Some Answers

Rob's cheesy, nosy questions and my corny answers. Rob's questions are in blue italics.


1) When you think of someone, what pushes your "wow" buttons? In other words, is there a "type" or "types" that you go for? Are you an "eyes" person, one who goes for the artistic type, or rough around the edges? (This is a gender-neutral question, I think.)

She's got to have a backbone. I don't go for f***ing invertebrates. A proud, straight back with a spine is a bare minimum requirement. Everything else is negotiable.


2) Name something about the people you work with that pushes your "That really pisses me off" button. (Okay, be careful, cuz you never know who may read this. If in doubt, substitute a "people in general" response.)

There's really only one kind of person I hate at work--the clueless boss.

I have consistently hated working for stupid people. Some people have the idea that working for a dumbass is a good thing, cuz you don't have to sweat it much and can get by in slipshod fashion. The response is that someone who is incapable of recognizing shoddy work will also be incapable of recognizing good work. Work for a dunce, and you can kiss any hope of professional recognition and job satisfaction goodbye.

There's another problem. Quite often you find that your professional future is tied to your supervisor's. Especially if you have long-term commitments to a company. Some people will find what I just said counter-intuitive and argue against this. After all, if your boss is an imbecile and you don't do too badly, you will actually shine by contrast and be noticed, right?

Not so. A number of workplaces have strict, inflexible power hierarchies where the careers of workers and supervisors move in lockstep. If your boss is a bottom-feeder, chances are that you won't be seeing sunlight very soon either. In reality, you often have to work harder to get promoted past a bad boss.


3) 4) and 5) If you could have three wishes what would they be? (Difficulty- No "world peace and puppies for everyone" wishes. Let's be realistic about our unrealism, shall we?)

I'm going to say this very carefully and hope for some understanding, because what I am about to say will sound very strange and slightly coy.

I have no wishes.

It's not because I have everything--far from it. It's not because I'm some kind of hermit/recluse/nut-job--I'm perfectly social, amiable, and grounded. It's not because I suffer from bouts of fatalism--my professional life has been a steadily climbing graph, if I may say so myself. It's just that I have no wishes.

Please note that this is not some sort of bizarre cop out. It's just that whatever I put down as my three wishes in the space below will be lies. I'm not above lying, but I don't feel like doing it tonight.

Think of it this way, if you will.

What do I wish for? Several billion dollars? Why? So that I can stop working? But why would I want to stop working? I don't want to.

Wish for all the knowledge in the world, maybe? But what would I do with all the knowledge in the world? Because with all the knowledge in the world will also come the knowledge that there is no more to learn. That the pleasure of discovery is forever closed to me. Is that how I would define happiness?

Aside: Here's an interesting thought. Let's consider a guy who knows everything. Like the alleged God-dude, for instance. Don't you think that if there really is an All-Knowing dude out there, the man is cursed, not blessed. For surely with all the knowledge in the universe must come all the sadness in the universe. For surely with omnipotence and omniscience must come incredible, crushing loneliness. And perhaps grinding boredom. If there is a God, I humbly put forth the idea that I believe He needs us more than we need Him. Verily have I spoken.

I do not have wishes. I have looked inside and I have drawn a blank. I do not say this with any sense of fatalism or resignation, I'm just making a bald, plain statement. With approximately the same passion I would put into noting the fact that the sun is hot.

I cannot convince you of this--it just occurred to me that I don't have the language--and I'm not going to try.


6) SuperBowl- Did the Steelers win outright, or did the Seahawks just lose an otherwise winnable game? (Sougata gets a pass on this, being a godless heathen and a ferriner to boot..)

Whew!