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Oct
13
Bob Speaks, part 1: My husband guest blogs about life with the Book Lady!
2009 at 10am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
So, you probably remember me mentioning that during the blogger meet-up after the National Book Festival, some of us had the bright idea to ask our significant others to guest blog about what it’s like to live with a book blogger. I thought it would be fun to ask my husband Bob to take readers’ questions, so a couple weeks ago, I invited you to ask away, and you did not disappoint. Here are your questions and Bob’s answers….with a few of my own comments thrown in in italics because, well, I just can’t let him have the last word on everything.
Kevin, a friend of ours from college and one half of the newlywed couple who write this blog asked: Company A announces that it will be borrowing $ 50 million and buying back stock at $10.75 a share. This will lower the rating to BB, with a pre-tax cost of debt of 7%. Assuming that all of the existing debt gets refinanced at this new rate, estimate the value per share after this transaction. (You can assume a growth rate of 3% in perpetuity.)
As I’ve shepherded (yes…that’s right, I’m a f@!king shepherd) many a client through this financial downturn, let me say that there is no Book Value. It’s just fancy book learnin’ the people at schools teach you about so they can get tenure. The value is what someone is willing to pay on a given day for a given item, It has nothing to do with equations. So after careful consideration, it’s worth 4….4 pesos.
From Chris Kubica: So with all those books around, do you guys have a good fire suppression system?
Actually one of the reasons Rebecca married me is that I am my own fire suppression system. By that, I mean that when Rebecca sets fire to the stove (yes…that happened) and flames shoot out of the oven (that also happened) and smoke fills the apartment (that also happened) and the entire building has to evacuate and stand in the rain (true story), I jump into action (insert superhero action music here) and grab the fire extinguisher and suppress the blazing inferno that imperils my loved ones and belongings. Yes that’s all word-for-word accurate. I’ve saved lives, despite Rebecca’s urge to kill by fire.
And what do you like to read, Bob?
I read a little bit of everything – but oddly enough, as Rebecca describes her books, maybe only about 25-30 percent of what she likes is something I would even consider. Not that it’s not good, but it holds no interest for me. In general, I don’t read depressing topics unless I have a total desire to overlook the fact I’m voluntarily putting myself in a bad mood for hours in order to enjoy a good piece of writing.
I tend to go a bit more commercial – I like Michael Crichton, for instance, but it ranges most topics. I like historical fiction (Master and Commander series), and I like satire (Vonnegut is spectacular), and I’ve read one vampire series (Anne Rice), a bunch of Shakespeare, some classic literature (Dumas), some science fiction-y stuff (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy/Lord of the Rings), and business-based true stories that deal with corruption/drugs/economics ( The Wolf of Wallstreet/Conspiracy of Fools/Freakonomics/The World is Flat). Then add in the classics – The Razor’s Edge, Catch-22, Brave New World, Sherlock Holmes, Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, Ragtime, 1984, Gulliver’s Travels, Frankenstein. Comedic stuff is good as well; for instance, Max Barry. Weird shit, like Philip Roth. Also science-based books like Einstein’s Dreams, A Brief History of Time, and A Short History of Nearly Everything. I tend to like things based a little before my time. I also read quite a bit of political writings, but we’ll leave my political leanings out of this. I’m right, so agree with me.
(This is Bob’s standard M.O. for arguing. “I know I’m right and I’m going to beat the dead horse until you’re too tired to keep arguing. Then I will conclude that because you’ve stopped arguing, you agree that I am right, and I win.”)
From my coworker Mark, who is behind the very cool forthcoming project known as I Hate Your Book: Which book recommendation(s) of Rebecca’s were you initially most resistant to but ended up enjoying? (Any literary equivalents of my wife reluctantly tagging along to see Kill Bill Vol. 1 but ending up considering it one of her all-time favorite movies?)
I actually read very few of her recommendations, again based mostly on the fact I don’t want to get depressed voluntarily, and half the times she’s crying – so there’s that. I did read The Historian, Life of Pi was maybe a recommendation, and Into Thin Air. Those are the only 3 we can come up with that I’ve read based off her recommendation. I do have The Gargoyle on my to-read stack, as I gave in on her recommendation, but I haven’t read it yet.
Life of Pi and Into Thin Air were both very good, but The Historian was way overdone in my estimation. It was enjoyable, but I thought it tried way too hard and ended very poorly. I guess I’m not resistant to the recommendation, but I know we like different things, so I don’t take them, and she doesn’t really give them.
Ti of Book Chatter asked: I wanna know if Bob reads your blog regularly or at all. My Hub does not even know what my blog is called although I talk about it all the time.
I do read it. I drop in every week or so. It would be more often, but I’m usually around when Rebecca’s writing it and there when she’s reading the books, so between her voluntarily telling me what she’s reading and giving me a decent sense of what she’s reading and her opinion of it when I do ask, I don’t feel as compelled to check it every day. I check more to see what other people are saying in comments (he really liked it when several of you said how cute he was!) or if she has a non-book related entry she mentioned.
