HarJIT

Interesting enforcement of the style, to be sure. I'll grant that what I wrote doesn't fit any classical definition of "poetry." If you consider free-form or "free-verse" poetry as valid, then it does fall under a currently accepted style of poetry, as I was told by my critiquers on Scribophile. It's a tale told from two POVs of the same narrator (one internal), written in free-verse.
I would not agree that it is an essay, though. An essay makes an assertion and goes about proving it. I definitely didn't try to do that.
However, If you reject the free-verse as a valid form of poetry, I would ask that you consider it as a short story instead, again told from two points-of-view of the same narrator.

That one ought to be nominated for a Darwin Award.

If you "swish and swallow" you're swallowing the active ingredients.  If you swish and spit out, then you're at the least exposed to a whole lot less of them.  We do occasionally see a little steroid get absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes, enough so that they don't recommend doing any steroid-related or altered-by-steroids tests while using, say, a steroid ear medicine on inflamed ear infections.  We don't routinely see steroid side effects when using them topically (eg drinking and peeing a lot), so most pets don't absorb a clinically significant amount.  YMMV with that one weird species, I can't say anything about those....
So, yeah, don't stress if you're not swallowing it, but keep it in mind if you do see any ill effects developing.

That last speech balloon... SO yes.

Wrt arc, or rather line, names in Sister:
“You look in the mirror, but someone else looks back. You remember a life you never had, one that cannot be yours. You are the piece that does not fit, you don't belong in this game. The board has been knocked over, you shall be swept away…”  —Dan Shive
(This was packed into a strip title for some reason.)

Wrt arc, or rather line, names in Sister:
“You look in the mirror, but someone else looks back. You remember a life you never had, one that cannot be yours. You are the piece that does not fit, you don't belong in this game. The board has been knocked over, you shall be swept away…”  —Dan Shive
(This was packed into a strip title for some reason.)

This forum isn't LaTeX…

@Thom Revor The previously missing emotes and older uploads/embeds are showing up fine now.  You have my gratitude and congratulations for this.

Sorry, I'm not N2 that kind of thing.

@Thom Revor The previously missing emotes and older uploads/embeds are showing up fine now.  You have my gratitude and congratulations for this.

Ah... I feel almost embarrassed to interrupt, but Thom has restored regular Smiley function to the forums. Please let me know if you have any trouble.

Current version.  With a new approach: built-in emote functionality is not touched, but it effectively adds extra functionality on top of it.

(That's :angry:, :twemoji_angry:, ;), ;-), :demonicduck:, :demonic_duck:, :), :-), :D, :-D, :O, :-O, B), 8) )
 

Update just for you (accepts your made up shortcodes as well as hyphens in asciimotes).  Also changed what :) / :-) and :( / :-( map onto (the database of asciimote-to-emoji conversions I was using was seemingly based on b&w emoji and didn't quite get the best matches for graphical ones).

Someone might also want to steal your computer just to harass you--when I was in high school, students would steal each other's textbooks and homework and whatnot just to laugh at the victim's misfortune.

Uh, Grace?  This is Dan you're talking to.  Perhaps a more effective threat would be, "We won't playfully tickle Ellen until our demands are met!"

I don't agree that we've seen Grace being really bad at keeping secrets... except when valid need-to-know says they shouldn't be kept.
The main 8, as a semi-independent magical cabal, has valid need-to-know about other magic users in the area, particularly those who are likely to be significant allies (even if only of convenience), foes, or problems. Mr. Raven falls into that category (potential ally). Rhoda and Catalina being magic-users does also (potential problem, considering how poor THEY are at keeping secrets). And Noah (potential ally).
They don't have valid need-to-know about just how close Raven once was to Mr. and Mrs. Verres. We've seen no clear evidence that Grace has blabbed on that.
Nor on Rhoda and Catalina's relationship - see previous comment on those two.
Nor on Sam being trans, unless and until his relationship with Sarah progresses a good bit farther - at which point, hopefully, Sam will tell her himself. (And then it won't be need-to-know for the rest of the group, just for Sarah.)

I don't think Sarah has enough info yet to guess at Adrian having anything specific to do with Box.  At most, I can see her asking if she knows Mr. Raven, following with whether she knows his parent(s), but I think something would have to bring him to mind for the subject to be broached.
Sarah is showing how perceptive she is, as well as how kind.  It reflects well on her. :-)

I'm installing Cygwin, Photoshop, Office 365, Dry Mud Pro, Daz3d and Eve on my new to me computer.  All at the same time.  Came with Chrome loaded so there is that.  Looks like it is going to take about an hour. 
 
I have started a countdown to Linux.  For every time the Windows Machine makes me yell at it, for a reason that my Linux and OS X machines don't,  it gets a point.  If it gets to 10 points, I make it into a grunty Linux box.  I've shown it the flash stick already.  It knows it better be good.

Amusing, perhaps, but a legitimate advancement in religious freedom, thinking pagan denominations in particular here.

From Freefall, a favorite web comic:
"There's a funny thing that happens when you know the correct answer.  It throws you when you get a different answer that's not wrong."   -Dr. Bowman

We can probably argue till the cows come home whether global warming is real or not, but how people can argue that pollution isn't bad for us is just baffling to me.....

Run fur your life! /me is coming!

Does anyone else want to give Elliot a hug by the end of this comic?

Where have all the pumpkins gone? and where are all the gourds?
Where's the luscious butternut to squash the rising odds?
Isn't there a courgette upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, my marrows gone, zucchini's what I need…