A few years ago, every Christmas, a friend of mine got me a pair of underwear. One year, it was Superman undies, the next, Marvin The Martian, and another year, she got me Scooby Doo undies. I couldn't really wear them cause they were too small. Well, when I was rooting around in the underwear drawer, I found them, and tried them on. And they fit! And in addition, several years ago, when in Old Navy, I bought a Joe Boxer t-shirt, it was too small at the time, but now, I can wear it as well. And there was a shirt that had my work's logo on it that work gave me several years back, but it too was too small then. Just last week, I wore it to work for the first time.
It's pretty nifty losing weight.
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Torchwood: Miracle Day. Thanks to FDot, I'm getting to watch it now. I'm only on the third episode, but so far, it's not too bad. Too much gunfire and too many car chases, but then that's the influence of American tv ways of doing things. The story, it's taking it's time getting whereever the hell it's going, but I'm okay with the pace. And of course, there's eye candy: Danny on the plane, the bartender in the Golden Gopher, Noah, the cute black gay guy working in the CIA with Esther. And of course there's the shirtless Mekhi Phifer scenes. I DO like how Torchwood always has the best eye candy.
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Glee's been better so far this season than all of last season. Granted, there's only been a few episodes so far, so there's still plenty of time for them to fuck it all up. But so far I've liked the characterizations, and how the songs have blended in seamlessly with the storylines. Thank God it's no more of "Hey, here's you theme for the week" "Oh, Mr. Shue, I've got a song about it I want to sing." Blech.
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Totally forgot today was Columbus Day, until i took the coins I had wrapped up, $41 worth of them, to the Credit Union this morning, and found the place closed for the holiday. At least I remembered before I went to check the mail, which, incidently, in past years, I have done. And then, it was only once I got online that I saw it was Thanksgiving in Canada today. So, um, yeah, Happy Columbus Day or Happy Thanksgiving, whichever's appropriate.
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Thinking about maybe getting some Halloween decorations for outside the house. But, as I live on a busy street, with an alley running literally right up against my house, I'm not sure that anything I put out wouldn't get stolen or broken. I have had planters with flowers in them on the porch all summer, and there's been no issue with them. But I'm afraid a jack o'lantern might just end up smashed in the alley, or against the house itself. I'll have to think about it a bit. Also thinking about putting a few Christmas decorations out this year, other than just wreaths on the door. But we'll see.
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And of course, I need to have the always obligatory Bits-N-Pieces Eye Candy:
We all know this is a bad storm that's burying us under all this snow, but just how bad IS it? I just found out a short while ago that today, the county closed. I've worked for them for 14 years, and for 3 years before that as a contractor, and I've never heard of the county closing, although they may have done so back in '96 when we got 33 inches in one storm.
However, I just found out the county has decided to remain closed tomorrow! That's two days in a row! That's entirely unheard of!!!
And since I'm non-essential personnel, that means I've got two snow days off! Suh-WEET!
And thank you, Laura, for informing me of both these things.
POLT Listening to "Our Time Is Running Out" by Muse
Can I get some Botox for my face so I don't look surprised when Bush blows up the world? - MadTV
At work today, I was involved in quite a bit of gambling.
I joined an NFL playoffs pool. There are only 12 people, and each of us put in $25, then we each pull out a name. Whoever has both the teams that reach the Super Bowl each get $75, and whichever of those holds the winner, gets the remaining $125. Course, the whole thing is chance, luck of the draw. And which team did I get? The NYJets. Whoop. Pee. I can kiss that $25 goodbye.
Also, I'm still in the NFL loser's pool, there's only 8 of us left out of the original 43. But now that we're in the playoffs, we have to pick TWO losers this weekend to lose. And there's only 4 games. And they're all good teams playing. So that makes this THAT much more difficult. I'll not tell you which teams I picked, cause I don't want to jinx myself. This game only cost $10 to get in, so thats $430 payout to the winner or winners (if the last two or three decide to split it). And there's some skill, not total chance, involved, so that makes me feel a little better. I've already managed to last 8 weeks and outlast 35 other players, so I'm hopeful.
