Speaking of Christmas
 

No, no, I enjoyed that. Even better than the dryer thread.

Subtitles
 

According to the reviews I read, there are some subtitles, but it's not wall-to-wall subtitling.

The whole blood-libel thingy is spoken, but not translated, apparently.

"Touch Base"
 

Sorry. My mind was elsewhere. (Selma Hayek and I have traveled back in time to 1971. Ann-Margret and Sean Connery have invited us along on a weekend trip to Cuba.)

Edited to remove ellipses, just because.

"Touch Base"
 

"Circle back" is indeed loathsome, but I have to admit I have a special place in my heart for "circle the wagons."

I know it's crazy -- and even crazier? I have no explanation for it!

Reality TV--Just for ncs
 

Someone else already covered MBFOF, which I didn't watch, and The Littlest Groom, which I did. On Average Joe, they each had long individual dates. Gil admitted he's still very uncomfortable showing intimacy in front of the camera, but they did make out some. Brian continued to charm, and she opened up to him more than she's done. Fredo got a little confrontational (bad move), then got even more upset when they took him in a submarine to watch Larissa making out with Jim on a private beach.

S
P
O
I
L
E
R


So when they get to the elimination ceremony, Fredo's not there and the other guys tell her he never came back yesterday, and give her a note in which Fredo says he's gone back to Cleveland or Cincinnati or whatever. Since Fredo eliminated himself, no one else had to go. Before the group hug at the end of the elimination ceremony that wasn't, Brian interjected that he's really had a great time doing the show and getting to know Larissa and the other guys.

Then they showed the first of the three home visits, to Jim's place in Scottsdale, Arizona. She tried repeatedly, to no avail, to get him to show some depth or even that there is anything interesting about him. A big strike when he couldn't remember having read a book ever. I knew he was gone, though, when Larissa wrinkled her nose at the dirty-dog smell of his apartment. So, the night wrapped up with an out-of-time sequence showing her in the hangar saying goodbye to Jim.

Next week are home visits with Brian and Gil, and I think things are looking pretty good for Brian. Of course, I thought things looked good for Adam Mesh, too.

On RW/RR, Real World won the challenge, to set up 100 or so giant foam dominoes while on roller skates and wearing ridiculous disco costumes, and have them all fall down. Road Rules had technical difficulties--they started tipping theirs first, but one had been carelessly placed and the chain stopped. Then Miz and Jeremy (again) were picked for the Inferno. Surprisingly, Road Rules had more drama in their meeting, when almost none of the guys would volunteer for the Inferno.

Hope that helps!

tm

Coals to Newcastle and all that....
 

Finally. Back to GWNK's masturbation...

Coals to Newcastle and all that....
 

That's it. You are the board's new Taltos. Congratulations.

Now all you have to do to make the conversion complete is respond "pic, please" whenever a female posts something about her body or something sexual in nature. You're almost there, cowboy!

Coals to Newcastle and all that....
 

Sheesh*...

*it IS the new "whiff" right?

Coals to Newcastle and all that....
 

6. Tease FB boys with promises of cake.

Reality TV--Just for ncs
 

thanks, tm! care to come to Texas for some cake?

Things that irritated me today
 

1. a lawyer on a deal called me "doll" on the phone. I was stunned and had no way to respond to that (still don't, I guess).

2. a partner told me to run a conference call where we went through open items on our closing checklist, despite the fact that he knows all the facts on status, then he interrupted me on every single checklist item to interject his thoughts. wtf? just read the checklist yourself, you putz! I kept trying to give control of the call back to him, but he would say "[ncs], why don't you continue with the list".

3. same partner is going to make me miss my yoga class tonight. namaste indeed.


ETA: hat trick! which brings up

4. I show up here after annoying call and everyone is seemingly gone. you kids trying to tell me something?

Things that irritated me today
 

That's a great technique -- makes him look both generous with the limelight and indispensable.

(We all get the same book)

Things that irritated me today
 

All of that sucks. Where the hell is the "doll" lawyer? Was it a guy?

My beta blockers seem to be impairing my ability to come up with posts. Sorry.

Str8, I didn't get your reference to not watching some sport so that I don't have to see Vodafone. I never watch sports, so that's never where I see it. But, uh, thanks.

Things that irritated me today
 

Really? Was it in a condescending, patronizing way? Or a hip/retro/"Swingers" kinda way? Or a hostile, demeaning kinda way? Or an elderly grandfatherly kinda way?

Not that it matters for any advice I have to give on how to respond -- I have none -- but I am just curious.

Things that irritated me today
 

I'll let someone else answer the softball which is #4 and just say that some jackass called me toots one time. Toots. How archaic is that word? But picture the guy - slightly heavy, dark curly hair, balding, fat, shirt unbuttoned to mid-chest, gold chains, diamond pinky ring, gray curly chest hair. About as stereotypically guido as you could get. And yet, there he was. Had to keep telling me he was a diamond broker. When I had to tell him that his money could not buy everything he said, "listen toots, I could buy and sell you wit what I got." Whatever. Oh, and a lady called me hon on the phone today. Is that just an old lady thing or what?