Hi Michael,

 ML> In big things, it can be characterized as persistence
 ML> or principle; it still may be an annoyance, but it's
 ML> also necessary.
 ML> > Quite so! When we were in Germany, we could use coupons
 ML> > at the PX or commissary up to 6 months past expiration
 ML> > date. One February 27 or 28, I pulled out one that had a
 ML> > Sept. 1 expiration date, cashier tried to tell me it was
 ML> > expired. I held my ground; she called in her boss who
 ML> > finally figured out that I was right. Our girls were

 ML> It's surprising they figured it out - they
 ML> didn't have that many fingers and toes.

Between the 2 of them, they had 40 digits to work with. I had only 20,
unless I borrowed some from my girls. (G)

 ML> > with me--embarassed them to all get out--but I made my
 ML> > point, was right and stuck to it. (G)

 ML> I know that stage of life. One gets over it when
 ML> one is faced with the necessity on one's own.

Yes, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did it with their children at
some point. I know one time Rachel had to walk out of the commissary
with Robert; he was about 2 at the time and put up quite a fuss when mom
wouldn't buy him any goldfish crackers. She's probably embarassed him or
her girls at some point in their young lives.


 ML> Peculiar that you were made to sit there until it
 ML> > At that point there were 5 of us kids and only Dad was
 ML> > working, at a somewhat low paying job but one he loved.
 ML> > Money was tight so we were
 ML> > limited as to how much milk (and other things) we were
 ML> > allowed at meals. Eight ounces (give or take a ml or 2)

 ML> Ah, a sensible economic reaason. You could have
 ML> tried a glass of water - less effective but a

I don't remember if that was an option offered.


 ML> possible and cheaper stopgap. Could you have taken
 ML> the thing out of your mouth either to take a break
 ML> or maybe just to ditch it someplace?

Couldn't ditch it, don't recall if I could have taken it out of my mouth
briefly or not. Probably not.

 ML> > having the fireball. But, I survived and re-enforced the
 ML> > fact that chocolate was my sweet of choice. (G)

 ML> Nothing I've ever found beats chocolate, but
 ML> one does need a change of pace sometime, and
 ML> Atomic Fireballs seem to be a good one. What
 ML> a terrible name.

And now what I thought was hot is rather mild. But, to a 5 year old
who'd not been exposed to that sort of heat, it was too much. Had I been
raised with parents who liked hot stuff or lived in the southwest, it
would have been brushed off as insignificant heat.


 ML> To me the price is unconscionable and
 ML> the flavor wanting. That goes for fancy
 ML> canned mushrooms as well - straws, enoki,
 ML> and the rest. Cepes, maybe they're okay
 ML> if preserved in oil.
 ML> > I'm not expecting gourmet, just a basic addd in/on.

 ML> As far as I'm concerned, the things could
 ML> just as well be rubber stoppers.

 ML> > We don't do corn here, remember?
 ML> I won't buy corn for you. But for me,
 ML> no reason not to.
 ML> > No reason at all for you to not buy it. Steve
 ML> > has told me that he won't mind if I buy corn on
 ML> > the cob (in season only) for myself but I rarely
 ML> > do. I know how much he likes it and I don't want
 ML> > to enjoy it in front of him.

 ML> I knew a guy who would go on a diet and
 ML> still want to go out with the rest of us.
 ML> We'd be chowing down on our steaks and
 ML> he'd have just a plate of canned peas
 ML> (speaking of unattractive vegetables).
 ML> He claimed he'd get vicarious pleasure
 ML> from our enjoyment. So maybe your self-
 ML> sacrifice isn't worth it.

Depends, it's also a higher carb veggie so I don't want to have too much
of it at once. Maybe one ear's worth, but then too, do I really want to
cook just one ear? I could do it in the microwave but...

 ML> Though the experience must have been very
 ML> unpleasant, because you don't do uncandied
 ML> ones either, apparently to this day.
 ML> > No, I don't like them in any way, shape, form
 ML> > or fashion.

 ML> As has been made clear here.

I'll leave them for those who enjoy them.


 ML> It would take a cop with balls of steel to
 ML> tag a V plate.
 ML> > If it was deserved, then the cop would be doing
 ML> > his/her duty to tag a V plate.

 ML> I was thinking of minor infractions, with parking
 ML> in an HP spot being a major no-no for a fully
 ML> able-bodied person, but someone with a V, even
 ML> not a DV, might have issues that would put them
 ML> in a borderline state of affairs.

Sometimes there can be a problem like PTSD but it's hard to diagnose,
just looking at someone. It's probably best to give the benefit of the
doubt then.

 ML> We represent one end of that divide, with
 ML> the sysops and former sysops mostly on the
 ML> other.
 ML> > And Steve is on the opposite end of the divide
 ML> > than me.

 ML> We have other examples of that complementarity
 ML> here on the echo.

True.


 ML> check, only swinging their ticket punchers and
 ML> looking for likely scammers. On intercity trains
 ML> > Then too, I lived over there for 5 1/2 years, not
 ML> > just visited.

 ML> That's so, but when I was visiting I used many
 ML> modes of transportation and quite often so got
 ML> maybe double or triple the normal experience.
 ML> Plus I did talk to bunches of people, including
 ML> a couple habitual Schwarzfahrers. It really
 ML> does appear that the Germans are more lax than
 ML> some of their neighbors.

At times, other times the very "by the book" personality comes out.


 ML> they of course come by on every trip, but that's
 ML> another kettle of fish.
 ML> > Exactly! Snapper, not mullet. (G)

 ML> Heh. Actually, those are almost interchangeable
 ML> culinarily.

I think snapper is a bit stronger flavored than mullet.


---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


... A truly wise person knows that he knows not.

--- PPoint 3.01