Also, today, I joined in the Biggest Loser at work (which I believe I've mentioned before). I weighed in at 260, and will pay my ten bucks tomorrow when the neutral coworker, who's not playing but holding our money, returns. And there are 8 of us total playing. I don't really think I have a shot in hell of winning, cause other guys are going on diets and making all these exercise plans and such. And I'm pretty lazy and unmotivated and all. But we'll see.
So that's 45 dollars (and in addition, the $10 I put up to join the NFL winner's pool that I picked wrong in and lost) I've invested in the gambling at work. I'm gonna need to win one of these things just to break even!
POLT Listening to "Girls On Film" by Duran Duran
The day I can't mutilate thirty radioactive teenagers is the day I hang up my coat for good. - The Midnighter, The Authority
It's been quite a while since I did a post about my weight (since June, as a matter of fact), but I think it's timeto continue that again. This past weekend, when I weighed myself at work, I was 263 lbs. When I started keeping track of this in February, I was 275, so that's a 12 pound loss in 8 months. Even more important, at the end of last August, I was 295, so now I'm 32 pounds lighter than that, which is great.
I still got a lot more weight to go, though. At least I'm not putting it back on.
POLT Listening to "To Be Free" by Oasis
Making sex is like eating Chinese, it ain't over until you both get your cookie. You remember I said that. - Outside Providence
After not being at work last Saturday (Gay Pride, remember? One must have one's priorities) and not being able to weigh myself, I was able to do so today. And As of this morning, I weighed 269, which is three pounds less than two weeks ago, but only 6 pounds since the middle of march. Not much of an improvement over the last four months, but it is nice to finally break the 270 barrier. I'm pretty certain I've not been below 270 in at least 10 years. Now, I just gotta STAY below it.
POLT Listening to "Ode To My Family" by The Cranberries
Someone very strange, with very little promise, has taken charge of the leadership of the great empire. - Fidel Castro, spring, 2001
Just simple stats this week: I lost three pounds, putting me at 270, 5 pounds lost since the contest started. Mark lost 12 pounds this week, putting him at 233, 29 total since the contest started.
POLT Listening to "Material Girl" by Madonna
Poverty is the worst kind of violence. - M. Ghandi
After taking a week off for my vacation, we now resume our weigh loss contest between Mark and I.
He inform me that he's down to 245, which means he lost 7 pounds these last two weeks....the bastard. I, on the other hand, despite walking all over Toronto until my knees bled, I am now 273, which means I put ON one pound in the last two weeks.
Ya know, I just realized, I lost my first twenty pounds easy, and now I seem to have plateaued. Mark, however, is still in that early (ie easy) stage or losing and has not plateaued yet. Just wait his time will come. By which time, hopefully, I will have gotten over the plateau and resumed losing.
But whatever happens, congrats Mark. Keep up the good work!
POLT Listening to "Human" by The Human League
Hector's liek tofu, he just adapts to whatever flavor is around. - Circuit
So, this week in our weight loss contest, we have the following results:
I stayed exactly the same at 272, no gain, no loss. And that means I'm still at a total loss of 3 pounds from when we started. I hope I haven't plateaued already.
Mark, due to overindulgance at a wedding reception (or so he claims) gained a pound going to 252, but that's still a net 10 pound loss for him. Gotta watch that wedding cake.
We might have to momentarily postpone the contest for one weekend, as next Saturday I'll be in Toronto (YAY!), and I'm not sure if I'll be able to find scales up there anywhere to weigh myself (boo!). Which I kind of a good thing, cause I plan on splurging a bit while there (yay!) But I get results, I'll get them posted.
POLT Listening to "At My Most Beautiful" by R.E.M.
Reality is merely and illusion, albeit a persistent one. - Albert Einstein
Okay, well this week, I have it on good authority that Mark is roaming around the wilds of rural Pennsylvania, looking for the town of Beaver. I thinkg it's near Intercourse, Paradise, or Fertility. Seriously! What, you think I could make up those town names?
I also have it on good authority that he's not taken his laptop with him. On purpose! Yeah, I don't get it either exactly...I mean, if you're gonna be lost in rural PA, why in God's name would you NOT want to have a laptop with you. But that's his cross to bear, not mine.
So i don't have any results for this week's weigh in for him...which is probably a good thing, cause i'm sure he's shedding weight like a St. Bernard sheds its fur, thus making me look bad. But I could be wrong.
