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I forgot to mention yesterday that amid all the excitement, I found time to get visited by Nancy and to receive her birthday gift: the cutest little teas (that's one over there on the left), an amazing chocolate candle, and (because she knew it would be unfair to gift me with an amazing chocolate candle and then leave me edible-chocolate-less) a decadent supply of dark chocolates. Mmmmmm....
1. Walk Away Renee (live) - Marshall Crenshaw
2. Handy Man (live) - James Taylor
3. Palm Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin
4. Watch Your Step - Elvis Costello
5. Girlfriend Is Better - Talking Heads
6. Bartender's Blues - George Jones
7. Last Cup of Coffee (live) - Rufus Wainwright
8. Snowin' on Raton -Townes Van Zandt
9. Think - Aretha Franklin
10. What a Wonderful World - David Bromberg
FQ TOPIC: Tasty
FQ1: Your favorite sweet food? When did you last have it?
really good dark chocolate - dunno, a few weeks ago, maybe?
FQ2: Your favorite salty food? When did you last have it?
Cape Cod reduced-fat potato chips - yesterday
FQ3: Your favorite sour food? When did you last have it?
lemonade - yesterday at Pete's movie party
FQ EDIBLE: What's the best thing you've ever tasted? The most horrible thing you've ever tasted?
best: dark chocolate flourless torte (any of many)
worst: mustard
Appetizer: Which keys do you have on your key chain?
car key, house key
Soup: What is the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?
I can't think of any one thing, but let's just say that all the likely winners for this event occurred many years ago—and none are fit content for this blog.
Salad: Who is the best cook in your family?
me
Main Course: If you were to write a "how-to" book, what would the title be?
"How to Stay Sane and Smart While Being Happy as a Stay-Home Mom"
Dessert: Name a recent fad you've tried.
exercise ball
Selected notes on my day:
5. Take Julie to see Dr. Bhatt.
She's doing great! We don't have to go back for another 4 months, instead of 2. Dr. Bhatt expects to wait another year before changing her prescription again, though.
6. Take Julie to get her little tiny teeth cleaned.
She is a very cooperative and chatty little girl!
7. Andy goes to pick up Pete's Yoda cake.
Go he will!
12.
Have party. Give out popcorn and lemonade. Watch movie. Take kids to
bathroom. Serve cake and ice cream. Distribute goodie bags.
Fail to realize that we really need one more adult on hand. Be thankful that Stephanie and Ollie are there to take kids to the bathroom and help pass out and serve stuff. Have difficulty stopping kids from playing tag in the cinema while waiting for their parents to pick them up.
14. Take Steph to first swimming lesson of new session.
She decided to stay home to watch Pete open his presents.
15.
Andy takes Pete to T-ball. (We're actually hoping it will rain, because
he'll understandably want to open all his gifts and play with them.)
Despite the sunshine, Pete decided to stay home to play with his presents. Andy had to go, though, because he's Coach Andy.
19. Finish editing project, which is due on Friday.
Um, better get to that now....
20. Collapse.
Must. Finish. Project. Yet. Want. Bed. So. Badly.
"Ed Wood" - No one could ever argue that this is a great movie, but it has at least two things going for it:
1. Martin Landau won a best supporting actor Oscar for his role as Bela Lugosi. He was beyond convincing, he was Bela Lugosi.
2. Johnny Depp looks just as gorgeous in a blonde pageboy, angora sweater, A-line skirt, and pumps as he does in a pirate costume. And he continues to astonish me as an actor. I'm convinced he can really do just about anything.
"Before Sunset" - I must just be a hopeless romantic at heart, but I loved this! I loved that it took place 9 years later (than "Before Sunrise") both in the movie and in real life. I can take or leave Ethan Hawke, although I thought he was good enough; I really loved Julie Delpy! I read that they wrote their own script; maybe that's why it sounded so natural. I felt like an absolute teenager just pondering the anguish of the what-ifs.
1. Bring the milk in. (I already remembered both to put the empties out and to place my online order! w00t!)
2. Get the kids up, dressed, fed, and packed up.
3. Clean up for the cleaning lady. (Don't start with me.)
4. Take Steph and Pete to school.
5. Take Julie to see Dr. Bhatt.
6. Take Julie to get her little tiny teeth cleaned.
7. Andy goes to pick up Pete's Yoda cake. (Sorry, Darth Vader was another $10.)
8. Give Julie lunch.
9. Early release day! Pick up Steph and Pete.
10. Give Steph and Pete lunch.
11. Barbara arrives to watch Julie; the rest of us leave for Pete's party at the movie theatre. (We settled on "Home on the Range," the last of the hand-drawn Disney movies and the only one in which a parent doesn't die in the opening sequence.) Bring cake, knife, candles, matches, plates, napkins, forks, Hoodsies, spoons, juice boxes, water bottles, camera, DVD, and goodie bags. What am I forgetting??!!
12. Have party. Give out popcorn and lemonade. Watch movie. Take kids to bathroom. Serve cake and ice cream. Distribute goodie bags.
