with a spooky little girl like you

[ninjabear]

You can't be in a relationship with someone else if that person isn't in it with you. I found that out the hard way with Pam.
Truth is, relationships are hard to build and require a good crew to do the maintenance and so forth.
For example, I could have spent all day yesterday in my living room watching the Trek Marathon on (TV network) G4.
I went out and spent the day with Cindy instead.
Relationships founder when one side or both decide it's too much like work to keep it afloat.

[ninjabear]

Cindy has finally told me the first name of her X. He prefers richard, but I believe I'll just refer to him as d---ie.
Now, normally I would find it disconcerting at best that my sweetie would be talking with her X but suddenly, there's an upside to this; it seems d---ie is in for some serious distress.
Cindy came over to my place a few nights ago, giggling. When she does wind down, it only takes two words to get her giggling like a little girl again...kidney stones.

I'm constrained to point out it is wrong to laugh at someone else's misfortune or pain.
However as I enjoy her mirth at d---ie's sufffering, I have to wonder just what sort of rat f--- s.o.b. could engender such a response.

[ninjabear]

I've been amusing myself with an online hunt for a Star Wars, Force FX lightsaber.
Master Replicas makes a fine product, and and it is accordingly priced. I was bargain hunting, never expecting what my hunt would turn up.

Best price thus far? $89 (U.S.) + S&H
Weirdest online retail outlet to carry this toy for grownups? OfficeMax.

I had planned to go get myself one, to continue a personal birthday tradition while observing the 30th anniversary of Star Wars...until Cindy presented me with the exact one I wanted, last night.

I know what kind of dent this put in her budget, and I have to admit it's one of the best gifts ever...to me, this is the short definition of Luv.
Now I have to figure out what a corresponding gift would be, but Cindy's not so easy to shop for---release the hounds!

[ninjabear]

Always on the hunt for that special gift for my sweetie, I saw something interesting in the local "goth-type" shop at the mall.
A dress, considered and rejected because it looked like a black wedding gown; but when I told Cindy, I learned how callous and stupid her X really is.

She left a lot behind when she came here, because d---ie had it in his head she would come crawling back in a week or so. I've tried to console Cindy over what has been dumped since she lost the ability to retrieve property left behind. I think of it as a sort of natural disaster like fire, flood, moron...but this is over the top.

Dickie's new little wifey was cleaning, and found the white wedding gown Cindy had hand made, back when she believed in such things.
Instead of shipping it to Cindy, they discarded it.

Small wonder my relationship with Cindy began---and continues---as a salvage op.

[ninjabear]

When did merchants---online and actual store---become just like clinging, needy girlfriends?
They demand all sorts of information, want to know how you found them, where you live, what's your phone, fax, birthday, jock size---okay no one's asked for that last one...yet.
I don't want to legally wed Radio Shack, I only want to make a purchase then go on with my life which does not include them.
I give them some money, they give me some stuff and we go our seperate ways.
I already have a girlfriend and she's one hell of a lot better about giving me space when I need it, than any merchant I've dealt with of late.

[cooky37]

This I can Help you with Bear. Why do they ask so many Questions????
TO MAKE----MORE---- MONEY!!!!! AND TO SPEND LESS MONEY!!
I'm a Marketing Rep for a major resort in the North East so it is my job to ask you those questions to create a data base about you.
So if you are a penny anty patron all you get is a smile and a "thankyou come again"
yell all you want, if you only drop $10 a visit don't expect $20 of coupons
If you are a steady predictable guest We will remeber your name,,, Maybe. If a business knows you'll be there every friday, then send you an invete to come in on saturday hoping you'll come both times.
But If drop alot of your money every time you walk in the door thats when we realy start to pucker up and bend over. Will send you offers for Free-Bees, Parties, contests.... we collect the info to make sure it is you and not uncle Manny the Moocher.

Then They Sell that Info to other business. My Place doesn't sell uor Data base cause alot of our guests don't want their leisure habits monitered. But that doesn't stop others. I ordered a roll of Holiday stickers over the net once and now get an average of 3 sticker catalogs a month.

Advice for those who don't like a paper trail
*go to an actual store, no net orders or mail orders
*pay cash, If you pay by check or card they need to "confirm" your ID
*nothing is for free, Any "free Membership" offers are realy a data base
builder
* use a Nick Name, Tela marketers have a script they follow. If you
normaly go by Mike when ever you fill out a non legal form use Mickey
so when some calls asking for "Mickey Smith" you know they are trying
to sell you somthing
* finaly, Just Say NO!!! they will always say they need the info, but they
will never refuse a sale just to try to fill the Data Base

Bear, I Know you are smart and your question was retorical but I am Hoping others still read these posts. Maybe it will help them

Will someone shut that man up
NEVER!

