Parent w/ spirited kids - staring problem
 

Or just do what Banky (in "Chasing Amy") did in the train station...his/her parents will make sure the kid won't go near you...

Kids
 

What profiteth a mom if she avoids a Tucker but gains a Dahmer?

Smokin' Stork
 

'Tis true. If the bar industry is looking just to me to prop them up, then I'm afraid they're doomed. But, I am confident I'm not the only one who eschewed bar crawling (or didn't do it as much as one otherwise would have) because of the smoke.

I suppose there are those who now won't go to bars because of the new rules, but eventually, equilibrium will be reached again.

I don't know what the deal is with the W lobby -- I haven't heard or read anywhere that as part of the new rules. Maybe they just don't like you. ;)

Best Law.com Headline Ever
 

Women
 

I live for it.

And, someday, it will happen.

tying threads
 

Which highlights the beauty of the drive-in movie. I haven't been in a real theater since the Little Fan came along. The Little Fan can either watch the movie or one on another screen (we bought a Walkman for just that reason-imagine my surprise when I discovered that you listen to the movie through the radio instead of one of those Happy Days window box thingies), play around in the neighboring parking spot (in front of me, of course), use a hand-held video game or sleep while I relax in a whatta-chair, feet propped on cooler full of beer, smoke if I want, nosh on some nachos and see a couple of good first-run flicks for eight bucks.


Thrashers(if "classy" really meant anything it would probably be somewhere totally opposite my drive-in experience)Fan

People with Horrid Demon Children
 

Speaking of spirited kids, there was a young tot of about 4 or so on the train with its mom this morning who was shrieking so loudly in its tantrum that I could literally hear it through the two steel doors and vestibule that separated me from their car.

I'm sure the mom just couldn't calm the little spawn of Satan--I actually pitied the mom. But I'm sure she understood why we wished she'd simply throw Linda Blair Jr. out the window.

p(don't fuck with morning commuters)j

Women
 

Only a fool wins an argument with his wife/gf.

Best Law.com Headline Ever
 

That may be the best milestone post I've ever read. It reminds me of the episode when Butthead called the "Injury Helpline" TV lawyers complaining of a "crack in his butt".

Congratulations on 200.

Kids
 

Jeffrey Dahmer was a sports fan?

Speaking of Dahmer, bilmore, my lunch yesterday was very disappointing. You got me all hot and bothered for a really good roast beef with horseradish, and it didn't happen. You tease.

I was foolish enough to think that Au Bon Pain might be able to put together a close approximation. Get this - they have "discontinued" horseradish at ABP. WTF? To make matters worse, when I got the sandwich back to my office I discovered that there was only about a slice and half of beef on the roll. I think if I were a man I would have gotten more meat; my guess is that the sandwich ladies there think I eat like a bird and they could save the chain some $$ by skimping on the beef. Sexism is so pervasive.

r(I have to move to a town with a real fucking deli)p

Women
 

No shit. Losing doesn't really work either. I think a draw is almost always wiser.

And it never helps to point out the problems in the other person's arguing style. Timmyism when arguing with the love of your life is really just a bad idea.

New sorta poll
 

OK, this reminds me of sitting enjoying the hell out of a preview of Starship Troopers.

Until the lights came up, and I saw several parents taking traumatized 7 year olds out of the theater. And then all I could think about was what they made of the Mormon separatist colony where the camera dwelled lovingly on hoards of rotting, dismembered corpses, or watching characters dying screaming. I mean, take them to an R rated movie like the Matrix, sure, or even South Park, but Starship Troopers is one of the most gratuitously violent, bloody, violent and did I say violent movies I've ever seen, and WHO THE FUCK TAKES A KID TO SEE THAT????

A lot of parents, as far as I can tell. Every horror movie I've been too for years has a not insignificant number of kids there with their parents. What the hell is up with that? I figure it must be one of a few things:

(i) the kids have so badgered the parents about wanting to see this cool grownup movie that the parents relent;
(ii) the parents can't afford babysitters but really want to see the movie and so take their kids along;
(iii) the parents don't give a shit; or
(iv) I am getting old and so the kids aren't really that young, they just appear so to my jaded eye.

Mind you, my perception has been that the kids are usually active participants in the movie choice, since they certainly appear to be paying attention and are usually not whimpering in terror begging to be taken home (though I did see that once - I'm still not sure if it was whimpering in terror at the movie or its mother's heavy hand).