13. Lug home gifts.
14. Take Steph to first swimming lesson of new session.
15. Andy takes Pete to T-ball. (We're actually hoping it will rain, because he'll understandably want to open all his gifts and play with them.)
16. Call Jen to wish her a Happy 17th Birthday!
17. Eat dinner.
18. Put kids to bed.
19. Finish editing project, which is due on Friday.
20. Collapse.
Got tagged by Lora on the latest meme: Pick five occupations out of the list below and write your take on each one.
If I could be a scientist... If I could be a farmer... If I could be a musician... If I could be a doctor... If I could be a painter... If I could be a gardener... If I could be a missionary... If I could be a chef... If I could be an architect... If I could be a linguist... If I could be a psychologist... If I could be a librarian... If I could be an athlete... If I could be a lawyer... If I could be an inn-keeper... If I could be a professor... If I could be a writer... If I could be a llama-rider... If I could be a bonnie pirate... If I could be an astronaut... If I could be a world-famous blogger... If I could be a justice on any one court in the world... If I could be married to any current famous political figure...
1. If I could be a musician . . . I'd like to make a whole CD of covers of my favorite songs, even those from wildly different genres.
2. If I could be a gardener . . . I'd grow fresh herbs and veggies year 'round. This one could happen, if I could ever get my act together!
3. If I could be a chef . . . I'd hire someone else to clean the fish and I wouldn't work with organ meats.
4. If I could be an inn-keeper . . . I'd have every guest room decorated and outfitted differently. I'd have a cozy living room with a fireplace and lots of games and books and puzzles, and I'd serve tea and cookies in the afternoon and wine and cheese in the evening. I'd make the yummiest breakfasts of fresh fruit and muffins. I probably wouldn't make a dime.
5. If I could be a writer . . . I'd like to publish a collection of short stories.
I'm now supposed to tag three other bloggers to do this meme, but I prefer to do it this way: If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged!
Ten Stupid Things You Did As a Kid
1. Put Silly Putty on my hair—right next to the part—to make a print of it. How fast can you say "Time for a pixie!"?
2. Snapped all the little bottles out of Lauren's brand-new Penny Brite Beauty Salon before she even got a chance to play with it.
3. Wore my socks rolled down like donuts around my ankles every day.
4. Pretended I didn't know how to spell so my first-grade teacher wouldn't praise me in front of all the other kids. (Well, maybe that wasn't so stupid after all.)
5. Told Lisa and Lauren that I'd get back at them when I got big and they got little.
6. Made fun of a girl at camp just because everyone else was doing it.
7. Spilled a bucket of water all over the floor and tried to wipe it up with every single tissue in the house instead of just getting a towel.
8. Tried to re-light and smoke the stubbed-out cigarette butts in Leslie's mother's ashtray. Blech.
9. Drew circles around all my mosquito bites with a pen because someone told me that would make them stop itching.
10. Insisted on having the crusts cut off my jellyless peanut-butter sandwiches—but even then refused to eat the outer rim of remaining bread. Also had to have the bread folded over instead of cut.
The John Prine concert was wonderful. John was accompanied by his electric guitar/dobro/mandolin/ harmonica guy, Jason Wilber, and his bass guitar/bass fiddle guy, David Jacques. We'd seen them last time (also with Phil Parlapiano on piano and accordian, but not this time), and they are amazing. Jason Wilber in particular is incredibly talented.* He really adds a lot. If you have any of John's last few CDs, these guys are on it. Also, if you've seen the concert video "Sessions at West 54th," you can get a good idea of what we saw (but without Iris DeMent, of course). He did lots of oldies, plus quite a few from the new CD. I'm not that crazy about the new CD, but he did more than enough of his other stuff to satisfy me. He also did five or six songs solo, and a terrific encore. The whole concert was great. The only negative point I can think of is that his voice sounded extremely gravelly and muddy at the beginning. He's made albums since his throat cancer, so I don't think that was the problem. It finally loosened up a few songs into the show, but at first it was kind of disconcerting (no pun intended).
All in all, it was as great a birthday treat as I had hoped for!
*I've just discovered that he has his own CDs, so I ordered the latest one!
Update 8/18/07: For some reason, this post attracts more spambots than usual, so I'm closing off comments. Feel free to email me if you want to make a (legitimate!) comment to this post.
Everything worked out great for Passover. Lauren called it for 4:30 so we'd be sure to make it to our concert. She had more than enough delicious food for all 27 of us! Andy and I left just as dessert was about to get underway; apparently the kids searched for the afikomen (hidden piece of matzoh) shortly thereafter. Stephanie found it, but all the kids got $1. Julie reportedly said to Gary, "Gank you, Uncle Gawy, for dis million-dollar bill!" The next morning, when I asked her why she got a dollar, she said, "I found the lost cracker!"
