Luckily I don't have to do it anymore. With the internet we can get all the stuff on-line. The problem is what to get all the kids. We don't exchange gifts with the adults anymore which is just fine with me. I hate to get gifts. If I want something I go out and buy it for myself. Most of the time when you buy something for someone or they buy it for you there is a lot of disappointment since it isn't what was what people want. So it is better to just buy for the kids.
Which brings it's own set of problems. One kid is just too weird and the wife had no idea what to get. So I said "How about a Criminal Minds starter set. We could get them a toy white van, some duct tape."
She hit me with a frying pan.
154 comments:
Smart lady.
Well, I think that is a wonderful gift idea.
Right. I mean at least the kid is interested in something.
I was thinking of marketing it.
Trooper York May 10, 2009
“I mean I just have a tiny little blog that almost everyone who comes to came from Althouse. But I am happy to link to her.”
People change.
You think I always looked this good?
What are you getting at, Cappy?
I've come around to the concept of gift cards, especially generic ones (for example, to Amazon, or the iTunes store, or various mad scientist-type sites, or craft ones, or even "network" ones, as in for massages or whatnot at participating spas nationwide)for people over the age of 12 or so. It took quite a while, but I have. That sort of thing and various sorts of gifts we handcraft for individual people are rapidly comprising the majority of our gift-giving. You could describe, I suppose, as a combination of the hyper-customized and the hyper-generic then meta-customized. This seems to be the wave of the future. It's not how it worked for most of my life, but it sure seems to work now, at least for us.
I absolutely refuse to buy toys for my three grand kids, after age 5. They get clothes, pajamas, robes, slippers, ski stuff, but NO toys. I always throw a book or two in the gift bag as well.
My daughter has the kids go through their toys after Christmas and pick the ones they feel they have outgrown, the ones in very good condition goes to the local women's shelter.
I did buy my almost three year old granddaughter a white wooden doll cradle made by the Amish. The workmanship is excellent, should last for many years. I think kids need to use their imaginations, too many electronics toys and video games.
Gift cards are the way to go. Great idea. That is what we plan to do.
Of course to this kid the gift card is to Smith and Wesson. Just sayn'
When I was a kid going to Catholic school you know what we called the boring, white bread, pretentious, pompous jerkoffs who hated everyting we did and turned their aristocratic snozzes up at our antics?
Protestants.
Just sayn'
My roids contact just called and I am very excited.
Tomorrow at 6:00 I begin my 12 week cycle of Winstrol.
tits.
One deletion is due another deletion.
Tit for tat.
We live for tits over here.
If they want to tat that is fine with me.
The last time they went first. This time I returned serve.
Happy trails.
Remember 8 billion chinamen don't give a shit. Just sayn'
Do you know that the power goes out in major Indian cities all the time?
It can suck.
tits.
Remember when you would give cartons of cigarettes. I remember teachers getting cartons for Christmas.
The honey badger doesn't give a shit either.
Hey Titus - keep hittin' the spike and you will have tits of your own.
Hey what did I miss, did you just delete someone?
When Trooper deletes someone, they stay deleted.
I trust Troopers judgment, it must've been for a damn good reason, or was the good Reverend flirting?
Trooper, as I mentioned, my ex- attended Cardinal Spellman in the Bronx. One day the Head Nun in Charge was going around the room asking each child what she wanted to be when she grew up. My wife's turn came and she said "When I grow up I want to be a prostitute."
The nun fainted dead away. When she was revived she asked what happened. She was told that little [name redacted] said that when she grew up she wanted to be a prostitute.
"Oh", said the nun, "I thought she said protestant!"
At one time in his early life, my little brother (now nudgin' inexorably to the start of his 50th year) confused "paprika" and "pervert." The scenario through which this confusion became apparent is still, to this day, a great family story.
I can imagine the story, do tell it Jason. Did he run into the house yelling "Mom, Mom, a big ugly paprika is after me!"?
Oops that wasn't Jason, that was rcommal.
I didn't delete anyone Allie. I only have deleted two people since I started this blog. J and someone who dissed my wife.
Otherwise you can say what you want.
