Hi everyone. Just thought I should introduce myself before I go butting in on your conversation. I'm an almost 25er (Sept) living in Southern California. (I think my name gives away gender.) I love TAR and just started watching this season. It bums me out that I didn't become hooked sooner…I love this show. Anyway, I can't think of anything else that you'll need to know about me, other than the fact that I am usually pretty sarcastic and occasionally a little witty.


Bungle, I'm with you on this one. I have known from an early age that I have never wanted kids and that I'll probably never change my mind. My family has even become used to the idea. In fact, when my younger brother got married I warned my Mom that she better skip the 'grandkids' chat with me and head straight for him and his wife. (BTW, loved the engagement ring story.)

Cerise, I'm headed to Sephora at lunch. Can't wait!

Bravo, Rachel!! And very well put. My sister (who has been married for 22 years) keeps telling me that the "right" guy is out there and I shouldn't "give up". Give up what, for God's sake? A life I'm perfectly happy with? I'm not saying that I'll never get married. Who knows? But if I never do, so what? That just means I never have to share my closet space.

Sing it, sister!

I met my Prince Charming. And this Halloween, we will celebrate 23 years of not being married, not living together, and not daily annoying the shit out of someone we love but don't want to live with. I highly recommend his-and-hers townhouses. Ours are 8 miles apart.

It's nice to know I am not alone in my happy to be single and childless state.

Well, the State Department certainly did. My official designation is "trailing spouse", which is somehow less than flattering. There are also a multitude of clubs for diplomat's wives, but none for diplomats' husbands. 'Cause, ya know, only boys can be diplomats and only girls can be spouses. Some of the husbands started a club called STUDs (Spouses Trailing Under Duress). Their tea parties have beer, which makes me insanely jealous.

Mayonnaisse? Gross. The brand doesn't matter. It just completely skeeves me out. I like my sandwiches with mustard and my chicken salad with ranch dressing. My father-in-law is so grossed out by mayo that he'll speed up when he gets to the mayo section of the grocery store.

I'm writing an article for work about Olympic trivia. This is the most awesome thing I learned all day: “Plunge for distance” was an event at the 1904 Games in St. Louis. Athletes were supposed to take a deep breath, jump into a pool from a standing position, and float as far as they could without drawing breath or changing position. I would totally rock that.

That is really neat Weds. I was watching the games and my sister and I were wondering how they decide to remove an event from the games. Since I've been watching (and you and I are the same age) they've added a bunch, but I don't remember them taking anything away.

I browsed the Hot Olympians thread for a little while yesterday, but after watching the mens 400 meter yesterday, I need to go back. Those men were smokin'.

Miracle Whip? Eeeewwwww! That said, Mr. TroopDoop insists on it. Ugh! I have to stock both in my fridge: his disgusting Miracle Whip and my tasty mayo. I’ve never heard of Duke’s though. Anybody know if it can be purchased in the D/FW area?

Zron – “Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes” {snerk} Did you ever see the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where he takes the kids to the park by himself? And the other moms are just swooning about what a GREAT dad he is b/c he took his kids to the park all by himself? Your post made me think of that.

skagirl77 – Thanks, that makes me feel a little better. We try really hard not to spoil her and she seems to be turning out pretty well. (She’s only three, though, so we’ve got plenty of time left to really screw her up if we try.) The aunts/uncles thing has occurred to me, too. I’m just hoping she’ll marry somebody with lots of siblings. Plus, she has about six cousins close to her age all within 15 minutes of us, so there will be some extended family available to her. {crossing fingers and hoping}

cellochick – Word on the “babysitting” dads. If it’s your child, it’s not babysitting; it’s called “parenting your child.”

devajd, according to my extensive research, games get removed for sucking. Other eliminated events include pigeon shooting (the only animal-snuffing event in Olympic history) and roque (which is like croquet, but even less fun to watch).

Also, toughest athlete ever? Adebe Bikla, an Ethiopian, who was the first person to win back-to-back marathons (1960 and 1964). In 1960, he ran the entire marathon barefoot.

Rachel RSL

OMG! You are me!

Bubbacat


OMG! You are me too! (Actually, I think Bubbacat is more me than Rachel is me, but still!)