I made two cheesecakes, following last year's recipe. We left before it was served, but apparently everyone loved it (again). The original recipe called for 6 Tbsp of butter in the crust, but I had left myself a note that that was way too much. This time I used 4 Tbsp. The texture seemed just right, but I still had to put a cookie sheet under the cheesecake to catch some that oozed out. UPDATE 4/13/06: I made the same cheesecake again this year and used only 3 Tbsp butter, and that was still plenty! And it was still delicious.
Andy gave me beautiful flowers! Andy gave me a chocolate cake! And . . . Andy gave me a digital video camera! I have to admit I feel a bit daunted by it, although I am pretty handy with gadgets. We are really bad about taking videos of the kids on our regular camcorder. We have probably 6 or 7 hours of tape total for all 3 kids. I never want to be one of those parents who documents every waking hour of their lives, or films every minute of their show or game or party, but sometimes months go by and I don't even take a single minute of video. So maybe if I have this funky little camera, and maybe if I can futz with the videos on my 'puter, and maybe if I can e-mail video clips, I'll have more incentive to turn the darn thing on. As Andy rightly points out, a generation from now, our kids and their kids will be glad to know what we all looked like way back when.
This morning there was about 45 seconds when it wasn't raining, and that's when the decision was made to go ahead with the opening day parade for the city baseball program. So every T-baller, AAA/AA/A league, and major league player in the city and his parents, siblings, and dogs did a lap around the field in the torrential pouring rain. There aren't words to describe how soaked we all were. But it wasn't cold, and I think that sort of thing just falls into the "good, clean fun" category. I'll have to get a photo of Pete in his Angels uniform.
Just so I'll be sure to make up for my bad blogging this weekend, here's what I promise to blog about tomorrow:
1. The rest of my birthday
2. Passover at Lauren's
3. The John Prine concert
But for now, good night!
Today I am 43. How could this have happened to me? I don't look 43. I don't feel 43. And heaven knows I don't act 43. Sigh.
Stephanie made me this lovely jewelry box.
Appetizer: Name something that helps you fall asleep.
2 Calms Forte
Soup: Who brings out the best in you?
my family (and also the worst, but you didn't ask that)
Salad: What do you like to do on a rainy day?
stay inside
Main Course: Complete this sentence: In our home, we never have enough...
...? As far as intangibles to, we are lucky enough to have enough love, laughter, fun, time, sleep, etc. And as for things, I'm kind of extremely neurotic about never running out of stuff, so there are always extra rolls of toilet paper and another box of trash bags and more bananas etc. The only thing we seem to be running out of recently is potato chips. Yum Yum.
Dessert: Which shoe do you put on first?
whichever one I grab first
Lauren, who is guest-blogging over at Rox Populi while Roxanne is on vacation, has a confession to make about the Friday iPod Random Ten:
Okay, I admit it. I occasionally edit out songs that make me cringe or induce a series of eye rolls. My FRT is more of a first-ten-songs-that-I-would-actually-listen-to list than a first-ten-songs list.
This week's challenge: Impress us with your horrible taste.
If it's Friday somewhere, it's time for the Friday Random Ten. Fire up your mp3 players, load up your entire mp3 collection (even the bad stuff), and hit play. List the first ten that pump through your radio, radio. And this week, be honest.
I'll confess to editing my list, too. But I'm going to go with the real list this time. I promise. Here goes (oh please oh please oh please don't let there be anything embarrassing...):
1. Unhappy Anniversary (live) - Loudon Wainwright III
2. Goodbye Walker Percy - Brooks Williams
3. Bear Creek Blues - John Prine
4. I Can't Remember (live) - The Thorns
5. Grand Junction - Greg Brown
6. Mrs O'Leary's Cow - Brian Wilson
7. Perfectly Good Guitar (live) - John Hiatt
8. Casino Foundation - Martin Sexton
9. A Letter To Tracy - Keb' Mo'
10. Heaven - Los Lonely Boys
There, that was painless! I have no idea who the Thorns are or how they ended up on my iPod, but there you go. Luck even brought up a track from John Prine's latest, in honor of the concert tomorrow!
Last night Stephanie and Pete slept over at Andy's parents' house for the first time (well, the first time that they remember—they did it once about four years ago, when I was pregnant with Julie, and Andy and I wanted one last "night on the town.") Barbara had been really wanting to do overnights with them individually, but they were hesitant, so finally she agreed to have them together. It worked out great! She took them on the T to a puppet show, they played pool with Jerry, they went out to Bertucci's for dinner, and then they had ice cream after that. This morning they had a whirlpool bath and then just hung around. I was very happy to see them again! It felt strange for me to come home from my book group last night and find their rooms empty, and then to wake up this morning with just Julie in the house!
Bertucci's was a big hit because they went to the one at the mall, and my kids have never been to a mall (well, not since they were babies). So they had a blast riding on the escalator and the glass elevator and even playing in the germ-ridden toddler play area (those places get me so skeevy, I just hope everyone was outside all day enjoying the fresh air instead of contaminating all the equipment in there...). I will be very happy if I can hold out a few more years before they turn into mall rats. I think that's one of the main reasons they don't get the gimmies. Conspicuous consumerism is one of my nightmares.
