Do you have a nemisis?

Is there a bad penny in your life that keeps popping up over and over? I've had a thorn in my side since 1978 and he popped up again this weekend.
I met Alex Schuman ( not his real name) in 1978. We were both coaching youth league basketball. My team was the only one in the league without a gym where we could practice so we'd have to use games to gel. My team was beating Alex's by a good deal and he objected to my guys engaging in a full-court press with the game out of line. He started getting loud and his players started getting chippy. During an official timeout, he told me his guys would start getting rough if I didn't back off the press. I called off the press but put all my starters in and ran up the score. We had words after the game but that was that.

A few years goes by, and he enters a bar I'm working security at. It takes a while, but I finally realize who he is. He's getting drunk and being a bit obnoxious, so I'm keeping half an eye on him when he gets into a loud argument with a girl. Before I can intercede, she slaps him and he goes to get physical but I grab him from behind in a chicken wing and hustle him out the nearest exit. Outside, he recognizes me and talks some shit to me but I walk away and let the other guys handle it.

Now it is 2007 and I'm working for a guy we call KAS. His name was Kevin Schuman but no one called him Kevin, just KAS, and he always capitalized the letters. My immediate supervisor retires, and it seems like I should be the likely person to replace him. I get called into my boss's office expecting a raise and promotion when I'm told KAS's brother will be taking over the position and I'm expected to bring him up to speed and pick up any slack caused by his ineptitude. No raise, no promotion and then it turns out his brother is Alex Schuman. He gets off on the wrong foot and in a matter of weeks he is being openly mocked.. It turns out his middle name is Steven, so we start calling him A.S.S. since we call his brother KAS. He blamed me, and I was happy to accept responsibility. He lasted a few months and it was miserable.

Now it is 2010 and the US Census is hiring. I'd had an incredibly easy, well-paying job in 2000 and have been led to believe the same job is mine for the asking. I get an email, calling me in for an interview that I think is a formality, only to find the District Manager is Alex Schuman. I transferred to another district and got a job below my expectations. Alex got canned about halfway thru the process, but it was too late to help me much.

Around 2015, KAS's wife died, and when I went to her wake, I ended up getting into a loud argument with Alex over something foolish. We seem to bring out the worst in each other.

I'm looking to buy into a retirement community around Tucson, and Saturday, I got to look at one up in the foothills. The location is a little inconvenient but the view is spectacular. In order to get in, you have to meet a three-person board, provide your financials, and get grilled on stuff that shouldn't be their business.
The man leading the board is my old buddy, Alex Schuman. I'm wondering if Tucson is big enough for the two of us?

I've had a few friends who have e similar stories of a personal nemesis who pops up at inopportune times over a long period of time. Does anyone have any stories of similar experiences?
In the case of Alex Schuman, there is another fairly strange coincidence. We were both born in the same hospital three months apart. What makes it strange is the hospital was in Japan, on the other side of the world from where we would meet. Between our common origin and interests, we should have been friends.

Quote: billryan

Is there a bad penny in your life that keeps popping up over and over?
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This was a main theme in most of Charles Dickens books in the 19th century, The coincidence of constantly running into the same person over and over and over throughout your life. It's a plot line he used again and again because it's interesting but not very realistic. I never run into anybody. If everything you say is true you almost have a movie here because this kind of thing never happens to normal people. Charles Dickens was blasted all his life over this coincidental meeting plot line because it was so not even close to reality.

Good story. It sounds like something a screenplay could be written about.

Quote: DRich

Good story. It sounds like something a screenplay could be written about.
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It was my idea first, back off. You stole my last movie idea you're not stealing this one.

My nemesis is a well-bankrolled dude who does not live in my state, but is allowed to compete against me on multistate online leaderboards. I have tons of data on this guy and his modus operandi. I respect his ability to max bet and speed stop the fastest eligible slot game on a given leaderboard for hours at a time. I don't respect his tactical decision making. He doesn't seem to respect me or maybe doesn't remember my screen name between our encounters.

I have won the last few encounters with my nemesis by choosing my spots, but I am still upset about a big defeat at his hands when I didn't calculate the max rate of play for one of the eligible slot machines. I realized my mistake about one minute after he overtook my score. I switched to a slightly faster mode of play, but realized after a few minutes that I did was playing at exactly the same speed as him. It would have been a futile waste of money to chase until the end of the leaderboard. By giving up right away, I saved us both from incurring huge theoretical losses. I wish he had the same instinct for self preservation.

