![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 8 to 32 of 75. Go back in thread:
Posted by Lindenblüte on December 2, 2006, at 13:41:04
In reply to Lindenblüte and SatinDoll are posting together!!!, posted by Lindenblüte on December 2, 2006, at 0:34:24
I was scared, because I don't often go out to unknown restaurants and it felt a little more "upscale" than the frozen entrees I usually eat :)
I got there and didn't recognize anyone, but I saw Dr. Bob come in a few minutes after me, so I waited to see what would happen. Dr. Bob managed to find ClearSkies, and they were talking. I watched for a few minutes (yes, I was observing you guys!). I decided that I could do this, and I was hungry anyways-- I followed my gut :o) I went to introduce myself. We waited a while for them to find us a table for our group of unknown size. We eventually were seated in a cozy in a nook with a view of Michigan Ave. (Magnificent Mile) all lit up with lights :)
The food was yummy, and the company was good. We tried our best to understand what Dr. Bob considers civil, and told him about how we use babble, and how we interact with the website. We discussed and tried to tell him what works and what doesn't work. I think he was a good listener, so who knows? Maybe we see some changes one of these days. At any rate, Dr. Bob is more of a listener than a talker. I did my best to cross-examine him about whether he's a cat person or a dog person. To no avail. He's very evasive! I think the only things that I learned about him personally is that he really enjoyed his chicken, and that he rides the bus.
(Note to self- he would make an excellent expert witness)
Muffled, I tried my best to give him a friendly kick in the butt, but that's not really my style. Plus, I was wearing kind of hard leather boots, 'cause my suede ones were soaked from walking through slush puddles all afternoon. What if I had tried to kick him anyway? I might have stubbed my toe, and what if I had gotten blocked? Would he make me sit at a table all by myself ;) ?
SatinDoll didn't get an opportunity to carry out her mission either. It would have been extra cool, since Dr. Bob took public transit. No cars to pee on, but a bus instead. hmm. Now THAT's an opportunity!Of course there was a lot of silliness. I was sitting next to SatinDoll, and she kept on making me giggle. It was fun. Incivilities abounded, but that's okay, because we were not gathered to provide support to each other. We were gathered to eat food. I had lots of swear words, and I only remembered to asterisk a couple of them. Dr. Bob's automated asterisking system has a few bugs before it will work in real-time face to face conversation...
((((((good company)))))))
(((((((good conversation)))))))
((((((((people who talk openly about psychosis, mania, OCD, drugs...))))))))It was so nice to meet you all, and I'm so happy that I could convince SatinDoll to stay at my place overnight, at the very last minute!
I can only imagine what must have been going through her head. SatinDoll, please excuse my speculations-
"hold on, did I actually just agree to go to dinner with a bunch of people that I met on a mental health website called "Psycho-Babble"? Did I actually just agree to stay at this random woman's home, who has never met me?"
and in my head
I really wanted SatinDoll to be able to come, and since I have some space in my humble abode, I suggested it to her. Hopefully she won't think I'm too crazy. Hopefully she won't be too uncomfortable staying in a big city. Hopefully I won't be too unstable, tired, anxious [had some really really tough stuff come out in Therapy this week]. Hopefully I'll be able to clean up the mess my friends made on Thursday night as they stayed to eat dinner and drink wayyyyy too much wine and then proceeded to scavenge through my cabinets for midnight munchies. Hopefully I'll be able to get all the curry-encrusted dishes off the coffee table and into the dishwasher! I always have "hostess-anxiety".
I NEVER ONCE! had a doubt that I would get along with SatinDoll. I could tell that she and I would have lots to share, and that we'd have a great time :) Thanks for taking a BIIIIIG risk, SatinDoll. I think you're very brave!
