Congratulations to the winner of the National Spelling Bee! I'm fond of the spelling bee kids. I really am, because I was one. I've always been a good speller. Even in grade school I used to kick at in the classroom spelling bees. Once, when I was in third or maybe fourth grade, won the classroom bee and progressed to the school bee. The principal, Sister Donelda, called the words. At one point, my word... Read more →
I woke up out of a dream at 4:10 this morning. Something in my dream made me sit up on the side of the bed, just as I do when I get up. Once I was sitting up, I woke up fully and realized that I had another two hours before the alarm went off, and I couldn't remember why I sat up in the first place. I shook my head and lay back down... Read more →
I have been convinced of my damnation for some time now, but this evening I'm thinking I may just have a shot at salvation after all. Why? I spent time with Mom every single day this weekend. Saturday? Lunch with Mom. My older sister, brother and sister-in-law, and younger sister and brother-in-law were also there. It was great; we always laugh a lot when we're together and Mom did fine. Of course, she ordered her... Read more →
I belong to a Clown College graduates listserv, and lately there's been quite a good discussion on it about clown makeup, costumes, and why kids are scared of clowns. Some of the folks lament the trend toward more minimal makeup, preferring the old-fashioned full clown makeup, complete with wigs, gloves, big shoes, and loud costume. Others think that the more minimal makeup is the way to go, particularly if the clowning is close to the... Read more →
It's more than just a random sneeze. I have another cough and cold. At first I thought, "Just allergies!" (This illness shit is getting old.) Itchy eyes, sore throat, and head that aches, The goo inside my lungs and nose Combined with a cough that rattles and shakes Makes me long for NyQuil, a double dose! I've washed my hands, Purell'd them too And yet the germs upon me leap. I thought at first, "Oh... Read more →
I'm still a little sad that my Capitals got beat down by the Team Who Shall Not Be Named on Wednesday, but there are many many things that I'm loving this Friday. I love my team and I love my fellow fans. When two minutes remained in the game and it was clear that a comeback was not in the cards, the entire crowd rose and gave the team a standing ovation for the rest... Read more →
Game 7. It's hard out there for a fan - you know in your heart that it's only a sporting event. It will have no effect on global warming, or world peace, or a cure for cancer, or personal spiritual enlightenment. And yet... You want it so much. You want the team to win, you want another round, you want the chance to grab the cup and drink deep. I'm sure dissertations have been written... Read more →
1. I had the perfect card and a great gift for my Mom. The front of the card read, "Being a Mom is like being in the circus." The inside read, "You have to clean up big messes, something something I forget what, and your biggest helper is a clown." And the gift? A bag of peanut brittle that I picked up at the airport in Atlanta. Mom's been craving it, so there you go.... Read more →
The lovely and talented Fredlet emailed me asking for pictures of my cute lil pie-slice pocket room. Here's a view from the armchair. I'm standing as far away from the bed as I can get. You can see the flat screen TV there on the left. That milky window looks into the bathroom. If you look closely, you can see my iPod nano in the dock on the clock radio. Okay, now a look from... Read more →
We did a bit more cleaning out over at my mom's house tonight and I picked up an old cookbook of my gramma's -- The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Miss Fannie Merritt Farmer, Revised, copyright 1912. After all of the recipes, Miss Farmer details the proper composition of a full course dinner. Here's the scoop, straight out of the book. A Full Course Dinner First Course Little Neck Clams or Bluepoints, with brown-bread sandwiches.... Read more →