Sometimes it’s meant like “I’m about to ask what might sound like a dumb question, but I’m genuinely asking, so please take me seriously.”

Sometimes it’s meant like “I’m about to ask what might sound like a dumb question, but I’m genuinely asking, so please take me seriously.”

My brother-in-law says the dishes “need washed” and it’s nails on a goddamn chalkboard every time I hear it.

But why use such an awkward construction? Why not “please handle this” or “please take care of this”? Or even “please take the necessary steps to address this”? “Please do the needful” is saying Please [VERB] the [ADJECTIVE]. But the correct construction is to verb a noun. So you need a noun (e.g., “this”) to act on.

And additionally, “needful” is an adjective, and rarely ever used anyway. For example, you could probably describe a homeless person as “needful”, but it sounds awkward, and most people would say “needy” or “in need.”

Die Antwoord

Yeah also 4chan

When I was growing up, I had some family in LA & San Diego. One year when we visited them we ended up going to both Disneyland and SeaWorld. This was the late '80s or very early '90s and not a huge deal, I think it was just something to do to keep us kids busy. I know Disneyland isn’t “the” Disney that everyone talks about so maybe I’m missing something but Disneyland was sorta underwhelming. I wasn’t huge into Disney stuff anyway but I remember being kind of bored.

When we visited in 1997 we went to Universal Studios Hollywood. They had an attraction where you could get photographed in front of a blue screen and edited into a scene from Star Trek - they had uniforms and props and everything. I loved TNG and was so stoked to wear a command uniform and hold a tricorder. My uncle Ira was appalled that I chose TNG over TOS…I can still hear him saying “but that’s not real Star Trek!”

Holy piss I did not expect that

Ooh I love this!

I like ondansetron … I just picture a dancing robot

Stop it immediately makes me think of

you cried, and why you lied to me

Mine is Omentum.

I went to med school for a grand total of one semester before I realized it wasn’t for me. But during that semester I went through Gross Anatomy in which you dissect a cadaver bit by bit over the course of (IIRC) 8 weeks. Anyway in the abdominal cavity lies the greater omentum, a yellow net-like contraption that basically spans the stomach & intestines. It’s super cool looking, probably my favorite structure I encountered in gross anatomy.

My least favorite thing about gross anatomy - other than that one really stinky cadaver - was Netter. Oh my god I felt like that text became an extension of my body, I was never not buried in it, along with so many lists of mnemonics. I still remember the mnemonic Roman Togas Don’t Cover Balls to name the parts of the brachial plexus (Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, and Branches).

It makes me feel peaceful and nostalgic, and weirdly grateful.

My Dad Wrote A Porno

What’s bubblegum funk? I’m picturing Tom Tom Club’s Genius of Love.

Less of a genre, more of an era, but I absolutely love music from the '60s. It’s just infectious. Some of it is infectiously happy - e.g., Dancing in the Street by Martha & The Vandellas, or Dance to the Music by Sly and the Family Stone. Some is infectiously melancholy, like The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel, or Abraham, Martin, and John by Dion. And some you just can’t help but sing along to, like Creeque Alley by the Mamas and the Papas, or Good Morning by Oliver. And of course all the amazing classic rock, experimental sounds, and folk music from that era! Even some of the novelty songs are super memorable (I’m lookin at you, MacArthur Park!).

Oh I don’t own one… they make crappy coffee anyway.

Yeah, I have an electric kettle but I don’t personally know any other American who owns one. People are weirdly interested in it when they visit me.