What Made you Smile/What Ticked you off Today?

[Forlorn Drifter]

I fully agree that she was engaging in irresponsible and reckless behavior. But I disagree with your assertion that "I'm not ready for a child" is not a valid reason to not have a child. When you have a kid that kid is going to be the focus of your life for the next 18+ years. If you're not ready to shoulder that responsibility then it is extremely negligent to go forward with the pregnancy.

See, this logic is like the logic behind asking a girl how many partners she's had. It's really terrible logic because you don't actually want to know. You have a one night stand with a girl and you move on with your life and hope she didn't give you crabs. Finding out that she got pregnant and decided to terminate is not information you want to have, as best case you don't care and worst case now you feel robbed of a child. Similarly, when you as a girl how many partners she's had best case it's a number low enough that you don't care and continue as before and worst case now you start going through various bad emotions and you realize you didn't actually want to know. The only reason you have for wanting to a know that a girl you met once is now pregnant from having sex with you is you want to force her to carry the child to term for you, which seems akin to slavery.

I was wording incorrectly by saying that "not ready for a child" was a bad reason for an abortion- I just believe that someone should take all the other steps before they consider an abortion. She failed to use birth control knowing fully well, with her multiple sex partners, that she could get pregnant. That kind of idocracy should not end in the termination of pregnancy. If she was truly, truly worried about the possibility, she would have taken precaution. Abortion is generally seen as a pretty serious thing, and there's a reason for that. She just did it so flippantly its a bit offputting.

I would want to know the number of partners a girl has had before me, because I flat out would not date a girl if she was over a certain number. That number would rise as my number rises, although at the current rate that wouldn't ever get past very many. As such, I would also like to know if I got a girl pregnant, no matter the circumstances.

Now, when it comes to the woman carrying to term when she does not want the child, you come to a whole shitstorm of problems and arguments. I don't really know what to say there, other than the fact that it puts the father (or potential father, depending on ones view) in a position where they have essentially no legal say in what happens to the pregnancy, which I don't feel comfortable with. I guess a surrogate could be possible, although that's out of line in most cases.

[KalessinDB]

Now, when it comes to the woman carrying to term when she does not want the child, you come to a whole shitstorm of problems and arguments. I don't really know what to say there, other than the fact that it puts the father (or potential father, depending on ones view) in a position where they have essentially no legal say in what happens to the pregnancy, which I don't feel comfortable with. I guess a surrogate could be possible, although that's out of line in most cases.

I'll preface this by saying I have no desire to have children, ever. I will most likely be getting snipped in the next 12 months, because I've realized I'm in my thirties now, and nothing is going to change my mind on that.

THAT BEING SAID

Sticky situation, childbirth. Clearly, the mother is the one who is carrying the child to term. That is a burden that cannot be borne by the father, period. I don't think anyone will debate that doing that changes a person and is no easy task. At the same time though, I feel as though there's a disconnect regarding parentage. It takes 2 people to conceive a child. If the father wants to keep the child and the mother doesn't, sucks to be him. If the mother wants to keep the child and the father doesn't, sucks to be him even more -- he's going to be paying child support for 18 years.

It's one of those things that's always sat wrong to me. BUT, kinda like the whole "Sex offender registry" thing that also doesn't sit right with me (why can a murderer serve his time in jail and then go about a normal life after he gets released, but an 18 yr old kid who has sex with his 16 yr old girlfriend is branded for life?)... I don't really have a better answer to it.

And I'm getting off topic.



Ticked me off: Ummm... nothing really? I'm working a double, but it's not that bad.
Smile: I get to go see my girl on Thursday! (Long distance sucks. Sucks sucks sucks.)

[MrPopo]

I was wording incorrectly by saying that "not ready for a child" was a bad reason for an abortion- I just believe that someone should take all the other steps before they consider an abortion. She failed to use birth control knowing fully well, with her multiple sex partners, that she could get pregnant. That kind of idocracy should not end in the termination of pregnancy. If she was truly, truly worried about the possibility, she would have taken precaution. Abortion is generally seen as a pretty serious thing, and there's a reason for that. She just did it so flippantly its a bit offputting.

Again, I agree completely that she really did a shitty job of managing her life. And I get the retribution angle. But the fact of the matter is that if she does carry the child to term she is now responsible for that child's wellbeing. It is not fair to the child to force it to be raised in those circumstances. The other option is to give the kid up for adoption, but that still holds the woman hostage as an incubator. It's fine if her personal belief is that she should carry the child to term, but that wasn't the case here.

I would want to know the number of partners a girl has had before me, because I flat out would not date a girl if she was over a certain number. That number would rise as my number rises, although at the current rate that wouldn't ever get past very many. As such, I would also like to know if I got a girl pregnant, no matter the circumstances.

See, the fact that you have a cap on what's acceptable means you don't really want to know. You're just telling yourself that because you're still in the part of your life where everything is theoretical. It's like how you theoretically wouldn't engage in activity X for money. I guarantee that there is some amount of money that if it were right in front of you, you would do anything.

