Beelzebuddy

This has been a really difficult choice, and I haven’t been able to narrow it down to one.  I keep feeling like there is one I love, but can’t remember.  Nevertheless, here we go:

Family Ties – Because it is about people who love each other and face life’s joys and trials together.  The song is focused on the parents, who both, incidentally, try to make the world a better place.

Without Us Lyrics by Jeff Barry and Tom Scott

I bet we been together for a million years,

And I bet we’ll be together for a million more.

Oh, It’s like I started breathing on the night we kissed,

And I can’t remember what I ever did before.

What would we do baby, Without Us?

What would we do baby, Without Us?

And there ain’t no nothing we can’t love each other through.

What would we do baby, Without Us?

Sha la la la.

Source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/familytieslyrics.html 

Cheers – Because it would be great to have routine that included friends and familiarity in a relaxing way.  Granted, the people in the show might not be as good a friends as the song implies, but as someone who has almost always felt like an outsider, the idea sounds wonderful.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name Lyrics by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo

(Partial Quote)

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn’t you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

and they’re always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows

Your name.

You wanna go where people know,

people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows

your name. 

Source:  https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/cheerslyrics.html 

The Jeffersons – Because it is about a family not only trying to get ahead in life, but who are actually doing it.  The song is triumphant, and fun.

Movin’ on Up Lyrics by Jeff Barry and Ja’net Dubois

Well we’re movin’ on up (movin on up)

To the east side (movin on up)

To a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Movin’ on up (movin on up)

To the east side (movin on up)

We finally got a piece of the pie.

Fish don’t fry in the kitchen;

Beans don’t burn on the grill.

Took a whole lotta tryin’

Just to get up that hill.

Now we’re up in the big leagues

Gettin’ our turn at bat.

As long as we live, it’s you and me baby

There ain’t nothin wrong with that.

Well we’re movin’ on up (movin on up)

To the east side (movin on up)

To a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Movin’ on up (movin on up)

To the east side (movin on up)

We finally got a piece of the pie.

Source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/thejeffersonslyrics.html

Runner’s Up:

Greatest American Hero

Wonder Woman

41. Write the first sentence of your obituary.

One sentence isn’t much, so here are a few.

He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of <high number> after <high number> wonderful years of loving matrimony, and many years in retirement. His passing came as a surprise, as he had been in good health. He never felt truly at home in the world, but always tried to be kind, patient, and to leave the world better than he found it. Rejected by his birth family because of his sexual orientation, he only felt at ease with his husband and closest friends. He is survived by his husband of <x> years. He was preceded in death by several pets. At his request, there will be no wake, funeral, or memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to civil rights and social justice organizations.

40. Where do you and your friends go to hang out?

Hanging out with friends physically present is pretty unusual in the age of Covid.  We see friends via video more than any other way.  But before Covid, we usually visited at one of our houses.  We would sometimes travel with a friend or two, with Provincetown, MA, being our most frequent destination.  And would often see other friends, too, while in Provincetown, sometimes enjoying meals out, or performances.  Pre-covid, we would also meet friends in Manhattan occasionally for a show or event.

39. Is it possible for guys and girls to be just friends?

Not only is it possible, but it seems quite natural.  My husband and I have several close female friends that have been by far our longest lasting friendship circle. 

Maybe the question was intended as, “Is it possible for heterosexual guys and heterosexual girls to be just friends.”  If so, then all I can do is speculate, as I’m not either.    But since it is possible for gay, bi, and straight men to be friends, I don’t think it should be that difficult. 

38. Would you rather be in a relationship after the honeymoon period ends, or be single?

I definitely choose to be in a relationship.  I don’t feel like the honeymoon period is over for my husband and me, although I guess it is by some measures.

We don’t still face every day in a goo-eyed trance, but our relationship has never been stronger.  We have replaced the butterflies with an unshakable confidence that we are better together, and are fully committed to us. 

We’ve been together almost 22 years, and have certainly been through more than our fair share of struggles, including 20 years of seemly endless medical hurdles.  He is my rock, and I am his.  He is also my hope, my joy, my comfort, and my hero.

