The gender of countries in the French language...
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Well, the time has come to ask, since I have been unable to discern an answer on my own.  I have conducted some serious literature review over the last few months and can find no relevant studies on the matter.  So when I find myself banging my head against the virtual wall, I realize it is  a subject for which I need to seek guidance.  So I turn to you my friends, because you are the people I respect in this virtual world.

It’s a failing, I admit.  I’m not one to own up to weakness in such a public manner, but this question has vexed me for well over a year now, and I am curious beyond all modesty.

How do we discern gender (or sex, depending on your intellectual orientation) from the avatar one uses or the screen name one chooses?  I ask because I have learned over the last two years that the combination of my screen name and the avatars I choose to use somehow seem to stump other on-line friends and respondents about my sex, and a whole bunch of other things.

I use what most would consider a sex-neutral screen name:  ChrisR266.  I use it consistently from place to place I roam on the world wide web so those who may pay attention to screen names might realize that it is really me they are encountering on a site where we might not have encountered each other before.  I am blessed or cursed with the name “Chris.”  My baptismal and given first name is longer, but “Chris” is what all who have mattered in my life know me by.  I detest other versions and perversions of my full name, so I chose at an early age to stick with Chris.  Chris I am.

Chris is one of those interesting appellations to the extent that it is sex (or gender) neutral.  When you are addressing a Chris, you only know what sex the person is if you are speaking to the person live–like “Pat,” we would consider the name gender or sex neutral.  In fact, the most popular college textbook on basic Interpersonal Communication (The Interpersonal Communication Book by DeVito) uses the names Pat and Chris in all theoretical conversations constructed to illustrate concepts and theories discussed in the text.  It is fascinating to read these theoretical conversations, because as DeVito constructs them, it is almost impossible to discern which speaker, Pat or Chris, is male or female.

I raise the issue because in my experience, almost no one I have interacted with on line assumes me to be the sex I am.  Even after informing people I have interacted with at length, they have difficulty retaining my sex and addressing me appropriately.  It has made for some hilarious conversational situations, but it has also made me consider at length the unspoken assumptions that operate for all of us at deep cultural levels.

When I think of this issue, my mind always wanders to a wonderful essay written by Julia Copeland in 1999, entitled “The Parable of the Crayon:”  http://2011sye402.pbworks.com/f/The-Parable-of-the-Crayon-(2).doc I encourage you to read it.  The essay is short, but powerful, and her words remind us that our culture teaches us many “default assumptions” about the way things are supposed to be, who rates in the world, and how we process ideas and experience based on those assumptions.

“Parable of the Crayon”  is relevant here, because it goads all of us to ask some important questions: Am I obligated to use an avatar that informs people by inference that I might be male or female?  Should I write in a specific way so people can tell immediately who I am and then of course infer what I might be thinking?  Are we rightly or wrongly indoctrinated to a masculine or feminine style that hinders us from seeing people and their ideas in a more objective and fair light?  Is there a written style that we connote male or female?  And why the hell is it that I can ALWAYS tell when a poster here, at HP, or on almost any other site is male or female?  Oddly, despite what I think are my clearly distinguishable posts, 99% of the respondents who chose to use identifiers get my sex wrong?

I have more questions, of course.  But I think the few I pose here are a healthy start.  I think it’s time we spend a bit of our time thinking about the deep assumptions that organize our cultural world.  I became very sensitive to this issue when I realized what I was saying to commenters that I flagged at HuffPost.  I always felt the need to inform commenters that I was flagging them and WHY.  One evening, I realized that I was qualifying my flag in a particular way:  “I know you are a dude because no woman would make a comment so crass.”  It was crystal clear to me then, as it is to me now.  And, I suspect, it is crystal clear to you, too.

Ironically, the world wide web (or the internet, whatever you prefer) has created an interesting paradox.  It authorizes people to speak their minds on a variety of things.  At the same time, it also allows people to be anonymous and thus unaccountable for the words they speak.   As lack of accountability for words spoken seems to be a significant issue in our public dialogue, it might well be the time to ponder the role of virtual interaction in public dialogue.

Just my four cents (inflation, of course).