I also wanna know if you two ever read to each other.
Very occasionally. Normally, if there is something gross, hilarious, or mirrors our life or someone we know, but never more than a line or two. My best time of reading to her – and small audiences – was when she used to get Cosmo magazine. I’d flip to the excerpt of the up and coming “lady porn” book that was highlighted. I’d read it to everyone, with varying voices, tones, and sexual expression explosions. If I could make it through without laughing, it was a victory.
We have a recurring line from one of the first passages that shocked and appalled the 5-6 people in the room, at least one of whom is now a minister: “Oh Mr. washing machine man…I think you found my g-spot!” (To this day, I cannot do laundry without Bob making some joke about this. Seeing the man who would someday be my husband read excerpts from romance novels, complete with voices and sound effects, was pretty unforgettable. And honey, don’t forget about those chapters of Left Behind you read to me on that road trip. That was classic.)
Swapna of S. Krishna’s Books wants to know: Is there an author you would throw your boxers at, just as Rebecca would throw her panties at John Irving?
I don’t wear underwear. (This is not true!) But no, not really. No single author is that far and away better for me. (He’d be singing a different tune if Megan Fox ever wrote a book.)
That’s all we have time for today. Tune in later this week for more Q & A with Bob.
No related posts.
Can I add another question to Bob: How about those Rams?
Cute AND funny, I think you have a winner Rebecca!
Hilarious! At bookclub meeting this past weekend, I asked my hubby if he’d do one of these posts (and not be mean). He declined! It’s great that Bob was so willing to do this. I can’t wait to see Part Two!
He is so funny! I love the commentary you inserted on his answer to my question
Jen -exnay on the utcay! We don’t want to inflate Bob’s head.
I agree that he’s funny though. Rebecca I can see why the two of you are married you have a similar sense of humor. Poor Millie, she must be praying for Billy to come and sweep her away from the chaos and madness!
This is awesome! I’ve GOT to remember that Rebecca is fire prone, because we’re determined to be best buds, but I want to live a long time. Those two might be mutually exclusive.
LOL!!! Thanks for the morning laughs. My husband is considering contributing but I doubt we’ll see a post.
For the record, I have only set the one fire. Granted, it cleared out an entire apartment building on a rainy day, but still. That was 7 years ago. (and this is why you shouldn’t marry someone who’s known you long enough to know all the embarrassing things you did in college.) You’re safe with me, Trish!
I cracked up really bad when Bob referred to Phillip Roth as “weird shit” – which is true, but no one ever wants to admit that. hahahaha!
I’m so glad to hear you’re safe and sound with your own personal fire suppression system, Rebecca. It sounds like you two have loads of fun together!
[...] Bob Speaks, part 1: My husband guest blogs about life with the Book Lady! « The Book Lady’s Blog thebookladysblog.com/2009/10/13/bob-speaks-part-1-my-husband-guest-blogs-about-life-with-the-book-lady – view page – cached The Book Lady's Blog is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. — From the page [...]
This was a great read and a great idea! Thanks for sharing…
This totally made my day. It cracked me up. Ha, wow, I am still laughing. He sounds like a great person. Nice interview..it was definitely worth the read.
-Arielle
That is just the most awesome thing! What a great guy. I am quite impressed with his reading. Since he is in the financial industry (I did understand that correctly didn’t I?) he would love the book Ugly Americans by Ben Mezrich. It is a true story of Ivy League hedge fund cowboys that raided the Asian markets for millions. It is fast paced, and honestly, you don’t have to know a darned thing about hedge funds to enjoy it. I think I read it in two days.
I did not know that you were willing to throw panties at John Irving! That is hilarious! Only a bibliophile!
Sandy, you are right on. Bob loves Ben Mezrich and has read all of his books except for the new one about Facebook, which is supposed to be pretty bad. And yes, only a true bibliophile would want to throw her panties at John Irving.
So, Bob, who’s cuter…you or Millie?
That’s a toss-up. It depends on how you feel about long, droopy ears and the occasional slobbery love fest.
millie by a landslide
This was incredibly fun to read.
And I have a question: Will Bob be getting his own blog? Because based on this, I would totally read it!
Ran it by Bob….he says he’s best in small doses
What’s the bottom line – boxers or briefs?
Boxers. Or boxer briefs. But never briefs.
I don’t think I will ever do laundry again without thinking of that line.
This is too funny! I love the washing machine line in particular. Sounds like you have a great guy, Rebecca!
[...] Bob Speaks, part 1: My husband guest blogs about life with the Book Lady! [...]
[...] let your husband guest blog once, and you better be prepared to spend weeks listening to him gush about his “adoring [...]