7/29 Friday Friendzone: End-of-Life Edition

This week's topic is a bit morbid, but incredibly thought-provoking.  It was so intriguing that I have invite 8 of my friends into my friendzone this week AND...for the first time ever, I will also include my answers to the questions!  So without further ado, here we go:


1. What age would you like to live until? Why?
Scottyi: Until tomorrow. Jk, but only slightly. I think the only wish I have concerning the timing of my death is that I'd like it to be after my parents pass away. I think losing your child has to be the worst kind of suffering. Other than that... whatevs. I'm a believer in Philippians 1:23. Miller, if it does happen soon, you can have my rice cooker.
Lily: 90 or so.  But I want to be one of the 'young old,' not the 'old old.'  Those are actual terms in development psychology classes!
Georgea: If I had to choose...If I have kids, I'd rather die older - at least old enough to see grandkids 'cause it'll be fun to see how two generations down are.  If not, no preference - whenever my work is done.
thetotoromonster: old enough so that it's not "a pity" that i died (at least 50-60?). my parents invested so many resources into me while i was growing up; now, i want to make the most of their investment and die after i have done something useful in my life!!
Joses: 64. That means I will die in the year 2046. Which happens to be a good film.
Annamelon: 91.  I actually don't wanna live that long, but I feel like I'm limiting my potential if I were to say I wanna die in my 80s, although I really think 87 sounds like a good age.  But really, I think it'd be fun to know my great-grandkiddos :)
Jimmy: 90s.  I want to be active throughout my life, so I can still be able to contribute to people mentally and emotionally in my final years. Also, It would be cool to hang out with my Great-Grandchildren.  Plus, I would totally love to play "old guy" a lot (pretend to forget things, wander into places and act confused.  Who said old age isn't fun?).
Angrygirl: What a morbid question. Honestly, I'm still getting over turning 23, which seems pretty old.
Miller: 75. It gives me enough time to probably see at least one grandchild even if my granddaughter or grandson's wife chooses to be a career woman.  Not sure if senior discounts kick in at 65 or 70, but 5-10 years of doing things cheaply sounds good enough.

2. What would be your preferred cause of death? Why?
Scottyi: Mortally wounded while rescuing sex slaves from a unit of fully armed traffickers, with enough evidence gathered after my demise to eventually lead to the toppling of a trafficking empire.
Lily: I wish to die in battle.  For honor!
Georgea: Not anything sudden (like a heart attack, car crash, murder etc.); something my family could come to terms with gradually?  But it's not up to me, right?
thetotoromonster: in my sleep because it sounds peaceful. unfortunately, it's not so peaceful for the people who find me!!! >:D wow, especially if i live alone and it takes a few days to find my rotting body. gross.
Joses: Gunshot to the hippocampus. Death is instant and painless. Since that would mean that someone will have to commit murder, or that I will have to commit suicide, I'll settle for dying in my sleep.
Annamelon: Saving a small child from an oncoming bus.  Useful & instantaneous.
Jimmy: Ideally...I'm single (not my whole life) and decently fit when the end comes.  I would get some sort of disease that wouldn't be treatable.  I'd hitch a ride out to the rockies, and just head into the mountains and wander until it's my time.
Angrygirl: Isn't everybody just going to say "in my sleep, because it's painless"? A small part of me wonders if I'd want to die in a meaningful way (i.e., somehow bring attention to Christianity) but a larger part of me fears what that could look like.
Miller: Executed for being a Christian....but honestly, I'm holding out for the rapture....so I'd like my obituary to say I "mysteriously vanished" and my clothing fell into a nice neat pile.

