inter-species unions

Kilmeade, in this less-than-a-minute, is completely offensive. (At least, he completely offends me.) Part of it is probably that he's speaking live and hasn't had a chance to write and then read his response, but mainly, I think, this is how he feels, no matter how badly he's articulating his beliefs here.



First, how does he propose we go about things here in the US? Being of Irish, Italian and English descent (two of which he lists after speaking about different species), how would I ever get married? He'd probably very much disapprove of the union I've chosen -- my husband is Mexican (Cardo doesn't know much about his family's history).

But, really, other species? He must have attended (or at least heard of) some pretty interesting weddings.

(And, I don't believe that all Finnish people only marry other 'pure' Finnish people; nor do I believe that is true for the Swedish. But, you know, I'm not all that familiar with the 'rules' in Finland and Sweden.)

At least, at least, he ends with 'That's what I think.'

quick note

Netflix takes into account the kinds of movies and television shows we rate highly and offers suggestions. Based on some of the television shows I enjoy, they have offered selections in the following category: Suspenseful TV Dramas Featuring a Strong Female Lead.

labels

I have a profile at a site I visit once weekly to read the superb Catherine Newman's writing. There're now a lot of little things to play with on the profile page and I clicked on the 'add stickers' option. The first two I saw were the following: 'i rock his last name' and 'allways and forever.' Both listed in the 'wedding category.' (The wedding category just happened to be at the top, I didn't specifically search it out.)

In response to the first: My sardonic inner voice replied, 'Um, I don't think so.' It just really bugs me. Actually, I have taken on Cardo's last name, in addition to my own (handed down through my dad's side of the family) last name.

The second: allways? (Maybe this is kind of how I always use 'alright' even though it isn't standard. Or, how I've become so lazy that I've been using the single quote marks here and in my other personal writing for a short while. Hmm.)

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In other non-news: I need stuff to read. I was reading Coach J's post on Infinite Jest and her other summer reading and feeling a bit woeful. I've been having an incredibly difficult time this summer getting it together (I'm getting by and it's nothing as bad as last summer, thanks be) and this includes the reading situation. I've been catching up on blogs, but I'm also wanting books here. I'll figure it out. Actually, Sunday, I started reading Silent Spring again, but I was reading it to Cardo (he's not read it before) so now I feel like I have to wait until he's around to read it. I should be bringing it on our walks, I suppose, but, duh, I just thought of that now, not three hours ago when we went for our walk. Let me just tell you, though, even though the book is now definitely dated -- so much has changed (for better? for worse? both, I think) since it was published -- Rachel Carson is completely blowing Cardo's mind.

all alone

It's nine o'clock at night and I'm having my first bit of time to myself since I woke up this morning. Ah, it's nice.

I really love being able to spend the time with Pic that I can spend with her, but it's also really nice to put her to 'bed' at night. (That's in quotes because she's really just in there playing right now.)

Today's non-events?

-- We hung around here this morning. Cardo was cleaning when I finally got up. Those are nice mornings. They happen a couple of times a month.

-- When Cardo went to work, Pic and I suited up in our swim gear and lathered on the sunscreen. We waited about twenty-five minutes and then walked over to the pool. It was (and still is) breezy, but not that bad if I left most of my body constantly submerged. We stayed for about an hour.

-- After changing at home, Pic and I went to Savers. I needed some new t-shirts. (I have a bad habit of buying clothes without trying them on. I really don't understand why there can't just be one universal size large in women's clothes, though. This would make my life sooo much easier, and, really, that's what clothing manufacturers should be concerned with, no?) It's Monday, so in addition to the regular 50%-off colored tags (green today), they were also offering a $.99-tag (orange today). We spent forever in Savers.

-- We ate sandwiches for dinner and had frozen yogurt for dessert.

-- I gave Pic a much-needed bath and then we brushed our teeth. Just as I started to spit out my toothpaste, Pic started to sneeze, so I jumped to the side and ended up spitting my toothpaste all over the counter. Nice.* Then she and I painted our nails. (No Miss nail polish from Whole Foods. No phthalates or formaldehyde. Which reminds me that I have a few bottles of my old nail polish to pass on if you don't mind the phthalates and formaldehyde and if you don't mind my funky colors. I don't want to throw them away, but it's kind of like tasting something and saying, 'Ugh! This's disgusting. Taste it!' I know.)

-- We read three books and then some old-timey nursery rhymes and watched one Berenstain Bears story (the one where Brother gets a watch because he's always late to everything and he makes Sister miss meeting Ursula Major, writer of the Big Dipper mysteries).

So, now Pic's playing quietly and I'm about to finish the laundry I started last night and eat a pound of cherries (give or take).

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* For more, and much funnier, bathroom hijinks, check out this past post by Coach J. It still cracks me up every time I think about it. (I didn't realize it was from about seven months ago. Great stuff!)

from the mouth of the babe

Earlier, Pic was quietly sitting on her sleeping bag in her room, coloring in a giant coloring book, when she started crying. I went in to check on her and she told me, 'The paper ripped my finger!'