Quote: DRich

Good story. It sounds like something a screenplay could be written about.
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No, it's more coincidental than interesting. It's not like we've been plotting against each other for the past forty five years; it's just we keep running into each other.

I've had similar run-ins with an actor named Micheal Harney. I met him at six when he lived next to my grandmother, but his family moved when I returned the next summer. We ended up in the same high school, and then the same college but we were 't really friends. Friendly, and teammates but not close friends. I'd occasionally run into him in NYC bars when he was bartending and studying acting. Years later, he got a regular role on NYPD Blue and I ended up on an episode as an extra.
Twenty years goes by, and I'm watching them film the Las Vegas tv show, and he is a guest star on the episode.
I drive from Vegas to LA to see Jeff Lynn in concert and as I'm headed to Guest Services for a ticket upgrade, I run into him in the hall.
In Mikes case, we have pleasant five-minute conversations about the past and we depart, secure in the fact we will cross paths again.

Quote: billryan

No, it's more coincidental than interesting.
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What makes you think any movie made from a real life story was interesting before the screenwriter got a hold of it. That's the whole point of a screenplay is to take something boring and make it into something else.

Quote: billryan

I'm looking to buy into a retirement community around Tucson, and Saturday, I got to look at one up in the foothills. The location is a little inconvenient but the view is spectacular. In order to get in, you have to meet a three-person board, provide your financials, and get grilled on stuff that shouldn't be their business.
The man leading the board is my old buddy, Alex Schuman. I'm wondering if Tucson is big enough for the two of us?
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Noooo don't move here please we are full! I already groan enough every time a California plate passes me on the interstate! There's already to many people in Tucson as it is. (Partially joking in case you take the first part serious, hope you find something nice out here)

I don't really know anyone I'd call my nemesis tbh, if I don't like someone that much I don't waste my energy thinking about them. If I run into them, well I won't know because I already forgot about them

Quote: TheCapitalShip

Quote: billryan

I'm looking to buy into a retirement community around Tucson, and Saturday, I got to look at one up in the foothills. The location is a little inconvenient but the view is spectacular. In order to get in, you have to meet a three-person board, provide your financials, and get grilled on stuff that shouldn't be their business.
The man leading the board is my old buddy, Alex Schuman. I'm wondering if Tucson is big enough for the two of us?
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Noooo don't move here please we are full! I already groan enough every time a California plate passes me on the interstate! There's already to many people in Tucson as it is. (Partially joking in case you take the first part serious, hope you find something nice out here)

I don't really know anyone I'd call my nemesis tbh, if I don't like someone that much I don't waste my energy thinking about them. If I run into them, well I won't know because I already forgot about them
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I'm in Cochise County now, so it's not that big a move. I'm just trying to decide if these buy-your-home but lease-the-ground communities are a good deal or not. They are a horrible investment but I don't think your home should be an investment anyway.

Quote: billryan

Quote: TheCapitalShip

Quote: billryan

I'm looking to buy into a retirement community around Tucson, and Saturday, I got to look at one up in the foothills. The location is a little inconvenient but the view is spectacular. In order to get in, you have to meet a three-person board, provide your financials, and get grilled on stuff that shouldn't be their business.
The man leading the board is my old buddy, Alex Schuman. I'm wondering if Tucson is big enough for the two of us?
link to original post

Noooo don't move here please we are full! I already groan enough every time a California plate passes me on the interstate! There's already to many people in Tucson as it is. (Partially joking in case you take the first part serious, hope you find something nice out here)

I don't really know anyone I'd call my nemesis tbh, if I don't like someone that much I don't waste my energy thinking about them. If I run into them, well I won't know because I already forgot about them
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I'm in Cochise County now, so it's not that big a move. I'm just trying to decide if these buy-your-home but lease-the-ground communities are a good deal or not. They are a horrible investment but I don't think your home should be an investment anyway.
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I can't comment personally on that (that sounds like a condo?), but if my words have any merit, I'd honestly find something in Pinal County rather than Pima, Pima has the highest property tax rates in the state.

Have you looked at some of the cities outside Tucson? I can think of a couple that might fit the bill if mountain views are a requirement for you.

Never understood why Phoenix exploded compared to Tucson. Tucson has the superior climate of the two. Not like Phoenix has done that great as far as coherent city planning either.

I was thinking I didn’t have a nemesis, but maybe I was just blocking that negative memory. I told my nemesis I was moving to Vegas. A couple years later she shows up and has moved there also. A year later I moved from Vegas. Haven’t seen her again, (yet).

