The next person to post in this thread...

Can't say that I have, since I've mostly been using Uber and Lyft. Oh...wait....

TNP is really hungry at the moment.

No. I ate today one McChicken sandwich, one Bacon McDouble, two small fries, and three Ghost Pepper chimichangas about four hours ago. Plus a two and a half liters of wine, two pints of beer, some Coke Zero, and some whiskey, as well as two of those bottled coffee+sugar concoctions. It's slightly likely I'll end up vomiting in the morning, or at least spend a lot of time "reading McGoorty" (new slang for sitting on the toilet).

TNP thinks it might be a good idea to try to go for some steelhead or salmon (or whatever) before the ice hits in the winter. Just for grins and giggles, because, honestly, he or she is convinced nobody catches anything outside of a stocked lake.

No, I never liked to fish. If I'm going to be sitting by a river or lake, or out in a boat, I'd rather be reading.

TNP has read a David McCullough book in the past year.

No, I binge-read all his books over a year ago.

TNP can name an as-good pop-history writer as DM, who is as prolific and varied in subject matters. Well, "as good" may not be possible — DM is a tremendous prose stylist. But the rest stands as question.

Certainly! Joseph Ellis (Founding Brothers) and Edmund Morris (The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt) are comparable to McCullough both as to thorough research and readable prose.

TNP has read some Ellis or Morris.

Yeah, I know the Edmund Morris books (two out of three of his on Theodore, anyway). I would say he's an entertaining writer, but I couldn't speak to his abilities as a researcher, and I still don't think he has the same literary qualities as DM. ETA I'll amplify this a bit — over fifteen years ago when I was reading DM's Adams, I was completely floored by the literary quality of DM's prose. I almost thought it was some kind of a joke by a literary novelist. I'd never read such stylistically nuanced prose in his genre.

TNP thinks Theodore R gets a little too much attention in the popular press, probably because of his very large, impressive public works as a naturalist and his charismatic persona. He and Jackson — it's not hard to see why they're magnetic subjects to just about anybody. I'd rather hear more scuttlebutt about Grant and Hayes, among presidents roughly bridging the gap in time.

No, I think TR gets just about enough attention, given his importance in US history and his accomplishments as President. Grant is benefitting from the recent attention paid to Chernow's massive new bio; Hayes is still, I think, deservedly obscure.

TNP has a favorite US President that most people don't think much of.

I don't know. Zachary Taylor was hardcore, but I wouldn't know how most people evaluate presidencies. Curiously, after his death, he was succeeded by probably the worst person in American politics, Fillmore. Certainly probably most people have a hard-on against Jefferson, but I think his theories and eloquence far outweigh his many flaws.

TNP thinks Taft was a very queer, but brilliant, man.

Never thought he was queer. He was very smart (few former Federal judges aren't) but I also never thought he was brilliant.

TNP has been to (as I have), or would like to visit, William Howard Taft's house in Cincinnati: https://www.nps.gov/wiho/index.htm

Nope. I don't say I'd refuse a visit, but I just don't like that kind of thing.

TNP knows personally two people at least who have seen the (at least) two presidential markers commemorating deeds done in Buffalo by two former US presidents. IOW, TNP knows more than one person who is from/spent a lot of time in Buffalo.

My family and I went to the Theodore Roosevelt 1901 inaugural site but I think we just saw one marker. So no.

TR is one of TNP's favorite Presidents.

In the sense that he, IMHO, seemed to be "not of his time" (or not really wholly or mostly a product of his time), yes.

TNP thinks US presidents from recent decades to the present day have quite a long way to go if they wish to capture the crown of villainy from Millard Fillmore.
Alternate TNP: TNP has a more light-hearted question than villainous US politicians.

Definitely not. Millard Fillmore was a schlub but no villain, unlike some incumbent POTUSes I could name.

TNP has heard a duck quack in the past week.

Hmm, don't think so. Don't even think I've been around any aquatic birds in the past week.

TNP is fond of roast duck.

Damn right.

TNP has roasted one or several ducklings in his or her kitchen(s).

No, but if it's on a restaurant's menu, I will certainly consider ordering it.

TNP doesn't buy the old urban legend that a duck's quacks don't echo.

