Hi, I call myself Ignatz after Dan Herriman's character in the old "Krazy Kat" comic strip. I'm 44, father of 3, husband to one, crazy about music and books and food and movies and history and martial arts. I've had some wild and crazy times in my life, and I figure I might as well put in some of my perspective.
I promise not to talk down to anyone or make fun,and I promise not to BS anyone. If you're old enough to ask a frank question, you're old enough to get a frank answer. Oh, and if you ask me a question directly, please be patient. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. My life's a bit hectic. :-)
Gender: Male
Location: St. Louis, MO
Occupation: Professional dad
Age: 44
Member Since: October 29, 2007
Answers: 328
Last Update: January 23, 2015
Visitors: 35620
Main Categories:
Cooking
Music
Love Life
View All
|
| |
I'm a 26 year old male would-be author who hasn't been able to find work in the year since he graduated, nor got his book that he worked on published.
I feel like a drain on my family, friends, love life and so on.
I feel like a failure in every sense of the word. And I feel as if I lost faith in so many things, mostly myself, and that my life has run its course as far as mattering goes.
How can I regain my will to try, to persist, to basically live? (link)
|
My advice: circumvent the publishing industry entirely. Put your novel on the internet. David Wellington (www.brokentype.com/davidwellington) wrote a snappy horror novel that no publishing house would touch. He posted it, one chapter at a time, on a friend's website. It became hugely popular, and generated such buzz that Random House picked it up and published it a couple years back.
Scott Sigler, J.C. Hutchins, Mur Laffery, and Matthew Wayne Selznick all have gotten publishing contracts after posting audio versions of their novels on podiobooks.com. (Check out "Playing for Keeps", it's a riot.) The first step is to get people to read your stuff. If you wait for some drone to pick your novel out of a slush pile, you'll starve. Get your material out into the public and see what happens. It doesn't matter what work you do to keep body and soul together, as long as you keep writing.
Hope this helps.
|
|
hey im 17 and my skin is dark n places like under my arm and down below ya probs thinking i dont wash i had bath twice a day and i never smell i realy scrub myself and it just wont go away is there anything i can use to get rid off this its not nice i make myself blees because i just think im drity its soo annoying (link)
|
Have the dark patches appeared just recently, or have they been around for a long time? Skin discolorations can symptoms of diseases such as vitiligo, or they can just be variations in your skin pigment. Do they itch or hurt? Feel numb compared to other parts of your body?
Please, don't hurt yourself trying to get rid of them. Depending on what they are, there may be simple medical treatments, or you may need cosmetic surgery. If you're really concerned, talk to a dermatologist.
Hope this helps.
|
i'm wanting to learn guitar, but I'm left handed. is it possible for me to get a guitar and have people take the strings off and make it into a left handed guitar? and also do you know of any good instructional dvds that are specifically for left handed people on the acoustic guitar?
any other information regarding guitars would be appreciated. (link)
|
There are left-handed guitars available; most music stores have them. It is possible to restring a standard guitar for the left hand: the bridge and nut have to be removed and turned upside down so that the strings are right. This can run into money.
There are two other options: one is to copy Jimi Hendrix and learn to play upside down. The other, if you're reasonably good with simple hand tools, is to make a strumstick (3-string guitar)or cigar-box guitar. There are a number of websites and at least one Yahoo! group devoted to the subject. They're easy to make, easy to play, and if it worked for Muddy Waters and Lightning Hopkins, it'll work for you. If it doesn't work, you're out $10 in materials rather than an expensive acoustic guitar.
Hiope this helps.
|
male 17 year old! I am considering doing sprints at my school since they have a good track team. I wanna get in shape because I definitely have not worked out regularly since last june. Do you have any suggestions for a work out that I can do? I am considering doing weights and running...but I really would like a suggestion.
Thanks (link)
|
Whenever you design a workout routine for yourself, it's best to keep in mind what you're trying to accomplish. If you're going out for the track team, you'll need to emphasize cardiovascular health and endurance over, say, big honkin' muscles. (Too much mass can be detrimental to a runner.)
I'd emphasize wind sprints, jumping rope, and plyometrics. You'll get a lot of bang from your buck by doing interval training: run full tilt boogie for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds, repeat until you collapse from exhaustion. Some weight training can be useful, especially if you'll be in events requiring upper body strength (shot-put, pole vault, discus, etc.) But your main focus should be on the running. I would also talk to the track coach for more advice.
