Yesterday, today, tomorrow
 

See what happens when I don't log in for a couple of days?

To briefly address yesterday's issues:
1. Please don't confuse Capra with Wilder. Frank Capra created a sugary, feel-good movie-making that resonates with America like Norman Rockwell paintings. Billy Wilder made sharp, smart, cynical pictures that reveal a completely different side of America.
2. If you want to rent a good black-and-white movie, find a Wilder movie or a Hitchcock movie. Hard to go wrong.
3. Julia Roberts is not hot. She's not a good actress either. She's a personality and a celebrity, and we live in a society that is fascinated with celebrity. Before you write angry replies, I ackknowlegde her good work in Erin Brockovich, and give credit where it is due: to Steven Soderbergh, who masterfully unearths great performances from mediocre talents. See also, Andie MacDowell in sex, lies. Before we even address the Ashley v. Charlize pantheon, pick a fairer fight. Catherine Keener is about the same age as Julia Roberts, is much hotter, and is a far better actress. [After writing this sentence, I checked and learned that Keener is 7 years older than Julia. Still hotter, but 7 years older.] Ditto Isabella Rossellini and she's 15 years older than Julia.

On to today's matters...

Have we learned nothing from the tragic death of Aaliyah? Age Ain't Nothing But a Number. People that are going to college share many of the same issues, concerns, and experiences. What should I study? What am I going to do with my life? It's only natural that they should bond over these common themes and form relationships. People thrown into the working world also share many of the same issues, concerns, and experiences. Why the hell did I get a major that either affords me no career prospects or leads to a profession consumed by drudgery and backbiting? People with children share many of the same issues, concerns, and experiences. Why won't em stop crying/begging for new video games/asking to borrow the car? Will I ever have a life again?

Today, I declare that all dating within these three categories has no age difference. Seriously. If you're in grad school at 40, and your study group partner is 25, bang away with impunity. There's no age difference. But a 23 year old who hasn't finished undergrad must cross a gaping chasm to date a divorced single mom with 2 kids who is also 23 or to date someone who studied a trade, has worked for 5 years, and owns em's own shop.

This board has spent much of the day with men and women bickering over which age differences are "OK." You know what age differences are OK? The ones that work. If two people can get along and love each other, their age difference is OK, whether the couple shares the same birthday or has a couple decades between them. We wouldn't consider it outright squicky to have a Catholic marry a Jew? There are obvious differences there (depending on amount of religious fervor). For all of the diversity/tolerance/not-judging/judging other people or judging that is manifest here, we should be above this thread.

As for me, I've dated a woman 7 years older and 5 (or so) years younger. There was none of this pre-orgasmic nonsense with either. I use the word nonsense because "pre-orgasmic" is a euphemism and because women are responsible for their own sexual health and pleasure and have been since all of the women on this board hit puberty (or since birth, for some of the youngsters). In bed, the man has an obligation to deliver best efforts and to respond to constructive criticism.

On to new topics...
1. You should all make a dental appointment today.
2. You should all buy Welcome Interstate Managers from Fountains of Wayne.
3. You will need the dental appointment after listening to the CD because the songs are so sugary-sweet they might cause tooth decay.

Did he tell you stories about Diego Rivera and Frieda Whatshername?
 

Hey, you were friends with Nelson Rockefeller?

People really *do* hate lawyers . . .
 

She was up against a "knew or should have known" standard anyway. She either knew or should have known that filing a lawsuit to be sole valedictorian would have no positive effect on her future chances (think Harvard would have turned her away because she was co-valedictorian?) and would make her seem petty and mean spirited towards some other brainiac, who also worked way too hard in high school.

If she couldn't recognize that prior to the lawsuit, I'm not letting her in my law school (once I become dean of some prestigious law school, that is). Failure to use logical reasoning.

Yesterday, today, tomorrow
 

Or the Coen Brothers versions - "The Hudsucker Proxy" versus "The Man Who Wasn't There."

