Octopus Overlords

So Kid#1 is serving overseas and has met someone. She is planning a zoom session for this weekend where we are to meet him. Kid #1 had maybe two dates in High School and had a three day boyfriend in college where she really dodged a bullet. Kid 2 has roughly had the same experience. So the short list of our kid's romantic partners that we've "met" has been zero. She's certainly of an age where I trust her judgement and they seem happy together, but I must admit to some nervousness about meeting this person.

I married young. My parents didn't so much disapprove of my partner, but they disapproved of the fact that I was getting married at 21. There was an unofficial pool at our wedding about how long we were going to last. It's been 37 years. In the meantime my parents grew to accept my bride.

My mother-in-law was fricken crazy. She's dead now. The nicest things she said about me was after 30 years of marriage to her daughter that maybe I wasn't so bad.....at Thanksgiving diner....in my house....in front of my wife and children. She was batshit insane.

I didn't meet my father-in-law till I had been married for 10 years and we had kid1. It was different.

So....How do you act towards a child's romantic partner? There is no real commitment on their part. What an awkward acquaintance to make over zoom. Halp!

It’s zoom. You don’t even need pants for this. You got it covered.

Challenge him to a Quake 3 deathmatch. That will give you a measure of his mettle.

dfs wrote: ↑Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:06 pm She's certainly of an age where I trust her judgement and they seem happy together, but I must admit to some nervousness about meeting this person.

Just relax and be yourself. You don't have to make a good impression, just don't be a dick unless you are one. He (or she?) probably isn't going to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage...and if they do, then you should have a dowry in mind.

How many cows are we talkin' about here Ironrod?

Depends on how many you think he's good for. Then add 10%.

Make sure to be cleaning your gun during the meeting.

My mother-in-law was fricken crazy. She's dead now.

So what implement did you use?

Don't forget the scrapbook of embarrassing child pictures.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:27 pm Make sure to be cleaning your gun during the meeting.

My mother-in-law was fricken crazy. She's dead now.

So what implement did you use?

In all seriousness pretty much everybody in her orbit would have been better off just killing her outright and doing the time. 5 years would have been a small price to pay. Mental illness isn't a pretty thing and it just gets worse as we age.

And I'll certainly not be cleaning my guns. I'm thrilled that kid1 has somebody in her life.

It's Zoom, so just place a carton of condoms prominently on-camera. They'll get the message.

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:25 pm It's Zoom, so just place a carton of condoms prominently on-camera. They'll get the message.

XL of course.

Just be yourself and get to know him the same way you would any other person. The days of parents of adult children getting to choose their romantic partners is long past (although that doesn't mean you can ask for advice when so solicited, or if desperately needed), so don't put too much pressure on yourself to judge them.

hepcat wrote: ↑Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:16 pm It’s zoom. You don’t even need pants for this. You got it covered.

Not if he skips the pants he doesn't. Isn't the whole point of no pants the free......oh, wait, nm.

You're focused on meeting this person, but have you considered what Zoom background you'll be using?

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:16 pm You're focused on meeting this person, but have you considered what Zoom background you'll be using?

This afternoon I met my "coworkers" over Zoom for the first time. They all had nice, neat, professional backgrounds. Me, I live in a closet, and a messy one at that, so I use virtual backgrounds. Today I used the Iron Throne, because dark backgrounds make the dropout shadows less obvious.

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:31 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:16 pm You're focused on meeting this person, but have you considered what Zoom background you'll be using?

This afternoon I met my "coworkers" over Zoom for the first time. They all had nice, neat, professional backgrounds. Me, I live in a closet, and a messy one at that, so I use virtual backgrounds. Today I used the Iron Throne, because dark backgrounds make the dropout shadows less obvious.

Yeah, I'll be teaching via Zoom at least one day a week, and my background is blank white wall with an air conditioner in it.

I'd like to use Bag End, but I'm afraid it will make me look hobbit-sized. Maybe Rivendell?

Gondor, for that "last bastion against the Darkness" look.

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:31 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:16 pm You're focused on meeting this person, but have you considered what Zoom background you'll be using?

This afternoon I met my "coworkers" over Zoom for the first time. They all had nice, neat, professional backgrounds. Me, I live in a closet, and a messy one at that, so I use virtual backgrounds. Today I used the Iron Throne, because dark backgrounds make the dropout shadows less obvious.

I thought I warned you about not using melted-down swords as a toilet seat.