Call your local fire department non-emergency number. I noticed an old device that my kid was using had developed bad battery bulge while on vacation. The fire chief said to bring it to him and they’d dispose of it. If they don’t want it, they should know who locally can safely handle it.

“The horrors persist, but so do I.”

Your issue doesn’t seem to be the greeting itself. Please - talk with someone about your potential depression. Maybe someday you can say honestly “I’m OK.” and it’ll sit better.

I love the snow covered scenery if it’s like 30 F (-1 C) outside. We got our first big snow yesterday, and it’s definitely an improvement over browns and grays we’ve had for a month. When it’s negative degrees F though, that can piss right off.

My favorite season is spring, when the very first spring ephemeral flowers pop through the slush and mud, before the tree leaves bud out. I wouldn’t want to miss that.

We made it less than two weeks without a new dog; the silence around the house was what did it. We were so lucky to have found our latest sweetheart at the humane society. She loves everyone, is as smart as I’ve ever known a dog to be, and is so easy around people. Sometimes good things can come from bad ones.

I was on the final day of an overseas trip. I’d been there for several weeks, and my wife flew over and joined me for the last week to see the sights.

I’d eaten the hotel breakfast buffet almost every day of my stay with no issues. So, I grabbed my usual items, including some buffet line shakshuka (an eggs, feta, and tomato stew). It may have been sitting out a while…. Thankfully my wife opted for something else. Yum yum, check out, drop stuff off at my company’s HQ, off the airport, drop the rental, etc.

We were sitting in the airport inside the security check when it started - nausea, sweats, and bad cramps. Not the best look when in a foreign country with serious (and slow) airport security. Got through, beelined to the bathroom, and I thought I got it out from both ends. I boarded the plane feeling a bit better, but it ramped up again once we were onboard and continued for the entirety of the 13 hour flight home. I have seen immense torment inside the tiny bathroom of a 747 airliner, and I think I spent more time in there than my seat. When I did make it out, I sat shivering and sweaty in my seat for a few minutes before I had to go again.

I was thankful my wife was there to keep me hydrated and that the plane was empty enough that I could grab a seat row near the back for myself to lie down, instead of climbing over some poor bastard every time.

Surprisingly, I still like shakshuka.

American here, what’s exciting in Swedish politics these days? I’d like some reprieve from the dumpster fire that is America for a minute.