This is the Message Centre for Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

Are you back yet?

Post 1

The High Duke of Mars

I recall seeing somewhere that you were nearly departed for a period of time.

As you are one of the few being who have ever commented on anything I have posted on my page it behooves me to inquire about your condition.

Did you emerge from the trans-seasonal chrysalis state intact?

Are you happy with your new form?

Did those other things fall off?

Keep me informed,

THDoM


Are you back yet?

Post 2

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

How kind of you to inquire. Yes, I have returned, although my workload has increased and thus I won't be able to visit H2G2 quite as often as in the past. Meanwhile, nothing has so far _fallen_ off, although a couple inches of my hair got removed and I actually seem to have gained an appendage or two.

In response to your other post, season's greetings to you too, and thanks. How did your festivities turn out? Mine were extremely interesting....


Are you back yet?

Post 3

The High Duke of Mars

"Interesting"? That reminds me of the Chinese curse: "may you live in interesting times" which sounds wonderful at first, until one starts to ponder the actual meaning of the word "interesting".

For me the holidays were marvy. Family was wonderful: the larvae were all perky, the brood parents were in fine fettle. Presents were opened in a shower of flying paper and far too much food was consumed.

A few inches of stored calories have accumulated around my thorax but Y2K brought no professional or personal disasters. I had to Y2K-proof a few area businesses this past year which made for good money and a very early morning January 1st.

I have been having fun reading through your site. Work at least means money, although too much work leaves one with very little time during which to spend it.

I wish you well, and thank you again for your ever-courteous replies. smiley - smiley


THDoM


Are you back yet?

Post 4

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

Well, when I describe things as interesting I generally mean in a good way...especially since I find interesting many things that others wouldn't. In any case, my latest journal entry contains quite a few details of my innnnnteresting vacation...and yesterday was quite interesting as well. My friends and I went across the bay, did a lot of touristy things, ate heartily, and bought silly things, including, in my case, a hat which I quite like. Granted, it was mildly expensive, but given that it's the only hat I've ever bought and I doubt I'll ever need another one, and I very much like the way it looks on me, I figured it was worth it. Something tells me I will find many excuses to wear it.


Are you back yet?

Post 5

The High Duke of Mars

It's nice to do things like that for yourself every once in a while. smiley - smiley

I do not have many hats, and I probably should get in the habit since I have very little UV shielding remaining on my head. I must also consider that a sunburned scalp can be quite painful. My friends tell me I should always wear a hat as a courtesy to protect the eyes of onlookers from glare.

I hope your choice of wearing a hat is merely a choice of style, not of necessity. smiley - smiley

As for your excursion it sounds like you had a good time. smiley - smiley For me the adjective "interesting" is a word I use to describe an object or situation where nothing else can be politely said:

"Oh what an interesting flavor ... You put vanilla in your chili ..."

"You have the most interesting little chihuahua. I think he is overly fond of my shoe ..."

I am glad your definition of "interesting" is more positive than that. smiley - smiley

I am off to work on a computer. Take care!

-THDoM


Are you back yet?

Post 6

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

Oh, it's strictly style, I assure you. I'm not likely to actually _need_ it in my lifetime smiley - smiley...although it is useful for keeping the rain off my glasses.

Your use of "interesting" does seem to be a very common one. Generally, as far as I can tell, I simply go "hmmmmm..." in those cases....


Are you back yet?

Post 7

The High Duke of Mars

However, "hmmmm" does little to bring to attention the antics of an overly amorous chihuahua, unless of course you add body language.

A kicking motion is out of the question because it might produce the inappropriate (if satisfying) sight of a chihuahua flying through the air, much to its owner's distress. Although the act provides satisfaction and ends the chihuahua's advances it is not a wise course of action if you plan on continuing the friendship (in such a situation yelling "GOAL!!!" if the chihuahua lands in the fireplace might seem appropriate, but try to refrain ...)

A pointing gesture might work, but it is so ambiguous. You could just be saying "look at how much little Binky loves my new Air Jordans ..."

On the other hand it is possible to say "what an interesting chihuahua" and inflect your comment so as to really say "what an interesting chihuahua that is currently molesting my left Air Jordan. If the chihuahua is not removed posthaste I shall forsake propriety and our friendship and drop kick the little mousehound into its afterlife." smiley - smiley

Unless your control of pitch and tone is excellent properly inflecting "hmmm" to reflect your sentiments can be very difficult. smiley - smiley


Are you back yet?

