The Syndicate

You know I'm a Mets fan, lol.

Favorite Muppet, definitely the Count. Bwa ha ha.

Favorite film Joker?

Jack Nicholson

Why do caterpillars turn into butterflies?

Because we all have to grow up and go to work.

What’s the weirdest thing in your fridge or pantry? Why do you have that weird thing?

5 different types of flour. For bread, pasta, baking, etc.

Frosty or rudolph?

Rudolph, I found Frosty a bit creepy as a kid. But in reality my real fave is the Bumble



Who is your favorite all time cartoon character?

Bojack horseman

Greatest love story?

Love Story I guess I do not watch those type of movies.

Banana or Pineapple?

Bananas; I eat one daily, and I have this bizarre fear that pineapples are harbingers of doom. Written out that way it sounds even sillier than when I think about it, but as far as I'm concerned, pineapples are death.

What silly superstition do you have?

S~V~S wrote: ↑Fri Dec 30, 2022 5:00 pm Bananas; I eat one daily, and I have this bizarre fear that pineapples are harbingers of doom. Written out that way it sounds even sillier than when I think about it, but as far as I'm concerned, pineapples are death.

What silly superstition do you have?

You could kill a man with a pineapple.

When the red sox are behind, I turn all the bottles/cans in the house the label is facing toward Boston.

Who is your favorite baseball player ever?

Tom Seaver

Second favorite sports ball team?

Oakland A's

Favorite childhood TV show?

I was a sucker for Scooby Doo. I wanted to be Shaggy when I grew up. Even as a kid, I knew he was always high.

What's your favorite Sesame Street character?

Grover - he is a super hero, waiter, race car driver, singer and dancer, I want to be Grover.

Where is the place you go that is close to "get away" from life for a minute?

Caumsett Park, it has woods and beaches and Gold Coast buildings.

Do you have a landline in your home anymore?

Not for years

Do you ever have cereal for dinner, what kind?

I haven't for a while, but when I last did it was Cascadian Farms Honey Vanilla Crunch. Yum, now I want some.

If you could have an unlimited supply of one food item, what would it be?

At this point, eggs. A dozen is almost as much as a pound of sirloin these days.

You have one extra hour in the day that nobody else has. Nobody can bother you or interact with you. What do you do with it?

S~V~S wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 4:34 pm You know I'm a Mets fan, lol.

PS Max Scherzer is my favorite athlete.

Epignosis wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 12:45 am

S~V~S wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 4:34 pm You know I'm a Mets fan, lol.

An excellent choice!

PS Max Scherzer is my favorite athlete.

Epignosis wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 12:44 am At this point, eggs. A dozen is almost as much as a pound of sirloin these days.

You have one extra hour in the day that nobody else has. Nobody can bother you or interact with you. What do you do with it?

I kind of already have that; I spend an hour every morning with coffee and the news. I like leaving the house well informed.

How many things you currently own do you think you could throw away and not notice a difference in your life?

Probably 80% of my possessions. I have movies, cds, games, and books that just collect dust. I could minimize most of that (and all our junk in the basement) and not miss a darn thing.


What is your least favorite healthy food that you make yourself eat on a regular basis?

I cannot say that I force myself to eat anything I don't like. Most of what I eat isn't particularly unhealthy, and at this stage of my life, I don't eat very much at all. I could probably count on one or two hands foods I don't like. My least favorites are liver and beets, and I daresay I can make it without either.

There's supposed to be a Face/Off sequel coming out. Would you want to see it?

No. I did not want to see the first; I can’t imagine I’d want to see the next.

If you could have one extraordinary talent, what would it be?

Play the piano.

If you had endless space, time and money, how many dogs would you own?

OMG maybe 10-12? More than that I don’t know how much of a personal connection I could have.

How many pets have you had?

Three.

We had a pair of cats when we were first married.

I have never had a dog in my life until now. I will never be a "dog guy," but I can be a "one little fella guy" all right.

What's the biggest mistake you ever made with a pet?

Getting a big dog when the twins were too young.

What trait do you share with Tony Soprano?

I like a good Italian Sunday dinner.

What trait do you share with your father?

Everything apparently. At Christmas, all my siblings thought I was him.

What's the most amusing incident where you've been mistaken for someone else?

Years ago, when I got a job in a different town and started socializing there rather than in my home town, for a few years I had a series of incidents. A young woman, maybe 5-6 years younger than me, would approach me and say something along the lines of, “Hi! Remember me? I dated your brother!” Now, at the time my brother was about 11, and I never met any of these girls before.

So in the early 90s I had a doppelgänger somewhere on Long Island, with a brother that got around.

What’s the most embarrassing thing a family member ever did to you?

Most of my embarrassment has been due to my own hand, but I will relay this episode.

When we first got Internet in our house growing up, I got in trouble for porn. Mom came at me one morning before school and, not knowing much about the Internet, all I could do was deny it.

Fast-forward to my 30th birthday party. My youngest brother admitted that it was him. "That was YOU?" I yelled. We laughed about it, but damn. Had me in hot water for a while there back in the day.
What is your favorite gemstone?