I don't know the name of the genre, but I love all the movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Love them. The one we just watched, "House of Flying Daggers," however, wasn't quite as good as the others. The three stars, Ziyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Andy Lau, were all so gorgeous, it was breathtaking just to watch them, but ultimately, the movie just didn't wow me enough. I still enjoyed it and am glad I saw it, but it was no "Hero," that's for sure.
We met last night to discuss The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. I can't recall the last time I was so captivated and moved by a novel. This was such a remarkable book, I am (almost) speechless. It's a brief story narrated by a 15-year-old boy with some degree of Asperger's or autism (it's never stated explicitly, but it's obvious from the get-go). I can't describe how simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching it was to get into this boy's mind and see what makes him tick. It was enlightening, distressing, frightening, encouraging, and—ultimately—gratifying to learn how someone "different" makes sense of the world. I think I will read it again, because I was very anxious throughout (I don't want to spoil it, but let's just say that there were a couple of things I feared might happen but didn't) and would like to enjoy the book without that apprehension looming over me. Thumbs-up all around from our group. Read it. Next up is Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.
I forgot to mention a letter I received last week from the "Coordinator of Fine Arts" for our city's public school system:
Dear Parent of Second-Grade Student Artist:
We are happy to inform you that a piece of your student's artwork will be on display in the Education Center as part of a city-wide exhibit....
And then this note from Steph's art teacher:
Congratulations! Your collage drawing based on your study of artist Piet Mondrian is on display at the Education Center. In June, when the show closes, your work will be returned to school and I will return it to you to take home. You work looks beautiful and I know that you will enjoy seeing it displayed.
I am dying to see it!
T-ball just started, and Coach Andy already made a little boy cry. You see, Jason Varitek recently moved to our neighborhood, and there was a rumor buzzing around that he was going to pop in at T-ball practice just to say hi to the kids. (It ended up that he didn't come, but that doesn't change the story.) So Andy was running a station where kids were hitting beach balls off the tees, and a little kid came up with a Jason Varitek shirt. Andy said to him, in mock seriousness, "Gee, when Jason Varitek gets here, he might want to get his shirt back from you!" That was enough for the kid's eyes to well up and he was crying before Andy could break into a grin.
Anyhow, from all accounts, the Variteks are a nice, normal family and are likely to send their kids to our public school and be very visible in the neighborhood, which I think will be terrific for everyone!
In case you've ever wondered about the "occasional" part of "occasional freelance copyeditor" up there at the top of the page, it was shorter and sounded better to me than "former freelance copyeditor, hoping to resume work once she has more free time and is consistently getting enough sleep." After I had Stephanie, I waited about a year and then started taking on some small jobs. Then I had Pete, waited about a year, and started taking on some small jobs again. Then I had Julie, and, well, here we are, aren't we? I've done a couple of projects here and there, but apparently not lately: Our 2004 tax returns did not include a single 1099 form with my name on it.
On the one hand, I'm eager to get back to using my brain and doing what I do well and what I love so much. On the other hand, I want very much to be around for my kids while they're little (and feel grateful that we can afford this luxury). As it is, I feel as though I don't have enough free time to keep up on reading, blogging, and cooking, so I'm loath to add yet another activity to my overflowing schedule. I figure that I can wait until all 3 kids are in school every day.
But...the other day I got a call from someone who got my name from someone (to the nth power—that's how these things work), asking if I'd take on a small rush job. I thought about it but declined, citing the low pay and tight schedule—they wanted it done by Monday, but there's no way I can do anything this week, it being school vacation and all. I was very proud of myself for not caving in. Then the guy called back and offered me an additional week and some more money. So I said Yes. (What a pushover!) I'm a little nervous because I feel kinda rusty, but I'm excited, too.
Also apropos of copyediting: There's a terrific article here called "Enough About Me #8: In Which the Author Hands in His Copyedited Manuscript and Pays Tribute to the Most Unheralded Job in Publishing." If you've ever wondered what kind of person becomes a copyeditor, please read it! That's me in a nutshell. (Thanks to Bookslut for the link.)
It's been bothering me that I've yet to post a poem for National Poetry Month. I don't normally read poetry on my own; I have to admit that I frequently don't "get" it. But I do have many favorites from when I was in school and had a prof to guide me. Here's the first one that popped into my head today:
"Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
I've always loved the stop-and-start rhythm of the rhyme in that one. It's fun to say aloud. The message is not fun, of course—and it comes through loud and clear.
Press the Big Red Button. (Via Daisy, who had been missed!)
I forgot that the more Lego sets I buy for Pete, the more Lego pieces are likely to end up embedded in my bare feet.
Here's Pete, all 46 pounds of him, decked out in his Darth Vader voice-changing helmet and lightsaber. As he got into bed, he remarked sleepily, "Tomorrow I think I'll try on my Darth Vader stuff with my Batman cape...."
