Rambles and Revolts

For public libraries, one of the ways we secure funding year to year is lending. Governments don’t want to fund more books if they’re not being used and the way we measure use is by issues. Regardless of whether you read it or not, whether you have it for a day or a month, if you issue it to your library card, we get the stats! It makes the library look good!

I checked it out because it looked interesting, but then it didn't hold my attention.

I checked it out because I've been meaning to read more older works, but it ended up being a slog and was more frustrating than enjoyable.

I checked it out to practice my target language, but the translation is actually super wrong, so it didn't help much.

I checked it out for advice but ended up solving the problem before I had the chance to read the book.

I checked it out to read to my nibling, but farm animals are so last month, and they were bored of it.

I checked it out because I ordered a transfer from another library, and then someone gifted me that exact book, but like... I already ordered it.

I checked it out because I needed to look up one singular thing and couldn't care less for whatever else is in the book.

I checked it out because it's a really popular series, but then I got four pages in and realized I hated the entire writing style.

I check out any book I have even the most passing interest in. In fact, I never leave the library without at least one book, even if I'm likely not going to read it. I check out books for me, or to read to my niblings, or because the cover was neat. Fuck it, why not, you know?

You can't commit thought crimes. No one is going to know you didn't read the book, no one is going to care. If anyone asks, all you have to say is, "I didn't get around to it" or "It didn't hold my attention." No one is going to get mad at you, or judge you, least of all the librarians. You are not in school, the reading is not required, you are not being graded. No one is going to test you to prove you read it.

The reason I know this is because my family had hounds like beagles, bassets, coons, bloods, redbones, etc, and then when I met other dogs, I was amazed that they didn't (comparatively) have dog residue! Turns out, hound breeds naturally produce more sebum than other dogs!

Another fun fact, it's actually just like lanolin! Lanolin is also secreted from the sebaceous glands and is the sheep version of sebum. It has a similar chemical makeup to human sebum as well, but instead of fat (in human sebum) lanolin has a heavier wax content.

This is why we prize it above other types of sebaceous secretions commercially, because the wax creates a barrier much like petroleum jelly, but it is similar enough to our own sebum that it actively help moisturizes our skin as well. It is both occlusive and emollient!

We use it in medicinal topical creams, makeup products, moisturizers, and more! It's primary purpose, like all sebaceous secretions, is skin and hair health and protection, and waterproofing!

Learning about flyovers and pyrotechnics at American games being a thing

Non-americans discovering the size of American football stadiums....for high schools in texas. Also the size of our stadiums in general.

Going to baseball games as a side treat! Lmao.

Non-americans losing their minds over "like, 100 petrol pumps," at buc-ees.

Related: Americans often forget how huge target and Walmart is.

People discovering American BBQ

Non-americans being obsessed with mid American restaurant chains like Golden Corral and Taco Bell

A lot of them really did feel god in this chile's apparently

The rightful obsession with waffle house

New understanding of American Big Drink With Ice supremacy as summer creeps in

Begrudging acceptance of mandatory water breaks during games

Americans realizing we have a Team USA and we are not, in fact, just "hosting our friends" from around the world — mostly because we won our first match and our team is decent??? Not amazing but not the worst.

Side rant: us women's football team is legendary good and we should care about that more like. Hello???

Admitting Americans are right about air conditioning

Related: the english team did warm ups in Florida RIP, and also the there's a video of the French team just being like fuck the heat, fuck the sun, this is so hot...

Americans who do not normally care about international football but fucking love a sport and cheering so we're just hyping whatever team is nearby, like we see a party and just show up and learn the chant. Like sorry many of us don't know shit about soccer but if we see a bunch of people in viking helmets or kilts or holding a bunch of flags and cheering we're game.

TAILGATING!!!!

I already said this but American yellow school bus is an international celebrity

The Scottish drank Boston dry of beer apparently, like they quadrupled what Boston normally sells for fourth of July weekend. SAM ADAMS HAD TO GET AN EMERGENCY BEER DELIVERY.

Also the English team fans got kicked out of The Londoner pub in Dallas after drinking 5,000 beers and going over max capacity lmao

Free refill drinks, tortilla chips & salsa.

So many non-americans are going to be here for the 4th of July for our 250th anniversary which is going to be great and hilarious

Non-americans discovering ranch as a beloved condiment

Non-americans understanding American obsession with hamburger now

Japan's homebase is in Texas and the cultural differences are frankly great and also the Japanese fans are SO NICE and helped clean up the stadium after a match???

heart locket gif maker

minecraft advancement maker

minecraft logo font text generator w/assorted textures and pride flags

windows error message maker (win1.0-win11)

FromSoftware image macro generator (elden ring Noun Verbed text)

image to 3d effect gif

vaporwave image generator

microsoft wordart maker (REALLY annoying to use on mobile)

I'm talking about this

These little fuckers! Now these might be a bit big, BUT these little bastards come in a shit ton of sizes, including a so-small-I'd-shoot-myself-if-I-did-my-hair Which would be about the perfect size for your length!

Now, the reason I recommend these is because I have hair that's long enough to sit on, which may seem counter-productive here, but it DOES mean that it takes a stupid amount of product and heat (read: damage) to curl my hair and make that shit stay curled. These biggest risks for these are:

1. Curling too tight to the scalp and damaging the hair.

2. Taking the moisture out of your hair because they are literally sponges.

It would be about 300× easier for you than me. A (very!) little bit of curl gel or other product (or just dampen the hair a bit), wrap those fuckers as tight or loose as you want, pop a bonnet on, and leave them over night. Take them out in the morning, break them up a bit, apply whatever mousse or product you'd usually use, and voila!

I recommend no more tension than your average braid and to make sure you use a decent conditioner to retain moisture, especially on short hair, where more hair will be in direct contact with the sponge. But these, as much as I might be dating myself here, have gotten me through two proms, a homecoming, my high school graduation, two weddings, multiple dates, a few interviews, and just about every school and family picture I've ever had.

Sadly, these do require taking night showers and getting used to sleeping with them in, but if you're curling every day and worried about damage, these should do it! Make sure to buy a small size, likely a 5/8 inch or less, so that your hair will wrap fully around. If your hair is too short for them to secure properly, a couple of bobby pins should do the trick!

Anyway, the next night we watched a thing about some pig man who is supposed to live in Vermont. People said it had claws and a pig nose but walked upright like a man. Now, I happen to know that sideshows used to shave bears and present them as pig men. So every piece of evidence they gave of this monster sounds to me like a bear with mange.

So now the running joke in our house is that everything is bears. Aliens? Bears. Loch Ness monster? Bear. Every cryptozoological mystery is just a very crafty bear.