I love shopping on line, but for some things I really enjoy going to the source to buy.
Oh, I thought you deleted someone new.Never mind, just another blond moment. Making a Roseann Roseanna Danna face.
No problem.
It appears that someone came over to stir it up but we can safely ignore it after a few love taps.
Girls just want to have fun.
We ended up getting the kid an American Express gift card.
But I am still going to get them a hockey mask for the grab bag.
I really like the theme that has emerged this Christmas of buying locally. Gift cards are great ideas. Local restaurants, boutiques, florists, barbers, oil change shops--just about any business--can benefit from buying locally.
I found a guy who lives in a van down by the river who makes genuine Ming vases. So I bought three for $20 from him. I'm donating one to the Smithsonian and giving the other two to people as cremation urns for when they pass. I'm blessed to have the knack of knowing just the right, thoughtful gift.
I feel a bonding coming on tomorrow.
Justin and I are both going to be dosing in the same stall at the same time.
I hope to possibly pull down Justin's shorts down a little bit further during his dose in order to see his hog.
That is what I am thinking about right now.
The guy who is administering the dose's wife owns the gym which is a little fucked up. She was extra friendly to me today. She knows what is going down. I wonder what his pay is for the cycle.
We went to a Christmas party once where we had to do one of those dreadful gift exchanges where everyone draws a number, then picks a gift, and can force someone to trade if they don't like their gift. I brought a sandwich with a bite out of it. I thought the person was going to shit a kitten when they unwrapped it.
Class...some's got it, some don't.
I have to admit I only got one gift that I ever liked in my whole life.
A David Wells Yankee jersey that I still wear.
Of course it is Nick Swishers numbe now and there is no name on the back so every thinks I am a Nick Swisher fan.
It could be worse. It could be AJ Burnetts number.
I am thinking after the dosing that Justin and I are going to connect and he is going to want to play around on the down low.
Just jerky jerky would be fine with me.
Today he worked out at the gym with his shirt off while I was spotting him. I was so fucking horny but kept it cool. I would give him a nonchalent compliment and then move on to the next regime.
I played it cool like the West Side Story song, Keep It Cool Man.
I have already referred to him as Justine to my friends.
I really am too old for this and if my husband knew he would be devastated.
Gee Titus you're a bigger slut than I am:)
Governor Zebulon Vance of North Carolina was confronted by a buxom woman who informed him that the opposing party did not approve of his administration and that they were going to fight him and give him tit for tat. He looked at her and said, "Tat." Gotta love him.
My arm is going to likely touch Justin's hog during the dosing.
I have already planned it all out.
It is all by accident but our eyes will meet and it will be cool that my arm touched his hog.
That will be my signal to pounce.
Justin works in construction too, how hot is that. He works for his father's roofing company. I picture me coming to the job site wearing a halter and short shorts delivering his lunch, very Crying Game.
Hey, things are gonna get even more hectic quick this holiday season, and don't I know it. So here's an early gift in case time runs out, later.
...
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.
xxoo
; )
Titus wrote "I picture me coming to the job site wearing a halter and short shorts delivering his lunch, very Crying Game."
And for some reason you don't want to be thought of as gay.
Your confusion is profound.
Trooper York said...
"I didn't delete anyone Allie. I only have deleted two people since I started this blog. J and someone who dissed my wife.
Otherwise you can say what you want."
Did they call her something like evil dress shop lady? Because if they called her something like evil dress shop lady, they were probably just bustin' balls.
Just sayin'.
This year my nephew turned 30.
We sent the usual check. Well my wife did.
But, we had to inform him that, now that he is 30, the world is upside down. From now on, he has to send us presents, and we're off the hook.
That got his attention.
Just sayin.
Meade is the new J.
I said to Meade a couple days ago I thought he was a Happy Warrior, apparently he's angry. Being a Hoosier, he isn't able to analyze, just "feel". Meade has spoken of "feelings" lately. I hear the Morris Albert song when he says it.