Seriously, you guys, this utterly freaks me out - you don't even know, I have never met people in my real-life who understand my desire to not have kids and that I've never been in any rush to get married. I mean, never - I have always been considered a complete freak of nature when I tell people my choices. Then to suddenly find a board where not just one or two people made the same choices as me, but where quite a few did? It's still blowing my mind all these posts later!

TalkyTina, let me know how you like the Benefit stuff after you've tried it for a few days!

jpgr, that is awfully kind of you to buy a coffee maker and coffee just for guests! I'm not a coffee drinker either, but I'm also not as good of a hostess as you are either! ;-) When my guests want coffee, I instruct them to go to the front door of my building, hang a left, and they'll find a Starbucks two blocks down!

This is Mr. jpgr with peanut butter! I love it, though. I have a jar in the fridge and never open it or eat any in his presence, or without issuing a "peanut butter alert" if he's walking through the room.

When we were dating, we discovered that there are 4 things that neither of us likes that all of humanity seems to love: watermelon, ketchup, pepperoni and coffee. We finally caved in and bought a small coffee maker for guests, but we don't know how to use it. If you want coffee in my house, get the bag from the freezer and figure out the machine yourself.

I got in trouble for not having ketchup one Thanksgiving, though. My sister-in-law was appalled that we didn't have it available for the niece and nephew to put on their turkey. Appalled! I got the stink eye! Frankly, ketchup is just not in my realm of consciousness as a condiment. We have a bottle somewhere in the back of the fridge now, for when the little ones visit. It lasts forever, right?

ETA: TalkyTina where in SoCal are you? I'm in "the OC" (gack). Check the TWOPcons thread for info on TARcon West planning! We're trying to set something up in Santa Monica.

Who puts ketchup on turkey, anyway? Condiment overuse makes me crazy, because it's an insult to the chef. I dated a guy who came over one night for dinner. I made some lovely honey mustard chicken, and what did he do? Smothered it in ketchup before he'd even tasted it! Seriously, he used half the bottle. It made me feel like I must be a lousy cook if he didn't want to taste what I'd gone to the effort to prepare. Needless to say, I never cooked for him again. It's a simple etiquette rule: taste your food before you dump stuff all over it. The exception is food that you already know is going to taste a certain way (eggs, fries, noodles, etc.)

Yep, that's why TWoP rocks! We don't judge anyone for their choices! (Unless you're on a tv show, in which case we will crucify you. But I digress...)

Daria, it sounds to me like you've got a good thing going with your Prince Charming!

It's not only the lack of marriage thing that people refuse to accept about me, it's also my whole attitude of not caring if I'm in a relationship or not. It seems like all my friends are the kind of women who go from boyfriend to boyfriend, like they need a man in their lives. Which is fine if that's the kind of person you are. However, when I try to explain to them that I don't need a man in my life to make me happy, I'm met with either of 2 responses: the typical "You just haven't met the right one yet" or "Are you a lesbian?"

I try to explain to people that if I ever meet the right man or woman, great. But I don't stay awake at night worrying about it. It's just not that important to me.

You can add me to the list of singles who like being single and don't care if I ever marry. I'm not against it, but I'm not sitting around dreaming about it, either.

Cerise


It's great, isn't it! I was hesitant to post my earlier rant because I was sure I'd be the only one here who felt this way. I hear you on the not married part, too. Mr. Tome and I have been together for over 3 years and neither one of us feels any rush to sign the papers. It really won't bother me if we never do. That doesn't mean he's not the rightman....I can't imagine myself with anyone else. But if I didn't work from home and have lots of time to myself, I'm not sure the living together thing would work. I need lots of alone time, which many people don't understand. Glad to find so many of you that do!

Maybe I'll stop complaining about my cuticles. Maybe.

Yeah, it's quite refreshing to see that there's other people out there with more flexible views of relationships and the like.

I'm in the "If I meet the right girl, great" camp. I don't obsess over not dating anyone currently, I'm not in a rush to get into a relationship for the sake of having the "dating" label fixed on me, and I value my privacy and space a great deal.

I think a lot of it stems from the fact that I'm pretty introverted, so the bar/club scene really doesn't do anything for me. It doesn't usually bother me, however, since I've gotten past the "Everyone's gotta be dating all the time" phase and realized that it's quite OK to do things my own way.

So, cheers to all of you for resisting social pressures and making the decisions that work for you on a personal level. That's the important thing.

