E.B. White - you should read his stuff.

I found, in the Salvation Army bookstore in PC about 3 years ago, the "Essays of EB White" for $2 (a 1950 Doubleday hardcover- not too bad a deal). He wrote "Charlotte's Web" and my favorite childhood "novel"- "Trumpet of the Swan." I never knew that he wrote such wonderful adult essays, not knowing to search him out as his stories were so prominently featured in the "New Yorker", "Harper's Magazine" and the "Atlantic Monthly" during the last few decades.
I cannot describe well how much I recommend this volumne of stories. I can only say I loved, appreciated and will always keep a treasure of his tales of life, death, weather and living in nature as he does so well. Apparently, he lived in NYC for his literary life, but also kept a farm/ estate on the East Coast with his wife, where he had horses, pigs, chickens and dealt with hurricanes and nostalgia quite often. His stories are sentimental, but like Hemingway, somewhat emotionally brutal at times ( like alot of male authors I like, somewhat distant emotionally upon immediate tragedy, yet somehow able to make you tear up by the end of their adventure.)

I would recommend this volume for anyone- it's full of stories you will identify with- even though White is very geographically set, his stories could ring true with any of us.

I knew of him before journalism college- before they made us buy "Strunk and White's Elements of Style"- any journalism person still quotes from this book. I had read "Trumpet of the Swan" when I was ten, and afterwards looked for years for books that equaled the appeal and maturity of that particular story matter-
I hope you take the time to add this to your reading list.

Good night, Kids!

because I don't feel like writing about Crist, Rubio, Bachman or any other politicans

we're going to do more great first one-liners!!

The dog was out in the yard, but the howling inside the house is what made the neighbors call 911.

Back Beach Road was only two-laned back then, and his dreams of it included the passing of cars and a burnt orange haired lady in his passenger's seat.

Times were so easy, the credit cards they left behind weren't touched, merely sent back to them in stationary letter with the words "thank you for the business."

The full moon meant the evening was ripe for naked bingo, but the young lady just wasn't up for it yet.

While millions wept at the sight of their retirement going the way of the buffalo, Bill clapped with glee while winning "Jepardy" on his television- after all, money is money even if it's not yours.

The Iraqi war hero came home to much fame, only to find his wife was hooking up with the Walmart guy and his child had taken up karate.

Meerkats ran wild, and the humans remained to fend for themselves in the cityscape they barely recongnized.

Good night!

Great first lines...and then some

"It was Sunday-not a day, but rather a gap between two other days."

That is a wonderful first line, by F. Scott Fitzgerald from "Crazy Sunday", a short he wrote in 1933 for the American Mercury literary zine.

We all were taught some great first sentences of literature, and my m.o. lately has been to take off a branch and make my own tree.

Here goes:

"I woke up, and all I could see was the smell of old wine, stale feet, and a very unusual Saturday evening."

"He told me his monkey needed to be fed, and so he left me to feed the primate. Love is never a steady line."

"Whales need to be let loose, so that afternoon we let Jim go with a pack of PBR, a rubber seal, and a loaded 357 magnum."

"Toes needed to be in groups of five, so when she woke up with three, she rolled her eyes and wondered where they were."

"Tuesdays were not meant for beginners- three days left was not good for bad drunks."

"He said he loved her, but what that really meant was he was ready to board the plane to Puerto Rico and have dinner with his dark eyed wife."

"Days went on, and their love affair left it's mark- the hotel room actually told the maid what all transpired and insanity ensued."

"People need to be alone sometimes, and his alone time was unfortunately filled with people in his head. "

"Times were great, and the stories were bigger than ever."

"Five palm trees were enough to keep the neighbors from thinking they were lower class, but the family still worried about money."

"A steel cold mist hovered around their estate, and their organic garden died under all the heavy pretenciousness of the household.

"One bad day was alright in this Irishman's heart, two were enough to make you grow gills and swim back to Scotland. "

Add your own- what fun. Have a great night, friends :)

Weird foods, guilty pleasures.

It must be all the Catholic news lately that has making most of my headers lately have the word "guilty" in them...anyhow, this is about all the nasty, weird, or wonderful foods I like and others like. Let's just dig right in!

Sardines - I freakin love these nasty little buggers- in oil, in mustard sauce, in red sauce. I love to eat them with Saltines and of course always pick the backbone out.

Smoked oysters in a can- another love affair of the stomach. I can only eat these a few times a year. Although I can eat raw oysters for breakfast, the smoked ones are so strong, so oil, so very odd that I feel my body composition change after eating them. Good with crackers also.

