A woman whose religious beliefs forbade her from getting a divorce took the only reasonable, rational alternative that anyone would under such circumstances: she tried to hire a hit man….
A woman whose religious beliefs forbade her from getting a divorce took the only reasonable, rational alternative that anyone would under such circumstances: she tried to hire a hit man.
Which, of course, reminds me of the Catholic couple Margie knew in college who were sleeping together, but wouldn’t use a condom because, y’know, that’s a sin …
(Via JillMatrix)
It’s the Hump Day Four: (1) If you could go back in time & undo something terrible you had done, what would it be & why? I think I’m pretty…
It’s the Hump Day Four:
(1) If you could go back in time & undo something terrible you had done, what would it be & why?
I think I’m pretty reconciled to most of the bad things I’ve done in my life. The embarrassing things, on the other hand …
I don’t see myself as changing anything significant in my past. I’d hate to not be here where I am.
(2) Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? What did that person do?
Well, my first wife decided she wanted to separate and, eventually, divorce. I suppose that would qualify as betrayal in some quarters.
(3) What would be the 7 deadly sins that a friend/lover would have to avoid to keep you?
I’d say that any of the Seven Deadly Sins (Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Lust, Avarice, Gluttony) to any significant degree would interfere in a close relationship. That’s much of what makes them deadly.
(4) Which of the 7 deadly sins (pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, or sloth) would you be guilty of?
(Oh. I used the list I get from the acronym I used to remember them, PEWSLAG.)
I think I’m guilty of all of them at times. None too badly (though I could use to shed a few pounds, both by eating more wisely and getting more exercise), I hope. But I don’t think I’m immune to any of them.
According to a new study, men and women perceive romantic breakups differently. Women see the whole thing as traumatic regardless of whether she’s dumping him or he’s dumping her. For…
According to a new study, men and women perceive romantic breakups differently. Women see the whole thing as traumatic regardless of whether she’s dumping him or he’s dumping her. For men, being the dumper is relatively straightforward, but being the dumpee seems to come out of the blue, no doubt due to her scheming about it for some time.
(Via Blather)
It’s time for the Monday Mission. 1. Do you have a side of the bed on which you prefer to sleep? Do you sleep on that side even when traveling…
It’s time for the Monday Mission.
1. Do you have a side of the bed on which you prefer to sleep? Do you sleep on that side even when traveling or does it matter?
I go back and forth on this. At the present, I usually sleep on the left-looking-from-the-foot-toward-the-head side. When we go on vacation, we usually sleep so that Margie’s on the “bathroom” side, since she’s more likely to get up than I am; thus, when we’re staying at her folks’ house, we’re on opposite-from-normal sides.
On business trips and the like, when sleeping alone, I sleep on whatever side has the alarm clock by it.
2. What is your favorite “Theme Park?” How come and when was the last time you were there?
Probably Disneyland. Disney still does best the weaving and molding of the environment around its rides of anybody. Disneyland’s an old favorite, having grown up in SoCal. We last went there over the past Christmas season, Margie and I, and had a great deal of fun.
I prefer the Magic Kingdom there to the one at Disneyworld. I did find Animal Kingdom there very entertaining, but having only visited once, I’d have to revisit to dislodge the One, Original Magic Kingdom from my heart.
3. What is your most and least favorite thing about staying in hotels?
Most Favorite: Broadband connectivity.
Second Most Favorite: PPV movies
Least Favorite: Unfamiliar showers.
4. Did you ever take family vacations that required looooooong car rides? Were siblings involved (“Stop touching me! Don’t cross this line!)? Were the trips just unbearable or did you make up some “car ride games” to pass the time?
Lots of long vacations in the car. Oh, yeah. And lots of long rides in the back seat with my younger brother. Family discipline was pretty tight (“Stop gyrating around back there!”), so there weren’t too many bloody conflicts. And we had Travel Bingo, and books purchased for the occasion. It was, when not aggravating, fun. Enough so that I sort of regret that in-car VCRs and DVD players and Gameboys have become the “norm” for family vacations.
5. With all the drilled peep-holes and spy-cams we hear about on the news, have you ever felt self-conscious about taking off your clothes in a hotel bathroom? Has wondering if someone was on the other side of that mirror on the wall above the dresser made you think twice about “gettin’ busy?”
Um … not until now.
6. Describe the most romantic vacation you have ever taken or if that does not apply 😉 (), tell me about the worst vacation you have ever taken.
I have great fondness for a vacation we took, Margie and I, to Santa Fe. Good food, good art, good times. We need to go there again some time. Our trip to Britain was pretty special, too — longer, busier, less relaxing in some ways, but lots of memories, too.
