Feeling Gagged
Alexander S. Peak20 August 2006
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece contains language which may be offensive to some audiences. Reader discretion is advised.]
I’ve recently come around to the opinion that perhaps it would be best for people not to have a minimum wage. Previously, I’d been of the opinion that there should be one, but that it shouldn’t be raised. I could go into detail about why my mind has been changed, but that would likely take up a greater length of print than my reader is currently prepared to digest. I’ve also came around to the opinion that private charity really would be better for the poor that the government-provided ‘welfare’ currently offered. I came around to this opinion after listening to a chapter of Murray N. Rothbard’s For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto. Previously, it had been my opinion that we should have a small safety-net for workers. Now, although my overall political philosophy has not changed, and although I don’t hold these opinions hereinbefore expressed very strongly, it could still make for interesting discussion.
Feeling a bit exuberant this morning, I checked my AIM Buddy List and noticed that my sister was online. I was just about to instant message her with regards to minimum wage and welfare when I remembered that she does not enjoy discussing politics. Wishing not to upset her, I deleted what I’d written and wrote the following, so as to allow her to choose whether or not she was interested. I bring up nothing political in my message to her.
allixpeeke (10:17:57 AM): Within the past month, my political ideology has changed in two ways. If you wish to hear them, I can tell them to you; and if you prefer I keep my mouth shut and not bring up anything remotely related to politics right now, I'll keep my mouth shut. It's up to you.
Clearly, it was not my intent to upset her. I acknowledge openly in this first instant message my abundant willingness to drop the two topics immediately at her say-so. In other words, I leave the power fully in her hands. Thus, it is a very respectful message, as I’m sure my reader will agree. She replies by saying,
[Nikki] (10:18:24 AM): thats it
[Nikki] (10:18:28 AM): i cant talk to you anymoreSomehow, this seems a bit of an over-reaction. However, I don’t say this to her because, one again, I wish to remain respectful.
Since it’s now clear she doesn’t wish to hear about my newfound views on minimum wage or welfare, I’ve already dropped the two subjects, and vowed to myself not to bring either of them up again throughout the duration of the conversation. For all intensive purposes, the subjects had been, for me, dropped. I subsequently search for a new topic to discuss.
I consider discussing the fact that I’ve recently changed majors at college, but I realize that this, too, is a taboo subject, since the major to which I’ve now switched is political science. Wishing not to offend, I dutifully keep my mouth shut.
I consider discussing the fact that I recently got an article published on LewRockwell.com, but opt not to bring that up because the article, too, was political in nature.
And it should be obvious to all why I didn’t comment on current news, which has been focused on the health of a tyrant named Fidel Castro.
I finally settle on literature, a topic that seems to be fairly non-offensive, and I try to switch the conversation there. I write,
allixpeeke (10:19:52 AM): I presume that means you chose the latter option. Okay.
In other news, I'm on page 750 of a very thick book.
The book I’m currently reading is Atlas Shrugged, and although much of the plot is political, I figure this novel can fall under the subject of philosophy and thus easily avoid politics. After all, Ayn Rand did fancy herself a philosopher, and there is much to be said with regards to her philosophy, objectivism. Personally, I have disagreements with objectivism, but they’re usually metaphysical disagreements.
This book, which is over a thousand pages long, is by far the longest book I’ve ever read. I’ve never read a book even half this book’s length. In fact, previously, the longest book I’ve read has been 1984, which was a little over three-hundred pages. Considering that I am a slow reader, I’m in a manner of speaking proud of myself that I’ve been able to stick to this book as long as I have. It’s a remarkable accomplishment for me considering, as I’ve just stated, that I am a slow reader, and considering how boring parts of this book, specifically the more verbose parts, are. (That isn’t to say the book itself is boring. Moreover, it would have been better if it had been cut down a bit.)
[Nikki] (10:20:20 AM): your like a little kid alex
[Nikki] (10:20:24 AM): damn get out of the fuckign house
[Nikki] (10:20:35 AM): get out get laid and get a lifeShe’s clearly trying to hurt me for some reason. Luckily, I’m sort of immune to such attacks.
allixpeeke (10:23:15 AM): I'm out of the house five-to-seven days a week. I'm quite happy with my life. I even wrote an essay recently explaining why "get a life" is an absurd statement to make. If I'm "like a little kid," it's only in that I'm exuberant.