Orange push-ups- Holy mother of Goodness, these cheap treats come in those slide up floor coolers at Junior Stores (you remember those don't you?) and taste like vanilla/orange/ creamy lusciousness. I used to ride with my dad from our home in Pretty Bayou (PC) to gas our boat up before loading up the family to go to Shell Island for the day, and he would buy me one. Love them!

Walmart trail mix- this comes in several varieties. Yes, it's easier to make your own, just like I always make our own granola bars (easy!), but this is under $5, ready to go, and full of chocolate, peanuts, cashews, raisins, and other varieties include spicy crunchy stuff. good, but not low calory by any means.

Betty Crocker Bacon Ranch cold pasta salad in a box- if you've never had this, do it. This has been a staple of most of our cookouts for years, only we make about 4 boxes at once for parties. All you do is add mayo, it's got all the fakey bacon parts, dehydrated peas, carrots bits and uber strong magic powder that you add to finish. Yummy! and probably not great for you.

turkey bacon- which my husband says is not bacon at all. true. I don't eat it anymore but loved it's salty goodness for years.

Slim Jims and other dried up meat parts sold in shrink wrap - wow, I used to love getting one of these every now and then. I am a salt lover, and don't eat alot of ice cream, cake, etc. Anything with a strong salt flavor (like martinis) is my downfall. Slim Jims are the beef jerky king, with alot of imitators. It's full of carcinogens, , nitrates, and spices to keep the meat preserved, and it's wrapped in an edible "casing" that melts in your mouth. Heaven!!

Things I can't stomach well- celery ( I don't like hidden celery like in cold salads- that mysterious crunch bothers me), relish ( I like sour pickles plain and out in the open, not mashed up), pickled herring in sour cream (my husband loves this- yuck! I'm not from the North, that is just gross), fake cheesy sauce (Velveeta, etc.), and most "creamed" stuff ( I prefer most foods to be compartmentalized to I can see each food for what it is!)

Talk to you all later?? Hope you are having a great night! I had to write this quick before I go outside and keep our dog from digging more holes. He goes after mole crickets and the big toads that bury themselves for hibernation. They always sit around looking stunned after he uproots them, poor things.

I'm about to RUIN YOUR DAY

Don't read this if you don't want to know the ending of "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy. I bought the 817 page novel a few years back and have read it twice. It's a great sweeping Russian story about the love between a woman in a passionless marriage who is in love with a handsome officer ( I know, I know- it's like television just mines the Russian 19th century novelists for storylines). So, the main character (Anna), after dozens of detailed chapters of their trists, secret meetings, delicate yet subtle erotic ankle flashings, THROWS HERSELF UNDER A MOVING TRAIN AND DIES about 4/5 a way through the book.

There you go- you really need not read the classic novel now, huh? Just amaze your fauxhemian friends with your literary i.q. and discuss the other possibilities for Anna (live her life out as an outcast spinster? Become a hooker? Marry under her class level?) or, better yet- THROW HERSELF UNDER A MOVING TRAIN!
Many a good fireside conversation will ensue. Trust me.

Presidential Discord

I am so glad that at any moment our President is on tv, net, or radio, I can mute it, turn it off. At first, I tried very hard to listen to his ideas, to make sense of his dramatic preaching style, to tune out his overwhelming ego. Now, with his law of the land being passed, I was subject to random news bits about it for two days, taken aback once again by his grating, condenscending, arrogant tone of voice, too similar to Al Gore and Hilary Clinton's verbal ramblings. I am not hating on one party, Bush had some really really dumb things to say,and said them in a very unattractive nasal Texan twang, that is only cute in comedies by real comedians. I just cannot believe Obama is going to have to be with us for 3 more years. It makes my eye twitch and my back hurt just thinking about it.

Wow, that was not fun, being so negative about our leader. But, I cannot like him. It goes against every thought I've had for so long that I have a hard time believing so many people voted for him (some that I asked didn't seem to know why, perhaps just because they thought it was cool). However, I do respect their right to vote and have their own opinions....unfortunately, when I have stated mine, some have gotten so uptight their heads looked like they might explode and their smugness came out like a seeping poisonous cloud.
Please, people- not everyone likes the guy! Alot of people didn't vote for him. You don't have to get it, just don't get mad because not everyone wants their hand held by mama Gov't.

