Thanks!

What app is that?

For some reason, I suspect you are an enjoyer of Cinema Sins.

I suspect you would have missed out on some aspects of that during medieval torture.

I’m so very glad you laughed!

It’s an awesome series, or so I felt when I read it. Have you watched the movie? It’s very different, but shares many qualities and is enjoyable to a lesser (IMHO) degree.

Since I have your attention, you talked about your chicken, and I mentioned my wife, I’ll tell you a much more boring story that is much more meaningful to me:

In the time when my then-girlfriend was about to become my then-fiance, there was a local vineyard we frequented. I’ve never really been a major wine drinker and she barely drinks at all, but the wine there was exceptionally good and the owner was very personable (and took a liking to us personally). Almost immediately after I proposed, we went to the winery and, unplanned, told the owner of the vineyard of the event.

The owner was very excited and offered us a sample of some wine they hadn’t released yet, which was also awesome. While we enjoyed the wine and the sights, one of her pets jumped on the table provided. It was … Drum roll … a rooster. Neither of us had really interacted with livestock before, so it was rather a treat and kind of marks the beginning of the engagement for us. I’m not sure if I took any pictures, but my now-wife sure did.

I wasn’t going to mention the name of the vineyard for fear of doxxing myself, but my comment history already mentions my time in that area and the vineyard is worthy of mention. Unfortunately, their only web presence appears to be Facebook, but here it is:

https://m.facebook.com/@MountFelix/

edit: hopefully this works. Subsequent edit: I still can’t get images working in my client, connect.

When much younger, I read the Odd Thomas series. In the first or maybe second book of the series, the titular protagonist encounters some coyotes. The protagonist suggests, when being hunted by them, the survival strategy of making loud, sudden and bold movements and sounds to startle the coyotes into fleeing.

I can’t say whether this would be effective or not, but apparently I took it to heart at the time. Very soon thereafter I was having a nightmare about being chased by coyotes through my dad’s backyard (at the time probably the wildest place I’d been). I took the book’s advice and threw myself forward, yelling. Unfortunately, that was apparently the moment my brain released me from my dream, resulting in me thrusting myself in my then-girlfriend’s then-sleeping face, yelling.

For what it’s worth, I now would recommend avoiding that approach unless actually imperiled in waking hours.

edit: Not to diminish the impact of PTSD. My hope was that the ideally humorous story would raise your spirits. Apologies if it did otherwise. However, I laughed at myself several times while typing the above. Hopefully you enjoyed the anecdote, too.

Maybe, but I think it’s more fun with genuine reactions. That’s why I made the original post - it really did scare me, if only for a moment when I turned the corner.

This is especially true because, in general, I’m the only one in the house awake when this startlement might occur.

edit: I guess “genuine reactions” wasn’t really the correct description. I more meant “reactions to an unmanufactured situation.” I don’t want to make anyone scared, but if someone gets startled by an unexpected and natural and harmless situation, it’s more likely to be funny. Especially if the individual in question is me.

Not Lenny!

I had the same experience with the ice cream.

Not anymore!

Who isn’t?

I can’t explain, no, because I don’t understand the motivation behind it.

But someone (likely a bot) has been spamming messages, allegedly from the person depicted, as “the Fediverse chick.” I got my first one this morning. It arrived within sixty seconds of me making a post, so I have to guess it’s targeting more active users. If you’re a frequent commenter, you’ll probably get one eventually, too.

Valid, but shouldn’t be necessary.

Did you make it up, or is it an ancient creature that reached across the ages and placed the idea in your head?

Sadly, this is another reference I don’t get and a quick search didn’t return anything that seemed relevant.

“Pussy” when used to describe anatomy always kind of seemed rude to me anyway. (I might not be very good at dirty talk.) Personally, I’m fine with whatever word, so long as it is widely recognized and accepted so that communication can be effective. However, I have no justification for trying to be part of the decision making process, as I am not possessed of such an organ, nor am I a medical or linguistic expert.

I don’t discuss the topic often, but I would generally use specific words that I think of as neutral in casual conversations, or words that are meaningful between us if talking to my wife intimately. I probably wouldn’t use “cunt,” with the possible exception of when talking to an Australian.

For your nostalgia and enjoyment:

You’re not wrong, but it really does seem likely that the kind of people filling many of these positions aren’t necessarily in it for their own betterment.

Fair enough!

You are definitely correct in that assessment.

I don’t get the reference, but I appreciate the sentiment. Also, assuming they aren’t outside of my kitchen window at 4am, those look awesome.

If Worf and Hitler kissed, their facial hair might never touch.