7. (continued) After a full tummy and four days of sleep, I’d say I’ve never felt better. Since it is nearly noon, how about you come over and we’ll hang out on the deck. I have a pool, hot tub and lotsa eats and drink. But feel free to bring whatever else you think we need! How should we spend this fine afternoon at the pool?
Not much for poolside, myself, but give me a tall, cold drink under the umbrella, and I’ll be fine. Maybe I could bring over some games.
BONUS: Have you got it, do you get it, if so, how often?
I get it, and give it, uh-huh, and it’s great. Further deponent sayeth not.
Time for the Thursday Thumb-Twiddler … 1. Would you remain in a marriage if you found out your mate had had an affair? What if it had happened more than…
Time for the Thursday Thumb-Twiddler …
1. Would you remain in a marriage if you found out your mate had had an affair? What if it had happened more than once?
I probably would, but it would be a pretty badly damaged marriage, with a lot of trust issues wrenched out of joint. Of course, clearly there would be a lot of problems already, if Margie decided she had to go outside the marriage to have an affair, without even discussing it with me.
2. If you knew that if you devoted yourself to any single occupation — music, writing, acting, business, politics, medicine, etc. — and be among the best and most successful in the world, what would you choose?
It would probably be writing. It’s something I’ve had a hankering to do, have enjoyed doing, and would like to do again some day. Well, beyond this blog.
3. What word or short phrase should people say more often?
“Please.” And/or “Thank you.” “My mistake” would be a good one, too. And “After you.”
Politeness: it’s the lubrication system in the engine which is life.
My wife is a wonderful person. She is highly responsible. She is professional. She displays in her work a powerful commitment to customer service. She goes the extra mile….
My wife is a wonderful person.
She is highly responsible. She is professional. She displays in her work a powerful commitment to customer service. She goes the extra mile. She is honest. She honors her commitments. She is interested in how people feel around her, both in her work life and in her home life. She is compassionate. She is competent. She is reasonable and rational and logical.
And though it may seem to belie that last sentence, she also expects others, especially in a professional, business relationship to be the same.
Which is a big reason why this whole U.S. Bank thing (see here and here) has so seriously upset her. And angered her.
Because the faceless drones at U.S. Bank have been utterly lacking in taking any responsibility. They have behaved unprofessionally. They have shown no commitment to customer service. They’ve not only not gone the extra mile, they’ve wandered off when her back’s been turned. They’ve been dishonest. They’ve not honored her commitments. They’ve shown little interest in how their customers feel. They’ve had only lip service to compassion. They’ve been incompetent. They (and their systems) have been unreasonable and irrational and illogical.
In other words, every aspect of Margie’s dealings with them over the past month and a half, in trying to figure out and resolve this stupid little $250 amount still showing up on an old, supposedly-paid-off-by-them second mortgage, has flown in the face of everything that Margie is, holds dear, and expects from others.
Rat bastards.
U.S. Bank’s motto is “Five Star Service Guaranteed.” Which sounds impressive until you realize that that’s on a scale of 1-20 stars.
At U.S. Bank, our Five Star Service Guarantee means that every teller, every loan officer, every manager and every employee is committed to responsive, respectful, prompt and helpful service. The Five Star Service Guarantee means putting your needs first and foremost. It means focusing on what you need to maximize your business or personal financial management. It’s our promise – to change forever what you expect from a financial institution. And it’s a promise WE GUARANTEE!
Each of us at U.S. Bancorp takes responsibility for providing outstanding service to our customers, understanding our individual jobs, and performing our jobs at the highest level. In the end, it’s our individual personal commitment that helps deliver real results to our customers, company, shareholders and community.
Margie has talked, repeatedly, to folks in Customer Service. In Loan Dispute. At the local branch. Each time she has been unable to get anyone to resolve the problem. Each time the problem will be looked into first thing in the morning, or referred to the Research Department. Each time she has gotten a firm commitment to be called back — tomorrow, within 48 hours, within 3-5 business days.
Nobody has called her back. Nobody.
Nobody has helped her. Nobody.
Of course, it doesn’t help that U.S. Bank’s corporate functions are spread across the US like dandelion seeds. “I can transfer you there, but they’ve all gone home by now.” “You’ll have to call them back, it’s too early there for any of the managers to be in.” “I don’t know anyone in that department. They’re in Wisconsin and we’re in Florida.”
She’s gotten apologies — from Level 1 phone folks who prefix everything with, “Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you with this, but …” She’s had supervisors refuse to get on the phone with her. She’s been transferred to the “department you need to talk to,” only to discover, after half an hour on hold, that it wasn’t. She’s had people tell her that it has to be handled at the branch, only to be told at the branch that it has to be handled by the folks in corporate.