[ninjabear]

The question was not so much retorical, as metaphorical.

Ever heard the song "Birthday" by Meredith Brooks?
It is exactly what I'm talking about---demand too much in the beginning and you'll never get any further.
I don't remember which Ferengi rule of acquisition says you should know as much about a customer as possible before he walks through the door.
However this badgering me for hard data really honks me off, enough so that I don't want to do any business with the nosy bastards.
In any relationship there's such a thing as too much and/or too little information.
You have to know what to ask and when, as much as what you should not ask.
Spill your guts or be a block of stone, and you'll turn a regular date into a speed date with no hope of a second chance.

[ninjabear]

The one thing I like about this time of year is the gift giving.
I bring that same ninjutsu mindset and skills to the challenge of gift shopping; misdirect, obfuscate or outright lie to cover what I'm doing. It's the only time I can lie without dishonoring myself---and with the options available, it becomes quite a hunt.
Do I brave the mall crowds or do I catalog or Internet?
All of the above---the hunt demands it!
I have a rep to maintain; in 20 years I've never had a gift returned or re-gifted...no pressure.

Actually I've got most of it done---Cindy?
I can't confirm or deny anything.

[ninjabear]

I've been shopping online for some stuff...then I turned to that last bastion of commerce, ebay.
The Ferengi would love---hell they probably invented ebay.

Though I constantly find myself outrageously outbid, as a bipolar bear I'm glad I took a sensible precaution.
I'm using my woman's account.
She logs in and, at my request, monitors my bidding to make sure I don't get caught up in a manic, "thrill of the hunt" bidding war.

This is a precaution most people could benefit from, like the deranged collectors who've bid as much as $60 to $80 for a pocket knife.

I don't remember the name of the comedian who said women will save your life, and that they're called women because they say, "Whoa, man, you're gonna hurt yourself," but he was right.

Beats having to answer to someone who demands to know, "You spent how much on what?"

[ninjabear]

Cindy came over last week; she was frustrated, confused and generally upset.
She bought a bed from 1-800-posture.com, but at the last minute they told her they would not be doing in-home delivery and setup.
She lives on the second floor and has a queen-size set on the way...cue my "hero music".

Oh yeah, fun.
I didn't have the second box inside before the weak-ass driver was on his way out of the parking lot---frell you, buddy.
Long story short Cindy steered, I did most of the heavy lifting, and we got the bed together for the cat to enjoy while we went out for lunch.

Time for an "Oprah moment".
It's good to face an obstacle with your partner.
Anyone can handle calm seas; the challenge is working together to solve a problem and frankly, I was surprized at how smoothly the operation went.
The sad part came over lunch, when Cindy told me I had been more helpful in that two hours, than d---ie had been in ten years.

Right now Cindy's cat is hogging the bed, gazing at the roses I brought yesterday so yeah, everyone's happy now.

[ninjabear]

Cindy really likes the movie Madagascar.
Her favorite line is when the lemur king declares, "All hail the New York Giants!"

She's happy the Giants won Superbowl-42; not just as a transplanted New Yorker but because she, like me, is tired of New England's dominat....
For me it's boring to be certain of the outcome, so I was pleasantly surprised. Oh yeah, I thought the Giants were gonna get clobbered...but sometimes I wonder.

I was unhappy when the Steelers let him get away, but I was happy to see Plaxico Burress make the game-winning touchdown catch.
That was almost enough to make me think things happen for a reason.
Then there are the Patriots, and the people who demand we worship them because they win a lot.
You don't have to be a good loser but defeat is a true test of character, and I feel this is a lesson overdue for the New England Patriots and their fans.

[ninjabear]

Oh to be sure, if your partner has a pet it is vital to buddy-up to the critter.
I've known a few schmucks over the years who have issued the ultimatim, "It's me or the (pet)!"
At which point pet and owner look at one another, than at dunsel and say, "We're gonna miss you," before the pet admits, "Well no, not really now get out, dumbass."

Cindy's cat likes me better.
In fact, not long ago Cindy and I had a bit of a tiff. The next evening, when the cat saw the spot I take on the couch was unoccupied?
The cat meowed incessantly until Cindy relented and came to my place to make nice.
Now you know why I buy roses for the cat...good kitty.

[twincarb]

`Good to see you have the cat trained mate, or is it the other way round.Have never figured cats out, they seem to put up with us humans quite well.

[ninjabear]

From Data's cat Spot, to Heinleins' The Cat Who walks Through Walls, I'd say it's painfully obvious that you cannot train a cat.

[twincarb]

`But we are lucky that they can train us, nuff said.