Nonetheless, today I weighedt 272, which is 2 pounds less than las week, but only three pounds over all since we started. Not a lot, but as long as I can keep it off, that's the important thing.
Now, moving on to something else: I have several things i need to post about, but today, I had to get up before 7:00 to get to work and be there 8 hours, and then I spent 5 hours in a bookstore, eating dinner, sitting at a bar listening to a local band, and conversating with the CAPtiviating Goddess V, Miss Virginia. And while I'm not sure when the last time was that I had so much fun during an evening out with a woman, and only a woman, I am freaking beat like a bad dog. I'm falling asleep here on the keyboard, so I'm going to bed. I'll post more sometimes tomorrow.
Oh, and one other thing: Today, on the car radio, at three different times, I heard a Guns-N-Roses song. It's been months since I last heard any G-N-R. Which leads me to one of two conclusions: either it's a freaky coincidence, or Axl Rose died, perhaps overdosing on his own ego?
Anyway, sweet dreams...
UPDATE: Somewhere in his travels, Mark located not only a computer but Internet access, and emailed me that he weighed 251, which is a pound less than last week, but still 11 pounds over all.
POLT Listening to "Material Girl" by Madonna
I don't weigh too much, I'm still alive. - Homer, The Simpsons
With the weight loss I've had over the last 7 or so months, I've noticed my clothes, specifically my jeans, not fitting. And most of my belts are too big as well. I had been thinking of taking another trip to the 'fat man's store', which is what I've always called Casual Male XL.
Yesterday, I went to mom's for lunch, like I do nearly every Sunday. She got back from church, said Hi, and then said, "Let's go out to eat." And could I ever disappoint Mama Polt? So we got back into her car. She asked where I wanted to go, and I said I didn't know. Then she says, "You probably need new clothes, we should go to the big and tall in Gettysburg and then eat there." I looked at her and broke out laughing.
She and I do this all the time. And have for years. We'll be thinking about exactly the same thing at the same time. Yeah, I know, it could be coincidence...but it can't be when it happens as often as it does. Pretty eerie, that.
So anyways, we ate first and had a decent meal. Then we got to the fat man's store. I knew what my size had been, and when I shopped there before, I'd just grab that size off the rack and buy the things. But now, I had to actually try things on, to see if they fit. And I found that the pants dropped either two or four sizes (for those that don't know, men's pants come in even numbered waist sizes only...at least at the sizes I've used), depending on the particular pant. And the shirts that I used to wear were always a 4XL tall. I needed the talls to keep my shirt tail tucked in, but the 4XL was for my size. But the 4XL's I tried were simply too big. I had to go down to a 3XL tall. Which isn't a LARGE improvement, but it's the first time I can recall buying a smaller size in any clothing. I usually had to go a size higher.
And what a sweet feeling this new feeling was! Even if I never lose another pound, just buying these clothes gave me a proud feeling.
When I was done getting stuff Mama Polt said, "These will be your Easter presents and congratulations on your weight loss presents all in one." I tried to tell her she didn't have to do that. I tried to tell her I could pay for them myself. Honestly I really did. But when Mama Polt sets her mind to something like this, well, there's just no changing it. So she even paid for them.
So I snagged several sweet things: a pair of black jeans, black and khaki dressy-ish pants I can wear to work, a pair of tannish shorts, a black pullover shirt, a maroon t-shirt, a blue and white striped pullover shirt (the first horizontally striped shirt I probably bought in my life), a green button up, and a new belt. See for yourself!
And naturally, I couldn't resist a photo in the changing room.
(yes, those are grey socks I'm wearing, but they're my Totes Toasties, and they're thicker than regular socks and they keep my feet warm. And don't you judge me!)
All in all, a good day. But then nearly every day spent with Mama Polt is a good day.
POLT Listening to "20th Century Boy" by T. RexOil: 51.36 (-1.11); Gas: 1.98 (-.01)
A baby is not a fashion accesory. - Jeremy, Gutterboys
This week, in the ongoing weight loss contest between Mark and myself, we've got some pretty disparate results.
Marks weighs in at 252lbs, which is 7 pounds lighter than last week, and 10 pounds over all. Polt weighs in at 274 lbs, which is exactly the same as last week, and 1 pound over all.