She’s been jerked around to the point of tearful frustration and fury such that she doesn’t trust her voice on the phone. And for those of you who have met Margie, who know what a warm and calm and cheerful person she is, you cannot imagine what it takes to get her to that point.
Or how it makes me feel.
The one mercy in this debacle is that it will not interfere with our closing our new loan. The title company, at least, was able to get through the layers of customer disservice and arrange for a payment of the $200-odd (the number keeps changing).
But that’s no longer the point. Hell, if it were just that much, I told Margie, it’s not worth another minute of this.
Except that it is. Because now it’s the principle of the thing. It’s a matter of getting those rat bastards to back down, to admit their mistake, to fix it, and to apologize. For real.
In the meantime, let me take the opportunity to let the customer service maxim prevail that says that someone who get crappy service will let seven, or thirteen, or twenty people know about it. I get about 300-odd hits per day. That’s at least 250 people who will read this. Plus those who have read the other posts I’ve done on this problem. Plus those who come here in the future and see (I’m about this far from doing this) the permanent “U.S. Bank sucks” category. Plus the people who will see this page, and the others, via Google searches long into the future..
That’s hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who will hear what a crappy job U.S. Bank has done in settling this piss-ant dispute. Thousands who will hear how, once your problem gets sucked into the bowels of U.S. Bank, you’d best be prepared to spend hours on the phone, and months of time waiting for the problem to be resolved. If it ever is. If you don’t give up, first.
I would have given up. I freely admit it. I’d have sacrificed the money and run, a long time ago.
Margie won’t do that. Because she’s all those things I listed in the second paragraph, and she expects that others will be, too. And it’s right that she does, and that she hold them to it.
God, I love her.
So tell your friends. Tell your family. Avoid U.S. Bank. There are plenty of alternatives. They might suck, too, but at least you have one firm datapoint here that U.S. Bank sucks big time.
Or, as Margie just told me (going back to the Mary Poppins lesson about banking), “If you can’t trust a bank to return your phone call, how can you trust them with your money?”
It’s all about trust. That’s what banking and finance and accounting is founded on. That’s why the Andersen scandal has been so big.
U.S. Bank has blown our trust in them. They’ve frittered it away over a silly $250 charge. They’ve frittered it away by nobody taking responsibility, nobody acting in a professional, helpful, compassionate, or responsive manner. They’ve frittered it away by not returning phone calls when they said they would. They’ve frittered it away one bad service experience after another.
They don’t have our trust any more. Should they have yours?
[For more in this thread, visit here.]
… is Hump Day. (1) What’s the theme song of your life? Explain & include lyrics. Hmmm. Some sort of an echo in here … I chose “Moviola” (by John…
… is Hump Day.
(1) What’s the theme song of your life? Explain & include lyrics.
Hmmm. Some sort of an echo in here …
I chose “Moviola” (by John Barry) for a couple of reasons. It’s lush and lyric, swelling to almost the melodramatic while not quite reaching that over-the-top point. And we used it as the concluding music in our wedding video.
No lyrics. I think I’ve used up all the words I need to.
(2) When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up & why?
Hmmm. Some sort of an echo in here …
(3) What do you think was the turning point in your life?
The turning point? Yeesh. I can think of several that would have led me to very different places than I am today.
I’d have to say, off the top of my head, my divorce from Cheryl. While it wasn’t entirely my idea, it represented a major break from the direction my life had been going since high school — or, arguably, even before that. It was the most sudden, wrenching departure from my expectations of where my life was going that I have experienced (or hope to).
(4) Do you think life is run by destiny or by your own will? Explain.
I believe that we all have a course in our life that is known in advance by the Deity (and therefore, given the Deity’s omniscience and omnipotence, dictated thereby). I believe we all have free will to choose that course, and are held responsible for it. I believe that the inherent contradiction in those two beliefs constitutes a Mystery, possibly due to a lack of perspective, but certainly not within our current abilities to understand.
If that strikes some as a cop-out, so be it. Too much scratching at the underlying metaphysics of the universe tends to lead to a lot of those sorts of apparent blind alleys.
And sometimes a Tuesday is still a Tuesday 1. Do you like your job? By and large, yes. It can be frustrating, especially dealing with people who really don’t give…
And sometimes a Tuesday is still a Tuesday
1. Do you like your job?
By and large, yes. It can be frustrating, especially dealing with people who really don’t give a fig about standards or commonality of best practices. And I dislike managing people from a distance. I spend way too much time on the phone (hence all the bloggy goodness here).