Quote: mcallister3200

Never understood why Phoenix exploded compared to Tucson. Tucson has the superior climate of the two. Not like Phoenix has done that great as far as coherent city planning either.
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I was under the impression that Tucson was hotter than Phoenix and was surprised to learn it wasn't. It's still too hot for me and I'll be spending my summers elsewhere. I'm also looking at somewhere around ShowLow or Alpine where I can store my 5th wheel and use it in the summer.

Quote: billryan

Quote: mcallister3200

Never understood why Phoenix exploded compared to Tucson. Tucson has the superior climate of the two. Not like Phoenix has done that great as far as coherent city planning either.
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I was under the impression that Tucson was hotter than Phoenix and was surprised to learn it wasn't. It's still too hot for me and I'll be spending my summers elsewhere. I'm also looking at somewhere around ShowLow or Alpine where I can store my 5th wheel and use it in the summer.
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Billy there not called 5th wheels anymore it's Hillbilly hotel now. :)

“Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.”
― George Bernard Shaw

Quote: billryan

Quote: mcallister3200

Never understood why Phoenix exploded compared to Tucson. Tucson has the superior climate of the two. Not like Phoenix has done that great as far as coherent city planning either.
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I was under the impression that Tucson was hotter than Phoenix and was surprised to learn it wasn't. It's still too hot for me and I'll be spending my summers elsewhere. I'm also looking at somewhere around ShowLow or Alpine where I can store my 5th wheel and use it in the summer.
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here's part of the forecast for Phoenix - the highs - for the next few days

today - 110
Wed. - 111
Thurs - 114
Fri. - 115
Sat. - 117

unreal -

.

Quote: lilredrooster

Quote: billryan

Quote: mcallister3200

Never understood why Phoenix exploded compared to Tucson. Tucson has the superior climate of the two. Not like Phoenix has done that great as far as coherent city planning either.
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I was under the impression that Tucson was hotter than Phoenix and was surprised to learn it wasn't. It's still too hot for me and I'll be spending my summers elsewhere. I'm also looking at somewhere around ShowLow or Alpine where I can store my 5th wheel and use it in the summer.
link to original post

here's part of the forecast for Phoenix - the highs - for the next few days

today - 110
Wed. - 111
Thurs - 114
Fri. - 115
Sat. - 117

unreal -

.
link to original post

After having lived in Las Vegas for 30 years those temperatures do not even seem alarming to me anymore. A few years ago we can a summer that was over 110 for more than 30 straight days. I was fortunate enough to always be in air conditioning so the only time I really felt it was getting into a hot car that had been sitting in the sun.

We are going through a warm streak right now in Florida where each day is around 95 with humidity around 80%. Very hot and sticky if you are in the sun but I rarely am unless I am at the beach or in the back yard or patio where I just jump in the pool to cool off.

Quote: DRich

We are going through a warm streak right now in Florida where each day is around 95 with humidity around 80%. Very hot and sticky if you are in the sun but I rarely am unless I am at the beach or in the back yard or patio where I just jump in the pool to cool off.
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My brother-in-law died year before last in Florida on a day similar to that while mowing the lawn at 11:00 in the morning in August. He passed out from heat stroke was taken to the hospital where he had a heart attack and died 3 hours later. All because his wife insisted that they move to Florida year-round. He worked his ass off all his life saved money had a good retirement pension and got to use exactly 3 years of it before Florida killed him.

Quote: lilredrooster

here's part of the forecast for Phoenix - the highs - for the next few days

today - 110
Wed. - 111
Thurs - 114
Fri. - 115
Sat. - 117

unreal -

.
link to original post

I was in Phoenix a few weeks ago. I think it got down to 98 overnight. An hour after sun-up, it was right back to 110ish.
I was in Phoenix for New Year's a while back. New Year's Day, it was - I think - 120 a few hours after the sun went down. (I know it was over 100; 120 sticks in my mind for some reason.)
I just assume it will be 110 or so and make sure I've always got a few gallons of water in reach.

My phone said it was 100 last night at 10 pm in Bisbee. That is unheard of. It read 96 around 2 am. Tomorrow I'm back in Tucson for another day of househunting.

Nice thing about AZ is that it's a dry heat. It's still really hot and I'd rather be inside, but as long as you have a lot of water and don't push yourself to hard (if you decide to do stuff in the middle of the day), I'd much rather have the dry heat than the humidity.