Meade, Troopers wife is not the blogger and doesn't comment. She's his wife, and he loves her..as you love yours. But Meade, I'll speak slowly..Your wife is the blogger and you are her junior partner. You are both in the arena. You are both fair game. You don't attack Bush's kids unless you are unrighteous. The latter is what's known as an analogy.
Trooper, they are monitoring you closely. You got to love it.
Sixty Grit said...
"Meade is a dimwitted communist. His wife is a drunk. They deserve each other. Long may he plow that fallow dry ground."
Man, if Troop was awake he would call you a Protestant.
Sixty Grit said...
"Go fuck yourself, Meade, you commie bitch. You and that worthless cunt you are married to are beneath contempt."
If Troop was awake he'd probably say not that there's anything wrong with that.
Really, Meade?
Most of the time you just get all muddy (and the pig loves it). For a minute I thought that might be AllenS refereeing.
A cousin of mine was killed in a bar fight once in rural Wisconsin. He got drunk and insulted the wrong guy. The bartender moved them outside in the dead of winter. Outside, the older, bigger guy kicked and pummeled my smaller, younger cousin, and then left with a friend, leaving my cousin to die. A couple people stood by and watched, doing nothing I guess because they thought he deserved it. When the cops came they had a tough time finding anyone sober enough to get the story straight, including the bartender.
How about some testosterone-fueled logrolling?
Titus?
Do video gamers here remember this old game, Pixel Land? It was fun for a while until more sophisticated games came along. I gave it up because it was too hard (lol)! No help button, no friends, and I never knew where it was taking me.
Merry Christmas Troop.
I got my nephews a wii for christmas which may be a bit much but aggregated over three kids it's not so bad.
Just so youse guys know I am on the late shift and we don't go to bed till 3am and don't get up till noon.
As ndspinelli so correctly noted the wife is not a blogger and is not invovled in this stuff. The nasty commenter called her a fat bitch which is unacceptable.
I guess that from the posted comments that Sixty was mad and spoke a little roughly and then he thought better of it and deleted it himself without me asking him to do it. I appreciate that Sixty. Thank you.
I realize that I am being monitered closely nd. So it behooves us to be creative in our disdain for pomposity and self rightousnes. Simple crude insults are easy to brush off. But creative mockery can be harder to ignore. Just sayn.
And nicknames don't stick unless there is some truth to them. That's why nobody calls me "Gentlemen Jim." Just sayn'
Oh and Good Morning and Merry Christmas to everyone.
Actually, Troop, I wrote some strongly worded but accurate comments, let each stay up for a minute or two, then deleted them.
This was to test Spinelli's supposition that Meade is in fact acting as a spy boy for the bitch he is married to, and to lay the trap for him to prove that he is a tattle tale.
Meade proved he is as big a bitch assed punk as we thought. Or is it punk assed bitch. Either way, he is a pussy, and he serves his master well. He passed both tests.
And the beauty of it is that now the ugly comments about the witch he is married to will always be associated with comments posted under his name. Way to go, Meade, you are one stupid motherfucker.
I'm sorry that I inferred you were a bartender, Troop.
Waiting to get back to jots and tittles.
Truth spoken bluntly and crudely can be disconcerting to read in black and white. I often dash off some pretty tough stuff and then think better of it before I post it. Anger and vitriol can be off-putting to some of our more gentle souls such as Darcy and Ritmo who have delicate sensibilities.
I have a philosophy of life that I sum up in two words: "genial contempt." I can think very little of you. I can think you are a moron. A douchebag. An lowlife piece of shit. But I don't want to get all riled up about it. I just go "Hey how you doing buddy, whatever see ya around" and not give a shit and get all emotional. Because people never change. As Popeye would say "They is what they is and that's all that they is." So just step over the homeless guy to get into the bodega to get your bearclaw and coffee.
Just because they are on fire doesn't mean you have to piss on them
Chicken you realize we were talking about Christmas presents here. Who changed the tone I wonder? Who is pushing the ball down the field? Whe came over to the bar to pee on the floor? Who ownes the ratchet it up wrench?
Titus, obviously!