3. If money were no object, what would you want your last meal to be?
Scottyi: When I was a kid, there were a couple pharmacies that used to sell these pieces of gum shaped like bright rocks. They were packed in miniature milk cartons, and you'd open the cartons and shake the gum into your mouth. I once went online to try to find what the candy was called, but I never could. It'd be nice to have that again. Also, a dozen carnival elephant ears.
Lily: Some famous person was once asked what he would do if he knew it was his last day on earth.  He said I would work in my garden.  I think I'd do the same; therefore, I want my last meal to be a salad.
Georgea: The real mama kim's (my mama) cooking.  Something that involves kimchi.
thetotoromonster: well, then... this would be really strange because it would mean that i would be able to anticipate the hour of my death, like Jesus (who could also anticipate his resurrection - what foresight!)!  i don't know.  i think this question doesn't make sense in my head because i'm not Christ-like enough in the area of foresight-of-hour-of-death.
Joses: 10 course Chinese wedding dinner.
Annamelon: Appetizer of fried calamari.  Main entree(s) would consist of pad thai w/ extra peanuts, legit Mexican tacos al pastor, sushi (maybe some spider rolls or dragon rolls), and eggplant parmesan.  Dessert would start with tiramisu cheesecake and end with some juicy, plump red mangoes.  Oh, and this would all be accompanied by some mango mojitos b/c I love alcoholic drinks that taste like fruity toothpaste.
Jimmy: Seafood feast.  Since my fish allergy has progressed over time, I haven't eaten seafood in 11 years.  Lobster, Crab Cakes, peel-and-eat Shrimp, Clam Chowder.  YES.
Angrygirl: I guess I'd want to eat things I grew up with-- a bowl of white rice, my mom's tomato ox-tail soup, bowl of nikujaga (Japanese dish w/ carrots, potatoes, and beef), and a bowl of fruit (specifically raspberries, blackberries, mangoes, nectarines, pineapples, and watermelon). Drink would be some unsweetened iced tea.
Miller: I'm gonna hafta say Brazilian BBQ in Mainland China...to ensure that it would have Peking Duck and meats that white men do not touch.

4. Assuming that you're married, would you rather outlive your spouse or your spouse outlive you? 
Scottyi: My wife should definitely be the first to go. I'd be strong enough and courageous enough to make peace with my loss in the twilight of my years, but for my lover, she'd be so incredibly distraught at my passing that she'd lose the will to live, unable to cease from her grieving and instead becoming a real life Miss Havisham. (One of the few literary references I know you know, Miller)
Lily: I guess I'd rather my spouse outlived me... but that would be difficult since I'm very healthy and probably going to live for so long.
Georgea: Depends.  If I die young, be outlived; if I die old, outlive.
thetotoromonster: i would rather outlive my spouse so i can be bear the burden of grieving and so i can take care of him until the very end.  also, i love telling stories! if i outlive my spouse, he can count on his remembrance via my story-telling abilities!
Joses: Outlive me? I thought my wife gets interred with me in my pyramid, along with my children, cats, and those who read this blog.
Annamelon: Selfishly, I would want my spouse to outlive me.  I'm pretty needy and probably wouldn't know how to get by without him.
Jimmy: Outlive my spouse.  I would rather I go through the pain of that loss instead of her.
Angrygirl: If I'm being selfish, I would want my spouse to outlive me. HOWEVER, if my spouse is someone who seems really helpless on his own (e.g., can't take care of finances, can't cook for beans, can't take loneliness) then.. it might be comforting to outlive him if only because I'd know he didn't die in pathetic circumstances. If I felt lonely I could go buy a dog/cat, or bother my kids/grandkids, and in general be a sassy old person who doesn't take attitude from anybody.
Miller: Hmmm...I think if I outlived my wife, I'd be a wreck and be totally nonfunctional for at least a year.  So, while I wish I could say the opposite, I'd rather my wife outlive me.  Plus, I absolutely cannot stand eating alone.  It drives me crazy, I just can't eat.

5. What do you want on your tombstone (not pizza)?
Scottyi: I want to be cremated, and while everyone is enjoying the truffle carpaccio hor d'oeurvres at my wake, a video will play of me posthumously telling everyone that they've been punked, as there's nothing in the urn since my ashes were mixed into the truffle sauce. If I had to have a tombstone for the purposes of this question, I'd want my tombstone to be a marble statue of an astronaut wrestling a giant space squid, and underneath it says, "Here lies Scottyi, Hero of the 2nd Moon Monster Wars."
Lily: Definitely T. S. Eliot.  The greatest writer of our age.