And thank you to ClearSkies, who arranged all of this, and picked a fantabulous restaurant with a great atmosphere for us to get to know each other for the (first?) (3thousandth?) time :)
-Li
Oh yeah, Deneb*- I sat next to Dr. Bob. I guess I have "essence", huh? I'm just happy I didn't spill anything on myself or him! :o)
Posted by Dinah on December 2, 2006, at 14:32:27
In reply to Li's version of events » Lindenblüte, posted by Lindenblüte on December 2, 2006, at 13:41:04
Thanks for sharing. It helps me to feel like I'm there by proxy.
Posted by Phillipa on December 2, 2006, at 14:52:54
In reply to :) » Lindenblüte, posted by Dinah on December 2, 2006, at 14:32:27
You really all went out in Chicago together? Somehow babble doesn't seen real except I met on poster in person and talked to three on the telephone. Love Phillipa
Posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 2, 2006, at 14:57:17
In reply to Re: :), posted by Phillipa on December 2, 2006, at 14:52:54
I dunno Phillipa, felt real enough to me...
I can always look at my credit card statement to see if I really went to dinner.
I think my reality-checking is in decent shape these days, so I'll say.
Yes- babble is for real, and babblers are REAL people. :)
-ll
Posted by Deneb on December 2, 2006, at 15:18:01
In reply to Li's version of events » Lindenblüte, posted by Lindenblüte on December 2, 2006, at 13:41:04
I'm so glad it went well! I knew you could do it Li. Thanks for telling us all about it. How many people ended up going? Did you have dessert? Did Bob drink coffee? He drank coffee in Toronto.
I asked Bob a pet question too. Mine was a yes or no question and he answered it. I didn't talk to Bob much. I'm very quiet, I don't really talk in real life.
Deneb*
Posted by Toph on December 2, 2006, at 15:37:40
In reply to Lindenblüte and SatinDoll are posting together!!!, posted by Lindenblüte on December 2, 2006, at 0:34:24
Well, I wasn't sure I wanted to go for different reasons this time than BP B-day Party I in Chicago. Then, I was very active on babble and I was anxious that people would somehow be disappointed in the real me in contrast to the one they had imagined in their head. Now I'm sort of just a lurker and I was afraid I wouldn't know anyone or what they were talking about. In fact I wouldn't have considered going at all if I hadn't received a personal invite from ClearSkies. What the hell I said. Then the snow storm gave me an out. I knew my wife didn't want me to go because she made homemade soup, my favorite, what, to eat by herself? Well, hell, I thought, she has regular girls' night outs without so much as asking how I feel (of course , I never tried making soup). So I got in the car and just kept going. Everyone must have stayed home from work because of the snow as hardly anyone was going into the city compared with a normal Friday night. I was glad the restaurant wasn't too noisy as its a little embarassing shouting across the table about how my Lithium works for my mania for the whole restaurant to hear. I wasn't sure how things would be with ClearSkies' husband there, but he is an affable fellow and he seems comfortable with us talking about how nuts we were. CS seemed genuinely glad to see me so that made things start off on the right foot. I got to meet Lindenbluute and Satin Doll who are really nice and funny and clever. Li is kinda scary smart, i mean she knows a lot about a lot. SD was having the time of her life guiltlessly away from her family. Bob was as reserved as ever, deftly fending off our probes, even being a little liquered up. I did manage to learn that he did not enter med school knowing that he wanted to be a shrink, but discovered this discipline more interesting that the other more scientific courses. That's about as much sharing as you can expect. Maybe after the hundreth gathering or so everyone will be able to piece together a more complete profile of the man. Only the others know for sure, but I didn't make too much of an @ss of myself, I think. Being old and medicated, I did have to ask my new aquaintences their names a few times. At one point SD even turned to me and said, "Gee Toph, you seem so normal." We got the most out of our table talking well after our meals were finished. It is amazing to me how easy it is to be comfortable with people you barely met in person because of the fellowship we share on Babble. (Sorry, holiday mush) Anyway, I would encourage anyone who has any investment in their experience here to consider attending an event like this, if only to dispell and pre-concieved notions you have that Babble isn't real.
