Time for a Happy Thread

[wh..sh]

awww... that's great new Sav and Misa! My BEST friend is sporting a cute, little baby bump. Its adorable and is so exciting.

[Drawingablank]

Hear that? Open season on M.A.! Merry congratulations!

I managed to coax my sweetie to join me and my sister for 4th of July fireworks. We had a great time.

Damn! And I am not going this year.


Oh oh, I think the wife saw be type that, and she's holding a frying pan!

[Fufa]

I finally finished my first painting!

I feel so accomplished!

[Elorrum]

That's really neat, Fufa! I like all the bolted panels, and the lights coming out the portholes/windows, nice details.

[Fufa]

Thanks.

I was going for a sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk look, much like Howl's Moving Castle (below), but I'm not used to this medium so I had trouble with fine lines and small details.

[theCryptofishist]

I really should watch that some day. I love the book.

[maryanimal]

Tonight, I went to see Ringo Starr and his All Starr band tonight, and it was so freaking awesome! AND I went by myself and had a grand time! I wanted to post the video I took from my camera but for some reason there's no sound.

However, I havent had this good of a time in ages! I'll have to try and do more of this! Wheeee

[Fufa]

I really should watch that some day. I love the book.

Awesome awesome movie. I've watched it at least 20 times, and have nearly memorized every word.

[knowmad]

Tonight, I went to see Ringo Starr and his All Starr band tonight, and it was so freaking awesome! AND I went by myself and had a grand time! I wanted to post the video I took from my camera but for some reason there's no sound.

However, I havent had this good of a time in ages! I'll have to try and do more of this! Wheeee

Yeahy! Taking ones self out on a date is an awesome way to be empowered.

Real nice Fulfa! the wold needs more creations and creators!

[tattoogoddess]

speaking of paintings. I saw this one today. It made me smile
Ps yours is awesome!!!
I call it- Burning Man 2.5

[catinthefunnyhat]

Oh, I am doing the happiest of happy dances right now!!

For the last year and a half, I have not drunk red wine or eaten aged cheeses. As a woman whose dream would be to live entirely on barolo and old cheddar, I have found this rather sad-making. But now, thanks to the magic of science, I may be able to drink my beloved reds again!

My problem, specifically, is an intolerance to high-histamine foods due (probably) to a deficiency in the enzyme that breaks histamine down. Either of these foods, even in moderation, gives me a horrible itchy rash on my hands which can last for days. Others -- particularly those on MAO inhibitors have a problem with the same foods due to the tyramine in them (Clive had a thread about trying to figure out a low-tyramine diet for Burning Man). In red wine, these two amines are the byproduct of the secondary fermentation. Appparently, about 1/3 of people can't drink red wine due to one of these problems.

Now, scientists at the University of British Columbia have genetically engineered a yeast that can do the primary and secondary fermentations in a single go, without the production of amines as a byproduct. This means there may someday be red wines on the market that people like me and Clive can get. Now, they might taste different from old-school wines, possibly not as good. And people who like the histamine flush from reds might find them unsatisfying. Then there are the issues around GMOs, which will put a lot of people off. But I'm just excited at the possibility of drinking reds again! I'm willing to lower my standards and compromise my principles for red wine!

http://www.thestar.com/living/article/1226956--wine-lovers-rejoice-new-yeast-could-end-allergic-reactions
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/66269--wine-headaches-that-glass-of-cabernet-at-lunch-may-hurt

[Ugly Dougly]

Sheesh, I can't imagine living with that kind of sensitivity, thank dog.

So are there going to be new varietals? Pinot-amine? Something like that?
It's great to see people developing things like this, good on you, Cat!

(The sensitivity is probably due to the fact that we evolved through the stone age without fermented cheese and wine for thousands of years.)

[knowmad]

Yeay For Wine! Hooray for Cat! Hooray for Cheese!

I am dancing with my bunny ears on. and will wear them all day in public, Hell might even wear them all the way to Reno!
I'm going to join up with the Burn Wall Street Crew!
*WHOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!*
going to be a cazy 48hrs.
Prolly should have gotten the sleep. But was too keyed up and spent the whole night writing a proposal.

anyone with any good airline deals in mind let me know.
Shit I gota go get a new ID!

*bouncsybouncybouncybouncy*
Breathe
*bouncsybouncybouncybouncy*

[wh..sh]

Yeay For Wine! Hooray for Cat! Hooray for Cheese!

I am dancing with my bunny ears on. and will wear them all day in public, Hell might even wear them all the way to Reno!
I'm going to join up with the Burn Wall Street Crew!
*WHOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!*
going to be a cazy 48hrs.
Prolly should have gotten the sleep. But was too keyed up and spent the whole night writing a proposal.

anyone with any good airline deals in mind let me know.
Shit I gota go get a new ID!

*bouncsybouncybouncybouncy*
Breathe
*bouncsybouncybouncybouncy*

Holy fuck!!! *whooooohooooooo* I am so excited for you, Knowmad!

hey, maybe someone has free southwest flight ticket to get to you to Reno? How cool will that be!! I will ask around. Where are you flying from? Also, what dates are you looking at?