Heh. Would it bother or comfort you to know there are times when I feel that way with mr pseudo?

Hey, Single-And-Happys of the World unite! I think I'll print off these posts and wave them under my sister's nose this weekend. "See! I'm not the big freak that you think I am."

Speaking of condiment overusage, my brother-in-law used to put salt on everything -- and I do mean everything. When he and my sister were still dating, he was over for dinner one night, and my mother had prepared a lovely ham. Yep, you guessed it. He put salt on the ham! Who does that? Fortunately, my sister broke him of that habit or he would have already had his first heart attack and/or stroke (he's 48).

You just know the response to that will be: "You can't go by those crazy people on the internet!" :)

Oh, word. I hear you. When you're 40 and still single, the assumptions are automatically made:

1) I must be a lesbian. [Seinfeld]"Not that there's anything wrong with that!"[/Seinfeld], but I'm straight.

2) I must be frigid. Again, wrong.

3) I must be a slut who can't settle down with only one man. Again, wrong, again.

4) All of the above (*Rimshot!* Thank you, thank you, you're a beautiful audience! Don't forget to tip your waitress!)

How about I'm straight, I enjoy sex with the right guy, but I just haven't met one I'd like to spend my life with? Maybe I will, maybe I won't - why is it any skin off of their noses?

And here's something coincidental you'll appreciate! Just as I was editing my last post where Rachel RSL and Bubbacat were reading my mind, my co-worker pops over the top of my workstation, and says, "SO! [Cerise]! We have to get you out there!" I very dryly said (knowing full well what she meant), "Out where?" She chirps, "Out DATING! We need to find a man for you!" Like I'm a charity case that she needs to put her finger on! I said, "I'll scare up my own man when I feel like it, thanks. I've never needed help in that department". Oy!

Miss Manners would frown on me, but I decided long ago that when someone makes inappropriate comments, an inappropriate response is okay.

When are you going to have kids?
A: Well, the state legislature is working on that gay marriage bill right now, so keep your fingers crossed!
A: Once I complete the sex change, you know, first things first. (The boobs are looking good, don't you think??)
A (Works best with a Peter O'Toole accent): What a boorish question! I don't go around asking when you'll finally get rid of that ghastly haircut!
A: We're Shakers, we don't believe in the mingling of the sexes.

(BTW, I was fine with single and no kids. But then got married and now have a nine-month old. I'm not judging anyone for anything, even the gal that yelled at her kid to stop crying. No kids? Yay for you! Kids? Yay for you, too........and I'm an Ice Blue, too.)



Amen to this! When I moved from NC to Fla I made sure FIRST that they carried Duke's down here. No lie.

Not only do I find other people here that have no desire to ever be married (now that I can't have kids anyway) but I also find people on TWOP who don't like coffee! I only know a few other people IRL who loathe it as much as I do.

I own a coffee maker only because my brother was given one as a wedding present 30 years ago. They don't drink the stuff either and gave it to me because I entertain more than they do. I'm also in the camp of "coffee's in the freezer - if you want some, help yourself."

I avoid going to Chapters bookstores as much as possible due to the hideous Starbucks smell. UGH!

So I have this great story of unquenchable spousal support [/sarcasm].

At my doctor's appointment I find out that I gained 8 lbs last month. MrKate thinks this is a good thing, till I remind him that I'm still about a month away from where I should be gaining a pound a week. He's good enough at math to figure this is high (my dr. nailed it - I've been stressed at work, where food is in abundance, and have fallen back on my "food=love and comfort" of youth that I fought so hard to leave behind).

He asks me how much I weigh now.

Then thought for a minute.

Then said, "Well, that's what happens when you go over the hill."

Me:"What?!"

MrKate: "Think about it. How much did you weigh on your last birthday? And how much will you weigh on your birthday this year? [my birthday is Thursday] See? When you're over the hill your metabolism is just shot."

He is so lucky he can read me enough to know this was a low hormone moment where I could see the humor here and not dissolve in tears or hate him for a full 30 seconds.

Rudeness! This is my new pet peeve and it isn't just with kids.

We have our first house with our first big back yard, so we've had a number of cookouts this summer.

We've provided all the food and drinks, but folks are more than welcome to bring something if they have adults with special tastes or picky little ones.

And yet I've gotten the stink-eye half a dozen times this summer.