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ghsts
Member

This is a paraphrase of a comment I tried to post at HP{{spit}} perhaps to you, that was deleted by mods.

Whenever I see a avatar with a hot chic I assume it’s a obese white guy siting in his tighty-whities, if I see an older gentleman I assume it’s a 14 year old neocon in a suit and tie, if I see cartoon it’s a soccer mom and most importantly I couldn’t care less. Take them at their word, this is a debate class. I went back to school for a BS and was older than most student’s parents, was required to take a gender studies class and was floored at how sexist the kids really were, some things never change.

cyrano1
Member
cyrano1

Thanks for writing about our Av choices! I chose mine using a photo of my macaw Cyrano, who has been a member of the household for over 30 years, and who runs the joint. The pun quality, in being able to have my long nosed beaked one speak for me, was irresistible.

Redemption Song II
Guest
Redemption Song II

Interesting post…on the one hand, gender seems to be “voiced” even behind avatars; on the other hand, I’ve often, much to my surprised, been mistaken for a man. And so it goes.

Regarding the screen name, the lyrics of “Redemption Song” is one of my favorites…and “II” after I deleted my HuffPo account to avoid posting while helping my son with school. I chose the Lauryn Hill cover because one of my favorite albums is “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”, because until I had my little guy I wore my hair in the most fantastic twists (I now have a “mom bun” ;0), because I’m a firm believer that the media has too few faces of color, and because I’m a black female and don’t want to be represented as anything other.

Not exactly exciting or informative, but there it is.

Cheers, dears.

PocketWatch
Member

Since everyone’s sharing, I will reveal a little about my SN choice. The picture, of course, is me, taken in my office from the laptop’s camera. I love hats, since I’m bald (I think of it as my hair just sort of slid down to my face…) and I have many, but that panama is one of my summer favorites.

Anyway, PocketWatch.. my real initials are PW, and my handle back when CB radios were popular (handy when you drive 100K a year for your job)was Pinball Wizard. So, when I started in AOL chatrooms eons ago, back just after the Earth’s crust cooled, I wanted a handle that kept the pattern. I’m also sort of old-fashioned in many ways, and own a pocket watch or two, mainly for when I go hunting, so, I became PocketWatchQQ. The QQ part was graphic. They look like two eyes looking down to the side in some typefaces, as in “I’m watching you!” I shortened it for HP {[spit!]}, and kept it for here.

(I’m such a creature of habit with an amazing lack of imagination! I hang my head in shame….)

KB723
Guest
KB723

PW. Not too many folks wear the Panama Hat. I Love IT!!! My pic is on the second page or listed as “Older Comments” 🙁

PocketWatch
Member

KB, just saw it… kewl hair, man! LOL I could never have worn a ‘hawk or anything like it. I started going bald at 16 (thanks mom!) and have always had fine hair. During my hippie days, it was way long. But the day I got out of the army, I started a beard, and have not had a shaved face since. Even against company policy a couple times. Skrew ’em!

KB723
Guest
KB723

PW. Right On!!!! We only live once!!!

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

I like it. My paternal grandfather (and no, you don’t remind me of him) had a pocketwatch, and as a child, it fascinated me.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

My maternal grandfather was a watchmaker and clock repairman. My fondest memories of visiting in Indiana, aside from hand made donuts in the Griswold and Black bottom pie was the entire dining room was filled with chiming clocks. He’d shut them down at night but early morning he’d wind them and start em going. Still love the sound of the Westminster clocks.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

Oh Oh, looks like Huffpo {[spit]} is catching on. Dang Penner.

PocketWatch
Member

I love it, actually! I thought adey started it with some radio show from Canada she heard?

deygirl
Member

Corner Gas. Canadian sitcom. Hilarious.

You’d really love it, PW! They have it at netflix.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

Shit Dey, why did you tell me that? Now I’ll be over there seeing if it’s on instant and if it is my weekend’s shot

[{ spit }] on principle

deygirl
Member

I must confess. It was I who started it.

PocketWatch
Member

day, I always knew you were a rabble rouser! Look what you did!

deygirl
Member

Bwahahahaha……er, I mean, I’m sorry.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

I was trying to be nice. It’s easier to blame it on David since he’s not here.

