Don’t laugh too hard. I’ve been wallowing in despair and stress for a year, and it’s not good for me, so I thought I’d try to force myself to say good things about my self. Think Stuart Smalley, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me,” except I don’t go so far as to claim people like me — I’ve got to be realistic in my affirmations.
Anyway, I had to spend some time in some tedious light microscope work, so I just started babbling at the camera while poking at baby spiders with a paintbrush and forceps.
That describes me pretty well. 8-)
I think we all need something to drag us out of the negativity these days. I know I certainly do. I’ve lost friends over it recently, among other indiscretions.
And I’m aware that one is bound by the conventions of politeness and humility to affirm that nobody likes them, but we do, PZ. We do. In my case you provide a valuable service in convincing me that not all Americans are Trump-style awful people, and there is at least a measure of sanity left across the pond.
I like you. I agree with you on so many things. I enjoy your spiders and other activities.
One way to endure the horror is to listen to stand-up people giving their angle. Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah and other TV hosts are very good at it.
And in Britain satire sites like Newsthump and The Daily Mash deliver their take on awful people doing awful things.
“Humankind again hit ‘snooze’ button on climate change alarm.”
(Spitting Image is no longer vulgar or crass enough to keep up with the insanity of BoJo Britain. By contrast, the vomiting, farting and murdering denizens of South Park keep up with America, just barely).
I like you, PZ. Don’t think for a second you are not loved.
I like you, PZ!
I come to this site every day for my little dose of sanity.
I don’t know you personally, PZ, so I can’t say I like you but I think I would. Of course, you might not like me as I can apparently be egregiously annoying.
I do like your blog posts and most of the people who join the conversation (with a few exceptions).
Incidentally, when my partner was in the room a bit ago she noticed me looking up at a corner of the room and asked what I was looking at. I pointed out a couple of spiders, and noted that there are spiders in almost every corner of the room. She called them “pets”…she’s always into pets…then told me that in some cultures spiders are considered good luck. You’ll be pleased to know (I think) that we have a lot of good luck in this house.
Also incidentally, it actually rained here for a few minutes this morning. Very odd to get rain this time of year. The end times are truly near.