Comments? Or is this just at my local movie theater?

Women
 

He is a lawyer.

Hence, ex.


C(welcome to my love life)deuced

And you thought there was racism on AI
 

This reminds me of a stand-up routine I saw the other day on HBO. (Wanda somebody, I think; I only saw a few minutes of it.)

She did a bit about how when Tiger first started out on the Pro Tour he was "African-American". Then when he won the Masters, he was described as 1/2 black, 1/2 asian. When he won the "Tiger Slam" (I'm not sure she called it that -- but you know what I'm talking about...), he was only a 1/4 black. The punch line was, soon we're gonna be reading about how Tiger is the new Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan!

She was pretty funny, and my recitation of it doesn't do it justice, but she had it down.

Kids
 

No. I cannot accept that. There has to be another solution.

Kids
 

Chastity belt?

People with Horrid Demon Children
 

My worst encounter with such a child was, unfortunately, at my wedding. Ritzspouse's aunt and uncle subscribe to the "honey please don't do that," (with absolutely no follow-up) school of discipline. As a result, there is a family pool with bets for "age at which first felony will be committed, prison term," etc.

At the wedding, Ritzspouse's 2 year old cousin wanted to grab the runner from the aisle. Her mom picked her up and she began to scream and scream and scream throughout the entire ceremony. Relatives on my side thought that my mother was going to go over the pew. At one point, Ritzspouse, the Minister and I turned and gave the aunt and uncle a pointed look - aunt and uncle stared blankly back. No one heard the vows, etc. (they were in the third pew) and it's pretty much all that you can hear on the video despite some intense editing by the videographer (parents considered sending them the bill)

In the receiving line, I actually said, "oh was that your child who was screaming throughout the ceremony?" Still, no apology or anything. This was eight years ago and to this day, when we have a combined family gathering, my mother makes a point of surveying Ritzspouse's little cousins, etc. and saying in a not-so-quiet voice, "Now which one is the little brat who ruined your wedding?" (I have no control over my mother).

Parent w/ spirited kids - staring problem
 

You make it out of bed in time for breakfast?

Piker.

not7y(sleep til 3pm)S

Women
 

Sebbie, baby, are you calling me a fool?!? I'm hurt.

Penske "the King of my castle" Account

first post on board the sequel
 

Woo hoo, who said its not as sweet the second time around!

People with Horrid Demon Children
 

You should have stopped the service and carried the kid out of the church. And then bitch slapped the parents.

Kids
 

Something like that. I'm willing to be flexible. But this no-more-getting-stoned-and-drunk-and-hanging-out-with-aggressive-beautiful-women stuff is just crazy talk. Crazy talk!

AI Addendum
 

Talk about how reading the FB makes you more sensitive to certain things, I was surprised that no one mentioned when the mistress of hyperbole gushingly said to Kim, "You're just soooo classy!" I almost fell off the chair. Mrs. fish looked at me like I was nuts. So thanks, thanks a lot.

Parent w/ spirited kids
 

Kids do not belong in places where adults are paying good cash to chill out and relax, period. I would be pissed if a manager asked me to switch tables bc someone else's kid was being noisy. make them move, they are causing the problem.

that said, my sister has a good solution for the problem- when she takes the chilrun out to dinner, she only does it to places with laminted menus and she goes early, so that the hard working adults generaly wont have arrived yet. if she is going out at after 6 or to a place with a ten buck entree, she gets babystierr. its a good compromise.

Kids
 

Stuffing?

first post on board the sequel
 

You do realize of course that different people see a different number of posts on their pages, since you can set it yourself.

AI Addendum
 

The title of the new music column in the Austin Chronicle (the alt-weekly) is:

TCB.

first post on board the sequel
 

Shhhhhh . . . it's so much cuter this way.

New sorta poll
 

In all fairness, the far more common scenario involves the seven-year-olds leading the traumatized parents out of the Kate and Ashley movie. WHO THE FUCK TAKES PARENTS TO SEE THAT!

People with Horrid Demon Children
 

Now, this is a good reason more people should refuse to invite children to formal weddings. (Or should have many more informal weddings, something I also favor strongly, particularly since it is what most people don't realize they want anyway.) Massive blood-letting family feuds have been sparked by less.

