The Moving Finger Writes...

We, the public, should have no right to pry into the medical records of candidates for public office. Yes, I am concerned about whether McCain will drop dead from melanoma and leave a vapid figurehead "running" our country. It matters which figurehead is in charge. But medical records are private. Doctor-patient confidentiality ensures privacy. Medical records are private, Period.

Take into account the health of our presidents,
if you assume that who is speaking matters much.

As an employer (of artists and students) I am not allowed to review medical records of a potential employee. A medical condition that's irrelevant to the job, for example, might be discovered that is no one's business. It does not become one's business just because the job will be an important eight-year position.

Historic delving into medical history, be damned. It is not right to delve into confidential medical information about the candidates. That one is old, and one is young, says enough about expected lifespan.

Renee: wishing she had the opportunity to run the country.

Posted by Goddess at 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am telling Greg Levin so many funny old stories, I am motivated to record them.

Years ago, I was at the Portland Oregon 18xx gaming weekend with Jacob, and I was at loose ends and feeding the menfolk. I decided to drive across the Washington State Line and pick up some Thai food. Everyone placed an order. This one guy, he wanted Thai tea. “Thai Iced Tea?” “No, hot tea.” “I’ve never heard of Thai Hot Tea.” He also wanted a Thai salad. Skeptically, I added it to the order.

When I called, the Thai restaurant did not know what Thai salad was. “A green salad?” they asked. “If that is a Thai salad, OK I guess.” “Thai Iced tea?” they asked. “No, he said it was hot tea.” “Tea, hot?” “I guess.”

I told this 18xx gamer that the Thai restaurant did not really know what he was talking about. I gave him the chance to change his order, but no, he wanted Thai Tea and Thai Salad.

When I returned with many fragrantly steaming foam boxes, the menfolk fell upon them, delicious food, yum. There was plenty of food for all, and everyone was happy… except this weird gamer, who wanted Thai Tea and Thai Salad. I explained the problems, reminded him how I had attempted to clarify his order, offered him his money back, and pointed out the availability of plenty of extra food.

Yum! I said.

He was disgruntled. He wanted me to drive back to the restaurant. It was an hour, round trip, and his food was ill specified, and I would not. He even accosted me in the elevator. Eventually I had to walk away from his complaints. There was nothing more that I could do.

Later, I was trying to describe which gamer was disgruntled. This was a serious conversation, not a light one. “You know, Jacob, it was that fellow with the pale hair? A little overweight, he has a beard? The one with glasses... You know, the *balding* one!” At this point we both realized the conversation was ludicrous. But I really wanted Jacob to know who this irritating gamer was, so I persisted. “You know, you played 18xx with him yesterday! He’s a rules geek, takes forever to finish his turn? YOU KNOW! That guy in the old T-shirt.” Alas it was just not possible to describe the man in any meaningful way.

18xx. More than a game, it’s a lifestyle.

Posted by Goddess at 07:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How can Greg be so completely awesome? We are both flabbergasted by our stupendous luck in meeting someone so wonderful. We are a good fit, in every wind and weather.

I am reading him The 13 Clocks, featuring the Princess Saralinda whose hand is warm in every wind and weather. His friend Caitlyn also reads bedtime stories. We can share our favorite books! (Note: tell her, Bridge of Birds.)

Greg left a hair clip on the nightstand, and his cute ratty toothbrush in my bathroom. I bought 2% milk for him today, and independently, he stocked his fridge with whole milk for me. It's sudden, but it feels completely wholesome and right, to be falling in love with Greg.

I met the friends who feed my sweetie. Ian and Caitlyn are eclectic and witty and warm. When I asked for stories about Greg, Amy popped out with a shriek, "Greg is awesome! Greg will drive you to LA to see your Grandmother, and he will even eat the dumplings she forces on you." She shrieked again. "Greg will store his bike in your backyard, and let you ride it every day." Greg will take you to the airport. Greg is super nice.

Greg escorted me to an amazing aerial dance performance at a club in Santa Cruz. Then we stayed up to watch the midnight showing of Princess Mononoke. The next day, I met some fellow grad students at his advisor's BBQ. They are smart and chirpy. Greg said afterwards, "I score geek points for dating Darwin."

On Sunday, I introduced him to Kathleen and Brian, who cooked us dinner and played Acquire and plied me with wine. Everyone got along well. I loved playing Acquire again. It's so nice to have board games break out on a regular basis.

This weekend we are going to see the musical, Ragtime! with Molly et.al. I want to introduce him to my friends. I am no longer embarrassed that he resembles Greg Classic. I finally confessed to Greg that I was keeping this trivial secret from him. In an email I blurted it out. He replied, "I know. I already checked out your Pennsic 35 pictures. He's a handsome fellow."

So much for the book I planned to write, on dating! I didn't even meet enough men to write a decent magazine article.

Greg continues to be completely awesome, for me.

Posted by Goddess at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the checkout stand, the credit card reader states, and I quote, "Swipe Card." Does anyone else find that odd?

A sweet, long haired math geek swept me off my feet before I could get a good start on my new book, "Dating Dummies," below. However, I would like to finish the dating saga by briefly covering the last, and strangest, date.

We met at Pasta Pomodoro for lunch. He was 15 minutes late.

He was a handsome Woody Allen, sarcastic, pessimistic, and wielding a staggeringly impressive vocabulary. Bigger than mine, even. I said, right away, "You are handsome! You need to post a better picture!" He was taken aback. "I cut myself shaving this morning, and I have... this zit..."

He has a set of negative beliefs, including the belief that "Everyone on OKCupid lies in their profile." I argued with him on that one, but since I lied in my profile... <shrug> He thinks that, with a divorce rate of 55% and the high likelihood of divorce badly screwing up a kid's childhood, people are selfish to have children since the child will have a very unpleasant inner life. Having been a child of a divorce, with a slightly screwed up childhood, that opinion was a non-starter for me, and I told him so. I am happy to be alive.

Eventually I said, "You are too pessimistic for me. I am optimistic. If we touched, it would be like matter and anti-matter." He made a ribald joke based on explosions. I continued talking with him, trying to figure out whether I could pass him along to single lady friends. He dances. He wants to know if I'm saucy. He wants to know...

"Are you naughty?"

Long horrified pause. "No."

"Not even a little bit?"

"No!"

Eventually I decided that, even though he would spank Molly, she wouldn't like the annoying bits. But he might benefit from meeting people at Friday Night Waltz. He is an excellent waltzer, and I urged him to meet me on Friday on the dance floor. As we parted, he found it difficult to accept that I was not romantically interested in him, yet was inviting him out socially. He literally did not hear it until I repeated it three times, so convinced was he that he would never see me again. Sheesh.

Poor Jeff. He is not a happy man. But is he naughty?!

Posted by Goddess at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)