We shall not cease from explorationAnd the end of all our exploringWill be to arrive where we startedAnd know the place for the first time.A condition of complete simplicity(Costing not less than everything)And all shall be well andAll manner of thing shall be wellWhen the tongues of flame are in-foldedInto the crowned knot of fireAnd the fire and the rose are one.

Georgea:  I don't know if I want to be buried.  Cremation?
thetotoromonster: i want it to be prominent so that my descendants will never forget where i'm buried!! i never knew how my mom remembered where my great-aunt was buried.  i haven't really thought far enough to decide what's on my tombstone.  i'll probably pull a J.K. Rowling and have a well-chosen Bible verse.  kinda makes me sad to think about it, but now it's on my to-do list (just in case).
Joses: My sarcophagus in my pyramid should have hieroglyphics around it depicting my various achievements, like when I completed Sonic the Hedgehog II.
Annamelon: I haven't decided if I want a tombstone.  I would like to be cremated and spend as little money on my funeral as possible, since really, it seems like it'd make more sense to spend money on other people who are still living.  But I guess a small tombstone would be nice so that loved ones could visit it?  If I actually did have a tombstone, maybe something to the effect of "Beloved child of God"
Jimmy: "Loving Son, Brother, Husband, Father, and Friend.  Loved by God." or "He lived, he loved, he dominated."
Angrygirl: I haven't done anything amazing (yet?) to warrant a shoutout on my tombstone. I guess I'd want to highlight my family and that I was (hopefully) a faithful believer. On my Tombstone brand pizza I would like pepperoni, mushrooms, and peppers, please.
Miller: "Shared the Gos-pel like it was Gos-sip"....okay maybe not that.  I prefer something like "Miller passionately believed that there was nothing more important in life than to follow God and help others follow God."

It's a good thing I probably won't be remembered most for blogging, otherwise my tombstone might read: "Miller outlived 50 different blogs that he could only maintain for a few weeks at a time.  His greatest blog, the Daily Millings, died on 7/29/2011 after a great two month run."  Yes, that last line is for real.  The Daily Millings are now dead.  All donations should be made out to the Mormon YouTube Channel and ChristianMingle.com.  Feel free to give a eulogy in the comments section below.

About the Panelists: If you strike Scottyi down, he shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. His website is www.sacredraisincakes.com. / Lily is an INTJ who prefers the library to every other building on campus.  She likes puzzles, classical music, and chess.  Her favorite thing to do online is stalk people on facebook and fill out her google calendar. / Georgea is a student at Brown. / thetotoromonster - is she prepared for heaven and death? we'll let God decide. *dun dun dun* / Joses turns 27 very soon. He tweets at www.twitter.com/jacuzzijo. / Annamelon wants her funeral to be a big party where everyone wears bright colors, eats great food, laughs gregariously, and celebrates how awesome Jesus is, because she's gonna be upstairs kickin' it with the Big Guy. / Jimmy believes in life after love, and love after life. (and is still on his road trip) / Angrygirl laments the death of Daily Millings. / Miller totally thought this would be the most clever way to announce the death of the Daily Millings.  He would like to thank all his loyal readers for their support 2 months out of every 3 years!!!

Tombstone of the Daily Millings: "Some say life is a marathon...BUT a sprint is almost always more entertaining."

7/22 Friday Friendzone: (One) Word Association Edition

Hi.