Sweet dreams, my big 6-year-old.
Today is Patriots' Day, which Massachusetts residents celebrate on the third Monday in April to commemorate the Battle of Lexington and Concord, back in 1775. Many offices are closed; near Boston that is mostly because of this next item:
Today is the Boston Marathon, which is also held on the third Monday in April. It's always a great day, because it draws the best marathoners in the world and because it is such a fun spectator event. I always think of it as the pinnacle of "good clean fun." The runners practically pass our house; we just have to walk down the street to see 'em (at about mile 16.5). Just after they go by, they have Heartbreak Hill to look forward to; that's where many a fine runner has to bow out, particularly on a hot and sunny day like today. Andy and I used to live in Brookline, and the runners did run right by our condo; I used to sit out on our balcony and cheer them on as they passed the 22-mile mark.
Today is the first day of school vacation. Once again, we have not quite enough activities planned. And I think Julie may be coming down with a cold.
Today is Pete's 6th birthday! I gave him a few of his presents this morning, because it hardly seemed fair to make him wait all day for Daddy to get home. So he's been zapping me and the girls all morning with his Darth Vader lightsaber:
Andy's favorite restaurant in Chinatown, New Shanghai, changed hands last year and hasn't been the same since. The previous owner was C. K. Sau, who was well-known in Boston for being the #1 Chinese chef in town. All the local "celebrity chefs," from Ming Tsai to Lydia Shire were always raving about him. Anyhow, imagine our surprise when he opened up a new restaurant just a mile away from our house! Andy got us some take-out tonight (and noticed Jasper White amid a large party, chowing away) and it was indeed yummy. Andy also got take-out yesterday for lunch—I will have to remind him that this is not going to be a daily event!
For months I've been meaning to comment on something I've noticed about nonfiction books these days: They must have a subtitle, and the longer the better. For instance, here are the nonfiction books reviewed or mentioned in today's NYT Book Review:
Isn't this getting a bit out of hand? And this week's list is not by any means anomalous. Not a single nonfiction book sports just a title.
Wednesday night I had agreed to be a "class host" for a Wesleyan function downtown. It was to be a small reception for Boston-area alums from the classes of 1978 through 1985. I didn't exactly volunteer, but as I've mentioned before, my arm is easily twisted. It was at a fabulous brownstone in the South End, and pretty much everyone was coming straight from work, plus me in my minivan coming in from the 'burbs. So...of course I had a mean case of Attire Panic! J. Jill to the rescue as usual; my normal 5% discount for using my J. Jill card was by chance tripled to 15% thanks to a special promotion, and I also had a $25 coupon. So that was a no-brainer. But what about shoes? I own only black shoes, and this outfit was dark brown and pink. I didn't have time to go to the Barn, so I went to Filene's and bought an OK pair of brown Anne Klein sandals. Not great, and a little higher heel than I like, but manageable. Then, I did something I'd never done before. I went into Kenneth Cole. Now I know how the other half lives! (And, believe me, in this town it's probably more than half.) Four people waited on me! They loved me! They flattered me! They practically wined and dined me. They made me buy two pairs of shoes; thankfully Andy hated the more expensive pair (which I was unsure of as well, because of the "toe cleavage"—a look I can't stand), so they will be returned, along with the Anne Klein's, next week. They made me hold bags and wear coats; we laughed; we shmoozed. I ate it up! And isn't that the cutest shoe in the world?
From Boing-Boing:
Georgetown University scientists report that an ingredient in chocolate seems to have anti-cancer properties. Found in cocoa, pentameric procyandin turns off proteins that likely spur the out-of-control division of cancer cells. The research is funded by Mars Inc., makers of M&Ms and Snickers. Seriously. From the press release:
“There are all kinds of chemicals in the food we eat that potentially have effects on cancer cells, and a natural compound in chocolate may be one,” said the lead author, Robert B. Dickson, Ph.D., professor of oncology. “We need to slowly develop evidence about the selectivity of these compounds to cancer, learn how they work, and sort out any issues of toxicity.”
Chocolate, like many other foods, is the source of many possible anti-cancer compounds, but Dickson stresses that this research, which is part of a series of studies conducted at Georgetown on the chocolate-cancer connection, does not mean that people who eat chocolate will either reduce their cancer risks or treat a current case.
Story here. Another Chantico, anyone?
I am no longer a Chantico virgin. Whoever said that it's embarrassing to order one was right; I wish I'd just said "drinking chocolate" instead of "Chantico."
And whoever said it's rich is right, too. It's really, really rich. It's unbelievably rich. Maybe this will help you understand how rich: Chantico is to hot chocolate as double espresso is to Sanka. Yes, it was yummy, and yes, I sipped the whole thing happily, but I don't think I'll ever get it again. And here's why: If I'm going to ingest this kind of decadent treat:
Calories 390
Fat Calories 190
Total Fat (g) 21
Saturated Fat (g) 10
Cholesterol (mg) 25
Sodium (mg) 105
Total Carbohydrates (g) 51
Fiber (g) 6
Sugars (g) 40
Protein (g) 11
Vitamin A 6%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 25%
Iron 30%
I'd prefer to be chewing something. Give me a brownie or a truffle or a flourless chocolate torte any day. (But hey, look at all that protein and calcium and iron!)