Hope this helps.
|
|
can anyone tell me some good excersises to have that go away? thanks in advance:) (link)
|
Diamond pushups will hit your triceps really hard. Take a pushup postition, but instead of placing your hands under your shoulders, place them so just the thumb and forefingers touch. The space in the middle should look like an elongated diamond. 2-3 sets of ten reps every day will start tightening up that poriton of your arms.
Another option is chair dips. Sit on the edge of a chair with your legs extended before you and your hands gripping the front corners of the seat. Ease yourself forward so your weight is borne on your heels and hands. Dip your weight down until your elbows are bent at right angles, then push up.
Hope this helps.
|
Hi,
I'm a guy, 15, and I did karate for 5 years from age 7 to 12, and I quit because the only reason my is was attending was because my dad was making me go. Right now I want to start training, but I don't want to go back to my old one. I'm looking for a studio that's for people that want to train seriously, and not a place in the center of town where kids join and quit all the time, and it's more like all you have to do to get a black belt is attend, and not get good. My last studio was like this and basically it was more like a place for kids to run around and play and parents to have fun dressing there kid up in a karate uniform. I want to go to good, traditional place where you can really train hard and get good. Does anyone have any advice on how I could find a place like this? I remember watching the movie Never Back Down, and it really made me want more than ever to start training again. The way the people trained in the movie is an example of kind of what I'm looking for.. (link)
|
As a connoisseur of dojos and training halls, I can tell you this: be picky. Visit the school, observe classes, talk with the teacher. Ask why he/she picked this particular system. Ask who he studied under (note the name and Google it later) and what associations he's affiliated with. Watch the advanced students as well as the beginners. Are they obviously skilled? Are there a lot of adults there, or is it mostly kids? Does the school make a big deal about winning tournaments? Do they require you to sign a contract?
A "belt factory" school like the one you studied at will usually make a big deal about wining tournaments and promise you a black belit in 2 or 3 years. (It took me 10 years to earn mine, and I trained traditional old-school Shotokan.) Your best bet for serious martial arts is a place that isn't too flashy, that trains mostly adults, and doesn't compete in tournaments too much. Another alternative is high-school wrestling; wrestling will give you the hard training you're looking for, and wrestling does have applications as a combative art. Look up the "Farmer Burns" course on the sandowplus.co.uk site.
Hope this helps.
|
|
My boyfriend and I have been trying to have a baby for over a year now. I haven't been on birth control in over a year and he never wears a condom but still, nothing! I'm just wondering for all you mothers out there, is there something we are doing wrong? I've heard you can only get pregnant when an egg releases and that they only release on your period. Does that mean that if we have sex on my period, I'll get pregnant? I don't smoke or drink or anything harmful. I've talked to doctors, but they just gave me vitamins to take. I'm not sure what we're doing wrong =/ Any help please! Thanks in advance. (link)
|
First thing to consider are your cycles. Are you menstruating regularly? If you are, then you're ovulating regularly. The egg is released anywhere from 10-14 days before your period starts, and is viable for about five or six days. The trick is finding out when you're ovulating.
When my wife and I were trying for our first baby, she started tracking her basal temperature. She took her temperature first thing in the morning, before she got up and moved around. She did this for a couple of months. When her basal temperature dropped a degree or two, she was ovulating. This is commonly known as the rhythym method; there are plenty of articles on the subject. Have sex every night for at least a week when you find out that you're ovulating, and that should work.
Hope this helps.
|
|
what are some creative things i can do for entertainment when im around my house. alone. i feel like im always on the computer. i need some ideas . id like to be more productive this year. (link)
|
build a cigar box guitar and learn to play Delta blues on it.
$20 in materials is all it takes.
|
Two Terrible Two questions...
Can you explain what the terrible twos are, exactly?
My toddler is not two, yet his behavior makes me wonder if this is what the terrible twos is.
And if it he is experiencing the terrible twos at not yet a year and a half old, do I seriously have this to look forward to for another year?
He's a very sweet boy, but my word, does he have his moments...
Please... Share your experiences and your advice.
I just don't know what to do some days. (link)
|
What Maggy said. Really. Every kid is different, and every kid will move into that 'pushing the boundaries' phase at a different time. Part of the problem is communication; your son may be frustrated that he can't tell you what he wants in a clear fashion. Advocates af baby sign language claim that kids are calmer if they can sign what they want instead of trying to communicate verbally. (It works pretty well with my own son, who's nearly three and has a speech delay.)