On the other hand, it provides me with a lot of freedom and autonomy and opportunity for creativity. It lets me potentially put my stamp on the organization as a whole. Heck, it lets me proofread stuff to my heart’s content, and there’s not much wrong with that.
2. What can you not live without?
Air. Food. Water. Purpose. The rest is optional.
What would I rather not live without? That’s a much longer list.
3. What are you thinking right how?
God, I hate phonecons. I really hate sitting on the phone. Blah-blah-blah-blah. I hate not seeing people’s faces, their body language. Phone = Suckiness. Blah-blah-blah-blah. Oops, better say something …
4. What would Jesus do?
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
[Matt. 22:36-40]
The devil, of course, is in the details.
5. Does your heart follow your eyes? Could you date the same people you eye day to day?
Not sure I understand this one. But for me, familiarity breeds affection, so I would be much more likely to date folks I know (were I in a dating mode, which I am most emphatically not) than strangers.
Because I don’t have enough else to do (just kidding), it’s the Monday Mission 2.20: 1. When was the last time you went out with a true love of yours?…
Because I don’t have enough else to do (just kidding), it’s the Monday Mission 2.20:
1. When was the last time you went out with a true love of yours? What did you two do that made it so special?
Not counting going out to Spider-Man or Star Wars in the past week, it would be for our anniversary, I think. We went to Le Central and had a wonderful, romantic dinner, just the two of us. That’s all it takes to make it special.
2. Which far-away friend would you most like to see again?
Bunker, Miller, Kurt & Marina, all “live” friends from the past I’d like to see again. A handful of folks from high school that I lost touch with.
Heck, I can even see seeing my ex, Cheryl, some time — talk about old times and new times. I still consider her my friend, despite the, ah, strain in a relationship that divorce can entail. I have, needless to say, no romantic interest in her, and I don’t see making a habit of reunions or anything like that. But since I spent about fifteen years knowing, going with, or married to her, it’s not like I can just excise the whole relationship. And she seems to be doing a lot better, lately …
3. Any high or low points about this past weekend? What went on?
Actually, the weekend went quite in line with plans. The high points were probably seeing AotC, going to the church picnic, and getting plants planted in the yard. Low point was probably the stresses and strain of doing the Star Wars game where I was the only pre-AotC person who cared about staying “unspoiled.”
4. I’ve been thinking about getting a buzz-cut for the summer, a big change for me. Have you ever made any drastic changes to your appearance?
Probably the most drastic was getting my hair cut quite short last year. Haven’t regretted it since.
5. How long do you think a couple should date before they get married? Or if you are married, do you think you should have waited longer to get hitched?
Margie and I knew each other 15 years, and dated for a few before we married. I don’t think we rushed into anything.
My opinion? Anything under a two year courtship is rushing things.
6. I just found out my long-time friend does not like Star Wars (!) and has only seen the original 1977 movie! Have you ever discovered anything new or shocking about a long-time friend you thought you knew everything about?
Yes.
But I’m not going to discuss it here …
7. Well we had a nice picnic and saw the sunset, but now it’s dark and I think we should liven things up. Let’s call some of your friends and go out. Who do you want to invite and where should we all go?
Hey, I’d love to see Lord of the Rings again. Let’s call Jackie and Doyce. Maybe Randy and Rey & Jules, too. Then we can go to Red Robin and eat fries and drink vanilla cokes. Woo-hoo! Live it up! What a party animal!
BONUS: Why can’t ya be good to me?
Because you’ve been bad. Very, very bad. And now I must spank you …
It’s the fresh, vibrant, new, improved Friday Five! 1. What shampoo do you use? Whatever’s on sale that doesn’t cause Margie to break out in a rash. That means it’s…
It’s the fresh, vibrant, new, improved Friday Five!
1. What shampoo do you use?
Whatever’s on sale that doesn’t cause Margie to break out in a rash. That means it’s likely to be bulk, it’s likely to be lightly, if at all, scented, it’s likely to last us for a while, and it’s likely to be something different next time.
2. Do you use conditioner? What kind?
Yes, I do, though my hair is not exactly unmanageable at this point. As to what kind, see #1.
3. When was the last time you got your hair cut?
Probably four or five weeks ago, at Margie’s hands. I need to do it this weekend, since my folks are coming to visit next.
4. What styling products do you use?
Um … shampoo, conditioner, and hair cuts? Not much left to style after that … which is one reason I have it cut this short.
5. What’s your worst hair-related experience?
Its long, gradual, thinning-out on top?
