Something Random

Handruin

Handruin

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This past weekend I went for a visit to CougTek's home town and I didn't even think to mention it to him. I went to Montréal, Québec.

I do have to question a few things that we've discussed here...so you know how you've complained about us unhealthy folks in the US? And how we drive all these gas guzzling cars? Well, the first thing I noticed about the folks in Montréal is their love for smoking! Man, every restaurant, every street corner, all around me...2/3'rds of everyone smoked. In MA, you can't even smoke in bars here, or even restaraunts...

On top of that, the cars in Montréal were not of the type I expected based on the complaints I hear from you! :p There are plenty of SUV's and all sorts of other German, Japanese, and Korean variants that don't express the gas conservatism I would have expected.

Anyway I'm just bustin your chops. Montréal was very nice. I ate at the place called Shwartz after waiting about 40 minutes in line. The people were nice and the weather was great. I had a fantastic time.
 
CougTek

CougTek

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I see you must be very eager to meet me then...come within a few miles from where I live and forget to tell me. ;-)

Montréal's citizens habits are different from the rest of Québec. Especially downtown and zones called Plateau-Mont-Royal, Outremont (plenty of jews there) and Westmount. Downtown is the place where people from the three other zones go to show off. Those three zones are also where the richer people of the island usually live (also Mont-Royal area, but those are all old folks). For a real perspective of the average Montréalais, you would have had to go in the East of the island. You would probably have felt more at ease in the West though, because this is where english-speaking people live. The West of Montréal is probably a bit like Toronto's area in term of ethnical diversity. The East is mainly French-speaking. I live in the North now, so I'm not exactly in Montréal but more like in Montréal's area.

Smokers won't be allowed to kill themselves slowly in public places like bars from May 5 and on. There are more smokers in Montréal's downtown than in the rest of Québec for many reasons that would be too long to explain. Basicly, downtown is a place where people tend to have an Amsterdam-like mentality : live and let me live, to Hell with what's good for me. I have some problems with that kind of attitude, but I don't represent the majority.

Reply : health. Overweight has been proven to be worse for your lifespan than smoking. Keep training.
 
Handruin

Handruin

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Sorry Coug, it wasn't intentional. For some reason I thought you were in Toronto and it never clicked that you lived in Montreal (I’m forgetful). I'll probably go back some time. The ride was long, but not long enough to keep me away some time down the road. If your verbal English skills are as bad as you say, then we might be writing notes on paper to each other in person just to communicate! :D

The city is a bit 'lively' if I do say so myself. I'm certainly not judging all of Montreal just by the city, but I figured I'd give you a hard time just for fun's sake. :)

I'm still training. Down 13 Lb's so far and I've been able to run 2 miles straight (one time), and consistently 1 mile straight, three days a week (usually 10+ miles total a week).
 
Mercutio

Mercutio

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I stand by my preference. :p

Anyway, some nice person has scanned one issue (#8) of Warren Ellis's Transmetropolitan, which I insist is seven different kinds of brilliant and well worth your time to read. PM more for more details and/or information.
 
ddrueding

ddrueding

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Why I need a girlfriend:

To keep me from indulging at home (like tonight):

In front of me:

My computer (of course)
Bottle of Galante Blackjack Pasture (Cabernet)
Can of Coke
Bottle of water
Bag tortilla chips
Fire-Roasted Salsa
2 Boxes "Thin Mints" girs scout cookies (well, one is empty)

I've been alternating between watching "Swordfish" or playing Need for Speed: Most Wanted while blasting Crystal Method.

Fun, but slightly destructive

;)

PUI
 
Mercutio

Mercutio

Fatwah on Western Digital
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I thought you had a girlfriend. Did something change recently?

I worked up the courage to send someone an email on that personals site I joined. We've been messaging back and forth for a couple days on the subject of... depression and social phobias, 'cause we both have them.
Today I found out that she's 18 and now I feel like a dirty old man.