1. What do you think of Google PLUS?

Scottyi: arriviste
thetotoromonster: Unknown :( (Nobody invited me!!)
Joses: Meh.
Angrygirl: Boring
(Y)MC: Useless

2. What do you think of women pastors?
Scottyi: qualifications...
thetotoromonster: Unknown :( (Raised Catholic and Ren doesn't have any!)
Joses: Acceptable.
Angrygirl: Maybe
(Y)MC: Interesting

3. What do you think of professional wrestling?
Scottyi: schadenfraude
thetotoromonster: Miller :(
Joses: Greasy.
Angrygirl: Sweaty (Smelly was a runner up)
(Y)MC: Staged

4. Who will be the next president of the United States?
Scottyi: tergiversator
thetotoromonster: Unknown :( (Barely follows politics and doesn't follow politicians)
Joses: Obama.
Angrygirl: 2012 - Obama; 2016 - Pleasesomebodynotassociatedwiththeteaparty
(Y)MC: Palin

5. What do you think of Interracial Relationships?
Scottyi: parents...
thetotoromonster: YoungAsianWomen+OldWhiteMen :(
Joses: Sexy.
Angrygirl: Jarring
(Y)MC: Skewed

About the Panelists: Scottyi is something. / thetotoromonster is a Last-minute-concoction :( / Joses is Fresh. / Angrygirl is milling. / (Y)MC is unhealthy.

7/1 Friday Friendzone: Travel Edition

1. What is your favorite city in the world? Why?
Jimmy: Mexico City.  I haven't travelled much internationally, and Mexico City might not be the  most exciting, but it is HUGE and I feel like you could live there for years and still find new aspects of it all the time.  There's also a lot of history in the city (history nerd).
Angrygirl: Hard to decide, but I'm gonna have to go with Los Angeles, California. Sure it has issues-- crazy ridiculous traffic, crazy ridiculous income disparity (USC in Compton, anyone?). But there's so much more going for it... legit Asian and Mexican food, access to beaches, great weather so you can wear flip flops 350 days of the year (15 off because it sometimes rains)... also LA remains the only city where meeting people doesn't require dealing with their comments on my "really good" English (being born in the US does that to you). 
Joses: This is a tough one. I resonate well with San Francisco's climate and vibe. Mexico City has some of the best tacos I've ever had, and some of the friendliest people I've ever met. I went to college in Providence, and so I have fond memories of that city. NYC never sleeps, and there's always some new bar, bookstore, or coffeeshop round the corner to check out. I like London for her free museums and her pubs. Beneath and beyond the red-light districts and "coffeeshops", Amsterdam is picturesque and rich in history. But I'd have to go with Singapore. I grew up there, I know her better than any city I've been to, and she has the best food, period.
thetotoromonster: Da Lat, Vietnam.  Honestly, I haven't traveled much around Asia (small sample size) but here's what I like about it: Tons and tons of flowers everywhere <3, Lots of waterfalls and pretty things, Great produce and smoothies, Cheap, delicious food, Relatively safe for Asia, Relatively good weather for Asia (neither [too] humid nor hot; rainy during monsoon season), Get to ride a ton of motorbikes, Many university students learn English though they may be shy (yeah, I'm an ethnocentric American.), Cheap shopping, though you may need to look a little more than in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon
(Y)MC: Taichung, Taiwan and Venice, Italy are probably two of my most favorite cities in the world. I was born in Taichung and have a lot of great memories growing up there-- riding on mopeds, eating pig ears/feet/intestines, bringing stray dogs home, burning paper money, etc. And Venice was just such a magical place; there's really nowhere else that's really like it (yes, sometimes I do choose to reveal my softer side).


2. What is the one place you haven't been to that you have been dying to visit?
Jimmy: Australia. Very cool culture (from what I've heard) and some really cool travel options and outdoors activities.  And Wombats.  What's not to love about wombats? There's an outside chance I'll be heading there in 2012.
Angrygirl: These questions make me realize that I haven't traveled much. I would love to visit Brazil, because I've never been to South America and I know that Brazil has a sizable Japanese population so that would be interesting to see. Hopefully I would not run into any drug war violence while there...
Joses: Anywhere inside of the Arctic Circle. Northern lights and Santa Claus and reindeer and Nobel Prizes and all that. 
thetotoromonster: 3-way tie: Malta (just heard it from someone and sounds like a good idea), Alaska (in the summer and before it melts), New Zealand (Lord of the Rings tour, probably spend a week in Asia, cool fruits, and nice landscape!)
(Y)MC: I hear the islands off of the coast of Spain are really nice...Menorca, I think? I'd also like to go check out Maldives sooner rather than later... I'm on a plan to stay at a Four Seasons Hotel/Resort at least once a year (2 for 2 so far since getting married). But on most days, I merely wish that flights to Taiwan wouldn't be so lengthy and expensive. I'd love to go back to see my family and to put on some weight/muscle mass.


