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  1. #9301
    Member Elendil's Heir's avatar
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    An investment towards personal happiness, sure.

    TNP will be going on a long trip in the next week.

  2. #9302
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    Maybe a mental trip to the eye of the maelstrom.

    TNP can think of an explanation why various companies or agencies (utility companies, government offices, etc.) seem unable or unwilling to communicate via e-mail, and insist on telephonic communication for certain things. And "for security" doesn't count as an answer: that can be fixed. It's medieval!

  3. #9303
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    Hmm. That's odd. Less of an electronic record to be looked up later if something goes wrong? Quicker for their staff to talk than to be typing?

    TNP is a fast, accurate typist.

  4. #9304
    Oliphaunt Jizzelbin's avatar
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    Yes. 70-90 wpm, approaching 100% accuracy. Maybe not super-steno-pool speed, but pretty fast. Unless writing in casual e-mails or in forums, then I make no guarantees about accuracy. Also, the more years I've spent reading, the worse my spelling has become.

    TNP thinks "touch-typing" is a gimmick, which is unnecessary for those with a knowledge of the keyboard and sufficient practice, and who have no need for greater technical speed. Sort of like the Dvorak keyboard.

  5. #9305
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    Yeah, I guess. Haven't given it too much thought, though.

    TNP took a brisk walk today.

  6. #9306
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    Sure, yesterday I walked a bunch. Will do the same today. Yeah, brisk is the word, but it feels less invigorating with even a surgical mask impeding one's airflow.

    TNP knows his or her "ranking" in terms of groups to receive at least the first bolus of The Vaccine.

  7. #9307
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    No, that's kind of up in the air right now, as a matter of fact. But I should find out soon.

    TNP will be celebrating Christmas today, and if so, will say how.

  8. #9308
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    Yes. I'm meeting my mother and I assume probably my father at an outdoor park Christmas morning for a kind of "brunch" with social distancing. Perhaps the nephews might come along too. My contribution are some airline-size bottles of Jameson whiskey I had the foresight to buy today before work, given the abridged hours of the liquor store. I offered to bring Cheetos, but was told she/(perhaps they) have the food covered. True story.

    I intend to bring some Church to the (one hopes brief) encounter by bringing along the Order of the Mass in the universal language. Yes, my Christmas "gift" will be Irish whiskey and unrelenting abuse of the Latin tongue.

    TNP wore something relatively festive today, on Christmas Eve Day. For example, a red shirt, in my case, but the possibilities are endless, as one observes.

  9. #9309
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    Yes, I had a green sweater and wore red socks with little Christmas tree on them.

    TNP has a particularly ugly Christmas item of clothing like a sweater.

  10. #9310
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    No. I don't have any xmas clothes at all, I don't think. Some red, some green articles of clothing, though. I don't think I have any genuinely ugly clothes at all, unless the myth that "cargo shorts are unfashionable" is true. Which it is not.

    TNP considers it Christmas until at the very minimum Epiphany, and perhaps a bit longer (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 10th this coming year). And is perturbed that people put away their reindeer ear headbands and probably would respond to "Merry Christmas" with "up yours!" Inconceivable heresy.

  11. #9311
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    Yes, I always think Christmas starts 'way too early (all-Christmas-music radio stations before Thanksgiving? Nooo!) but then it ends far too soon.

    TNP still has a present to unwrap.

  12. #9312
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    Just unwrapped one of the last gifts to myself from myself: a bottle of Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye. First thing after work. And by "unwrapped" I mean cut the foil seal and removed the cork and poured a few fingers in a clean glass. Not tasted yet.

    TNP plans to buy himself or herself at least one more small gift during the Christmas season, and thinks TNP should probably say what that might be.

  13. #9313
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    Yes, as a matter of fact, I think I may get some glassware online soon.

    TNP has listened to Handel lately.

  14. #9314
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    Not recently, no.

    TNP has a definite preference about the best breakfast meat.

  15. #9315
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    Yes, but I'm not going to tell. That would be cheating.

    TNP will adjudicate on this matter of global importance: whiskies, Irish, or Scotch? Lives depend on this question!

  16. #9316
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    Irish, if push comes to shove.

    TNP will adjudicate on bourbon vs. rye.

  17. #9317
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    Oh, I'd go from recent 30% plus rye mash bills for the ryes, which is pretty high for the Irish, but low for the KY/TN rye whiskies. Even the malignable Ezra Brooks from Kentucky, which is rough, but drinkable. I like the bourbons as well, but it can be difficult to find one that isn't too sweet for my tastes. One of these days I'll finish off the middle-of-the-shelf Irish whiskies. Although, TBH, I'd rather just drink Powers Gold, but my local shop doesn't carry Powers.