D'oh.
 
ddrueding

ddrueding

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No. Nothing has changed permanantly. She's just away for awhile. Depression and social phobias seem to be the issues in our line of work, just as models have to deal with poor self-image and bolemia. The advantage of being a geek with social issues is that we are too far from the spotlight to notice have self-image issues. No-one sees us ;)

I had no less than 3 options to go out tonight. A poker tournament that I had a good chance of winning, Tango lessons with a great dance partner and an instructor from Buenos Aires, and a night out at the bars. At some point something happened and now I'm still in front of my computer but now I have no wine. I'm not sure what to be more mad at myself for.
 
timwhit

timwhit

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Mercutio said:
I thought you had a girlfriend. Did something change recently?

I worked up the courage to send someone an email on that personals site I joined. We've been messaging back and forth for a couple days on the subject of... depression and social phobias, 'cause we both have them.
Today I found out that she's 18 and now I feel like a dirty old man.

D'oh.
Click to expand...

Worst case scenario is that you will find the age difference too much to handle and can part ways. Why not go for it?
 
Mercutio

Mercutio

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Off topic to anything but holy crap is the April Fools version of Slashdot.org hilarious.

timwhit said:
Mercutio said:
I found out that she's 18 and now I feel like a dirty old man.

D'oh.
Click to expand...

Worst case scenario is that you will find the age difference too much to handle and can part ways. Why not go for it?
Click to expand...

Go for what? She's still in high school.

I don't see anything wrong with talking to her about depression and anxiety or how crappy antidepressants are, or computers - she wants to grow up to be a geek and I am a teacher of geeky things - but in this particular case I'm worried about the appearance of something less than wholesome (this from the guy who measures his porn collection in terabytes) or the possibility that she might seek some more personal relationship; I did meet her on a personals site.

Yesterday was really the first time I've thought of 18 as "young". For me it's always been that 18 = adult, but when someone starts tell you about her day in Pre-Calculus class... it's a little bit of an awakening.

To ddrueding - I understand completely wanting to be around that one special person instead of many other, less interesting things. I am less certain I understand the relationship between drinking yourself stupid and not being able to see her. Are there no phones or internets where she is?
 
Santilli

Santilli

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Mercutio:

I don't see David drinking himself silly, but, slightly indulgent. Still, in his area, not a lot to do. Seems like they roll up sidewalks at Dark, down there.

As for the 18 year old: Have a more worldly view of age. The majority of the world is still on the old common law system, which used 14 as the age of
adulthood. It's only our screwed up culture that forces kids to go to school for long periods of time, offers no alternative, like trade schools, forcing them to drop out, and further stratify our society.

Also, women tend to mature MUCH faster then men, because they have the advantage of talking more, and, due to pretty faces, men are willing to teach, and engage, where if it was a similar age boy, they might not, except in San Francisco...
:wink:

I recently went back into my basketball history, meeting the guys that, when I was in 8th grade, taught me how to play pro style defense, putting me WAY ahead of your average high school player, and most college players, even today. One is a judge,

http://www.ucop.edu/puente/dorado_story.html

the other died of aides, and was one of the sad stories in the early gay rights movement, Glenn Burke:

http://www.lambda.net/~maximum/burke.html

Charlie Johnson is in the area, but he mainly spent time dunking over me, for fun, and I did learn from that...

http://www.databasebasketball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=JOHNSCH01

They helped tremendously. I'm sure that part of the student-teacher relationship was created by my age, willingness to learn, and appearance.

That said, if the young lady is 18, enjoy the relationship. Having a willing, learning student, is very sexy, and fun. The attraction becomes very strong, and, it's there, so enjoy it. At the restaurants I've worked in, it never ceases to amaze me how mature a 16-20 year old woman can be.
The other factor is they have to learn how to deal with being beautiful, female, and getting hit on all the time, and this forces maturity, and forges confidence through experience.

Sam, you're still a young puppy, and, the age difference isn't that much, really.