White House full of quotes, past and present

Look, the previous post wasn't to pick on the current administration. In fact, there are alot of easy to find sites out there that list really obnoxious, crude, and somewhat infantile quotes from alot of previous presidents and cabinet members. This one struck me as somewhat offensive, being a female and all that jazz. If I was a high ranking official in the White House, especially one that is under so much scrutiny (with every mistep and positive step forward Obama makes), I would be so very careful about what I say OUTLOUD during any private, much less public appearance. These days, it seems people can't get away with saying anything off the cuff, or in the heat of the moment without it becomming public, due to texting, the internet and easy fast exchange of information.
Why aren't they more careful? Why don't they respect their own highly place positions? Doesn't Emanuel realize that his administration is under more watchful eyes than any before them, due to the technology of today? It's not about being partisan, or the fact that "the other party" wants their downfall ( a position I take personal offense to as a conservative minded voter) - it's just common sense.
I wonder if Obama is getting annoyed yet at his somewhat immature sounding go-to guy. Are they going to have a private talk soon where Obama says "look, man, we've got alot of serious things to do for this country, and comments don't help us seem like intelligent people". I hope so. I hope Obama whips his men and women into shape and tells them to start behaving like the top ranking officials they are. Only then will the respect follow. He's got a few years left, and that's not alot of time.

Rahm Emanuel Will Not Be Wishing You A Happy Period Anytime Soon - Rahm Emanuel - Jezebel

Rahm Emanuel Will Not Be Wishing You A Happy Period Anytime Soon - Rahm Emanuel - Jezebel

Love, the most overused word ever.

Love is like the tides...always changing, ebbing and flowing. Not just the love for our significant others, but for the "others" in our lives. Some people get anxious about change, they cut the ties, throw the anchor and move on before they have to deal with it. Some people sit back and let the changes roll off, never letting it affect them. Some- the smart ones- note the changes, tip their hat, and adapt to the rock and the roll. It never stays the exact same, it is a life of it's own.
In my more cynical moods, I think love is a term used for when we are in adoration of someone's qualities that we wish we had, or that love is subjective to any given time during which both parties are equally at peace. In my most magnanomous moods (sp), love is the combination of passion, happiness and direct respect to someone in particular, mixed in with spontaneous romantic feelings that require no effort. This, is the best.

Go Green, drink Green Beer and be merry.

Looking forward to celebrating St. Paddy's Day tomorrow for the first time in a year or two. There are a few places here that have some nice indoor/outdoor areas sectioned off for some free Irish music that we can take our kids to and still drink some green beer. Sometimes, when you have kids, you really have light the fire and get out even though they're young. With two of his three names being"Dominick McCarthy", my oldest son better get into the mood :) That's alot to live up to old boy!! have a good one...till later.

Do you sleep around, emotionally??

Right now, the Airborne Toxic Event is playing on our little PC that could...one of my most recent "discovered" bands, although i am sure those cooler than myself have known about them forever (you know who you are!). They have a little of that u2 guitar sound, with alot of a nostalgic songwriting flair and an old wave voice to sing it all. I was just outside, sitting in whatever dark one can get in a Florida suburb, and one of our owls flew onto our jaciranda tree...it comes every night I assume. This is one of those nights...
So what's new in your life? Are you happy, are you safe, are you sound? We went to the water yesterday, fished, had a really relaxing day after a small but very nice party Saturday night. It is very good to have so much family around here, and we are blessed.
Topic of the night- are you an emotional slut? This idea sprouted from an article of course, I read this week and I have also seen other news bloggers ponder this question in the face of the whole Facebook, Digg, Twitter age. How much is too much info? Does anyone from your high school past really care about your kids first day of school? Do we need to know what you bought at the grocery store? Do we feel compulsively compelled to spill the beans, or is it just too easy these days? What is too personal for you to share? What is sacred?
when I first joined FB, I thought- why are people always doing "status updates", then found it quite entertaining, and joined in. However, never do I once think that my updates are important to anyone else, or that they matter in the world. I find it amusing to share stories, to compare ideas with new and old friends about events we have shared, albiet in different cities or countries. Some of my FB friends live in the UK, and that is always interesting to comment on movies or other pop culture events going on. It's fun and at times, a good way to pass a few minutes while your kids are away or while some of us are at work...
Sometimes, there is a problem of "overshare". This term means that you have shared perhaps too much information to people who really aren't close to you. For example, on alot of websites (not just FB) people are spilling their nasty beans like it's everyone's business. I believe this stems directly from the reality show phenomenon of the past decade. People who are "nobody" get their 5 minutes of fame by sharing stories of divorce, sex, craziness and general debauchery. On FB, their are people who post updates about their impending ends of romances, and my heart breaks for them. The problem is, unless you write personal messages to closer friends, when you post updates, every one of your FB friends sees it. This takes a very personal nugget of your one life and puts it out there for someone else's two minute lunch break glance.
It's a changing culture. When I was in high school, the only cell phones were ones our parent's had that came in big black cases with big attenaes and bigger roaming bills (especially on Hwy 20, Hwy 267, and Hwy 19). When I was a freshman (1989) teachers were SMOKING in the outdoor hallways...those were the days... You called your boyfriends one their parent's home lines and hoped to have a talk before someone cut in to say they needed the phone. People wrote love letters and sent cards, on paper, with ink and stamps....I still have all of mine, because although a compulsive neat freak, am a hoarder of a small group of sentimental things. My life is only one, and that's it. I feel no shame in keeping the things that have affected me in any way.
If- I'm sorry- when I am no longer around, my sons will know that their mom was adored and friends of both genders that actually wrote letters to/from college and distant places before the 90's brought the internet. Anything intimate was written down or spoken, and not put out there for anyone else's eyes to see. Lockers had handy little slots that were perfect for notes during school, way better than texting some cryptic shorthanded message. Cars have windshield wipers that some enterprising young men left some sweet cards for me, such a nice surprise when you know nothing about the annoying buzz of a cell or beep of a message alert.
Despite sounding really old, I just wanted to put out there that sharing networks are so easy, so fast and so convenient. I think it's great for fast emailing and especially have enjoyed sharing ideas with so many good old and new friends about common interests. How else could you have an ongoing conversation with others able to pipe in about so many things?
Be vigilant, is my reminder to myself. Keep some things sacred. I tend to not share too much about my marriage and even my kids (despite the common what did they do today comments... ) It's easy to relate to other mothers, and to friends who may not be parents but whom I am so proud of for their personal achievements. I also miss a handful of people that I wish, in some ways, could be in our real, everyday life. These things may never happen, due to a little awkwardness or some kind of boundaries we keep. And that, is perhaps, what is meant to be.
Boundaries are a good thing? Maybe in this brave new world they have to be....