I don't know if this weight loss contest was a good idea, cause it seems since starting it, I've plateaued. Maybe I've managed to 'find' all the weight Mark has lost?
Mark does say that he has basically been starving himself for two weeks, and he doesn't know how long he'll be able to continue doing that. I prefer to consider this contest a modern retelling of the "Tourtoise and The Hare" story. Meaning than, in September when it ends, I'll be coasting slowly but surely to the win while Mark.....um, I don't know, sits under a tree sleeping and letting all the junk food he's eaten digest? Maybe that wasn't such a great analogy after all.
Anyways, congrats to Mark! Keep up the good work, man. I'll catch you (maybe) one of these days.
POLT Listening to "Hands Held High" by Linkin Park
"What do we do?" "We gotta kill her. Susie's got to die." "Again?" - Tosh, Torchwood
So Mark won the first week, and is in the lead. But we'll see how long that lasts!
POLT Listening to "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors
I've found the later you get up in the day, the less often you'll lie to yourself about how unique and brillant and successful you're going to be. - Dave Dunseath
I haven't been posting much the last few days because I've been busy. So busy that I haven't even posted about it. I've been remiss in my blogging duties. In order to correct that, I give you now one large MEGA-post of my weekend:
1)Friday Night, March 20, 2009
After work, and checking on Mom I went over to the ParisPekings. We were going to eat, put the girls to bed, and then play a third, tie breaking game of Trivial Pursuit. Previously, the boys (Ghostie and A Local Celebrity, Mr. David ParisPeking) won one game, and the girls (Mrs. A Local Celebrity, Mr. David ParisPeking and I) won one game. This game would decide bragging rights.
VS.
We, the girls, we started out very strong. But then Baby Jackie woke up crying and by way of a feeding, she managed to suck all the mojo out of our team and we lost. It was, as Ghostie stated, Bros: 2, Hos: 1. *sigh* Who knew lactation could be so bad for a team's luck in a game? There were numerous photos taken during the game, which, since we lost, will not be shown (Screw you guys, if you want the photos you took to be shown, start your own freakin' blog!). I did, however take some other photos worth posting:
Yours Truly, holding Baby Jackie, prior to her becoming a good luck vampire and causing us to lose.
ALCMDPP and I had to go get the pizza and then get the sushi for the missus. he let me take the pizzas to his car while he went to the sushi place, and then I was to drive over and pick him up. only he has a fancy expensive car, which I felt quite intimidated to drive. But this is a photo of me behing the wheel of a big boy car...still parked in the lot, naturally.
This is the three Little ParisPekings during the meal: Baby Jackie, Katie and Abby.
Abby's showing me her purple fire truck, which I HAD to take a photo of, cause how often do you see a purple fire truck? Outside of my fantasies, of course.
Katie's showing me her...well, not purple firetruck. Not really sure what color it is. I'm not sure if she knows what color it is. hell, she's two. At least she stayed on the paper, ya know?
Baby Jackie post-leeching of our mojo.
Oh, also, Baby Jackie's taken to making fish faces randomly. I attempted to get a video of her doing so, then attempted to get her to say Mama. but it ended up with Baby Jackie just going into 3D mode.
(and yeah, the sound and the picture aren't in sync. Something happens when they get uploaded, they lose sync. I don't know.)
2a)Saturday, March 21, 2009
Firstly, after my repeated mentions of my weigh loss attempts, Mark (who is a frequent Puntabulous commentor, and a frequent comment here at the Palace, but who apparently has no blog of his own), challanged me to see which of us could lose the most weight. So, from now until sometime in September (the final date has not yet been decided), both he and I will list our weights here on Saturdays. And at the end of the time, one of us will be the winner. We haven't as yet decided if there's gonna be any prizes or anything, but we'll see.
This past week, I backslid. On Saturday I was 275, having gained two pounds back. But since the contest just started THIS weekend, it's no big thing. Mark said he was 262, and had a photo of the scales showing the weight. I wasn't imaginative to think of that, so I got nothing to show. Instead, I'll just put up Mark's photo for all to see. And it has been brung and it is now ON!
