Life Sherpa: Well, well, well. It seems that some of the intrepid surfers of our new Web constructions managed to find the Sherpa's site this afternoon -- and they Sherpa is most pleased and grateful.
And the questions look promising -- from food to baldness to a question that includes the word "promiscuous", which promises to be promising.
So, enough with the ado, let's get rolling

kaybells: Hey ya Sherp!

Are you an expert in the area of male pattern baldness? I have noticed a thin spot on the top of my young adult son's head, and I'm sure it's due to his head never seeing the light of day, with a stocking cap over his dome 24/7. I know it looks cool in his eyes, but don't you think the scalp circulation may be an issue? As far as inherited traits...his Dad wears a ball cap nearly as much and yep! Not too much up there! What's your take on this?
signed,

Looking for Hans Weimann

Life Sherpa: Yikes, I don't consider myself an expert on male pattern baldness, but I have a little of it myself. I've read that the wearing of a cap has nothing to do with baldness, and it's purely a genetic deal. But I think it would not hurt to wean your young'un from the stocking cap -- unless of course you plan to encourage a career in rap or grunge rock music.

evie: Dear Life Sherpa,

Gee, they make it a little hard to find where to submit chat questions, don't they?

OK, sports. The one I don't get is golf. You try to hit this tiny little ball into this tiny little hole in this huge big park-like country club. And you do it with these very expensive sticks that are supposed to move the ball in a very specific way. And you spend lots of money on lessons to learn how to use these sticks. And still, after all this money spent on the sticks and the lessons, you are lousy at hitting the tiny ball into the tiny hole.

Yet you do it week after week, and spend even more money to do it at exclusive park-like country clubs. You come home all disappointed and cuss like crazy.

I don't get it.

Evie

Life Sherpa: Dear Evie, I risk alienating the female participants in this forum by offering you the bottom-line reason why men play golf:
-- Women tend not to play golf.
OK, call me a sexist pig but men look for activities in which they can act like men -- and women won't be around to judge them.
This means the exercise must include physical challenge, competition, and the ability to drink alcoholic beverages while engaged in said activity.
Personally, my golf game is such that I've never needed a fancy-schmancy country club course. The most simple, proletarian course has been sufficiently challenging for my weak-#@$ game.
If you want to shake up your guy, tell him you've secretly been taking lessons and want to play with him. That may take him off the game forever.

Drew: Life Sherpa,

I have a question about women. I have been married for almost 9 years and it seems lately (since I got a DVR) that my wife will record a "top 20 music countdown" and play and replay and replay (and...well you get the point) the same song over and over again.
1. Is this normal for women?
2. Any ideas to get her to stop besides getting into a shouting match with her?
I like listening to music but I can't listen the same song 20 times in a 24 hrs period (and I am NOT overexaggerating!).

Please help oh wise and mighty Life Sherpa!

Life Sherpa: First of all, let me say I'm surprised that your wife operates a remote control with such efficiency. Remote control skills usually exist only in the male of the species.
But listening to a song over and over is mos def a women thing -- much like a guy watching "Caddyshack" over and over again. And let me guess, it's not so much that you have to listen to a song 20 times in a row, it's that you have to listen to "her song" 20 times in a row. And chances are, it's not Led Zepellin or U2, but something from Beyonce or Sara McLaughlin, or Mariah Carey.
So, don't yell, don't fight, just live with it (or accidentally hit the "delete this recording" button whenever you can.)

1880s guy: Sir,
For the last month, I've been stewing over advice that you casually tossed out like some month old pizza.

I am deeply offended that you think real men would use an umbrella. Have you never seen a World War II movie, Kung Fu classic or Spaghetti Western? "Oh, the Life Sherpa says we can't fight until I dispense with this dreadful moisture about my shoulders".

Buck it up, dude. Get wet. I'll bet your umbrella is Pepto Bismal Pink.

Life Sherpa: As an aficionado of Spags, war flicks and Kung Fu movies -- I am insulted.
But the bottom line is this: Real men aren't stupid, and getting stuck in the rain without an umbrella is kind of dumb. And men who carry an umrella in the rain are obviously secure enough in their manhood to do so, unlike the drenched and the insecure.
Regular readers will remember that it was noted that these umbrellas should be black or navy blue, or a golf umbrella.
So, no, my umbrella is not pink (it's black).
And the next time you call me dude, make sure it's with a capital "D"

Trouble at work: I'm very attracted to someone I'm pretty sure will end up crushing me. She is promiscuous, has shown that she is willing to lie or leave out important details, and to top it all off we work together (different departments within a large company). Even with these character faults I can't stop thinking about her and wanting to ask her if she is interested in something more than our current friendship at work. Even though I'm guessing that she does not want anything more than friendship I can't seem to let this go. Time has always worked in the past but I'm not getting enough time away from her because we work together and I really do enjoy the time we spend together at work... What can I do?

Life Sherpa: Ask her out! There are two very good reasons why you should.
1. You work in different departments within a large company, meaning you have a chance of avoiding her if things end badly.
2. She's promiscuous -- and what more of an explanation is needed on that point?