Having to chop off my pony tail when I got married (Margie had some silly but irrefutable reasoning about “photographs” and “timeless appeal” and “you really don’t want folks laughing at our wedding snapshots in years to come)?
My hair has never been terribly easy to manage, and it’s not something I’ve been willing to dedicate my life to keeping under control, so back when I wore it longer it was prone to looking pretty shaggy. I do have a recollection of having to get a picture taken (driver’s license?) after it had been through a minor wind storm and was looking like I belonged down at the Mission …
6. BONUS UNSOLICITED QUESTION: What are you doing this weekend?
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
It’s the Monday Mission 2.19 1. Have you ever given someone a present you just KNEW would be “da bomb” and when they opened it you could tell they just…
It’s the Monday Mission 2.19
1. Have you ever given someone a present you just KNEW would be “da bomb” and when they opened it you could tell they just hated it? What’s the story there?
I don’t think I’ve ever had someone just hate a gift I got, but I’ve had gifts I thought were going to be real smash hits that sank without a ripple into the memory of the giftee.
On the other hand, there’s the Really Cool and Offbeat Mothers Day Gift I got Margie back three months ago … which vanished without a ripple into the aether, along with spare socks and Judge Crater. I’ll be damned if I can find it. Obviously I put it away somewhere nice and secure (“Keep it secret! Keep it safe!”) where I’ll find it when I least expect it.
2. What do you do that you would prefer that Mother never finds out about?
Well, now would be the time to say it, since my folks’ Internet connectivity is down so my Mom’s not reading my blog.
That being said, I can’t really think of much of anything, certainly nothing of any great significance. I mean, not of the “I’d be ashamed if she found it out” sort of thing. There are plenty of “I’d be kind of embarrassed because it’s, like, personal” sort of things. But most of them are things I’d be embarrassed to blog about because they’re, like, personal.
3. Ever get in any arguments with your mother? What was one of the worst?
Of course. Among the worse were some rather harsh words at a time when my first wife was having some severe emotional problems and, being in the middle of them, I decided that’s where my first loyalty had to lie.
4. When was the last time someone special hurt your feelings? Did you tell them or keep it to yourself?
I can recall an occasion when there was something I’d done that I was extraordinarily proud of and Margie was kind of in, “Uh-huh, that’s nice, dear” mode on it, which is rare for her and which made me quite cranky. As I recall, I did in fact tell her that, eventually, after stewing in my own juices for a while, and she was quite apologetic.
It is probably meaningful that I cannot recall for the life of me what the accomplishment in question actually was.
5. Has your mother ever laid any guilt trips on you or made you feel like you can’t do something good enough?
My Mom’s never tried to manipulate me with guilt trips (well, there’s the whole thing about the beard, but I don’t think she’s serious about it). That doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened, just by her being a good Italian mom, but I really don’t think she meant to. And, frankly, guilt trips have to be taken — they can’t really be imposed.
6. Looking back on your life, was there ever a point you see as the “crossroads” where you made a decisions that changed the course of your life? A path you did not take? What was that path, and do you ever daydream about what your life would have been like on the “road not taken?” Tell me about that.
Oh, crikey, any number of them. The earliest — because it was the earliest big decision I got to make for myself — was choosing my college. Then choosing to change majors. Then choosing to take the internship at the campus computer center. Then choosing to go off and teach. Then choosing to go back to my previous employer and get back into the computer biz. Then choosing not to specialize in telecommunications. Then choosing to accept the transfer offer to Denver.
Looking at the list, I see those are all “career-path” sorts of things. The personal decisions — romances, marriages, friendships — somehow seem more inevitable, as if they flowed from these others, more concrete actions. Not that they seemed inevitable at the time, or that the courses were clear at the time, or that they weren’t fraught with pain and wonder and joy and angst, or that I didn’t have choices in those matters at the time, or that I take them for granted … but it the big parallel universe “milestones” all seem to be on the first list, while the second list seems much more organic, less contingent.
Odd.
7. That was an awesome picnic basket you put together, let’s stroll out by the lake as the sun sets. A cool breeze blows off the lake as the orange and red reflects off the ripples in the water. I can tell something is on your mind and I ask you. You think about how to reply but finally you say …
“Cool sunset. Love the colors.”
BONUS: What do you think will come of that?
I dunno. We’ll have to wait and find out.
Actually this was one of those Q&A chain letters that my mom passed on, but since e-mail is so Last Millennium, I thought I’d do it here (abridged) … 1….
