Really trivial stuff that amuses you...

[Hornblower]

Was there some sort of celebration of the championship?

ETA: Yes, there was.

Oops!

[Solfe]

The other day, I took my wife for a drive. She was all hopped up on pain pills and blurted out the strangest thing. It was something to the effect of:

"They turned that tavern into a church..."

That was pretty weird, because she was right.

In D&D there is this trope that all of the adventurers meet in a bar or tavern to start. I had always wanted to write book called "Tales from the High Back Booth", which would be about people starting an adventure in a tavern. Except the tavern would be more than a framing device. The reader would only experience the stories via the people telling the stories in the bar where they started.

I started writing about it the other day, except with my wife's modification, where the bar is a temple. It is very surreal.

[pzkpfw]

The other day, I took my wife for a drive. She was all hopped up on pain pills and blurted out the strangest thing. It was something to the effect of:

"They turned that tavern into a church..."

That was pretty weird, because she was right.

In D&D there is this trope that all of the adventurers meet in a bar or tavern to start. I had always wanted to write book called "Tales from the High Back Booth", which would be about people starting an adventure in a tavern. Except the tavern would be more than a framing device. The reader would only experience the stories via the people telling the stories in the bar where they started.

I started writing about it the other day, except with my wife's modification, where the bar is a temple. It is very surreal.

Have you read any of the Thieves' World stuff, such as Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn?

[Trebuchet]

The other day, I took my wife for a drive. She was all hopped up on pain pills and blurted out the strangest thing. It was something to the effect of:

"They turned that tavern into a church..."

That was pretty weird, because she was right.

In D&D there is this trope that all of the adventurers meet in a bar or tavern to start. I had always wanted to write book called "Tales from the High Back Booth", which would be about people starting an adventure in a tavern. Except the tavern would be more than a framing device. The reader would only experience the stories via the people telling the stories in the bar where they started.

I started writing about it the other day, except with my wife's modification, where the bar is a temple. It is very surreal.

I've seen churches turned into taverns several times, but never the other way around!

[schlaugh]

I had always wanted to write book called "Tales from the High Back Booth", which would be about people starting an adventure in a tavern. Except the tavern would be more than a framing device. The reader would only experience the stories via the people telling the stories in the bar where they started.

That jogged a memory:

The Draco Tavern, by Larry Niven
Tales from the White Hart, by Arthur C. Clarke

[KaiYeves]

The other day, I took my wife for a drive. She was all hopped up on pain pills and blurted out the strangest thing. It was something to the effect of:

"They turned that tavern into a church..."

That was pretty weird, because she was right.

In D&D there is this trope that all of the adventurers meet in a bar or tavern to start. I had always wanted to write book called "Tales from the High Back Booth", which would be about people starting an adventure in a tavern. Except the tavern would be more than a framing device. The reader would only experience the stories via the people telling the stories in the bar where they started.

I started writing about it the other day, except with my wife's modification, where the bar is a temple. It is very surreal.

In the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign, the adventurers get to run a tavern as their home base while getting tangled up in an urban treasure hunt. My group played it earlier this year and it was a lot of fun to RP— my Monk was the bouncer.

[Gillianren]

When Irene informed me she wanted to watch "something else" this morning, I put on a nature documentary and told her that it was something else. She is now almost hypnotized by it, except for demands for "akkle juice."

[Swift]

I've seen churches turned into taverns several times, but never the other way around!

There is a winery near us that who's main serving building is an old church.

I also have not seen a tavern turned into a church, but around here I do know of a barn, an old warehouse, and an old carpet store that were turned into churches.

[grant hutchison]

That jogged a memory:

The Draco Tavern, by Larry Niven
Tales from the White Hart, by Arthur C. Clarke

Tales From Gavagan's Bar by L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt
Callahan's Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson

I once wrote a science fiction story (which I never managed to sell) which was largely set in a bar decorated with fake bar signs from science-fictional bars (including my favourite, Poul Anderson's transdimensional Old Phoenix).

Grant Hutchison

[Torsten]

I haven't noticed a tavern turned into a church either, but when I was riding in rural Nova Scotia this past summer I noticed a lot of old church buildings in the tiniest of communities. From my diary: "...they're in every conceivable state from boarded up and weathered to sparkling white. ... many have been repurposed. I saw a garage, community hall, karate gym, museum, and I'm sure there's another I've forgotten ... motorcycle storage place."

[The Backroad Astronomer]

There is plenty of praying to gods in either places, one to the porcelain god the other to another deity.

[Gillianren]

There's a church across town from me that was a movie theatre when I moved here.

[Jim]

The Summit was a basketball arena (original home of the Houston Rockets). It's now a Joel Osteen mega-church.

[Solfe]

That jogged a memory:

The Draco Tavern, by Larry Niven
Tales from the White Hart, by Arthur C. Clarke

Hmm... I will have to check those out.

[Solfe]

I just want to be a simple starship captain.

Viper pilot, myself. I don't care if they are not feasible.

To add to the level of unreality: I've always been pretty eagle-eye'd but not particularly observant. I thought they were real flying machines at that age, because they had working avionics inside. The creators of Battlestar Galatica raided boneyards for airplane parts as props... I was so close... but, oh, so far.

[Solfe]

Have you read any of the Thieves' World stuff, such as Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn?

I love that series.

There is a bit where gender plays into a mystery, and the author goofed and used a pronoun which was something they had avoided for several stories. I caught the mistake... and assumed it was mistake. When I got to the big reveal, it freaked me out because I was convinced that the one pronoun was a mistake and went back to reread the whole darn book to make sure I really understood what was happening.