Funny thing about bars is people go there to get drunk. And act stupid sometimes. That is what it is for. Otherwise they would go to the library where they throw you out if you bring in clutter and mess up their clean tables where they can read boring Russian novels or feminist tracts. Just sayn'
Well Sixty I don't think a butt plug is the same as a ratchet-it-up wrench but you could be right.
Just another reason I never loan my hand tools to anyone.
@Troop: Yeah, I realize that. But part of the written record has gone missing here.
I'm not defending Meade or Sixty. I reserve my animus for "J".
Heading over to Nurse Ratchet's house. That is what my fellow juicers call him.
Wish me luck.
toodles.
Hey Trooper you forgot to add me in that sensitive list, aren't I delicate too? Bwahahahahahaha.
Someone named B called me a "breeder" and told me that because Althouse had many "professional" people as readers that I didn't belong there. That same guy B, said that my husband committed suicide so he didn't have to stay married to me ( that actually did make me cry). I'm going to say this with absolutely NO proof, but just a hunch in question form, is Meade, B?
Now THAT ugliness was allowed in the threads over there, J was allowed, yet silly flirting and humor was deemed owing and clutter by those two, how utterly fucked up.
Then the Piece de resistance, the wound licking blog post. How do they think that anyone with a heart and half a brain won't see through what that place is, EBL and hubby need to own it, it's very evident.
OK my last rant on them ever.
Deemed boring.
There shall be no flirting unless it is with ME!
Waitaminute. This isn't my blog, is it?
Oh, damn. =)
Allie I don't know if you ever watch reality shows?
One of things that happens is what you do gets recorded and turns out entirely different than you think it does. You might think you are cool and edgy when you just end up looking like a douchebag and a mean one at that.
When you write it out on a blog post or a comment it is just as bad. And it stays there for all to read. Sometimes you think better of it and delete it. That is the best way to go.
I try to do things a little differently over here. I don't like all the fighting that the EBL lives for. She encourages it and thinks it helps her page views and overall numbers. That is why she will not delete J. He serves her purposes. If there was no J she would invent one. FOr her to claim she did not see his posts where he calls people "yids" and threatens them is just a bald faced lie. It is part of her way of doing busines.
That is why she is termed the evil blogger lady. Just sayn'
But I think you have the right idea to let it drop. If it amuses you to fight with her like it does ndspinelli then go right ahead. But I think you have better things to do.
I mean you found a way to hang out with cool conservative guys. What could be better than that?
Oh yeah I've deleted myself a few times, thank goodness. I think most of us here have. THAT is what makes us different than the EBL.
We have owned up to our mistakes and short comings. I have read sincere apologies and have accepted some and I've given a couple myself.
THAT also is what sets us apart from that place.
Trooper, you are like my brother, gives me good advice, I usually take it and find out he was right after all.
It just that you dizzy broads get all emtional and stuff.
Allie,
Everyone is Meade.
(Well, not me. And not Darcy because I wanna go flirt with her now.)
Hey, Darcy,
How you doin'?
Now don't you wonder what I just deleted?
Heyyyy, blakesy. :)
Actually, we don't have to wonder, Allie. When you post something, it gets emailed to thread subscribers.
Just FYI. It's only gone here.
Darcy--
So...what are you doing after the big game? Wanna get a malted?
Okay. But you'll have to come to Detroit.
Oh for crying out loud, we're not going to sing Cum by ya, are we?
Arrrrggg! You mean it's forever out there, forever and ever, amen?
Roars are like that.
What whores?
There are whores here?
What is this Goodfellas?
Where whores?
Blake said that whores are like that.
I thought he was refering to attention whores who show up hear to stir the shit. Just sayn'
Oh. There whores! ;-)
I think spinelli should infestigate the missing whores--privately.
Allie: RE your 1:12, I think a lot of us wound-lickers have similar stories of life in EBL-land.
I could grab you by the arm and say, "But you should hear what happened to ME!" Don't worry, I won't.
The sad reality is that any personal detail, your tastes (unless they fit into a narrow range of middle-of-the-road pop culture), and/or your opinions on any subject, political or not, will be used against you on the internet--almost never in a discussion or debate, but as the basis for a personal attack.
