Quote by wxt55uk
Today, "we" (read: my wife) just booked a cruise from LA down to Panama, through the canal, and back up to Ft Lauderdale. Not to 2028 though.

I have eyeballed some Panama Canal transit cruises but we did a partial transit on a tour boat while touring Panama back 2019ish and that seems to be enough for Mrs. Ape.

Welcome back, Bear. Puerto Vallarta isn't really on my radar but I imagine we will cruise the West Coast someday and a lot of those cruises stop there. Next cruise is Hawaii out of LA.

Rainy but a bit warmer here. The threatened freezing rain did not really materialize for us but I have not checked to see how places East of us fared. They tend to get more freezing rain than my area.

I am an agnostic and left Christianity a long time ago so no (I guess, depends on your beliefs about salvation) to the former and not currently but not ruling out the possibility to the latter. Would likely be a rather different God than you probably have in mind if I did.

Where is your happy place?

Nevermore

I tend to like a woman rather than a type, so I would say "yes" but I would say "yes" to just about any other body type, too. In the end, it's very much about whether I am attracted to an individual woman. There was a time when I would have said slim and shapely was my "type" but I've since crushed hard on some BBWs and women in between. Makes it hard to define what attracts me because I'll say I am into x or y and then fall for a woman who is z, but that's the reality.

Jinjer

A tad unprofessional but hardly the worst possible offence. Still, if it was a pattern or seemed to be escalating beyond just commenting on their tan lines, I would hope word would reach their supervisor and that a discussion about appropriate guardrails would be had. I am pretty sure that would be the case for the respiratory therapists (also a regulated health professional) my employer has working in the community.

Haken

Quote by Mandapanda2025

I go through about 20 different teas. This morning it's summertime earl grey

Oh wow, someone with more teas than me. I have about 4 different loose leafs at home and a couple more in my credenza at work. That's black tea. I also have a couple fruity herbals for late day drinking.

Quote by Mandapanda2025
three I read at least once a year are the Dragonflight trilogy by Anne McCaffrey

I have not read those in like 40 or 50 years. Read the original trilogy and, I think, some of the Harper Hall books and then kind of nope'd out of the rest. The series felt complete after the original trilogy. And, yeah, part of that was the end of Lessa's story.

My taste in literature evolved over time. Favourite writers over the years have included J. R. R. Tolkien, Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell (lesser known UK horror writer), Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman and then a lot of pulp and earlier writers like H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, William Hope Hodgson, M. R. James, and others. That pulp influence really shows in my fantasy and horror on StoresSpace moreso than in what I write here.

As for actual books, Dracula by Bram Stoker remains an ever-golden favourite of mine. Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are up there, too. William Hodgson's novels are excellent reads for their time (he died in WWI to give you an idea of the time period), if a bit old-fashioned today. His end of time epic The Night Land remains in my head forever, even if it is a difficult read that I don't go back to as often as some other works.

Flowerleaf

Good morning. I would love to say that I look that lovely and serene sipping my tea but ... nah.

Kimmi's challenge on StoriesSpace is chugging along nicely. Some interesting reads there and it's max 80 words so you can probably read the whole thread in one pass. Yeah, there's an ape in there somewhere. Of course, if you're a member on SS (or sign up), there's still a month to get a story or two in (you're allowed one for each picture).

https://www.storiesspace.com/forum/stories-space-writing-prompts-challenges/writing-challenge-for-50-end-date-march-17th?post=214315

Unlikely that our warm spell has anything to do with early Spring. Mid-Winter thaws are kind of a thing around here. Then we'll get smacked again when it ends. I'm now seeing -1C forecast for next Saturday so I kind of know when this thaw ends.

Quote by Katherine

Cook a handful of shredded carrots, two handfuls of sliced mushrooms, and a quartered zucchini over oil with salt and pepper until tender. Boil 3/4 cup of Jasmine Rice with a dash of ground ginger and 1 tbsp butter. Fry 4 eggs. Layer veggies over the cooked rice, followed by the fried eggs. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp Sriracha and drizzle over the top. Slice a couple green onions and sprinkle on top (optional, I def don't do this all the time but it's aesthetically pleasing).

Oo, taking note of this one, though I would have to skip the Sriracha since my wife can't tolerate spice anymore (stomach issues).

With it looking increasingly likely that former Arch Enemy vocalist Angela Gossow is going to pick up the mic again after 11 years working behind the scenes for the band, I was listening to Khaos Legions, her last studio LP as the band's vocalist.

Very. For one, I would probably be outed as bi, which would open some doors and close a few. Divorce would be quite likely.

Are you contemplating any big changes in your life in the coming years?

Quote by Thick69

Yes

You're supposed to answer the one immediately above you, then put out a new question. Just FYI.

Back on track:

Quote by passionatemind22
HYE had a bad valentines day date?

No, I think most of mine have been good. I even proposed on V Day.

HYE planned a big date with a partner but ended up just staying in?

Quote by paddlingincognito
Cutting your lawn? In February?

He is a Brit. They have weird weather over there. 😁 We are hitting a warm spell (6C/42F by mid-week) but with the amount of snow we have on the ground, I will be be happy if I see grass. But we are getting some rain, too, so probably will get there by next weekend.

Luge scares the eff out of me. I mean, it is arguably less scary than some of the tricks in freestyle skiing but there is a sense of control that skiers seem to have that's lacking in luge or skeleton. They just seem to be blasting through those tracks with little or no control. Even bobsled has at least some sense of being in control.

I visited Lake Placid, site of the 1984 Winter Olympics, in 2017 or thereabouts. The sled track is still there and used for training so I actually got to see some runs live.

Wow. This has to be the quietest bar on the planet.

Well, maybe the smell of coffee will bring in some life. I have washed up old Bertha and refilled her with some dark roast Nicaraguan coffee. For teas, there's Yorkshire Gold and Russian Caravan. Kettle is filled for hot chocolate and other fine teas. And it's a bar, so our usual selection of booze is available. So whatcha drinkin'.

I just got a news alert that Canada's mogul master Mikael Kingsbury landed the gold in men's dual moguls. That's his fifth career Olympic medal and second one of this games after a silver in a tight finish in individual. It is also the first gold for Canada in these games.

Dark Tranquillity

None really. Given Chinese New Year's is also looming on Tuesday and my wife is Chinese, we will probably go out for a dinner to mark both tomorrow or Monday.

What car would you drive if money was not a concern?

No. I don't go to strip clubs (and I hear from those who do that the pickings are slim around here).

HYE regretted a tattoo or piercing?

I have not?

HYE changed your car's oil or some other minor maintenance yourself?

Alphaville

Xandria

Visions of Atlantis

No, but I am sure wife has been tempted at times.🤪

HYE broken up with someone and then got back together shortly after?

Quote by techgoddess
It actually got warm enough to swim here today!

Sigh. It actually got warm enough to...well...take my gloves off for a few minutes without my fingers turning blue and falling off. Warmer winter but still winter without a doubt.

Good evening. Congratulations USA people. Your women's hockey team smoked us 5-0. Which is a pretty good sign your ladies are heading for the center podium spot given we are the two top teams in the women's game.

Water-based

Wood fireplace or gas?

No but it is on my bucket list.

HYE traveled on a private aircraft?