3. What is the weirdest local delicacy you've eaten while traveling?
Jimmy: Cow tongue tacos.  Not the most exciting, I guess. Still, cow tongue.  After watching a lot of "Bizarre Foods", I don't consider anything I've eaten to be weird.
Angrygirl: Probably the buffalo I ate in Montana when visiting Yellowstone National Park. I can't actually remember if it was buffalo but it was pretty weird.
Joses: Whale meat in Reyjavik, Iceland. It tasted like fishy beef and wasn't all that appetising, or politically correct.
thetotoromonster: I don't think I eat anything too strange abroad out of fear for sanitation.  Maybe escargot in France.  I've eaten durian; Scott thinks that durian is a local delicacy, but it's just a normal thing to me.
(Y)MC: Not counting my food allergies, I think I'm open to trying most foods once. But I think snake soup and legs of frogs and rabbits are a bit too much for me. Those Taiwanese people... they're intense.


4. What is your most embarrassing travel story?
Jimmy: The 5-star log splash.  It involves a 5-star hotel, a clogged toilet, a toothbrush, a trash can, and a balcony.  That's all you need to know. 
Angrygirl: When I was 8, my family and I visited my grandparents in Japan. After dinner my jet lag kicked in and I got really sleepy. My grandparents had a Japanese style dining table (low to the ground, people eat by kneeling on floor pillows), so I just lay on the floor near my parents and fell asleep. The next thing I remember is waking up a few hours later and realizing that my pants and the sitting pillow were wet... with horror I realized that I had peed in my pants, something that is only acceptable when you are under 3 years old. I was also mortified that it happened in front of my grandparents who hadn't seen me in a while-- here was my chance to prove that I wasn't a kid anymore and now I looked like I was some incontinent underdeveloped baby! And I didn't know how to say "this is an unrepresentative freak accident!" in Japanese... Luckily my grandparents were cool about it. But I ended up having to change into the only kid-size pants available-- my dad's old elementary school uniform pants. I remember thinking on the way back to the hotel that the whole night was extremely bizarre.
Joses: Usually when I mention I spent 2 years in the Singapore Armed Forces, people are interested, and it becomes a conversation topic. Not this one time in New Orleans, when I casually brought it up while talking to someone who happened to be a Gulf War vet. He got really mad at me and retorted, "Have you ever been shot at, son?" I don't know how I wriggled out of that conversation, but I'm glad I did.
thetotoromonster: I don't know.  I think I'm a pretty low key traveler, so I've avoided most embarrasment.  My brother had a parasite once and he was pooping everywhere!!  What else... This Italian grandpa was saying something to me when I was in Europe.  I tried talking to an Italian grandpa in Spanish hoping that it would be similar enough.  Nope, not close.  I also got a little seasick when I went on the scuba-diving boat, when I was in Thailand.  It wasn't as bad as my brother or sister though...
(Y)MC: I had a pretty severe food allergy while traveling to Chile. A doctor who was on the same flight managed to find something and gave me a shot... right in my butt cheek... while I was carefully attended to and surrounded by 5-8 pretty good looking Chilean/South America flight attendants (think Jennifer Lopez, Eva Mendes, Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Sofia Vergara, Shakira types). Despite the shame, I did get a [sympathy] kiss from one of them when I deplaned. 
(NOTE: This happened WAY BEFORE I got married.)