Abbyrose86
Member

I LOVE your AV with your hat. I love seeing a man in a hat. My dad always wore a hat, he always looked so dapper!

I have a hat fetish, myself. I LOVE hats! I must have a least 50 hats that I wear all the time…it’s become my trademark!

But I don’t do it because I don’t have hair, I’m just too lazy to DO my hair everyday…such a pain to straighten it or style it everyday, so I pop on a cute hat that matches my outfit.

PocketWatch
Member

My all ’round favorites are my fedoras… I have several in different colors.

Abbyrose86
Member

I LOVE a man in a fedora…most excellent!

Redemption Song II
Guest
Redemption Song II

Your avatar reminds me of my godfather…he’s (I take it) considerably older–in his mid 80’s now–but he’s a big, tall pecan brown man with wireframe glasses, a snow white beard, and a happily shiny bald head…and he wears the most fantastic hats: cowboy hats, tweed flat caps and fedoras. Even elderly he’s quite a striking figure (and I adore him–one of the most strong, clear-headed and kind-hearted people I ever met).

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

I figured I would go with the “make my avatar as self explanatory as possible” option. Now the only question is, who do I go with for my next pic? Where do you go after Snydley Whiplash? I have had Monty Burns, Sauron, Darth Vader, etc. I need something evil.

I’m thinking the smurfs maybe, don’t be fooled they are deadly little bastards. When one says “I’m going to smurf you!”, what does he mean by that? I mean really? Papa smurf was a cult leader, I’m telling you.

Poor old Gargamel and that cat got a bad rap, were just trying to keep the woods safe from murderous blue imps that lived in mushrooms. Smurf propaganda.

ADONAI
Member

I’d go with Rockefeller next.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

JP Morgan

ADONAI
Member

Also good.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

I know, I mean look how adorable he was.

[img]http://bob520.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/jp-morgan2.jpg?w=593&h=380[/img]

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

Such a sweetheart, give the shirt off his back…

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Yeah, then tell you heavy on the starch…

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

Oops, that was meant for you BDM, its Morgan. I accidentally posted it under ADONAI.

KB723
Guest
KB723

pluto, Maybe Boris Badanoff, from Rocky and BullWinkle?

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

Moose and Squirrel. That’s a thought.

KB723
Guest
KB723

Pluto. How about “The Punisher”????

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

He was a good guy at heart though, he just really sucked at diplomacy. 😆

KB723
Guest
KB723

Pluto, That would be a great av.

Kinda leads to our POTUS.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

OMG! You may be on to something, never thought of it that way…and what about them only having one female in that tribe, what’s her name, what about that, huh, makes you wonder….

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

M. Night Shyamalan has his next movie right there.

deygirl
Member

Duh, personification of evil? Cheney.

ADONAI
Member

@dimplasm

Give me some skis and a pair of oars to attach to each pedal, and I will ride my bike to Maui.

Also, some snacks for the journey. Preferably cookies.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Send pictures of that. sounds like something the guys on the British Top Gear did. They made scooters into boats.

ADONAI
Member

I’ll have to watch that for inspiration 🙂

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

I definitely recommend it. Not the American one on History Channel, it sucks. The one on BBC. This week they did a three wise men trip through Iraq, Syria, etc. in 3 “sports” cars.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Okay, here’s a link, it is hysterical…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyBl9vf8Td0

How do you do the video thing into the thread?

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

Someone gave me some homemade cookies yesterday and they had the ones with a Hersheys kiss in the middle. I ate so many I nearly went into a coma. mmmm…….cookies.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Mmmm, anything with chocolate.

ADONAI
Member

I love those little things. My aunt makes them every year for Christmas.

Kalima
Admin

Well being as everyone is dishing, I might as well drop in my 5 pence worth.

I’m a late starter with computers and blogging compared to many of the wonderful friends I made on HP. 2007 was the the year for my first computer, a Mac, and my first adventure into the blogging world. When a friend suggested HP, I ventured in with my thigh high wellies. Just getting to keep a username which wasn’t already taken took two days, and when I joined we were just username with numbered comments, so you would read things like, “Come in number 34, I totally disagree with your opinion.”

