And now what did you do TODAY?

[agile_one]

You're in, Jacob.  Jeff and I know the admissions person, and seconded your recos.  Let one of us know if they blow you off.  We don't like prople not honoring contracts.

 

Seriously, however, you should be a lock.  Academics love sharp knives (you DID mention sharpening skills?).  Oh, also, they mortally fear dark, dank basements full of bones and shit, so you've got that card to play as well, if you want to play hardball.

[Grahame]

Went to Joanne's office Xmas meal. Good food, and Joanne enjoyed the wine. Company not too shabby either

[cetoole]

Possessed holiday party!

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm reading Chasm City, and the main character has a condition (induced night vision) that leads to glowing eyes.  I giggle and think of the cat/lasers meme every time they mention it, and at this pic, too.

[Grahame]

Possessed holiday party!

Given they are in the legal profession, how could I tell?

[Torpedo]

Good luck Jacob

[shellylh]

Went to install the PWD MKII upgrade but when I started looking through the parts, I noticed that one of the parts (the I2S cable)  looked a little off - one of the wires looked a bit too crimped for my liking - reminds me of Grado headphone cables.  I asked PS Audio to send me a new I2S cable.  Do you think that was unreasonable?

 

[n_maher]

Yes, its reasonable in my book. Me - just boarded my flight home to Boston.

[Voltron]

Safe trip home Nate!

Good luck Jacob, glad to hear you weren't hung up too much.

Send them back the crappy cable so they can see their shoddy work, Shelly.

[guzziguy]

You're in, Jacob.  Jeff and I know the admissions person, and seconded your recos.  Let one of us know if they blow you off.  We don't like prople not honoring contracts.

 

Seriously, however, you should be a lock.  Academics love sharp knives (you DID mention sharpening skills?).  Oh, also, they mortally fear dark, dank basements full of bones and shit, so you've got that card to play as well, if you want to play hardball.

 

Gene, you forgot to mention how much they also like shovels.

 

Good luck Jacob.  I think that the only luck you'll need is getting the letters of recommendation in on time.

[Absorbine_Sr]

Good luck Jacob!!

[tyrion]

Dinner at Ella's:

[shellylh]

Wrong thread. 

Edited December 16, 2012 by shellylh

[VPI]

Nice Mike.  The last time we tried to eat there we mistakenly decided not to wait for a table and left.  I need to get back there.

[jpelg]

Wayne, you are still my hero!

 

[Wmcmanus]

Wayne, you are still my hero!

 

Still no call from the boobie cocoon trio. I'm beginning to think they were just yanking on Santa's nut sack.

[blessingx]

Wayne, we need more pics!

[Voltron]

Don't you have a Santa Cam in your giant belt buckle or hat or something?

[boomana]

^ Okay, now that's just creepy plus.

[Voltron]

It's a liability thing.

[Dusty Chalk]

Still no call from the boobie cocoon trio. I'm beginning to think they were just yanking on Santa's nut sack.

The problem is, you'll never know if it was this, or if they just chickened out.  I think -- based entirely on your reiteration of events -- that it was more the latter.  You mentioned yourself that you think maybe they felt safer with an out-of-towner, and maybe once they started thinking you weren't, that was enough.

 

Me:  slept, just got up.  I could not get to sleep last night.  WTF?

[boomana]

I could not get to sleep last night.  WTF?

 

Maybe you became a menopausal woman when you weren't looking.  That would explain the no sleep thing.  Just a thought.  

[Dusty Chalk]

Could be.  Would explain a few other things as well.

[Wmcmanus]

The problem is, you'll never know if it was this, or if they just chickened out.  I think -- based entirely on your reiteration of events -- that it was more the latter.  You mentioned yourself that you think maybe they felt safer with an out-of-towner, and maybe once they started thinking you weren't, that was enough.

 

Me:  slept, just got up.  I could not get to sleep last night.  WTF?

Oh, I'm pretty sure it was real. They had their hands all over each other's breasts (over the clothes, of course), once the event was over and we were just chatting. They were taking turns, two at a time, in the Santa throne, while the other took pics. They seemed comfortable with each other...

[Wmcmanus]

Ok, so the down side of the Santa business... everyone expects you to show up for free to any charitable cause that they happen to support (and thus you should as well). Here's an example. Got this email on Saturday evening, 48 hours before the event (which is in 4 hours from now, and I still haven't responded, or decided...)