5) If you were a fugitive, where would you hide? (assume the police know your answer to question #1, #2, and every place you ever lived)
Jimmy: Canadian Rockies.  I'd build a log house and live off the land (using a bow and arrow to catch game.  Less noise, reusable ammo).  So much space, so little people to patrol it.  Also, bears.
Angrygirl: Easy-- China. In my experience, non-Asians have a hard time telling Asian girls apart, so the massive population of China would provide useful camouflage. I could make a living by playing up my Ivy League credentials and working as a SAT teacher/US college admissions consultant (admittedly this would be a lot easier if I went to Harvard). Christian bonus: this would also give me opportunities to share the Gospel in a place where the Gospel doesn't get a lot of exposure. And let's say the US government did find me... it's more likely that US-China relations will be tense and therefore the Chinese government might want to use my return as a sort of bargaining chip, delaying any extradition process. And even if I do eventually get returned to the US, I can sell my unparalleled experience in China and background in international relations to work for the State Department instead of doing time. The only downside of this prospect? Dealing with communism and figuring out how to get to Hong Kong for good healthcare.
Joses: In my (twin) brother's house.
thetotoromonster: I'll probably country hop through Southeast Asia.  In each country I went to, they thought I was a local until I opened my mouth.  But in all seriousness, it'll probably have to be in somewhere like Thailand, or I have to cross the border from Singapore to Malaysia, or maybe even go to some no-name island in Indonesia or the Philippines.  Vietnam and Singapore's governments keep tabs on their citizens too well for me to hide there.
(Y)MC: I would hide in Miller's closet, probably. And then I would ask him to join me in the closet, only so that we can come out of it together and make a big announcement.


About the Panelists: Jimmy just drove 5,000+ miles around the U.S. in attempt to earn a very elusive 2nd millstar. / Angrygirl is ready for vacation. / Joses lives in Oxford, UK.  He often wishes, instead of travelling through space, he could also travel through time. / thetotoromonster gets eaten alive by mosquitoes in the Caribbean, gets eaten alive by mosquitoes in SE Asia, and hasn't gone anywhere else that has mosquitoes for these reasons.  She also loves eating tropical fruits, like dragon fruit, custard apple, rambutan, starfruit, etc. / (Y)MC was born on an island and has been to every continent in the world. He is allergic to shellfish, kiwi, pollen, and dust. He strongly dislikes it when people jump on beds in his room-- because that stirs up A TON of dust. Y(MC)'s favorite in-flight movies include: A Walk To Remember, Dear John/Juan, Chasing Liberty, Meet Joe Black, and How To Train Your Dragon. Finally, his favorite worship guitar chords are Em and Am.

6/3 Friday Friendzone: Social Snafus

Hey! Guess where you are?


That's right!  You're in MY Friendzone!  This week's topic is social snafus and etiquette featuring my friends: Scott, Angrygirl, melonhead, thetotoromonster, and Joses.  Let's see what they had to say about some of the social boo-boos we cannot find nearly enough band-aids for:

1. Which is worse: taking a phone call at dinner OR taking a phone call in the library?

Scott: Who actually studies in libraries anymore?  What kids call "studying" these days means spending half their time checking facebook or reading blogs.  Therefore, if you take a phone call in the library most of the people wouldn't even notice because they're too busy being amused by dailymillings.blogspot.com.  See what I did there?  Also, I like being able to take a phone call at dinner as a way to take a quick break from the exhausting social situation of having dinner with people you're not totally comfortable around.

Angrygirl: Chingchonglinglongtingtong? Setting aside my major issues with that UCLA chick, I agree that phone calls in the library are way worse. At dinner, it's slightly rude but more forgivable, especially if you aren't affecting the dynamic of your dinner companions, or you need to help someone find their way to the dinner, etc. But talking in the library is extremely rude, multiplied by fifty six billion when you are in the quiet zone of the library. Is it REALLY so important to coordinate with your bro on what's going down tonight that you have to broadcast your conversation to everyone who came to this place FOR QUIET? I am left with three choices: suffer in silence, glare and sigh loudly, or confront you in pseudo politeness. Make everyone's life easier and try this fancy new thing called texting. It's silent AND you can communicate!

melonhead: library. libraries are meant to be quiet. at dinner, you can easily excuse yourself for a sec and tell the person on the phone that you'll call 'em back later. or you can do what i do, and jus ignore the call. crappy cell phone reception is always a good excuse.

thetotoromonster: Taking a phone call at dinner, because dinner is quality time spent with others.  When you leave to answer a phone call, you will miss out on hanging out with your dinnermates.  Although the library is quiet, you can just walk elsewhere and you're not really leaving anybody behind.