Post 8

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

That is indeed true. But I seem to find myself being painfully straightforward in chihuahua-type situations, rather than using euphemisms. I tend to be somewhat blunt when my clothing is being molested. That and I generally simply address the offending canine directly....


Are you back yet?

Post 9

The High Duke of Mars

I am not certain that Miss Manners has anything in her repertoire concerning amourous chihuahuas.

"When a chihuahua becomes overly affectionate with your footwear it is customary among English upper class to strike the offending canine with a cricket bat and yelling 'tally-ho', whereas among American high society such situations are dealt with by delivering a small joke whilst surreptitiously applying electroshock from a small hand-held stun device."

I have this thing against chihuahaus actually. I have yet to meet one that was anything other than a hamster-sized bundle of nerves seemingly assembled by some mad scientist in mockery of real dogs.

To put it another way I think of a collie sitting beside a wolf and the wolf thinking "it's my slow cousin from the city." I think of a chihuahua sitting beside a wolf and the wolf thinking "breakfast."


Are you back yet?

Post 10

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

I am quite in agreement with your analysis of the chihuahua. But then any small dog looks like dinner to those of the lupine persuasion, I can tell you.


Are you back yet?

Post 11

The High Duke of Mars

Chihuahuas are nice, they are just about the same size as Cornish game hens. I suspect they would be perfect for stuffing as individual servings for neighbors:

"We still haven't found our beloved little King" (I am always amused by tiny dogs with big names, and the cockeyed, mangy, inbred, male collie sitting across from me at the veterinarian's office that always seems to be called "Lassie") "My Cornish game hen has four legs. Why, they ALL do."

Be certain to hide the "Bundled love from your Humane Society" carton DEEP in the garage.

Pekingese can serve a small group. Here in the Midwest there are people who eat raccoon. Pekingese are roughly the same size as raccoons.

When you are entertaining guests tell them the Pekingese you are serving them is "Chinese Raccoon."

"Ooooh how exotic, pass me that hot mustard sauce?"

I believe poodles as a rule are the only breed of dog unfit for almost anything. As a point of irony I would find it delightful to see every poodle in the country ground up and served as horse fodder. smiley - smiley

I cannot abide yappy dogs.

As a footnote -- this is my rather twisted sense of humor. In all truthfulness I did eat dog once, by mistake, and I was violently ill afterwards. I had a Jewish friend who was far from being orthodox, but she told me she had a similar reaction to pork (she was not the person who served me curried Rover.) It is fascinating to me how upbringing and socialization can lead to such extreme physical reactions.


Are you back yet?

Post 12

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

Were you and your friend violently ill after or before you found out what you'd eaten?


Are you back yet?

Post 13

The High Duke of Mars

The violently ill part came out after I found out what I had eaten. Unfortunately I had consumed half a plate. :/

As for my friend, her only experience with pork was before I ever met her. We swapped horror stories a few weeks after my evening of sampling exotic foods.

The same evening I had chow bow wow I also had a rather horrible experience with a dried plum that is used as a sweet/confection in Southeast Asia.

A fellow student said "try one of these" and handed me a tiny prune-like object. She did not tell me how to eat it (suck, don't chew.) I crunched into it at the same moment that Viveka said "don't bite into those, they have rocks in them." Viveka was Norwegian, she meant to say "pits", but you get the idea.

The thing I bit into was like a piece of saccharine-coated driveway gravel. It had no flavor other than a nauseating bitter/sweetness. I drank three glasses of water before I could cut the taste.

That's one college evening I should have stayed in my room, studied, and maybe ordered a pizza.


Are you back yet?

Post 14

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

...a ritual which is fast becoming the nightly routine in my dorm. Last semester we did not order nearly this much pizza. Perhaps the rain is making everybody hungrier....

Anyway, I've never liked prunes myself; it now occurs to me that that may be all that's saved me from a similar experience.


Are you back yet?

Post 15

The High Duke of Mars

Ah prunes keep one "regular"."

Blech.

As for dried things I enjoy dates and figs. Dried figs are really yummy, gooey, and crunchy. smiley - smiley Never mind what makes them crunch, I think they're delicious. Like a Fig Newton without the Newton. smiley - smiley

-THDoM


Are you back yet?

Post 16

Lupa Mirabilis, Serious Inquisitor

Eh. The only dried fruits I've ever liked are apples and bananas; they make really good chips.


Key: Complain about this post