Then when the avatars were introduced it took me another few days to successfully upload a picture of our abyssinian, Coco, wearing a pink feather boa. She was my avatar there until I stopped posting in mid 09. I went recently to delete my profile for many reason, but mainly I thought she might be feeling lonely over there by herself, we lost her in October last year. My account had already been deleted, someone working for HP might have been lurking over here, who knows, and who really cares anyway.

My eventual moniker was the combination of Kali, one of our naughty cats, and her mother’s name Ma, it never caused much curiosity until one day a crazy poster from India, Mattie or Maddy, accused me of being a Muslim spy, whatever that is when it’s at home, I told her politely to “Bugger off” it could have also been “Sod off.”

This avator I have been using at THe Planet is a result of having to arm wrestle my hubby into letting me use our business logo. I reasoned that it was after all a drawing of a photo of me, even if the artist had decided at some point that I looked better in Japan with black hair, which I can assure you that I don’t. A few night nurse in a London hospital will attest to the fact that when they had to take my pulse when I was sleeping, two of them let out a loud shriek waking elderly ladies around my ward after seeing my newly dyed black hair fanning out on the pillow, framing a very white face. They thought that I had passed away after our awful evening meal.

Caru
Member

Wow. :0

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

I like that story. About the Avatar, not the crazy for hire troll from India.

Khirad
Member

A very confused one if they thought Kali Ma would be a moniker a Muslim would choose.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

I’m sure many thought yours was a Muslim Jesus or something.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

@dim, don’t you know that Jesus has blue eyes and blonde hair!

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

That’s what I’ve heard. But I’ve also heard that he had red hair. then I’ve also heard that the US is the lost tribe of Israel. I’m kind of skeptical about both of those too.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

@dim, is that why we have to get Temple Mount back from them thieving Muslins? 😕

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Nah. That’s just for fun. it is why we have to support Israel, no matter what they do, no matter how they do it, or how often they do it. They are God’s chosen people. We, as the lost tribe, are also God’s chosen people.

Isn’t it great to not have to misspell on purpose to post?

Kalima
Admin

Khirad, she was insane, Every second comment would be scrubbed, replies would disappear with her filth, and I believe everyone except for other vile trolls, stopped responding.

Kalima
Admin

I just remembered her name, it was Mannie or Manny.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

It got to where they sort of ran together. I was on last night and the level of discourse was so bad, it kind of makes you sad.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

Evening here Kalima, I love your AV, always thinking it was a print from the Art Deco period, well now I know…your stunning!

(ps: and before you explained your name to us here a couple of years ago, I too thought that you were using some femme fatale’s name…like Mata hari!)

Kalima
Admin

Hi BDM, actually in that picture, my own hair was finger waved, and I was wearing a long sleeved Mickey Mouse t-shirt, not pearls. It was quite some time ago, but thank you, I wasn’t that bad I suppose. When hubby gets back tonight, I will relay your comment about “some femme fatale”, he hasn’t had a good laugh in ages. 🙂

About the Art Deco, I love it, have collected some fine pieces, especially jewelry, on my trips around the world.

Have to leave soon, Saturday morning here, tons of cat hairs and hair ball to clean up. Have a great Vox.

boomer1949
Member

You really must give up the cat hairs and hair balls (once in awhile anyway)and put your feet up; sipping tea, eating bon bons. Tell the furries to hold your calls. Messages are a different story, but at least holding the calls is a start. Make sure you teach them not to hang up. 😆

ADONAI
Member

HA!

English food is terrible.

Kalima
Admin

HA! Not if I cook it! My Shepherd’s Pie is awesome.

Plutocrats really suck
Member
Plutocrats really suck

mmmm……shepherds pie. That sounds good, I haven’t had dinner yet.

Kalima
Admin

Next time I get the urge, I’ll save you a big piece. 🙂

Khirad
Member

Well okay, not all of it is terrible. I love shepherd’s pie!

It goes great with an ale or stout.