"You only have this brand of Diet Soda?"
"Oh, I only eat tofu dogs."
"You don't have any juiceboxes?"

NO! I don't. If you want something that you know isn't on the menu or we aren't likely to have bring it yourself.

Don't get all huffy 'cause we don't drink Diet Pepsi and Capri-Sun.

eta: Mayo is indeed the anti-Christ.

Waaay behind. How did I miss stopping by this thread yesterday? Stupid work. Bear with me while I catch up:

Zron's kid rocks.

On kids:

I will be a stay at home mom, but we're in no hurry to have kids. Right now I'm the one with the career while hubby finishes his PhD at Stanford (three months left!) After he gets into his academic career we'll worry about kids. Right now we're having too much fun being kids ourselves. We married young (23) and some people seem to think that we're in a bad marriage because it's been four whole years and we still don't have kids! We have plenty of time folks...and in the meantime, mind your own business. Yes, I'm talking to you, mom. As WesAddams says,
(word)

I also expect twins. They run a generation back on *both* sides of my family, and so far every single cousin in my generation who has had children has had twins. It would not surprise me at all. We have a million of them running around in my family.

On inheritance:

I get my mom's beautiful antique baby grand piano. She bought it at an estate sale in 1972 for $50, and a few years ago had it appraised - turns out it is in great shape, and a rare antique worth as much as their house. I don't want it for the money - I will keep it forever. Most of the warm fuzzy memories from my childhood are based around that piano. I played the oldest sibling trump card for that one - my sister hates me. But she can have anything else she wants, I told her. Sounds fair to me! How I'll get the piano from my parent's place in Michigan to wherever I am at the time is a mystery that may never be solved. Perhaps I'll employ David Copperfield to help me out.

Oh, and I totally want her bright orange paisley hotpants that she keeps hidden away in the basement storage.

On Kool-Aid:

The site is down. :(

On Faygo:

In Michigan, where I grew up, it was the cheapo pop in the supermarket. In California? It's a specialty soda that costs $2 for an 8 oz bottle at BevMo. Grr. And they don't even carry Rocknrye (is that the flavor name? cause it rocks.)

On Mascara:

Anything Clinique. They do samples too. Especially if it comes from the Bloomingdales at the Stanford Shopping Center. They rock. Plus, one time I got to meet Fred Savage there while he was buying his Clinique face lotion.

On Mayo:

I think it's the reason I had to lose 35 lbs. Mmm.

On Olympics:

When are they going to add rock climbing?? Gah! The most athletic people I know are climbers (and soccer players, but that's not my point). It's a tough, competitive, and FUN sport that is a lot of fun to watch (hello? Hot guys). Plus, I want my hubby to go to the olympics and he's a kick ass rock climber (and only a mediocre soccer player).

My aunt and uncle live overseas. She was up for a position in Cairo, and he came along for the interview. They didn't know what to do with him, usually they have a 'trailing' wife take the visiting wife shopping. They ended up finding someone to take him to play golf. He has officially retired, but has extensive experience all over the world, so he now consults where ever her job is.

My husband is one of those people who puts ketchup on everything, lamb, pork, whatever. He has a friend, who they call The Slob (literally - at a party this weekend: "The Slob is thinking of running for office.") who empties a bottle in a sitting. Disgusting.

I made the mistake of saying at work that we were working on the baby thing (people asked, newly married, not getting any younger...) only to find out it may not be easy for us, and having to put it on hold because I have an undiagnosed medical issue going on. So I have been having a lot a doctor's appts, but if I say anything, they will assume it is baby related. I used to feel that I would never have kids, but that reflected a personal belief that I would never find the right guy for me (self-esteem issues? who me?).

We don't drink coffee either. The first time my in-laws came (before we were married, we had only met briefly), they were jonesing for coffee in the morning. Mr. JDG, who doesn't think things through, never even thought to pick up some instant. We were in Tanzania at the time, so no Starbucks option. I found some loose leaf tea left by the previous tenant, but I didn't have a strainer. It wasn't pretty.

You know, that is totally the rudest thing to do to someone who invites you to their home for a meal! I've just recently switched over to alot of organic foods, but if someone invited me to their home and the main course turned out to be Doritoes and Twinkies, I'd smile, eat it and thank them for their lovely hospitality. Of course, if you can't eat certain foods due to medical conditions, that's of course a different story. But for the rest - just be a polite guest and don't kvetch about what's being served.

