>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Too many players (sometimes including wives) just never seem to grow up. Class is not something that can be learned.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>No-one is born with class - the ONLY way to get any is to learn it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>I disagree. You can learn to fake it, but class is something you have, not something you learn. Or, maybe let me put it differently. Maybe you can learn it, but only over a lifetime of growing up with and into it. You can't learn it in a few years of trying it on to see if it fits.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Like the man said, if you can learn to fake sincerity, you've got it made.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>I am with Al. If you have spent any amount of time around little kids, you know they have some pretty beastly urges. Greed, stealing, hitting, meanness to other kids, to name a few. Finer habits and traits have to be taught to them IMO.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>But they learn it over a lifetime of being around role models, and at some point will have to choose the role model they want to follow. How does a kid decide which role model to emulate? Those with class will choose to show class and those without will choose otherwise. People who have no class at the age of 25 are unlikely to become classy later on. Pygmalion was fiction.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Those with class will choose to show class -- that presumes we are born with or without it. And our disagreement is back where it started.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I think we're talking at cross purposes over the word "learn". If you haven't figured it out on the way to adulthood, then I honestly believe there is no school or class you can take learn it afterward.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Change of subject, now here is the wackiest thing I have read today. Mitt Romney once went on a family vacation, a 12 hour drive, with the family dog on the roof of the car. It has been said that the dog was strapped to the car, which is not true. The dog was in a crate with a wind screen in front of him. According to apparently unbiased web sites, including snopes, the story is true. The dog experienced diarrhea during the trip, to the disgust of a Romney son in the way-back. Romney pulled into a gas station, hosed the dog and the car off, and resumed the drive. This is scarier than any of the economic insanity of his fellow candidates.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I have no use whatever for people who treat animals like they don't matter. Why bother to have a dog, or any pet, if that's how you see them? But then, he is a politician and they do make good photo ops.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>My existence in St. Louis is pretty mundane. One of the best things in it, other than doing my job and having an income the way I am supposed to, is that one of my housemates, Katrina, got a puppy a couple of months ago. Male beagle. Jack is a great puppy and we have a great time playing. Katrina says she has a hard time figuring out which one of us is playing with which. Jack has blazing speed and likes to show it off. One of his favorite games is to run around the big chair here in my basement paradise. He peeks around a corner of it, letting me think I can catch him, then reverses to the other side, peeking around at me -- ha! It takes both of us a long time to get tired of that game. Katrina says he is like a little kid -- he bops till he drops. She says when she turns the light off at night he goes into his crate and is unconcho in about a minute.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Ever try a Jack Russell? I have 3 cats - Ben, Virgil, and Russell. I recently had to have 2 terrific cats put down. Highway (full name - Highway 7) was 18 and she finally sucumbed to kidney failure. She was pretty much out of it ealier, but I did subcutaneous injections for her 3 times a week and she lasted another 8 months in reasonably decent shape. But when it was finally time, it really was time. Charlie had both diabetes and kidney issues. That was a major problem because the diet for each is inimical to the other. It's a pretty fine line, and again, it finally came time. Except for Ben and Virgil, all the cats I've had over the years have been strays that I've lured into the house with food. Once they came in, I didn't let them back out until Stockholm syndrome set in and I knew they'd come back home again. Ben and Virgil were the sons of a barn cat (same litter) that a friend's sister sent to me from Calgary when they were very tiny. Now they're horses.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I hope your job is OK. I keep seeing RIM in the news, none of it good.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Yeah. I know, but so far, so good. In fact they just informed me today that I am no longer a manager. I am now a Senior Manager. I asked if that was because of age. Apparently there are no benefits to being a Senior Manager over being a Manager, but what the heck. I don't really understand the whole market thing. Rim pulls in hundreds of $millions in net profit every year, but it's never enough to satisfy the 'analysts'. Certainly if the recently announced figures and those of the previous year (which also were apparently not enough) are correct, we are not going bankrupt any time soon. And it's a terrific company to work for. I'm still enjoying it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I am really pleased to hear that. I know you have liked the job from the beginning and don't begrudge the distance you drive every day.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>You know what they say. A man who loves what he does never has to work a day in his life.
>>>>>
>>>>>Still, the admin type operations (like my job) shut down next week and reopen the following Tuesday (Jan 3rd). I'll try to find a way to enjoy the time off no matter how much I like the job. ;)
>>>>
>>>>Enjoy the week. We all need a mental break every now and then.
>>>>
>>>>BTW, this is as good a place as any to say the company where I have been contracting since July wants to hire me. Details expected today.
>>>
>>>Congrats Mike. Will you move ?
>>
>>No. I really can't due to my house. I bought it in 2005 and even after 6.5 years of payments I am still upside down with the mortgage. It wasn't intended as a shrewd investment, I just wanted to be closer to my daughters. As it turned out there couldn't have been a worse time to buy. So I will continue to rent here and commute back and forth. We'll see. My landlady and her boyfriend are surely headed for the altar so I expect to be making some kind of move.
>
>Maybe they'll adopt you :-)

I doubt they want an unruly child, LOL.