Sally Hamilton: Dear Life Sherpa,

Can you explain to me why women like to plan and organize more than men?

Sally

Life Sherpa: Sally, I understand your question and I wished you were on live right now because some details are missing.
In general, I think women and men both are capable of planning, but different events. A woman will plan a party or a shopping trip, while a guy will plan a road trip or a sporting-event excursion. I think they problem is that the genders like to plan DIFFERENT things, which leads men and women to believe that the other sex is disorganized.

krissy: why do guys lose interest in you once you sleep with them?

Life Sherpa: Aah, the ultimate question.
This goes to the very heart of the difference between men and women.
If you embrace the "nature" argument of human behavior, it can be explained this way: Men are destined to mate with as many women as possible for the survival of the species, and once that has been achieved, it's off to the next partner.
If, on the other hand, you go with the "nurture" side of the behavior coin, it goes like this: Men are (generally) raised to compete to be the best, to be goal-oriented in a specific manner. So once the pursuit is over (sleeping with someone), there is no challenge left and a new goal must be pursued.
Are, on a much more basic level:

Men Are Pigs

clean kathleen: Dear Sherpa,

This troubles me about men:

I see all these surveys that say men don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. WHY NOT? For Pete's sake WHY NOT??

Thanks.
Clean Kathleen

Life Sherpa: Well, it all depends on what activity in which the men were engaged. The more simple of the two basic activities (we're trying to be somewhat delicate here)requires no contact with anything unsanitary -- for we men know exactly where the dispenser has been.
If it is the more complex of the two activities, then it's just gross if a guy doesn't wash.
But my guess is that the survey focused on Acticity No. 1. Either that, or ....

Men are REALLY pigs

snack cake junkie: Oh wise Sherpa,

Hostess cupcakes or Ding Dongs? And in your life as a feature writer, can you research and find out what ever happened to Mickey's Banana Flip and Devil's Delight (might be Delite)?

Life Sherpa: I have on many occasions declared my belief that the Hostess Chocolate Cupcake is the most perfect snack cake ever invented. It is on the Mt. Rushmore of junk food -- with Double Stuff Oreos; Old Vienna St. Louis Style BBQ Chips; and the Mounds candy bars.
The Ding-Dong is fine, but the icing to cake ratio is too icing heavy.
And I remember both Mickey's snacks. the Devil's Delite was a Hostess-wannabe, but the Banana Flip was awesome!

kayte: Dear Sherpa:

This sounds made up, but it's for real. I work at a hospital, but in a non-medical area. One of my co-workers is attracted to a guy who is literally a brain surgeon. Yes, a brain surgeon. Even more unbelievable, but true, he looks like Patrick Dempsey. Yes, a cute brain surgeon. And, he's unmarried and straight. Really. My co-worker wants to ask him out, but is intimidated by this so-perfect guy. The rest of us in the department say she should take a chance. The worst that could happen would be he says no.

How can we convince her that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Signed,
I am not making this up.

Life Sherpa: A straight, umarried brain surgeon who looks like Patrick Dempsey? Obviously, there is something wrong with him. But I would encourage your co-worker to extensively research what that flaw could be. Maybe he's excessively flatulent, or is mean to small animals?
Either way, this young lady should ask this guy out to lunch and see what's up !!
But keep in mind that my Dad had a twist on a lod wise saying:
"You can lead a horse to water, but the stupid ones don't drink."

paul voelker: Far be it for me to beat a dead horse, but The non-disabled people who park in handicapped spots are making me think of vehicular violence (cars, not people). My question is, how can I get this message to the offenders that take the space I truly need, without being arrested?

Life Sherpa: Paul, my sympathies. As you may know, some months ago I wrote about how people abuse the disabled-parking privilege, people who don't appear to be disabled.
And, WOW, did the seemingly healthy people take me to task. There were all kinds of explanations as to whay THEY weren't violating the law. But we all know that's bull. Perfectly healthy people are using these spots by virtue of using someone's mirror-hanger permit. And since they are shameless enough to do this, there is little that a newspaper columnist can do to prevent it.
And as harsh as it sounds, I do hope that all of the people abusing the system -- AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE -- end up truly needing the spaces in the very near future.

Life Sherpa: Thanks to all of the live chatters who joined in today. It is most appreciated. Please tell 10 friends about the chats. The next one will be on Wednesday, June 11, at High Noon.
By the way, don't forget to check out our "Best Westerns" polling on our website.
Go to the "Entertainment" drop-down menu and then click on movies. If, like me, you love westerns, it should be fun.
So let's call it a day and hook up in two weeks


ciao

Life Sherpa: Thanks to all of the live chatters who joined in today. It is most appreciated. Please tell 10 friends about the chats. The next one will be on Wednesday, June 11, at High Noon.
By the way, don't forget to check out our "Best Westerns" polling on our website.
Go to the "Entertainment" drop-down menu and then click on movies. If, like me, you love westerns, it should be fun.
So let's call it a day and hook up in two weeks


ciao