2b) Satruday Night, March 21, 2009
A few months ago, I created on Facebook, a group called Borders Exits. It's for any and all ex-employees of the Borders Bookstore in Hagerstown Maryland. I really thought I might get 6 or 7 people to join, it's now up to 30. Wow. Anyway, one of the ladies, Heather, who worked there from the opening until just last year (8 years in total), decided we should have a reunion. And since it was a Friday night tradition when I worked there to go to TGIFridays every night after closing, have a few beers, unwind, and bitch about work, Heather decided we should go there for the reunion. And thus plans were made.
I think she said around 12 people said they'd be there. 6 total showed up. But that just showed how awesomely cool those six of us were, and how much of losers everyone else was. (Well, not The Mightly Lee...he was intended to drive 5 hours to get here for it, but then came down with strep throat. So he can be excused for medical reasons)
Anyway, along with myself and Heather, there was Ghostie, my lil buddy Gilligan, and a lady we all called Mama (including me, even though she's only like two years older than me). I hadn't seen Mama for a few years, it was great to see her and catch up again. Also, I met a funtastic, funalicious, funariffic lady who I never had the pleasure of working with: Virginia! (time for icons!)
My GOD did we have fun! And Virginia and I are like old buddies now! She wore a purple shirt, as did I. We both, at the same time, started singing "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes! It's like we're the same person...except, well not. But still, I anticipate many many future fun occasions with Miss Virginia. And much to my surprise, I discovered that both Gilligan and Virginia are regular Palace visitors (shout outs to both of you!). And of course, I got some photos.
This would be Heather, Gilligan and Ghostie.
This is Virginia and Mama (and I was gonna 'photoshop the bad parts out' as someone suggested, but my crappy camera skills made the whole thing come out a bit blurry. Sorry).
And these two are of course of some cuties sitting at the next table. damn, that closer one looked extremely fine in the tight fitting turquoise shirt he was wearing!
Ah yes, Beer, Borders friends, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake, and Polt getting distracted by cute guys at other tables...it's just like any random Friday night when I worked at the bookstore!
3) Sunday, March 22, 2009
So in the late morning, I went to mom's. She unwrapped her knee and took the gauze off and then got a shwoer for the first time since Thursday. I sat in the living room and read the paper, but I insisted I be there when she got the first shower, cause I didn't want her to fall or something and not have someone there.
After this, I went to my friend's Bob and Don's house. Both of them, and their housemate Janet, and I had a great meal of pork roast, baked beans, and scalloped potates. I brought the dessert: mixed berry pie and ice cream. Oh and Pepsi too.
After this we talked quite a bit. Went to see their renovated guest house. Walked down to see the farm animals. Came back in the house and talked some more. Played a serious game of dominos (where they got 457 and 486 points, and I ended up getting 1042, which apparently was the most they had EVER seen anyone get. but hey, it was the first time I had ever played. And I AM a whore for notoriety). Talked some more. Went down to feed the animals. came back and talked some more. Yeah, a lot of talking, but I spent roughly eight hours there, so there was a lot of time to talk. And of course, I took photos:
This would be thier pack of dogs, clockwise from the lower left: Colby, Willow, Sam, Gracie, Beau, and Simba. Lady is somewhere off camera.
One of the two ducks who hissed at me. this one even had like a pompadour hairdo that he puffed up when he hissed at me. I tried to get a shot of that, but it didn't come out very well. But since I actually fed the animals by throwing a loaf of ripped up bread to them, i think maybe the ducks don't hate me anymore, and maybe won't hiss next time.
The peacock, one of the ducks, and part of the flock of guineas...stupid birds they are.
The white alpaca, named Winston. The black one, with the freaky white skull face design, is named Randall...which also happens to be Janet's ex-husband. I don't know if there's a connection there or not.
And my feet, surrounded by feathers, feed, hay, and goat, alpaca, guinea, rooster, chicken, peacock and baby goat shit. Lovely.
After my visit, I went back to mom's and hung out until she was ready to go to bed. This was gonna be her first night sleeping upstairs in her regular bed, and I did not want her going upstairs without someone there, so I followed her up, and she did fine. She even told me today, after I left, she had to back downstairs to get her toothbrush and then come back up on her own. *sigh*
4)Monday, March 23, 2009
Late this morning, I took mom to get her new glasses. Then we went to Wal-Mart so she could get a few things, returned the one set of crutches I had rented (she ended up being able to have insurance pay for apair, so she didn't need those) and then eat at Fuddruckers.
