Ask Bilbo: The Answers, Part 1

Well, butter my buns and call me a biscuit!

The last time I tried the "Ask Bilbo" theme, it took a few days to get enough questions to run a post with the answers. As of right now, I have questions from eight of my Dear Readers (several with multiple questions). There are a lot of you out there who are starved for information!

So, what I'm going to do is respond in two separate posts: the first half today, and the rest tomorrow. If there are any more, we'll get to them later. Here we go ...

1. Meredith asked: "Do you think Andrew Cuomo should run for president?"

Based on what I know about him, I think he should probably run. He's certainly no worse than any other possible candidates, and in some ways I think he may be better. Most of what I know, I read on his official Governor of New York website, and on the source-of-all-knowledge Wikipedia page.

2. Big Sky Heidi asked: "What foreign language do you think it is especially beneficial to learn?"

I think it depends on what you want to do and where you want to travel. Spanish is the obvious choice for 21st century America ... after all, there are a lot of places in the US of A nowadays where English is close to being a second language, and Spanish is widely spoken in Central and South America. If you are more interested in international affairs or business, Mandarin Chinese may be a better choice. China is an up-and-coming world power, and a knowledge of Chinese may be increasingly important in the coming years. French is still useful, as it is spoken in much of the world, and remains a key language of diplomacy and culture, but it's less important than the French would like to believe. As much as I love German, I have to say that it's a somewhat less useful language nowadays.

3. Brandi asked: "Do you approve of boob jobs?"

It's not really my place to approve or disapprove. In general, I don't think they're necessarily a good idea, particularly if it's done simply to please a partner who thinks boob size is the most important measure of a lady. It is fairly serious surgery, after all. But ultimately it's the lady's decision, and if it makes her feel good, then she should go ahead and do it.

4. Linda Kay asked: "In reference to Brandi's question, is a face lift appropriate for someone who is 76? Have a friend going for one."

My comment to Meredith still applies. I think face lifts are fine for people who can afford them and want to maintain a youthful appearance, but they generally aren't necessary and just reflect a desire to ignore the fact that we all tend to get older. If it makes the person feel better, go ahead and do it. For myself, I subscribe to the philosophy laid out by the German entertainer Harald Juhnke in his song titled "Keine Falte tut mir leid" ("No Wrinkle Bothers Me"):

"Ich sag dir keine Falte tut mir leid,
Ich bin ein Mann mit viel Vergangenheit"

"I tell you, no wrinkle bothers me -
I'm a man with a lot of past."

I am, indeed, a fellow with a lot of past. And looking to the future, tomorrow I'll answer the questions from Angel and Gonzo Dave, More thoughts then ... be here!

Bilbo