It’s really a rather cute little essay. I haven’t typed it up yet, but it’s been on my mind to do so.
[Nikki] (10:24:10 AM): you know its gay politicians like you that are the reason good people liek me and my fellow soldier dont make any money
Nikki has clearly made the first political statement in this whole conversation.
There’s an obvious flaw in this: I’m not a politician. A politician is one who’s been elected. I’ve yet to even run for office. I would explain this, but I worry that it might come off as sounding rude. Besides, if I were to say this, it would be a political statement, and I’m trying not to make any political statements. So, instead, I bite my tongue.
[Nikki] (10:24:41 AM): before going on and on about how war is wrong and bush is a scam ask yourself why the congress gave themselves not 1 not 2 but 10 pay raises last year
[Nikki] (10:24:49 AM): and declined the military request for pay raiseAs everyone knows, fiscal-conservatives such as myself hate it when Congress gives itself a raise. If I were elected to Congress, I would always vote to decrease our pay, not to increase it.
I don’t say this, however, at this point because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
Nikki clearly assumes I don’t care about Congress giving itself a raise. She also assumes I plan to “go on and on about how war is wrong.” It’s always bad policy to make assumptions about people. In reality, I support the Revolutionary War of 1776, our involvement in World War II, and our war in Afghanistan. So, yes, I do believe war can be, at times, a necessary evil.
I don’t say this, however, because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
I have no clue what she could mean by Bush being a “scam.” She appears to assume that I hold a blind hatred for President Bush, which I obviously don’t. In fact, I support very strongly the Bush tax-cuts, although I do wish they had been accompanied by spending-cuts as well.
I don’t say this, however, because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
However, it’s worth noting that if she’s upset at Congress giving itself a pay raise, as she should be, she should then also be upset at the President for not vetoing this pay raise, which was well within his power to do so each and every time they raised it.
I don’t say this, however, because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
allixpeeke (10:25:02 AM): Nikki, don't assume things about me.
Because I was afraid to say anything remotely political, this is all I said to her at this point. It would have been so much easier to point out her flaws in her assumptions about me, but doing so would necessitate that I make a political statement. So far in this conversation, I have managed to not make a single political statement, and since I wished to continue showing my sister respect, I continued to keep my mouth shut.
[Nikki] (10:25:10 AM): your a fucking snake alex
Somehow, I get the distinct impression that she isn’t as concerned with showing me respect as I am with showing her respect. But, alas, what am I to do?
[Nikki] (10:25:24 AM): all politicians are snakes and you just want to bitch abotu the best government in the worls
[Nikki] (10:25:31 AM): world* because your a spoiled bitchIf only she knew how much I agreed with her statement that “all politicians are snakes.” I didn’t comment on this, however, for fear of sounding too political.
But to say that all I want to do is “bitch” about government? I’m quite sure what I want to do is to allow the free market to handle those things at which the government is inherently inefficient at handling. To say that I “bitch” is to imply that I offer no constructive advice for improvement. I would say that my stance that persons should be free to opt out of social security is quite constructive. I would say that my stance that overregulation hurts business and thus hurts the economy contains the inherent suggestion that we deregulate. I would say that my stance that we should decriminalize victimless crimes so as to allow police to focus on true crimes (e.g. theft, rape, murder, child-abuse) is a mighty thoughtful and constructive position.
Inherent in virtually every political stance I hold is a solution aimed at improvement. Further, only the true patriot ever makes suggestions for improvement, for how can one be a patriot if he or she fails to care about his or her country? If I wished, I could, of course, quite the American revolutionary Thomas Paine who wrote, “It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from the government.” But, I’d be afraid that this statement would be misunderstood, which would get us nowhere.
And, besides, all of this would be inherently political. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
There’s another fallacy in her assumptions, of course. That being the assumption that my sole focus is on problems here in America, an assumption which amounts to, “You don’t care about the problems in other countries.”
