One thing I don’t think I will ever understand is the concept that someone has to know a person before going on a date.  The common wisdom these days says that a person can’t ask someone to coffee, or lunch, or whatever…. unless you know them. Well….. my logic says I’m asking you to coffee because I **don’t** know you but want to know you.  I want to go on a date because I want to get to know you to see if you are someone with whom I would want a romantic relationship.  I want to go on a date to see if you want to get to know me. 

The typical conversation goes something like this:

Me: There’s a woman that works at the bank I’d like to ask out. 
Other Person: Well, get to know her a little and then ask her out.
Me: Uhm…. how do I get to know her without asking her to coffee or lunch?
O.P.: Well, you talk to her some.
Me: But, I thought that’s what the coffee was for?  I thought we go to coffee to get a chance to talk?
O.P.: Oh, no…. you can’t just ask someone out that you don’t know!
Me: But, how do I get to know her without getting to know her?

As you can see… it goes nowhere.  I have asked out a couple of women from places such as the bank or the store or the dentist’s office:women that I see regularly and would like to get to know more.  Because it is a work environment, the regular conversations with them can’t be much more than things like, “How are you today?” 

Anyway, I’ve had a couple of conversations with friends like this, too:

Me: I asked out the woman at the bank.  She said, “No.”
O.P: You didn’t!
Me: Yeah.  Why not?
O.P: Well, you can’t just ask someone out!
Me: Uhm…. why not?
O.P.: Because, you just can’t.  You have to get to know them first!
Me: But, how do I get to know them if I’m not allowed to get to know them?!?!

I now refer you back to example one. Sigh…..

Seriously…I don’t go to bars.  I don’t go to sporting events.  I don’t go to the gym. Even if I did, I’d have to make sure it was an “approved” place to meet someone.  It’s just too much.

I repeat…. Sigh…….

Over on LJ a couple of days ago, a “friend” took exception to my complaint about her deliberately, actively, and directly ignoring me when I sent an email asking about her well being.  All kinds of excuses were made and then attacks on me, rather than simply accepting and owning up to the wrong.  In her mind,my complaint was about everything else except what I complained about — mistreating a friend.  She knew how I felt about being ignored because she had done it before and I mentioned that it was a wrong way to treat someone.  She knew I felt it was disrespectful and uncaring.

Today, I saw a friend come online who is having a hard time with a relationship.  I instant messaged a “Hi” to her.  She replied, “mark.. in the middle of something.. I’ll touch base with you later..” and a sentence explaining that things weren’t going well. 

This friend gets it.  She understands that even when you are in the middle of a bad time, you treat your friends like friends… you treat them with the respect they deserve instead of ignoring them.  She understands how hurtful it is to have someone you care about (and who you thought cared about you) to treat you like you don’t even exist.

Even crap on the bottom of your shoe gets acknowledged; and it doesn’t care about your well-being one whit. Why would you not treat your friend better than crap you step in?

When I happened onto WoofNanny’s blog, I was reminded by her crafts related posts that I used to do quite a few crafts.  I once ran a ceramics shop, with my brother and sister, in which we taught ceramics and macrame.  We did all kinds of arts and crafts such as silversmithing, photography, photo matting, painting, candlemaking, and more.  I once had a photo accepted into the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh,  PA.  I also had one in a festival in Charleston, WV that was tied for the best of show award, which would have been awarded a display in the Capital Building Rotunda for a year.  But, it lost out to life-sized soft sculptures.   We all had awards from the Columbus, OH ceramics show.  In addition, we did a set of four bicentennial plates that were sold in Kaufman’s Department Stores.  I don’t remember how many sets we did… but I remember it was a lot.  It was a lot of work.

I had a client call me this morning to check on their computer.  I had completely forgotten that the computer was here.  I can’t believe it.  Even when she called, I didn’t remember it was here.  I thought she was calling to schedule and appointment or something.  Until she asked what I found out, I completely had forgotten it was here.

I guess with so many things going on, it’s not hard to forget things; but I still don’t like forgetting like that.

Well… it’s new to me and is almost new.  It’s a 2003 Suzuki Intruder Volusia 40th Anniversary Edition with only 409 miles on it. The details of the trip are on my LJ page.

Received an email addressed to me and 30+ other people. I guess I wasn’t the only one to complain.

Mayor Bunten sends the following response:

“Thank you for your e-mail. As I left a meeting last Friday, I was shown the Hallmark card and asked to respond. I spoke sincerely when I said I thought it offensive.

My reference to West Virginia was to suggest the card was proposed by someone unfamiliar with our city, certainly not to disparage in any way the great state of West Virginia.

It turns out, by the way, that the card was suggested by a native Kansan.

Best wishes.”

Donna Freel
Assistant to the Mayor

Kan. Mayor Calls Birthday Card ‘Offensive’

“I find it offensive,” Bunten told The Topeka Capital-Journal. “It’s probably drawn up by somebody from West Virginia who hasn’t been here.”

Don’t start with WV, you two-faced hypocrite. You don’t like it when someone says something “offensive” about Topeka, so you turn right around and do the same thing by attacking West Virginians as if we’re the dregs of America.

I have one thing to say to that, Bunten:

This isn’t Kansas, Toto. So don’t jump off the porch and start snarling at the big dogs because the cat slapped you. We have to deal with little dogs like you all the time; and we’ll put you back in your place under the porch.

I’m sending this to Mr. Bunten. If you’re so inclined to register your displeasure, you can contact him at:

Bill Bunten
215 SE 7th, Room 352
Topeka, KS 66603-3914
785-368-3895 Tel
785-368-3850 FAX
bbunten@topeka.org

I’ve been posting more at LJ than here. But, I still like to post here. I just made an update at my Political Truths blog here at blogspot. I’ve been working on a neverending bathroom remodelling project that never seems to move forward enough in any given day. I’m sore. I’m tired. I’ve reaffirmed why I don’t do plumbing for other people anymore.

I’ll be glad when this project is finished and I can take my first shower in it; even if others don’t like the color scheme.

Well… back at it.

Ok… I’ve always liked unique vehicles. So…. I’m thinking… perhaps one of these…….. 🙂

International : XT Family

So…. I’m way behind the times. I just got around to seeing “The Butterfly Effect”. Overall it was watchable. The ending was traumatic to any “hopeless romantic” but reality for 99.9% of the population of the world since the beginning of time. Except for the fact that they passed by in a crowd. That kind of special karmic sadism is reserved for a special few.