Actually this was one of those Q&A chain letters that my mom passed on, but since e-mail is so Last Millennium, I thought I’d do it here (abridged) …
1. What time is it? 8:39AM MDT (GMT-6)
2. Name as it appears on your birth certificate: David Christopher Hill
3. Nickname(s): “Dave,” “***Dave,” “Three-Star Dave.”
4. Parents names: Hal & Gloria
5. Number of candles that appeared on your last birthday cake: Now, see, here’s a tough one, not out of vanity, but because age and birth date is one of those Significant Things that folks use in Identity Theft (birthplace, favorite pet, mother’s maiden name are others). Somebody who really wanted to sift through things could probably figure it out, but there are a few intentionally misleading bits I’ve used in the past, too. So … somewhere between forty and forty-five.
6. Date that you regularly blow them out? See #5. I blow them out in early January, but the exact date varies, depending on when Margie takes me out or makes me a cake.
7. Pets: Two cats, one toddler. Squirrels in the back yard, grackles in the bird feeder. No errant raccoons at the moment.
8. Eye color: Hazel
9. Hair color: Brown-grey
10. Piercing: (Shudders.) No.
11. Tattoos: (Shudders some more.) No.
12. How much do you love your job: It has its days. I’m kind of struggling at the moment managing a remote group — “out of sight, out of mind.”
13. Favorite color: Cobalt Blue
14. Hometown: See #5. I was born up in the San Francisco ‘burbs. However, I was raised almost entirely in Southern California, in the east San Gabriel Valley.
15. Current Residence: Centennial, Colo.
16. Favorite food: Rum Raisin Ice Cream.
17. Been to Africa? Nope. There are some areas I’d like to visit — safari stuff, Egypt, Morocco. But it doesn’t look likely any time soon, for a variety of financial and security reasons.
18. Been toilet papering? Nope. Ol’ Stick-in-the-mud Me.
19. Loved somebody so much it made you cry? Yes.
20. Been in a car accident? Yup. No serious injuries, but way more thrills and excitement than I’m really looking for in my life.
21. Croutons or bacon bits? Yes, please, thanks!
22. Sprite or 7 UP? When pressed, Sprite. 7Up is too sweet. On the other hand, I’d much prefer a ginger beer, a Barq’s root beer, or a Coke.
23. Favorite Movie(s): Sorry, that exceeds my bandwidth here. Though at the moment, I’d have to rank LotR up there pretty damned high.
24. Favorite Holiday: Christmas. Family, friends, gifts given, gifts received, and Lots of Spiritual Stuff to boot.
25. Favorite day of the week: Friday. Half day off, the weekend is coming, and either I have a bachelor night at home (if Margie’s gaming), or I have a game I’m going to (and get to sleep in on Saturday!).
26. Favorite word or phrases? “No problem” and “Howdy,” I suspect.
27. Favorite Toothpaste: Aim. Or Crest. Actually, I’ve stopped having a real favorite.
28. Favorite Restaurant: Hey, this question sounds vaguely familiar … Probably the knee-jerk reaction would be Le Central.
29. Favorite Flowers: Irises.
30. Favorite Drink: Gin martini, very dry (6:1), with a twist.
31. Favorite sports to watch: Probably golf. This is not something I spend a lot of time watching.
32. Preferred type of ice cream: See #16.
33. Favorite Sesame Street Character: I was a bit too old for Sesame Street growing up, and Katherine is not really into it as of yet. So I really couldn’t say. They mostly seem kinda goofy.
35. Favorite Fast Food Restaurant: Tokyo Joe’s.
36. When was your last hospital visit? Wow. Many, many years. Inguinal hernias when I was in the 3rd and 4th Grades. Unless you count visiting someone else in the hospital. In which case it would be when Doyce was in. Somewhere in-between those would be when we stayed over at the hospital after Katherine was born.
37. What color is your bedroom carpet? Beige.
38. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? None. Woo-hoo!
39. Who is the last person you got email from before this? Kelley.
40. Have you ever been convicted of a crime? Never convicted, no … heh heh heh …
41. Which single store would you choose to max out your credit card? Restoration Hardware. Retro-geeky joy.
42. What do you do most often when you are bored? Work on my blog …
43. Name the person that you are friends with that lives the farthest: A wide variety of friends are scattered across the US, and even some we’ve subsequently visited in London. Margie’s godfather lives in Thailand.
But for decently close friends whom I have actually met in person, off the top of my head I’d say it would be Kelley, in Chicago.
44. Most annoying thing people ask me: “Say, that must be a good book, eh?”
45. Bedtime: Usually sometime between 9 and 10 (!), usually driven by Margie. (Which is not a bad thing, since (a) I get up at 5 a.m., and (b) without her restraint, I’d usually stay up until midnight ….)