Now, when it comes to the woman carrying to term when she does not want the child, you come to a whole shitstorm of problems and arguments. I don't really know what to say there, other than the fact that it puts the father (or potential father, depending on ones view) in a position where they have essentially no legal say in what happens to the pregnancy, which I don't feel comfortable with. I guess a surrogate could be possible, although that's out of line in most cases.

Putting the woman under the knife just to extract the embryo is pretty extreme, in my opinion. It might be routine, but there's still risk whenever you open up the body for surgery. And until near the end of the pregnancy the fetus is essentially a part of the woman's body, like any other organ. So final say should be with her. But I also feel that the act of transmitting your seed to a woman shouldn't make you financially entangled with the resulting child. With all the forms of birth control out there, as well as the abortion option, there is no reason anyone should get accidentally pregnant anymore.

[dsheinem]

I'm only in favor of abortions if two gay male doctors perform it as part of their wedding ceremony and use military-grade firearms to conduct the procedure on federal property while their imam incants the Ten Commandments. Afterwards the fetus should be cremated in an American flag and the ashes rolled into a joint and smoked by illegal immigrants in a bar & grille that specializes in foie gas dinners.

Also, the whole thing should be livestreamed to XFINITY-enabled elementary school classrooms as required viewing in their abstinence-only sex ed course.

[dunpeal2064]

Awesome

[catnip]

I'm only in favor of abortions if two gay male doctors perform it as part of their wedding ceremony and use military-grade firearms to conduct the procedure on federal property while their imam incants the Ten Commandments. Afterwards the fetus should be cremated in an American flag and the ashes rolled into a joint and smoked by illegal immigrants in a bar & grille that specializes in foie gas dinners.

Also, the whole thing should be livestreamed to XFINITY-enabled elementary school classrooms as required viewing in their abstinence-only sex ed course.

This. All of this.

Will it be on Netflix at some point? I don't have XFINITY :/

[Luke]

Confused; The most successful people wear whatever the fuck they want.

Strength: I look good in a suit. I do.
Weakness: Looks like I'm trying too hard.
Opportunities: I get a ot of compliments on how I dress.
Threats: People automatically think I'm a slimy salesman.

Yesterday I spoke with a Maserati dealer while at a gas pump. We talked cars, exchanged cards and such, and he is definitely a prospect who also said "You look sharp". Cool stuff. I also have a meeting with a real estate mogul (he's not even thirty years if age) who wears t-shirts and jeans.

My point is, I have no point.

Thing is, in "little town USA" people see a "suit" and think "this slimeball wants me to buy something". I do want them to buy something, but I'm no slimeball and I don't push anything that won't give an incredible roi. Stigmas suck.

But at the same time, "dressing to the 9's" is me. Love me some pajamas at home (even better a fresh hockey sweater and jeans), but if I step foot out of door it is shirt, tie, coat, pressed slacks, and shoes that are polished daily (even if I'm just picking up milk). In this market, I think being "a suit" could work against me.

But me? Compromise?

Not likely unless it involves dealings with the wife.

Ramble on I do.

[dsheinem]

Confused; The most successful people wear whatever the fuck they want.

Strength: I look good in a suit. I do.
Weakness: Looks like I'm trying too hard.
Opportunities: I get a ot of compliments on how I dress.
Threats: People automatically think I'm a slimy salesman.

I too am very skeptical of "suits" and thus rarely wear one unless it is for a formal occasion of some sort (e.g. an awards ceremony, an interview, etc.). I do wear blazers and jeans with some frequency, but only rarely do I wear a tie. That said, professors are notoriously and proudly unfashionable. Yesterday I met with my dean and then conducted a review session in a t-shirt and ballcap.

[Luke]

Confused; The most successful people wear whatever the fuck they want.

Strength: I look good in a suit. I do.
Weakness: Looks like I'm trying too hard.
Opportunities: I get a ot of compliments on how I dress.
Threats: People automatically think I'm a slimy salesman.

I too am very skeptical of "suits" and thus rarely wear one unless it is for a formal occasion of some sort (e.g. an awards ceremony, an interview, etc.). I do wear blazers and jeans with some frequency, but only rarely do I wear a tie. That said, professors are notoriously and proudly unfashionable. Yesterday I met with my dean and then conducted a review session in a t-shirt and ballcap.

To be candid (on the Internet, so HUGE total contradiction) I'm very self conscious, defects aside. I love the way I look in a suit. I shit you not, no matter how I feel I wake up singing "Zip a dee do da" take a shower, put on a suit, eat some frozen veggies or fruit, and I get into a mindset that the today, everyday, will not suck. I put the suit to work, and the suit, God willing, will work for me.

It's fair to call me a hypocrite as 1) I don't care what people think about me, but 2) I very much care on the impression I impress on people. I want and strive for people to think "I wish there were more people like Luke".

That said, I'm polarizing. I don't use that as a strategy, but I know people on RB tend to either like or loathe me. Doesn't bother me a bit as I've made some pretty reliable friends here.

[catnip]

Clothes stuff

I basically just rock business casual every day. Somewhat nice shoes, slacks, button-up shirt, no tie. I think it's an easy way to look relatively good compared to t-shirt and jeans, I think. That said, most of the time, as soon as I'm home, clothes are no longer worn. Especially socks. Fuck socks.