Poor baby. Paper cuts suck.

party animals

Cardo, Pic and I joined friends at a park for some Independence Day festivities yesterday. The day ended in someone throwing up in the car. And you thought we were quiet people.

I've been pretty holed up since school ended and I was tempted to stay in last night also. Actually, Cardo wanted to go to Tahoe, but I figured it'd be ridiculously busy and that didn't really appeal to me. Anyhow, I'm glad we went out last night.

We all met at a park a bit out from where the fireworks were to go off. Cardo, Pic and I walked down to the nearby convenience store to make use of the facitilites (the structure that is NOT a bathroom at the park apparently used to be an ice house and the park (and, no doubt, surrounding land) used to be a ranch). We got back and Coach J and Baby K were there, so the kids played for a bit. J and Mr J had grilled chicken beforehand (and it was delicious) and we ate that and fruit and other munchies. Then, the five of us adults and the two kids sat down to play Duck, Duck, Goose. Actually, I should explain something here.

I think that Pic learned to play Duck, Duck, Goose at school, but I'm not sure who taught her and I'm not sure what rules she was playing by. She recently decided that she, Papi and I would play when we go to the park. Here's how we play: Cardo and I sit down and Pic dictates who will be chosen as the Goose beforehand. Sometimes, she'll dictate who is going to be the 'Gooser' and who will be the Goose. Then, when the Goose is chosen, s/he chases after the Gooser. Sounds okay, right? (Excepting all the premeditation, of course.) Except, they don't run in a circle, they just take off. This is how we started out yesterday and it was hilarious. Also, I didn't realize until yesterday that I had never actually explained to Cardo that this isn't exactly how you play. We finally got things to look more like traditional Duck, Duck, Goose, except that Baby K would get up and make the rounds with every Gooser. He would run around and sit, but then get up every single time. It was great.

Anyhow, not much else after this. There were, of course, fireworks. Mr M and Cardo ended up taking the kids across the street to a vacant lot to better see the fireworks. We were far enough away that although we could hear the booms, they weren't overwhelming. By the end of the evening, Baby K was swaying where he stood, he was so exhausted. My child, of course, was wide awake. She was also, of course, upset that we were leaving. We got back into the car without much fuss, though.

On the way home, Pic told us she was hungry, so we handed over the carton of strawberries. A bit later, she told us, 'I have to froak up...or cough.' She kept telling us this. ('Froak' = both 'throw' (she also says 'frow') and 'throat'.) Then...she threw up in the strawberries, all over her seat and the blanket covering her. She told us, 'The leaves were too sour for my tummy.' We pulled over to the side of the road and I moved to the back to sit with her and soothe her a bit. Actually, she was doing quite well after she got it all out. All I could think, while I was sitting back there, was that it smelled like strawberry smoothie. (You're welcome.)

So, we got home okay and did some late wash. Pic and I took a bath and then we got her to bed. Cardo put The Man Who Knew Too Little into the VCR and he and I spread some blankets out on the floor and watched it. Last night was the first night in a very long time that I was tired before three or four o'clock in the morning. I was asleep around one, woke up once at about 1:40 and then was back asleep. Pic woke up at some point and came out to lay with us. I was sleeping in the middle and trying not to squish either Cardo or Pic and I ended up laying on my arm. When it fell asleep along with the rest of me, I woke up. I realized that Pic was uncovered, but in trying to cover her back up again, my useless arm kept flopping down on her. I was afraid she was going to wake up and ask me what was wrong with me, but I also didn't want her to wake up from being cold. It wasn't quite as bad as the time I kept punching myself in the face when I woke up with an arm that was asleep...and I couldn't figure out who was hitting me.

So, wow. This post is long enough as is. Later, I'll report on more of the walking we've been doing. Because that's the really exciting stuff.

it's been far too long...

I kid, I kid. I always feel a bit strange not writing, though.

So, I've obviously decided to spare us all and not participate in July's NaBloPoMo. This was pretty much borne of laziness. Last night, Cardo and I were watching Love Actually and I didn't realize until too late that it was the third and I'd not posted. Ah, well. A quick note or two on that movie before I move on. For whatever reason, I always think I actually like it, but then I watch it again and realize that no, actually, I don't. There are a couple of story lines I like, but not enough to want to watch it again and again (except, as I said, I keep forgetting I don't like it much). There's the Natalie story. Y'know, Natalie of the huge thighs and derriere. WHATEVER. That part always bugs me. The woman is definitely too small for them to say such things of her. What bothers me the most, though, is the Colin story. Colin who travels to America and meets four women who are so poor they can only afford one tiny bed and cannot afford pajamas. Okay, so it's his fantasy (and probably a possible fantasy of many others) but definitely not mine. It's just beyond ridiculous.

Anyhow, my contacts are drying out my eyes and I can't really see this anymore, so I'll stop writing and thinking about the movie.

One last quick note. This song has been stuck in my head all day. And, no, I'm not self-referencing. And, the whole part about wanting the 'truth'? Well, let's just leave it at this: I don't believe in Truth, but truth could work.