Kalima
Admin

Not all of it Khirad, the Brits make some great pies. It depends which part of the country you land in, and home cooking is always much better than eating out anyway.

Growing up there, in our house it was always German dishes, with a little Italian thrown in. My mother and my grandmother certainly knew how to cook and bake. I got to stand on a stool to lick out the bowls.

boomer1949
Member

Lunch tomorrow? I’m there!

Kalima
Admin

😆

boomer1949
Member

How you be?

I just can’t keep up with VOX much less stay awake and be coherent to participate!

KB723
Guest
KB723

Kalima, That’s a Great Story… Thanks for sharing. 😉

Redemption Song II
Guest
Redemption Song II

I second.

boomer1949
Member

😉

Haruko Haruhara
Member

deygirl
Member

@jdmn17– My mother is paralyzed on her left side. She lives in the basement apartment of a two story duplex, and I take care of her.

Mostly I’m all softy covered in bluster. Unless you marry me.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

Girl, your hot tonight! ROFL!!! Spit my drink out on the last line… 😆

deygirl
Member

😉

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

I already walked into that one today so I wasn’t about to go there again. She’s definitely on a roll tonight

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

My mom is 87 and I am her primary care giver now. My son helps a lot too. She’s not as spry as she was but her damn mind is sharper than a carpet tack. And she’s a lot more capable of doing things than she lets on. I often find things she’s illegally hauled down from the attic. She sells on ebay and I swear she knows where every little thing is in her stuffed house. Makes me crazy when she can find a postcard she put away thirty years ago but can’t find the salad dressing in the fridge

deygirl
Member

You have my undying admiration.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Both of you. I’m a Social Worker and work with the elderly. I really respect people who take care of their parents.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

Hell Dey, she carried me for nine months, almost miscarried (although the time she was on bed rest has gotten longer and longer over the years until it’s now approaching ten months), plus she raised my sorry ass, kept an abusive father at bay most of the time and generally has been the grandmother every kid needs to my two. What else can one do?

Plus she’s a kick. Still works seven days a week. I got her to retire from her antique business and sell on ebay thinking she’d cut back but instead it’s WORSE. Sheesh, talk about being careful what you ask for

deygirl
Member

She is a lucky woman. She is blessed.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

As am I

Abbyrose86
Member

Your mother sounds like a wonderful lady…she raised a hell of a kid! 🙂

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

Thanks Abby

I do my best. She taught me a lot. How to still love my old man who did everything he could to make himself unlovable, took my sisters and I to museums, plays, the art institute and other cultural places. About ten years ago I started compiling her life. Her mom did the same thing with my cousin so we have a record of the women in the family back to 1893. My mom’s a pack rat (that apple did not fall far enough from the tree) and we found dozens of pieces of her art (she was a commercial artist during WW II) and have framed several things. She saved every letter my father wrote from WW II. Stuff like that. Reading my dad’s letters I could actually see where, when and why he descended into what we now call PTSD. It’s chilling. Their lives and times were so different. I do cherish her and think we would all do good to have them in our lives as long as we can.

jkkFL
Guest

My Mom passed away this December, and I was amazed at all she did until the week before her death.
Treasure all those images- when you need them they will make you smile, or cry.
They will never fill the hole in your heart; but they feel like her hugs sometimes.

deygirl
Member

{{HUG}}

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

We are trying to save as much of her as we can. When my dad died his fourth wife threw out so many things, almost all the photos from my childhood are gone. She finally allowed me to go through what was left and I felt like I was going through the aftermath of a tornado. We got some things but thankfully my mom came through with some boxes she “meant” to throw out and we have created a pretty cool thing about her life. The only thing I found that made me blush was a series of photos of me and my first wife when I was 19. She was wearing a white leather mini dress with one of those Russian Cossack hats sort of like from Young Frankenstein. The dress hem was so short my friends told me when she kneeled at the altar she “mooned” the entire church. HAHA

Khirad
Member

Hahaha. I can so relate to that.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

One day my son was doing some stuff for her, she was moving him around the house (three story Victorian – way more than she needs but she raised us all there so she stays til she’s gone).