Actually at our wedding, the policy was anyone who assumed children were not invited had their children invited. Anyone who assumed children were invited were firmly told theirs were not. This effectively ensured that all the children who were present were well behaved.

BR(one did wear a superman outfit - but his parents sucessfully insisted on a tie and jacket, too)C

Smokin' Stork
 

Well, we remember it differently -- but whatever. If it was only MM and GWNC, then it was, but I don't think so. I remember people saying they wouldn't drink while pregnant, but wouldn't feel the need to censure others. I do not remember a pile-on of "yeah, you're exactly right paigow" comments.

That's right -- they're not role models (unless you mean "role" as in "part in a movie" -- ha ha). People might find them attractive and envy their "jet setting" lifestyles, but model their personal lives after them? I don't think so. I think just as little as (I think) you do of actors who think their political views are more worthy than the next guy's simple because of their profession, but I don't think CZJ is one of them. But I digress...

I don't think you do see. I'm not telling anyone what to do -- the law is. When the law was not this way -- I didn't go to bars. It's not like I'm hanging out in a bar every night now, but now I go. Non-smoking patrons are paying customers too. If you don't like the new rule, stay home.

You're just pissed because you want to do what you want, where you want, and how you want. Well, unfortunately, life doesn't always work out that way (as I continually have to remind my 5-year-old).

first post on board the sequel
 

Those bastards! This is outrageous and mark my words, will not stand!!

I know people in high places. I also high people in other places.

Women
 

Winning an argument with your wife guarantees you lose the war.

I routinely clocked my mother in arguments as a kid - and she conveniently made me get my own ride to little league games each time I did it.

Cross-moving against one's wife when she takes you to task for some minor thing in the midst of a PMS rage blackout is insanely stupid. Whatever the argument, just capitulate early... and don't let her think you're just placating her. You've got to give her the full win - a "fine honey, you're illogical as hell, but in the spirit of comprimise I'll let you win" submission will anger her more.

The trick with chicks is that they're always hoping for a breakthrough - that maybe you'll understand why certain things are important to them. You have to make them think they break you (ala Clockwork Orange style) in order to diffuse the argument quickly.

S(luckily, my wife is pretty chill - she knows when she's PMSing and apologizes for her lack of logic later... and I give her slack and try to be understanding)D

first post on board the sequel
 

Well, you don't know me very well now do you. :P

New question for movie going parents
 

Heh. I saw precisely this when the Pokemon movie was playing down the street. The entering parents saw the look on the faces of the exiting parents, and the dispair in their eyes was something to behold ....

Has anyone tried bringing a book and mini-booklight in with them to one of those things? Or a gameboy? Seriously, I could kill 2 hours just playing minesweeper on some handheld thing, and it would probably preserve my sanity. Is that just totally impossible, what with the "daddy, daddy, did you see? did you see? look, look, daddy" shit going on?

BR(I come from a long line of people, on my father's side, who stand up and address the screen when they believe something unbelievably stupid has just happened, so I forsee a problem)C

As long as we're ranting
 

Gum cracking must be stopped!!!!

r(I mean, it's one thing at the movies/gym/sidewalk/metro, but outside my fucking office door is on a whole different plane)p

first post on board the sequel
 

What, he forgot the "high people in high places" choice?:poke:

Smokin' Stork
 

Not to jump in, and perhaps more appropriate to the politics board, but I don't like it when any law creates a restriction as to whether I cannot now indulge in behavior in a place where traditionally such behavior has been allowed.

In fairness, slave's position may be similar, and while I would not presume to speak for him, I think these policy matters are much more appropriately addressed by the management of the establishment than by the local lawmakers. Besides, most establishments of a certain size have made arrangements to accomodate both groups without infringing (too much) on the rights of either one.

As long as we're ranting
 

Your firm hires teenage cheerleaders?

spooky(don't tell Less:D)fish

Smokin' Stork
 

There's a third group, though, that ends up being inadequately represented - the employees who have to inhale the stuff for eight to ten hours per day. I know that, at least where I am, that has been the main driving force behind attempts at bans.

I smoke like a fish ("smokeyfish"?) and would hate to sit in a non-smoking bar, but I do understand that I'm sitting in someone's workplace, and OSHA doesn't allow me to release much smaller concentrations of lesser bad things in the normal work setting, so the cig smoke ban doesn't strike me as an overreach.