Can't stand this. We had a friend of ours living with us temporarily when his wife was relocated and man, was he picky. First off, he couldn't (or wouldn't - I still haven't decided) cook, so it was left up to us to cook for him. One time his wife sent him home with some food, and a cookie mix was in there. (peanut butter) I made them, and even went the extra step and put the hershey kisses on the top. This guy had the NERVE to bitch to my b/f that I made peanut butter instead of chocolate chip! My b/f let him have it, and from that point on, ate everything he was served, and thanked me everytime.

$2 for Faygo!? You're joking! I grew up in Michigan, too, and yeah, Faygo was the cheap stuff, but we loved it -- especially Rock 'n Rye which was the greatest! I can't find it in Pennsylvania. But hey, what do they know around here? They've never even tasted Vernor's! That reminds me. I have to stock up on Vernor's when I go home to Michigan this weekend. That's one reason why I'm driving -- so I can bring back a few cases without having to carry it on the plane.

A big fat side of word. If I invited you for dinner and served Process-a-Rama, I wouldn't be offended if you didn't eat something (I'd probably try to find something for you, even), but if you said "Ick. Potato Chips? I only eat naturally dried soy chips. You don't have any? I can't believe it," I might be miffed. I probably wouldn't invite you back anytime real soon.

My one exception is when I am at home with my family. I love my mother, but she still doesn't remember that I am (and have been all my life) allergic to mushrooms. I'm not even upset I can't eat whatever, but when she offers me a beautiful looking portabella sandwich or says "Oh, you haven't gotten any mushrooms yet!" when we do shish kebabs, I do tend to roll my eyes a little and say "Mom! I am still allergic to mushrooms." "You're allergic to mushrooms?" "I have been for 25 years now." "Oh. That's right. How about a mushroom quesadilla?"

Either my mother has mushroom-selective amnesia, or she wants to off me.

And then there are the visitor-with-young-child-in-tow remarks: "Where are your Cheerios? -- oh right [deprecating laugh] you're not a parent and don't understand these things."


Absolutely. Not only does "host has served it, so just eat it" trump "guest is picky," but... oh hell, it's too predictable a rant.

As to favorite brands et al, one of my ongoing puzzlements is the difference between grocery stores in the same area. There are a few very minor indulgences that I like to buy on occasion, and only one store in the county carries them (a different one in each case). Like Reese's Cheesy Popcorn Salt. And actual popcorn that you pop yourself -- when diid that become a rare item? And Betty Crocker Hash Browns (hey, on the rare occasions I want to make a potato pancake, it's so much easier than grating all that potato). I can't imagine that such commercial items are rare novelties.

On the other hand, I can understand why, when Ben & Jerry goes on sale, I can never find Chunky Monkey -- everyone else likes it as much as I do and has already picked over the case.

RE: Faygo and Vernor’s…Mr. Toots is a Michigander and introduced me to these delightful beverages. We can often find Vernor’s here around DC, but the Faygo we have to stock up on every time we go to visit my in-laws. Rock N’ Rye is my fav, but RedPop is good too. I’m hooked. We’re currently running low but don’t have a Detroit trip planned anytime soon. Sigh.

It's funny - I don't drink coffee either, but I actually like the smell. And it would take a pretty nasty smell to get me out of Chapters, but that's a whole other story!

For those Ottawa-area TAR-fans who love things like Chapters as much as I do, I've been trying to put a book club together. My last one fell apart after too many people had kids (ironic, given the last few pages of this thread).

E-mail me if you're interested. Its in the profile.

Siebal, I can't believe you actually cooked for that guy. I can understand one or two meals, but all the time? I couldn't do it.

Speaking of rude people, my mother recently received a phone call from one of her cousins, let's call her Anne. It turns out Anne and her family were homeless because they were kicked out of their apartment (in Long Island, NY) because there were 7 people living in a one bedroom apartment. Of course, my mother wanted to help Anne's family out, so she called my uncle. My uncle, who lives in NJ, offered to let Anne's family stay in his house for free. Anne didn't want to do this because she didn't want to move out of NY. Doesn't make sense to me since she and her family (with kids) were homeless, but whatever.

