What's everyone up to right now?

[Anomalocaris]

Metabolizing an maleagrid.

[*Deidre*]

Had a great day visiting my inlaws and my parents. Thinking of a movie tomorrow, maybe that new grinch movie. I love going to the movies the day after Thanksgiving. Not sure why, but it's just always been my thing.

[Astreja]

Went to writer's group this evening, but did all our reading early in the session because of an imminent poetry reading in the adjoining room.  Spent the last hour of the session whispering and passing tablet computers back and forth to one another, reading book blurbs and totally derailing the last few minutes by googling "useless machines" and quietly giggling.





And then I went shopping and bought ingredients for a few recipes, including spinach-artichoke dip (which we had for supper tonight).

[Angrboda]

Shut down, turn off.

[Mr.Obvious]

Off to work
cold out

[ignoramus]

It's summer in 1 week here and it's snowing in country Victoria!

Just got home and put the central heater on hot!

Melbourne's always had stupid weather though.

[The Valkyrie]

Get home.

Get changed.

Sit down.

Phone rings.

Fucking interns!

[DodosAreDead]

 Thinking of a movie tomorrow, maybe that new grinch movie.

It's expectedly heartwarming, if a little ridiculous. Besides, the grinch has adorable puffy cheeks. I'd say go for it.

[Nakara]

 Thinking of a movie tomorrow, maybe that new grinch movie.

It's expectedly heartwarming, if a little ridiculous. Besides, the grinch has adorable puffy cheeks. I'd say go for it.

Did your heart grow three sizes?

[Angrboda]

Up earlier than usual. Fortunately, my stalwart companion, coffee, is not averse to such hours and accompanies me. I had a good Thanksgiving. Excellent food, the company of family who I rarely see anymore, some excellent bargains, and probably not the least of all, the ability to completely and utterly forget my concerns here at the forum for a day and just enjoy myself, free of their ability to vex my mood. On that front, I had reported a member for conduct I felt violated the rules of the forum. Everybody involved has their own opinions on the matter, and mine, wrong or right, was that I experienced a tendency for staff decisions to be influenced by biases similar to the complaints we have had from theists. I've heard staff explanations as to why bias has not been involved but know all too well as a student of such things, that our biases are quite active in protecting themselves and their invisibility through rationalization and other mechanisms. I have largely decided to drop the matter concerning this member, though I have not communicated such to staff as I continue to weigh the matter in my mind as is my process prior to taking action on matters requiring serious consideration. But that aside, this issue of the way bias influences the members of staff and the membership at large weighs heavily on my mind, as it is a problem generally, so the idea that we atheists in general, and staff members in particular, are immune to it or have adequately compensated for it, seems rather naive and foolish in my mind. I rather suspect there is no solution, but it seems likely to be a great hindrance in achieving Tibbs' vision of a place where theists and atheists can come together in free and open discussion. Given the rationalizations Tibbs has given regarding the matter, it's possible that such concerns are well mitigated by circumstantial factors. However, it's possible they are not, or are not as well mitigated as they could be. So, I will probably be mulling over these questions in my own mind for some time to come. I may also open the subject up for discussion on the forum as a whole at some point. Hopefully if I do, the forces which instinctively marshal to protect people's biases can be mitigated so that a productive discussion can be had, but thinking about it in the abstract, I'm not hopeful. Given my knowledge of the relevant psychology and research in the field, there appears to be ample reason for skepticism that such an investigation will bear fruit. This is sad for me, personally. It's also likely sad for any who are invested in Tibbs' vision of a place where people from divergent backgrounds can come together and have a meeting of minds.

So my Thanksgiving was a welcome release. But here this morning, everything old is new again.