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How about a Sierra meet-up in Australia? Oh, wait, I forgot -- I live in the @r$e-end of the world, don't I.

We could do a re-enactment of King Graham's trek through the desert in KQ5. Go out to the Northern Territory, go to the desert, and find scorpions!

Now I wonder why there aren't any Sierra games set in Australia. We have plenty of monsters to slay. Scorpions, snakes, giant land-walking sharks, giant spiders, feral prime ministers, and these lovely fellows...



Come to Australia, you might accidentally have a good time

LOL Rath!

I would looooooooveeeee to see Australia! I wonder what Almirena is up to these days...

Before I get to Ireland, I need to take more solo trips within the US (and eventually Alaska/Hawaii) to lessen my mom's fear. I need to ease her into it. I drove to Joshua Tree from Colorado by myself and back last year and purposely didn't tell her until after I got back because I knew she'd flip out!! So yeah

But first, covid needs to staaahhppp and people need to wear their freakin masks

Heh. To be honest, most spiders in Australia are harmless. Some are scary-looking, but harmless. If you stay in any major cities (around the coast), you won't find any spiders -- or snakes, for that matter. Besides, most hospitals are fully stocked with anti-venom. There hasn't been a single spider-related fatality for nearly 70 years now. In Australia, you're more likely to be attacked by a horse, a cow, or a dog, than by a snake or spider.

Koalas don't attack people, and there are no such things as drop bears. Kangaroos do attack cars, but only rarely and only by accident (e.g. boinging across an isolated country road etc.)

Why confine yourself to the US? I took just two trips within Australia -- one to Sydney and one to Tasmania -- before embarking on my first tour abroad, about 5 years ago. (I say "my first", but I mean "my first by myself"). I went to visit England for two weeks and had a *fabulous* time. But, yeah -- moms worry. After I got through customs, the first thing I did was get a new SIM card, change it in my phone, then send my mom a text message to say "I'm OK!"

As for COVID and people wearing their freakin masks ... you're not wrong. Down in my part of Australia, we've been under lockdown since March, and just opened up again a week ago. There are masks everywhere you look, and people keep their distance -- but the good news? Even during the worst times, my city didn't have more than about 600-700 cases per day. At worst.

Why? Because, most of the time, people listened to the health experts and followed the rules. COVID is not a joke. It's not even a single virus or a single illness -- it's happened before, but the virus mutated into a new and more deadly form, which is what we're seeing now.

Throughout the epidemic so far, we've seen about 800-900 deaths -- mostly old people, but also people of all ages from teens to 60-somethings. Of course, that pales in comparison to what's happening in the USA ... I've heard America's had hundreds of thousands of deaths. Here's hoping people will listen to the experts and stop making up their own "rules".

Why are people doubting or mocking the scientists and healthcare experts? It makes no sense to me. If my toilet had a blockage, and the plumber told me why, would I say "No, 'cos google told me otherwise?" If there was a fire, and the firemen were fighting it, would I tell them to stop 'cos Twitter or Facebook said so?

Scientists and health workers work incredibly hard, and deserve our respect. Sure, they sometimes get things wrong. But they're not wrong in this. I've worked in hospitals for over a decade, and I've seen how hard doctors and nurses and everyone else works. Kudos to our healthcare workers!

Sorry, I know I'm preaching to the choir. *blush* I just think it needs to be said.

Jules wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:24 pm I would looooooooveeeee to see Australia! I wonder what Almirena is up to these days...

Ditto. Australia has been somewhere I've wanted to visit for a long time.

Jules wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:24 pm Before I get to Ireland, I need to take more solo trips within the US (and eventually Alaska/Hawaii) to lessen my mom's fear. I need to ease her into it. I drove to Joshua Tree from Colorado by myself and back last year and purposely didn't tell her until after I got back because I knew she'd flip out!! So yeah

I am ready to go back to visit Alaska, and I am sure Amiee is ready to go back to Hawaii - so Amiee and I will gladly go with you. #InvitingOurSelves

And as for places to visit in the US... I heard San Diego is great!

Hmm. If you do come down to Australia -- please don't say any of these things (from weekendnotes.com). These are actual things that tourists have asked about Australia.

But some Aussies are not much better (from traveller.com.au). These are seriously, embarrassingly dumb.

But whatever I say overseas, it will definitely not be "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi!"

I don't mind running into animals or insects of any kind

Unfortunately, we're very restricted to where we can travel to right now. Mexico is open but I'm happy to stay in the states for a while. Covid is on the rise again and luckily people in my town are courteous but there are a few people who refuse to wear them - including two pregnant women I saw on two different trips to the grocery store. This is a recent thought and observation of mine, but the people who refuse to wear masks have an air of pompousness and arrogance to them. The way they walk, the way they address people, they way they present themselves. It's soooo obvious. It's really testing my calmness to keep my thoughts to myself!

