I wear a long tie rather than a bow tie, out of whimsy. A few of my shirts seem to do better with a long tie. It’s a nice break. There is always talk.
I get out the four or five bottles of bourbon we have in the back and pour out bits into cordial glasses and see if I can a) tell the difference and b) find a preference. Despite a few attempts, I can’t remember the differences or recall what I prefer. I should conclude it all tastes the same and I can save money by keeping to sheep dip.
I continue to read a book despite its is bad or boring, because I feel obliged to finish it; at least to find out how it ends. Most of the time the ending is unsatisfactory so this approach seldom is worth this. I need to learn to stop things. It is one thing to continue a boring job but a boring book makes no sense.
I play Salome really loud and mouth the words for the various roles, as if I am in the opera. I like most Salome, for she has all the best lines. Someone gets tired of hearing me say “I want to kiss you on the mouth!”
To pass the time between weight repetitions at the gym I watch the other fellows working out. I put on an expression to convey I am studying their technique when in fact I critiquing what they are wearing or admiring their thighs.
I fall asleep listening to a “Great Courses” or an “RSA” lecture. I have a whole batch of lectures for which I have never heard the conclusions. The History of Rome always stops ~ 300 A.D. I hear it doesn’t end well.
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April 17, 2012 at 8:49 AM
Jay
You have never tried Iowa Bourbon. It is smooth and wonderful. I am sure you would find it superior.
The long tie looks nice. (You do know what David Sedaris said about Bow ties don’t you?)
April 17, 2012 at 9:17 AM
Urspo
I have never heard of such a thing – I thought Iowa was ‘pretty dry’ as states go!
April 17, 2012 at 8:51 AM
anne marie in philly
I have stopped reading many a book due to the boredom/crappy writing/nonsense subject matter. let it go, spo; you are wasting a most precious resource (time) on junk.
bow ties suit you better.
I do the same to guys at my gym; muscles in motion are impressive; the guys are visually unappealing, but sometimes their butts…(sighs)
April 17, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Mitchell Block
I love these little glimpses inside your head! I also read books, no matter how bad, all the way to the end — feeling that I need to give the writer a chance because they worked so hard. I once had dinner with Isabel Allende. She told me if the writer doesn’t earn my attention in the first few pages, I should just toss it aside. I love her. But I still can’t do it.
April 17, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Urspo
I have to admit there are many books I didn’t care for for some time into them, but as the book unfolded it became stunning. It is why I don’t give up until more into the book.
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April 17, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Cubby
When you’re busy admiring the other gym-goers’ thighs, remember to not moan or purse your lips. And try to stay up off your knees
Greg and I are planning a blind taste test tonight of lemon herbal teas. We need to decided whether the cheap brand is as good as the expensive brand. Any thoughts on that?
April 17, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Will J
Nibble on soda crackers between the flights to cleanse your palate?
April 18, 2012 at 2:07 PM
ronzorro
Tsk, tsk Cubby.
April 17, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Mark
Nice tidbits!
m.
April 17, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Brent
My brother and I have agreed that life is too short for bad books. So many books, so little time!
April 17, 2012 at 1:13 PM
Laurent
Yes Salome does what to kiss his mouth but is this not after he has his head cut off and there it is sitting on a silver platter? I can see how Someone would be distressed, poor thing.
April 17, 2012 at 1:47 PM
javabear
Someone should kiss you on the mouth. That would keep your mouth too busy to sing about it.
I am notorious for reading a book no matter what. Even bad books. I also can’t put down a book, especially a novel. There are no good stopping places. I have read all night simply because I cannot find a stopping place. I’ve found that if I put the book down my brain continues to suckle the story and prevent sleep, so I might as well just read it.
April 17, 2012 at 4:02 PM
Ultra Dave
I like the long ones……just sayin’
April 17, 2012 at 8:09 PM
Erik Rubright
I think I prefer you in a bow tie. Just.
April 18, 2012 at 12:34 AM
Raybeard
Where do I start?
Okay, books. I’m like you – and Javabear above – in that having started a book I’ve just GOT to finish it .But one of my main motivations for doing so is to get it on my list, begun in 1970, and count it as one of my ‘Books Read’ (Total to date, since you ask – !,553 excluding re-reads, -1,821 incl.) It’s horrible when you start a book and you just KNOW within the first few pages, or even on the very FIRST page, that you’re not going to like it and/ or going to be bored to distraction by it. Of course both Anne Marie and Brent above are correct – Life IS indeed too short – but, like you, Dr Spo, I too suffer from this same compulsive behaviour antic. Sad!
Now Richard Strauss – my favourite 20th century opera composer – after Puccini (though I also only really started appreciating Britten relatively recently – and they are ALL remarkable). I think the Strauss operas are pretty unusual in that most(?) of them are far more enjoyable just to listen to than to see, though it’s evidently true that ‘Salome’ is one that CAN work on stage. (But what can you do visually with that brutal ‘Elektra’ ?- and though ‘Die Frau Ohne Schatten is an absolute wonder for the ears, it’s a nightmare to see it being attempted in an opera house or theatre.)
””and ‘Ties’ – I wonder what you think of the opinion that they (as opposed to bow-ties) have a resonance (to the onlooker) to the male ‘member’, subconsciously, of course – in a similar way to that in which a woman wearing lipstick displays a visual resona……………No, STOP! I will NOT go there!!!
April 18, 2012 at 4:28 AM
Nik_theGreek
I do the same with books. I almost always finish them. There is only one I’ve left unfinished and it is annoying me to bits! I will start it again, I promise! There’s a bookmark still there after two years but I will probably start from the start again.
April 18, 2012 at 9:11 AM
domanidave
“studying their technique”
I hate to break the news: they’re onto you. (But I’m guessing they love it.)
April 18, 2012 at 2:06 PM
ronzorro
If you ask me, which you did, I prefer my Spo in a bowtie. Somehow a tie doesn’t express the whimsy that is the essense of Dr. Spo. I too will read a boring book to the end. After reading your suggestion, I think I will put those books down unread. One thing I have been doing lately is ejecting bad and/or boring Netflix movies from my DVR. I just can’t waste my time. Why I do it with books, I don’t know but I will change my habit, thanks to you Dr. Spo.