Of course not. ETA Although, the human ear and brain is not really that accurate when it comes to certain frequencies or certain patterns, IME, so I suppose there may have been some ground to have started such a rumor, although it's a strange bit of "lore" to believe in. I do think the blue Maltese tiger exists, though.

TNP thinks duck hunting sounds like a thoroughly miserable activity. Not just for the ducks, either.

Definitely. Not a fan of hunting unless you live out in the sticks and really can't afford food from the grocery store.

TNP has been in a fancy restaurant in the past week.

No. Not just because of my tendencies to simpler fare, but that I despise the cooking staff and their odd, obsessive, tribal nature in my current city. They can sling hash, and maybe beat me at pool, but the man-buns and moustaches are too much. Taco trucks, fast food, and restaurants where everybody yells at everybody in some language I can't understand — those are the places for me. There is not a "fine dining" culture in my town; however, there are many places where some simple, tasty food can be had.

TNP sees no incongruence between white America's veneration of the hunting dog, and, indeed, dogs in general, and the troublesome history between such, and perhaps most, dogs and the African-American communities.

Hmm. Never really thought about it before. I know people of all races, colors and creeds who love dogs.

TNP is more of a cat person.

Sure, that's fair to say. They don't bark, they spend most of the day sleeping, and they make up their own "exercise/play" regimes which usually are pretty harmless and entertaining to watch.

TNP finds the mental/social aspects of his or her job more exhausting than the physical (whether that involves sitting for long periods of time or "hauling microwave ovens and color TVs")

Sure. Physically, Stephen Hawking could have handled my job.

TNP has visited a chiropractor.

No. I saw Jacob's Ladder, and I don't think I want Danny Aiello touching me.

TNP is convinced that problems short of herniated discs and the like, back problems can be ameliorated, if not solved, by strengthening the latissimus dorsi in a careful way.

I'm no medico, but sure, I expect that could help in some cases.

TNP has recurring back pain.

Yes, but I've found walking regularly as well as developing a back suited for a picker makes the problem easier to handle. Chairs are still the necessary enemy, though.

TNP would rather have his or her spine crushed than his or her spirit broken by a tedious job.

No, I'd take tedium over agony and paralysis any day.

TNP will be taking an airline flight in the next month.

No, probably not, in between vacations and don't get to fly much for work anymore.

TNP has gone way too long without being bumped up to business class.

Since it's never happened to me, I'm gonna go with "Hell, yes!"

TNP hates flying with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.

True. I've only had one pleasant experience (if you discount when you're a teen and it's all exciting and shit), and that was being bumped up to business class from Rejkyavik to JFK, I think, for some reason. I was only 22 or 23 but for some reason I think I had a necktie on and they needed to fill seats with the "right" people, I guess. Plus, Air France attendants and ticket-takers, I think their panties melt when you're young and slim and can speak French to their standards. That time might have passed for me.

I'd never willingly fly anywhere within the domestic USA on a US carrier, if I had the choice. Even though that means until I have the leisure time to take a train or a bus, I'll probably have to calibrate my self-anesthetization routine, with a combination of alcohol, benzodiazepines, breath mints, and some form of excitant, like caffeine pills or ephedrine.

Which I don't really want to do, since it's so everyday, "go to work" routine.

TNP had the chance today or recently to think about the "Stroop Task" (the one where the subject is shown words printed in various colors, and identify the color....it's not hard to explain, but I just don't want to).

Hmm. No, never heard of it before: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroop_effect

Before this, when TNP heard the name "Stroop," he or she would've thought of this awful guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%BCrgen_Stroop

No, never heard of him. Not really into "lives of the famous Nazis" so much. :)

TNP has now or has ever been astonished by how much physical fatigue disrupts negatively cognitive performance on basic tasks.
TNP thinks it's good to not think about the facehugger stage of the xenomorph's life cycle while eating fried chicken.

Definitely, unless you're wearing this T-shirt: https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2716370-free-hugs

Now TNP wants one of those T-shirts.

No, but if I weren't committed to plain colored T-shirts, that would be a good one.

TNP has been complimented by a g-g-g-g-irl on one of his her decorated T-shirts recently. ETA I didn't violate my rule: it was clean, basically all black, and just happened to have some MC Escher graphics on it. Shuddup! No, wife or kids don't count. Only a g-g-g-g-g-irl!!!! You know, like a bartender or a coworker or some other type of g-g-g-g-g-irl!!!! If there are any other types.

