Richard's Friend Victor

This will be my 4th time to Phuket. On my earlier trips I stayed in Patong near the action. I rented a scooter and visited several beaches to snorkel. However, on this trip I'm staying on the north side at a more remote resort and I'm not certain there are scooters available. I will be there for a long weekend Fri-Mon and plan to mainly swim and relax. But I thought maybe I'd get bored and want to explore further beaches in the area. Or other restaurants. But hey, it's only 2.5 days so maybe I should just chill 100% at the resort, and take a taxi from the airport. This would be the simplest solution. But I might want to go somewhere?

Help, I cannot make up my mind.

My wife is the extreme case but I also run across these people in business. They make statements, some of them provocative like "Look at that!" or others are just mysterious like "Bob bought a car yesterday". It leaves me wondering how to respond.

Should I:

a) Say nothing, because I have nothing to say

b) Say something diffuse to show interaction without causing any problems. Such as "Oh, interesting" followed by "I've heard of people doing that" etc.

c) Try to figure out what the other person really wants to hear, and respond with a question such as "Oh, would you like a new car too?" to help them draw out their feelings.

d) Say what is honestly on my mind, such as "That's ridiculous" or "Why were you even talking to them"?

I ordered some really nice men's italian loafers on ebay, they are beautiful shoes that retail for $300 and I got them for $90. They are a little big in the toe but they do not slip off of my foot, they hold fine. It's just a little weird knowing they are longer than needed in the front. If I put my thumb down on the toe I can crush the whole front end of the shoe.

I have one day to decide whether to return them or not. There isn't a smaller size available.

What's it like to go through life where everyone likes to look at you and be with you? When did you first remember realizing you were beautiful? Do you knowingly manipulate people because you can?

I purchased a guitar new in 1994, custom made to my specs. It looks lovely. It's very comfortable to play if standing up, and it sounds ok when in a band. But I play solo almost all of the time, and as I get older I usually sit. This guitar sounds tinny and weak, is always out of tune, and hard to hold while sitting. But I wanted to love it because it was my custom order, and it still looks totally awesome. If I sell it, I could buy another used guitar with the money, and find something much more suited to my playing style. But I'd be lucky to get $400 for this guitar that I paid $900 for. I'm so split on what to do. It's basically an outdated piece of jewelry.

I have kept it for this long because I keep dreaming it will sound better someday. You would think a $900 guitar would sound great, but this one does not. Buzzing all over, cannot get rid of the buzzes.

I love the feel of this guitar, a GREAT neck and body. I guess I'd call it the model wife who isn't good for anything around the house and has a terrible annoying voice. But if I started a business she would be a great assistant. But... I don't have any plans to start a business.

I will be in Switzerland for a week in January on business, traveling from the German alps area near Kempten across through Zurich then to Basel. I'd like to stop and ski somewhere for a day, but I'll only have two days available at most and will not have a car. I'm an intermediate skier, used to some US Midwest and Colorado mountains. I don't want to haul my own skis around for the business trip, so I need to find somewhere where the rentals are very convenient. Even better if there is a train station, hotel, etc. all in walking distance.

I have been working with a guy who is from southern Germany, he's 100% German. Yet when he speaks English he has a flair which seems entirely British. When I first met him, I thought he WAS British. His English is excellent, so I would not have known he was German. He even looks British.

He claims to be 100% German in decent.

What would you assume about this guy's personality? Generalizations, stereotypes, psychoanalysis?

Whenever we part in the morning, she will only say things like "see you later" (which refers to time), she is unable to say "have a good day" (which is an emotional wish for someone).

Even my co-workers seem able to say things like "Have a good weekend".

By the way, ever since we were married 15 years ago, she has never said "good night". Because that would be an emotional gift. She just goes to sleep, doesn't say anything.

I have a 3 week business trip coming up and I can't decide how to spend a 4 day weekend in the middle. Here are my options:

1. 4 days in Singapore, following 5 days of business there

2. 4 days in Phuket

3. 2 days in Pattaya (+ coral island) + 2 days in Bangkok city

I've done them all and can't decide where I want to revisit.

In europe they take me to elegant places. I'm not sure I want to try and compete. Perhaps something edgy? What would have mega impact? These guys are from switzerland and germany, in their 30's and 40's.

It used to be on the menu at Gioco's in the south loop, but now they have a new chef and the item is gone. ??

Hypothetically, if someone challenged you to get rid of all your garbage without ever leaving the house, could you do it?

It's very similar to amaretto, and there are easily available recipes for amaretto. But I cannot find anything for Licor 43! I know it's supposedly made from 43 ingredients, but come on folks there's got to be a copy recipe that's close. What is it??

Tonight we are having dinner at a restaurant with her parents and sister. Our kids will be coming also. They will probably give her some gift. I am meeting her at the restaurant, going straight from work, so I won't be going home. I have her main gift with me in the car, but a few small items are sitting at home and I didn't bring them to work, so I couldn't give them tonight anyways. Her birthday is on Wednesday, in two days.

Should I:

a) Wait and give all the gifts together on her birthday

b) Give her one gift tonight, and give her the card and other little things on Wednesday

c) Drive 30 minutes home to get the other gifts and give them all tonight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIfPBUKP3Sw

1. Woman who does everything around the house but is never in the mood for sex.

2. Woman who doesn't do any housework but spends a lot of time at the gym and then comes home all pumped up and amorous.

And if so, does the dimmer go in between the 120V outlet and the transformer, or between the transformer and the lights? ie, is it a 120V dimmer or a 12V dimmer?

I'm planning to have about 12 lights, roughly half are towards the front of the house and half extend towards the rear. Should I run a really long wire to all of the locations, and use one larger transformer, or should I split it into two separate runs with two smaller transformers?

Pros of two - separate on/off controls to save energy if one side isn't needed. also simpler to run the shorter cable lengths.

Pros of one - only one timer to set, one plug required

????

We've been married for 15 years, and she's 7 years older than I am. We haven't gotten along in years but we have two kids and I stick it out. She rejects everything I suggest, she has no interest in talking to me, she ignores me or leaves the room. I really don't like being with her anymore because it makes me feel so bad. But now her 50th birthday is coming up and I don't know what to do. My gut feel is to give her a sweater and a package of batteries. That would be thoughtful enough but still lame. I just don't feel like getting her anything good.

I just want my wife of 15 years to show a little love. Why can she not do that?