One thing we do is walk away when he throws a tantrum. If he's doing it to get attention, he'll stop after a few moments.
Hope this helps.
|
my birthday is coming up in june.
i wanna go out to eat. i live in saint louis, any suggestions on where it would be good to go out to eat and get all dressed up? (link)
|
Depends, what do you like to eat? (I'm local, BTW, so I know whereof I speak!) Also, is money a factor?
Trattoria Marcella in Webster Groves is very good for Italian, if a bit pricey. For killer Chinese food and elegant surroundings, go to Wei Hong Seafood Company in University City (they redid an old movie theater. It's gorgeous in there!) For good Mexican, Pueblo Solis on Hampton south of 44. If you're looking to go a bit exotic, try Cafe Brasil or Bacana, both Brazilian churrasco places. Very tasty food. For really exotic, try Meskerem (Ethiopian) or Sameem (Afghani) or Cafe Natasha (Persian) on South Grand. (Stay away from Al Smith's Feasting Fox; it's a ptomaine palace).
For more ideas, go to www.riverfronttimes.com and click on the 'Restaurants' link. You can find restaurant reviews going back ten years at least.
Hope this helps! And Happy Birthday! (So where'd you go to high school?)
|
13/f
what can i read for the summer thats somewhere from 200-500 pages long? i need some good quality interesting books that ill like (link)
|
"Stardust" by Neil Gaiman (The movie did it no justice)
"Little Brother" by Cory Doctorow (great thriller, and very timely. Best of all, you can download it for free at craphound.com/littlebrother)
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams (funny. nuff said.)
"Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (also funny)
"The Crying of Lot 49" by Thomas Pynchon (classic conspiracy-theory book. also very funny.)
|
|
What are some amazing classics? I'm thinking along the lines of Pride and Prejudice or A Tale of Two Cities. (But not those because I have already read them... i love them.) I need ones that I will thoroughly enjoy reading. (link)
|
"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas is thoroughly amazing, arguably Dumas' best work. Also definitely read "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. "Lazarillo de Tormes" is a very funny book, and well worth tracking down. And if you want small, easy to digest bits of weirdness, read Edgar Allan Poe.
Hope this helps.
|
|
I have been involved with my x-husband for 17 years now. We were married for 5 years and have been divorced for 2 years now. He has become so distant, and boring. We don't talk anymore, or do anything anymore and everytime I try to talk to him about our future he changes the subject. We used to talk about everything all the time. We were best friends. He doesn't answer any of my emails from work anymore. He doesn't call me on his lunch or breaks anymore. The only thing he wants to do when we have free time is sleep. Everytime I ask what he would like to do, he responds saying whatever you want to do, or whatever you want to eat. He asked me to remarry him 10 months ago, but I said No, I needed time. Now when I try to discuss the subject, he completly ignores me. Is this relationship over? When we aren't at work, we are always together so I don't think he is seeing anyone else. He has in the past, but I don't think he does it now. Does he not want me anymore. He shows differently than he speaks. What should I do? How should I address or approach it? (link)
|
If I may be frank... this relationship is over. It's flat on it's back, hooked up to life support, waiting for somebody to pull the plug. It seems to me that he wants to get out, but doesn't want to actually stand up and do it. He's waiting for you to make the move. That's why he's boring you to death.
Life is too short to spend it with someone who bores the heck out of you. You definitely don't need someone who lacks the intestinal fortitude to take a decisive action and live with it.
Hope this helps.
|
Have been married for 24 years and happily (Female). We have a great sex life,lots of varied, fantasy even porn often initiated by me, but my husband love to go along and always has. I have found that he has been going to Porn sites sometimes daily, even after we have had sex. I guess I can understand this and live with it on the one hand, but it does make me feel a little inadequate (Actually I'm a pretty well kept and hot good looking 45 year old) What really bothers me is that I gentle confronted him a number of times, saying that I look at porn does he? Even taking him to some sites together that I know he has been to, during sex play. He refuses to admit that he looks at porn. What does this mean? What should I do?
He's lying and that hurts (link)
|
Okay, my 2 cents:
A lot of men like to maintain a private fantasy life. They may be getting more a$$ that a toilet seat, but they'll still go look at pictures of pretty women that they have no chance of meeting in real life. It doesn't mean he finds you less attractive, it's just that he likes a little variety in his mind's eye. You say that your sex life is satisfying, so he's obviously not letting his consumption of porn interfere with that.