I’ll be the first to point out, of course, that other countries have horribly repressive governments. For an obvious example, look at North Korea, a socialist dictatorship run by Kim Jong-Il. Or look at the theocratic dictatorship of Iran. Uzbekistan, China, Venezuela, Liberia: all of these places suck, to speak bluntly. Even so-called “progressive” states such as France have horrible governments. Take a look at their employment laws which, instead of helping to encourage employment, actually stifle employment. They wouldn’t have that problem if they adopted a laissez-faire policy.
I don’t say any of this, however, because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
Also, her comment that I was a “spoiled bitch” seems to come out of the blue. Isn’t “spoiled” what conservatives call leftists? Obviously, I am no leftist (unless you accept Rothbard’s description of the political spectrum, which the conservatives who use this term certainly do not). To be sure, I’m more laissez-faire than your typical conservative, so the statement seemed quite ill-placed.
I don’t say any of this, however, because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
Still, at this point, I have to say something political, because it’s the only way to counter the stereotypes she clearly holds regarding my beliefs. So, trying to find the least offensive thing I can say, I write,
allixpeeke (10:25:38 AM): I've been opposed to Congress giving itself raises long before you ever joined the military.
This is the first and only political statement I made during this entire conversation I had with my sister. My view is clearly expressed: I oppose Congress giving itself raises. Yes, after seven minutes and forty seconds of holding my tongue, I brought up one quick, small view I held so as to defend myself from the barrage of assumptions being thrown at me. I continue, however, to hold my tongue on every other conceivably-political topic, all out of respect for my sister.
[Nikki] (10:25:57 AM): what do you want? a cookie?
allixpeeke (10:26:33 AM): I want you to stop being so mean. You're acting like I'm against you or something.I felt like further saying that I want her to acknowledge to herself that the stereotypes she holds about me are inaccurate, and that she really doesn’t know where I stand on issues. But, I thought that might take things too far. Since I obviously don’t want there to be any animosity between us, I omit any comments which may be misinterpreted. After all, it’s quite easy to misinterpret someone over instant messenger, as anyone who’s ever used instant messenger can verify.
[Nikki] (10:26:53 AM): Alex how many times have I told you not to EVER talk to me abotu politics
[Nikki] (10:27:10 AM): not even ask if its ok because the answer is no
allixpeeke (10:27:20 AM): That's why I told you that it was up to YOU whether you wanted to hear my two changes or not. I left that up to YOU.
[Nikki] (10:27:29 AM): but you INSIST on somehow squeexing it in thereActually, as the reader can see, I work excruciatingly hard to squeeze it out of there, not in there. The problem is that virtually everything going on in my life is somehow related to politics.
For the past couple of years, for example, I’ve been the President of the College Libertarians of Towson. I don’t believe I ever brought this up, however, despite how much joy it brought to me, simply because it’s a political organization. I certainly never brought up any of the events we worked on, or any of the events we’re planning. (For example, we’re planning to hold a gun-rights event this semester in association with the Towson College Republicans. But Nikki knows nothing about this because I’ve, respectfully, kept my mouth shut about it.)
Of course, I don’t point out how very much I squeeze out because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
[Nikki] (10:27:51 AM): and a month ago when you did this shit i told you, you say one word about politics ever again im not talkign to you
[Nikki] (10:27:59 AM): so there ya go, blame yourself
allixpeeke (10:28:46 AM): I didn't say any word about politics. All I said is that my ideas have changed, and if you want to hear them, you can.For the record, she has made, at this point, no less than four political statements. She’s clearly the one that, in this conversation, insists on continuing talking about politics. I had, as I’ve pointed out before, dropped it.
My one and only political statement A) was made after she had already made four political statements, B) was made in defense of myself after she implied I held a stance I didn’t hold, and C) was in total agreement with her first political statement.
For the sake of the reader, let us now recap the four political statements Nikki has made hereinbefore:
1. Congress should not give itself so many raises.
2. Congress should give military personnel raises.
3. All politicians are snakes.
4. The United States federal government is the best government in the world.
My one and only political statement has been:
1. Congress should not ever give itself a raise.
As the reader can see, despite my holding many varied views, I have omitted nearly all of them, save for one, out of respect for my sister, and out of fear of her overreacting, as it appears to me she is, anyway.