    TNP has occasionally just picked a bottle off the shelf based on looks or sounds, and has not been disappointed gravely. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! I shouldn't say this, but a whiskey is like a woman: better some than not at all, and one never knows without trying, but often the appearance indicates the quality.
    Last edited by Jizzelbin; 02 Jan 2021 at 09:07 PM. Reason: idiocy

  18. #9318
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    Yes, not being especially well-informed on such things (especially wine), I will confess that a nice label sometimes is juuuuust enough for me to reach for my wallet.

    TNP has been to Chicago in the past three years.

  19. #9319
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    No. Although it's an appealing city, in some ways, I'd like to spend more time in.

    TNP thinks it's rude and unprofessional to record one's (private) incoming voicemail greeting as "Hi, you've reached xxxxxxxxxx. Due to an unprecedented number of calls, we ask that you reach us by text or e-mail." (After deliberately filling up one's voicemail "box"). On the premiss that there's no possible reason for anyone except an unsuccessful troglodyte, a fool, a troll, or maybe a cop to leave a voicemail.

  20. #9320
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    Well, ideally, everyone should be reachable at work by phone, email or text, but I know that's not how the world works, especially during this #$%^&! pandemic.

    TNP has followed the news from the U.S. Capitol very closely in recent days.

  21. #9321
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    For a Canadian, pretty damn closely. Never really believed I would see this.

    TNP is hoping for a President who gives his Twitter account to a 22 year old intern who does nothing with it but send birthday wishes.

  22. #9322
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    Yes, and even that at the very most. I think it's absurd to use a child's software platform like Twitter in any professional capacity. Unless one is, maybe an entertainer of some sort.

    TNP can remember the last time he or she had an injection in the ass. You know, one of the buttocks, not literally the asshole (I don't think the latter exists as a practice, but I could be wrong). No need to give details, but whatever.

  23. #9323
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    I know I did when I was a kid, but it's been a loooong time, and I don't remember when, exactly, or what it was for.

    TNP has spoken to a doctor in the past week.

  24. #9324
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    No, just an FNP, whatever that is. And some very nice nurselets.

    TNP thinks those bastards who raised tobacco taxes in several states recently can suck it. Apologies to any bastards out there.

  25. #9325
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    No, they can jack 'em up as high as they like. Raises revenue and discourages tobacco use, which is OK with me.

    TNP would say 2021 is more good than bad so far.

  26. #9326
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    Couldn’t go that far. Back in province wide lockdown, find the situation in the States disturbing.

    TNP is thinking about 2022 vacations,on the assumption that 2021 is likely to be another gong show.

  27. #9327
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    No. Call me a fool, but I'm pretty optimistic about 2021, and in particular about provisional vaccinations.. It seems to me the time where rubber meets the road, especially since it can hardly be any worse than 2020. Well, you know, maybe Hegel's dialectical wheel is applicable. Obviously, I don't know, but I have a good feeling about the immediate future. Really, one must, lest one go mad in some way.

    TNP has yet again been disappointed by the overly-peated nose and finish of some bog-standard Scotch whiskies. Bollocks, one could say.

  28. #9328
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    Not I, but then, I haven't drunk too many of them.

    TNP has green placemats on his or her dinner table at the moment.

  29. #9329
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    Dinner table? What is this strange thing! OK, yes, I have a table that was probably built for dining upon, but holds microphones, an audio mixer, a power amp....and a bunch of papers....so...that's negative. It is possible I might have some placemats around somewhere, but I'm pretty sure they're not green. So, no, false. Final answer.

    TNP thinks today was an especially good day to ironically wear a T-shirt advertising Miller High Life, and a khaki fishing/tactical vest to work. You know, so if a cop pulls you over, they can tell you're on the insurrection side. The "good" side.

  30. #9330
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    Well, sure. At least, that's what Walter Sobchak tells me....

    TNP has seen The Big Lebowski in the past month.

  31. #9331
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    No. Was talking about the movie with some guy at work the other day, though. That's when I unfurled my intention to parodize Walter Sobchak, on the day before 20-jan-2021. A promise that was fulfilled on the inauguration day of this week.

    TNP has had long and difficult thoughts about why people seem to often misspell, to one's surprise, the village in Switzerland "Montreux" as "Montreaux."

  32. #9332
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    No, actually, I haven't. I don't think I've ever actually had to write that word in my life, but if I did, I'd probably just cut and paste it from Wikipedia or something to make sure I got it right.

    TNP knows that the title of the guy who swore in President Biden is "Chief Justice of the United States" - no more, no less (a pet peeve of mine is that people often add "Supreme Court" to the title in one way or another).

  33. #9333
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    No, I did not. I don't often refer to Mr Roberts IRL, but if I did, I would surely have made a mistake. I'd just call him "Chief Justice Roberts," but that's because (i) am lazy (ii) the ranking of federal judges is too complicated for me to remember who or what.

    TNP thinks a good policy is to call cops "sir" or "ma'am" and any judge whatsoever "your honor." TNP can think of a good exception which would amuse me.