The root of the problem is his lying. Why is he doing it? He may not want to offend you with his personal tastes, or be trying to maintain the image of 'enlightened, sensitive husband who doesn't look at other women'.
I would confront him gently: tell him you know he looks at porn, and that he doesn't have to hide it from you, but you don't appreciate him lying to you about it. The consequences for future lying I'll leave up to you. :-)
Hope this helps.
|
17/f I just found out I am aneamic (sp?)
I have been vegetarian for 4 years and I am feeling really dizzy and a bit nauseaous lately. I can't even stand up and walk in a straight line without feeling dizzy.
I had a blood test and was found to have aneamia.
What foods should I be eating to fix this?
The only meat as such that I eat is fish and eggs. But I hardly ever eat these.
Does anyone know what I should be eating? (link)
| |
One more thing: cook in cast-iron pans. The trace iron you pick up will be minimal, but it's better for you than nonstick. Eat lots of greens, black-eyed peas, lentils, and peppers.
|
I need a religious/christian joke for a New Testament class tomorrow. It has to be pretty clean since its for school. Please help
Thanks. (link)
|
A man dies and goes to Heaven. St. Peter greets him, and sends him on a tour along with an angel. They come to a high wall, with a ladder leaning against it. "Go up the ladder and tell me what you see," says the angel. The man climbs up and sees a large field with large groups of people milling around and talking to each other. Perplexed, he climbs down and asks, "Who are those folks, and why are they behind the wall away from everyone else?"
"They're (Primitive Methodists/ Evangelicals/ Baptists/ pick your denomination). They think they're all alone up here."
Obvious point: Heaven is open, rather than exclusive. Some people want it to be an exclusive, gated club.
Hope this helps.
|
16/f/bisexual
okay.so i know this is gonna sound bad but please just give advice
so my girlfriend is 14 and a half
my mom found pictures we had taken of eachother not naked..but close
now shes saying we could get sued for stagatory rape?
idk this just doesnt make since to me
help me? (link)
|
Okay. First off, take a deep breath. Since you and your girlfriend are close in age, the "Romeo and Juliet" clause would apply here. Basically, it's not statutory rape as long as you're both under 18 and there's less than four years difference between you.
Depending on your state's laws, there could be some anti-sodomy statutes invoked if her parents really want to be mean about your relationship, but that would be a serious legal stretch and would invoke the ire of LGBT activists everywhere.
But like Razhie said, I'd cool it on the erotic photography until you're both 18. Given the current climate, right now almost any picture of an underage girl in a swimsuit or underwear could be considered pornographic, depending on context.
Hope this helps.
|
|
Anyone know any bands similar to Primus? They don't have to be strange, just something with unique time signatures and strange changes in rhythm. (link)
|
Hmmm... you want the weirdness, go with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Ol' Frank was a frustrated classical composer, and a lot of his music has weird time signatures and odd rhythmical change-ups. Soundgarden also did some unusual time signatures: "Rusty Cage" is something like 16/7, and "Spoonman" is 7/4. Look to the early albums like Screaming Life, Ultramega OK and Badmotorfinger. Rush also has a lot of polyrhythmic stuff in their earlier catalogue ("YYZ" is a perfect example.)
Hope this helps.
|
|
If you have sex at 15 does that mean you wont have kids when your older?? does it ruin the chance of having kids?? because i been hearing rumors that you wont be able to have kids or you will have complications having kids ..and espically having sex at 15 does that ruin any of your eggs? (link)
|
No, it won't. You may have some difficulty giving birth at 15 due to underdeveloped reproductive organs, but you won't have problems getting pregnant, either now or later. (It's actually very easy to get pregnant in your teens, unless you practice safe sex or abstinence.) Usual disclaimers apply; be good, if you can't be good, be safe.
Hope this helps.
|
i lost both of my parentss
& i was wonderin if you knew any good REST IN PEACE SONGS
other then the ones ..
slipped away
ill be missing you (link)
|
"Do You Realize" - The Flaming Lips
"If It Be Your Will" - Leonard Cohen
"It Won't Rain All the Time" - Jane Siberry
"Calling All Angels" - Jane Siberry
"What's Good" - Lou Reed (the entire Magic and Loss album deals with losing loved ones; check it out)
"Keep Me In Your Heart for a While" - Warren Zevon
All these are on YouTube, in some form or another. May your parents rest in peace, and may you find solace and comfort.
|
|