trinacriabob

You pretty much can judge a book by its cover. Within 1 minute, I know if the salesperson (cars, real estate, consumer durables) is someone that suits me and that I want to earn my commission. They have to be knowledgeable, somewhat polished and not be pushy. I sometimes run into people who don't know much. I've had to explain the VVT concept to some salespeople. They didn't even know it was under the hood of the cars they were selling. If someone comes and starts talking down to me or getting real back-slappy right away, I check out. I'm thinking: act like a sales professional...it's the profession you chose, after all. I decide when and how much I want to write a check for every month. There are others out there who don't have as much restraint in this area. A salesperson who is going to decide for me has lost the sale. (By the way, the realtor lady who is married to the doctor KEEPS calling me all the way across the US -- thus, she lost a potential sale a LOOOOONNNNNGGG time ago). I absolutely hate lingo like "how'd ya like to driving this off the lot today?" as you barely walk up to a car. What's going through my head is "f*** you." Basically: A good salesperson knows their product, HELPS you buy what it is you are looking for, can size up who they are dealing with and adjust their performance accordingly.

Thanks for letting us know. Were you fairly close to your Dad? Have your other siblings been helping out as well? As time goes on, you'll remember and rely on the good things and good memories like tmp said up above.

The Midwest is pretty down to earth. In fact, when at U of I, some of the people I got along with better were from the smaller areas of Illinois than from Chicago proper (especially those North Shore types - sorry, I'm from LA and the North Shore doesn't impress me much). The electrical engineer I work with the most is from Iowa...Catholic high school and all...and I work very well with him. I would have to say that the main bitch is the lack of topography and that you can see for too far. I swear I must be agoraphobic because openness and flatness really does a number on me. The desert has the same effect for me, unless it's fringed by mountains. That's why I left Champaign-Urbana within hours of my last final exam. Happiness is landing in Montreal within 48 hours. Yes!

Curtis

capellini (that's the Italian word for that type of pasta)

cannelloni (veal and mushroom, preferably)

meatballs

Understood...that's why I will be in Quebec 3 days from now. I hope there is still some color left.

matzah crackers (sp?)

Spoken like 2 dyed-in-the-wool Southern Californians. Sexual comments from nippy Pennsylvania and materialistic comments from So. Cal. --- so what else is new here?

You are the 'effin coolest. Good Gawd. Where did you find that? I was looking at Oldsmobile and Buick and dying laughing. I was so sorry that 1975 and 1976 Oldsmobile brochures were not there! My first automotive love was the 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme or Cutlass Salon coupe...bar none! But I couldn't drive then so I pressed my nose against the glass and made a spot on the window! Our next door neighbors got one and I would freeze in my tracks to watch it turn into the driveway or hear it purr as they pulled up their sloped driveway. "It's a Good Feeling to Have an Olds Around You." But I did go to 1977. Check out the Brougham seating in the Cutlass line that has the "tuxedo stripe" plump velour seats. It's killer! Both beautiful and super gaudy that you don't know what to think! THANKS. Still scratching my head as to why some years would be missing.

Now even Z is starting to tread on thin ice....

veggie burger

round-up

Lawn Guyland

January River (they actually thought it was the mouth of a river which they discovered on January 1st, but it was merely Guanabara Bay). My response to the thread: Sao Paolo

Rio de Janeiro

Well, P, what's to stop you now! You still can...better you than a boa constrictor... It looks like BV as been left as the sole picture post wh*r* on the board...where did Mute go? That one had an overly inflated sense of importance.

I concur to the "yuck" portion ... note that I edited out the other smilies you chose!

Agreed. That Toro is bitchen. It takes true GM aficionados to extol its virtues. I did have the pleasure of driving one. After college, I am in South Florida (FLL) visiting a friend who took a job there. Had a Grand Am size car reserved and they were low on cars---"How would you like a Toronado?" ---I'm thinking "Is Eddie Murphy black?". It was great and the trestle shifter feels awesome. The steering wheel is oddly composed, no doubt, and the number of little buttons is annoying. As DN90 said, someone liked the looks of the 90-92 better. Agreed again. Of the FWD era, the early 90s were the best looking! I just don't remember if those had a trestle shifter. (It's referred to as a trestle shifter). And that burgundy interior, "effin' A" --- God, I love it --- bring back the burgundies and the blues for the interiors --- General, what are you waiting for? I have burgundy cloth right now and it makes for a nicer driving environment than does tan or gray.

I think those are called: My response to thread: doilies (sp) (I once saw something where they had mininature windmills that actually rotated, placed about where the aureola would be)

Cher needs to come over to T.O. and do what she did to Nicholas Cage in "Moonstruck" and then say: "Snap out of it"

I concur.

Jiffy Lube

Don't really dig it ... like "I Love L.A." a LOT better. Response to thread: Los Angeles