Toph
Posted by SatinDoll on December 2, 2006, at 16:00:49
In reply to Lindenblüte and SatinDoll are posting together!!!, posted by Lindenblüte on December 2, 2006, at 0:34:24
First off I really missed not seeing Jammerlich, she sounds soooo sweet. ;-) Plus I really appreciate her for offering me to share her hotel room. Then her flight got cancelled, and I didn't have anywhere to stay, actually gave up on going, and then 10 minutes before I had to leave for school, this sweet LlurpsieBlossom( love the change) offered me her couch for the night! ;-) I probably only got 5 hours of sleep the night before, and maybe it made me more brave to actually stay with someone I have never met in life! I am not sure who was braver her or me! LOL I mean, what if she did weird things in her sleep or make funny noises when she sleep. What if she didn't actually show up and then I would be stranded in this big city alone? Dr. Bob didn't offer me his couch! He said I wouldn't want to sleep in his office. Makes you go hmmmmmm........
So I packed in 5 min, and I was on my way! 2 1/2 hours later I was in the big city with all the holiday lights! Good thing I took a cab, because this small town girl would have been lost for hours. Since when is restraunts on the 2nd level and they tell tourist not to look up because it is like putting a sign on you saying, rob me, because I am not paying attention, acting like a tourist. So after the cab driver had to directly point out where the restarant, I made my way up the esculator with my heavy suitcase.
I walked into this beautiful place with red seats and red on the walls, candles burning and live jazz playing! Plus the scent of food was amazing and I was hungry! Plus lots of people!I looked around, didn't reconize anyone, at least how I thought they would look, according to how they sound in their posts. ;-) Finally this sweet lady came up to me, and asked me if I was a babble person or something like that. LOL (if I wasn't it might have been interesting) LOL
To be continued........... I NEED a nap!
Posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 2, 2006, at 18:25:34
In reply to Re: Li's version of events » Lindenblüte, posted by Deneb on December 2, 2006, at 15:18:01
> I'm so glad it went well! I knew you could do it Li. Thanks for telling us all about it. How many people ended up going? Did you have dessert? Did Bob drink coffee? He drank coffee in Toronto.
It was Toph and SatinDoll and Me and Bob and ClearSkies husband and ClearSkies.
We didn't have dessert. I was just about perfectly full after dinner. I was so wrapped up in conversation I wasn't even thinking about chocolate (amazing, huh?)
Coffee? you betcha. Dr. Bob drinks caffeinated coffee, just like you said. Ll drinks decaf since I switched 3 weeks ago. Dr. Bob even asked for a refill. Maybe he's like my former roommate and my mother-in-law, who drink coffee in the evening to relax them.
> I asked Bob a pet question too. Mine was a yes or no question and he answered it. I didn't talk to Bob much. I'm very quiet, I don't really talk in real life.
Deneb, I asked about five yes/no pet questions in a row!! He's very slippery! I think Psycho-Babble is his pet, or his garden.
((((nap))))
I slept for 2 hours this afternoon zonk!
Posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 2, 2006, at 18:43:16
In reply to Mini Babble Party, posted by Toph on December 2, 2006, at 15:37:40
> Well, I wasn't sure I wanted to go for different reasons this time than BP B-day Party I in Chicago. Then, I was very active on babble and I was anxious that people would somehow be disappointed in the real me in contrast to the one they had imagined in their head. Now I'm sort of just a lurker and I was afraid I wouldn't know anyone or what they were talking about. In fact I wouldn't have considered going at all if I hadn't received a personal invite from ClearSkies.
I'm SO glad you were able to make it. I hope your wife wasn't too sour. Usually homemade soup tastes pretty good the next day too.
>I got to meet Lindenbluute and Satin Doll who are really nice and funny and clever. Li is kinda scary smart, i mean she knows a lot about a lot.Thanks Toph, that's really kind of you :) I think you're really smart and funny too. You were totally cracking me and SatinDoll up. At one point you started off a story by saying something along the lines of "I have a really good memory, but it is short. ..." You have an uncanny sense of comic timing! I appreciated you being bold enough to bring up some of the more uncomfortable administrative issues. You asked a lot of things that I *wanted* to ask but was too chickensh*t.