"Hey Wayne,

I hope this quick email finds you well. Frankly, I am writing to you for help. As you may be aware I assist with several charities throughout the year and Christmas time is typically the busiest time of the year.

Well this year is no exception other than difficult economic times. The event I am writing on behalf of is the Sav/New Codac scheduled for Monday 17 Dec 2012 @ 6:30 pm @ the Pedro Park across from the Cayman Islands Baptist Church.

Truthfully, our usual Santa unfortunately cannot make it this year due to health reasons. As a result, we desperately require a Santa to add cheer to the this event specifically organized for elderly.

Our/my budget has unfortunately been exceeded due to no assistance from government and losing several benefactors that unfortunately have either gone out of business or simply cannot afford to assist in the these tough economic times. I can only imagine that it is also affecting our elderly negatively as well as the fixed income individual typically feels the pinch even more so than others.

Nevertheless, I am begging you a huge favour and that is to kindly consider assisting us entertain the elderly on the aforementioned date as Santa. Many, if not all look forward to this event all year long. Regrettably, this may be the very last Christmas for many of our participants hence our desperation.

In closing, I sincerely hope you say YES! However, in truth and fact, and embarrassingly so, I/we cannot afford to offer even a small financial contribution to your charity of choice as a thank you due to us having to bear the cost for the aforementioned reasons. All I can offer you is good food, great fellowship with wonderful people and a reciprocation of kindness whenever you call on me.

I hope to receive a very positive response from you shortly so we can allow our blood pressure to lower.

Kind Regards,

(Some fuck or another who serves on the College's board of trustees with me)"

I want to respond by saying:

Ok, so even though you knew for months that your regular Santa (who I know, and who never does anything for free) had surgery this year and wasn't going to be available for ANY events, you still waited to the 11th hour to contact me.

You're very generous with your time to all of these charities that you support. You ought to be, because you're a stinking rich spoiled brat who was born with a silver spoon in your mouth and the only reason you're involved in any of them is because you know it's good for your family businesses. You've told me so yourself several times.

Why don't you at least ask me what I would normally charge? Why don't you offer to pay for my fees yourself, so that I can say, "No, but now that I see it really does mean something to you, I'll be happy to do it for free!" You're a fucking multi-millionare and so are several more people in your direct family, you fucking cunt!

Why do you resort to all of these pitiful sales techniques, about how all of these old geezers will all be dead by next year, and it will be my fault somehow that they didn't get to see Santa for the 97th time in their lives?

Do you realize that as an ex-pat who has lived here for 16 years, I've yet to be invited by any of these old folks to come to their houses for dinner? Or any Caymanians for that matter, even though I've had them to my place scores of times for listening nights and movie nights, pizza, beer, and what have you...

Do you think that maybe this is because, quite frankly, none of these old folks give one shit about me, and would prefer that they could have their place to themselves again, like the good old days? That no matter what I might do for the community, I'll never get as much as a thank you card? That I've done a dozen such events like this one as Santa, year after year, and the event organizers don't even have the decency to be prepared for my arrival? That sometimes I need to sit 30 feet away from 200 children as they stare at me from the other side of a fence for 30 minutes while the local politicians give their speeches? Why? Because they don't have enough sense to stop the program (that they started late) to let Santa do his thing when he shows up -- for free -- and right on time!

Have you considered the possibility that maybe a phone call would have been better than a "guilt you into it" email?

I could go on but I won't. No, wait a minute... one more thing...

Fuck his blood pressure! I need to worry about mine! But I'll do the stupid event anyway... I'm too much of a pussy to just completely blow it off. What really gets me is that he doesn't even mention how much time he "needs" me to be there for! I'll bet dollars for doughnuts that it's a minimum of 2 hours, and probably 3 hours! What they're going to get is 30-45 minutes and an excuse/lie that I need to get to another event.

Mostly I'm just mad because my schedule is free today, and it was otherwise the ONLY day in the entire month that I had no Santa events. I love it, but it does get exhausting about this time with 53 events under my belt and 29 to go.

Good food! Like I can't afford to go to KFC to buy my own bucket of chicken... that's one of his businesses, and I'd be shocked if they feed the old folks anything but... not enough other "benefactors" my ass. Like KFC can't afford to stroke me a check for a couple hundred bucks for what is essentially a PR event for them.

But we serve on the same board, and this is how the game is played here, so I won't call him out on his nonsense.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Wmcmanus