[Trebuchet]

Yesterday's Pearls Before Swine states that there's a push to stop using the word "cyclist" because it's dehumanizing or something. Today's strip expands on that. I just had to Google. It's apparently a real thing.
Incidently, I occasionally see "biker" in reference to bicyclists. To me, that's for motorcyclists.

[Noclevername]

Yesterday's Pearls Before Swine states that there's a push to stop using the word "cyclist" because it's dehumanizing or something. Today's strip expands on that. I just had to Google. It's apparently a real thing.
Incidently, I occasionally see "biker" in reference to bicyclists. To me, that's for motorcyclists.

"Riders"?

[Swift]

Yesterday's Pearls Before Swine states that there's a push to stop using the word "cyclist" because it's dehumanizing or something. Today's strip expands on that. I just had to Google. It's apparently a real thing.
Incidently, I occasionally see "biker" in reference to bicyclists. To me, that's for motorcyclists.

[Swift]

Yesterday's Pearls Before Swine states that there's a push to stop using the word "cyclist" because it's dehumanizing or something. Today's strip expands on that. I just had to Google. It's apparently a real thing.
Incidently, I occasionally see "biker" in reference to bicyclists. To me, that's for motorcyclists.

[KaiYeves]

I’m used to hearing “biker” for both motorcycles and bicycles, but I actually like cyclist for sounding more sophisticated.

[Hornblower]

Yesterday's Pearls Before Swine states that there's a push to stop using the word "cyclist" because it's dehumanizing or something. Today's strip expands on that. I just had to Google. It's apparently a real thing.
Incidently, I occasionally see "biker" in reference to bicyclists. To me, that's for motorcyclists.

Some of this stuff pegs my Bad Science meter. I am skeptical of the idea that doing away with using the word "cyclist" would eliminate the toxic personality traits that contribute to animosity. In my perception there are motorists who resent the presence of any cyclist who creates the least bit of impediment, real or imagined. Conversely there are aggressive cyclists who can provoke ordinarily mild-mannered motorists to anger. A friend of mine, an avid but responsible cyclist, had a close encounter with an irresponsible one and said, "You are part of the reason so many people hate us!"

[ozduck]

I have not heard anything about this push and certainly over here a biker is very definitely referring to a motorcyclist. When there are problems with a mob of cyclists going on a Sunday morning ride in an unruly group and antagonising other road users they are usually, derogatively, described as lycra-clad larrikins.

[Trebuchet]

I have not heard anything about this push and certainly over here a biker is very definitely referring to a motorcyclist. When there are problems with a mob of cyclists going on a Sunday morning ride in an unruly group and antagonising other road users they are usually, derogatively, described as lycra-clad larrikins.

Did you notice that the study suggesting the change was done in Australia, at the University of Queensland?

[Solfe]

My son likes to listen to loud music in the car. I know because I've been blown into the backseat by whatever is on SiriusXM. My other two children dislike Iron Maiden at that decibel level, but dislike the school bus more so they tough it out.

This evening it happened to me and the kids, again. This time I was ready. I put a CD of Christmas music in the CD player. Alvin and the Chipmunks, to be specific. Before I got out, I turned it up, nearly full blast. My younger kids gave an evil chuckle as we got out of the car, but little did they know what I was up to. I asked my son to run to the store for... I can't remember. It was just important that he get in the car.

When my oldest started the car, Christmas music wafted into our living room. Now, for the hilarity. My son thought it was the satellite radio and tried to change the station. All that does is skip though the track or tracks on the CD depending on what button you hit or dial you turn. Baffled, my son turned off the car and came in the house. Me and the other two children hid in the basement, trying to laugh quietly.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

This morning the alarm on my phone went off at 5 am, 6am, 8:30 am, I have those settings for days I work but have now idea while on a random Thursday morning this happened.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

My son likes to listen to loud music in the car. I know because I've been blown into the backseat by whatever is on SiriusXM. My other two children dislike Iron Maiden at that decibel level, but dislike the school bus more so they tough it out.

This evening it happened to me and the kids, again. This time I was ready. I put a CD of Christmas music in the CD player. Alvin and the Chipmunks, to be specific. Before I got out, I turned it up, nearly full blast. My younger kids gave an evil chuckle as we got out of the car, but little did they know what I was up to. I asked my son to run to the store for... I can't remember. It was just important that he get in the car.

When my oldest started the car, Christmas music wafted into our living room. Now, for the hilarity. My son thought it was the satellite radio and tried to change the station. All that does is skip though the track or tracks on the CD depending on what button you hit or dial you turn. Baffled, my son turned off the car and came in the house. Me and the other two children hid in the basement, trying to laugh quietly.

You mean this song.
https://youtu.be/whY9MKlvisI

[Solfe]

You mean this song.
https://youtu.be/whY9MKlvisI

Yes, it's a whole disk of Alvin and the Chipmunks, but it leads with that song. Many of my students like the Chipmunks so I made a disk of an assortment of songs. I don't keep it at school all the time because it can be maddening.

[ozduck]

Did you notice that the study suggesting the change was done in Australia, at the University of Queensland?

I actually did not as I did not read your initial post properly I was about to say that Queenslanders are, actually a common stereotype about them held by people from other states, a different breed to the rest of Australia. However the lead author was actually from Monash University which is in Melbourne ( state of Victoria), so I will just slink away.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

Yes, it's a whole disk of Alvin and the Chipmunks, but it leads with that song. Many of my students like the Chipmunks so I made a disk of an assortment of songs. I don't keep it at school all the time because it can be maddening.

Learned that song in grade six, there is a charity concert that is broadcast around here to raise money to help families during Christmas, it usually has school kids signing songs.