"I regard those things, the QR codes, especially at restaurants, as an 'innovation' made entirely for the convenience of the company, not the customer. " I was confronted by one of those at a fairly high-end restaurant, and politely asked for a paper menu. The server said, "Our printer is broken," so I held up my old-lady flip phone (not a smart phone -- calls & texts only), and said, "I'll wait."
I was raised Catholic…it didn’t take. As adolescents we were expected to attend weekly confession and admit with acute precision the number of times we had pleasured ourselves since our last confession. We were also required to confess, with high accuracy, the number of times we had entertained “impure” thoughts. Those two activities pretty much comprised the width and breadth of our entire existence. Any estimate of their occurrence was , ipso facto, “ rough.”
There's biological or chronological age, of course, and then there's what geriatricians call "subjective" age --- how you actually feel. Scientists are finding that people who feel younger than their chronological age are typically healthier and more psychologically resilient than those who feel older. So in other words --- not only are you as old as you feel, but unfortunately ---you are too often as "old" as others feel (you are).
I knew I was out of it when I complimented a colleague’s tie and he mumbled. “He’ll figure... “ like he’ll figure it out, disparaging me. After clarifying with him, it was Hilfiger, like Tommy...
Your choice of an A.I. "Van Gogh" was inspired considering the edition of the "Scocca /Weingarten Medical Encyclopedia" published here (no doubt, just in part). Old Vince was a diagnosed and formally undiagnosed (as far as we know) walking medical disaster, and would have done you guys proud. His mental disability is well known --- in fact, there's a "Van Gogh Syndrome" (repetitive self-mutilation) --- but not so well known is that he suffered from epilepsy and may have also suffered from Ménière's disease, porphyria, and possibly syphilis, among several other possible debilitations. But hey, the guy could paint (just like you guys can write) --- if presumably barely able to hold a brush and palette knife, considering the comorbidities.
Tom's story is absolutely horrifying. This may be naive, but maybe Gene or Tom could use their journalistic connections to get Tom's story published in the Lisa Sanders medical column of the NYT? Doctors read it and sometimes the commenters identify the problem better than medical professionals.
" we might actually see our lives flash before our eyes in the moments before death overtakes us." And with the notions of the "multiverse" and time lines and the long term idea of life as an entertainment updated to virtually reality; it might actually happen. Our life may just be another entertainment with a summary part to let us know when it is over, aka "It is a Wonderful Life?" My personal dream is we all get on a blue bus (if you know the DC reference) and my family of three go off in a bus. gary4books
"I regard those things, the QR codes, especially at restaurants, as an 'innovation' made entirely for the convenience of the company, not the customer. " I was confronted by one of those at a fairly high-end restaurant, and politely asked for a paper menu. The server said, "Our printer is broken," so I held up my old-lady flip phone (not a smart phone -- calls & texts only), and said, "I'll wait."
Somehow, the printer started working again.
I was raised Catholic…it didn’t take. As adolescents we were expected to attend weekly confession and admit with acute precision the number of times we had pleasured ourselves since our last confession. We were also required to confess, with high accuracy, the number of times we had entertained “impure” thoughts. Those two activities pretty much comprised the width and breadth of our entire existence. Any estimate of their occurrence was , ipso facto, “ rough.”
For this poll I choose "not gonna answer this one" because I'm concerned about hacking:
My credit card was hacked after I used it at a big box store.
My personnel info was hacked from my employer's website.
My health info was hacked from a healthcare provider.
If someone did hack what I say here, I'd say, "Publish and be dammed" (and hopefully in the Afterlife, get a year in Hell).
There's biological or chronological age, of course, and then there's what geriatricians call "subjective" age --- how you actually feel. Scientists are finding that people who feel younger than their chronological age are typically healthier and more psychologically resilient than those who feel older. So in other words --- not only are you as old as you feel, but unfortunately ---you are too often as "old" as others feel (you are).
I knew I was out of it when I complimented a colleague’s tie and he mumbled. “He’ll figure... “ like he’ll figure it out, disparaging me. After clarifying with him, it was Hilfiger, like Tommy...
I am grateful someone asked for clarification about “Roughly once a day” as I am a gentle and caring lover.
Still, why is the implied upper bound so low?
Because very few of us are still 18?
Your choice of an A.I. "Van Gogh" was inspired considering the edition of the "Scocca /Weingarten Medical Encyclopedia" published here (no doubt, just in part). Old Vince was a diagnosed and formally undiagnosed (as far as we know) walking medical disaster, and would have done you guys proud. His mental disability is well known --- in fact, there's a "Van Gogh Syndrome" (repetitive self-mutilation) --- but not so well known is that he suffered from epilepsy and may have also suffered from Ménière's disease, porphyria, and possibly syphilis, among several other possible debilitations. But hey, the guy could paint (just like you guys can write) --- if presumably barely able to hold a brush and palette knife, considering the comorbidities.
OMG, your last bit just hit me in the gut. Penkovsky. That will never not make me cry. He knew he had to do it, and he knew he was going to die.
Tom's story is absolutely horrifying. This may be naive, but maybe Gene or Tom could use their journalistic connections to get Tom's story published in the Lisa Sanders medical column of the NYT? Doctors read it and sometimes the commenters identify the problem better than medical professionals.
I think there's also a column like that in the Washington Post.
Tom's account was published in the January 2, 2024 New York Magazine.
I'm aware of that, since that's where the link went. I am talking about the New York Times.
Just thinking that two "NY" publications wouldn't do the "same" story. Washington Post also does medical mysteries.
I like your expression " dire rear" ! An aptonym for the condition of ever there was one.
" we might actually see our lives flash before our eyes in the moments before death overtakes us." And with the notions of the "multiverse" and time lines and the long term idea of life as an entertainment updated to virtually reality; it might actually happen. Our life may just be another entertainment with a summary part to let us know when it is over, aka "It is a Wonderful Life?" My personal dream is we all get on a blue bus (if you know the DC reference) and my family of three go off in a bus. gary4books
As a boomer, I never mention that G-strings were invented so that live porn could be delivered without being nude. It would reveal too much about me.
I appreciate Tom's view on painful mouth sores. Instead of salt, I would place an aspirin, and let it dissolve, which is very painful!