In Wal-Mart, she said she'd just use one of those scooter/cart thingees. We both knew this would be bad. First she gets in one, and can't figure out how to make it go. After about a minute, the greeter comes over to tell her that one's out of power, and she should try to other one. So she goes to the second one, gets it, hits go, and immediately rams her basket into the basket of the first scooter (the one with no power). So between her giggles, she finally gets the hang of moving forward...although whenever she stops, the whole thing jerks forward, throws her a bit into the handle and makes a 'screeching' noise. oh, I was cracking up.
It was only as we were heading towards the registers that she realized she didn't need to take her hand entirely off the go handle, she only needed to lighten the pressure and the thing stopped. But we both laughed about it.
I was walking alongside and got things off the shevles for her, but a few times, she had to get up and look at the stuff to decided which she wanted. The bacon, the eggs, even which particular brand of peach Jello she wanted. So there she goes, leaving the scooter behind, walking to the shelf, and carrying the crutch with her. Yeah, she wasn't having any pain on it, so she jsut carried the crutch. oh she used it to brace herself when she stood looking at the stuff, but that's it.
And the crutches...she first had it sticking out to the side, so that when she went by on the scooter, she'd be hitting people or knocking things off the shelves or what have you. Luckily, I caught that and changed it before she actually took off into the store. She had the crutch propped up, but, they fell over at the eye place...and at Fuddruckers. And when she got out of the car at home. They're actually more of a nuisance to her now than a help. And of course, I got just a few photos:
This is her on the sceond Scooter waving people by. They had come in the store and stopped to let her go first, but she waved them on laughing, sayin she didn't have the hang of it yet.
And this is her, with the crutch, rooting through the bacon to get "just the right pack".
And yes, I got a video as well, a short of her going through the store, stopping fast and even backing up.
We both laughed a lot at the beeping from the backing up thing. She said, "I sound like a big old fat dump truck or something backing up." It's always an adventure with Mama Polt.
And so, if any of you have hung on with me through all this, that pretty much was my weekend. Thanks for accompanying me on the trip.
POLT Listening to "Vogue" by MadonnaOil: 53.63 (+.87); gas: 1.89 (+.01)
Some days take less, but most days take more. - U2, Some Days Are Better Than Others
Just as an aside that I forgot to already mention earlier, this Saturday I weighed in at 273 pounds. Lost another pound this past week. Which was surprising to me cause Wednesday when I weighed myself, I was back up to 277. Hmm....guess all that matter in the end is what I weigh on Saturday, right?
POLT Listening to "Let Forever Be" by The Chemical Brothers
"All right, usual formation." "What's the usual formation?" "Varies." "How can the usual formation vary?" - Gwen, Torchwood
The "giving up snooze buttons for Lent" deal? It last exactly one day: last Sunday. On Monday, pffft, right like I'm dragging my fat ass outta bed at 8:30 in the morning on day I don't HAVE to go to work. 10:30 and three resets of the alarm, and I outta bed and ready to go.
On the upside, I wasn't late for work at all this week, and didn't use ANY leave. And while I know this might just be assumed for some people's work week, for me...eh, not so much. I'm pretty sure this is only the third week so far this year that I wasn't late/didn't use any leave. yeah, that's how I roll.
Speaking of fat asses, today, I weighed 274 lbs. This would only be 1 pound lighter than last week, but it's taken me 24 weeks to lose the inital 20 that I lost since August, so it may not seem like much (and really isn't, when taken alone), but when added to the others I hope to soon lose, well this is the way I'm gonna it.
POLT Listening to nothing, as I'm now going to bed
From that piece of tape, you can see just exactly how butt ugly I am. - Terry Bradshaw
THE PURPLE EYE OF POLT SEES ALL!!! Rantings, ravings, and writings from a gay liberal Democrat in one of the reddest parts of a blue state - come on in, sit down, prop yer feet up! Check the archives, vote in the blog poll, post yourself on my map, make yourself comfy - and stay a spell!
There’s one thing that my research has shown, and that’s across the world, throughout time and in every culture, every crisis imaginable, mums, mums will go and look for their kids. – Sarita Robinson, “Pompeii Out Of Time with Tom Hiddleston"
