Maddy is the BESTTT yo.
Oh hello there fiends of Quiche! This is the AMAZINGGG Maddy Gaiman and I have agreed to do a fabulous blog post on the blog of theeeee Fabulous Lorraine.
So at the current moment Quiche and my father aka "Boss" are having a conversation about Edward Gorey. I think they are going to buy something of his or something crazy like that. I'm not really paying attention to them though, since my full attention is devoted to this of course!!
Welllll, I have got to say I am having a simply marvelous Thanksgiving Break. I'm pumped that Kitty is here with Quiche because they are pretty much the bOmB dIgGiTy yo! fo sho! I'm not really sure if you guys are hip and cool and stufff but that means 'for sure'. OMG learn something new everyday right right!
Oh snap oh snap wellll umm I would just like to put it out there that I had a donut this morning. It was really good. I warmed it up in the microwave for approximately 22 seconds..ahhhh just like heaven! Quiche and Kitty picked a donut up for me and themselves because as I stated in the previous paragraph they are the bOmB dIgGiTy.
So that right there is my life story. Have a nice day. FO SHO :o) <<< cutest smiley ever to walk the earth not that it walks
Love and MaddyIsSoCool,
MADDY :D
posted by FabulousLorraine @ 3:06 PM
219 Comments
219 Comments:
Yah, MADDY RULES.
Its great that you had a wonderful thanksgiving break, and that you get to 'play' with Lorraine AND Kitty - *does little dance of joy for fun company*
You've done it now though girl, I am going to have to find a donut.
Maddy rules, Sally rules for comment #1.
You do rule, Sal - what's the news on the Mum front?
Hey, Maddy, what it do!! I think you might be the b0mb digGity 2, or something like that. Right? Thanks for brightening a rainy evening, and have a great rest of the weekend. And now I too want a doughnut...
lolomgbbq!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!
the donut was divine.
'nuff said.
Special Guest Blogger! wOOt!
Srsly great post. Ummmm doooonuts.
WOOT! Guest Blooger! No work for me! Only comments!!!!!!
Vampi, next time leave the Halloween up. It's time they know....
lol maddy, of course you rule....we all know who the REAL boss is, don't we?? glad you are having a fun break!
going back to the previous post, thanks all for the kind words about my dogs awful thanksgiving - they are fine, and thank god, but that doesn't exonerate ill treatment, especially since their water had been frozen since thursday night. i am almost glad i haven't been able to get in touch with anyone as i am so livid i wouldn't control my temper at all. But thanks fiends, your tea and sympathy made my day. Sally, you are indeed number 1, and how is your mom? Jess, have fun at Amanda Palmer! cool! And Lorraine and Kitty, have fun on wed - especially since you have a place to stay - i agree, hotels in that area of the city vary from ok to uhoh, and its hard to tell. i have been taking grace's aka The Bulfinch, advice and couch, fat corgi, and petite corgi, tea and a movie will be in order for this evening.
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*hugs Sue, and the Corgis too*
I'd give him sich a kicking!
Hey- it's Miss Maddy. Thanks for the vocab lesson. I don't get enough of it from Son + Heir.:P
But hurrah for divine doughnuts and Kittys and FabLos who are the bOmB dIgGiTy.
Dang it, people, I really really want a doughnut. But am too lazy to actually *do* anything about getting one: I just want one to magically appear. Well, maybe three to magically appear.
Sue, glad you are taking a break and loving on the dogs. Enjoy your movie!
And way to delegate your work, Q. :-)
(wondering why sometimes when I post, a picture shows and my name is capped, but other times not . . . technology savvy = not my brain)
K, folks, now I must find donuts. I have to mail the last four newsletters tonight and guess what's on that side o' town??? MMMKrispy Kreme.
It's all Maddy's fault! Besttt, yo.
yay maddy! glad to see the guest and glad the donut was so lovely. Jealous of you and hanging with the gals!
we're still near mendocino...came to find porcinis--only found 3--but the weather has been amazing and we've had fabulous food anyway.
Heading home tomorrow. Hope the rest of the weekend is great.
meh never liked krispy kreme. i mean if you get the donut straight out of the grease, yea it is good, but give me dunkin donuts. i miss dunkin donuts. there are none in la. i'm so missing dunkin. i'm half tempted to get someone to overnight me some.
Hey Fiends
just arrived home from Christmas shopping with my best friend. My Fod am I so tired, and my feet - yowie. We had 2 shopping trolleys full, it was mad!
And I can't believe it, I forgot to get a donut. How did I forget to eat a donut?
About to ring the hospital and talk to mum, so there will be an update soon
S
Thanks for the post Maddy. Hurray for donuts. :)
can Fiends across the world hear my frustration and anger?
Three calls to the b#$%^&& hospital for them to find mum, because of a stupid person answering the phone (all expensive long distance calls) and then instead of transferring the phone to a portable phone and taking it to her they bring my poor mum who is getting more giddy than you can imagine when she moves to the phone!
Grrrrrrr *slaps incompetent people hard* Okay, I wouldn't really, but gee it feels good to give them a virtual slap.
No real updates, she is still as she was and waiting for the MRI.
Well that was cool! \o/
Oh, and so was the Amanda Palmer thing. I'm confident, Ms. Maddy, that I must be Hip, Cool, and With It, because I spent the evening standing around deconsecrated church, and also my ears are ringing. Fun times! Free buttons, and a free bottle of bubbles. No wand, but plenty bubbles. I guess we'll blow those later.
Ms. Palmer walked right by us at the beginning of the set. Hee. :)
Everything is better with doughnuts. Yes.
Now must surrender machine to the manwife. Happy evening, Fiendses.
More of a report please Miss Jess.
Glad you had fun.
YEA! Miss Maddy guestblogged!
Thank you, Miss Maddy! You be the b0mb dIgGeTy 2!
Go forth, ye Fiends, and see if "Igor" is showing at your local discount movie theater! Igor and Eva rock! Otherwise you have to wait until January 20 for the USA release of the DVD.
Sue. Damn. The "friend" that is, not you. GRRRrrrr
Glad the dogs and you are doing better.
Nathalie, sorry about your father-in-law. :( {{{hug}}}
Sally {{{hug}}} again.
I think HEB has better donuts than Krispy Kreme. Apparently, so do the people of Waco as the Krispy Kreme there closed over a year ago after only being open a couple of years.
definitely make sure your mouth isn't full of something when you clickyclick.
Well done, Maddy. You've certainly earned a doughnut.
Sally-- You're far more gentle than I am. I don't think I'd restrain myself to virtual slaps. I am really sending you all sorts of good vibes, because you deserve them.
On another good vibes note, I got all my money back from the jerks who tried to take it in the first place! It feels good to know that my bank acted so quickly on this.
And now that I am caught up, I fall into bed. Goodnight, all!
Thanks El, and thank fod you got your money back.
Ooooh Guest Blogging Action;) Always good to hear from you, Ms Maddy, srsly.:)
Sue - your poor puppies! I'm so glad they're better now, though I'd like to give that neglectful "caretaker" a good boot to the head.
Sue, you and your Mom are in my thoughts. Grr to those horrible nincompoops making you call 3 times.
Jess, a full report, seconded.;)
Nathalie, I'm sorry to hear about your father-in-law.
El-*whew* Glad to hear you got your money back.
Doughnut, doughnut, doughnut...
Meh. Sorry it just doesn't work for me. I think because they are ried and just the idea make my toes curl in not a pleasant way. Now if someone had said waffles or pancakes...
Not that does anything to Maddy's über cool status. Madeleine. Actually I could do with some of those too and have a Proustian day.
Today I woke up to some end of the world weather. It was so bad that the electricity even popped out. There was a "nice" layer of hailstones covering the whole garden and I could hear (and smell) my verbena bush complaining from the lash. My next set of tea is going to have holes in it.
Hail ghosts tea. With madeleines. Very Proust. Goth Proust.
Good thing you warned about the picture, Sally!
Sal, Thanks for the warning about your link - had you not warned us, I would be cleaning peppermint tea off the keyboard, and the cat, right about now. As it is, I'm only cleaning the cat off the keyboard. I think he wants to guest-blog, too...
Maddy, you have awesome powers. Fiends across the globe are now craving doughnuts (And thanks to Nathalie, I am craving both doughnuts AND pancakes) I could get a doughnut from the shop at the end of the road, but I'm not dressed yet.... Life can be so hard ;-)) Glad you and Kitty and La Quiche are enjoying the holiday.