When he and I were eating our Friday night breakfast he looked at me and told me

“I think grandma is laying in the weeds, she can do a lot more than we think”

“Yep” I replied as I chewed my waffle in grudging admiration.

He sat for a while then he looked at me and waved his fork

“Don’t get any ideas, I’m on to you”

deygirl
Member

LMFAO!!!!!

escribacat
Member

JDM, Your mom sells stuff from your attic on ebay? Wow. My mom never could comprehend what “the computer” did, much less sell stuff on ebay. I’m impressed.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

Ecat,

Her computer “skills” are legendary. She can get online and list stuff just fine. But she still uses AOL for mail and she has the capacity to get the strangest error messages I’ve ever seen. My son is the computer geek and he’ll trudge in, fix the computer even as “grandma” pleads innocence and come back to me shaking his head.

She has stuff all over her house and lists about five to ten items a day. God, she’s wearing me out.

My brother in law and I are convinced she’s going to work us both to death.

Abbyrose86
Member

What a good daughter.

I had “custody”of my dad for the last three years of his life. I’m the youngest of 5 and at that time, I was in the best position to take him in when he got sick. It was daunting at times, and he was a handful, but I wouldn’t change if for anything in the world!

It’s so worth being with them when they need you.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

Absolutely. It’s time you only get once

Caru
Member

One of the nice benefits of my name is that someone once derisively referred to my arguments as “Carusian Logic”, which I thought was awesome because it almost sounds like “Cartesian Logic”.

I’m a nerd, aren’t I.

ADONAI
Member

Me too. Was I the only one who thought Lando Calrisian?

Caru
Member

Aw, now that’s stuck in my head.

ADONAI
Member

HOORAY!!!!!!!!!

Caru
Member

Bad, God! Bad!

ADONAI
Member

[img]http://www.tokiohotelamerica.com/mag/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sad-puppy.jpg[/img]

Caru
Member

HA!

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

I thought it was just a bad mangle of Italian. Or maybe short for “Caruso”.

deygirl
Member

I laughed my ass off when someone at HP {{spit}} said someone was so stupid they couldn’t find the square root of x squared. THAT is nerdy. 😉

Caru
Member

Ah, that’s genius. 🙂

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

There were some good re-snarks over there 🙂

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

I thought you were related to Rod Carew, but I’m an old Twins fan so I think weirdly

KB723
Guest
KB723

bito, THANKS, now folks know what KB723 Really
Looks Like!!!!

“Sweeeeeeet!!!!!!”

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

KB – do like the cig hanging out of your mouth while holding up your bike! 😆

When my husbands shop was just a couple of blocks away, he used to ride his bike to work….smoking away! People would just laugh at him because it looked, well, strange! 😕

Caru
Member

That’s an image worthy of the Looney Tunes.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

@Caru – Oh, it was, wish I had a video of him on his bike with a butt hanging out of his mouth…to the music of the Wicked Witch riding her bike in the Wizard of OZ!

I used to just shake my head, hoping that no one I knew saw him…what a goof ball!

KB723
Guest
KB723

BDM, I am sure that would look strange. There is after all NO ashtray on a Bike. 🙂

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Do you ride the bike, or just lift it? : )

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

ROFL!!! 😆

deygirl
Member

Ride a bike he’s carrying? ;p

KB723
Guest
KB723

daygirl, Too Funny. 😉

KB723
Guest
KB723

dimplasm, I ride as much as I can, but the weather in Colorado can change at any time, hence I must ride more in the summertime to lose winter weight.

I took this pic cos I was showing off my new XTR Shimano cranks. 🙂

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

It’s like that here. 2 feet of snow last week. 65 degrees today. I had to turn on the air conditioner in the car after it had sat in the sun.

KB723
Guest
KB723

dimplasm, I am trying to work my way to Maui. I need to ride year round.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

You seem like a really nice guy. But you can’t ride your bike to Maui.

Is there a race there or something?

KB723
Guest
KB723

dimplasm, Thanks for the Laugh. All there is in Maui, is the opportunity to ride year round…

Thought of Arizona, but as you can see by the color of my Hair, I would gain weight in my riding. What with carrying All My Papers and All….

