There was this article in the Washington Post, alluded to here, that talked about a couple ordering a film on Netflix, then, for some reason, one member of the couple is unable to commit to the film in a timely fashion. What are the ethics involved? I note this only to say that I STILL haven’t seen the May episodes of My Name Is Earl, The Office, Scrubs, the last episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featuring a family from Albany County, or the Tony Awards. It’s not that I couldn’t see them – I sleep less than Carol – but that the implied contract of seeing them together seems to have superseded my need to see them anything like a timely fashion. It’s the shared viewing that adds to the joy of watching them.
Meanwhile, in all likelihood, you’ve heard of the Aesop fable The Ant and the Grasshopper. In very general terms, Carol is the Ant and I am the Grasshopper. This Grasshopper has done better economically by following the example of The Ant. Still, The Grasshopper does seem to try to bring some of his more laid-back values to the table; it’s an interesting balancing act.
This is definitely learned behavior, for the first time the Grasshopper and the Ant dated, it was only for about 17 months. The Ant’s ways made the Grasshopper crazy, and vice versa. The Grasshopper remembers the time frame only because he celebrated but one of the Ant’s birthdays as part of a couple that first go-round. The Grasshopper remembers that day: July 15, 1995, the date of the window-shaking, tree-felling Albany derecho, which caused considerable damage to the Adirondacks. Once it passed, the Grasshopper and the Ant had a lovely lunch together.
The Grasshopper would like to wish the Ant a very happy birthday. The Grasshopper loves the Ant.
ROG