Sue, have you had any explantion from your "friend" about the neglect of the dogs yet?
Yay for Amanda Palmer and friends with rooms.
Is anyone else also craving a Gorey kitchen? I can't believe I'd never heard of him until Louisa's shrunken heads.
Today, I plan to be organised (That doesn't usually work out for rme, but there's always a first time) - need to write christmas cards, wrap parcels for posting and wash & tron clothes for packing - Did I mention I'm going to Turkey on Friday?
Waht's everyone else doing with what's left of the weekend?
Which reminds me: Any fiend who wants a card from me for holiday season AND I don't have that address, please send me an email with the details.
Marjorie, because I have just strayed over a food blogging friend's, now I am craving CRAB as well. It would go nice with my Oolong.
Quiche?
Quiche = Ms Fabulous, AKA The Fabulous Lorriane, Queen of No and Empress of Everything. Etymologically speaking, derives from Quiche Lorraine. :-))
Maddy rules fo sho.
I'm hip. I am VERY hip.
~Emily
Maddy Rules. I think she's laughing at herself and us, and that rules.
Nathalie, M and I will be making waffles this AM. Sorry you can't join us! Hail covered garden = no fun!
Coffee, coffee, coffee ...
Good morning fiends! Sally, how frustrating that the hospital employees are so inconsiderate- ugh, I would be upset too. speaking of upset, i found out what happened with the dogs not getting fed on Friday. seems my husband told his friend thursday only, despite the fact that the manwife knew full well we would be gone both days. or at least that is the story manwife is telling me, so that I am not furious with friend. so fury now directed at husband, it's a good thing he is in virginia. what infuriates me more is that i repeatedly asked for the friend's cell number, which manwife assured me that he would take care of this for me, not to worry. MEN. #@#!@#@$%#$@. and again @##$$%^#@. boy he owes me big time.
Butt kicking time!
grrrr there are other regions i would rather kick....
ladies ,ladies, you can turn the Earth off its axis if not careful. but i did get the story of no food/water for days for Sue's dogs and felt the blood rush to my head...so i do understand...any excuse is a crummy one, just glad the story ended well---and that your away time was fairly short.
Today I go to watch the Fab Lo ride her horsey.
Just took a Cabal-in-the-snow movie, him killing a stick...and posted a new challenge from Boss on my blog...www.neverwear.net
waiting happpily for Quiche to show up, wonder if she'll bring caramel latte, fingers crossed...
ps DragSal, many wishes for your little Mom! she might like a latte as well...? no donuts today, that would become habit forming, they do NOT mess around out here on the donut...
Does this mean we get more movie premieres? Of Q and Rommy? Pretty please with skulls on top..
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Fiends!!! It's snowing here in the midwest, and I just looked out my north window to the townhouse next to me. The gas meter is on that side of her house, and there is the most perfect skull sculpted in snow by the wind. I hooted, and I am not in a very laughing mood today (long story - not going to bore you - suffice to say getting old sucks).
Anyway, wanted to share my skull sighting with my fiends....
spaced, not all donuts are fried. i actually prefer cake donuts, of which dunkin donuts are the bestest. hee in la there are all sorts of crazy mom & pop donut shops. this is my favorite to laugh at, but i haven't been brave enough to try it yet
mom's chinese and donuts to go
And no, I can't send a picture, because I don't have a fancy camera - remember, techno slow, here
Hurray for horse fun! Pictures later please. I am green with envy. :)
Ms Maddy (aka Da Bomb!) & I and my inon are on the same wave length apparently; I woke up from a short nap yesterday & broke my non-sugar habit and we went for donuts too. OMF the entire box was chocolate. My pers. favorite is the singular French cruller. I think I'll go have my other one with my morning coffee today.
Horses! Fillums! Fillums of horses and Quiches! \o/
A full report? Hmm, let's see...
There were actually three opening acts-- Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys was there; after their set they wandered round passing out toys. (Manwife got the wandless bubbles, and I got a green plastic cowboy guy.) Vermillion Lies came on after that, and they're a lot of fun. :) Can't go wrong with a duo who plays spoons, washboards, heating vent covers and little marionette-guys. Marvellously silly and talented couple of ladies. Then The Builders And The Butchers. They were loud. Good, certainly. But loud. Ouchy loud.
Now how much can I reasonably give away about the Amanda Palmer set without upsetting those who have yet to see it? She's amazing live. Both Manwife and I felt sort of meh about her till we actually went to see her. Now we're converts. She played a lot of stuff from the album, and a bunch of Dolls stuff I hadn't heard. And Bon Jovi, for some reason. Which was brilliant. :D And when she did "Leeds United" at the end of the show, Manwife leaned down and exclamated in my ear, "Did she say Leeds United? Posh beat them back in September!"
Posh are Peterborough United. He is a fan.
Manwife was also very pleased to learn, as Ms. Palmer revealed at one point, that her favourite instrument is the cello. Between that and the corset I think he may like her a little too much, frankly.
What else? Five hours is a long damn time to stand (we got there when the doors opened). If you're not careful about where you stand, you may find one of the Danger Ensemble attempting to snog you. Didn't happen to me (Manwife was duly protective :D ), but a girl standing near us ended up on the floor with one of them-- and she'd only offered him a pity-peck. She seemed alarmed but happy.
Then we went home. Today we are tired, and feel sort of old in retrospect: we weren't the oldest people there, but there weren't too many poeple much older than we were. We wish we could manage staying up that late.
The end.
Jess, sounds like a fun night-and five hours is a really long time to wait - glad your manwife was protective of you. i'm still mentally kicking mine. humph. siri - snow skulls! cool, tho i just sent the kids off early to univ cuz the snow is coming here, fast, and i don't want them on the roads. i am going out quick to to beat the storm, it's supposed to be a doozy. stay safe any who are traveling today! kittie, fingers crossed for caramel latte, and glad you are having fun with cabal, and seeing lorr ride - rommy is a beaut.
Thanks for the Amanda Palmer update Jess. I can hardly wait to see her (and meet Chantrelle in person- YAY for fiends!!!!!!!) on Dec. 15th. I love her music. I can almost guarantee I'll be the oldest person there - but who cares.
And here in the Bay Area we have "chicken and waffles": fried chicken drizzled with maple syrup served on a crispy waffle. Oh my Fod, you don't know what you're missing until you try it!
I am drooling over the keyboard. And it's not Amanda Palmer. The chicken recipe sounds positively WICKED!
I want some.
Nat- I was appalled the first time someone suggested it - but YUM!
Whenever someone visits here from Australia (my BF works for Lonely Planet which is based in Australia), my BF takes them there and they LOVE it!
Talk about a gut bomb though!
but... chicken and waffles are a southern thing, not california thing. there must be a lot of southern transplants in the california area. i live right near a roscoe's chicken and waffles. nothing like some good soul food. it's good, but somehow is missing something from the south. i never thought i would miss anything after moving from south carolina, but darn if i don't miss the soul food restaurants. ya'll need to try the flying biscuit cafe in atlanta. heck ina pinch waffle house will do, nothing like cheap chicken and waffles at all hours of the day,
Sal, good luck with the hospital trolls. Bureaucracy, arrgh.
I think the KrispyKreme/DunkinDonuts thing is geographic. Whatever you grew up with tastes right. Well, except for Carvel ice cream - that beats Dairy Queen any day. And my first job was at DQ. I love eggy crullers too - can't get them in our part of Texas.
I got a dozen donuts last night and it restored family harmony as I had had to confiscate computer and cellphone from 14-yr-old daughter and she was a bit miffed, to say the least. We ended up tanking up on grease and sugar while watching "Human Wrecking Balls" on G4 with the Spouse. Definite guy stuff and silly in the extreme - it did lighten the rather heavy atmosphere!
Maddy the Peacemaker: spreading goodwill across the land with sugary fried dough. Woot!
Well Vampi, that makes sense. The SF Bay Area does like to incorporate other peoples foods into our culture. Cool! Now I can look for original "chicken and waffles" if I ever go visit "The South". And, now that you mention it, I have heard of "Roscoes".