ADONAI
Member

So, why pose with the bike? Were you selling it? Were you about to make it disappear in some sort of “illusion”?

KB723
Guest
KB723

ADONAI, I was showing off my new XTR cranks. I have invested over $5,000.00 in that bike. All racing components. Only weighs 21 pounds.

I made this investment after my last bike crash that put me in a Coma for ten days, Hospitalized for three weeks.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

Whoa. What are “cranks”?

KB723
Guest
KB723

dimplasm, Cranks are the front drive that you petal on. That set cost me $575.00.

Sheesh XTR components are Not cheap. My cranks cost me more than my girlfriends Cannondale mtn. bike.

She thought I spent too much money for her bike til she saw me drop nearly a thousand dollars in New components the next month…

I am moving more toward carbon-fiber.

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

If it is what you love to do, you might as well spend your money on it. That’s one of the great things about money–it helps you do the things you want to do.

ADONAI
Member

It is a very nice bike. If I spent as much time on one as you do, I’d want it to be as safe as possible too.

KB723
Guest
KB723

ADONAI, Thanks…. I Agree.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

If I ever have an incarnation, I always like the name, “Dulcinea”, Don Quixote’s love interest from the Man of la Mancha and use Sophia Loren’s pic as AV

ADONAI
Member

Both excellent choices.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

Look nothing like her, blonde, blue eyes and not has heavely endowed as her…but she is one beautiful woman.

One of the few, who seem to get better with age!

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

A lot of them get better with age. We are just focused on the young. How many movies do you see where the 45 or 50 year old hero is with a woman who is over 30?

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

And conversely, aside from The Graduate how many movies do we see that aren’t about cougars where the fifty year old woman is with a 30 year old guy? I know there are some but not nearly as many as male leads with young female hottie

dimplasm
Member
dimplasm

and then she was seen as a bit predatory. For the men it’s not even mentioned.

jdmn17
Member
jdmn17

When I studied film in college they interviewed one of the busty ones and she was talking about having “approved” bras, that was back when censorship was heavy. They would come into the dressing area and there was this one bra (Hard to imagine they actually shared bras back then) the early one would get to wear because it “lifted” things up better than the others. Now perhaps she was just making up a good story. But Sophia is one of those ageless beauties who does seem to look smashing no matter the decade she’s in.

Khirad
Member

The only time I go back is to spar with the IRI apologists – who I believe are on the Iranian government’s payroll – and so my name would be ‘Westtoxified’ (gharbzadegi) and I’d probably find a picture of the Shah or Maryam Rajavi to really mess with their heads.

Haruko Haruhara
Member

My avatar is easy to explain!

ADONAI
Member

Yep.

My 3rd, maybe 4th, favorite anime series of all time.

Haruko Haruhara
Member

“Underdeveloped, primitive monkey!”

ADONAI
Member

FLCL definitely has my favorite music from any anime I can think of. Always liked the song playing on the closing credits.

BigDogMom
Member
BigDogMom

Cool 😎

ADONAI
Member

For the longest time I thought about changing my name to Cookie Monster, getting a Cookie Monster avatar, and writing all my comments as though Cookie Monster were typing them.

“Me no want war in Middle East. Me just want, COOKIE!!!”

But how long before that gets old?

“Me think tax cut bad for country. And bad for, COOKIES!!!”

Caru
Member

Depends entirely on your supply of cookie related witticisms.

ADONAI
Member

It’s infinite.

deygirl
Member

Plus, I believe it became a code word for “sex” on HP {{spit}}.

ADONAI
Member

Well, I can cover that too.

“Me not use condom. Me just want, COOKIE!!!!!”

boomer1949
Member

@Chris,

I just read your bio. Jinx, not only did I attend Otterbein University, I also worked there. Heh, I would bet, in a past life, we literally crossed paths. Who knew? 😯

***EDIT***Light bulb moment here! Now I understand why there was “no reply” to the debate analysis/opinion question several months ago. 😉

Abbyrose86
Member

It REALLY is a small world! 🙂

boomer1949
Member

Abby,

Closer than one would/could imagine. 🙄