For Love or Money
 

[sigh] I have to agree with you but I will do so without using the term "angry spinster." Why should anyone care why anyone else chooses a mate/fuck-buddy/whatever (unless, of course, it has something to do with the mate being pre-pubescent or something squicky and illegal like that)? It is kinda like caring if other people get plastic surgery -- I may personally choose not to and find it funny when fake boobies stand at attention, but.... --- it just makes you "sour." Face it ladies, our "window" is just smaller than a man's. It may be really fucking unfair, but that is how it is -- women are constantly judged on looks and men by how successful they are (although looks don't hurt either). I bet men think it is unfair that an otherwise great guy gets shitcanned for not having social status and lots of jack. Labeling a guy who likes young women as insecure isn't fair to him or to you. If it makes you feel any better, just remind yourself that statistics point to him being old and lonely someday because eventually the money (at least the amount that he has) won't be enough and maybe he will regret at and maybe he won't but why do you care?

All normal people eventually age -- boobs sag a bit, skin gets loose, hair falls out, tummies get soft, balls droop into the toilet water, etc. If there are guys who prefer younger women then I say all power to them for as long as they can do it, ain't none of my business. The funny thing is that, in my experience, the women I know (everyone on the FB excepted because, well, I don't really know you now do I?) who look at men who fuck younger women and call them insecure, etc. were those same younger women (or wanted to be) 10 years ago and now they are just a little upset at themselves and life because they didn't realize that their "window" was speeding by while they played the field. They all called me crazy for marrying and having a child in my mid/late-20s when they figured I was in my prime for "playing." Now they are all pissed at the men their age and older who are going after the women that they used to be and lamenting the "dearth of good men to settle down with while there is still time to make babies." All of the good ones are not taken, but they are a bit harder to find after 30.


NOTE: I would like to reiterate that the comments above are based on personal experience and in no way represent an analysis of anyone on the FB or their reasons for feeling/believing a certain way.

People really *do* hate lawyers . . .
 

Her familiarity with chronic fatigue should come in handy in her future career as a lawyer.

Hey, Money *Can* Buy Happiness!
 

$1.5 mil, to be exact:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/926241.asp

Hmm. Maybe I'll have to lay off the accessories purchases for awhile...

Age Poll
 

When I was just 17 I lost my oral virginity to a woman in her thirties who had a short film in the Toronto Film Festival and was just in town for the week (I met her as we both walked out of "Pink Ulysees," a piece of homoerotic crap, at the same time). So I'd guess it was a 16 year age difference. Alas after the Festival I didn't see her again.

Since then I've dated women exclusively within 3 years of my age.

str8.

People really *do* hate lawyers . . .
 

This kind of shit irritates me to no end. These are the lawyers that people hate. It's giving a bad name to all of us. And this asshole who took the case and probably "advised" her that it was a good idea and to "get what she earned" needs to have his ass kicked and have a meeting before the Bar Assoc. You know, someday I'm going to work for the Bar and get assholes like this kicked out of the profession. If she didn't know it was going to cause problems to be selfish and not want to be co-valedictorian, then HE certainly had the obligation to warn her.
Geez, how petty do you have to be to want to be SOLE valedictorian after you've already been accepted to Harvard? What does that get her? Accepted again with bonus points? She's going to find out that out here in reality, being sole valedictorian doesn't mean shit. Less than shit. And that she found this battle and won, but only to eventually lose and for NOTHING.:mad:

People really *do* hate lawyers . . .
 

Was this the case where her parents were lawyers? If so...Way to go Mom and Dad!

-TL

PSA
 

Please do not email me pictures of your fetus at work. Or anywhere else. Thank you.

Hey, Money *Can* Buy Happiness!
 

If they had asked me, it isn't the amount of money that I have but rather the lack of debt that brings happiness. Being out of debt, even if it means still needing a job would be okay by me because all I would have to work for is daily living money and not mortgages, loan payments, etc. I could work a casual type job or else just stay home and live off of the hubby for a change. I didn't make great money until about four years ago but by focusing on debt reduction I am now able to live without any credit card debt, student loans are done, 2 cars paid for and 1 more to be paid off by the end of the year and on target to have the house paid off in 3 more years. My hubby used to call me a penny-pincher and I admit that we haven't really done elaborate vacations or anything like that but now that he can see the light at the end of the tunnel being debt free by the time he is 35 has become very appealing. Although we do our sporting events and movies and stuff like that we probably live boring lives compared to the rest of you but I don't have $1.5million so I gotta find my happiness in other ways.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down the $1.5million if somebody out there wanted to try to make me happy with it. :D

PSA
 

Please tell me you're kidding. No one would actually DO that.