Thanks for the details Jess! I am sure I'll be among the oldest at AFP on Friday -- but I am okay with that. There are these very limited special few seats at First Ave and as I got my tickets very early for this show I also reserved one of those tables because I am old and big and all that standing would get to me for sure! I felt like I could splurge on the seats as the tickets themselves were not tooooooo expensive. I am sure it will be well worth it.
Hi Fiends! Sorry for the silence, I got home last night to find my poor laptop had given up the ghost and would not turn on despite much pleading on my part.
I have to send it in for a verdict, but in the meantime I have borrowed an old Mac from Boss, and so have internet here at the Spooky House again.
Sadly, no horsie pics today. Spent the night trying in vain to sleep, and then slept late and woke up feeling horrid. Suspect it is a Moon Time thing, ladies (guys, you don't need to know) Gets really bad a few times a year. I am cranky, headachie, sore and crampy. Bloody bitch really.
Went to Bosses, grabbed a computer, got some hugs, made soup for the people who are doing BeeThings, and now I am couching with hot water bottle...
More hugs coming up your way
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Sorry to hear that Q. I know EXACTLY what you mean and you have my sympathy. I find chocolate can help. Or a strategicly placed cat (the furry, purry hotwater bottle that doesn't require refilling ;-)Hope you start to feel better soon.
Glad you could borrow a spare computer from Boss to keep in touch with us all.
Back a comment or two, the chicken-waffles-maple syrup sounds wierd, but would be interesting to taste..
:hugs:
The hot water bottle is a wonderful invention.
Hope you can sleep and feel better.
:-(
That's so lousy. It's hard to be a woman. Please do feel better.
~Emily
aww *snugs*
i can't wait to go to san fran again for work. it is such a crazy city. i find it so amusing that until i moved to south carolina i had never heard of chicken and waffles, and now they are everywhere. i'm not from the south, but i did live there for 10 years, and roscoe's is a fairly decent replacement for that stick to ya ribs soul fod crazing here in Los Angeles.
well for me dunkins love isn't regional, i do like krispy, just not as much because i prefer the cake donuts and not the fried ones period. crullers are a good second place when cake is not available, but i like it with out the sugar glaze. i'm so weird.
yum carvel is the best and makes the cutest ice cream cakes.
[N.B.: The next two paragraphs will be of little interest to boys. Please skip ahead to paragraph #3 if you aren't a ladygirl.]
Poor Q. :( Sending sympathy hugs. Moon Time...here at Chez Jess we've taken to calling it Lady Week. I only recently discovered that he knows practically to the minute when it'll begin based on when I start buying wine and chocolate things, and whinging every night about wanting to go out to dinner. Our checkbook confirms the pattern: last week we went out like crazy, and got through two or three bottles of vino. I had no idea. Never made the connection. I just thought I liked to go out. And drink.
You know what helps with the headaches? Orange juice. At least, it helps mine-- I get low on the good fruit sugars and water, I'm guessing. Try a big glass of orange juice and see if it helps. (Even if it doesn't, it'll be Good for You.) Hope you took home some soup! Soup's good, too.
Ticia and Aleta - you guys will have fun. Especially seeing as you will have SEATS! There are no seats at Mr. Small's Theater. At best one leans. Forgot to mention, actually, that despite the seating, the venue's really cool. It was formerly St. Anne's Catholic Church in Millvale, an old steel neighborhood near downtown. There was a big push to save the building from being knocked down (it's been there since the 18th century), so the community's very happy to have Mr. Smalls in there. Some pictures here. Holds about 650 people so it was a really nice, intimate gig.
Thanks all, it is lousy.....
It might be the Nuprin-plus I took, to try and stop this headache, but I am getting surer I do not get Jane Austen, watching Pride and Prejudice and don't these people ever DO anything???
And oh yes, I have kitteies, Mim is on the hot water bottle, under the blanket, Selina Kyle at my feet and Venus on the top of the couch by my head. Perfect I say.
You can always rely on kitties.
Right. It's stopwriting and off to bed with me as I have to get up at some ungodly hours tomorrow to fly to Paris for the day (that's going to be a killer - let's hope the weather fods are sending me gentle climate tomorrow instead of the end of the world nonsense we had today).
Not quite finished with the NaNoWriMo story but I only have the last chapter to polish off. I think. Meanwhile the story will continue being posted twice daily until we reached that final chapter.
Pooey stuff, that. Hope all gets better soon. Piles of kitties are recommended by four out of five doctors for hormone-caused distress.
I also take two Aleve at the start to minimize the inflammation. (((hugs)))
How IS everyone doing with Namo????
Kitties are the best. Once the snugglyon particles start; they should help immensely. One warning (from one who suffers monthly with hormone related migraines) stay away from chocolate; salt in any form; red meat; caffeine... drink more water than you can possibly stand. El finds that milk relieves her crampiness. All the love & warm & relaxing thoughts coming to you!
((((((L)))))) sending soothing,warm, moontime thoughts your way. Ughhhh.
Sue, tell your manwife he has been virtually kicked from a long way away
Second day in a row I've read about donuts before my breakfast. So not a good thing to do!
Oh, should refresh before commenting...Nano amount of words completed (ie I won a sign, woot)
going back to story prolly next week to finish.
I am ashamed but inclinced to confess that I did not complete a novel for NAMO, since I'm still exploring so much with writing.
Oh well. Maybe next year. Or the year after that. I'm young, a sprite young chicken, as my thirty-one-year-old friend likes to say.
~Emily
Quiche: three things:
1. your soup was great
2. birdchick got stung, but all bees are well
3. i hope you feel better and it is lonely without you.
Q--adding my hugs to the rest. It is esp sucky when one's cycle seems to be peaking, isn't it!
Vampi--having lived and more importantly eaten in both geo zones, I must report to you that southern/comfort/soul foods are (for reasons unknown to me) generally done much better in the Northern end of California.
The chains (like Roscoe's) are MUCH more like the Carolinas, and in addition there are a LOT of family owned BBQ and Soul Food labeled restaurants. OMF--I once drove from Santa Barbara to deepest Oakland for a fix (well, there were two of us jonesing, and that apparently is sufficient critical mass.)
AletaMay-Gorsh, seriously miss First Ave. There's nothing like it around here, that's for sure. And by "around here" I'm pretty certain I mean a 500 mile radius.
Have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Marjorie
"Quiche = Ms Fabulous, AKA The Fabulous Lorriane, Queen of No and Empress of Everything. Etymologically speaking, derives from Quiche Lorraine. :-))"
Oh, I walked RIGHT into that one. Brain has taken holiday today (whereas the body still has to go to Sainsburys in the rain), so I think I'm excused. ;)
I hope you feel much better soon, Q!
hope you feel better lorraine! hot water bottle, warm kitties, nice relaxing tea, with many hugs to boot.
this goes into the record books as one of my worst weekends - i went to school to load kilns and locked my keys in the kiln room - no one at school, i had to call a colleague and they had the grace and goodwill to rescue me- my kids did beat the snowstorm back to university, only to find the twins' apt. had been broken into - and the only person out of the five that live there to have stuff stolen was the older twin :(. she called in hysterics - she saved a long time to buy her tv and such and is heartbroken. they called the cops, and will call insurance tomorrow. sigh. odd weekend. need pastry. don't care what kind. frazzled and weary, pls no more .....
Miz Q, I so feel your pain. It is icckkk and no fun. Booo that you can't go riding, but that's probably for the best and your body will thank you. And you missed out on bees too! I'm so sorry. Hope you get some good rest and feel better very soon.
And no, nothing much happens action-wise in Jane Austen. The heroine always *thinks* a bunch, which doesn't translate well onto film. I happen to love Ms. Austen and her books, and she is in fact my comfort reading when I'm feeling low and ill. I don't do Northanger Abbey, but I love the others. I take great pride in knowing that my most favourite -- Mansfield Park -- is also Susanna Clark's fave. :-) But such sedate pursuits are not to everyone's taste, that's true...
Oh Sue, I am so very sorry. What an awful, frustrating weekend. And a snow storm to top it off!! I hope things get better and the insurance and police are helpful to your daughter. I feel so bad for you right now.
And DSally, I hope you get good news about your mom soon.