>Only the others know for sure, but I didn't make too much of an @ss of myself, I think. Being old and medicated, I did have to ask my new aquaintences their names a few times. At one point SD even turned to me and said, "Gee Toph, you seem so normal."As far as I'm concerned you didn't make an *ss out of yourself at all. I have to second SD on this one.
>Anyway, I would encourage anyone who has any investment in their experience here to consider attending an event like this, if only to dispell and pre-concieved notions you have that Babble isn't real.
> TophWell said.
so nice to have met you in real life. Now that you know me better you have to tell me whether I seem more or less 'enigmatic'. I don't know whether I could do anything other than what I'm already doing, but... I suppose I'm curious about whether my babble personality is at odds with my real-life presonality. hmm.
take care,
-ll
Posted by laima on December 2, 2006, at 19:59:43
In reply to :) » Lindenblüte, posted by Dinah on December 2, 2006, at 14:32:27
Where did you guys eat? Who all lives in Chicago? Sorry, I'm not in the know, but so curious. I live in Chicago, but I didn't see this until today!
Posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 2, 2006, at 21:28:00
In reply to Chicago, posted by laima on December 2, 2006, at 19:59:43
> Where did you guys eat? Who all lives in Chicago? Sorry, I'm not in the know, but so curious. I live in Chicago, but I didn't see this until today!
I cannot speak for others. I'm local. There. I said it. I live in the NE corner of Illinois. how about that?!?
We went to Bandera, on N. Mich. Ave. It was very nice. Not too fancy, but still felt special :)
nice to know there's a laima nearby :o)
-ll
Posted by laima on December 2, 2006, at 22:29:58
In reply to Re: Chicago » laima, posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 2, 2006, at 21:28:00
Oh, cool! It sounds like it was so much fun. By the way, I really like your new name, Llurpsieblossom.
> > Where did you guys eat? Who all lives in Chicago? Sorry, I'm not in the know, but so curious. I live in Chicago, but I didn't see this until today!
>
> I cannot speak for others. I'm local. There. I said it. I live in the NE corner of Illinois. how about that?!?
>
> We went to Bandera, on N. Mich. Ave. It was very nice. Not too fancy, but still felt special :)
>
> nice to know there's a laima nearby :o)
>
> -ll
Posted by SatinDoll on December 3, 2006, at 12:52:59
In reply to Mini Babble Party, posted by Toph on December 2, 2006, at 15:37:40
Well the sweet lady that came up and introduced me was clearskies. I was so relieved that she did that, because I was having second thoughts about what I was doing there. Well anyways I met clearskies and her husband, Lurpsie, Dr. Bob, and Toph. I think Dr. Bob was either surprised I was there or scared, not sure. LOL We waited awhile and were finally seated at a half circle booth with Dr. Bob in the middle where he couldn't get out ! LOL
So much stuff was discussed, it boggled my mind, I was just happy to be there, it felt almost dreamlike. I felt giddy the whole time even though I had just a couple glasses of ducky wine compliments of Dr. Bob, well at least I didn't quack. Dr. Bob goes, "you ARE are a happyflower" LOL. I asked Dr. Bob to tell us something about himself and he answered "it isn't about me, it is about you all." (kinda felt like a therapy session, lol) Hmmm. ,maybe he was doing research on us. Hmmm. I also have Bob essence for sale for the highest bidder. LOL
Clearskies and her husband seems like someone I have known my whole life. They seem so wonderful together and that is refreshing to see. Her DH looks like a famous person which I haven't figured out who, but he has good choice of restraunts. Clearskies fits her name, she sees things so clearly and I loved her insite on matters. She said she was so nervous at first, but you would have never of guessed it, she seems to be at ease with people. Plus she has a cool hat too! I would have liked to talk more to her.