[catinthefunnyhat]

Thanks ((UD)) and ((knowmad)), and....

YAY, KNOWMAD!!
I'm thrilled that you get to get dusty and flip a big ol' birdie to your boss! That must've been a great proposal. Congratulations!!!

I think this qualifies as a "Dusty Happy End"

[wh..sh]

hey Cat! So, there is more than one ways to get you drunk. Thats always a happy news

[Savannah]

I'm happy for you, Cat! I occasionally have the same problem with red wines, but it has been weirdly inconsistent and only noticeable for the last year or so. I think it may be worse when overall allergens are especially in evidence (Spring and Fall) and I believe I can stave it off somewhat with the use of anti-histamines.

Last night I had a glass and a half of a really tasty Cabernet and not a thing happened.

That reminds me. You all need to see this immediately.

[catinthefunnyhat]

Thanks Sav, wh..sh. I have pondered taking antihistamines with my red wine, but I find myself taking them so often anyways, I'm not sure I want to be giving myself a reason to have to take them more. My partner thinks I'm crazy; maybe he's right.

On an unrelated note to the previous happiness, here's the video of the astronaut interview I did. This video doesn't make me particularly happy*, but since I posted about the astronaut in this thread, I figured I should post the video here, too.





*Things I'm not happy with, here:
They misspelled my name. It's Macdonald, not MacDonald.
I'm kind of.... creepy looking?
The nods were filmed separately and spliced in. I did not choose which nod went where. The smug nod did not reflect my sentiments as I was listening to Dr. Garneau.
My lisp drives me crazy.

[Savannah]

That interview is super cool! You look like one of my best friends (my dear campmate from 2008 and 2009).

I honestly would not have noticed your lisp if you hadn't pointed it out. Well, lots of folks have one. David Sedaris does, and he's all over radio. Everybody just loves him.

. . . My speech is over-enunciated (to my own ears) & my laugh is huge (verified). The laugh is my mother's; there's nothing I can do.

[maryanimal]

Yeay For Wine! Hooray for Cat! Hooray for Cheese!

I am dancing with my bunny ears on. and will wear them all day in public, Hell might even wear them all the way to Reno!
I'm going to join up with the Burn Wall Street Crew!
*WHOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!*
going to be a cazy 48hrs.
Prolly should have gotten the sleep. But was too keyed up and spent the whole night writing a proposal.

anyone with any good airline deals in mind let me know.
Shit I gota go get a new ID!

*bouncsybouncybouncybouncy*
Breathe
*bouncsybouncybouncybouncy*

I'm sooooo HAPPY for you knowmad! Wear your ears proudly my friend. You've earned that right! Will you need a round trip ticket?
*hugging you tight* yay!

[wh..sh]

On an unrelated note to the previous happiness, here's the video of the astronaut interview I did. This video doesn't make me particularly happy*, but since I posted about the astronaut in this thread, I figured I should post the video here, too.

You look super cute in the video. Especially at 2.24 into the video and you make that "yeah, whatever" expression! I burst out laughing.
And lisp? what lisp?

my laugh is huge (verified). The laugh is my mother's; there's nothing I can do.

At least you know its your mother's laugh.
The other day, while I was laughing, my mother said to my dad "wonder whos laugh she has..."
I thought of all the times when my sister made fun of me that I was adopted

[catinthefunnyhat]

Aw, thanks (((wh..sh))) and (((Savannah))). Huge laughs are awesome, by the way.

And that "PFFFT, yeah, whatever" expression was the part I found particularly creepy. It was recorded a month after the interview proper. I actually had to go in and record some nods they could splice into the vid, because Dr. Garneau's answers were overlong for television (audio is so much more honest a medium). Turns out, I'm not much of an actress. I think that was supposed to be a thoughtfully-agreeing nod. Instead it looked smug and condescending. Sigh... well, whatever. I'm glad you two enjoyed the video, and I'm even more glad that I don't have to rely on my acting skills to pay the rent!

[CaffeineGirl]

Knowmad, if you are really flexible for your dates and times, Southwest currently has fares SEA/RNO RT for as low as about $118. Not going to find much cheaper than that.

[OregonRed]

I'm flying in to Burbank, CA today, to see The CO for our tenth wedding anniversary!

My Conclave made it to the Great Circle!

TODAY IS FULL OF WIN!!!!!!!

[ygmir]

so happy for you O.R.!!

[Savannah]

Congratulations, OregonRed!

[catinthefunnyhat]

OR!!!

Congratulations on the big circle and the big anniversary! Lots of win, indeed. Well-deserved win!

[knowmad]

BouncyBouncyBouncy
Yeahy!
Congrats ORed!
Bouncybouncybouncy
Yeahy!

[maryanimal]

YAY OR!!! Have a wonderful anniversary!

[theCryptofishist]

Yes! Back up chair has been fixed! All I have to do is get the gizmo on the bottom and then I'll have a separate Burningman Chair so I wont have to stress my daily and work chair!