M.C.F.A.T. IX: Answers

Thanks to everyone to participated in the Mysterious Cloaked Figure's Astonishing Test, Volume 9!

*NAME HIDDEN*

Paul, just this guy, you know?

Kelly

Lorna

Kev Bayer

Crazy Neighbor

Neolithic

Wendy

Sean

And here are my answers:

1) From any current television series, who is the last character you'd want to see killed off? Who's the first?
If you want to avoid possible 24 spoilers, skip to the next answer. My answers are different than they would have been when I first thought up this question, although both my answers are from that show. While Jack is the easy answer, as much as they've teased and even faked, I expect him to last as long as the show does. After Jack, Tony is probably the last character I'd want to see killed off. They've offed so many major characters already this season. While I dislike the current President on the show, I'm starting to see potential for character growth. After tonight's episode, the death I'm most looking forward to is Henderson's, for reasons I won't spoil.

2) What are the best and worst financial investments a person could make?
Some say a house or land are the best, since they go up in value. Getting the money to afford them in the first place is the hard part. The worst thing to do would be to leave money in an interest bearing checking account. I remember when I got like 2% when I started my checking account, and now it's some ridiculous decimal like .03%. It depends on the bank too; I believe my savings account in a credit union earns 2%. It might be less, but I know it's at least a whole number. An accountant friend once told me that earnings are proportionate to risk. CD's earn higher interest than a savings account, with not much more risk, but stocks or mutual funds, which are collections of stocks, earn even more money, but there is a risk of losing money. I guess the best feasible investment is a 401K plan using mutual funds.

3) Think of the worst superpower you could have, either from an existing character or one you make up, and explain how you would learn to live with it.
The worst power to have would be one of improbability, of having the most unlikely things guaranteed to happen to me. Eventually, when bad luck became the norm however, then good luck would become more improbable and my powers would create a shift. Like real life, it would have its ups and downs. Blogging would be a good way to deal with it.

4) What's the worst dating experience you've ever had?
In college there was a cute, slightly quirky girl in one of my art classes that caught my interest, but I wasn't sure how to pursue her. After months of pining, Rey and the rest of my friends came to the rescue with a plan. He set up a group outing, including her, to travel to Manhattan after school for the tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center. Conveniently, while everyone agreed initially, all my friends “couldn't make it” at the last minute, leaving only the girl and myself. She was a little hesitant when I asked if she still wanted to go, but Rey hung around to prompt us both and soon we were walking to the subway. My sense of direction in the city was pathetic. I didn't want to admit it since I was a self-conscious Long Island boy leading a Queens girl, so I maintained the front that we were heading in the right direction. It was actually nice walking and talking to her about everything from school to what we planned to do in our upcoming final semester. I still hadn't chosen an internship, and I told her I didn't want to copy Rey and apply at the same studio he'd found. She didn't think there would be anything wrong with it. Ultimately I chose a publisher five minutes from my house where I would work for another four years after graduation and meet my first real girlfriend. Ironically, my next job would be at a company where Rey worked, thanks to his recommendation. As for my date, after failed attempts to find either the tree or the place where she wanted to eat, Gray's Papaya, we took the subway back to Queens. Her mom picked us up at the station and dropped me off at my car on campus. A month later I'd try to invite her to a party at a friend's house unsuccessfully. She gave me what I call a “broccoli face”, the squinched up expression and violent head shake a child makes when faced with vegetables. A few months after that during my internship, I'd discover on a return visit to school that she'd taken up with one of my friends. He wasn't a close friend, but a dude I talked comic books with sometimes, someone with a similar personality to my own. I'm not sure when their relationship began and I sometimes feel guilty wondering if they were together when I asked her out. I suppose this is really the story of her worst date, but I still cringe thinking about how things could have gone differently that night had I asked for directions, or done prior research. What did I do before the internet? I went out woefully unprepared.

5) Would you ever appear on television? In what capacity? Sitcom star? Dramatic actor? Talk or game show host? Reality contestant?
“He was a quiet lad...,” said neighbors. Kidding. Actually, I wouldn't mind being on a game show requiring intellect, like Jeopardy or Millionaire. I wonder how I would handle the pressure? It's one thing to rattle off answers in my living room, but an audience could be problematic. My only hope would be my old concert trick. I never had a problem with stage fright on the stage, because the lights were so bright I never saw the crowd. Hopefully a game show would offer the same conditions.

Tune in next week for the next exciting M.C.F.A.T.!