Toph, was a down to earth guy who was funny at times, and had a good personality. He really got rolling on the questions for Dr. Bob. He had Lurpsie and I giggling because he was asking questions that nobody had enough nerve to. The only adminstration thing I said that really bothered me was Dr. Bob's picture, it makes me depressed, it needs to be changed, please. ( I know you are reading this Dr. Bob) Toph was a lot of fun, it would have been cool if he would have invited us to his house for lunch for some homemade soup made by his wife! In fact, if I was more awake at the time we should have planned to get together the next day for lunch or something. (maybe just the girls) LOL
Then there is Lurpsie..... what to say, what to say. Well for one, she was very brave to offer me her home for the night. I mean what if I turned into a wolf at night? But I accepted her offer because I felt I could trust her (trust is hard for me), and I got to know her a little on the boards, and always thought she was pretty cool. Well she really is awesome, we have a lot in common but also enough difference to make her very interesting to me. For one, I love frogs, I collect them , well she has frogs all over her bathroom! Plus she has a music stand in her living room and scary plants that I though would consume during the night, so I felt right at home. ;-) Her DH is cute too, I saw the pictures, so I can see why she is happily married and love him. She more tea than anyone I know, she told me to help myself, well it must of took me 1/2 hour to decide, there were so many.
Lurpsie took me to a great breakfast place that had homemade pasties that are better than sex! I bought 4 of them, I shared them with my family, but I should have hid them. LOL I got to see parts of chicago at night that was kinda of scary but only because it was night and I grew up in a town without a stoplight, in the daytime it seems nice. She taught me about the bus systems so now I can get around and not pay for cab fares. I hope I can get together with her soon, she is awesome. She is like the sister I always wanted to have. I hope to see her again sometime, there is only a train ride between us.Well I am so glad I went, I have tons of school work to do, but it was so worth it. I got to think about my life on the train trip home, and was so good for me to do something for me without the family. I feel like a toddler who just took their first step . I would like to say more, but my mind is mush. I still feel like I am in a dream. Any questions?
Posted by Jost on December 3, 2006, at 17:06:34
In reply to Part 2 Dinner, posted by SatinDoll on December 3, 2006, at 12:52:59
yes, Satin Happyflower. About a million questions.
I'll make some notes (only 100,000 or so of the most important onces).
Got to do it later, though. I'm working now. I think I feel stuck, so maybe I should do another part of the drawing. Sometimes I feel like I'm prolonging things cause I think it'll make them deeper. But it only makes them longer-- well slightly deeper, but also more confused, and messy.
Gosh, I"m so fixated on myself the last few days.
Bob must have said/done something other than eat his chicken. Or is he a descent of the sphinx?
Jost
Posted by Toph on December 3, 2006, at 20:57:25
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party » Toph, posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 2, 2006, at 18:43:16
> but... I suppose I'm curious about whether my babble personality is at odds with my real-life presonality...
> -llWhenever my wife asks me questions of the "How do I look" sort, I get nervous that whatever I say will either disappoint or be deemed disingenuous. But trust me ll, though I am not all that familiar with your PB persona, the person I met IRL I would describe in terms that tend to age me -- delightful, smart, energetic, and really, really nice. You also have good taste having also ordered the New Zealand Bluenose Sea Bass (although I must say that ordered mine in honor of Alexander_k).
It was a fun evening.
http://www.sustainablefishery.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=62
(not that you need to be any smarter)
Posted by annierose on December 3, 2006, at 22:21:54
In reply to Part 2 Dinner, posted by SatinDoll on December 3, 2006, at 12:52:59
Thanks for sharing your fun adventure. I felt like I was there (and wish I was).
Chicago is a great town, and especially beautiful at Christmas time.
Was anybody lucky enough to see King Tut? A bunch of middle schoolers from my town was there that day for the exhibit (snow, ice and all).
Posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 3, 2006, at 22:24:58
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party » LlurpsieBlossom, posted by Toph on December 3, 2006, at 20:57:25
Oh good...
I knew that the Chilean sea bass population was in big trouble.
