It's lots of reasons.  My brother has had many dogs, and the medical bills he pays are amazing.   He has a breed that has eye problems - he has paid for cataract surgeries and to have eyes removed, along with a recent knee surgery.  He has no kids, so the dogs are like his kids.  Every time I talk to him on the phone, he is yelling at the dogs.    Both of my son's dogs are medium to large size, and they are always underfoot and requiring attention.  You feel guilty if you leave them at home, and are also afraid they will trash the place. (We have our house looking nice, and it is not dog proof).  The amount of hair I vacuumed up after their Friday to Sunday stay was amazing.  It's nice to just let them out to run in the back yard, but the amount of dog poop in three days was gross - although I didn't clean any up (my wife didn't seem happy about that).  That plus the whining when somebody leaves and the barking when anyone comes close to the door ....  Plus I'm old and need to get up to pee a few times at night, and no matter how quiet I was they woke up and made noise (they were in a different bedroom with my daughter, who stayed a couple of nights to help out).  Having to get someone else to take care of them if you want to travel at all would also be a pain.

Maybe a small dog wouldn't be as much trouble, but I just don't want the hassles.

Posted by: @lee

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooood 'ol Baby Day! I was going to ask who the biggest baby is but given the fact that Sang cancelled golf on this beautiful Chicago day (48 degrees, dark, dreary and windy) just because he has a few sniffles has answered that question.  

If it was just sniffles I would have gone.  But hacking up your lungs and wheezing is not that much fun - and I didn't want to infect anyone else ...  but I did cut the grass if that makes it any better .... 

@sang 

I understand the downsides to dog ownership. Medical bills can be enormous. I have a friend with a small dog who had some ailment and she couldn't afford the bill. She had three choices, either come up the money or let the pooch live until she died. Or, she chose option three which was to put her down so she wasn't in pain. It was a shame because my friend didn't have her for very long and the dog was only three I think.

Regarding the other issues I get that too. When I was a kid my dog never barked except at Girl Scouts. I taught her to do that. 😛 

As for the hair mine was a black lab and they are horrible for shredding. I would brush her all the time and it didn't matter. Plus she slept in my bed so that was always a mess. She eventually had to be put down which I couldn't bring myself to do as she was for all intents and purposes, mine. So my brother did it. 

Yes, there is also the emotional part at the end.  Someone told me that since pets usually don't live as long as us, you are buying a future heartbreak ... 

Not feeling that much better today ... no drinks with the racquetball buddies tonight ... 

Goooooooooooooooooooooooood 'ol Really, Really lazy day!

Posted by: @sang

Yes, there is also the emotional part at the end.  Someone told me that since pets usually don't live as long as us, you are buying a future heartbreak ... 

You didn't know peoples outlive most pets? Although you could get a goldfish in which case you would most likely be safe. 😛 

Posted by: @sang

Not feeling that much better today ... no drinks with the racquetball buddies tonight ... 

But you did go golfballing today right? 😉 

Posted by: @lee

Posted by: @sang

Not feeling that much better today ... no drinks with the racquetball buddies tonight ... 

But you did go golfballing today right? 😉 

No ... don't play well when it's 100% rain like today .... grass sure is green though - glad I got it cut.

Just you get the two day heads up: My birthday is in two days. Which means you have said two days for my gifts to arrive. I suggest two-day delivery but I would err on the side of caution and just pay for overnight shipping. 

I will give Colin a break since he will be sending something from a different planet. 😛 

Posted by: @lee

Just you get the two day heads up: My birthday is in two days. Which means you have said two days for my gifts to arrive. I suggest two-day delivery but I would err on the side of caution and just pay for overnight shipping. 

I will give Colin a break since he will be sending something from a different planet. 😛 

I had a word with THB and she said you would really like a dog ... so I got in touch with your local rescue center and they are bringing you one in a couple of days ...

Great idea Colin!  I'll send some of those plastic pooper scooper bags .... easy peasy!   

