Whose is your favorite painter

 

I was listening to Laugh USA in the car. It has stand up comedy all day. 

One comedian was recounting an experience while he was dating. 

First a group for guys and gals gathered in a room. A facilitator came and said, "To break the ice, we will go thru the room and each of you give one word answers to a number of questions (then there would be speed dating I think)."

The first question was, "Who is your favorite painter?".  The gals were asked first. (I think the instructions were not to repeat an answer).  The first gal said "Van Gogh", the next "Monet", then "Picasso", etc.  The comedian was sweating because he didn't know artists well.  Then when the guys were asked, the first said, "Michelangelo".

 The comedian felt better because he remembered that 3 other of the TMNTurtles were named for artists. But other guys immediately before him picked Leonardo, Donatello and Rafael.  It was the comedian's turn.  He hesitated for a few seconds then said, "Splinter" and got some laughs from both guys and gals.

 

One of his speed dates said she loved the answer. He said, "Thanks but it was done in panic since I don't know anything about art", which ruined that part of the speed date. 

Vampy at the blood bank

 

I almost always have daylight appointments for blood donation.

Also, I have mostly given platelets.

 

But today was whole blood as I can't wear the mask and remain motionless for 3 hours.  I might try plasma next time as it is only about 20 minutes more than whole blood. 

So I brought Vampy.  He was pretty frustrated because the red cross made him wear a mask and this ruined his plans for blood withdrawal. 

 

On the other hand, the staff at Red Cross loved him.  The Phlebotomist wanted to get in a picture with Vampy.  I happily agreed and this is shown in the second image.

 

Metrics: Pulse=62, BP= 130/88, Hg=15.4

Annoying Tax Related Dream

 

 

I had been thinking about the Minimum Required Distribution, MRD (George reminded me about it) of  various instruments, typically individual retirement accounts, IRAs.

 

I went to sleep. In my dream I was talking to a tax advisor, presumably about the MRD.  I heard someone in the background talking to my tax advisor (not my alligator who currently works in enforcement for the IRS - this is cross posted to the Weiss Chronicles),

 

Talker: "I have an answer for you on whether business expenses offset income from extortion."

Adviser: "Just a second, I'm on the phone with a client."

Me: Maybe we should talk later. 

Then I woke up.

Problem with a Coke 12 pack

 

I bought some 12 packs of  Coke yesterday.  One of the 12 packs tore when I lifted it into the car. So I had this conversation with Coke Bear.

M: So are you going to investigate this.

 

CB: Sure. We will see which assembly line made it and cut the pensions of the line workers by half for two years.

 

M: Won't that just decrease Coke's long term liabilities.

CB: Yes but I'll take a bonus for cost control next year so it all evens out. Win Win.

Theological disagreement

 

Two of our stuffed creatures have theological opinions about Halloween.

It is a disagreement.

 

Vampy dislikes Halloween because it is too commercialized and doesn't focus on praise for Satan, or as Vampy calls him sometimes, our father below.

Mr. Pumpkin, on the other hand is quite fond of Halloween as it increases pumpkin sales, use of pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spiced latte, etc.

He even insists that our lighted pumpkin be pointed to the street to publicize the miracle of pumpkins.

Off to Israel for Soccor Bear

 

Soccer Bear (a.k.a., kick) is off to Israel.

Although he doesn't cause trouble like, say Vampy, with his continued promotion of the area 'just outside Dublin' I reached a high point of annoyance.  Now I would rather he stay with Beth and Oz.

 

We were sending some books there anyway so Soccer Bear is accompanying them.

When Stuffed Animals Collaborate

 

Coke Bear must have gotten this idea from Wile E. Coyote (from his eyes you can see he likes his coffee).

 

Coming soon to grocery stores and already available on line from Walmart are multiple flavors of Coffee Coca Cola.

 

I suspect there may be a price premium on these, at least at first.  

 

 

This comes just after Coke announced it was ended production of 40% or so of its brands, so they must have some taste research to back up this product introduction.