Scott's Questions Answered

[mrissa]

Our vet told us not to let Ista run free in the backyard for 10-14 days, until she gets her stitches out: we're supposed to keep her on a leash. Already she has decided that this is not a good arrangement: she does not want to stay on the grass on a leash with a monkey! She wants to run through the underbrush to the fence to sniff noses with the neighbor puppies! It is perfectly obvious! I am the Dumbest Monkey Ever!

Sigh. Gonna be a looooong week.

scottjames asked me five questions (as you still may):
1. What is your least favorite total ordering (and why)?
My total ordering of least favorite total orderings is as follows: 1....um, wait. This is one of them-there trick questions Doc Tichy warned me about! You sneaky former debate geek fiend!

As far as a partial ordering of total orderings I like, though, total orderings of people are definitely less than or equal to. Life is not a burning building. Odds are extremely poor that you will ever have to choose whether to save your mom or your dad under absolutely equal conditions. There is no reason for us to keep the lists handy in our minds just in case.

2. If you had to put a bumper sticker on your car, but you could make it up yourself, what would it say (and why)?
I like the ImpSec eye from the Vorkosigan books. I like that very much. Simple and elegant and geeky and in-jokey.

3. Who (other than you) would have the most success buying clothes for you? In what ways would they be right or wrong?
I am told that elisem has the shopping fu for anything one's heart could desire, so in this hypothetical situation, I'm sending elisem with whomever, so they can find whatever they decide to want on my behalf.

Umm. Well, you, scottjames, did very well the one time you were retained as a Mrissish shopping assistant. My mom, markgritter, and timprov have done notably well on more than one occasion, and my friend Twig was a dark horse in this matter as well. porphyrin and I long ago agreed that lydy would be fun to go shopping with, which is not really the same thing.

The problem with setting anybody to shop for me who hasn't already shopped for me is that people -- even women-people, who should know this problem themselves -- consistently underestimate how difficult I am to buy clothes for. They tend to pick out things that would look good on me if they were cut to fit me, which they almost invariably are not. The Land's End personal online model whatsit informed me blithely that with my measurements, I could wear anything. What it did not mention is that none of it would fit, and that almost nobody looks good in things that do not fit them.

4. If you could spend an entire afternoon with one of the 3 Musketeers, which one would you choose (and why)?
Probably Aerich.

(scottjames, have I made you read The Phoenix Guards yet?)

Umm. But in this world. That's really more of a mood question than a one choice for all time question. I think I would find Athos the most restful, and this evening I'm somewhat more keen on restful than I sometimes am.

Actually Athos would probably get more than his one-third share of the afternoons on those grounds. Porthos would be interesting and Aramis would be fun (and no, I don't have those backwards), but Athos is Athos.

5. What movie or series of movies should Peter Jackson (LotR) attempt next?
Something original. This may get me lynched, and yes, I enjoyed the LotR movies (you did not, in fact, have to specify which Peter Jackson), but enough with the interpretations and remakes. Tell me a story that's made for film in the first place, and make it one I can't already get on DVD from Amazon. I appreciate book authors getting money for their books being waved near a movie script somewhere, but I really think that Peter Jackson could do something new and good, and what's more, I think he should.

Comments

[timprov.livejournal.com]

2) You know we can just order those on the intarweb, right?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I didn't say I actually wanted a bumper whatsit. I am fairly neutral on the subject of that particular bumper whatsit, though, unlike most other bumper items.

[ellameena.livejournal.com]

Doooooommmmm!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I know. Uff da.

This evening she learned how to howl.

[ellameena.livejournal.com]

That's got to be the cutest thing ever. A howling poodle puppy. Our dog had heartworms and she had to be treated for them when she was two. That came with three days' hospitalization and no walks for a month!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

If we had no walks for a month, I would lose my mind. We took a walk this afternoon, and I feel pretty sure it has improved her crankiness, though she's still cranky.

But yes: it's such a little howl.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

*sends alcohol*

I'm so sorry.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It seems to be reserved for moments of extreme emotion, like when the neighbor puppy sounds like it is being tortured and she can't get outside to investigate.

Of course, for puppies, many moments are moments of extreme emotion.

[callunav.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of when our first female cat got fixed. The vet said she wasn't supposed to jump up to high things, because that might rip the stitches. The vet firmly instructed us to put chairs in front of any high object that she habitually jumped up on, so that she could do it in two smaller jumps instead of one big one. Our cat regarded the chairs with infinite, contemptuous comprehension, and took a long leap to clear the chair and make it to her accustomed spot in her accustomed way. She did, indeed, rip some of her stitches, but she ended up fine anyhow.

Re: the impsec eyes - it's the standard Eye of Horus, isn't it? People would just think you were a random goth or else a Sandman/Death fan. Go geekier!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

We're fine letting her jump on things, apparently, though she is sometimes dubious about jumping down again today and yesterday.

People almost never think I'm a random goth. I'm not sure why: my wardrobe is alarming proportions black and dark reds. Probably I am not languid enough.

[callunav.livejournal.com]

You do not, I admit, have a gothy vibe. But, you know, people stuck behind you in traffic might not know that.

[gaaldine.livejournal.com]

But you also wear Orange, and Blue, and Bright Colors.

And Giraffes on your Pants, for Pete's sake (no, not Ed's brother, either).

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It is true, it has hardly ever been for Ed's brother's benefit that I have worn giraffes on my pants. On the other hand, a random punk outside Updale walked up to me and complimented my giraffe pants with apparent sincerity, so I think the giraffe pants have broad appeal across subcultures.

[pameladean]

I, too, was instructed "not to let" a just-fixed cat "jump up on things." These instructions were about as good as some that have become an injoke in my household: a can of flea powder whose directions said simply, "Stand cat on newspaper. Brush powder backwards through cat's fur."

My cat (the just-fixed one; I have never been dopey enough to try any directions that begin, "Stand cat on newspaper") took her stitches out. At least this kept her too much occupied to jump much.

P.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

They've used metal stitches, which means that Ista is licking the area around them but not really worrying the stitches too much. Which is good.

I wasn't instructed to keep her from jumping on things, but sometimes she gets up and thinks down will hurt, so she stands on things and cries. This is suboptimal.

[pameladean]

Sub-optimal for monkeys, but demonstrating the intelligence of the doglet.

P.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I'd much rather have her cry for help than hurt herself, but I'd also rather have her stay on lower objects if she's feeling nasty. Ah well; it's a minor problem.

[ladysea.livejournal.com]

*nod* The weeks after they get spayed are so hard.

No jumping, running, etc. It is like they expect you to keep then in a kennel. Which...after being cut on...no way. I would feel like a big mean monkey. =P

Good luck. Give her nice pats for me. =P *hugs* for you.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

At least the drugs they gave her seem to be tasty treats. Hugs for you, too.

[scottjames.livejournal.com]

No, you have not made me read The Phoenix Guards yet.

I wasn't sure if there was another Peter Jackson that I wasn't thinking of. I think doing an original script would be a really good idea for him. Although I would want him to do the next three Star Wars movies, personally.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I don't want anybody to do the next three Star Wars movies until George Lucas is dead.

[scottjames.livejournal.com]

I certainly don't want George Lucas to do the next three Star Wars movies!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

But if anyone else tries to do them now, even with all the permissions and so on, he'll interfere and mess them up.