We know from experience that we put each other first, and support each other no matter what.  We never had to wonder how we could survive situation x, because we have already survived so many terrible, unexpected, and undeserved obstacles.  We have not only survived, but have thrived and become much more successful in many ways than we would have ever once dared to dream.

We are best friends, and share a dream for our lives and future.  We continue to have endlessly wonderful adventures, and plan and invest in our future as if we will always be together.  May it always be so.

37. What is one thing you could never forgive?

This is tough one. I’m grasping for an answer. The most difficult people for me to forgive would probably be those who hurt my husband. I prefer to think there would never be a situation where, with at least some distance, I couldn’t forgive someone seeking forgiveness. It can be a challenge to forgive those don’t seem to think they did anything wrong, and who don’t seek forgiveness.

 

36. Someone close to you is dying. You have the choice to let this person live for 10 more years, but if you do, you cause the death of 10 strangers. You don’t have to see them die. Do you take the offer?

The easy answer is, “No”. I don’t want to be responsible for the death of others. But I would probably want to check for any fine print in the agreement I’d be making.

If the ten people are in great pain and/or suffering and seek death as a relief, then maybe it might be a deal worth considering.

If the ten people are selected from those who bring pain and suffering to others, and whose loss might prolong and/or improve the life of others, again it might be a deal worth considering.

What would the ten “extra” years be like? Would they be ten years of good mental and physical health? Would they be a horrific extension of life at all costs, regardless of the suffering this person might go through?

If someone could make such a deal, ensuring the ten years would be good, then I might instead see if they would take my life in exchange for prolonging the other’s life.

What would it mean for my entire worldview if any sort of deal were possible? Who could possible make such an offer? How could I trust such powerful being to do right by any of us, when they can take life so easily?

You never know what you might do in such a hypothetical situation until/unless it occurs. Since I don’t think it’s possible for this situation to occur, I’ll stick with my original, “No.”

35.  What is “normal?” Are you normal?

I think it means mainstream. I don’t think I am normal by that definition. Here are a few examples of why I don’t think of myself as normal.

I care way too much about fairness to be normal.

I really believe we should all do our best.

I very often put other people’s needs ahead of my own.

I don’t think “committed relationship” necessarily means “monogamous relationship”

I am very suspicious of religion and “God” language. But I think there is a connection many might call “spiritual”.

I believe everyone should pay their fair share of taxes, even the rich. And that many of us pay way too much relative to others. I also believe that government in the US is deliberately structured to give money to private companies and make the rich richer. Government would be much more efficient if so much work wasn’t contracted out to companies whose only goal is to rip off the US government (taxpayers) for their own profit.

I can be great at chit chat and in most social situations, but I don’t make friends easily. It is real struggle for me to stay as connected to others as I do. And sometimes have to really push myself to interact with others beyond what is required.

I always seem to be waiting on something. Waiting to get out of school. Waiting to get a job. Waiting for some work situation. Waiting for the time I can retire. To the extent that I wonder sometimes if I’ve missed whatever it was I was supposed to be doing. And yet part of me thinks I’ll have accomplished the goal of just surviving it once all the waiting is over some day.

I am passionate about many things, but I doubt most people would think so.  How would they even know?

34. What’s your “quirkiest” habit?

I’m not sure this qualifies as a quirky habit, but I tend to think that objects belong in a specific place.  For example, I try to always leave my keys in the same place, because that is the place I’ll expect them to be when I need them.  I tend to have such spots for most things.  I think it is partly so I don’t have to spend so much time or energy searching for things.  The downside is, if an object is left in the “wrong” place, it can be very difficult to find because I literally wouldn’t have intentionally left it anywhere else.

32. If you could give up your car and never have to drive again, would you?

No!  I might like living somewhere that allows walking to most regular destinations, but I love driving.  The occasional leisurely drive to nowhere-in-particular is great for clearing the mind and relaxing the body.  I’ve never had a particularly sporting car, and have had several entry level small cars.  Still, each has had it’s own personality and I’ve loved them all.  Some have been more special than others, but driving is wonderful when you aren’t stuck in traffic or battling rough weather conditions.