Thanks. I rarely got As when I was in school!

Good advice, but I guess my purpose is just a need to be able to share meaningful conversation with the people with whom I come in contact. I think, to do that, I would have to move to some place other than Conservative Central PA. The average persons here are vapid, stagnated and self-satisfied Trump voters! What can I say? That is why I think Agnostic is refreshing because, like you say one can find others who share one's interests. It's sort of like preaching to the choir but at least they listen and respond.

@fishline79 Hi Fishline. What would you like to have a meaningful conversation about? Let's give it a go!

You are on the right track....@fishline79

@Geoffrey51 I guess I'd have to think about that a bit. At the moment, I'm drawing a blank. I've just wrapped up a harrowing week of travel from one home to the other and am currently engaged in connecting the ravelled shards! (Too long a story.) I'll get back to you on that.

One thing you have to understand about me (well, you don't HAVE to) is that I am a writer, and people who write are not always literal, even if they are literary, if you get my drift. So what I was saying was more like a poem than a testimonial. It comes out of my feelings but I don't exactly expect it to be analyzed or remedied! My primary intent in most of my writing is humor, irony and satire. (Same reply could go to you, Geoffrey 51.)

@fishline79 I hope the harrowing abates soon. Two home travel sounds challenging enough without some Brit getting on your case! Hope you have a well-deserved chill out to get back to centre.

@fishline79 You had me rolling on the floor laughing.

@fishline79 Later

@nicknotes Sarcasm will get you nowhere.

@nicknotes, @Geoffrey51 My second home, where I now abide, is in Menorca. Being a Brit you might be familiar with it. In case you or any friends want to come for a stay, my rental property is on my website and I just heard that Ibiza is booked solid already but I have lots of time open this summer and Menorca is much nicer, anyway. See: davidfishel.net/menorcanhouse for info.

@fishline79 Thanks for that but I am in Australia now. I spent some time in Majorca in the 90's and not too fussed with the idea of IBIZA!. Not been to Menorca though. With two homes on different continents that is some travel plan to juggle. I hope you rest well

Thanks for the offer but I'm all booked up right now.@fishline79

@Geoffrey51 The airfare from home to home can be a killer. I've been to Hawaii several times and I go nuts being confined on an airplane for so many hours. I swore I'm never going back to Hawaii.

@Geoffrey51 Been doing it for 40 years but back then I wasn't 71! It doesn't get any easier and flying used to be much more relaxed. Terrorists have fucked up everything!

@fishline79 oh I know. All the palavar at check in and security. I went to Boston from London about 6 weeks after 9-11 and there was hardly anyone on the plane. Curiously the AA plane went down in the bay while I was there. A most surreal experience.

@Geoffrey51 We used to fly an airline called Spanair between Washington and Madrid. It was cheap and convenient (for us) and so easy to get to DC from Central Pennsylvania (unlike JFK! Five hours or more in horrible traffic). On 9/11 they were en route to USA and were intercepted and ordered to turn back and had to return to Madrid! They never flew that route again! We now have one option, as we travel with dogs. That is Iberia, which used to be good but now run by British Air and has gone to hell. Last week in one day 300 passengers had to claim lost luggage!

Recently I flew to Phoenix and I didn't have to take off my shoes. I think there is a new rule that older people don't have to de-shoe. @fishline79

@nicknotes May be. I haven't had to de-shoe for a year or two, come to think of it, although just a week ago, "Homeland Security" left a card in my luggage. I was carrying a framed piece of artwork, glass and all, and they broke the frame to take it apart. I can't imagine what they were looking for! Not a word of apology, of course.

@fishline79 that's not good! Interestingly my wife flew BA s few years ago and said the customer service and standard was in decline. We bought our springer spaniel to Austrslia with us and I must say the whole experience from drooping him off at the airport to the end of his 30 day quarantine was seamless. I can't fault the pricess at all

@Geoffrey51 We have two small dogs we only take in cabin. I would never trust them to baggage! And quarantine is out of the question.

@fishline79 They are gorgeous!

@Geoffrey51 This is my favorite. I call it "Referee's Position"

@fishline79 They are so adorable! One of my things is I don't trust anyone that doesn't like dogs or the blues. If they don't like either, walk the other way

@Geoffrey51 Good guage. I'n not sure who wrote the often used platitude. "The more I know of people, the more I like my dogs." (Or something like that) Also, how can anybody adhere to a religion that thinks dogs are unclean, and their saliva, poisionous?! If there's any book crazier than the Bible, it must be the Koran!

@fishline79 Yes, dogs get really bad rap in religion. Curiously toward the end of the Mahabharata, and this may be a bit wrong because it is some while since I was studying parts of it, Yudhisthira refuses to go to heaven because he can't take his dog with him. Or something like that. Totally agree. Heaven is where my dog is...or was. He passed nearly two years ago, a Springer but he was 14.

@Geoffrey51 As they say, "All dogs go to heaven" (metaphorically) We're the only beings on the planet who have "original sin"! Why the hell did we invent it?

@fishline79 Very good point, mate.

Oh Jesus, don't they make you feel ill, the pontificating twats! Thanks for that info