Okay, people, I will be disapperating for a bit, if I have an ounce of willpower. I must must must study this week and take my exams. Monday is class, Tuesday and Wednesday I am tutoring 8p-10p, Friday night I'm helping my favourite colleague at my school (he's the basketball coach) by manning the ticket booth for four, count them *four*, basketball games in a row, and then next Monday night is my last exam. Oh, and this week is the Gateway exams at my school, which means that I will be one of the spec ed teachers administering the Algebra 1 and English 10 tests to our spec ed students, which means reading each test out loud, problem by problem by problem. So, I need to quit playing on the internet and go study!!! *Hugs* to all, and I will check in when possible!
Lys - Are you talking about "Flints"?????
Sue, what a perfectly horrid few days for you.
Bullfinch, good luck with those exams.
Martyn, no worries Sainsburys in the rain is enough or one day....
Oh Sue! Not at all fun!
Sharon got stung? Teach you guys to wear bee suits!Knew the soup would BEE handy! Wish I was there!
Thanks Grac for the Jane Austen comments, it did do me goo in that I fell asleep....Good luck with the studying!!!!!!!
I know you're feeling "sensitive" right now, so the last thing you need is to feel like everyone left the blog as soon as you signed on.
Hi Lorraine!
Ticia--how'd you know?!!!
There's also a place I like on San Pedro (in Berkeley, near the Telegraph intersection....can't remember the name.
Is Flint's still there? (In either of their locations?) It has been TOO long. sigh. Now I'm drooling. These rodeo people think they know their BBQs....but don't understand the SERIOUSLY slow smoked joy to be found (only in daylight, for some of us melanin-challenged folks) in Oakland.
Boy, it's been quite a week for the Fiends. Good thing we have each other...but (Hey FOD, are you listening?) it can STOP now, eh?
Do you mean KC's BBQ Lys? The original Flints burned down 10 years ago and even though they rebuilt, it's not the same...
The neighborhood it's in is VERY dicey, so my husband always got the food...
Yeah Fod, enough! My poor daughter is sick to boot, with finals coming fast - she just doesnt need the additional stress. Lorr, are you feeling a bit better? I used to like a shot of scotch when i was feeling "ladylike", tho i think those days are past for me - been quite a while. Grace, best of luck with your busy week - keep up with the meds so the evil virus doesn't come back. and lys and ticia, mmmm, barbecue now you are making me gape and drool on the laptop. Thank you, Sally, for virtually kicking the manwife, i hope he felt it EXACTLY where i am thinking. Nat, you go on the nano writing - will we get to read?
i
Ticia...mostly what I remember about what MIGHT be KC's is the white bread. Like wonder bread. And it wasn't exactly OPTIONAL, especially if you dined in rather than came in for your pound (or two or three) of flesh.
Flint's. Yup. I didn't know enough to be nervous, the first time going there. But then manwife left the door unlocked (he says he didn't, but noone had to break the car windows) and after only a fifteen minute absence to pickup our order we came back to an empty car. No backpacks. No radio. No ANYTHING.
Guess we should just be glad we still had our wee transport!
Shot of scotch works for me. Think I'll go find some. No BBQ here, just turkey and bacon sandwiches. This will go on for awhile :)
did I hear something about a Bee adventure?
Yeah Lys - you're talkin' my neck of the woods now. I cover a lot of ground here. I live in the East Bay and work in Marin County! Wahoo for crappy commutes. But I've been doing it for 13 years, so I listen to Jack Benny, NPR, Audio books, podcasts, and Burns and Allen while I drive. I actually process a ton of information that way. :-D
Hope you are feeling better Fablo.
Sleep is always a good part of the cure for me. Or was. For me caffeine was actually an essential part of the cure too. Advil. Vicodin in the really bad days. (I really do not miss my womb at all!) I also used those ThermaCare air-activated heat pack thingys.
I am having a nice glass of wine, waiting for a pizza to arrive. Happy to have made some progress on my really important projects today!
Drinking is a fine idea, but alas I do not indulge anymore, bad idea...
I hate even resorting to pain pills they make me loopy and brain dead, which is where I am now......
L-I found these medicated stick ons that are now in the states from some French company (they are very mild here, the equivalent of aspirin and capsicum really).
They have been surprisingly effective. Can't remember the name, but the boxes are white w/blue and green....I should just send you some for the next time you might need them.
The ThermaCare packs Aleta mentioned have also brought me much relief.
I grew up in San Leandro and lived in Oakland and Berkeley. Where in Marin do you work, Ticia? I miss the food in the Bay Area!!!! There is anything you want from all over the world AND entire restaurants which are dedicated to my kind. One more year...
I am sorry that you are having a hard time, Q! Good vibes being sent your way. What kind of soup did you make?
Something hot to eat or drink should help, although I'm not really one to talk, since I'm bad at soothing the pain myself. (This might just be too much information, but I hadn't been getting Moon Time before going into the hospital and kept insisting to the doctors and nurses that "I don't miss it!")
Ivenotime -- Ladylike! Hahahahahaha. I love that.
~Emily
I work in San Rafael Gayle, near San Quentin.. I take walks at lunch along the bay....So beautiful. And the food around here is stupendous! So many countries and styles to choose from!
sniffle....
I MISS CALIFORNIA
I MISS THE BAY AREA
I WANNA GO HOME!!
Okay, I'm done now. Thank you for politely turning your backs while I went all juvenile.
What *will* the future bring?
Hm, Ticia, that sounds nice. My Maternal Grandfather died in San Quentin prison: accountant for the Mob. ;)
Lys, I wanna go home too! I will get to the homeland! If and when I do, any Fiends are welcome to visit and crash on my futon.
Dear Emily Lady....I don't miss it either.
Advil or Motrin or the generic Ibuprofen- 800 mg a dose (yup, 4 OTC pills) is what my doc from the Women's Clinic at the U told me- that's the old prescription strength dose and it's safe- heat and make sure you're getting enough sleep.
I liked a heating pad on the lower back too, because you tense up all those muscles when you hurt.
On the other hand- w00t for the Miracle Of Menopause!
I am SO disappointed. I had an hour between appointments so went to Donut King for a donut (who'd have thunk, eh) and it was bloody average.
Phhht.
I take Citracal Plus, a calcium/magnesium supplement. I noticed that once I started take the calcium with magnesium, I didn't crave chocolate as much right before my period. I have to admit that I've had very few periods where I just wanted to curl up and stay in bed in my life. Hope you're feeling better soon, Ms. Fabulous.
Emily, you might not miss it now, but in several years if/when you're ready to have a child, you will find it comforting to bleed every month. Go to your library and check out Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD. Lots of good information from an OB/GYN who believes in a holistic approach to medicine.
Sue, what can I say other than not only is tomorrow Monday, it's the start of a new month. Life's got to get better.
Ariandalen, I love that book. And thanks for the info. about the magnesium.
I'm sorry Lys and Gayle. I moved up here from San Diego the day after I graduated high school and have never wanted to go back.
If anyone wants to come stay in my house, they're welcome as well! I love touring people around the sights, so stop on by!
Lorraine, you haven't been on in hours. I hope you're feeling better and/or sleeping. (hugs)
Maddy G is in da house! Always fun to read your posts, Ms. Maddy.
And I agree - hurray for a new month. Glad you got the theft stuff resolved, El. My heart was wrenched to read about neglected pups - so Sue, here are a few more virtual ***kicks***, to be applied as desired. Thank Fods the doggehs are okay!!
This month saw the end of my workgroup - all were laid off last week, and my official letter arrived on Friday, to chase down the post-feast family blowup the night before. But I have to say, Fiends are such an amazing bunch, you're all an extra inspiration to me to not be pitying self. I think I'd much rather turn around and do some pwning.
That and I've been reading a lot of poetry. I'm finding it's a balm. 'Tho I doubt poetry will soothe the ills of being "ladylike". (So loving that usage here!) Sympathies to FabLo.
Here's wishing safe passage to Fiends traveling.
Rock on Maddy!!
haven't read the comments yet... too tired right now. Did glass bead course today and it was fun. I made some pretty things and there are more to pick up yet. Simple beginners stuff... but it was fun. It was really neat to play with glass as a liquid.
Goodnight all.
Na, sorry to hear about your job; that really sucks, but good for you for looking at things so positively. I hope poetry and pwning continue!
FabLo, feel better. More hugs and evening primrose vibes aimed in your direction!
Rubious - your course sounds faxcinating - do you have any pics of the things you made?
Took me a while to read all the comments - super busy!
Let's see... What needed answers?
