daughter, wife, and their family dynamic are ok too, although I could use a little less of the human-drama bits (just me, I prefer the crime/mystery solving) but so far I'm liking it a fair bit. Finished first season, there's currently 3 seasons on Netflix.

Everyone knows this noise: ...but did you know they purr, too?

At my age I likely don't have a few decades. Which is probably one reason why I feel more resigned than angry about such, anymore. It just feels less and less important, permanence of stuff I mean. I used to rage about stuff like this tho.

I knew there was a reason I only bought a handful of games on the PS4. At this point I'm so used to idea that nothing access-wise is even close to permanent (at least not without a lot of hoop-jumping or multiple purchasing) it just kind of makes me sigh a little. It still sucks tho. I know it's not quite the same, but I still haven't replaced the majority of the VHS movie/TV collection I had, because the format keeps changing and I stopped wanting to rebuy fave media since ... they created streaming TV. I feel like the streaming gaming stuff (or temp-play services like GamePass I think?) are trying to create a similar merket situation if that makes sense . Dunno if it'll long term succeed but I already see kids yapping about why pay $60 for every game to "own/perm access" when they can just use GamePass to play something, so yeah.

It's Spring, the giant jumping spiders are out in force again, ridding the yard of all the boring usual house spiders. I love how aware they are that I'm there, holding a phone 2" from their face and they only move their head a little to stare you down, while still eating, being all like "yeah, so, you want a piece of me? I'm busy at the moment, come back later."

A slow, meditative joke video about a joke game. That said, around 5:00 when he upped the weather and wind for the "true professional player" I sorta lost it. ...there's a 2022 version now, complete with ... multiplayer!