Your Linguistic Profile: |
| 40% General American English |
| 40% Yankee |
| 10% Dixie |
| 10% Upper Midwestern |
| 0% Midwestern |
(via Jennifer)
Appetizer: What was your first "real" job?
I'm assuming that "real" doesn't include babysitting or summer jobs like waiting tables or being a camp counselor. That makes it very easy, because I had only one "real" job. A few months after graduating college, I opened up one newspaper, circled one ad, typed up one resume (this was before word processors, thank you very much), had one interview, and got hired. I started off as an editorial assistant and ended up staying at the company for 11 years, moving up the ranks to senior editor. I left the company when it was sold, started freelancing, started having babies, and here I am.
Soup: Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
The library.
Salad: Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when...
...I realize that I'm not longer embarrassed to be dressed appropriately for the weather. I'm perfectly happy to look like a total dork with a hood fastened around my face as long as I don't get cold and wet.
Main Course: What values did your parents instill in you?
You work hard, you earn money, you buy what you can afford, you save for later. They never sat me down and talked about it, but I learned by their example.
Dessert: Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
Gosh, this is a tough question. I can't come up with much of anything except for fashion trends, such as they were. Someone, help me—what were the fads in the late '70s?
FQ TOPIC: Broken.
FQ1: What are some items of yours that are broken or needing repair right now?
2 toilets, 1 shower, 2 sinks. I'm thinking of putting the plumber on retainer.
FQ2: When something breaks, do you tend to live with it broke, repair it yourself, have a professional fix it, or throw it out?
It depends. I live with chipped dishes and torn-knee jeans; I sew up holes on seams and glue plastic toys and tape books; I call a professional for all plumbing and electrical work; I throw out things that are too far gone or not worth saving (e.g., ripped socks, broken wine glasses).
FQ3: Is there a childhood toy, family heirloom, or some other special item which was broken that you'd very much like to have un-broken?
Not that I can think of.
FQ DESTROYER: What is something you would like to break intentionally, assuming you could get away with it?
You mean, like Dubya's jaw? Hey, wait, I didn't say that! You can't prove anything!
1. I Want You - Elvis Costello
2. The Catfish Song - Townes Van Zandt
3. Pressure Drop - Desmond Dekker
4. If I Had a Boat (live) - Dave Matthews
5. Can't Find My Way Home (live radio show, 1971) - Bonnie Raitt/John Hammond/Lowell George
6. Jimmy Jazz - The Clash
7. Sittin' On Top Of The World - Willie Nelson
8. Trail Of Broken Hearts - k.d. lang
9. Billy And Bonnie - Steve Earle
10. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone - Harry Connick, Jr.
Nancy blames me for the brief dusting of snow we had the other night. She felt it was presumptuous of me to wash, dry, and put away the kids' snowpants so early in April. The weather gods do not like arrogance! She may be right, but perhaps the reason the snow didn't stick was that at least I left out their parkas—which they've needed this week, as our glorious mild spell turned raw and cold.
All of the elementary schools in our city were built in the old days, back when kids went home for lunch; consequently, none of them have a cafeteria. Once kids started staying all day, they just had them eat at their desks (although they did manage to institute a hot lunch program). Last year, our new principal somehow figured out a way to transform the extra-wide hallway next to the gym (and kitchen area) into a makeshift cafe of sorts; they got tables with attached chairs that fold up and roll out the way, and happy murals were painted on the walls. The kindergartners still eat in their classrooms—they stay for lunch only twice a week anyhow—but now the big kids get to leave the room, and I think the whole thing has been a great success.
One thing that hasn't changed are the mean lunch ladies who supervise the kids so the teachers can get a break at lunchtime. From what the kids—and teachers!—say, each one is nastier than the next. I've complained; everyone's complained; there's not much that can be done because it's a lousy job and no one wants to do it except for these crotchety old ladies who still believe that school is all about sitting quietly with your hands in your lap. (And yes, they do get paid, although not much.)
So the one nice lunch lady retired, and yesterday Steph had her first day with the same mean one Pete's been complaining about all year. (He says she won't even let them whisper; if the do, she barks, "Just eat!" at them.) After Steph ate, she went up to Cruella (not her real name) and had this exchange:
Steph: I need to go up to the nurse to take a pill. (She does this every day.)
Cruella: Says who?
Steph: I need to have it after lunch.
Cruella: Says who?
Steph: My mom.
Cruella: Oh, OK.
(Steph starts to leave with her friend.)
Cruella (to friend): Where are you going?
Steph: I always take a friend with me. (This started in first grade, and no one has ever minded.)