Now I have an alternative. It's a pretty tasty fish, huh?
Hey Toph,
You'll notice that I was also a beer drinker.That doubles my excellent taste quotient this week.
And you're right. I don't need to be any smarter. I've been attempting to limit my educational activities by reading tabloids and staying away from current events (other than celebrity break-ups). I have decided not to learn any more foreign languages for the time being.
I'm on a program of controlled brain damage via network television.
I'm tapering up to a dose of 3 hours nightly and 1 hour in the morning. Hopefully it will counteract the neuroprotective effects of my antioxidant, omega-3 consumption, and green tea binges... I'll keep you posted.
-ll
Posted by ClearSkies on December 4, 2006, at 7:34:12
In reply to Re: Part 2 Dinner, posted by annierose on December 3, 2006, at 22:21:54
> Was anybody lucky enough to see King Tut? A bunch of middle schoolers from my town was there that day for the exhibit (snow, ice and all).Yes! We went (and froze our Florida buns walking over from the train/L/whatever the subway is called); and it was marvelous. Many of the most significant artifacts are kept in Cairo - darn! - yet this was still a great exhibit.
The crowds were troubling for me, but the grandeur of the show overcame it :-)CS
Posted by TexasChic on December 5, 2006, at 18:16:21
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party » Toph, posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 3, 2006, at 22:24:58
Wow, I missed all of this. When did Clearskies initiate it? Was it on Social? I'm so jealous. It sounds like yall had so much fun. I wish I was close enough to join in!
-T
Posted by TexasChic on December 5, 2006, at 18:54:54
In reply to Re: Lindenblüte and SatinDoll are posting together!!!, posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 2, 2006, at 9:10:24
I'm not even sure where that is, but I want to go. Its my dream to someday visit other countries. We're all so confined to our own little worlds, it makes the outside world seem unreal, which would make seeing it sureal. Someday...
-T
Posted by ClearSkies on December 5, 2006, at 23:45:40
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party, posted by TexasChic on December 5, 2006, at 18:16:21
> Wow, I missed all of this. When did Clearskies initiate it? Was it on Social? I'm so jealous. It sounds like yall had so much fun. I wish I was close enough to join in!
>
> -TWell, poop. I hadn't realized until now that my subject line was so cryptic...
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20061123/msgs/708055.html
I snuck into Chicago just ahead of the bad weather. I haven't been to Texas except for whizzing through some airports, but I have some babblers I would really like to visit.
CS
Posted by TexasChic on December 6, 2006, at 20:02:25
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party » TexasChic, posted by ClearSkies on December 5, 2006, at 23:45:40
As far as I know, I've known you longer than anybody else here. I'd really love to meet you some day.
Oh, and I found your post about the babble party right after I made the post above, so obviously I just didn't look hard enough. Its not like I could have made it to Chicago anyway! But maybe someday we'll have one in TX. I think Matt and I are the only one's who live around here. I know there's a few that live in Austin, and Austin is such a fun place. Its my favorite place in TX (not that I've seen all of TX - I've heard there's mountains somewhere!)
-T
Keep Austin weird! (that's like their motto or something).
Posted by Chinchilla1 on December 6, 2006, at 23:06:03
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party » ClearSkies, posted by TexasChic on December 6, 2006, at 20:02:25
I lurk mostly, but am in San Antonio, home of the Alamo and the Spurs, of Tony Parker and Eva Longoria fame, lately.
Chinchilla
Posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 6, 2006, at 23:11:16
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party, posted by Chinchilla1 on December 6, 2006, at 23:06:03
I like the riverwalk in san antonio. nice place to spend an evening :)
Posted by TexasChic on December 7, 2006, at 7:55:16
In reply to Re: Mini Babble Party » Chinchilla1, posted by LlurpsieBlossom on December 6, 2006, at 23:11:16
I haven't been to San Antonio since I was a teenager. I remember when we went they were filming a movie, "WarGames" I think it was (shows you how old I am). All I really remember is the River Walk and the Alamo.
-T
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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