Joses: Taking a phone call at dinner is worse. But if it's a terribly boring dinner that you want to get out of, take the call!

2. Which is worse: Talking on the phone while peeing OR texting while pooing?

Scott: I always get a sneaky sense of exhilaration from peeing while on the phone and curiously waiting to find out if the person on the other end notices.  They never do.  It's my little secret and no one will ever know!  Next time I call you, it's best to just assume that I'm urinating.

Angrygirl: Phones should not be in the bathroom, ever. I don't really enjoy hearing streams of urine in the background of our conversation, nor do I want to know that poo particles are potentially dancing on your Blackberry buttons. (There's a reason why the magazines being read in the bathroom are left in there-- because it would be gross to bring them outside and let it infect non-poo-contaminated surfaces. Same logic applies to phones). Also, I have a friend who broke her Blackberry by accidentally dropping it in the toilet. It's just not worth the risk. 

melonhead: ooo this is a toughie. texting is gross b/c you're actively touching your phone. which almost makes me say that talking on the phone is better b/c you can use a headset, to keep your phone free of potty-germs, but either way, the phone is in the bathroom ... so the lesser of two evils would be texting (why would you want to let someone hear you tinkling in the background?)

thetotoromonster: Talking while peeing, because other people will hear you wee-wee.

Joses: This is perhaps the only gender-biased question. It's a logistical and technical nightmare for guys to talk on the phone while peeing. Unless 1) you have a Bluetooth hands-free headset, which in this day and age means you're a dork, or 2) girls do pee standing up (now there's another question....). Otherwise, if you're a girl, it's basically the same thing. Just make sure your toilet sounds aren't audible. 

3. Is it okay to pick your nose during prayer in a church service?

Scott: Yes.  What's so bad about wanting to breathe out of your nostrils better?  If anyone sees you, then you can chide them for not being prayerful enough to have kept their eyes closed, or at least have their heads bowed.  I usually feel bad when, in the middle of prayer, I open my eyes and look around the room and notice some dude just blankly staring at the corner of the room, and then when we meet eyes it's like, man, I wanna accuse this guy of being disingenuous but that would be calling the kettle black, wouldn't it?  It's the Catch-22 of prayer slackers.

Angrygirl: No. You should be praying and focusing on talking to God. Picking your nose can wait. Plus, just because no one in church is watching doesn't mean God isn't....

melonhead: is it ever okay to pick your nose? no, not really. unless for some reason blowing your nose simply isn't cutting it (ie: your nose is too crusty), and you're en route to washing your hands immediately after.  and besides, some people (ie: me) sometimes pray w/ their eyes open.

thetotoromonster: I suppose it's all right but not recommended.  Maybe you won't be paying attention if you're picking your nose, and if somebody catches you, he/she might stop paying attention too.  Wait until later?

Joses: If you're Korean, yes. No one will notice in that frenzy of simultaneous non-silent prayer we call Korean Prayer.

4. In the hot summer months, what is the least ACCEPTABLE amount of clothing you should wear in the comforts of your own home?