NaMo: I am over 60.000 and am almost finished with last (I hope) chapter.
The story is available on-line, Sue but the blog is invitation only so if you (or someone else) want to read the story (and has the time to do so) I'll dig up your email (from facebook?). I'd be grateful for feedback, as it is bound to have loads of nonsense and mistakes in it. I am grateful already for the help you guys provided.
Poor twins, Sue. :(
Have fun with the revisions, Grace (that brings me way back!). Good luck too. Oh and I love Jane Austen stories despite the lack of action.
Which reminds me I should really get an English version of "Tarzan. Read that in French as a kid, I wonder what it would be like to read it now and in the original.
Yes: please to show and tell glass beading, Rubius! That sounds very cool.
I only have a sec but I would like to request some Fiendishly good vibes for my nephew. He leaves for Iraq today. Here is hoping for a safe return.
Thanks all! You Fiends are my strength today. :)
Have a great day.
much thoughts prayers and love for your nephew, gaypet.
i hope to hear good things about Sal's mum.
oohers glass beading, yet another craft i can't get into. fire, hot molten glass and klutzy me? i'd be a disaster:) can't wait to see pictures!
Gayle, {{hugs and strong, safe, supportive vibes}} Hope all goes well and safely for your nephew.
Nat, I'd be interested in reading your NaMo - I have sent you a message via facebook with my e-mail.
(And may have to go home and look for Tarzan, I'm nearly sure I have some somewhere..)
I love Austen (My favourite is Persausion) but agree it does go slowly; I'm glad live now and not then, I don't think I would have been cut out to be an accomplished young lady (!)
Here#s hoping Kitty Cat or Boss blogs the bees (Or Quiche, but I got the impression you'd already retired to catcouch before bees happened.)
So Gayle and Lys,
I was thinking last night, if there is anything from the Bay Area you would like me to fetch and send to you to help make these winter months more bearable, just let me know.
I go to Cafe Gratitude all the time Gayle, so I can retrieve vegan products for you. Now, I can't mail BBQ, but maybe there's a BBQ sauce you like Lys?
I'll even fetch sand, leaves, a water sample of the bay..... A redwood sample... What can I get you???
There has been alot of weird stuff happening with our fiends lately, so anything I can do to put some positive out in the world may help to turn the tide.
email me at ticia.isom@gmail.com
Love to all fiends!
Oh, Ticia, you are too sweet! How about the next time I visit we will hang out. :) If I think of something I need I will let you know.
My still-undone-bibliography is calling me.
Sending more good thoughts for your nephew, Gayle, and all your family in supporting him.
Perfect Gayle! I would LOVE to meet you in person. The offer still stands though!
Love Jane Austen - her prose is da b0mb. (yo) I read all the Tarzan books as well as Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars books when I was in high school. Loved them, but I'd be interested in hearing what someone else thinks. I wonder if I'd still like them now?
My very best wishes to your nephew, Gayle. And ~~~~~~ positive vibes ~~~~~~ for everyone. Sally, how is your mum? Lorraine, how is the head/ladylike areas/mental outlook [delete whichever is inappropriate]?
I can has nap?
Thanks Natalie, yes my email is on facebook, and i would love to read your story! I didn't sleep much last night as i kept dreaming that whoever broke into my daughter's window was coming back to get her. ugh, terrible nightmares - i actually called her at 7 30 to make sure she was ok, mmmm, paranoia...Gayle, good thoughts and vibes for your nephew, over and over, hope he is guided safely. Lorr, hope you're not feeling so "ladylike" todady!
This has not been a good week for you, Sue. :( An awful load of crap to have to deal with. Please remember: don't let the nightmares eat you. We're all here, and you're strong, even if you're not feeling it right now. It will be okay. Big e-hugs.
Before anyone asks, and I don't know that anyone would never mind: that wasn't me who wrote in to the Bossblog with the lolicon question. :) (Different Jess. We are legion, apparently.) I mention it because I really liked Neil's response. I think it may have convinced me finally to bung some money to the CBLDF; up to this point I hadn't, being not much into comics-- but it's about more than comics and I think now I've been rather dim-witted on that point. Read it if you haven't. Smart, smart stuff. Go Boss.
Fluffy: I give you permission to nap at the first available opportunity. Go forth and pleasant dreams.
Hope everyone else is well on this fine grey day! I wish the weather here would decide once and for all whether or not it wants to be nice.
I was off puttering and a number sunk into my thoughts - 60,000, as in words, Nathalie - that's marvelous!!!
Sue, what a tough time. Here's a virtual toast to more fun in days soon to come *Clink!*
I love most everything Jane Austen. Two movie adaptations stray into less heady territory - the 1999 "Mansfield Park", and "Bride & Prejudice" (but recommend that only if you appreciate Bollywood at least a little).
Dreary weather here, too. Sun oh so low in the sky, when it's visible, and currently an overcast sky that won't snow, with a bitter wind to boot. But, hours before dawn this morning, saw the Big Dipper straight overhead. That was a new one!
ah, it has decided to be Major Snowy here of the heavy wet stuff - very pretty, hard to drive thru. Thanks Jess, its been pretty yucky - and i am just exhausted cuz i slept so poorly - after class tonight, home and a better sleep! i have belonged to the cbldf for a few years, love comics myself, if you haven't read many, Persepolis is great - movie is too. thought neil's response was well written, and i have always found it interesting that england does not have freedom of speech.
The speech issue in the UK is an odd one-- as I understand it there are no formal protections regarding free speech, but the allowances regarding the sorts of things you can print or broadcast and the sorts of things you can't are much broader than they are over here. They can drop F-bombs on the front page of the Guardian, for example; you'll see full nudity on television after 9:00 pm on regular terrestrial-broadcast stations. I hope Marjorie or someone will correct me on this if I'm wrong, but as I recall several years ago there was actually a high court ruling which basically stated that the decision to look at hardcore pornography was up to the individual, and that it wasn't the business of government to police such decisions. I don;t believe that's changed; and over here I don't think there's a similar rule.
Then again, over this side of the pond you don't get legislators talking about national ID cards.
I'm not sure it's necssarily a question of which country has greater freedoms-- it's more a matter of how willingly either government wields that blunt instrument of Law.
Gayle, sending as many keep safe vibes as possible for your nephew and covering him in love.
Sue, I am not in the least surprised about your dreams last night.
I'm a big Austen fan too - studied at school and uni, and that didn't destroy the love, which is something.
No mum report yet. I rang last night and they didn't have the results from MRI so I'll ring this morning after the doctors have done their rounds and hopefully we'll get some news then.
Sending big warm hugs to our Empress - she can't be feeling too good yet, and to all of us, cos we Fiends need a little love all the time, right?
just read Boss' blog after your comment Jess. Wow, the man can write - reminder of his journalistic beginnings and brilliance
Jess, you're right, we don't have a specific law protecting freedom of speech per se, (no written constitution) but we do have the Human Rights Act, which in effect incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to freedom of expression. Nudity on TV is an interesting one bare breasts sems to be fine (after 9 p.m. watershed) naked men (except the odd buttock shot) less commen, and erections a complete no-no (unless I'm just watching the wrong programmes...)
I can't identify the specifc case you're referring to but it sounds about right - I do think that is very much a question of hpow the laws are interpreted and enforced.
ID cards - this is a monumentally unpopular idea with the public - both on the civil liberties front and the sheer incompetance of most government departments when it comes to keeping data secure!
And yes, what Sally said. My god the man can write! I've also found the discussions in Chris Brookmyre's books (Esp. not the end of the world' and 'country of the blind' to be thoght provoking - (The books are also very funny and a damn good read, BTW)
e.g. ' "But you've got to admit, we're talking about some material that is highly offensive to women" "No", he insisted, " We're talking about material some women find highly offensive. There's a difference" (chapter 10 'Country of the Blind)
Hey Fiends,
Hope everyone had a lovely weekend/holiday/donut adventure. Or, thinking of Sue here, will have a better week this week.
Vampi! I swear I've seen that very donut sign. Where did you take that photo? It's driving me mad trying to remember it.
Q, here's hoping you're feeling better by the time you read this. Oh, and Mim's growl? Hilarious. Especially paired with the indignant look on her face as she paused right before racing away with her prize.