Fricking Ticketbastard .... just got tickets for Tears For Fears/Garbage in Tinley Park.  They are having a $25 "All In" ticket sale starting today.  That is just for lawn - I got tickets in the last few rows of the pavilion for $39.50 - kinda.

2 tickets @ $39.50 - $79

2 ticket fees @ 16.xx a ticket

Processing fee $5.xx  

Tax $5.xx  

Total - $123.46 

$79 for 2 tickets, plus $44.46 in fees  -  nice to have a monopoly, stinking bastards

Posted by: @lee

Just you get the two day heads up: My birthday is in two days. Which means you have said two days for my gifts to arrive. I suggest two-day delivery but I would err on the side of caution and just pay for overnight shipping. 

I will give Colin a break since he will be sending something from a different planet. 😛 

Feeling a little older myself lately.  

Birthday Eve Day!  

@sang 

I hear ya. I looked into a few shows on the "deal". Nothing was $25. Looks good in the ads though. Probably just a way to take advantage of those will just order anyway.

I looked into REO/Styx tickets. I put in two tix in the back of the pavilion. There are no $25 seats. Two cost $130.74 out the door. So I tried the lawn and those actually are $25, no fees. You can however get a reserved parking spot for just $100. When I saw the ABB there years ago I either paid nothing to park or maybe 5 or 10 bucks.

Looked into Ray LaMontage (he has played with Warren) at The Chicago Theatre. Those were $184.98 after fees. There weren't any $25 seats at any of the shows I looked at.

Posted by: @oldcoot

Posted by: @lee

Just you get the two day heads up: My birthday is in two days. Which means you have said two days for my gifts to arrive. I suggest two-day delivery but I would err on the side of caution and just pay for overnight shipping. 

I will give Colin a break since he will be sending something from a different planet. 😛 

Feeling a little older myself lately.  

 

Once you're older than dirt, does it really matter?     

We saw Ray LaMontage at the Chicago Theater a few years ago (the wife wanted to go).  Pretty good show, but she was pissed the whole time because all the fans were not well behaved - talking, filming, making us move so they could pee all the time, etc.

Posted by: @sang

We saw Ray LaMontage at the Chicago Theater a few years ago (the wife wanted to go).  Pretty good show, but she was pissed the whole time because all the fans were not well behaved - talking, filming, making us move so they could pee all the time, etc.

I like the option where you can choose your seats so I always pick the aisle. I don't mind moving. I would rather do that than make other people get up when I need to. It doesn't bother me. I guess if you never want to move you would sit in the middle.

I have been besmirched!  

Happy Birthday Lee! ... put Rocking Horse / Soulshine / Mountain Jam on rotation so you can spend all day in the bar ...

Happy Birthday Lee!  

Posted by: @sang

making us move so they could pee all the time

Good Lord, where exactly were you sitting?! 😉

for coot* ...

Posted by: @porkchopbob

Posted by: @sang

making us move so they could pee all the time

Good Lord, where exactly were you sitting?! 😉

In the balcony - a group of people next to us were getting up constantly to get more beer, go to pee, and get more beer.  It was constant throughout the show ... 

Posted by: @sang

Posted by: @porkchopbob

Posted by: @sang

making us move so they could pee all the time

Good Lord, where exactly were you sitting?! 😉

In the balcony - a group of people next to us were getting up constantly to get more beer, go to pee, and get more beer.  It was constant throughout the show ... 

Which goes to the scientifically proven reason that beer goes through a person faster than water. The beer doesn't have to stop and change color on the way out.

Happy Birthday Lee!

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood 'ol Revenge of the Fifth! Ooh, sounds scary! 😮 😮 😮 

Thanks for the comments fellas! 😀

However, so far I am waiting somewott impatiently for prezzies to arrive. The British one probably runs a tad late so Colin gets a flier.

From the rest of you, I am waiting for your BEST shows.

THB is on her way home. While I will smile and welcome her with open arms, it is the beginning of three point one five days of us being together. 3.5 To the end of Sunday. I have a few outs on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but there is a fair amount of time to fill. Any suggestions are welcome. 😛