Cruella: Don't you know the way?
Steph: Yes.
Cruella: Then go alone.
When she told me this story, Steph seemed annoyed but not too terribly upset; I, on the other hand, was livid. I just hate to think that she was made to feel in any way awkward about needing to take her pill. I think the fact that she mentioned it to me indicates that it bothered her. I fired off an e-mail to her teacher, who was horrified and immediately contacted the lunch supervisor, who called me. She took full responsibility, saying that she should have told Cruella that Steph always goes to the nurse, but she was short-handed and didn't remember to tell her. I said that that was all well and good, but it didn't excuse the rudeness. She didn't really argue that point or try to defend it; she reminded me that there are lots of kids who are not as nice and honest as Stephanie and that it's hard to keep fending off all these kids who try to fake having to go to the nurse or the bathroom. I told her I understood all of that but that it wouldn't have killed Cruella to just say, "Oh, really? No one told me that. Let me go check." Steph's teacher told me today that she had quite a few run-ins with Cruella last year and finally had to explain apologetically to the class that sometimes there are people in charge of them who really shouldn't be. Sheesh.
Monday March 28
I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted anything! I'm sorry. As some of you already know (hi, guys! :-)) I had a little accident last week that left me pretty uncomfortable -- and depressed! To make a long story short, my handle snapped off, with no warning. I missed work for almost a whole week. But now I have a nice, new handle! I still don't feel quite right, though, and "certain people" have been complaining about my performance. :-(
Wednesday March 30
You guys are the greatest. I can't get over how many thoughtful, supportive comments and e-mails I've gotten since coming back to work. I've never even met most of my readers, and yet you are all so good to me. {{hugs}}
Saturday April 2
Well, now I know why I wasn't feeling right -- my new flush arm was crashing into the tank lid with every flush! That meant that the chain wasn't lifting the flapper up, so ... well, you get the picture! So now I'm working "topless" (LOL), which is kind of strange but, hey, whatever works, right? Better than my colleague on the third floor, who's been turned off for several months because of an unexplained leak. Talk about feeling unnecessary.
Thursday April 7
I've had it! I'm sorry, but this is just too much. I'm just as jazzed about potty-training as the next toilet, but HELLO? She still needs help with the wiping, OK? Sorry, I just had to vent.
Friday April 8
I'm going to be turning off Comments for a while. Those of you who know why, thanks ever so much (heavy sarcasm!).
Tuesday April 12
The plumber's coming tomorrow! The plumber's coming tomorrow! Hey, we tried DIY, let's get Kurt in here, ASAP. I'll post as soon as he's done. Wish me luck!
I've already gotten three birthday gifts! Brooke babysat Saturday night, and she knew she wouldn't see me again until after my birthday, so she gifted me with the perfect T-shirt:
Then yesterday I got a package from Laura; her sister had taken a day trip to Laredo and mailed it for her. I got these lovely amber earrings, which I wore today:
Then today, I got a package from Judy. She was supposed to have visited over the weekend, but Tony and Tomas were both sick, so she had to cancel her trip. So she mailed my gift instead of handing it to me:
It's a package of PG Tips (as if she knew I was running out!) and a much-coveted Shun knife! She also taped a penny to the packing material, explaining that a friend should never give a friend a knife or else risk severing the friendship, but a friend may sell a friend a knife. But a friend should never cause a friend to go out of her way to find the money to make the purchase, so she sent along a penny that I can give her in payment for the knife next time I see her. Gotta love those old wives' tales!
Am I lucky, or what? And it's not even my birthday yet. I have such good friends.
Yesterday I got two—count 'em, two!—CDs in the mail. I was delighted to receive John Prine's new release, Fair and Square, particulary because it won't be available in stores until April 26, three days after the concert! I had pre-ordered mine at the Oh Boy site, and that clearly was the way to go. I haven't gotten a chance to play it straight through yet, though, because of a certain three small people who won't let me listen to it in peace. Harumph. Here's what the Amazon reviewer had to say:
Good things come to those who wait. During John Prine's nine-year interval between albums of original material, fans who hailed his recovery from cancer wondered whether he'd ever return to full creative speed. Here, Prine puts doubts to rest with an album that ranks with the finest of an inspired career.... With a generous selection of close to an hour of music, the album stands as a creative triumph for Prine, a fully satisfying effort that rewards the patience of his loyal fans. Welcome back.
I also got a package from Amazon that I'd almost forgotten about, because it had been delayed for so long. I had read about Classic Meets Cuba on Leigh's blog, and after listening to some snippets at Amazon, I promptly ordered it. It's three classical German musicians playing with two Cuban percussionists, resulting in such pieces as "Mambozart," "Preludio," and "Carmen Cubana." Again, I haven't had the opportunity to really listen to it yet, but I'm loving it so far.