And everyone ought to have a Gorey kitchen. Or other room. Not long ago I had a little tutorial with Boy's sitter who had never heard of Gorey. Many books pulled off shelves but she left a fan. Mission accomplished.
OK, there's more I planned to say to everyone but the meeting I'm supposed to sit through in an hour means that I must find a potent caffeine source NOW.
Must think perky thoughts.
Okay, an easy mum report.
MRI was normal - good news
she is going home today
Her condition is still a medical enigma, not such good news.
Sally, I am sending you and your mother the warmest wishes.
~Emily
Thanks Emily. She's going to be pretty impressed and happy that friends from across the world have been thinking about her!
I was reading "Don't Bump the Glump" by Shel Silverstein for M's bed time and came across this poem:
Gru
How To Deal With The Gru
Don't pooh-pooh the Gru,
For if you do,
He'll bite you through,
And chomp and chew,
And swallow you.
But if you don't,
Don't think he won't.
And I thought that this was the crowd to share that with. :)
I like it
don't pooh the Gru *happy grin*
Sally - great about Mum - sorry that she's an enigma. I can deal with anything, if I know what it is.
Gayle - Is there a picture of the Gru - I wonder if he's the one who's been chewing on me!
gru...
grusome...
shranksome...
awesome...
:) funny that
Good news that she's going home, Siri-- I hope they resolve her case soon.
Marjorie - Mr. Jess tells me that the ruling was actually an EU determination which fell under the Human Rights Act-- so I was off on its origin.
The free speech issue is interesting to me from the perspective of having taught rhetoric and composition for a couple of years. In this country, at least, there seems to be a frightening number of adults with a shaky grasp of the concept and what it means, and who further don't seem to know what to do with the things they read. That reactionary, prescriptive sort of behavior the lolicon case demonstrates is all too common, and I can't help but feel, a lot of the time, that it might be due in part to the fact that someone failed those people early on in teaching them how to interact with literature, ideas, and words.
It's why I'm so passionate about teaching: the best way to defend the indefensible is to teach others how to face ideas which make them uncomfortable, how to think about them, and how to argue with them effectively. Which can be an uphill battle when so many students would rather react than think; it's difficult to teach adults, especially, to question their own assumptions, and to look at issues, ideas, and works of art in ways they might not normally do.
Wittering on a bit myself, now. :)
No worries Jess, you are a good witterer.
It's late here in Rhode Island. Goodnight, Fiends.
~Emily
Jess, well said, eloquent! I have enjoyed reading these posts and discovering a bit more about Englands' system and how it relates to ours. I don't have your background in rhetoric and composition, and applaud your passion in teaching those subjects. Sally, glad the MRI was fine for your mom, and hope they are able to provide you with more answers, tho its great she is able to go home. Lexocat, hope your meeting went well, and Marjorie, enjoyed reading your comments as welll. Kristina! borosillicate beads? flameworking? share, dear, share...
Jess, wittering? Hardly. You write passionately (and quite concisely) on a topic of enormous importance. Well done.
And I couldn't agree more re thinking and the challenges it poses, especially where the not so comfortable ideas are concerned. Teach on!
Hey Fiends!
I just checked in with our Fiend Queen -- being a bit worried not having seen her here for many hours. She asked me to tell you all that she has some sort of stomach flu and expects to be up and around again tomorrow. For now she is away from the computer and not feeling up to moving closer to it.
Good thoughts to you dear Q!
while there has been discussion of Edward Gorey I give you Tarot.
Gayle, great poem choice! And keep safe vibes for your nephew.
Poor Quiche..you need soup and a fire and cats and BED. Feel better ok?
Jess I do love when you witter on..;)
Sally I'm glad the MRI was ok, I really hope they find out what it is.
The Gorey tarot is interesting..not really a tarot per se..more of an oracle really (no suits, no court cards). Plus only 20 or so cards! Not enough to use, sadly, 'cause I like oracles better than tarot for personal use. My two favorites being Brian Froud's Faerie Oracle cards and the Morgan's Tarot.
Oops..now who's wittering on?;)
ohhh, I like them Kali, going back to look again
Haven't read comments...wayyyy far behind on fiend-dom!
We found a total of 4 mushrooms...blah. But they were wonderful! The weather was stunningly gorgeous (hence the lack of mushrooms) and we had a lovely time anyway.
Now i'm crampy and icky (not related to mushrooms but to our lovely visitor...are we in synch?!? Can you do that virtually?!?) and need bed now.
*Maybe* i'll be able to catch up tomorrow??
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lexocat, the donut sign is on silverlake blvd just past virgil. i drive past it daily. in los angeles
gaypet, if your nephew can receive packages, i'd be happy to send a holiday package. :)
Keeping my fingers crossed for your nephew, Gayle.
I suppose I have to go and read Neil's blog at some time?
Oh, poor Quiche. Yeah, the heck with computer. Just get better! Rest. Fluids when you can stand them. Easily digestible sugars. Hugs from friends. Etc.
*sends betterness thoughts*
Nathalie - yes, you do! :)
Welcome back, Chantrelle! Four mushrooms is good enough for at least one risotto, eh what? (I'm keen on risotto lately-- really fun to cook.) I too have become curious about the possibility of Virtual Synch. Right, someone needs to do the Science on this! Who else is on this week? (No, don't answer that. :D )
Vampi, I *have* driven past that sign! Silverlake and Virgil both figure heavily in my east-west freeway alternates, for those days when I just can't (or don't want to) deal with driving on freeways or through downtown or through downtown on freeways. Thanks. I can sleep now. ;)
I just realised I said Siri back there in the other comment when I meant Sally. 8( (That's what late-night posting will do to your brain.) That was for you, Sally! I'm glad your mum's going home, finally. Is she feeling relatively okay now?
Yowzers..... Once again, out of contact for a little while and SO MUCH HAPPENS!!
Okay, first: bestest vibes for all who needs'em...special double helping for Sally's mum to keep things on the upswing.
Separate portion, extra ladling, for the Fabulous one....because it certainly sounds like she is feeling MUCH less than fabulous right now. Plus side: she isn't alone. Let us hope this doesn't interfere w/AMF, Chicago and Royalty pickup.
RE Chinese N Donuts: You can see a very similar sign on the way from SB to LA....I want to say it is in Oxnard.....but might be sooner. hehehehe. Silly me, thought it was the only one. They also do a mean fried chicken. I didn't ask...but it was tasty.
FINALLY:
GAYPET--wowzers! What service is he in? (you probably mentioned this before. I have a hecka weird memory, and so if we've already discussed this I DO apologize)
Anyway, if you want to email me here it is:
greylemur at hotmail.com
Depending on where he is going, I might have some good (NON-classified!) intel for you. At the very least, can give you an idea on his living environment and what he might most want for packages. Yes, most soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines over there get packages. THEY DESERVE AS MANY AS THEY CAN GET!! And what they don't use, generally is distributed to TCNs (Third Country Nationals) and/or locals.
I highly recommend he get his unit registered (he can be the contact, or someone else) with www.anysoldier.com They are amazing.
And any Fiend who wants to do post-holiday kindnesses to the troops, feel free to have a look at the web page. Things tend to drop off after the Christmas rush, and as the Operational Tempo slows...and there are less packages to open....that is when folks tend a bit more towards depression. Oh, and yes...packages sent now might get there in seven days, or seven weeks. Funny how that works.
My turn to witter on, I guess.
Jess inspired me.....tho few can witter as eruditely as she...
ps I did forget:
THANK YOU TICIA for your ever so kind offer! You are sweet.
Just send pictures of the ocean once in a while, that'll do :)
hugs ...
Thanks a lot Lys! Ben is a medic in the Army. When I find out where he is and what he wants sent I will let everyone know. My Sister is, well you can imagine how she feels. I will keep you posted and see if he can register for anysoldier. Thanks for letting me know about it!
I hope you are feeling better, Q!!!!
Lys, I'll take pictures for you!
Sally- I'm glad your mum is heading home. I hope she is feeling better.
I hope you feel better soon, Lorraine.
And Sue... We worry enough about our babies when all is well. I'm sorry that your worries have been increased.
So interesting to hear the "wittering" today. This place is a font of information.
Oh, and before I forget, I have signed up for Facebook, please friend me so I can figure out how this thing works! :-D
Ticia Drake Isom
Well, Ms. Fabulous...phooey! I'm sure Ms. Kitty is taking good care of you, even if it's not the nice visit either of you envisioned. ::sigh:: Hope you're feeling better today. At least stomach bugs only last around 24 hours.
