Everything You Need to Know About Guys, Explained in a Single Paragraph

Chihuahua

One of the interesting side effects of writing funny if somewhat embarrassing dating stories is that people start coming to you for dating advice. If you Google for the phrase “master of dating”, the first page of results points to an Alex Payne blog entry which categorizes me as such. This has only increased since I got married; I assume that this is because people believe that as a married man, I have accomplished the dating mission. I would counter by saying that “it’s the journey that counts, not the destination“, but that’s not the point of this entry.

A number of women friends, acquaintances and blog readers whom I’ve never met but have sent me emails have told me that there seems to be some sort of guy shortage, and this leads to the inevitable question along the lines of “What are guys thinking?” or “Could you please tell me about the guy mindset?”

Explaining this feels like trying to explain colours to someone who’s been blind since birth. I usually end up falling back on my “Chihuahua Theory”, which goes like this:

Imagine that there’s a little chihuahua in your head that barks at everything.

While this is a glib, throwaway answer, most people upon hearing this suddenly change facial expression, as if they’re having a Eureka! moment. “Yes!” they say, “I understand!”

This theory amused the Ginger Ninja when I first explained it to her about a month into our dating; it’s why her first Christmas present to me was a plush chihuahua.

Everything You Need to Know About Cliques (and Girls), Explained on a Single Page

The piece of paper shown below was found in the cafeteria of an Arizona school. I’m strangely relieved to see that they haven’t changed…

Photo of 'Lunch Table Rules' found in an Arizona high school.
Click the image to see the original photo.

Poor Rocheal. She’s in the same boat as “The Ugly One” from Teen Girl Squad.

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Music

Audio Advent Calendar #8: "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues

Audio Advent Calendar, December 8.

Let’s face it; most original rock and pop Christmas songs are downright terrible. The worst of the lot is Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime, a phoned-in composition that relies on bland synthesizer sounds and digital delay effects to separate it from the pack.

There are a few gems, however. One of them is the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York, a griity but lovely, hard-drinkin’, Gift of the Magi-gone-wrong tune, perfect for tonight’s Blogstravaganza. I present you with the live version.

The Pogues: Fairytale of New York (5.3 MB MP3)

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Uncategorized

God’s Inbox

Taken from Time magazine:

God's inbox, taken from Time Magazine.

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Uncategorized

Catmas Continues!

Ceiling Cat in 'Where is your God now?'.

The cat-related silliness continues at Catmas.com. Go check it out!

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In the News

The Iraq Study Group Report

Cover of 'The Iraq Study Group Report'.

For you news junkies, policy nerds, political bloggers and people wondering what the Iraq Study Group’s recommendations for how to fix the Mess O’ Potamia are, the Iraq Study Group Report is now available. 142 pages, 79 recommendations, the difference between Sunnis and Shi’ites explained (and some people in Washington need to study up on that), and one president who’s likely to ignore it if it differs from the “things are going well” tack.

An excerpt:

Current U.S. policy is not working, as the level of violence in

Iraq is rising and the government is not advancing national reconciliation. Making no changes in policy would simply delay

the day of reckoning at a high cost. Nearly 100 Americans are

dying every month. The United States is spending $2 billion a

week. Our ability to respond to other international crises is

constrained. A majority of the American people are soured on

the war. This level of expense is not sustainable over an extended period, especially when progress is not being made.

The longer the United States remains in Iraq without progress,

the more resentment will grow among Iraqis who believe they

are subjects of a repressive American occupation. As one U.S.

official said to us, “Our leaving would make it worse….The

current approach without modification will not make it better.”

Here’s how you can get your paws on it:

Another excerpt:

The United States has made a massive commitment to the future of Iraq in both blood and treasure. As of December 2006,

nearly 2,900 Americans have lost their lives serving in Iraq. Another 21,000 Americans have been wounded, many severely.

To date, the United States has spent roughly $400 billion

on the Iraq War, and costs are running about $8 billion per

month. In addition, the United States must expect significant

“tail costs” to come. Caring for veterans and replacing lost

equipment will run into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Estimates run as high as $2 trillion for the final cost of the U.S. in-

volvement in Iraq.

Despite a massive effort, stability in Iraq remains elusive

and the situation is deteriorating. The Iraqi government cannot

now govern, sustain, and defend itself without the support of

the United States. Iraqis have not been convinced that they

must take responsibility for their own future. Iraq’s neighbors

and much of the international community have not been persuaded to play an active and constructive role in supporting

Iraq. The ability of the United States to shape outcomes is diminishing. Time is running out.

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Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

Blogstravaganza is Tomorrow!

Blogstravaganza: Friday, December 8th at 8 p.m.

Blogstravaganza — the gathering of the Toronto-and-area bloggers, blog readers and curious onlookers — is happening tomorrow! Here are the details:

Where: Fiddler’s Green, an Irish-style pub at 27 Wellesley Street (on the south side, just east of Yonge, across the street from the subway station). We’ll be on the second floor.
When: Starting around 8 p.m.. My co-organizer Bob Tarantino will be there much earlier. He’ll be the guy talking incessantly about the publishing industry.
Who’s invited If you write or read blogs, or are just curious as to who’s posting pictures of their cat and entries about the cheese sandwich they had for lunch, you’re invited!

If you’re doing Christmas shopping in the downtown area, Blogstravaganza will be a great place to relax afterwards.

Blogstravaganza is organized by:

For more details, see: