It’s time for three threesomes of Thursday! Hoo-hah!
First off, there’s the Thursday Threesome:
Onesome: Free Do you watch the ads for “Buy this and get this trinket free” just so you can get that second gift? …and then wonder what to do with the first one?
Rarely. Never, in the context of TV ads. I think I’ve only ever considered buying one thing off an advert on TV, and that was a CD which, remarkably enough, not only did I recognize all the music on, but which music was actually pretty good. And Margie had the same opinion, which is a third sign of the Apocalypse. So I checked out the web site, and … well, it was ugly. We didn’t get the CD.
Twosome: Gift How the heck figure do you figure out how to buy gifts for family members? You know, the ones with no list who say, “Oh, whatever…”
Sometimes I see a book, or more often a knick-knack, that I think will go well with them. Or that anyone would like. Or a game, sometimes.
Magazine subscriptions are good.
And, if all else fails, a gift certificate to Amazon (with a strong suggestion that an Amazon Wish List would be keen) has been known to work.
Threesome: Wrapping Are you a wrapping maven? ..or are are you wrappingly challenged? Who does the gift wrapping around your place anyway?
I do, as often as not, which is kind of scary, since Margie is much better at it. But I do a passable job, and it’s one of my inclinations (sort of like Christmas cards). Not that we don’t give folks a lot of gifts in gift bags, or in colorful wrap that just happens to look like the Best Buy bag the gift came in or something …
A lot of our wrapping takes place back in California, for obvious reasons. Margie’s folks have it down to a fine science, setting up large folding tables with stacks of wrap, ribbons, cards, tape, scissors, etc., all in abundance. There’s usually one or more marathon sessions that take place once we get out there.
1. What former science fiction prediction that you were promised actually came true that you are happy about?
Looking at Star Trek (which was the touchstone for Cool Future Stuff for me), not much. I mean, no food replicators, no transporters, no warp drive, no phasers, no …
… hey, actually, the penchant of 23rd Century women to run around with bare midriffs seems to have come to pass. And, in moderation, that’s not necessarily all that bad a thing.
2. Now the flip side.. What science fiction former prediction came true and you think the world is not a better place because of it?
People screwing around with robotic intelligence and teaching them how to compete. Are you folks insane?!
3.What are some scifi predictions that you are sure is going to happen within the next five years for better or worse?
Orbital weapon satellites seem to be likely. Which is probably for the worse, though it seems inevitable and, in that case, I’d just as soon they were ours.
1. Would you like to know the precise date of your death?
No, it would probably be bad for me. Or maybe not — I respond well (or at least at all) to deadlines, less-so to open-ended assignments.
On the other hand, were it offered, I don’t think I could say no.
2. Do you have a favorite sexual fantasy? Would you like to have it fulfilled? (Details are not necessary in your answer.)
Yes. No; not only is my real sex life much better than my fantasy life, but it’s a hell of a lot less complicated.
3. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which show would you choose? Consider the setting, the characters, the lifestyle, etc.
See, the problem here is, most of the shows I like and watch are not in environments I’d actually like to be in — Firefly, Farscape, Buffy/Angel … hell, even sitcom life tends to be unpleasant, either wildly cloying or fraught with emotinal foofoorah.
I guess I’d probably go for a High SF environment, one where I could see some amazing things, play with really cool tech, but not be in constant danger of being killed horribly. Next Generation, perhaps. Or even B5 (if I could pick the season or episode range).