PSA
 

What ever happened to the enforcement of child labor laws? Sheesh.

PSA
 

Oh, yes they did. WHo wants to see the fetus besides the parents and grandparents? I think I posted about beinga t a party where the pregnant hostess tacked a picture of her fetus to the fridge. That was bad, but emailng me at work? forget it.

PSA
 

Damn. And just as I was busy scanning them in for mass distribution......

-TL

PSA
 

Do you expect this to be a more effective way to stop this friend from emailing you pictures of her fetus than hitting reply and typing "Why the fuck do I want to see a picture of your fetus?"?

PSA
 

I can see that happening.

Digital sonogram + smitten expectant mom * 1/3 of all women who express a polite interest in "seeing" sonogram printouts and pretending to know what they depict = mass e-mail. Paigow got caught in this formula for disaster.

May I just offer a hearty "fuck you" to ThrasherFan for being three years away from paying off her house? WTF? Did you buy it in college on a 15-year mortgage?

PSA
 

Just send her a charming digital vision of your last Pap (or other routine GYN checkup test). That oughta solve it.

People really *do* hate lawyers . . .
 

as will the "doing things to advance yourself that would be repugnant to the average person" experience. actually. when I think back on high school all the validictorian/salutorian(sp?) candidates were basically assholes who cheated and did what they could to screw each other up and get the magical .01 GPA increase to put themselves on stage- we all hated them and felt they cheated- really all this girl did was give her classmates a rude awakening to the world. she fucked 2 other dweebs who had probably petitioned the school to fuck herin the first place. if I were in her class, my main thought on graduation day would be "god, what a bunch of dickheads- oh did you get that Thai stick?"

PSA
 

If it makes you feel better, 29 years and a couple hundred thousand dollars over the purchase price to go.

Football News a/k/a "Get Bent", Like Beckham
 

For the Something-Billion inhabitants of the world OTHER THAN anyone living in the United States -

[save a few English drunks and Irish louts at my local bar...and Ironweed]

this is biggest news in a long time...

"England captain David Beckham has signed a four-year contract with Real Madrid.

Manchester United confirmed on Tuesday that they had agreed to sell the 28-year-old midfielder to the Spanish giants for a fee of £24.5m. "

not7y(Hola, Senora Spice)S

PSA
 

Bought it in 2000 and got a great deal (only $250k). I lead a boring life and put every bonus check towards the house. I figure that law is now a volatile profession and I want the hubby to be able to support us if he needs to so I figured paying down the house was a good idea. I also stuffed away cash so that if I become unemployed tomorrow I can supplement his income for 2.5 years and we don't lose the house (of course, our boring life would become even more boring but at least they wouldn't have to film the armed standoff at my home when the repo guys came). My life revolves around paying off debt -- I don't think I would recommend it to anyone because I think the stress is killing me (but at least my hubby will have a mortgage-free house. That bastard.).

PSA
 

It's killing me not to say something about a double-wide not costing that much, but I'm going to keep it to myself because I think Thrasher still likes me for standing up for her during one of the recent Thrasher bashing episodes.

So instead I'll just say, she's probably frugal and disciplined- if she's paid 2 cars off (I've never done that) and put all that money toward her house, she's a lot more disciplined than most of us (I don't want to generalize - but you people seem to be a "new car every 3 years bunch") but you might have missed out on some great travel deals since 911. Good for you - do you have any big plans to splurge once the mortgage is paid off?

Ahem
 

According to Ms. Roe , it should be called a baby


'Roe' Wants Abortion Case Reversed
DALLAS, June 17, 2003

The former plaintiff known as "Jane Roe" in the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized abortion sought to have the case overturned in a motion filed Tuesday that asks the courts to consider new evidence that abortion hurts women.