Edit: Shit, that link actually goes somewhere. Fixing now!

I like jade, emeralds, peridots, pretty much anything green. My engagement ring was an emerald. If i had to pick one, it would probably be jade. It's so versatile.

What's a thing about your childhood you would like to bring back into your life as an adult?

At this point, cheap eggs.

For real, we resurrected Saturday morning cartoons for a long time. The boys and I would gather and watch shows from the 80s and 90s. As a kid the shows were awesome. As an adult, they're still awesome but you start to see everything the studios did to save money.

Haven't done that in a while since I started working heavily Saturdays this year.

Did you ever have any themed metal lunchboxes, and if so, what kind?

I had a Beatles lunchbox when I was very little, it had been my cousins and she gave it to me when she outgrew it since I liked it.

I met Joel Rifkin once, at work. Have you ever met anyone infamous?

Alice Cooper - had backstage passes to the Welcome to my Nightmare tour

Coffee or tea

I like both, but I tend to drink more coffee becasue it gets me through work.

Do you like your job, or is it something you do to get a paycheck?

I hate my job. HATE.

Well water or city water?

Kate wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 8:22 pm I hate my job. HATE.

Well water or city water?

City water. I’ve showered with well water and it always feels like I’m covered in some gunky sunscreen when I’m done. Also New York City water is the best tap water in the country so I’m biased.

Almonds or pecans?

I prefer almonds, but I could live without either tbh. I AM a big fan of pistachios, though.

What's one non essential item (like, not food, shelter, clothing, medication, people, pets) you would find it hard to live without?

Music - no question

Do you think people who do not know how to drive should be made to walk for the rest of their lives?

Yes! I could go on about horrible drivers, having to drive in NY traffic, but they’re everywhere.


You’re walking along, and *X* happens; you say ‘Nope, not happening’ and you turn around and leave.

What is *X*? For me it would be hail or a crocodile.

Dogs. I don't know your dogs. Why are they milling about?

What's the best cover song you've ever heard?

Mad World, by Gary Jules. Although I also love the original by TfF, Jules' version brought a haunting, timeless quality to the song. It really has become the definitive version for most people, I think.

What book did you used to love, but now you're just "meh" or even "ugh"? For instance, I used to reread the LoTR trilogy every few years. When I realized I hadn't for several years, I started to read, and realized I was totally 'meh'. While the world building was amazing, the characters were one dimensional and trite, the good/evil dichotomy (except Boromir and Faramir) was pretty basic and clearly delineated. After Boromir died, I found myself skipping forward to the Faramir parts, and realized they were the only two characters who still interested me.

S~V~S wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:27 am Mad World, by Gary Jules. Although I also love the original by TfF, Jules' version brought a haunting, timeless quality to the song. It really has become the definitive version for most people, I think.

The original sounds "mad" in the British sense of the word, while the cover sounds "mad" in the American sense. Both a great.

S~V~S wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:27 amWhat book did you used to love, but now you're just "meh" or even "ugh"? For instance, I used to reread the LoTR trilogy every few years. When I realized I hadn't for several years, I started to read, and realized I was totally 'meh'. While the world building was amazing, the characters were one dimensional and trite, the good/evil dichotomy (except Boromir and Faramir) was pretty basic and clearly delineated. After Boromir died, I found myself skipping forward to the Faramir parts, and realized they were the only two characters who still interested me.

Damn near my entire nonfiction bookcase, to be honest.

What's your take on Samwise?

I think Samwise was the actual hero of LoTR; I am not so sure Tolkien thought so. I think Tolkien had a somewhat contemptuous view of addiction. While you could find some pity for Gollum, he was mostly depicted as loathesome. His treatment of Gollum made Sam lest traditionally “good” than Frodo, who had sympathy for Gollum. I still think that Sam trying hard to save Frodo from addiction made him the hero even more so than how the ring actually went into Mount Doom.

Are there any movies you think did credit to the novel, or maybe were even better than the book?

The shining

What is the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?

What's the Matter with Helen

What was your fave class in to high school?

Political Philosophy. The teacher, Dr. Weissman, was amazeballs and really fostered critical thought.

What's something you learned in High School that you never thought you'd use, but, surprisingly, you do use?

S~V~S wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 7:16 pm Political Philosophy. The teacher, Dr. Weissman, was amazeballs and really fostered critical thought.

What's something you learned in High School that you never thought you'd use, but, surprisingly, you do use?

English

Making excuses

and cramming a lot into memory within a short timeframe. Bulimia learning for lazy people.

__

Which (peculiar) foods can you think of that anyone either hates or likes ?

Anchovies, pineapple pizza, mustard on hamburgers, are all not very peculiar; kimchi (husband loved it, I hate it) and Lutefisk (grandparents love it, I loathe it) are fairly unusual where I live.

Clowns; hilarious or terrifying?

I never found clowns to be either. I used to go to the circus and the first novel I read on my own accord was It. I suppose they're amusing.

I do find gags about clowns funny:







If you were a clown, what would your name be?