Scott: I like the feeling of laying spread eagle on my sheets, naked as the day I was born, as a fan softly protects my body from the stifling summer humidity.  I guess the only reason why I wouldn't advocate home nudity is because of tinea cruris.  Look it up.  (Yeah, it'll be another 4 months before I pull another random factoid from my short-lived medical career)

Angrygirl: Doesn't matter how hot it is, what you wear at home should be okay to wear outside. So... shorts and shirt (along with underwear-- that should go without saying). I don't think taking off one thin layer really makes a difference. Just turn on the AC, blast the fan, or stick your head in the freezer.

melonhead: the way i see it is if you're by yourself at home, why not go commando? but like the first rule of nudism, always carry a towel!  personally though, i enjoy the security of feeling clothing against my skin, so i'm an advocate of minimal clothing during the summer at home: guys in shorts (but not the super short kind), and girls in soffes & spaghetti straps.

thetotoromonster: If you're in your home, how much clothing you wear isn't toosocial/public - but more private - so I think this depends on your living situation.  If I were walking around at my house in California (a.k.a. living with other people/my parents), I would at least wear a tank top and shorts, but when I was walking around my Keeney single last summer (a.k.a. living alone), I wore less.  In my apartment, it'll be back to the "living with others" rule.  Important note: it really matters how much other people see you wear.  Close the shades; also, put on clothes if you're answering the door.

Joses: As little as you are willing to be photographed in.

5. Which is the worse first date movie choice: Juno or Passion of the Christ?

Scott: At least with "Juno" you can transition into asking fun, if far-fetched questions that have some informative value--like, "What would you do if you had an unplanned pregnancy?"  "What do you fear most about pregnancy?"  "Is there a stupider term for friend than 'home slice'?"  Try getting a transition like that out of The Passion.  But on the other hand, maybe the girl will think you're SO sensitive and spiritual if she's sees you crying.  That seems to work all the time on Christian girls, they love that "sensitive" emo type.  But when you tear up you gotta make it look artful.  None of that shaky, moany, haphazardly suck-in-the-air theatrics, you need just the right amount of emasculation.

Angrygirl: I haven't watched Passion of the Christ, but I think it might be good to gauge how a potential significant other reacts to intense emotion, how high/low their violence threshold is, and how willing they are to take a risk and watch a movie that is reputed to be very intense. The only thing that makes Juno inappropriate is the teen pregnancy theme but otherwise it's fairly predictable in a off-beat indie kinda way. At least with Passion of the Christ you'll have lots to talk about...?

melonhead: juno. all i remember about it is that some teenager gets knocked up & then falls for some old guy?!  at least if you watch passion of the christ you guys can delve into deep, theological discussions and see if ya'll agree on the importance & validity of the Gospel. and ... he could potentially win her over by telling her how his love for her is like jesus' love for the church, b/c he's willing to lay down his life for her - yknow, by being mocked, beaten, tortured, humiliated, & crucified. or he might just really creep her out & lose any chance w/ her.

thetotoromonster: I haven't seen Passion of the Christ yet.  Actually, Ryan and I were planning to watch it together, so I can let you know how that date goes in comparison to watching Juno.  I don't really like Juno though.

Joses: If you're on a first date with Ellen Page, Juno is the biggest movie choice mistake you'll ever make. You're reminding her of her Oscar nomination for Best Actress, but she lost that prize to Marion Cotillard, her Inception co-star. (Which also eliminates Inception as another first date movie choice for you and Ellen.) An appropriate first date movie for you and Ellen would be Whip It.

If you're taking Monica Belluci out instead, Passion of the Christ is perfect, because a good part of Monica's film career is pretty erotically charged and wholly unsuitable for a first date.  (Although maybe the Passion is too. Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island crew thought so.) Another good first-date choice with Monica would be Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre.

If, unlike me, you don't date Hollywood stars, Passion of the Christ is worse. Always go for the humorous movie. 

About the Panelists: Scott Yi is a seminary student and the author of sacredraisincakes.com.  His dream is to go the Special Olympics and boo all the contestants.  Which I guess means his dream is to crush other people's dreams. / Angrygirl is a DC yuppie. / melonhead is a sleep-deprived medical student with a cold, who is still achy from moving into her new apartment and is ecstatic that summer vacation is only one exam & less than 24 hours away. / thetotoromonster is a boring person who likes to take pictures of food, boyfriend, and squirrels. you can read more about her boring life and see more pictures of squirrels at yourveryownsvi.tumblr.com. / Joses Ho is working towards a DPhil in neuroscience. Likes to read his Bible highly caffeinated and slightly intoxicated.