That could also mean that she likes the campfire as they enjoy their time sitting around it, telling stories, singing songs and making s'mores. Y'know, the activities, fellowship, relaxation at the end of a busy day.

I used to be on the team of an adult retreat. Even though the day was filled with stuff, over half the people would come out to the campfire I'd prepare at the end of the day just to chat with other participants or stare into the fire and collect their thoughts before turning in.

"I'd like to speak to the manager."

It's *magic*! How can bones stick together without ligaments? How can they move without muscles? It's just magic!

Mine is too.

No wait, I meant "To blave," which means "to bluff."

I found that having gotten in really scary situations, like three guys going to beat and rob me or having 80% of my company get laid off during a terrible job market and having a stay-at-home wife and several young kids counting on me for income and health insurance, inured me to things that I used to find terrifying. Not an ideal way to accomplish this, but I'm not fazed by stuff that was scary as a youngster.

You can kind of do that by going to your local library wearing a comfy sweater/sweatshirt, then going out for coffee and snacks, then going back to the library. That isn't a perfect re-creation of the dream scenario, but all that stuff exists.

I had a similar experience when I stopped by a motel bar that had free food for "Happy Hour," along with half-price drinks. A Coke was not half priced, but mixed drinks were. I had a long drive ahead of me, and didn't want to drink alcohol and get tired. So, I got my Rum-n-Cokes with the rum in a separate shot glass, and left the rum. The waitress got mad at me, and got the manager who came out and scolded me.

There's a lot of advice like this, and my first reaction is to consider it naive, but there's truth to it.

It took me decades to stop trying to save people from themselves. When I see someone about to cause a problem or loss for themselves, if they ignored my warning, I'd try to explain why I was right. Now, I just mention it once, and if it won't affect me, let them proceed.

For example, I couldn't help but overhear my cubicle mate arguing with his insurance company about an unpaid medical claim. I told him, "I couldn't help but hear the issue you're having; I believe the problem is that the doctor's office coded the procedure incorrectly. If you have the office check the insurance code, it'll be resolved, but the insurance company won't cover the (wrong) code that's been assigned." He kept arguing about the wording of the procedure, so I didn't press the case. Later I heard (from someone else) he did what I suggested and got reimbursed.

The very next FS post is a poem about how some people "left a piece of themselves" behind. I guess the guy in *this* meme did so as well, but in a different way.

I remember when gas was $0.299 per gallon. In order to entice more customers, gas stations would give out a glass with a fill-up, so to get a complete set, you'd have to go back many times.

You can still tell yourself:
-It was a gag gift from a hilarious party or offbeat friend
-It was someone else's who stayed a couple days, maybe an old friend in town for the weekend
-It was a mistaken delivery, and the folks were too embarrassed to try to send it back

Since "the stock market" drives things like college endowments, pension returns, company hiring/layoffs, increase/decrease what you get "for free" (more like "included in the price"), more people than just "the rich" should be interested in what's going on in "the stock market."

Also, with fewer employers offering pensions and more companies offering 401ks with matching funds, it behooves all of us to understand how an investment every paycheck + matching + time can grow so that at some point, we have enough money to not have to work for pay. If you're prudent, that can happen long before social security eligibility. But, each of us better have *something*, and regarding the stock market as a "rich people's" concern will cause us to not have saved enough or grown the savings enough to be financially independent.

PLUS, even if you *want* to work into your mid-60s, health and layoffs may prevent that.

What if Mike's daughter Megan marries Pete's son? Does she become Megan Do Not Answer? Does she keep her maiden name and stay Megan Electric? Or maybe go with Megan Electric-Don Not Answer?

"Keep this thing, which is next to your sink and used while washing hands, from getting water on it."

I get not WASHING it, but "Yup, water will break it?"

If you was from suddern W'sconsin, ya'd be drinkin outta da bubbler.

It's a weird take to look down on *all* of your customers, who are your only reason for being able to be employed there.