We misses our Queen Empress Fiend!
Jess, in answer to that question...not me, I just ovulated. ;)
Ticia, I searched for you on Facebook but did not find you. I will try again in a bit but if you want to add me you can search for Gayle Peterson. I will watch for you. :)
Excellent wittering! Go Teacher Jess! I do wish more teachers had your drive. I think there is a trend in educational setting which compounds the problem with a dearth in teaching critical thinking skills, which is having so many students go to relatively isolating schools, parochial and charter and home - public school students daily interact and negotiate with a greater variety of people, more likely to encounter people with ideas that may contradict their own or their family's.
I work in educational publishing, and adding to the mess is a lengthy list of verboten topics that publishers are allowed to include in stories, or they can't get their materials sold/adopted. Some things make sense to me (like not portraying criminal acts and something for kids to emulate), but these lists also include what interests children (and many adults) the most, for example any mention of wizards or magic, 'cause Fods forfend you offend the fundamentalists. It stagnates the soul and imagination, and dumbs down curriculum. And it goes to what Jess said - keeps students from being exposed to different ways of thinking and questioning.
Virtual synching - it seems possible. :) Although not just in ladylike ways - I was walking around all day with a Shel Silverstein poem in my head, too! It was this one:
When the light turns green, you go.
When the light turns red, you stop.
But what do you do
When the light turns blue
With orange and lavender spots?
I swear it's naught to do with any substances, unless tea and hot chocolate can do that to a person...
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Facebook is frustrating me. I can see Gayle (i think) but I can't figure out how to add her as a friend...
I'm positive It's because I'm at work, and should be working....
"Naught" I love that word.
(I may be near the "ladylike time" as well, which makes me cranky!)
Oh, and here's an amusing side-note. Especially after all of our family discussions...
My family is having no problems finding me! What's up with that!!! No fair!! :-D
I'm not sure the underlying cause is just isolated educational environments-- Our Emily's home-schooled, for example, and her critical thinking and writing skills are phenomenal compared with adults I've taught in the past, let alone people her age. (Let's talk about her like she's not here! Sorry, Emily. :) )
Rather, I think the relative effectiveness of the environment depends to a large extent on the teacher. One of my workshoppers is a senior at the public high school here, and her biggest complaint is that she doesn't get the kind of support in her writing that she expected from her English classes. Her teachers tend to discourage long essays, and don't give a lot of helpful feedback. I suspect that has a lot to do with unmanageable class sizes and workloads. I can sort of sympathise: I've been there. It's hard to get through a stack of thirty eight-to-ten page essays, especially when they come in every couple of weeks; if you're not careful about how you manage assignments, you'll find yourself doing nothing but grading papers every night. Sometimes you have to set a page limit.
On the other hand, she tells me that so far this year they've had only a couple major assignments-- a poem, and a three-page essay. And she'll tell me that she's never read anything like the sort of fiction I've been handing out in the workshop, and that it's the most challenging stuff she's ever had to work with. This gal's in an AP English class.
Her case isn't uncommon. A lot of the freshman I taught ten years ago had never written anything longer than three pages, had never consulted any other source than the internet for research purposes, had never bothered to read a novel. What's going on? Someone is failing these kids big time. That infuriates me-- as a teacher, and as an artist, too. I think it came up in some other thread, the issue of how and why language dies. To me, it's not when people mess around with it, or when "bad" literature gets published. It dies when no one can be bothered to teach it, or pay attention to it, or try it. I feel a lot of the bureaucratic requirement-nonsense of the sort you describe, Na, does much damage in that sense.
Phew! On one hell of a witter-roll, here, ain't I?
Ticia - LOL
I found Na but not Ticia on FaceBook (I get some bloke when I enter the name provided in the search box).
You friend people by clicking on their name. A small box pops in and on the right hand side there are a few options of which the first is "add as friend" then you get a pop up offering the possibility to add a message to the friend request. You are friend with that person when they accept the request.
You can enter the name or the email of the person in the serch box (and do the same procedure).
Okay...I'm jumping on the bandwagon.
I've just joined Facebook...eek!
I'm an Amy Powell (there are several of us apparently) but I used the same photo I use here and I appear to be the only one in Milwaukee.
That is dramatic, Jess. How are those kids (or adults) suppose to learn anything that way?
Jess - I love what you're writing here.
To clarify - I think isolating environments compound the issue, not that they're an underlying cause. Although perhaps are both effects of the same cause? How does language die? I think of "Fahrenheit 451".
From what I understand from folks who have been in educational publishing a long while, several teaching paradigm shifts in past decades have resulted in a lowering of expectations for students. And if we lower expectations of what students can achieve, they do too.
I also think written language and its related culture is like algal blooms - it will thrive and be enriched for periods of time, then die back, then bloom again in new forms.
Beyond those thoughts I go to passionate political-cultural issues, but this doesn't seem the place for those. ;)
Really I think the push for standardised testing is much to blame, Nathalie-- it's at its worst with the "No Child Left Behind" fiasco, but actually started around about the time I graduated from high school. At that time the focus in education shifted toward kids passing a standardised test to graduate-- and schools started using that "Advanced Placement" system, which has really been more about meeting those standardised test requirements than about whether or not kids are getting "advanced" instruction.
I found Ticia on facebook, and toggled the "recommend friends" thing after, to try to connect her to Gayle, maybe can do the same for others...
Am I the only one who finds it sort of, erm, odd that Facebook recommends friends? It reminds me a bit of amazon.com or something (if you like this person then maybe you'd like that other person over there, too) :)
Na - Well said! I think you're right on all counts. This bears repeating, I think:
......if we lower expectations of what students can achieve, they do too.
Yes. This.
By the way, do you mind if I ask who you're with? I've got a good friend in Columbus who works for Highlights. :)
Oh, and na, the algal blooms comparison? I'm totally adopting that, thanks. I love the image!
Lexocat - yea, and I also find it amusing that you can "now be friends" with someone you've been friends with for decades.
Amy Powells are legion and might give the John Smiths a run for their money! Some have great hairstyles, too.
Off to pick a dragonet up from playschool, then finish a w00t! new work assignment.
Morning, Fiends!
I've been taking a break from teh Internets, to meet deadlines. More work ahead of me, but I'll be back soon.
My best wishes to the ill, kicks to unruly manwives, and may all in danger be safe.
No time to read right now, but you fiends rock! Yay for fiends!
Good luck with those deadlines, Val!
More good energy and wellness being sent out to you, Quiche. Bast candle and sage burning for you my dear. Hope you feel better soon.
sadly i am NOT taking care of my Quiche.
she is down and out,
and i am not over there.
tomorrow!
I found an Amy Powell in Milwakee on page 7 but no picture...
Apropos of nothing: I meant to say earlier, Ariandalen, that I think the phrase "Not Me, I just ovulated" needs to be on a tee shirt. Someone make one! :D
Even weirder would be "None for me, I just ovulated"
Wow, lots of comments!
Facebook - Na & Ticia - found you, and sent friend requests - Arwenn - can't find you, but would friend you if I could! I'm on as Marjorie Taylor, same photo as here - there are fewer of us so I may be easier to find!
FabLo - hope you're feeling better. Lots of sympathetic vibescoming your way.
Jess, Nathalie et al - Eduacation..
waht you say sounds so familiar, I think here, a lot of problems arise from standardised testing (National Curriculum) - I think they have relaxed thigs a little recently but I know when i was at school the policy was that pupils should not be streamed by ability, which of course meant that everything was done at the pace of the lowest common denominator - which, (not unpredictably, I should have thought) led to lots of bored kids. Most of the best teachers I had were those who refused to follow the rules!
I remember the disappointment I felt when I started my A Level english course ('advanced' level - 2 year course age 16-18) and found I was the only member of the class whob had read ANY of the 'suggested advance reading' (not academic or critical works, just a selection of 18th & 19th C novels) and also that we were obviously not expected to have read any of it. I don't think that there is quite so much in the way of excluding things so as not to offend, but I do think that there is a tendency to assume that everything needs to be broken into easily digestible bite-size chunks and spoon fed, and I tend to feel that by the time you are in the final years of your secondary education you really ought to be able to do a little more for yourself. But I guess letting people learn by trying and, sometimes failing, doesn't lead to good league-table scores...
