BoloOfEarth

So... they're looking for a steady supply of manure... THIS is a job that Congress can help with!

When I get tired of the Mariah Carey version of "All I Want for Christmas," I cleanse the palate with the Google Translates version.

My condolences. It's always hard to lose a family member, no matter the connection by blood, legality, or by choice. Though your telling of the event, and your description of Patrick, makes me wonder if it went in a way that Patrick would have enjoyed seeing. I was reminded of a story I read from Robert Fulghum. As a pastor fresh out of seminary, he participated in the scattering of a parishioner's ashes from an airplane, along with the widow and a hired pilot. To paraphrase Mr. Fulghum, "The pilot assumed I knew what I was doing. The widow assumed I knew what I was doing. And I was *certain* I knew what I was doing... Over the middle of the bay, the pilot held the door open and I took the lid off the urn and poured the ashes out the door. The slipstream poured the ashes right back in the door. Covering the widow, the pilot, and me... After landing and vacuuming up the deceased - it is very important to put a clean bag into the vacuum cleaner, which you may forget in your haste - the widow walked away carrying the vacuum cleaner bag, saying, 'This will be... funny... someday...'"

I heard once, long ago (like, back in the 1970s) that a group of Texans proposed building a wall around the state to keep the "riff-raff" out. They stopped when they learned that most of the donations were come from adjoining states. Maybe it was just a joke, but it's too amusing and fitting to not try passing it off as a true story.

I've always told my daughters that, if you haven't grown up by age 30, you don't have to.

Fixed that for you. (sorry, had to break into Weird Al's "Party in the CIA") Their new tie clips shoot out laser beams, and their shoes double as cell phones. NT: Gifts you wish *weren't* inappropriate to give to your in-laws.

You are forgiven. I'm looking forward to the finale of this.

I liked my dad's solution. He decided 50 was old enough, so after reaching that he started counting back down. He lived to the ripe old age of 2. And I'm 43 going on 42. Hippo birdy two ewe, Log Man.

If it lays an egg, it will fall down the back of the television set. Unless it's a male. It looks fairly butch. NT: What crazy books is the guy looking for in your bookstore? (Other than "Thirty Days in the Samarkand Desert with the Duchess of Kent" by A.E.J. Elliott, OBE)

Are you calling Logan that, or Hermit?

Is that what's causing anti-vaxxers to see and hear (and believe) such weird crap?

And my nomination for best line: "And it folded more dramatically than a European Soccer player faking an injury. " Though "'I HAVE BEEN, AND ALWAYS BE... A BETTER ACTOR THAN YOU'" is a close second. I'm glad that Viewpoint and Slime got a little time in the spotlight. While I know it's important to show how the rookies have progressed and grown, that shouldn't relegate the others to the basement. Nice balancing act, IMO. Edit to add: Though I'm sure Lawnmower Boy would say that it needs 50% more Pogo.

I'll echo Eel. Woot! GO WHALE GUY! Love the Mind Link. I'm glad Aspirant has that ability. It allows for things to happen for one or two characters without completely ignoring everybody else. Well done.

I agree, nice speech. And loved "China adjacent." One minor thing - he effectively checked if all the rookies were in before giving his speech... except Trailblazer. (Though she did nod after his speech.) Well, to be fair, the only one he actually asked was Hussar; Bramble insisted and Aspirant volunteered that he was in. And Hermit, did it hurt when Slime poked you through the fourth wall like that?

Well... who ya gonna call?

You forgot to cross out "probably".

kits

Snits

"Hermit steps up to the plate. He's looking a bit tired, to tell the truth, but he still has a game look in his eyes. He hefts the bat, takes a few practice swings, then gets set for the pitch. This pitcher is known for his curve balls, and it looks like that's what's coming Hermit's way, and..." (crack!) "Hermit connects! What a swing! That ball is going, it's going... it's gone! IT'S OUTTA HERE!" In other words, nicely done.

Darn, I wasn't fast enough. snots

Now you're just daring me to replace the "t" with another letter earlier in the alphabet, aren't you? Okay, fine, I'll do it. Books.

Pets

Flash. (Ah-aaah... savior of the universe!)

Float

You have: "Thanks," Mayo spoke rather than thought it -- And I think that should be Aspirant. I have to say, I'm surprised Valerosa sent Aspirant by himself. I mean, I know he'd be the only one to go into the bar, but I'd expect one of the others to be hanging around nearby (maybe Viewpoint or Pogo keeping watch from a distance, ready if he should signal over the comms?) I figured they'd still be under the "no solo acts" rule. I'd suggest adding a mention, maybe when Eel asks if they're the only ones there, that [other hero] is nearby but not close enough to overhear. Other that those bits, nothing of concern that I saw. But if someone else noticed anything, feel free to chime in.