Item: About 5 weeks ago, the fan in my fridge stopped; although the cooling element was fine, everything in the freezer started softening because the cold air wasn't circulating. The repair guy came in and did some weird drainage thing, and all was well ($163 later, that is). So over the weekend, we heard a loud obstructed-whirring sound and discovered that the Tofutti Cuties were mushy. The guy comes in again and says we probably need a new heater thingy that keeps the drainage line from freezing—he says he'll order the part and it'll be in in a few days. An hour later he calls back to say that one of the other techs had one and he'll get it and bring it over. He takes apart the freezer and discovers that the heating unit is unplugged. He says, "I might have left this unplugged last time, or it's possible it got dislodged when the fan was knocking around a piece of ice, but in any event, you don't need this new part." He plugged it in and left.
Item: I figured that the kids needed new sneakers for the spring, since their feet have probably grown since we last bought them sneakers in the fall. We went to The Barn, our favorite family shoe store, and the guy said, "No, their sneakers all fit fine. You probably won't need any new ones until summertime at least."
"Closer" - I hated this movie! In the past, I've heard people complain that they didn't like a particular book or movie because they didn't find any of the characters likable. I never really understood this, until I saw "Closer." Ugh! I hated all of them! Peh!
"Sideways" - In contrast, here was a movie you couldn't help liking, or at least admiring. You get a tight, well-done story, with good performances and no need for overwriting or overacting. My only regret was that we weren't drinking a pinot while watching—not that we had any complaints with our 1999 Bodegas Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja Crianza, mind you. Yum.
There's a woman in our neighborhood I can't stand. She's rude, bitchy, excluding, and phony. It's a shame, because she's bright and very involved with the school, but she's obviously more concerned with the popularity contest end of things. To top it off, I don't care for her kid, who has not always been nice to my kid. So, because I'm immature, I frequently find myself wishing hateful things upon her (oh, I don't know, like her husband has an affair with her best friend's nanny or something). But get ready, because here comes the New Me! I'm wishing very, very hard for the most wonderful thing to happen to her. I'm wishing that her husband gets the most amazing job offer! Tons of money! Flexible hours! Loads of benefits! Personal fulfilment! Oh, the only problem is, they will have to move away. Far away. But because I'm so nice now, they will have to move somewhere that is just wonderful, like Southern California! They will be so-o-o-o happy there. And I'll never have to see them again. Talk about your win-win, eh?
Today Stephanie and I had the second meeting of our mother-daughter Jewish book group through. We read All-of-a-Kind Family, which everyone loved—of course! If anyone has suggestions for other Jewish-themed books appropriate for 8-year-olds, let's have 'em.
Last Monday afternoon the school nurse called to say that Stephanie had a fever and a sore throat. She ended up staying home from school the next three days. I sent her to school on Friday because her fever was gone, but I probably still would have kept her home if she hadn't already missed three days! She still has a lousy cough, but I think the worst is over.
We finished up with the canasa suppositories Friday, but Dr. Israel said we should still give her one every third night, because she is still bleeding. I hope and pray this was the last virus of this long, awful winter. If this weekend's weather means anything, spring is here for sure.
Yesterday was Julia's Bat Mitzvah, and I was feeling particularly emotional, especially about Grandma. As always, she looked beautiful, and we all held our breath as she walked confidently, if a bit slowly, up to the bima to do her aliyah, for the I-don't-kn0w-how-many-th time. I got all choked up when I realized that she probably won't be around to do it for my kids. Ditto at the reception, when she lit a candle for Julia. But then I got yet another chance to dance a good long hora with her and Mom, Lauren, Susie, and Auntie 'Nita. I keep thinking it'll be my last hora with Grandma, and then I always seem to get another chance. Kyle's Bar Mitzvah is in October, so maybe there's still one more to come.
1. Dirty Old Town - David Byrne
2. Mexico - James Taylor
3. Under The Boardwalk - Tom Tom Club
4. Gladiolus Rag - Scott Joplin
5. Rock And Roll Doctor - Little Feat
6. Come On In My Kitchen - Keb' Mo'
7. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea - Elvis Costello
8. I Like To Sleep Late In The Morning - David Bromberg
9. Virginia Avenue - Tom Waits
10. Blue Eyes - Uncle Tupelo
Appetizer: What is a symbol that inspires you?
(via Pam; get yours—and other fun stuff—here)
Soup: Name something (either serious or funny) that has happened in your life that you would consider a miracle.
Pete eating chicken wings for dinner two nights in a row.
Salad: How do you handle criticism?
Outwardly, pretty well; inwardly, not so much.
Main Course: Complete this sentence: I feel alone when...
This is a hard one, because I'm never alone these days. I wish for more alone time! I certainly don't think alone has to mean lonely.
Dessert: Name one TV show you wouldn't want to be caught dead watching.
Any reality show.
Here's encouraging news:
For the first time since the 1970s, California red wines outsold white wines at supermarkets nationwide last year, a sign that American palates are becoming more sophisticated—or that publicity via health reports and Oscar-winning movies is paying off.
I think (and hope) it's the former. (Via Saucy)