Enlightenment

I just came across a very nice saying, probably very familiar to those who are more into the art of zen and all that ( I don't have the stillness threshold for that type of thing, except for yoga)...

it is "happiness is the absence of suffering."

This was from a Buddhist monk who was quoted in a magazine, and it just is the perfect set of words. If I could live on interesting words alone, I would. I chewed on these for a day and thought you may enjoy. Leftover chewed words are the best.

Well intentioned worry and the health police.

before getting into other posts about what else is going on out there and why I haven't written lately, I wanted to post a brief opinion.
When I was in PC a few weeks ago, I had a moment of grace when I decided to keep my mouth shut and let things "go" as they say. The moment was this- at a dinner, "Mary" told some family friends about one of my close relative's decision to stop a personal habit/addiction. "Mary" is good hearted and well meaning, but has tended to hurt my feelings that past years but revealing tidbits of my own personal life to their friends, thus forcing me and my family unit to be alot more cautious about what we tell family (and there's ALOT they have missed out on :). I have since learned we are better served by this, as I had the positive feedback to know that my own family issues are "ours" to fix, and not for story time. As someone over 18, this "revelation" is way past due. Sometimes, other people's anxieties tend to become our own, and I have learned the past 10 years that I have to find my own solutions instead of burdening others, and thusly let others find their own solutions. Is thusly a word? Anyway, obviously "Mary" was told this information by a close person, who may or may not care at all that this personal information was shared over a dinner. That's their business.
And that was my lesson. Instead of pointing out that perhaps the story was not for sharing, and was one adult's personal story, I just let the other person share away...after all, it wasn't my problem. It is someone else's. And I'm talking about the problem of sharing news that isn't yours to share...another small but potentially destructive problem all it's own.

Another thing. I have had many friends spend alot of time "living" in Europe and find it fascinating how they comment on how Americans worry so much about each other's eating, drinking, smoking habits. Since when did we become such a smug, condescending country of "health policemen"? Worry about your own issues and spend less time pretending to be more "green" than the next person. Yes we know our country is fat and lazier than others, but the education and information is out there. The real intrigue is why some people just want to ignore it. I'll ask my psychology buddies about that one later.
Uggh. Snobbery, albiet, snobbery without reason, has always been a part of our very young country. Always must prove something and make ourselves feel better by projecting our insecurites onto the next.

Jeez- I need a tall glass of wheatgrass.

new post from globe trotting friend..

old friend Aaron Allen has a great blog from his restuarant marketing consulting company. He travels all over the world and shares his experience with photos on his wonderful blog. Check it out sometime!

amen sister.

Who loves a garden
Finds within his soul
Life's whole,
He hears the anthem of the soil
while ingrates toil,
And sees beyond his little sphere
The waving fronds of heaven
clear.

Loiuse Seymour Jones