So in two weeks my brother's girlfriend, whom none of the family has met, is coming to SF for a month (or more) to study English. She's Chinese. My sister is incredibly stressed by this, especially since I get the distinct impression my brother never actually *asked* if it would be okay for his girlfriend to live here for six weeks. While he stays in Beijing, because he's working. Did I mention we've never met her?

I bet it works out just fine. The fact that she was willing to come all this way alone to stay with strangers - she'll be fine. and I bet her english is fairly good - Just not fast.

I do not want /need / desire to see anyone with an actual pimp cup.

health heading to laura's family

Betsy, I love that you think anyone here has useful pimp cup etiquette answers for you.

We can, however, answer any geek cup questions you may have.

I'm currently drinking from a purple lucite cup with a SiliconGraphics logo on it.

I am drinking from a tea cup. sadly I have left the saucer in another room.

paper slurpee cup and pink stroon!

I, like Betsy, assume the Buffistas are the fount of all knowledge and will eventually tell me what you do with a pimp cup. My geekyist cup is the one from Westinghouse that I got after a pressurized water reactor course. It's got gold trim, but I don't think that's going to move me into pimp cup territory.

and will eventually tell me what you do with a pimp cup

Well, the super-Catholic pimps bring theirs to Mass to drink the wine at Communion. That way, no getting colds from their fellow communicants.

I'm drinking out of a water bottle. Which will soon have to be refilled, because I bit into something REALLY hot in my burrito just a second ago, and am now gulping down water like it's going out of style.

I think sarameg's award (in addition, of course, to money and possibly a pimp cup) should include giving her a year's free use of a troupe of interpretive dancers following her around performing full-body emoticons expressing her very essence to all and sundry. And possibly a publicist and a surly bodyguard to punch out the paparazzi.

It will be very, very hard to walk past Court Glade at the RenFaire this year, because every time I see a crowd of nobles lifting their jewel-encrusted wine glasses in yet another endless toast to the Queen, the little everpresent voice in my head will be saying, "Gracious, what a lot of pimp cups!"

lisa, thanks for the offer of help. We'll be in contact.

has Strindberg and Helium been mentioned here yet? I love Helium.