The Syndicate

Would you like my advice on marriage?

What are your favorite bands?

I thought I answered this one, but I didn't:

Bass_the_Clever wrote:If you were going to be stuck on a island for a long time what book would you want to take with you.

I would take The Bible. Lots of stuff in there- legal documents, history, poetry, proverbs, prophecy, the gospels, epistles. Smiting.

Mongoose wrote:So where do y'all wanna meet for Ephraim's bday?

Everyone else -- This is funny because I've seen Epi and Eloh on each of their oldest kids' bdays this year.

Raeford, NC.

Roxy wrote:How was the 1634?

Quite malty and flavorful, with notes of molasses and caraway. It was like tasting a bit of history, I imagine. Goes great with hearty meat/potato dishes.

zeek wrote:Who is your arch nemesis? (Short description of person required if not llama)

I don't think I have any personal enemies. My enemies are more existential. Or maybe it's my POS car.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:

thellama73 wrote:

zeek wrote:Who is your arch nemesis? (Short description of person required if not llama)

What? We're best buds!

Do you wash each others' backs?

I'm not answering this.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:What's for dinner tonight?

That's a sore subject today, given that we had a two hour meeting after school that was decidedly not encouraging and I've tried to order pizza online three times but could not complete my order because I could not click "Continue."

So fuck it, I'm cooking something now. Chicken.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:What's the farthest distance you've ever run?

Another interesting question. If you count a treadmill, I have run/walked 5+ miles several times.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:When did you and your family buy your first personal computer?

We got a Tandy 1000 around 1987, I believe. At one point, my dad rigged out television to use a monitor. This dinosaur:

S~V~S wrote:Are you a more formal person, or a more familiar person? IRL? I know in rl I am much more guarded and introverted than I am online. Are you?

I am mostly an observational person unless I know at least someone I am around. I'm not observational out of shyness- I just know I can learn more by listening and watching people than I can by dominating the conversation.

Yes, Real Life Rob is the opposite of Enternet Epignosis.

S~V~S wrote:I thought I have not seen that recently? I never liked it, it is like E-Pig.

Now I feel silly lol, maybe I don't see it anymore since I like Epi better?

The "g" is silent anyway.

S~V~S wrote:Are you glad people stopped calling you Epig?

When did they stop doing that?

bea wrote:

bea wrote:Awesome answers! What are your top 5 favorite thugs about me?

And by thugs I mean things....

5. Is a fun hostess
4. Has a quote of mine in her signature
3. Drunk posts- gives the rest of us plenty of fun to wake up to
2. Has a heart for teaching but understands the bullshit in the profession
1. Is the #1 reason I'd go to Arizona

Metalmarsh89 wrote:When will I get to play a game of mafia with you again?

As soon as five more people sign up.

juliets wrote:Epi, did you get to teach Journalism again this semester?

We're learning about the good old Five Ws and when each angle is appropriate right now.

Spacedaisy wrote:Epi who would you say your mafia nemesis is?

The civilians.

bea wrote:Epi - what are the 5 most awesome things about eloh? Each h of the kids?

5. She's forgiving
4. A dependable and trustworthy mother and homemaker
3. Easy on the eyes
2. A brilliant cake artist
1. She married me.

Simon
5. He perceives the world in ways most people don't
4. Honest
3. A fun sense of humor
2. Excellent taste in music (1930s-1950s jazz)
1. He's my son

Abigail
5. Highly artistic
4. Sarcastic as hell (Me, imitating Treebeard: "Side? I'm on no one's side, because no one's on my side." Her, with her arms crossed: "You have the other trees, you fool.")
3. Generous and helpful
2. Eager to be independent
1. She's my daughter.

Ephraim
5. A highly articulate two-year-old with occasionally adorable syntax ("How my buddy are?")
4. Plays Dr. Doom and Iceman with me (I'm always Dr. Doom, and sometimes "Dr. Death")
3. He plays well with both of his siblings and shares their interests
2. Gives the best hugs
1. He's my buddy.

Technically it's still my turn.

Elohcin wrote:If you could change one thing in your life (other than your income), what would it be?

Funny you offer that exception. I would never change my income given the opportunity to change any one thing about my life. I would change my mutant power, which is right now nothing, and have unlimited, unstoppable, and fully controlled telekinesis.

Hedgeowl wrote:What instrument do you not play but wish you did?

There are two. I have wanted to be able to play the violin, but I cannot seem to get the hang of the right hand technique. I play the mandolin, and the tuning is the same (so I know where all the notes and scales are), but I cannot master the bow. I can pizzicato the hell out of one though.

I cannot play any instrument that requires breathing, but I've always loved the sound of a clarinet, and a few times I even said I would buy one and force myself to learn. Hasn't happened yet.

Hedgeowl wrote:Dream family vacation?

Could be the one starting Sunday, who knows? We're going to Florida to visit family and then we'll be off to hang out with Mongoose.

Hedgeowl wrote:Dream vacation without the kids?

I want to take Eloh on a transatlantic cruise, just the two of us. We love cruises and are not disappointed. If you're not having fun doing one thing, there's twelve different other things to do, and failing all of that, you can put Dionysus to shame.

Simon doesn't recall it of course, but he went on a cruise when he was three weeks old. My mother-in-law planned the cruise before we knew we were going to have a baby. Initially, I thought it was going to be a bummer of a trip, because we would be cooped up in the cabin for most of our time there, but I got a book from the ship's library and read during that time (Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake, and still enjoyed myself.

Hedgeowl wrote:Was it your plan to name your children with names that spell SEA?

There was nothing planned about anything with our kids. The only thing that was really thought out was us having our youngest at home with me catching.

If you're curious, I picked all three names (both first and middle). Simon Ezekiel, Abigail Sophia, and Ephraim Malachi. I like names that sound like they would belong to a sorcerer out of the Bible.

Hedgeowl wrote:A favorite book?

I love biblical literature and the study of typology. I am also fascinated by anachronistic interpretations of the Bible.

Outside of that, my favorite books are A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

They fret a lot over their G-strings?

This is my present list of gear:

Seagull Artist Mosaic QII
Fender DG 10/12 (12-string acoustic)
1956 Sears Silvertone
Fender American Stratocaster (with Texas Special pickups)
Ibanez Artcore (AS83)
Yamaha SA-2100
Squier Strat
Ibanez GSR 200 Bass
Hondo Banjo
Fender FM-52E Mandolin
Peavey 212 Stereo Chorus Amp
Orange Crush 12L (Amp)
Line 6 POD XT LIVE (Processor)
Yamaha DGX-205 (Keyboard)
dbx 266XL Compressor / Gate
Shure SM58 (Mic)
MXL 880 (Mic)

++++

The gold items are guitars. So seven. I learned on the Silvertone, which belonged to my dad. The Yamaha 2100 (a Gibson ES-335 replication) belonged to my late grandpa.

My favorite guitar is the one I first bought. I got $650 in gift money for graduating high school, and spent it all to the dime on a white 1999 Fender American Stratocaster with Texas Special pickups.

I equally enjoy my Seagull acoustic. I had gone to the music store with the intention of purchasing a Martin (I was learning how to play "Clap" ), but I tried out the Seagull because I was intrigued by its shape and headstock. I was impressed, and the electronics are stellar. I ended up getting a big discount too, because the body of the guitar had some blemishes.

Simon is my favorite. He likes video games, embarrasses people frequently, is very cheap to feed, is literate, and goes to sleep to the Bioshock Infinite soundtrack.

The other two have time to catch up to all that. Ephraim will come close and may surpass Simon as my favorite.

Abigail? No chance. She's a girl.

thellama73 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

thellama73 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:What in God's name happened to this?

I got lazy about continuing it and ran out of volunteers, especially since Splints got so few questions.

Then Daisy came back and I sort of hoped she would pick op the reins again.

Wrong answer.

Oh well, I'll get the next one.

You have an incredibly talented person who is presently in NO games right now....bumping a thread he's hardly participated in...

thellama73 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:What in God's name happened to this?

I got lazy about continuing it and ran out of volunteers, especially since Splints got so few questions.

Then Daisy came back and I sort of hoped she would pick op the reins again.

Wrong answer.

What in God's name happened to this?

What's the best brand of Vaseline for splint fangers?

Do you drink beer?

What do you need me to get from the store?

Elohcin wrote:I like mainly folk (Nora Jones is my favorite), late 90's pop and rock. I do NOT like Rush or Yes

Well, at least you spelled "Rush" and "Yes" correctly.

thellama73 wrote:

Roxy wrote: Do you know who the Beatles are?

Have you ever seen the color red? Have you ever tasted food? Are you aware of your own existence?

What a question, Roxy!

Don't underestimate the sweeping power of ignorance.

This week, a student was talking to another teacher in the hall. As I passed by, I heard the teacher mention "satire." I looked at the student and said, "Ah yes, satire! That's when a cat is sitting on your tire!"

I kid you not, the girl said, "Oh I wouldn't like that then. I don't like cats." I had kept moving and the girl asked the other teacher, "Is that what it really means?"

BoatsBoatsBoats wrote:Hopefully I'll have created many things by then!

17.

Half a lifetime ago almost. As my wife said, enjoy the youth. When young you look forward to adulthood, but fuck all this. I'd trade it all for Saturday morning cartoons, a bowl of Cooke Crisp, and pretending to be Skeletor outside on my bike.

BoatsBoatsBoats wrote:

Epignosis wrote:Best album and song from TMV?

De-Loused is usually a safe favorite, but every one of their albums will sometimes take a place as my favorite.
Cassandra Gemini, always.

You are incorrect.

Best album: Frances the Mute
Best song: "Tetragrammaton"

Best album and song from TMV?

If you don't exist, does that mean we're all crazy?

Do you like turnips?

If I put out an album of progressive electronic music, would you listen to it and tell me what you think?

I want to read On Lethean Shore.

Do you like progressive electronic music?

Why is Calvin Coolidge the best president?

A Prayer for Owen Meany is indeed one of the greatest American novels ever penned. The last four pages paralyzed me.

Am I sexy?

thellama73 wrote:The Senate is not a branch of government. It's half of one.

Finland has a unicameral legislature.

DharmaHelper wrote: Better: Scheme

Lies.

What is your favorite board game?