Anne's solution to her problem was to move into the home of my uncle's girlfriend, who lives in NY, whom Anne (or anyone in her family) has never met or even talked to. Wait, there's more! Anne wanted to move in while my uncle's girlfriend was on vacation. I realize Anne's situation was tragic, but where exactly does she get the nerve to ask someone she doesn't even know if she can move into her house while she's not even there? Just thinking about it angers my blood.

I'm the same way Rachel. I was very happy when I was single and didn't care if I ever had a boyfriend again. It took a while for me to get to that point, but I'm glad I did. It made going into a new relationship a whole lot easier because I didn't feel like I was searching for happiness in another person. I already had happiness, I didn't need someone else to give it to me. (This is not to say that my boyfriend doesn't make me happy. He just makes me happier. *waves to boyfriend*) (happier? is that a word? it looks funny!)

I have had many a boyfriend in my 28 years but after a particularly bad breakup in 2000, I didn't date at all for the next two+ years. It was at this point that my grandmother decided I was a lesbian and shared that "fact" with most of my family. My family knew better, thank god, but Gram? Shut Up! Just because I haven't dated in a while doesn't mean I've decided to swear off men all together.

Of course, now she's met my boyfriend but can't seem to get his name right. At least she does seem to know that he's a male and has backed off on the gay issue. Now if only she could remember his name.

Vernor's is ambrosial. My market only carries it from time to time, so I buy everything they have on the shelf (in cans), usually only a couple of 12-packs. After Vernor's, all other ginger ales taste pale.

(Oh, and count me on on the Almay One Coat mascara. Have used it for years with consistent results.)

ETA: SorchaRei, I'd hang with you with those rules -- heck, I kinda like 'em.

I am Black Cherry Kool-aid, which may explain my high need for alone time. I can live with a partner (and have done it successfully in the past), but I have rules about it, and no one who can't embrace those rules gets to live with me.

Rule Number One: I get my own top sheet and blankets in the bed. This is because I like to roll myself up in my bed clothes, and if I can't do it, I'd just as soon sleep alone. I steal blankets when I have to share, and I have no intention of changing. So if you want to share a bed with me while I am sleeping, then you better give me my own set of bedclothes.

Rule Number Two: Alone Time Is A Good Thing. I require my own space and require being left alone when I want to be left alone. Even when I feel sociable, I will always respect a request to be left alone, and I demand the same in return.

Rule Number Two-and-a-half: There is no way I am going to spend time trying to convince you that wanting to be alone means I hate you, don't love you, or don't like you. If you can't tell from how I treat you when we are spending time together how I feel about you, then you aren't the girl for me.

Rule Number Three: We can have friends that the other one doesn't like. And even if all our friends are held in common, we still spend time with them without each other.

In general, each of us has a perfectly good life that does not include the other, and we just hooked up because we think we can enhance our own perfectly wonderful lives by living together. Period.

And Kate, my mother, who is the one who dragged me to doctors as a child to find out what it was that I am allergic to, still says, "You're allergic to pineapple? Really? Are you sure?"

karatekate, are we long-lost twins? I'm allergic to mushrooms, too! I get bugged when friends order mushroom pizzas and tell me to just "pick them off." No, because I might miss one. Then you have to hold my hair back when I puke." Other than that, I just eat whatever.

I think the best rule is eat what's put in front of you, unless you have an allergy or a moral/religious food restriction. For example, if you are a vegetarian or Kosher, and you come to my house for dinner, I'll fix you something you can eat. I'll even have asked you ahead of time if there's something you can't eat. However, if you're picky or on an all-lentil diet, eat what I put in front of you. I promise it's good.

Atkins makes me nuts to the point that I don't invite any Atkinheads over anymore. My husband has high cholesterol, and I'm sorry, but his not having a heart attack is more important to me than someone else's fad diet. I am not serving big piles of meat and eggs. Yuck. I have a close friend on Atkins, but he designated one night a week as "cheat night" just so he could eat my famous jambalaya.

Vernor's immediately lost its appeal to me when I spotted it on a grocery store shelf in California. Suddenly I don't want it anymore. And I used to get all excited about it when I'd go back to Michigan, too. I guess I still have Faygo. Expensive Faygo.

Wow, someone else -- two other people? -- doesn't like watermelon? I thought I was the only one. Everyone says things like "How can you hate something so basic?" and I never have a good answer. I just do.

