3 Ring Binder

  Martha Jones, the smart, plucky, determined, and brave, excellent heroine of Dr. Who, Series 3. 2.        Badass taping of hand after shearing off a large callus in kipping pull-up attempts. 3.        Dark chocolate.   

I asked Stephen to take this picture so I could showcase my shirt. Of course, you can't even read it! But it is a nice image of me and Marilyn. Here's the shirt. Back Front I went to take a video of Stephen's chain push-ups but he was done before I could get the camera on! It made a cool noise, and it was clearly nothing for him -- he's used to having a ball at the end of the chain. 

Wallet, check. Phone, check. Prescription sunglasses, check. Camera, what? It doesn't fit! Why? All the rest of this stuff was hiding in my purse, taking up valuable space. In my defense, I have used everything in my "Emergency supplies:" list within the last month and just added the Eames business card holder (I love it so). It's the dozen tubes of lip stuff that I don't use which is simply out of control. I mean, how many Shades of Nude do I need to buy before I realize that I'm already packing nude lips! Geesh. While I don't have Vicious Trollop , I think the names of the lipstick/lipstain colors are why I buy them. Nude Brat Lust Beloved Whisper Pink (that one's a mystery) Nearly There Earthly Ore Champagne on Ice In the Red Fabulous Fig (Or  Shades of Kamala , I like to call it.) And those are just the ones I had stashed in my purse!

On an idyllic summer morning, a few friends decide to gather in one of their backyards for an impromptu picnic. Food, fun, and families abound! Joyful children romp between the lounge chairs, the swing set, and the pitchers filled with pink lemonade in the comfortably familiar setting. Parents are happy and relaxed in appreciation of their shared bounty. Life is good. On a lovely summer morning, a few founders plan a gathering at a park for a town-wide picnic. Food, fun, and neighbors abound!  Excited and unsupervised children scatter between the blankets, tables, and coolers filled with food on the commons.  Neighbors are chatty but watchful of their belongings in the chaotic congregation. Choosing to be a part of community efforts can be rewarding. On a menacing summer morning, all folks are queued up in the town square for a mandatory picnic. Food levies are collected according to each person’s ability and then food is doled out according to each person’s needs.  ...

Folded up all the borrowed chairs and tables and brought them inside from the backyard (chairs, 4 at a time, tables, 6-8 foot wooden ones) after a long day of party preparation and party on Sunday. Packed the car with, and returned all said borrowed chairs and tables from the graduation party after my noon workout on Monday. Deconstructed and folded up a 10 x 30 foot tent after my morning workout today. I  mention these solitary activities as good things because for the first time in my entire life, I’m wicked strong, man!  And more importantly, I know that I can do the physical work I set out to do. Thanks Woodshed ! And unlike Eric Carmen, I make all by myself look good. (I have always enjoyed the part of this song that he ripped-off of Rachmaninoff.)

Yesterday, we had a rockin' graduation party for Katy. She wanted to have karaoke so we hired a fabulous karaoke DJ we know and had a lot of fun. The DJ suggested we do a song parody for Katy and Victoria suggest "Beauty School Dropout" from Grease , but about Katy, our homeschool dropout. We wrote it together and it was a big hit with our graduate! Victoria sang it, of course, and Stephen and I were the back-up singers. I mean, back-up dancers.  I mean, we were in the background trying to look useful - something I don't think we achieved. Our Homeschool Dropout Your story’s fun to tell, A teen actuary-elle, Most called on babysitter on the block! Your future's getting clear now, The start of your career now. Hope you get transfer credits for dog walks! Family: (La lalala lalala lalala...) Our homeschool dropout, Big graduation day for you. Our homeschool dropout, Uses up all of our shampoo! Well at least you have taken the time, to wash and clean...

I had no idea cockalorum was a real word! Not that his use of it makes sense, but Danny Kaye introduced me to the word when I was but a wee lass.  And it stuck.  Master of all Masters, get out of your barnacle and put on your swibs and crackers for White-faced Siminy has got a spark of hot cockalorum on its tail and unless you  get the pondalorum High Top o’ Mountain will be all on hot cockalorum. To find two fabulous Danny Kaye records, including Stories from Faraway Places , go here . I've posted about the ArtsReformation page before, but if you're interested in what children were listening to in the 50s and 60s, you really ought to check it out!  Danny's story, The Big Oven  (< 3min.), might be of particular interest these days of outrageous government spending policies. 

How does one train a dog to show its teeth against the glass or blow air bubbles out of its nose? This certainly does look like one happy dog (except when the other dog is taking it for a walk). (via The Bark )

“It’s nice to share a religious experience with my pets,’’ said Lynda Juppe, who lives in Tewksbury. “‘God’ is ‘dog’ spelled backwards. Here, you know you’re with dog people, and you can’t go wrong with dog people.’’ From Paws and Worship , Boston Globe 30 May 2001 Apart from a saucy quip by Sr. Mary Bernadette and the simple comfort that one gains in having a pet, the article reveals a sort of unholy intersection of values which are in stark contrast to mine: first, that one’s life is at the mercy of God, and second, that animals have cognitive powers that equal one’s own (this may very well be the case in a few rare instances, but to assume this of others is just bad manners). If you are not attempting to enslave me, kill my dog, or anyone else in the name of that which you worship, then I really don’t care what you value beyond human life, be it deity or dog. I don’t discount the power of either of these values in the lives of those who adopt them, merely, that there is no logi...

While Olive offered nothing more than magical thinking, at least the limo-thing seems to be coming true. I still think Betty Boop had a better handle on the issues, although I would definitely have to vote for her opponent, Mr. Nobody, at this point.