I like to talk about ideas and tastes and maybe have a disagreement or two. Debate sharpens your own thinking and can open your eyes to possibilities you may never have had in mind.
But a civil discussion or even a heated but respectful disagreement is rare to vanishing on the internet. The slightest hint of conflict or your not quite fitting in the particular group will quickly produce personal venom directed your way by yet another anonymous jerk.
The safest mode of interaction is idle banter proving you belong in the group. Hence, the popularity of flirting. (I mean, what would you rather do--take abuse from random strangers or flirt with Darcy?)
People are lonely. But idle chit-chat is a whole lot better than someone attacking your late husband or your 14-year-old son, or anything or anyone else near to your heart that you have in a normal human way revealed.
People in the internet are, by and large, not your friends. They will, if you let them, steal your heart and soul without meaning to.
Then there are those who would steal the same things with every gleeful intent to enjoy the show and mock the participants afterwards.
I think it's okay to interact with them if it amuses you. But never assume you're in anything but an evil masquerade whose purpose is far from that of normal human contact.
Well said Tim. I would just add that there are also those out there who insist on using identities and pseudo-identities in a prismatic way. By prismatic, I mean shining their personality through the prism of the Internets to creat multiple personalities--sometimes for dramatic or humorous effects--but sometimes--I suspect--for nefarious purposes. This also catches innocent peoples unawares and does its share of damage.
Hi Tim!
Totally agree with what you said. And on top of this, in the comments of blogs, when an insular clique forms there is a strong instinct to protect that clique and continue to belong. Right isn't right - it's whatever keeps it all going.
Bruce, your infestigate comment cracked me up silly. :)
Infestigate the missing whores! LOL
TTB, ,Darcy, Chickie and all, you are so right, I hadn't entered the big blogoshere with my defenses up, it shocked me to the core that people were so mean and hateful, I've debated politics before where folks get heated and say shit, but the level of deep down mean , no I never experienced that before online.
As old a cow as I am, I am still an innocent in some ways. Lesson learned.
I think what we can do here is give each other permission to have a bad day.
Sometimes you are pissed off or you don't feel well and you lash out at something you think is stupid but you would've let pass 99% of the time.
That's when you post that nasty comment and then delete it.
If we just give each other a break now and then life would be a lot easier.
Trooper, You have a wonderful philosophy of tolerance. I strive for it but often fall short.
I don't get the "missing whores" investigation. Please enlighten me and I'll give a free consult. Whores are a helluva lot more interesting and uninhibited than control freak professors.
You see nd you have to realize that people are human. They are falliable. They make mistakes. They stake out positions and stubbornly hold to them and don't look at the other side. I try to see the other side. I give people a second chance. And a third chance. But three strikes and you are out. I don't get too crazy about it. I just drop their ass. I always (he said modestly) am having a better time than anyone else you might hang with. I bet you are the same way. I sense that from your comments. When you walk into a joint you know the peoples names or you will before you leave. You know how to treat people. You can bust balls but you don't take it too personally most of the time. But when you get your balls twisted people don't want to be on your bad side.
I just think what happens on the internet is too ephermal to worry about in the long run. People forget. In a year nobody will remember this dust up on the EBL site. The EBL and Meade will set up their alternate reality and the asskissers as you so aptly put it will strive to be the teachers pet. Which is fine as far as it goes.
We are having fun here. That's all anyone has to know.
To each his own.
Notice I didn't go over there to keep it going. They came here. They will be back. Wait and see.
chickenlittle, Firstly, I'm sorry about your cousin. Secondly, what you described is the same scenario for virtually every bar fight I've investigated, whether it be a rural bar or an inner city club in Chicago or Milwaukee. And pot is illegal!
Hahaha, my deleted comment was what Blake was referring to , I said I am woman hear me roar.
john: Do video gamers here remember this old game, Pixel Land?
I love Minecraft!
How many strikes do I have? (No snark intended or implied. Just figure best to know where you stand.)
Come to think of it maybe I'm back in the locker room already.
Trooper, Thanks for this blog. It is a sanctuary for humor and truth and the ego is left @ the door.
