Nikki K

Yeah, just look at churches that are accessible to you at the moment and when they have services. I mean some Catholic churches seem to have service regularly during the week. Just explore for now and give it a go until you have that car and can go further distances. It's not a forever committment but may be nice to give it a go. Everyone seems to have Facebook and websites these days, so with a bit of research I'm sure you'll find something in walking distance or at worst a couple of bus stops away.

Well, I get Martin Luther King Jr. Day (?) off – as per my contract. I mean that's all good and well but yeah. That and the 4th of July. And that's it. Whereas as I've mentioned before my American co-workers get other stuff off like Presidents' Day, Emancipation Day, Memorial Day, Labour Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day... I only ever realise that when there is hardly anyone around.

Oh yeah, that Bug is indestructable, I'm telling you. I mean before me it only had two previous owners which is funny because it was built in 1973: An old lady (now I guess) who basically only drove it shopping and to church, then a young woman who thought she needed a car for her job but it turned out she didn't need it as much as she thought she did so yeah... when I bought it it was well looked after -- especially for a car in New York where I feel everyone just lets their vehicles rot because of all the salt on the road in winter. But it was totally lovely. I only had it in the shop once and that was because some bozo broke off the antenna idek. They don't make them like this anymore.

The new Beetle is actually rather nice too tbh (just don't buy a Diesel). A friend of mine has one and it's surprisingly room-y. Drives like a dream although I wouldn't have bought it with an automatic transmission. And it's affordable.

Just finished reading that article in the NY Times... it's horrifying, people.

BL.Arinna_1982

Now you're saying it, I want a car myself.

Nikki K

While I do a lot with public transport even here in the U.S., it's still very convenient to have a car here. There's no doubt.

PhoenixRising

Well, I think the only church that's convenient for me is the one I mentioned, Nina. The one right next to me. It's not one I'm used to and it's a lot smaller than the Ukrainian one I went to. But if I were gonna go to one that's the one I'd probably go to.

Martin Luther King Day actually became a national holiday when I was High School. I wish you got more days off, Nina. Any chance your contract can include others later on?

Thanks for the article, Nina. I just hope that Kristin steers clear of this situation. Oh, I know. German cars are really tough and long lasting. I see newer Beetles around as well. VW started making new ones years ago, but I don't often see them around anymore where I live. But I do like the new Beetle design.

This is the Tahoe I like.

Nikki K

Look into the church next to you. Go a few times when you can.

And no, I don't think so.

Gosh blimey that is a gigantic car! How many children and pets and wives do you have to transport on a regular basis?

And yes, I mean Kristin wasn't mentioned. I hope she stirs clear of this too. I don't see why she should be dragged in again. Sarah Edmondson (who played her aunt in the first season of Smallville if I remember correctly), and who was in the article, said Kristin had no ties to that crazy inner circle.

DGSAFDMD

Omg she has gone completely crazy. What on earth? It's so scary to read that...

Alex,

I have Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, two days for thanksgiving, two days for Christmas and a floating day.

PhoenixRising

Hi, May! Wow, you get all of those days off? Lucky you. I have to request most of them.

Yeah, I didn't watch Smallville so I'm not that familiar with the actress, but I do think it's a real shame. I just wish Kristin Kreuk didn't have to get dragged into it.

I'll try, Nina. I need to get some Sundays off because I work those days. I'm sorry you can't get more holidays off.

Well, my first car was a Chevrolet Blazer, and the Tahoe is the four door replacement for the Blazer. I don't need that much space, but I like riding high in an SUV like that, and I have fond memories of my old Blazer.

Well, Kristin did get mentioned in the media when this story broke and she had to issue a disclaimer saying that she had nothing to do with those activities and how she had left the group years earlier. Yeah, she had nothing to do with that sick inner circle.

OMG, the Bohemian Rhapsody trailer looks great! The actor playing Freddie Mercury really nails it.

Nikki K

That's what Sarah Edmondson, one of the branding victims, confirmed too. And Kristin wasn't mentioned in the NY Times article, that's what I meant.

Actually I heard the movie is supposed to be really terrible so idek.

PhoenixRising

Oh, I see. Yeah, I saw that the article you posted didn't mention her. But she did get mentioned early on when the story first broke, and I just wish she didn't have to go through that.

OMG, branding victims? Do I wanna even ask?


Really? I haven't even seen any reviews for the movie yet. It doesn't come out until November.

Nikki K

Well, when you read the article, you'll know.

If I find it again, I'll post it but it was something along the lines that people who knew Freddie Mercury mostly but also Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor said that this is pure revisionist fiction, has nothing to do with the actual people and the hurdles they faced in life and during their careers. Maybe they'll re-cut and re-shoot some scenes upon that criticism. It happens.

PhoenixRising

OMG! I just scrolled down a bit further and I saw the branding. Damn, that's sick.


Really? Because I heard that Brian, John, and Roger were involved in the development of the film. I read that Sacha Baron Cohen originally was slated to play Freddie Mercury but left the project due to creative differences with the band, who wanted the film to be more family-friendly while Cohan wanted something far more adult-oriented. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Nikki K

I heard they jumped ship at some point because one couldn't even mention Freddie being bisexual and HIV positive/dying of AIDS which I think is ridiculous. I mean there's a difference between family friendly and gross misrepresentation. There is nothing adult oriented by acknowledging these facts, nobody said you'd have to couple them with racy sex scenes to make a point, but withholding the facts completely because it doesn't fit your world view is just wrong.

I think that'd be the same thing if people were to make a movie about somebody... say... but because it's not okay really to speak about religion too loudly and how on earth are we going to reconcile someone being a scientist and a Christian, let's just leave out the Christian part. These are struggles/aspects that obviously shape personalities and by leaving them out in a biography I can't see how that would help anyone arrive at any sort of 'truth'.

PhoenixRising

OMG, really? The band jumped ship? I don't get that at all. They were there with Freddie during the final years of his life, and I don't know how any of them could just sidestep those aspects of his life. I get that it was painful for them, but which one of them exactly took issue with it? And from what I saw in the trailer it looked like they were gonna explore Freddie's bisexuality. I don't think that director Bryan Singer would shy away from that.

Nikki K

Just what I read. As I said if I can find the article again I post it here. I hope it's not true.

Still hoping the Mary Shelley movie makes it to theatres soon.

PhoenixRising

Oh wow. Well, if you can find the article, link me please?

There's a Mary Shelly movie? That's gonna be interesting given all the stuff I've heard about her, Percy Shelly, and their friend, Lord Byron. There was a movie that came out in the 80's called Gothic about the night at Lord Byron's castle where Mary and Percy stayed with Byron and his female lover, had a lot of absinthe, and Mary came up with the idea for Frankenstein. Natasha Richardson played Mary.