~Sunday~ Today was book club in the afternoon and our March salon meeting in the evening. I'm going to do a separate entry about our book club meeting. Here's our salon agenda with my responses embedded:
Salon XXVIII
March 25, 2012
1. President Obama has joined Spotify and made a playlist for his campaign. If you were going to make a playlist for a major (past, present, or future) event in your life, tell us what the event was/is/will be and share the 7-10 songs you'd include in the playlist. (John)
Mine was a "Memorial Playlist," and it's still evolving.
2. Word crushes: language lovers reveal the first word they fell for. What was yours? (John)
The first one I remember was “Quintessential,” and although I can’t remember in what context I used it, I remember it being the “perfect” word for what I wanted to express.
3. Sugar Babies. Would you consider it (from either side)? What do you think of it, in general? Hypothetically, if you were a Sugar Baby, would you go for cash or luxuries? (Kim)
I would consider this from the side of a younger guy paying me to be with him—not at all interested in the other way around, as I’m afraid that would eventually feel like raising a child.
For some twisted reason, I would prefer cash, but getting luxuries would probably make me feel less like a gigolo.
4. Mail order brides. In what circumstances would you consider being one/purchasing one? Do you know anyone who has experience with mail order brides? General adjectives you'd associate with mail order brides. (Kim)
I don’t think I’d consider a purchase even if I aspired to the institution, but I can’t swear to it. I don’t know anyone with said knowledge domain. Some adjectives that come to mind: resourceful, determined, romantic (in the classic sense of the term), potentially delusional, and “suspicious.”
Resources:
goodwife.com (in particular, scroll to the bottom of the page and view the unordered, non-bulleted "list.")
Two things struck me about this list:
1) The fact that it is an unordered list is rhetorically congruent with the parenthetical note before it starts, which appeals to me, and
2) Taken out of the context of this article, I’m not sure any one of the list items (with the slightest possible exception of the “Does she have the desire to talk to you regardless of her English level?”) would make you think this is a checklist specifically for a mail-order mate.
singlebrides.com (note the mail order grooms)
To use the site’s nomenclature, I’d “Flirt” with Chris, Eric (for the Adam’s apple alone), and Michael.
I love “Jeremy’s” “About myself” write-up: “I've been let go by a wife of 1 year and im looking for someone who is mature and serious about love and marriage a wife that doesn't back out of marriage because she thinks she's not ready.”
I think it’s very interesting when people are so specific in describing what they’re looking for in terms of it not being something that has already burned them. It’s as if they think, “As long as that doesn’t happen to me again, it’ll be a good relationship.”
5. She's (not) just a love machine and other stories about Aiko, the female robot. (See, e.g., http://www.projectaiko.com/, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2023392.ece, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/10/aiko-the-female-robot-inv_…, and http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1238324/Robot-Romanc…). Reactions? Philosophical, gender implications, what this says about our society (or perhaps only Canada's society :-)? (Brad)
So much to love in this article!
The writing:
I particularly love the choice of the word “can” in this line: “…(which can mean “love Child” in Japanese, apparently)…”
The sarcasm-laced tone about it not being a sex machine:
– “But it’s not a sex robot. Oh no.”
– “Since it’s not a sex robot I can’t see any other explanation.” (re: the “odd angle” of the photo)
– “…has a fake vagina with sensors. But it’s not a sex robot. Oh no. Trung is just trying to make her realistic.”
– I loved this bit: “I have to say, for one year's work and C$25,000 the result is pretty impressive. Considering that's about what it takes to have a baby, and babies can't do anything but poo and cry.”
– And this one: “Imagine if men could buy sex robots. Walking, talking, fully programmable sex robots. With mute buttons for when the rugby's on.” Brilliant!
As for reactions: I would honestly consider buying a male version of this—assuming it wasn’t a sex machine, of course. A chance to (literally) embrace new technology.
With regards to “gender implications” what comes to mind in terms of a “female” version being built first is: “Know your audience!”
6. http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/medical/a/Fellatio-Breast-Cancer.htm Thoughts, reactions, issues with sharing/forwarding "information" on Facebook or email. (Sarah)
I saw this as pure satire, and I recognized it as such early on in the article. I think it is legitimate to share on Facebook or email.
Mostly, I’m curious as to the circumstances that prompted you to add this to the agenda.
7. http://english.fas.harvard.edu/sites/english.fas.harvard.edu/files/… Reactions. (Sarah)
I was with this until the final paragraph, which I imagine is due to my “practical vs imaginative” or “real vs. abstract” or “sensing vs. intuition” nature.
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As a follow up:
How much do I HATE the word "concentrator" in this letter on the Harvard English Dept website:
Prospective Concentrators
A Message from the Chair of the English Department, Professor James Simpson
Dear Prospective English Concentrator,
Many thanks for considering English as your concentration. In this letter I offer an account of what we do in the department, by way of persuading you to move from consideration to election!
Concentrator brings two images to mind: frozen juice and Auschwitz. ‘Nuff said.
8. Share and Tell: NC State VS. Peace (Sarah)
9. Another Share and Tell: The continuing saga of TALES FROM THE HALLS OF LAME (Sarah)
10. Spoiler Alert Etiquette: http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6739482/official-spoiler-rule (Brad)
This issue is actually pertinent to me, as I watch Glee with Jen and we like to stay 2-3 episodes behind. However, I’m a firm believer in taking action on the things I have control over, as opposed to creating rules and regulations for others over which I have no control and is pretty much unenforceable – IMHO.
My take is that if someone starts to say something and I say, “Hold it! I’m behind on that show,” and they stop, then that’s great. However, if they don’t stop, and I learn something I would rather not have, then I accept that as my problem since I have control over when I watch a show.