GS
 
Howell

Howell

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Trust your instincts on this one Merc.
There are many aspects that result in increased or decreased "chemistry". Life experience and life goals are significant ones.
 
Mercutio

Mercutio

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Santilli said:
I don't see David drinking himself silly, but, slightly indulgent. Still, in his area, not a lot to do. Seems like they roll up sidewalks at Dark, down there.
Click to expand...

Man, there's not an extrovert among us here at SF, but dd seems to seek chemical comfort quite often. He's got all the same massive numbers of entertainment options as many of the rest of us (more, since he has actual friends, apparently). Seems like he wouldn't need the company of a bottle when all the alcohol does is make someone more depressed. :(

Santilli said:
As for the 18 year old: Have a more worldly view of age. The majority of the world is still on the old common law system, which used 14 as the age of adulthood.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking more from the standpoint that, in taking the time to talk to me, she has the opportunity cost of missing out on whatever it is 18 year olds do... 'cause I sure as hell don't do anything an 18 year old does. The fact that I have no earthly idea what that means ought to say everything all on its own.
 
Santilli

Santilli

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Sam:
David has his s... together. His idea of partying, is, well, lightweight, compared to the stuff I did at his age. He's amazing, that way.

Alcohol, in moderation, doesn't make one depressed. David, in my observation, keeps control, and awareness of the evils of alcohol. Salinas is a drive from Monterey, and, he is NOT stupid enough to endanger his entire life, and welfare, being caught with alcohol, while driving.

To be honest, David is 26 going on 45.

Figure where you are on that scale. I suspect, you, and an 18 year old would be a wonderful match....

While that sounds REALLY degrading, my favorite times in life are my early to late 20's. Lord gave me wonderful chances to marry incredible, super wealthy women, read Kathie BARGETTO, AMONG OTHERS, OF BARGETTO WINERY, and, like a f.....g idiot, I didn't take the chance.

So, you, are a young, needing more experience person. I think you, and an 18 year old are, or could be, about the same development stages, and, really enjoy each other. So,go with it. I'll be jealous...

S
 
Santilli

Santilli

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My early 20's I had the experience of a 16 year old. My late 20's I became a 50 year old.

Where do you think Merc fits on this scale, after reading his experiences...?

s
 
ddrueding

ddrueding

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I do certainly believe in better living through chemistry. Of course, the key elemet here is better living; using all available rescources to get the most out of life. Of course, the line between this and acutal abuse/addiction is quite a fine one, and something that I'm pretty careful about. It seems the responsabilities of being in a relationship keep me on the mature side. Time I spend being singe is less of a smart thing; not being depended upon by anyone and having only my own life to mess up makes me a bit on the wild side. This kind of behavior tends to get me in another relationship and the cycle continues.
 
ddrueding

ddrueding

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ddrueding said:
Mmmm...Thai Orange Chicken...tasty :eek:
Click to expand...

I was just reflecting that when I first posted that a couple years ago I lived about a mile from the resteraunt in question. Since then I've lived in 5 cities and 2 states with quite a few changes in my life. I just got back from walking to the same resturaunt (about 4 blocks). Crazy.
 
timwhit

timwhit

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I remember the thread. I don't know why I didn't take the test back then, but I took it yesterday out of boredom. I wonder how much I am deluding myself when answering the questions though?


You could at least meet her. No harm in that. (At least as far as I'm concerned). Go to a coffee shop or something like it.
 
Groltz

Groltz

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Here is a picture I took this evening from my back patio. It was easily the most awesome rainbow I'd ever seen in my life. It was a double and both arcs spanned their lengths unbroken from end to end. By the time I rousted out my camera it was starting to dissipate. The picture was resampled/resized down to 1280x960 with Irfanview and cleaned using Neat Image Pro+
 
CougTek

CougTek

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Thanks for sharing. I've seen a full rainbow twice in my childhood, but never since. I'm almost always indoor during the day (at work), so even if one appear, I'll miss it.
 
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