46. Who will respond the quickest to this e-mail [blog]? Actually commenting? Probably Jenn, who, bless ‘er, seems to hit this page multiple times a day. Actually writing a blogged version themselves? Probably Doyce.
47. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond? Margie is probably the reader most likely not to write her own answers to the questions, though she may likely comment on mine.
48. Favorite all time TV shows: As defined by my willingness to tape the darned things: Babylon 5. The Outer Limits (TOS). The recent WB Batman/Superman/Justice League cartoons.
49. Last person(s) you went out to dinner with: Margie, just the other evening.
50. Last Movie you saw? See previous post. 🙂
51. What CD is playing right now? None. But Out of the Box is on TV, entertaining Kitten.
52. What is your favorite fragrance? Sauteeing onions and garlic.
53. What are your favorite Hobbies? Blogging, RPGing, Reading.
54. Personal habit I would most like to change: Procrastination.
The writer of this blog notes that, in his experiences, there is not a recognized equivalent to skin flicks to get one’s Significant Otherette into an amorous mood. He believes…
The writer of this blog notes that, in his experiences, there is not a recognized equivalent to skin flicks to get one’s Significant Otherette into an amorous mood.
He believes he’s found the answer.
It’s the Monday Mission … (Doyce questions his feelings about these sorts of Q&A posts. I say … coolness. I like structure. Structure is my friend. As long as I…
It’s the Monday Mission …
(Doyce questions his feelings about these sorts of Q&A posts. I say … coolness. I like structure. Structure is my friend. As long as I can get two cents in about the structure, I am happy being a salaryman sort of dude. But that’s just me.)
1. When was the last time your computer crashed? What happened?
At least twice since late February. Check the archives. Mutter mutter mutter …
2. Recommend a movie (new or old) for us to watch.
Undercover Blues, a spy comedy starring Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner. Light, fun, and full of quotable lines.
3. When was the last time someone told you that you were attractive (and you actually believed them)?
My wife makes noises about that frequently. On that subject I abstain, courteously.
4. Do you like to sleep in or wake up with the chickens?
I am so much into sleeping in. Unless it means I don’t get home until late. Which is why I wake up early enough to get into the office by six-frelling-o’clock in the a.m. — and sleep on weekends (when left to my own devices) until 10 or 11 a.m.
5. Are you gay, straight or bi? Ever been tempted to go the other way?
I am quite straight, and have never had any serious temptation to swing in any other direction (nor reason to). But I don’t equate that particular aesthetic into a moral direction for the rest of the populace.
6. What will be the next computer-related purchase you will make?
Ooooh. Most likely something on the order of a game. Unless it’s a replacement printer, which would only happen if someone bought the quasi-lemon we recently purchased.
7. What is your role when you are in relationships? A giver, a taker, or is it an equal balance?
Hopefully a balance. I suspect I am something of a taker, net, but that might just be my guilty conscience. Margie would have to answer that one.
BONUS: Would I lie to you?
Now would I say something that wasn’t true? I’m asking you, sugar, would I lie to you?
… that I was invited to commit to spend the rest of my life with Margie. I said I would. And I haven’t regretted it a moment since. She’s a…
… that I was invited to commit to spend the rest of my life with Margie.
I said I would.
And I haven’t regretted it a moment since.
She’s a friend, someone to come home to (or to welcome home), an advisor, a helper, a lover, mother, partner, collaborator, inspiration, supporter, enricher. She encourages me to bigger and better things, keeps me on the strait and narrow, and makes sure I have fun.
She helps me be a better person than I would be without her.
My life is a quantum leap better today than it was seven years ago, and she’s directly responsible for that.
We’re going out for dinner tonight (Kitten being babysat by the Testermans). We’ll eat some good food (not as good as what she cooks), talk about this and that, laugh, gaze lovingly into each others’ eyes, and have a really nice time.
Which is sort of a microcosm of what my life is like with her.
Happy Anniversary, my love.
It’s time once again for the Friday Five: 1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day? On a weekday, I get up,…
It’s time once again for the Friday Five:
1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day?
On a weekday, I get up, hit the head, shave, shower, clothe, give kitty treats to the kitties, drink my juice and vitamins, brush my teeth, kiss Margie goodbye, hop in the car, tune to NPR, drive to the office, card-key my way in, start a pot of coffee dripping, boot up my PC, go get a cup of coffee, sit back down at my desk … and, around then, I wake up.
2. What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed?
Chat with the wife, kiss her good-night, warm up her toes.
