From: callahan@biffvm.cs.jhu.edu (Paul Callahan)
Subject: Re: Books & MY New Year's
Organization: Johns Hopkins Computer Science Department, Baltimore, MD
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 22:11:40 GMT

pmarlowe@noncomf.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca (philip marlowe) writes:

>The "slap in
>the face" which your story gave me was (a) because you wrote what you 
                 ^^^^
>wanted quite well, achieving the desired result, and (b) I write myself, 
>and know where that kind of story comes from. It was a good joke, but 
>good jokes usually come from great pain, the kind of great pain I myself 
>have experienced on occasion.

Not *my* story, by the way.  I think this should be clear from a bunch of
things (most obviously the fact that my name did not appear on the posting).  
Actually, I did post an account of my New Year's Eve, which was quite 
different, and true.

So, it was sort of a *comic* slap in the face.  Bugs and Elmer come to mind...
I guess I can buy that.  My reaction was more like, it would have been a better
posting if true.  But then again, there's lots more Usenet where that came 
from; on to the next article!

>> I know exactly what you mean, here.  I'm also very attracted to personality 
>> flaws... Still, I find there are actually more good-looking women in the
>> world than there are exquisitely-flawed women.  I don't find that this
>> attitude actually helps me get dates.  

> Why the hell not? If can see the interesting quirks behind the 
>fair-to-middling face/body/whatever, this ought to make your Search 
>easier. Nothing's more pathetic than an average-looking guy pining after 
>a supermodel.

What I mean is that I'm inclined to ignore women who don't have interesting
quirks.  A lot of women are merely pretty, and I have no particular interest
in dating them (unless the personality thing really clicks, which it usually
doesn't).  As a rule, I'm not pining after anybody, though if I felt like
doing so, I would.

> Besides, what exactly kind of "geek" are you? One who wears glasses and 
>like Star Trek, or one who never bathes and hates women? The term 
>encompasses a LOT.

Or one who bites the heads off chickens.  I think if I *were* going to be
a geek, I'd go for the gusto.  No sense in doing anything half-assed.

But anyway, I wasn't even saying this guy was a geek.  I was saying that 
he might prefer a woman who was in CS, because she wouldn't have outrageous
prejudices about dating a CS major.  And, *please* don't tell me this is 
never a problem.

>> Well... Things in life are not so easy.  Like I could get run over by a
>> truck today, and then I'd never have had a really satisfying relationship 
>> with a woman.  Or I could just keep on being unlucky.  There really are
>> people who remain lonely through their lives, just like there are people
>> who--say--die of cancer.  It's not their fault.  It's not that they didn't
>> have a positive attitude.  Things just didn't work out.
>> 
>> What do I do about it?  I guess I try to focus on the things I can enjoy in l
>> whether or not I'm in love.  I keep looking, but I'll survive either way.

> Aw, come on. It isn't about "luck". It's about ATTITUDE. Fatalism will 
>get you nothing.

This isn't fatalism; it's realism.  Are you suggesting that as long as I have 
the right attitude, I'll never get run over by a truck?  Not *too* plausible.

But I do see a great career ahead of you as an Amway salesman.

--
Paul Callahan (callahan@biffvm.cs.jhu.edu)   
..who wouldn't mind Usenet so much, 
except you have to go out for espresso,
and there's nobody shouting "Go, Daddy, Go!"