Thanks Tommyrot! This is what I posted:

Bin Laden wants there to be a religious war between Islam and the West. You're playing right into his hands! There is nothing more violent than someone defending their existence.

If you are against the "Mosque" at "Ground Zero" (quotes because it's neither a Mosque OR at ground zero), remember, we are a country of religious freedoms. ...Don't be a hypocrite.

---

Bollywood, definitely - there's so much song-and-dance in this story ....

---

(Of course, if you don't have enough vacation time to take a trip to India, the work excuse is even valid....)

Oh, I have more than enough. But I'd rather spend it on visiting my brother and playing videogames, which is our tentative plan for Christmas now.

Egad. If you want a PIN that nobody in your family will ever guess, I can offer birthdates of people in my family.

I've started using a different PIN that does come from the family, but I honestly don't think my mom was trying to "guess" my PIN or whatever. She just knew what it was because I hadn't changed it since we set up the account.

Dumb question -- would it make sense for brother and girlfriend to move in together and pay for their own apartment, now that your parents know?

That would probably make things worse, as he's already had to convince them that she's not actually living with him but has stuff over there for convenience.

For what it's worth, I can't remember the last time I watched a sitcom with such good lines.

Now I'm imagining the studio audience laughing after everything my parents say, and it makes me feel better. Kind of. Also sad.

P.-C., you're planning to someday make a screenplay of your life, right?

A Korean playwright friend of mine did just say he wanted to talk to me about doing a two-man show about our Asian experience.

---

I'm with Fred on the sitcom thing. That dialogue is priceless. And painful.

I'm not going to actually ask my boss since I don't intend to go, and I don't want to have any actual truth to be lying about

But see, P-C? Your ARE telling the truth.

Here is the thing about the truth. Somehow, we need it to hurt to actually be valid. BUT, your normal work schedule is just as valid a reason as some major project. I mean, you don't have to go into detail...and you shouldn't...but if you like the flow of your routine to not get backed up or stressed out because you've taken time off that will not relax you then the TRUTH is, your work schedule does not allow for travel at this time. Period.

A thought replacement phrase I use with my clients all the time: Step away from the details, and nobody gets hurt.

I use this all the time for social/professional/community stuff I'm not excited about doing. My response is, "I have another obligation." This is wholly and completely true, even when that obligation is to my own relaxation and rejuvenation so that I can be at my best for the ton of other stuff an AM excited about doing. The fact that this might include coloring my hair or vegging on the floor with my dog is not the business of the inquiring party.

Have no guilt, use fewer words.

The more words we add, the more fear/pain we are trying to protect ourselves or others from. Usually, there is no need!

"No" is a complete sentence.

erika, I am SO going to use that deBecker quote. Thanks for that.

eta: Badly timed crosspost with PC which illustrates that he did not need me to make my point. It's a point in its own right though, so I will leave it.

---

"Not MEXICAN. SPANISH.

t faceplant

---

It could be really good as a two man show -- esp. If you could play up the similarities.

I made my preliminary list for clean all the things week. It is scary. But part of the list is a major project ( or three) Which might not happen. and most of the list is small tiny little projects that will take less than half an hour

---

Here is the thing about the truth. Somehow, we need it to hurt to actually be valid. BUT, your normal work schedule is just as valid a reason as some major project. I mean, you don't have to go into detail...and you shouldn't...but if you like the flow of your routine to not get backed up or stressed out because you've taken time off that will not relax you then the TRUTH is, your work schedule does not allow for travel at this time. Period.

A thought replacement phrase I use with my clients all the time: Step away from the details, and nobody gets hurt.

I use this all the time for social/professional/community stuff I'm not excited about doing. My response is, "I have another obligation." This is wholly and completely true, even when that obligation is to my own relaxation and rejuvenation so that I can be at my best for the ton of other stuff an AM excited about doing. The fact that this might include coloring my hair or vegging on the floor with my dog is not the business of the inquiring party.

It is how I try to think but so well expressed that I had to copy it

---

My response is, "I have another obligation."

A very valuable phrase when a freelancer. You must use that on all occasions, so when you schedule a vacation, you don't accidentally add, "I'm on vacation at that time".

---

Badly timed crosspost with PC which illustrates that he did not need me to make my point. It's a point in its own right though, so I will leave it.

It is a good point, thank you! I appreciate it. Here, I will give you a bonus exchange:

"We have to get this document out by the end of the year so we can meet our corporate goals."
"You're really that important, huh?"
"I'm glad you think so highly of me."
"That's not what I meant! You're just talking like if you left, the whole company would fall apart."

<facepalm>

As my brother noted, "Mexican would have been the WORST."

("How many times did we tell you when you were growing up, no BMW?" my dad told him last week in all seriousness, as if he were truly saddened and dismayed that his attempt to instill his racist values in us had failed. [BMW = Black, Mexican, Muslim, and White.])

---

P-C, your parents depress me. I hate hearing about that level of bigotry.

---