I was still wishing at this point that the subject would change to one which wouldn’t be found as upsetting by my sister, but before I could reply asking for a subject she feels comfortable discussing, she replied with,
[Nikki] (10:29:14 AM): all the bitchign you and the other politician scum bags do need to thank a fuckign vet. Lets see i do believe that is a topic of politics and i really dtn give a shit of what your views are
Let’s ignore for a second that gerunds can’t “thank” anyone and just assume that she means that I and the “other” politicians need to thank a veteran. Let’s further ignore that I’m not a politician, and that thus her use of the term “other” is out of place.
Why should I only thank a single veteran? Should I not, instead, thank every single veteran who ever fought in the revolutionary war, who ever fought against the Nazis in World War II, and who ever fought against al Qaeda in Afghanistan?
(Let’s remember that the only reason she joined the military was to help her get into college, that she was unaware that there was a war still going on, and that had she been aware of said war, she would not have signed up.)
I don’t say any of this, however, because if I did, I’d be making a political statement. So, instead, I keep my mouth shut.
It’s worth noting that at this point, Nikki has made five political statements. She adds, “[I] do believe th[is] is a topic of politics,” and she is correct. But, it’s a topic she, not I, has brought up. Note very clearly that I have not once mentioned troops or the war in any manner in this entire discussion I’ve had with her—and in fact, the only political statement I’ve made was with regard to congressional pay-raises. She has no one to blame but herself for her continuing focus on politics, in other words.
But once again, I keep my mouth totally shut, saying nothing but:
allixpeeke (10:33:56 AM): You see, you make a reply like that, and I can't respond because anything I say will be political in some manner or another. If you don't care what my views are, just say, "I don't care about that" or something, and I'll shut my mouth, as I promised above. Calling me a "snake" and shit, that's just rude. I've tried once now to change the topic to the book I'm reading. If you're not interested in that, would you like to talk about the film...no, wait, that movie was political. Um, ...light bulb? Would you like to talk about light bulbs, or something else that won't get you pissed at me?
So once again, I try to shift the conversation o something, anything, else. For, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve already dropped any desire to talk to her about politics, which is why I kept my solemn oath not to mention minimum wage or the welfare state.
The film I recently bought was V for Vendetta. I briefly considered bringing that up, but immediately rejected it, realizing that it would only upset her farther.
I know light bulbs aren’t a very interesting topic, but it was all I could think of which wasn’t political. I watched National Treasure today, another movie which is very political in that it’s steeped in American history. But it mentioned how, when Thomas Edison was trying to invent the light-bulb, he failed many times before finally succeeding. So, hey, this conversation was worth a shot, right?
[Nikki] (10:34:28 AM): holy shit alex
Not the response I was hoping for.
[Nikki] (10:34:34 AM): SO MANY Times ive told you i dont care
[Nikki] (10:34:44 AM): but you have to keep taklign about politicsObviously, she is the one that kept talking about politics this morning. I had obviously dropped it, and am fighting as best I can at this point to change the subject. Despite my best efforts, though, all Nikki, at this point, seems to want to talk about is how I’m supposedly talking about nothing but politics, which as the reader can clearly see, is not the case.
[Nikki] (10:35:02 AM): then ive gotten to thte point that ive said "dotn even bother asking if i want to talk abotu it becase the answer is no"
I don’t recall her having said this before, but I admit it’s a possibility. After all, my memory is not perfect. Had she said this, and had I remembered, I obviously wouldn’t even have instant messaged my sister this morning.
[Nikki] (10:35:11 AM): and you want to talk abtou rude?
It should be sufficiently obvious to the reader how much I’m bending over backwards to remain my regular, polite self.
allixpeeke (10:35:18 AM): Nikki, what else do you want to talk about?
Once again, I’m trying to change the topic to something else. Anything else.
[Nikki] (10:35:30 AM): you dont think offending me with your fucking backwards ignorant pollution against my wishes is rude
I didn’t realize that believing that Congress shouldn’t give itself raises was “fucking backwards ignorant pollution.” But, if we are to assume it is, then why did she take essentially the same exact stance?
If the reader can find any statement I made to my sister which was even remotely offensive, please feel free to point it out to me, for I am quite at a loss looking for it.
[Nikki] (10:36:02 AM): talk about puppies, talk about poop, talk abotu cars ANYTHING but fuckign politics. Maybe you dont KNOW anything else
[Nikki] (10:36:22 AM): what do you want to hear alex?