Norma McCorvey, who joined the anti-abortion fight nearly 10 years ago and says she regrets her role in Roe v. Wade, said the Supreme Court's decision is no longer valid because scientific and anecdotal evidence that has come to light in the last 30 years has shown the negative effects of abortion.

"We're getting our babies back," a jubilant McCorvey said at a news conference while flanked by about 60 women, some who sobbed and held signs that read "I regret my abortion."

full article
here

PSA
 

We had an office baby last year and the mom got a 3-D ultrasound (you know, like in the GE commercials) - she had the images on a CD so we played them at the office (little movie shots - not stills). Even for the fetus-unfriendly, it was technologically very cool. You could see exactly what Jr. looked like. However, she did not email it to anyone but hubby. -TL

PSA
 

Was it sent by a Skadden SA from Harvard?

PSA
 

I splurged already -- put a porch on the double-wide.:D

Nah, no double-wide here. I just got a tremendous deal on an older (30 years) home when everyone else wants brand new (and apparently a pool detracts from value but I wasn't gonna tell them that I would have paid extra because of it). I splurged at the end of 2001 when I bought my new car but I love it so much that I can't blame myself and I am almost done paying it off. I have a sick infatuation with cars -- muscle cars, actually -- which is why I own two (hubby has one) because I won't drive my new one in the rain. You are right, I am frugal -- and I take really good care of my shit so that I don't have to buy new stuff all the time.

Splurge? Yeah, spend more time with my son and maybe have another. He's been shortchanged, no other way to say it. He's only five though and if I can get the crap paid for soon I will still have time to make amends (barring my accidental death in the interim).

PSA
 

This is absolutely the smartest financial thing you could have done. Smarter than equity investments, smarter than maxing out your retirement. Seriously, you are my hero.

Even(housing just now dropping into an affordable range in the urban core -- in the heyday, 500k for a 2/1)Odds

For Love or Money
 

I don't know why I gave you the credit, but I had assumed you would realize that the "Boogers!" sign off was a tribute to the people who started this site and a dig at West. FYI, then, Dr. Johnny Fever from WKRP In Cincinatti was fired from his prior DJ job at a Los Angeles radio station for saying "Boogers" on the air.

PSA
 

Well, except for putting the bonus check towards the house. Better to put it in savings of some sort, since it's easier to draw that down in an emergency than to refinance to get at the cash.

Football News a/k/a "Get Bent", Like Beckham
 

No, this is - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...7/MN287051.DTL (closing time to be extended at pubs in England)

PSA
 

Absolutely, but she said she had enough cash to set pay the mortgage for 2.5 years. That's great planning.

PSA
 

If you can lock in a 30-year loan now -- and who can't these days? -- in a few years you might wish you'd put that money into the stock market instead of paying off a loan at such a low rate, given that you can deduct the interest. That said, it's pretty cool to escape the debt.

Football News a/k/a "Get Bent", Like Beckham
 

and hundreds of indian restuants all over the UK are rapidly working on extending their hours

PSA
 

Yes. That part's great. Nothing like having huge savings so you can try new things.

Or upgrade from Light Ice.

For Love or Money
 

Your findings are completely inconsistent with Darwin's theory.

TM

PSA
 

:blush: Hero? No. Really just a-scared of debt and happy to lead a fairly boring life. I put some in my 401k every pay-period but prolly not as much as I should -- hubby's job carries a pension so I am counting on that being around.

$500k for 2/1??? Fuck. I mean, shit, that's a lot of money for not a lot of house. I got 5,300 sq ft on about an acre but I am 30 minutes from the city (I like living in a wooded area though in case I wanna get unboring and swim naked). Being it debt for $500k would probably make my heart explode.

PSA
 

I know you are right, and I think about it at times but I just have such an aversion to debt (I was the one pumping gas on the midnight shift after my afternoon clerk job during law school to limit my loans) that I think the trade-off is worth it from a mental health persepctive.

PSA
 

Wow. I applaud the "getting out of debt" vibe, but my mental health would be shot if I did not reward myself from time to time. All work and no play make ABBA an irritated girl.