I also feel we now have a situation where a lot of teachers have been through the same system and so they themselves have never been tught, or had the opportunity to learn, any other way.
(rant over, at least for now)
Oh, and Lexocat - some of the facebook reports are even better. My mum joined recently, and then a day or two later I got an update saying that she "is now married" . . .
... I sent my congratulations - what else can a good daughter do? But unless it was her subtle way of telling us she's just become a bigamist, its about 39 years late, as an announcement :-D
Marjorie, clearly you are a very good daughter. :)
How did your mum respond to your congrats?
The Fods of snow arrived today, about midmorning.
Lexocat - thanks!
Jess - Well, until two weeks ago I was with a small supplemental publisher called Options Publishing. But we were bought by an investment group a while back, and they just finished disassembling us, so I'm freelancing again. And speaking of deadlines, happily I have some, too, and ought to see to one at the moment.
Cheers, Fiends. Wishing all well.
Oh this time delay with commenting. Marjorie, that's hilarious with your mum "just getting married". I'll have to check in at facebook later, too.
And I agree about NCLB and the shift towards standardized testing - to get the most kids to pass, you lower the expectations for all. Then you get bored but stressed students, more people get discouraged, and it seems more and more like an awful downward spiral. Hrumph.
I thought you might be with Lorraine, Kitty!
So sad she is poorly and on her own (with wild beasts that might take to devour her if she does not forget she is sick to get up and FEED them).
:(
Oh, Lorraine, feel better; stomach bugs are THE VERY WORST!
Love,
~Emily
What a wonderfully thought provoking lot of comments to get up to - gee you lot write and argue well.
Same thing has happened here with standardization too. Oh, and does anyone else have the situation where Christmas carols/nativity plays etc are banned from junior schools because they might offend the non-Christians?
So many more Facebook Fiends - its excellent.
Val, I was wondering how you were as I read through the comments and -bingo - there you were.
Kitty, give Q lots of good,healing thoughts when you talk to her. Probably just as well not to be there if its a bug.
At my primary school we were not allowed to sing Christmas songs (so we did Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman) and yet we sang Hanukkah songs - go figure.
Political correctness gone berserk, isn't it
Nat-a-law, she told me "nay, stay away" she just wantd to sleep, so i am with Boss, being all Lorraine-ish. except for the sick part. sad thing, we may have to cancel the chicago trip. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Boo indeed!!! Although that's a heckuva drive even when healthy.
I was going to try to get down to the Amanda show but I have class :(
Sending all kinds of get well NOW wishes!
Oh bummer, I'm so sorry your week isn't turning out how you planned it Kitty and Lorraine. Not fair.
Hope you get to do something else fun instead.
Cancel Chicago trip? Egad, this IS bad, isn't it?
Redoubling the get-well-now wishes and crossing everything for luck...
Grrrragghhhhh.
Someone is being mean to Fablo's Fiends. Our fridge just went kaput. There I was in the shower minding my own business when the power went off. Grabbed my towel and went out to the powerbox and flicked the safety switch - and it went straight off again. After several trips outside in my towel, switching various powerpoints off to try and isolate the problems I had a brainwave. Get dry and dressed and get Pete up to do the powerpoint testing while I waited at the powerbox to see the effect.
Repair man can't come until tomorrow. *sigh*
I'm not sure if I have said it here or not but I think the Christmas ban thing can certainly go to far. That said, as a parent who does not celebrate Christmas with M it is nice that he is not singled out in yet another way at school. I have a lot of oddities (like I don't say the pledge to the flag although I have never told him not to) as far as mainstream American culture go and it's nice to find a school that is sensitive to such things. I always think it's better to be inclusive which may mean a very long and involved Holiday program. It's hard to be the only Jewish-pagan-atheist-vegetarian in a school. Kids can be mean for a lot of reasons and the less we isolate those who are different the better.
Standardized testing is being used as a club these days. I'm not sure it is bad for a school to get an idea of where their students are but that is not what we are doing now. It again is just another way to force people into a box which most of us don't fit into. The "lowest common denominator" are often student who are not native English speakers or have other issues and instead of helping them and focusing on successes we punish a school or even a district for having students who don't test well.
I do see your point Gayle, if I were a parent I'd probably feel pretty much the same way, its just sad that the kids miss out on fun stuff.
The more fun the better! I think Holiday stuff can have lots of different traditions represented rather than be missed. That's really all I mean. Even as an atheist I still believe that humans need ritual to help maintain society. Not sure why but we do. So the more parties the better I say. We lite the menorah, celebrate the solstice and M gets Christmas presents from other family. It's a month of partying. :) The schools that I have worked in have often gotten rid of celebrations instead of including as many traditions as possible. Party on, I say!
Just as I was posting that "Genius of Love" by "Tom Tom Club" came on M's little MP3 player. Funny! And appropriate I think. For you youngsters who don't know it this is it.
And not to forget the sense of community that rituals and celebrating together can foster.
Oh yes, Sally! It's all about community. We are all looking for our tribe. Ours is here. The World Wide Tribe of Fiends. :D
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*hugs*
Get better Ms. Q.
Sorry for being a hit-and-run Fiend....work and work and work.
You are no more of a hit-and-run Fiend than I am, Beez ...
I agree about the Christmas bans, by the way. I wish there were more religious diversity in schools and general society. I don't think we need to withdraw from the most prominent religion so much as we need to find ways to contribute more from other religions .... especially here in Rhode Island. I hate to say it, but we are so blah. Diversity is practically unheard of here (except in Providence, but I don't live there).
~Emily
Oooh, the Christmas in schools thing. In Texas they go as nutty as they want with it (PTA buys Christmas trees for each elementary school classroom, etc.) My daughter is one of three Jews in her 1,000 student middle school and gets regular doses of anti-semitism, most of which she handles herself. She knows she can go to the administration if it gets out of hand (and I would if she didn't.)
In elementary school they had "Polar Express Day," an all-morning party every December for the K-2 grades where the kids could wear pj's. Since I had never read the book I had no idea what it said until 2nd grade, when she brought home her ticket that said: "Only children who believe in the magic of Christmas may ride the Polar Express," and at the bottom, the children were required to sign: "I (blank) believe in the magic of Christmas." My eight-year-old, not wanting to lie, crossed out "Christmas" and substituted "The Holidays." It made the hair on my neck stand up, thinking of her wrestling with this dilemma since kindergarten.
I think this kind of thing makes the non-Christian kids feel painfully excluded in their own communities. And there's enough to celebrate about the season itself that will include everyone. I'm definitely pro-party, but not just for one group.
I think it was all such a shock to me because I went to school in CA and SC, and in neither place was there such a thing as trees in every classroom, bringing Santa to the school in a helicopter, busing the kids to see Christmas plays and movies and SO much more. We had a party in the classroom and maybe a school program from the choir.
BTW, local churches have leaned on the school district to exclude objectionable things like witches from their Halloween decor.
Slightly sensitive here, sorry.
Lorranie, hope you feel up to snuff soon. That's just a miserable thing to deal with.
Ahem. I mean Lorraine (insert best wishes here...)
Your expeeriences are really interesting Fluffy, because you're coming from the outside so far as Christmas goes (not well expressed, I hope you know what I mean) Your daughter dealt with that form really well.
And wow, seems like Christmas swamps the schools there. I guess one difference is that here Christmas comes at the end of the school year, so it's easy for the celebration to be more than just about a religious festival...its "School's Out For Summer"
I find this all fascinating. A friend, who is Hindi, makes sure her children get Christmas presents so they didn't feel left out - but they were always aware it wasn't their religious holiday.
Much for me to think about here and learn - we are such a varied bunch here I love it.
Anyone else notice we're nearly to 200 comments?
I like that idea, of working to include more, rather than worrying over what to exclude. It would be fun for a change to challenge a student body to make sure they'd included absolutely everyone, even the abstainers in some way. ;)
Fluffy - kudos to your kiddo! I am so impressed that she edited her ticket.
As a teenager, I joined a co-ed scout group, and in order to do so, I was required to speak an oath that included the word "God". I wrestled with that for a good while. I'd already done a lot of hiking trips with them. Since I was doing so with a group, I knew I'd have audial cover, so in the end I deliberately said "Dog" instead.
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