[Nikki] (10:36:27 AM): your so smart?
allixpeeke (10:36:27 AM): (I actually don't know anything else, but I'll try. Pick a topic.)
[Nikki] (10:36:29 AM): you can read?
[Nikki] (10:36:38 AM): you go to college?
[Nikki] (10:36:41 AM): hooray!
[Nikki] (10:36:45 AM): big fuckgin deal
[Nikki] (10:37:10 AM): i want to see you do fucking 89 pushing ups in 120 seconds
[Nikki] (10:37:15 AM): run 6 miles in 48 mins
[Nikki] (10:37:23 AM): you cant do it
[Nikki] signed off at 10:37:52 AM.
allixpeeke (10:37:53 AM): I could if I had time to train.
Previous message was not received by [Nikki] because of error (10:37:53 AM): User [Nikki] is not available.My reply was, unfortunately, a second too late. I thought that she had finally chosen a topic she’d want to discuss, namely exercise, but then she suddenly logs out?
What was accomplished? She berated be for twenty minutes, she made no less than five political statements, and I sat here feeling gagged because I could not make a reply.
So, I decided to email my sister, which you’ll be able to read below. Some notes to the reader:
At no point in the letter do I make a political statement. In the first half of the letter, I do refer to “politics” vaguely as it would be impossible for me not to. But my views remain concealed. The purpose of the first half of the email is to indicate how hard it is for me to talk with my sister. I write this in a least-offensive manner as I possibly can. And, I even include a disclaimer so that she can skip that section if she so chooses. The second half of the email involves “exercise,” as that was the topic Nikki had chosen to bring up before she abruptly logged out of AIM.
Nikki,
(If you wish to skip down to point where I begin talking about exercise, please do so now. The first half of the email is about how hard it is to find something to talk with you about.)
I asked you a quick, non-specific, vague question, and in no way made you talk about it. You could easily replied that you weren’t interested, and I would have not mentioned again the two small thoughts which were on my mind when I IMed you.
But you preferred to keep bringing it up over and over again during the whole twenty minutes we communicated, calling me a “snake” and “scum” over and over again when I had already dropped it.
You say all I do is “bitch,” yet you provide no empirical evidence to back this claim up. Research would show that I never “bitch,” that I always offer constructive solutions. However, since I try so hard not to talk to you about them, you never discover this fact about me. Thus we see the cycle: you continue to stereotype me, and I continue to not counter the stereotypes.
Even in this letter, I keep coming up with logical defenses for myself (defenses against illogical stereotypes), but I continue to not divulge them for fear, yes for shear fear, that you would misinterpret it as me trying to shove politics down your throat when I'm not trying to do anything of the sort. So instead I continue to speak in vague generalities so as not to upset you.
But what, then, can I talk to you about? What can I speak about without fear of inciting overreaction?
You suggest puppies. I’ve got nothing worth saying about them. “They’re cute.” Nothing else.
You suggest poop. I think it’s obvious why I won’t discuss that topic.
You suggest cars. Could there be a more boring topic? The only thing interesting about them is supply and demand, but that brings us to economics which invariably brings us to a topic you don’t want to talk about. So I’m stuck.
I know I can’t talk to you about the DVD I just bought, or the essay I plan to write about it.
I know I can’t talk to you about most of the books I read.
I know I can’t talk to you about anything going on in the news.
I know I can’t talk to you about the major I just switched to, or the classes I’m taking this semester.
I know I can’t talk to you about what I experienced finally on 4/20 for the first and last time of my life.
I know I can’t talk to you about any of the events on campus I help to organize every month.
I know I can’t talk to you about the sign I’m in the process of designing in the back yard, or what inspired me to begin the construction thereof.
I can’t even talk to you about your current occupation.
I can’t even talk to you about the girl I’m interested in.
I can’t even talk to you about why I can’t talk to you about the girl I’m interested in.
I’d talk to you about the article I just got published, which was regarding an episode of The Twilight Zone, but even that is off limits.(It’s frustrating trying to think of something to talk about. That’s why I decided to give YOU the option of deciding whether or not you wanted to hear it. But I digress.)
I could try talking about music, but all I have to say thereabouts is, “Tool’s coming here in September. Tickets sold out, so I'm not going. It was probably too expensive anyway.” Could such a conversation be any more useless?