  34. #9334
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    Yes, usually a good policy. If you wanted to be arrested or held in contempt, and didn't particularly care if you were, I suppose you could come up with a really good insult (I had a friend who once was muttering about some judge he didn't like, and said I'd give him him $20 if he called the jurist "Judgey Wudgey" to his face; he didn't take me up on my offer).

    TNP knows a judge personally.

  35. #9335
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    Sure, my wife for one.

    TNP has been watching way more movies lately.

  36. #9336
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    No, about the same as usual. We have been watching more much-praised miniseries, though (right now, The Queen's Gambit).

    TNP loves chess.

  37. #9337
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    Yes. Well, I would rather say I like the game a lot, although I'm only able to hold my own against fellow unaccomplished enthusiasts, and I don't play hardly ever, and wouldn't consider playing online, even against some former friends. I mean, I would, but that's a lot of effort, whereas IRL, all it takes is a little board and some men and pieces. Or in fact none at all, if you're drinking beer at a bar and call out moves to a fellow player. Involves a lot of unflattering facial expressions while thinking of a move, though, IME.

    It is more a "love" of chess in the sense that I think it's able to be a source of analogies in other areas of broader ideas of strategy, tactics, intuition, and triumph. An excellent game.

    TNP loves kung fu.

  38. #9338
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    Never done it myself, but I have no objection to movies about dudes fighting with it.

    TNP is a Bruce Lee fan.

  39. #9339
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    Yes. Although it's not easy to tell the man from the legends, for me it's easy to find inspiration from his notion that, at least his own particular "brand" of fighting, was meant to be eminently practical, rather than dogmatic or overly theoretical.

    I don't think I've seen all of his few movies (at least two I haven't seen, I'm sure)........it's hard to think of the titles because of the way they got confused in distribution in the US.

    TNP has been surprised in the extreme to what extent one can buy very drinkable, interesting whiskies at the price range of, say 20-30 USD (per 750 ml bottle aka the infamous "fifth").

  40. #9340
    Oliphaunt Rube E. Tewesday's avatar
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    Not in Ontario, and God knows when I will be in an American liquor store again.

    TNP is looking forward to baseball season.

  41. #9341
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    True. In principle. But last year it was kind of a bummer, what with the whole thing and all that.

    TNP either knows who Paavo Nurmi was or that Finnish public statues often feature their subjects nude, as in the image in the link (which is a pretty badass statue, really!).

  42. #9342
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    I had heard of the name but couldn't have told you who he was.

    TNP knows personally a person from Finland.

  43. #9343
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    Somewhat. A pretty close acquaintance in frequent correspondence. Oh, in the flesh, yeah, I knew at least one Finnish guy from grad school. He was kind of a dick. But I like my familiar Finnish friend now much better.

    TNP is surprised to know that one of the major "news" stories in the Finnish press about Biden's inauguration is about how an extract from Sibelius's Finlandia was played, and authorial credit was given to a guy from one of the US branches with the rank of major. I can't tell if they're half-joking or serious, but it's a real thing! The latest is that this terrible deed was inspired by John Glenn's admiration of the Sibelius piece, so they're sort of OK with it now. And yet the investigation continues!

  44. #9344
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    I hadn't heard that before, but yes, I am surprised. John Glenn was a hero of mine but obviously no composer. Glad this little controversy hasn't yet brought Finland and the U.S. to the brink of war.

    TNP has a favorite pre-1980 astronaut or cosmonaut.

  45. #9345
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    Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom. No real reason, just something of a dramatic life and career, up to and including his gruesome demise, along with his crew.

    TNP has heard the aphorism or proverb "Well begun is half done." (I think it's from pre-Attic Greek. I'll include the Finnish formulation for no reason at all: "Hyvin suunniteltu on puoliksi tehty.")

  46. #9346
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    Yes, I have heard that, but not in awhile.

    TNP has heard the maxim "A change is as good as a rest."

  47. #9347
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    Never have. I like: not even being sarcastic, that's pretty good.

    TNP know anything about one of the signatories of the US Declaration of Independence, named John "Morton." For example, his ethnicity. And, yes, I'm sure you can guess where I'm going with this.

  48. #9348
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    No, not familiar with him. Not even sure I'd read his name before: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_M...an_politician)

    TNP has been to Chester, Pa.

  49. #9349
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    Don’t think so, at least don’t remember seeing it from a train.

    TNP has travelled across the USA by train.

  50. #9350
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    Yeah, a few times. West Coast to NYC, same to Buffalo. At least twice. Not for the scenery (there's not much to see during in the dark of night making a stop at Minot, ND), just had the time and thought it was more fun than dealing with the airports and all that. One segment (Amtrak) has (or had) a nice layover for a few hours in Chicago, for changing trains: enough time to stash one's stuff in a locker and have a few beers, walk around, all that.

    TNP is not too jaded or cynical to relish good examples to observe people at some length.

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