Not like I'm one of these hikers that decide "you know what it's 110 degrees out and I have one bottle of water guess it's time to hike!"

On the other hand, Lousiana has a lot better food.....man I loved visiting the casinos and seeing gumbo on the menu.

Quote: EvenBob

Quote: DRich

We are going through a warm streak right now in Florida where each day is around 95 with humidity around 80%. Very hot and sticky if you are in the sun but I rarely am unless I am at the beach or in the back yard or patio where I just jump in the pool to cool off.
link to original post

My brother-in-law died year before last in Florida on a day similar to that while mowing the lawn at 11:00 in the morning in August. He passed out from heat stroke was taken to the hospital where he had a heart attack and died 3 hours later. All because his wife insisted that they move to Florida year-round. He worked his ass off all his life saved money had a good retirement pension and got to use exactly 3 years of it before Florida killed him.
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Having grown up in the midwest I can say that I would rather die in Florida than live in Michigan.

Dust and pollen are my nemesis

Quote: DRich

Quote: EvenBob

Quote: DRich

We are going through a warm streak right now in Florida where each day is around 95 with humidity around 80%. Very hot and sticky if you are in the sun but I rarely am unless I am at the beach or in the back yard or patio where I just jump in the pool to cool off.
link to original post

My brother-in-law died year before last in Florida on a day similar to that while mowing the lawn at 11:00 in the morning in August. He passed out from heat stroke was taken to the hospital where he had a heart attack and died 3 hours later. All because his wife insisted that they move to Florida year-round. He worked his ass off all his life saved money had a good retirement pension and got to use exactly 3 years of it before Florida killed him.
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Having grown up in the midwest I can say that I would rather die in Florida than live in Michigan.
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I spent a month in Michigan one weekend.

Quote: DRich

Having grown up in the midwest I can say that I would rather die in Florida than live in Michigan.
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That's because you like torturing yourself and I do not. I spend all summer long uutdoors doing stuff. Just today July 11th it's 78° with low humidity and I cut down a tree, a fairly big tree, now I have to cut the branches off and clean it up. Winter is inconvenient but I spent 7 years in California in the winter and it sucked most of the time. If it wasn't raining, it was cold because your climatized and if you found a nice day it started to get dark at 4:00 p.m. At least in Michigan I've got six or seven months of gorgeous weather when I can work outside in the summer till 9:00 or 10:00 at night. While you're hiding indoors sitting in front of an air conditioner calling that living. I've been to Florida in the summer I thought I was going to die and my brother-in-law did die. Florida killed him, literally.

Quote: billryan

I spent a month in Michigan one weekend.
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Michigan has been a summer vacation destination since the end of the 19th century and it still is. Tourism is a huge industry here both in the summer and winter. People in Chicago escaped the heat in the summer by vacationing in Michigan. Ernest Hemingway's family had a cabin on a lake up north and he absolutely loved it here, he talked about it all his life and wrote stories about it. People who say things like they spent a month in Michigan one weekend have no idea obviously what they're talking about. There's a guy that I follow who hikes all the major trails in the United States like the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail and he hiked some trails in Michigan year before last and he's still talking about it. Says it's the best state he's ever hiked in.

Quote: EvenBob

Quote: billryan

I spent a month in Michigan one weekend.
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Michigan has been a summer vacation destination since the end of the 19th century and it still is. Tourism is a huge industry here both in the summer and winter. People in Chicago escaped the heat in the summer by vacationing in Michigan. Ernest Hemingway's family had a cabin on a lake up north and he absolutely loved it here, he talked about it all his life and wrote stories about it. People who say things like they spent a month in Michigan one weekend have no idea obviously what they're talking about. There's a guy that I follow who hikes all the major trails in the United States like the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail and he hiked some trails in Michigan year before last and he's still talking about it. Says it's the best state he's ever hiked in.
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Ernest Hemingway Killed himself up North, not his home in Key West. Why? He hated it. Obviously.

Quote: rxwine

Ernest Hemingway Killed himself up North, not his home in Key West. Why? He hated it. Obviously.
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Hemingway killed himself in Idaho in 1961, he hadn't lived in Key West since 1939. He was living in Cuba until Castro took over and he had to leave so he went to the home he owned in Idaho. Where he killed himself has nothing to do with anything, he was a manic depressive and it ran in his family. His father killed himself, his brother killed himself, his sister killed herself, his granddaughter committed suicide. They all were bipolar.