tommx's blog

How have people mispronounced your name?  How is it supposed to sound? 
Submitted by Lorie.   

I've never had anyone mispronounce my first name.  Tom's hard to screw up.

My last name for some reason gives everyone a problem.  It is spelled McGrath and I pronounce it "Mick Grath".  Technically I think the proper Irish pronunciation is "Mick Graw" but that's opening up a can of worms regarding spelling I'd just as soon avoid, especially since no one seems to be able to spell it properly either.

Here are mispronunciations I have heard in my lifetime.

McGarth, MackGrath, McGraff, McGraft, McGratt, McGrass, Garth (party on Wayne), MarGrath, McGruff (actually more of a derisive nickname that I resolutely despise.  Do not under any circumstances use it if you do not want me to plot your very sloppy, public and morally degenerate murder,) and one idiot acutally came up with Magriff. 

Once I considered changing my name to Mergatroid Fenderkristyoplixinocratsiplactilliofallatryptopastigrantilominatisassinabstogrettohullamorrengafranziopolystosis just to screw with people but I kept misspelling Mergatroid, so I dropped the idea.

 (oh, and if you actually tried to pronounce that, you're better than I am.)

You must have been a fashion victim at least once in your life. What hideous blunder did you commit? 
Submitted by Tina. 

When I was very young, my parents dressed me up in white jeans and a maroon button down shirt.  Let us never speak of it again.

How do you pass the time during a flight?  What do you bring in your carry-on?

I'll answer the latter question first:  My carry on bag tends to have my bare essentials (toiletries, contact lens solution, etc), a book, some magazines, my cell phone, my ipod, and a few munchables.  As to how I tend to pass the time during flight, generally I am fast asleep.  I have a peculiar trait whenever I am traveling long distance and not actually driving.  I fall asleep almost narcoleptically.  In fact, on short flights, it's not unusual for me to fall asleep before the plane takes off and wake up shortly before it lands.  The same is true of car trips.  I haven't taken a long distance trip in a train in quite a while so I don't know if that would apply, but chances are it would.  I have no idea why this happens the way it does, but it does make long distance trips a snap.

Most of these are of me, but the first one is of Lisa sitting on the back of Barry's bike.  Barry is one of the St. Louis cousins.

What's the worst pickup line you've ever heard?
Submitted by ShellEy.

Do they honestly expect that there is such a thing as a good pickup line?  Honestly, I wouldn't know, because I think pickup lines are, by definition, lame.  I have never used one.  When I was dating, if I met someone I liked, I'd simply say hello and start a conversation.  Sometimes the person I'd talk to would be into talking to me, sometimes not.  It was pretty easy to figure out which way they felt and if they didn't want to talk to me, I'd ease off and not bother them.

So, some time ago, I opened a Vox account mostly out of curiosity, but also because I had friends who were using Vox more than LJ with whom I wanted to remain in regular contact.

I haven't been posting much to either lately mostly because I've been busy, but also because I flat out haven't had much to say except "Look at my dogs".  (Sounds like a line from Borat or something)

One thing that's kind of a pain so far is that Vox does not allow crossposting as a default option.  That's a pain.  I'd also love it if I could crosspost more than just an excerpt.  However, I like the way in which pictures from Flickr can be imported into Vox with greater ease and flexibility than with LJ. 

It would be nice if I could do crossposts both ways, but I don't think that's possible, at least not yet. 

Anyway, this is my first attempt at a crosspost.  We'll see how it goes.

Yes, another year of crazy doggie costumes.  I still think Tallulah's pig costume is the best we've ever had, but who can resist the Hula Hula Lula?

How many computers do you have in your house? 
Submitted by Foomper.

    There is one main computer which is a desktop.  That is the one my wife and I use most often.  There is a laptop that really should just be tossed as it's an old P200 that Lisa used to own, and has the computing power of an anemic gerbil.  I often bring my laptop from work home as does Lisa.  We also both have Treo's and I have an Ipod for what it's worth. 

What's the best way to spend a rainy day?
Submitted by Vee.

I tend to think it depends on who you're with.  The ideal way to spend a rainy day in my opinion is in bed with someone you love, preferably having sex or snacking and watching TV after having had sex.  Add to that some time spent playing with the dogs, and you have a perfect day. 

How did you meet your best friend(s)?

     Most of my current best friends I met either through school or the internet.  That is, insofar as I have best friends.    I'm not known for forming close regularly maintained relationships with people.  I'm much better at isolating myself.  It's not that I don't like people or even that I prefer to be alone (I really don't).  It's just that I spent a lot of time by myself when I was younger (despite having two brothers) and never quite understood the whole "having friends" thing.  The idea, for example, of calling someone on the phone to talk conversationally is completely alien to me to this day.  I often feel that if I don't have a concrete reason for calling a person, I have no right to intrude on their time.  That and there is something about talking on the phone that still freaks me out a little.  I have no idea why, as I can communicate effectively on the telephone, but still I feel incredibly naked when I talk on the phone.  It's as if my voice is some very intimate part of me, and without the rest of my countenance to support it, I feel defenseless.  Hence, I rarely call people out of the blue.  I suppose that is why I find the internet so comfortable a medium to use.  I have control over how I present myself.  I am shielded from the outside world by the medium.  Because of this, I have been able to find ways to form closer bonds with people without having to deal with my odd issues with the telephone.  (which have since become less problematical than they have been in the past)

Long answer to a fairly simple question.  Meh.