I have tried to end the acrimony over there but attorneys will never admit fault. They see it as weakness. That is one of their many flaws. I sense Meade has a soul and w/o the baggage he has to carry, would be a good bloak. You see, control freaks require spouses to follow marching orders. It never gets better[w/o therapy], it never stays the same, it only gets worse. It is a progressive disease that I have seen professionally and personally in my family. I'm sure the psych nurse Allie could speak much on this subject.
You get as many strikes as you want here cappy. But that doesn't mean I have to go over to your blog to comment and add value. I don't mind getting a few shots here and there. Nobody gave me more than nd. It's all good.
But in the long run I value my commenters a lot more then you do. Maybe because I have a lot fewer. So I don't blow them off so easily. I strive for humility. It is very hard and I fail all the time. But I still want to try.
I never would have treated a valued commenter and American Hero like RogerJ like that no matter what he did. It was out and out bullshit buddy. Take that back to the missus.
I think the answer nd is how Allie fits in here as opposed to the other joint. A lot of the same actors but the actions are very different. I think it all comes from the tone that is set. If you are dismissive, pompous, arrogant and condescending it all goes downhill right quick. Just sayn'
What I have seen happen is that people who are control freaks and narcissistic, usually drive people out of their
Iives, no matter how intelligent and charming they can be. One by one they leave until that person is left with people surrounding them who stay for equally disfunctional reasons.
Jason--
I haven't done any Minecraft yet but The Boy likes it a lot.
I'm not sure how a mod is "an old game". Isn't Minecraft still in beta, FFS?
I would argue that Meade is not such a good bloke. I get the sense that he is smug and condescending. But maybe that's just the role he plays on the internet. Perhaps as a lawn boy he is tolerable. In any case, he is predictable and easily manipulated, that's for sure.
But aren't we all Sixty when we meet someone who knows how to drive a stick shift so to speak?
I would cut him some slack. A man has to keep peace in his house. Just sayn'
I am cornfused. Do you think I'm Meade? I changed from caplight to capight45 cuz I changed email accounts.
"I strive for humility. It is very hard and I fail all the time. But I still want to try."
Which is why we thank God for the Eucharist.
You, as always, are correct, Trooper, and even though that sicko sycophant TMink claims I possess no empathy, I shudder to think what it is like, after a nice restful sleep to awaken and have my eyes alight upon EBC. Seriously, finding the head of your favorite $600,000 horse in your bed, or even Elsie the cow's head, or other parts, for that matter, all over your bloody sheets would not be nearly as terrifying. ARGGHHHHH!!! ARGHHHHH!!! ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! eleventy!!
Yes I do cappy.
At first I didn't but someone emailed your post where you said "Meade sleeps with the fishes." Which I presumed to mean that you were not posting as Meade anymore and in tribute to your friend caplight were posting as caplight 45.
Otherwise that is a very unkind commentary on Mrs. Meade's sanitary habits. I don't go for that kind of thing here. Just sayn'
And that comes from a dedicated mackerel snapper.
I also really like TTB's 3:11 comment and Trooper's @ 5:46.
If it's caplight the preacher, he's a good guy.
And hey, nd, I think it was Amazon whores. But I dunno. I just thought an infestigation sounded hilarious.
Geez. I just mentioned whores in the same post as I addressed a preacher, sort of.
Beg your pardon, caplight.
Little known fact: Pimps love Amazonian whores. They get to keep 93 bucks for every $100 trick an Amazonian whore turns!
blake: Isn't Minecraft still in beta, FFS?
That's like saying Lego blocks are still in beta. You can build things, breed animals, raise crops, create a portal to hell. It's fun!
Which reminds me, I still haven't built my portal to hell :(
Thank you, Ritmo. And thank you, chickelit and Darcy, and also for both your wise words.
Also, thank you, Trooper for your words and how you've run things here.
I was going to say something semi-profound based on chickelit's 3:34 comment, and also to appreciate how kind and decent Darcy has been--and in many more contexts than just this latest brouhaha.