I’ve never once “bragged” to you that I was in college or that I read. I thought the book I’m currently reading might be something interesting to chat about. Obviously you read, too, so maybe that’s something to talk about as well. I never said (nor would I say) that you couldn't read, and as you know, I encouraged you to attend college.
If I thought you were stupid, I wouldn’t talk to you at all. The fact that I do talk to you indicates quite clearly that I do not think you’re stupid.
As for the book I’m currently reading, they’re thinking about making it into a movie. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie both want to act in it. This is why I decided to read it first, because books tend to be better than the films based on them.
Is this an interesting topic? An uninteresting topic? I’ll let you be the judge of that. Maybe Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt interest you, maybe they don’t. I don't know.
(Here begins the point where I talk exclusively about exercise. Enjoy.)
You finally, at long last, brought up a non-political topic to discuss, but just as I was about to reply by saying, “I could if I had time to train,” you logged out.
I think I could definitely handle the six miles in 48 minutes without too much training, but the 89 pushups in two minutes will take a lot of training. Six miles in 48 minutes is similar to running a mile in eight minutes, although obviously it’s harder since it’s of a greater duration. In middle school, we had to run the mile under a certain time limit. I forget what my best time was, but I’m pretty sure it was close to five minutes. It may have even been under five minutes. I may be able to practice on the treadmill in the basement if you think it's worth it, and if we ever get the boxes cleared off of it.
I think I used to be able to do about 50 pushups per minute. But since I’ve not worked out in some years, I’d be surprised at this point if I could do more than forty a minute now, which is still definitely not equivalent to the 89 per two minutes you’re currently doing. Although I can work on that, too, if you think it's worth it. 89 pushups in two minutes can be my goal.
I remember clearly in the seventh grade being able to do 80 sit-ups in 60 second. That was my all-time best score for sit-ups. I can probably do half of that, now. The most number of pull-ups I’ve ever been able to do consecutively was 11. That was in the 9th grade. I’ve no place here at the house that I can practice that, but if you think it's worth it, I can practice the others and tell you how I progress. I could also press, with my legs, 300 pounds, if I remember correctly, back in the 9th grade.
I remember back in the summer between ninth grade and tenth grade, I used to do push-ups every night. I started out by doing a hundred- (not consecutively, of course) -a-night, and ended that summer by doing 500-a-night (again, not consecutively—in fact, by the end of the night, I could barely do two push-ups at a time). After that, I got lazy, and haven’t done much working out since. Well, except at Karate, but I stopped attending that around Halloween of my 11th grade year.
Part of the reason I stopped working out—actually, the primary reason—was that my joints started hurting. It was back then that I had to start cracking my back, my elbows, etc. And I’m still cracking these joints today. I still find I need to do stretches and such. This past week, for example, my back’s been hurting some, so I've had to crack it a little more frequently than usual. Nothing to really complain about, of course. You gotta do what you gotta do, of course. But stretching is very important for those that work out, as I'm sure you know.
My friend Paul has told me in the past that he had a friend that did nothing but work out and read Nietzsche. He would go back and forth between the two. I haven’t read any Nietzsche myself, and basically all I know about him is that it’s from him that people get the idea that “no pain” means “no gain.” That and his idea of the over-man, which I know virtually nothing about.
Back in either the seventh or eighth grade, during phys. ed., I had to wrestle this one kid who was on the wrestling team. (Now this is bragging.) The phys. ed. teacher was surprised to see that I had won the match—I, of course, being a scrawny and not-very-popular kid. The other kid wanted a re-match, but there wasn’t any time left that day, so we had to wait until the next time we had phys. ed. This next time, he wore…they weren’t “shoes,” per se, but they were special slippers that wrestlers use to give them more traction while wrestling. I, of course, had no such slippers, and lost that match. Unfortunately, there was never a third match between us.
Anyway, since you say you “want to see [me] do fucking 89 pushing ups in 120 seconds,” I will work on it. You claim that I “can’t do it.” I’m more than willing to take you up on that challenge and indicate my progression to you.
Which reminds me, you and I still have an omelet competition from three years ago to compete in with one another.
Yours truly,
Alex Peak© 2007 by Alexander S. Peak