Nah, I don't think so. At least, not as you'd say recently.

TNP wears baseball caps fairly regularly.

Yes, especially if it's raining, a little bit cold, or I want to make a statement with whatever it has on it.

TNP owns at least three baseball caps.

No. When I was a lad, I had quite a collection of all kinds of hats, but I'd have no idea where those are, if they still exist. However, I keep losing ballcaps, so now I have none.

TNP is pretty envious of MLB players who get their own ballcaps made to fit their own heads with precision and accuracy. IOW, just off the rack wouldn't satisfy like having a ballcap that really fits.

Yeah, I'm pretty envious of MLB players in general.

TNP played Little League.

No. I did something called "Mighty Mites/Mights [?]" for little kids in what the British call "soccer," but it was a disaster. I don't know what age that was, maybe six or seven. That kind of permanent hovering thing all the adults did put me off team sports for good. Plus it was in Oregon, so most chances to play were in a mud-soaked "field" of grass. Not fun. In Phys Ed, though, the occasional baseball game in HS was fun, as was soccer/footie, and especially indoor soccer/footie — very different game. American football was pretty fun among kids in the "neighborhood," pre-middle-school/high-school, but really just a way to screw around and waste time.

TNP is not good at a particular sport, but enjoys playing it anyway. Must specify.

Baseball. My hitting is... erratic. And I can't run as fast as I used to. But I still enjoy it!

TNP went to a pro baseball game this summer.

A whole bunch, in five different parks.

TNP has been to more than half the MLB parks.

No, just a relative handful: Fenway Park, Three Rivers (now gone), Cleveland Municipal Stadium (ditto), Citizens Bank Park (the Phillies), and Jacobs (now Progressive) Field.

TNP has rooted for the Cleveland Indians.

Yeah, earlier this season, watching a few minutes on TV, I thought they could have been on to something. Anyway, I don't care about the Red Sox, and I haven't heard much about Cincinnati this season, so just a matter of whatever happens to be on the bar's TV set that catches my attention.

TNP is thinking about bringing out an electric space heater from the closet about now.

Nah. Still hot here, and not so much into space heaters anyway.

TNP likes rye better than bourbon.

The only ryes I've had in any quantity are Old Overholt and the Jim Beam with the yellow label. I seem to recall those ryes being less sweet than many of the bourbons, so that's a yes, I suppose. I just drink the blended whiskey Broker's, or Old Crow (bourbon), which don't have any really objectionable qualities.

TNP favors a pretty neutral, middle-of-the-road flavor for spirits — some bite, but nothing too outrageous or complex.

Generally, yes. Whatever I'm drinking, I prefer it smooth.

TNP knows someone who's at risk of becoming dangerously alcoholic.

Sure. I wouldn't say having two and a half liters of wine in the three hours between waking up, using the toilet, grooming, and going to work is "dangerous," but it is less than ideal. I wouldn't say who that person is, out of decency, but I think it could become a problem, in theory.

TNP knows someone who's at risk of making cigarette-smoking a habit.

Yes, my nephew, despite my heart-to-hearts with him.

TNP is about due for a trip to NYC.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind knocking around town for a bit, but I'd need a pretty good reason to go out there other than just to bum around lower Manhattan looking for kicks.

TNP thinks Sly Stallone's habit in the movie Cobra of keeping a wooden match between one's teeth is pretty boss. ETA: wait a minute, I just looked up online this weird device I found in the clothes dryer across the street mixed in with my clothes. The only clue I had was a faintly-imprinted sign, "JUUL." Apparently it's some kind of e-cig or vaping device. Well, I won't be trying it anytime soon, but at least I'm pretty sure it's clean, wherever it came from!

Never saw the movie, but yeah, tough guys with something hanging from their lips usually look cool.

TNP thinks Stallone could kick Ahnuld's ass back in the day.

I can't believe that's a serious question. Even in middle-age, Predator-era Schwarzenegger had "the pump" going on. Maybe Sly could have gone the Jake LaMotta route and just let himself get punished while wearing down his bulky opponent.

TNP has a favorite "action hero" from the movie Predator — except for the Predator "itself," of course.