I hate it so much, in fact, that the first time I heard the David Bowie song with the line "don't believe in modern love", I heard it as "don't believe in watermelon" and thought hey, I wonder if I can get out of eating watermelon by claiming that I don't believe it exists.

I find turkey sandwiches with thousand island dressing a nice alternative if there is no mustard around. And since thou. island is basically ketchup, mustard and some relish, I guess I eat turkey with ketchup sometimes. I also love Herr's ketchup flavored potato chips.

But then again, I also love the tangy taste of Miracle Whip, so what do I know.

Dude. Watermelon sucks because it tastes like nothing. Hence the name.

I agree 100% about a good host catering to their guest special dietary restrictions. Just don't flip out on me when I offer you a Diet Coke, 'cause you're from a Diet Pepsi family.

It is a soda. Not a cult.

Cool! Can I do that with bananas? I think I'm the only person in the world that despises bananas and becomes ill at the thought of eating them.

ETA: Gee, everyone's talkative today! Is it because it's TARsday? Not that I mind. It's keeping me busy between projects today, and it's definitely making the day go faster. : )

I agree with the watermelon dislike.

And I'm currently experiencing some of the challenges alluded to above. My boyfriend is a very healthy eater, and also has to avoid certain foods due to allergy. There are times when I want to go places without him, just to avoid the whole food discussion with the host. As my post above mentions, I eat flavored potato chips & Miracle Whip on occasion. Most of the time I try to eat healthy foods, but when I'm at a bologna and white bread event (basically a certain cousin's house), I suck it up and eat what's there. Same thing on the other end, when I go to dinner at a vegan restaurant (with boyfriend's parents), I basically get my fill of veggies for the month. Nothing on that menu would be my first choice, but I don't say, "Don't you have any cheese for this?".

Aw, that's awful. How can she not remember the name of a great guy like Trevor. ;)

tothemax, ordinarily I would have told him to stick it up his ass, but he paid for food as part of his rent. Besides, despite the fact that neither my boyfriend nor I want kids, I love to feed people!

Leads into segue that J's mom is dying for us to have kids; when he told her he had "big news" a year ago (we were moving in together) she immediately and excitedly asked if I was pregnant! We've got 2 dogs and a cat; that's our idea of the perfect family. We may add to it in the future, but it would be more of the 4 legged variety. Plus, our friends are starting to ask when are we going to get married and start popping out kids. The answer to the latter is a resounding "when hell freezes over." The marriage thing I think is coming soon (crossing fingers)

As far as the watermelon dislike, I get crap from my friends all the time who think I'm a communist because I hate, I mean HATE mashed or baked potatoes and vomit if I come within smelling distance of mayo.

Indeed. My SO thinks I don't like it. No, I just don't care. It's boring.

Things I hate: mayonnaise, tomatoes!!!, ketchup. I like the flavor of tomatoes, I just don't like their texture. Ketchup is too sweet, however. Ick.

My dad is 84, and there's some awful stat about how 1/3 of all people who reach 85 has Alzheimer's. Well, Dad is still sharp, but my mom is easily grossed out, and he's developed some weird food habits over the last several years. And Mom and I argue about what it means. She thinks he's losing it, but she has no evidence beyond things like him putting barbeque sauce on reheated lasagna (that's the least weird thing I can cite). I maintain that you could always feed him dog food, and if we said Mom cooked it, he'd be thrilled and consider it the best meal he ever had. So now he's just more open about having defective taste buds. Plus, maybe barbeque sauce on lasagna is good and it's just our food culture that makes us think there's something wrong with it. Anyway, I see that as a reason for keeping condiments off the table in the first place.

Rinaldo


Actually Cheerios are a pretty good snack food. I keep it on hand for when I want something slightly sweet and just eat it dry from the box. Guess that means I'm either childish or child-like. I prefer to think I'm the latter.

Hexele Don't feel silly about checking on the Dukes situation before moving. Mr. Tome and I have been batting around the idea of moving to Chicago and the first thing out of my mouth was "Great! But I'll have to find a reliable Dukes supplier first". Silly man thinks I'm joking.
Also Vernors? Don't know that one, but have you tried Blenheim Ginger Ale? Puts all others to shame in my book. I grew up near Blenheim and remember when it came in little unmarked brown bottles. The stuff had enough ginger in it to clear your sinuses. They're mass marketing it now, and have toned it down, but it's still pretty awesome.