I can't, however, because my youngest son just got home from Lessons and Carols at St. Paul's, where he sings in the Men's Schola. He is bouncing off the ceiling, because he also got the lead in his high school musical. He and his brother are loudly discussing the situation, interspersed with even louder singing. They're now demoing dance steps in the kitchen, and I can't think straight.
Later, everyone!
What do you get the man who has everything?
A blog to put it in.
Yeah, I tease her a lot with the flirting, but Ms. Darcy is eminently gracious at all times.
Jason--
The point isn't that Minecraft isn't fun; it seems to be.
Just the idea that it's old. It's been out for less than two years. It's been in beta for about a year. It was released officially about three weeks ago.
I know I think of Colossal Cave and Asteroids when I think "old games" but this would seem to be the very definition of a new game.
I reread some of my journaling about my experience last August in Madison when I first met Ann Althouse. I watched her be publicly mocked, derided, abused, and physically threatened. She endured that for what she thought was right and in the pursuit of truth. In doing so she gave a gift to her readers and many others by standing her ground, risking her safety and doing what news professionals were unwilling to do. That day she earned my respect, not for her writing but for her guts, resolve and grace under fire. I wrote that day that I would be proud to stand with her in the future and that I would not abandon her when the going got tough.
I would like to point out that in all the words and accusation hurled at Ann that day in August her harassers never used words as demeaning and dehumanizing as what I have found here. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that those kind of words are meant to kill and destroy. They are wrong. So out of respect for Ann I move on. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that she is above criticism. No one is. I still do like you all but I stand with Ann out of the respect that she has earned with me. Grace and peace to you in this season of the celebration of our Lords coming.
caplight,
I think it's just fine to stand up for your friend. Loyalty is admirable. I would take issue with pointing to greater sins, though. Fascinating subject for another day, and another place, perhaps.
I would like to point out that in all the words and accusation hurled at Ann that day in August her harassers never used words as demeaning and dehumanizing as what I have found here. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that those kind of words are meant to kill and destroy. They are wrong. So out of respect for Ann I move on. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that she is above criticism. No one is.
At the risk of posting longer replies and quotes than it makes sense to on this blog, can I just put out a great, big "Yeah? So? And isn't that the point?"
The problem is that she does confuse criticism with harassment, or perhaps with something just as bad. I have never seen her deal honestly with anything that could call into question her certitude - or the perception thereof - on anything. Others have brought up clinical speculation, and the associated game of speculating on relationship dynamics. But to put it in a way that should make sense to everyone on this blog, she is just way too damn thin-skinned for her own good. Maybe that's a common fault, but anyone can take a step back every now and then and ask what they've got to gain by that.
It's especially problematic when she doesn't have anywhere near as much sympathy for others as she does herself. Are her new, confusing and horribly arbitrary commenting "rules" borne out of sympathy for anything other than a mythical/utopian idea of perfect readability, novelty and conversation flow, whatever that means? Of course not. And yet, that's the only standard she can demand. She never even considers the feelings of her readers. And if she did, it would be prioritized way below the false idea that she can cultivate a kaleidoscope of endlessly colorful commentary.
Combining LSD with cocaine is a horrible idea. When you try to open up the senses, you don't do that while beating others to a pulp. I mean, I suppose a needlessly violent, humiliating or even just insulting piece of work might contain artistic merit. But NOT when you, the observer, are a participant to it. At that point it becomes personal, and not merely a show. She doesn't seem to get this.
I know I'm not one to talk. But I also know that there should be limits in life. And she never bothered to acknowledge them, let alone figure out where to set them. She still doesn't. Perhaps that's why I kept showing up -- to demonstrate how easy it was for anyone to drive that shop into the ground. But she didn't seem to care. And now she's doing it herself.
Sad, really.
Since the comment I quoted ends on a religious note, I suppose I could appeal, as many probably already have, to humility. But I think we can assume that that's a lost cause when it comes to the operation in question. If it weren't, there would be a completely different scenario to discuss than the one that occurred.
caplight is, I believe, sincere. He has a missionary zeal. Which we all know is a double edged sword.