3. What daily routine have you recently added to your day?
Well, in the last couple of years I’ve added feeding and bathing the bambina. Is that “recent”? More recent than that, I’ve been Doing the Blog as routinely as I can.
4. What routine do you wish you could get rid of?
Hmmm. I’d say the “getting up at 6:30 a.m. with the Kitten” routine — on those minority of nights when I’m on Duty.
5. What’s the one thing that makes you feel like something is missing if you don’t do it some point within your day?
See, the problem with all of these questions is that they assume a minimum of routine in life. Whereas I am a creature of habit (being essentially a lazy guy). So there are any number of touch-stones during the day which make me feel like I’ve missed something if I don’t do them. Like telling Margie I love her. Play with the Kitten. Go to sleep with the wife. And the more mundane, like showering in my own shower and, of course, Doing the Blog.
Unsolicited Bonus Question 6. What are you doing this weekend?
Today:
Getting over this damned cold.
Watch the Kitten this morning/afternoon.
Make reservations for our anniversary dinner on Monday.
Bringing a ladder over to the Testermans so they can (at some point in time in the future, not to be suggested by me by any means) paint the living room.
Playing Star Wars tonight.
Saturday:
Finishing cleaning up the back yard on Saturday.
Activating the sprinklers.
Prepping for my Sunday game.
Sunday:
Go to church.
Run the second issue of my game, Justice Squad, Vol. 4, on Sunday.
Oh, and all those other routine items I always do …
Watched Ah! My Goddess: The Movie a week or two back. The original 5-part video series is one of Margie’s and my favorite bits of anime. We’re incurable romantics, and…
Watched Ah! My Goddess: The Movie a week or two back. The original 5-part video series is one of Margie’s and my favorite bits of anime. We’re incurable romantics, and the story is all about romance, well-leavened by humor and magic, all gorgeously animated.
The movie, a new production, was a little bit of a disappointment. Part of what makes the AMG videos so appealing is the domestic nature of their situations and comedy. The Movie, on the other hand, tries to be Big and Cosmic, and ends up losing sight of that down-to-earth aspect that defines AMG.
Or, put another way, AMG‘s core character is not Belldandy. It’s Keichi. Lose Keichi (as happens for most of this film), and you’ve lost the heart of AMG.
Not that it’s a bad flick. AMG: The Movie is much better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Seeing the Goddesses in action in their own idiosyncratic ways was loads of fun. And it was even kind of interesting seeing a bit more “behind the scenes” of Heaven. But ultimately it’s missing some of the heart of the original. And I just don’t see it as a centerpiece of Valentines Day or Wedding Anniversary the way the original animated series has been for us.
Julia ponders the gaming world. So last night, Lou and I headed out of the house together. He was going grocery shopping (which we hadn’t done since coming back from…
Julia ponders the gaming world.
So last night, Lou and I headed out of the house together. He was going grocery shopping (which we hadn’t done since coming back from Las Vegas — too much Final Fantasy X), I was going to the game. We said our goodbyes, and then he called out, “Hope you don’t die!”
I pondered to myself if my neighbors had heard that, and what they would think. Usually, a husband and wife might say to each other, “Drive safely,” or “Have fun,” or “I love you,” and so on. But it’s not often you hear “Hope you don’t die,” from one’s beloved spouse.
It is with occasional head-clutching amazement that I occasionally remember that nearly every single friend of mine I met through gaming, including my wife. In some cases they were people I met through gamers, some of them don’t game any more, and some of them I know more or better for other reasons. But with just one noteworthy live exception I can think of (hi, Tracy!), along with some Net correspondants, it’s a big, swirling, gaming world around me.
So, no, the above exchange doesn’t seem all that strange to me. But to the neighbors, yeah, I can see that …
Because, damn it, she deserves it: She May be the reason I survive, The why and wherefore I’m alive, The one I’ll care for through the rough and ready years….
Because, damn it, she deserves it:
She
May be the reason I survive,
The why and wherefore I’m alive,
The one I’ll care for through the rough and ready years.
Me, I’ll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs,
For where she goes I’ve got to be,
The meaning of my life is
She.
“She” (“Tous Les Visages de L’Amour”)
(by Charles Aznavour and Herbert Kretzmer)
(sung by Elvis Costello in Notting Hill)
Oral sex (by her, on him) may make pregnancies safer and more successful. No, really. Scientsts say so. Of course, oral sex (by him, on her) may make oral sex…
Oral sex (by her, on him) may make pregnancies safer and more successful. No, really. Scientsts say so.
Of course, oral sex (by him, on her) may make oral sex (by her, on him) more likely. ***Dave says so.
Happy Valentines Day, folks.
(Via Captain Rooba)