The only site I'll ever need...

[Dave B]

Oh yeah, I'm laughing. I guess we're trying to figure out the significance of only referring to him as "spouse". Sounds kind of formal to me. Almost like she's de-personalizing him. I don't think she's weird, just seems a little beat-down, which is understandable for a 26-year old trying to go to school raise a kid ("spouse" or not) and working as a nurse with convicts. Nice girl, just kinda gotta crack the shell a little.  

[Oleg]

No, it is not me.

No, she doesn't have any of the things Andre is asking about (as far as we know; only the cat is a mystery).

Not sure about a brother.

There is no conjugal visit trailer.

Yeah, I'd say she's pretty hot.

I say you cockblock your buddy and take her for yourself.

I mean, after you find out about whether or not she's single.

TDubbs'd.

[Andre Dawson's Creek]

No, it is not me.

No, she doesn't have any of the things Andre is asking about (as far as we know; only the cat is a mystery).

Not sure about a brother.

There is no conjugal visit trailer.

Yeah, I'd say she's pretty hot.

Did any of this make you laugh, though?

The sad thing is when I think of people using the word spouse or any other vague sense of the term, I think of KurtEvans.

Maybe she's just weird. Like KurtEvans.

She's Canadian and wears a leather rope belt on jorts?

I have all the answers I need.

[Tinker to Evers to Chance]

No, it is not me.

No, she doesn't have any of the things Andre is asking about (as far as we know; only the cat is a mystery).

Not sure about a brother.

There is no conjugal visit trailer.

Yeah, I'd say she's pretty hot.

Did any of this make you laugh, though?

The sad thing is when I think of people using the word spouse or any other vague sense of the term, I think of KurtEvans.

Maybe she's just weird. Like KurtEvans.

She's Canadian and wears a leather rope belt on jorts?

I have all the answers I need.

Get her a nice beltwatch for her birthday and let nature take its course.

[Eli]

Here's one I thought I'd throw out to you guys because I know I'll get some interesting thoughts/analysis, some good and some attempts at humor. I am stumped and have a hard time coming up with an opinion (a rarity). I hate to turn this into an "advice column ("Dear Desipio") but it is the only site I'll ever need.

Anyway, a buddy/co-worker (a male) has been e-mailing a female co-worker for a couple of weeks. At first, it was work-related, but it fairly quickly turned into socializing. I've seen 75% of the e-mails (he gets/exchanges 2-4 per day from her), and she seemed to indicate that she was "so not a player" and joked about how one of her female co-workers always teased her about "another boyfriend" calling when the office phone would ring. Her response to all of that led my buddy (and me) to figure she was single (she also never wears a weeding ring). Then in a recent e-mail, she talked about her five-year old son and referred to her "spouse". We figured it was her way of getting her "story" out there, but other indications were that she may not be with him anymore. The e-mail exchanges continued, and she talked about a mutual friend of her and her "spouse". She has never used the term "husband" or "ex", only "spouse". She's only 26-27 and your garden-variety juco graduate with a nursing background, so the sole use of the term "spouse" has us confused since it doesn't appear she is trying to be "proper". I'm sure he'll find out one of these days what the deal is, but it's hard to do without looking shady or nosy. In the meantime, I'm at a loss on how to read this, and he's equally confused.

Any thoughts?

Have your buddy do a little detective work.  Maybe probe a bit more by saying things like, "Are you married?" and "When you say 'spouse,' are you referring to your husband?"  That could offer some clues about the confusion.

[Al Czervik]

Oh yeah, I'm laughing. I guess we're trying to figure out the significance of only referring to him as "spouse". Sounds kind of formal to me. Almost like she's de-personalizing him. I don't think she's weird, just seems a little beat-down, which is understandable for a 26-year old trying to go to school raise a kid ("spouse" or not) and working as a nurse with convicts. Nice girl, just kinda gotta crack the shell a little.  

Possibly married or vaguely committed to "someone".  Has a kid.  CoWorker.

Strike 3 Dave.  He should steer clear and not email anything inappropriate to this disaster waiting to happen.  Tell your boy to move on.  And stop with the emailing.  He's wasting his time and energy and there is a hard copy of his efforts if he is trying.

Don't even worry if she is legally married or not.  Forget about it.

This is my advice and it is good advice.  It will also be ignored.

[Al Yellon]

Wait. I got confused. Are you trying to decide if she's married, or if she's married to a dude?

[powen01]

Intrepid Reader:  Biz Markie

Did you not listen to the words of my song, Dave?

[Dave B]

Oh yeah, I'm laughing. I guess we're trying to figure out the significance of only referring to him as "spouse". Sounds kind of formal to me. Almost like she's de-personalizing him. I don't think she's weird, just seems a little beat-down, which is understandable for a 26-year old trying to go to school raise a kid ("spouse" or not) and working as a nurse with convicts. Nice girl, just kinda gotta crack the shell a little.  

Possibly married or vaguely committed to "someone".  Has a kid.  CoWorker.

Strike 3 Dave.  He should steer clear and not email anything inappropriate to this disaster waiting to happen.  Tell your boy to move on.  And stop with the emailing.  He's wasting his time and energy and there is a hard copy of his efforts if he is trying.

Don't even worry if she is legally married or not.  Forget about it.

This is my advice and it is good advice.  It will also be ignored.

I agree. We talked about a lot of those scenarios. He won't do anything inappropriate (at least I don't think so). It's just a case of curiosity about the "spouse" reference as much as anything. She called him by name in a conversation with another person about the kid being dropped off at a house by the bus after school. But in dealings with my friend, she has only used the term "spouse" and has only mentioned it twice.

Eli's advice about doing "detective work" makes sense on the surface, but the guy is a little concerned about coming right out with it. I think he'd rather find out gradually, but I warned him that it will only cause him more time and "worry" (for lack of a better term).

No news today, by the way. I'm too goddam grouchy about the Cubs situation to worry about him.

[Thrillho]

No news today, by the way. I'm too goddam grouchy about the Cubs situation to worry about him.

Keep us posted.

[Quality Start Machine]

Intrepid Reader:  Biz Markie

Did you not listen to the words of my song, Dave?

Hey Mom, what's for dinner?

[Dave B]

No news today, by the way. I'm too goddam grouchy about the Cubs situation to worry about him.

Keep us posted.

I'm not even sure if he's here today. And to top it off, after lunch I have to go interview a Vietnamese kid who stabbed another Asian kid outside of bar for simply driving the wrong way down a street and pulling into a driveway (a cop witnessed the whole thing). This should be good.

[Kerm]

Intrepid Reader:  Biz Markie

Did you not listen to the words of my song, Dave?

Hey Mom, what's for dinner?

Go up your nose and pick yourself a winner.

[Quality Start Machine]

Intrepid Reader:  Biz Markie

Did you not listen to the words of my song, Dave?

Hey Mom, what's for dinner?

Go up your nose and pick yourself a winner.

You complete me.

[Wheezer]

In the Hints from Heloise department, does anyone have any experience giving cats transdermal medications?  I have the cat and the "stuff," but I really suspect there's an aspect of technique here that I don't understand, in particular what part of the ear the "inner pinna" really is.