My personal belief is that the people who refuse to wear masks and socially distance are those who are happy with the comforts of their own lives, donning a "not my problem" attitude. They have no reason to meander away from their lives to recognize storm around them. And when they are forced to see that it's not going away, they rebel and take it as an "attack" on their comfort zones. Because anything different than what they're familiar with equals fear. They'll belittle the virus and people taking precaution, just like any new idea that isn't the norm. These types of mindsets feel like they're being uprooted from their lifelong way of living. And it's funny because some of them have begun to use the phrase, "My Face, My Choice" to not wear a mask, mimicking the "My Choice, My Body" mantra but don't realize they sound incredibly hypocritical and outright dumb.

We are preaching to the choir but it's nice to know and be around (even on the internet) like minded people. I can't really talk to my boyfriend about any of these things because he "doesn't want to talk politics" and he just shuts down. It's frustrating sometimes because I view it more as a humanity issue.

Haha Tawm, I would LOVE for y'all to invite yourselves to Hawaii with me! I am serious! How is Amiee doing btw?

San Diego hasn't moved from my list, Tawm!!

Rath, good thing I haven't had the urge to ask *any* of those questions so I think I'll be good lol! My vaycays usually revolve around camping, hiking, beautiful views, and pretty meditation spots. Ommmm.... ^_^

An afterthought:

So my boyfriend "grew up Catholic", meaning he left as soon as he could, but the majority of his fam are Trump supporters. They all live in south Louisiana. His sister, who is in her mid 20s, is very Baptist (the kind who lets everyone know on social media her anniversary, switching from Catholicism to Baptism, every single year), posted on insta to "vote for Jesus". Ugh sorry I'm totally judgy right now but come on! Jesus will always be there whenever but vote for something that may NOT be there... like our old growth forests, our ocean levels, and rebuilding our ecosystems!!

I add this to help understand why people still voted for Trump. Because they vote with their dogmatic religion instead of a holistic view of everyone involved. Just their immediate space. It's sooooo frustrating

Jules wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:09 pm My personal belief is that the people who refuse to wear masks and socially distance are those who are happy with the comforts of their own lives, donning a "not my problem" attitude. They have no reason to meander away from their lives to recognize storm around them. And when they are forced to see that it's not going away, they rebel and take it as an "attack" on their comfort zones. Because anything different than what they're familiar with equals fear. They'll belittle the virus and people taking precaution, just like any new idea that isn't the norm. These types of mindsets feel like they're being uprooted from their lifelong way of living. And it's funny because some of them have begun to use the phrase, "My Face, My Choice" to not wear a mask, mimicking the "My Choice, My Body" mantra but don't realize they sound incredibly hypocritical and outright dumb.

Well ... there's always the revenge fantasy about spraying them with anti-septic. "My face, my choice. Jerk." But I definitely don't recommend doing this! Nor do I recommend the pretend-accidentally-on-purpose-sneeze on them. "Whoops! It was an accident, I swear!"

Yes, the rebel "don't tread on me" attitude makes no sense to me. A virus doesn't care if you rebel or not. I'm not sure what to do about these entitled brats except keep well away, so I don't get infected by "da stoopid".

Jules wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:09 pmWe are preaching to the choir but it's nice to know and be around (even on the internet) like minded people. I can't really talk to my boyfriend about any of these things because he "doesn't want to talk politics" and he just shuts down. It's frustrating sometimes because I view it more as a humanity issue.

Hmph. I agree with you -- it's a health issue, not a political issue. Why does everything have to be politicized? Politics poisons everything. Just because Trump says "COVID's not serious" and Biden says "Uh, yes it is", it doesn't follow that if you agree with Biden, you're a bleeding-heart liberal so-and-so. I've seen the same thing here in Australia -- the people who stage demonstrations and shout stuff. For instance:

"WHY DO YOU HATE OUR COUNTRY AND WANT TO SHUT IT DOWN?!?"

"Er, I never said that. Wearing a mask isn't--"

"YOU CAN'T GIVE INTO FEAR!! DA MAN TAKE AWAY OUR HUMAN RIGHTS!!!"

"Wait, what? They're just trying to stop you from getting sick--"

"FIGHT DA POWA!!!"

...and so on. I saw the same sort of thing after the Iraq War started; it was the same here in Australia, too. "Wait, wait, wait. So if I doubt the word of our Prime Minister, prod into his motives, and think for myself--"

"THEN THE TERRORISTS HAVE WON!!! GLARB!"

Jules wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:09 pmRath, good thing I haven't had the urge to ask *any* of those questions so I think I'll be good lol! My vaycays usually revolve around camping, hiking, beautiful views, and pretty meditation spots. Ommmm.... ^_^

Sounds good. *thumbs up* I don't often go camping or hiking, because the mosquitoes eat me alive.

Speaking of which ...

Omg that comic!

People do what they want to do ...and then face karma ¯\_(o_o)_/¯

Jules wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:18 pm Omg that comic!

People do what they want to do ...and then face karma ¯\_(o_o)_/¯

That's right. Modern democracies (including the USA) cherish freedom, but freedom is not complete without the freedom to take the consequences for your actions. Indeed, it is that freedom upon which all other freedoms are based. Without it, democracy becomes chaos - or worse, tyranny. "I can do anything I want because I'll never get my comeuppance! D'you hear me? NEVER!"

"Oh yeah?" *Bang! Bang!* "You're dead. And I'll never get my comeuppance!"

........and then someone steps in, just to stop people getting shot for being jerks.