intelligent you at the local zoo

We're zoo goers.  We love it.

However, we recently discovered that you can't say anything intelligent at the zoo.

Next time you go, listen--to yourself, and others--and observe.  You can't say anything intelligent at a zoo.

One time I tried, really hard, I did, I promise, and this is what came out, "Look, little one, look at the lion!  What is it?  Well, it's like a big cat.  Look at the big cat! He's sleeping.  Look at him sleeping.  There he goes!  Sleeping!"  Then I hung my head in shame.  So I tried again, "Look here!  This is called a howler monkey... wait, no, well the sign here says 'Siamang' and I actually don't think they are the same thing... anyway... look at him swing!"  It's harder than it sounds.  It is.

I heard another patron say, "Look at the cheetah! Look at 'im!"  ....... It was a leopard.

Next time you go to the zoo, observe and if you think of it, leave a comment here on what you find.  I'd be interested to read your findings.

Oh and one more thing... have fun!  For it is very entertaining.

mistaken email

For the past few months I've been recieving someone else's emails. Not a lot of them. Just a few messages here and there.

At first I thought they were spam. Like the time when someone emailed responding to my request for info on properties in the UK. "What the...?"

But then they began coming in from some sort of club.

They started out kindly, "Here's the information you requested during our last meeting."

Then they became a little terse, "Here is the information you should have gotten a month ago... I'm sending it to you again per your request."

Then they didn't hold back. Without any formal introduction they plowed ahead with, "I don't have the slightest idea why you aren't getting my emails. Here is the information you requested, yet again, during our last organizational meeting."

I looked up the organization. Again, based in the UK.

About this time I contemplated replying to the emails explaining that the sender had the wrong address and perhaps they should go a little easier on this poor soul. Perhaps they'd left out a period or an underscore. In reality the fact that they aren't getting your emails is quite possibly not their fault at all. I thought about writing. But I didn't want to get mixed up with the frustration on the other end. I longed for a "Return to Sender" button. What better way to tell someone they have the wrong address without having to get mixed up in all their business? They should make that button. But since they haven't, I ended up sending that person to spam too. I wanted no more ranting in my inbox.

And then, just yesterday, I received an email thanking me for my continued patronage at a certain luxury, extended stay hotel. I looked this one up. It's in Hong Kong. Apparently they have a great frequent customer point system with some fabulous perks. They signed me up just because I was such a great customer. I should have unsubscribed to the email. No, what I really should have done is "Returned to Sender". But since that's not an option, I marked them as spam too.

I'm starting to feel like I have this whole other life somewhere else where I inquire after upscale flats on the weekends, argue with the head of the board of my Country Club, and frequently travel to Hong Kong on business. It's a busy life, but Other Me enjoys it . . . at least I think I do. Apparently, though, I only get 3/4ths of my emails.

Capital I

What is this song if not inspiring?
What do you think?
The tune itself is cool, but the whole story of that I just seals the deal.
We like it around here and it has, again, been playing in my head on repeat.

autumn

Today I resolved to take on our second bookcase.

It's small, and broken, and let's face it, this apartment isn't big enough for much of the stuff we own. Some of our books must move on. So in the spirit of new adventures, I resolved to take on our second bookcase.

I scanned the titles to find a place to start. There's Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Chaim Potok's The Promise, Great Expectations, Jane Austen, George Orwell, and the Bible in Spanish among others. Where to begin? Crime and Punishment was the first book I can say I really relished, The Promise was that book I took off the shelves at home of my own choice and loved without anyone telling me to, Jane Austen helped me during the summer I slogged through trying not to have feelings (which was not successful. I've heard it never is), and Great Expectations accompanied a moment of true self discovery. I flipped through it's pages and found that I'd underlined a few sentences. This one in red:

"But that, in shutting out the light of day, she had shut out infinitely more; that, in seclusion, she had secluded herself from a thousand natural and healing influences..."

Which instantly got me thinking how many of these thousands of "natural and healing influences" have I been the beneficiary. And how many more might I discover in the years to come?

As you may have guessed, my resolved quickly evaporated. And there the bookcase still sits. Small, breaking, and full to the brim.

word snobbery welcome

So, here's the deal.

I love words.

Do you ever find a word you didn't know before and then try and add it to the ol' repertoire?

I do, and I've got a few up my sleeve. Not many.

But language is incredible, as you know, and I've got so much more to learn. Something I lament daily.

And so, my fellow lover of words, I've got your next podcast. I listen to it on the radio during my drive to church (it's kind of a long drive) when I get the chance. And it kept me company during the long periods of cleaning I've been doing to prepare for the move.

You should check out A Way With Words.



It's got everything. "Witty" banter, word puzzles, crazy callers, lovable hosts, a bit of cheesiness, and especially, words. All sorts. Those you may be familiar with and some you may not.

So give a listen. And let yourself enjoy it come cheesy joke, or terrible pun. You may just go back for more.

playing in my head on repeat...

Down By the Water
The Decemberists

best purchase for the month of June

Is there a reason you haven't purchased yourself a package of these Bandaid brand adhesive bandages? Because you should. They should make more of these. Totally makes having a paper slice wound somewhat fun (because we all know those are never fun).