What you observed in August was courage-lite. It was more" look @ me..I'm standing up to tyranny." caplight, real heroes don't videotape contrived events. They do what's right and don't toot their own horn. I know this very well, trust me as I trust your sincerity. Because like too many people in this world; words are used more to mask what they think, then to truly express it. I say what I think directly..very directly, and honestly. I have testified under oath hundreds of times. And there have been a few times it was really tough. But, when I swear to God it is clear what is right. "The truth shall make you free." I think we can agree on that.
"Don't mess w/ the missionary man."
Eurythmics
Three very wise commenters, who said it way better than I tried to last night, in the comment I thought better of and deleted.
Allie..no sucking up, now. The Eurythmics was an homage to all you wild women. Annie Lennox can belt it out.
Sincerely, thanks kid!
What Ritmo said.
There's a lot more I could add from a personal point-of-view, but it would be too much right now, and Ritmo covered the essentials.
Hey, Tim. :) Cute story about your kids last night.
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
Thanks, Darcy!
caplight45 said...
"I would like to point out that in all the words and accusation hurled at Ann that day in August her harassers never used words as demeaning and dehumanizing as what I have found here."
I would like to point out that I find it hard to respect anyone -- but especially a man of the cloth -- who so readily and casually bears false witness against others.
(See also your 6:03pm comment in the Althouse thread.)
I believe that the good reverand is in fact an Agent Provocateur in that he has served as a stalking horse for the antics of these people before. I recall he went to the protest to provoke a response from the protestors that could be filmed and dissected at the website.
The Good Rev posted the following on the bitch tread:
caplight said...
Where's Trooper been?
12/6/11 6:56 PM
This was an obvious set up this comment:
EBL said...
"...but, at the same time, some truly vile things, mostly from J, have been allowed to stand."
J was caught up in some of the problematic back-and-forth that motivated me to start deleting things like that. I took his comments out along with some other people.
The idea that J and only J should be deleted was not right, in my view. The remedy needed to be more even-handed. There were a lot of people going back and forth, and I believe J thought he was defending himself.
Now youse guys have seen J at work. He has come to your blogs. What do you think of this statement.
Clothing rotting tripe in sanctimonious garments does not make it smell any better.
In any event, I don't want to fall into their trap. I already regret the attention I gave it here. This is their modus operandi. When we had a dust up once before they devoted a thread with their butt boy Bissage doing the heavy lifting. I fell for it and went back there and the back and forth was pretty nasty. But I decided to forgive and forget. Boy was I stupid.
Not this time. I won't be fooled again.
I don't care about me because I have more important things to do. This dispute has become a mere bag of shells so to speak. I do hope that RogerJ, AllenS and Allie will at some point get a sincere and heartfelt apology.
But once again I won't hold my breath.
blake: Just the idea that it's old. It's been out for less than two years.
Everything new is old again.
So...everything new is old? QED?
Oh, caplight.
Oh, you definitely ARE better than the pastor wannabes, aren't you? Yes, you are. And I think it would be very understandable if certain sorts just weren't of the ilk you wanted sitting in your pews. Leave them to the pastor wannabes, maybe? Just a thought.
Ah, well. Think on it. All very understandable, though. Well done, sir.
I think what has always amazed me about sockpuppets—and I mean real sockpuppets, as opposed to the various amusing posts done "in character" by certain commentators—is that:
1. They're such a weak form of validation. Nobody agrees with you, so you have to make up a persona that will. I can't see doing that without it feeling follow. Like, "Wow, all these people are right about me: I am a loser." (See Greenwald, Glen.)
2. Even weirder, bordering on psychotic, is that ONE fake persona isn't enough. They have to create MULTIPLE fake persona who all agree with each other. Again, Green Glenwald and all his merry band is the classic example.
Just seems bizarre.
"Captain Queeg, that log there will prove everything that's been done has been to preserve discipline."
Went over to the EBL's place.
Looks like the link's gone.
You're cast adrift, Trooper.
Looks like she crossed over her tow line and cut it.
Think you'll be OK, though.
She swung the rudder hard left and cut her own line. Where is José Ferrer when you need him.
Works for me Tim.
I am quite happy about that.
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