Greetings gents, I thought I would share with the community an emergent oddity that I have noticed. In my last three dates, when I went to pay for the service, I was met with protest by my date. Upon drawing my plastic from leather, firm grip in hand, my ears detected a faintly and sometimes not so faint rebuttal of such a deliberate action. I was too quick on the draw some may say! "No! You don't have to do that!" "I got it!" "We can split it!" And, my favorite refrain, "STOP!" Dignity has never been put on notice so quickly, I dare say. How dare I be a gentleman and pay for her meal?! Oh to be on a charming date, enjoying the rhythm of levity and cooking recipes, for it all to come a sudden halt, as I go to pay the bill. Yes, pay the bill. In such curious moments, I recollect if I could get the mailman to stop delivering bills to my address? On one peculiar occasion that shall live on within the annals of recursive memory, I appeared before the customer service counter of a bowling alley. With my date at my right side, I asked for her shoe size. I told the young chap that we want to bowl and rent some shoes. He smiled and said that would be $44.00 (or whatever amount). I held my credit card in hand and reach out to give it to him. His eyes see my card. He, too, extends his hand in a valiant effort to meet me half way. But alas! Another hand appeared! This hand quickly ran in-between our ongoing transaction. The face of the customer rep was abject confusion. I only had a moment before my date had snatched my credit card from my hand. Then I felt what was like a bump on my waist. I looked down thinking it might be a kid trying to get my attention. As I looked down, this maneuver was executed so swiftly that I scarcely realized he no longer had my card, nor did I. My simple observations of the matter underscore a persistent pattern in dating. It is the protest - if not adamant refusal - to let the man be a gentleman and pay for the date. This leaves the gentleman to wonder as why this may be the case?

Apparently, China just created "Moya" - the most realistic robot/android so far. Features? - Cameras in the eyes - Most accurate expressions so far - Biometric human-temp warm skin - Walking gait 90% accurate to human Proposed uses? - Healthcare - Therapy - Customer service (general) - "Companion" While some consider it creepy in the uncanny valley between human and machine and fear the singularity, and others fear loss of jobs, some praise it as a step toward necessary replacement when it comes to the more challenging aspects of human interaction (especially since social media, let alone the sheer number of predicted geriatric population to need care in the coming 10-20 years). What are your thoughts?

Long ago I had thrifted a pair of boots for 9 bucks, I have been working on them for about a year or so, it was mostly just me trying to decide to whether to dye the boots black or oxblood, after finally deciding and finding a spot that won't stain anything, I finally painted and shined my boots, I would have liked the oxblood to be a bit darker but I think I did a nice job on them. Below are the boots when I first got them and when I finally finished them, I try to keep the half heel but sadly I wasn't able too.

Gentlemen, in this vast turning world, night claims one hemisphere while day invigorates the other. Both belong to the same unbroken arc. As I withdraw into rest, carry forward with the poise we share; know that my thoughts linger with you across the divide. The chronometer separates our moments, but not our regard. Good night from the shadowed East. Remember: True friendship endures not because time aligns our days, but because we choose to bridge the hours with unwavering regard.