What is Russia?

Going from staying with Corinne and Jason to staying with Isaac and Kristin has been very interesting. I've missed these boys a lot, that's for sure. Just thought I would like to share some of the funnier moments and things over heard.


-A few days ago, from the other side of the house, Kristin could be heard to say, "No more stand-up peeing for you." Poor Jimmer. You're just not quite there yet.


-Jake has a telescope that he drags around constantly. The other day, inevitably, Jake utilized said telescope in battle against Jimmer causing Isaac to impart the following words of wisdom: "Hey! That is a tool of learning, NOT a tool of war!" 


-Yesterday, it was beautiful and clear and Isaac had done some landscaping and mowing in the back yard. Jimmer and I were out enjoying the yard and the afternoon. He got himself hurt and came over and climbed up onto my lap. We leaned back and were looking at the clouds, finding shapes. I pointed to one large cloud that looked like Russia. He immediately agreed with my assessment, repeating, "Oh yeah, that looks like Russia." I asked if he knew what Russia is. He said, "Russia is a big mean man." I was fairly impressed and couldn't correct him as I'm sure there are many people with a lot more book learning than him that would say almost the same thing...When Jake came out soon after, James showed him our Russia cloud. I told James to tell Jake what Russia is. Jake laughed and said, "Russia's not a man, it's a big city!" Again, I was impressed. Less imaginative, certainly, but at least he knew the general category. 


More later.

Pop Culture Discussion: Book Learning

In doing verification searches online--you know, making sure things were spelled correctly, etc--I eventually had to decide. Do I go with the funny? (ie Dave Stockton's Putting guide or Elissa Schappell's collection of brutal short stories about the reality and ugly side of being a woman, working satirically against her title--a title borrowed from a "vintage etiquette manuel".) Just the idea of the smize line on the back of either of those books tickled me... Or do I set poor ole Tyra amongst titles that come highly recommended?

Obviously, I like to laugh. I decided for getting my cheap kicks and told myself I would follow-up that post with this one, giving my solemn vow to never read Modelland. Now, if any of you feel so compelled let me assure you that, being no stranger to guilty pleasures / absolute crap quality-wise, there will be no judgin' on this good vessel. Read away. Only let me make these few suggestions for preludes or chasers of Modelland. Very inoffensive, light fare...more or less.

If you don't take these suggestions--it's no skin of my Ashtabula--I probably won't read 'em either. I was just doing it for the children.

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis

The Art of Fielding: A Novel by Chad Harbach

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

...ok, I'll probably read this one.

Pop Culture Quiz: Book Learning

On the back cover of which of the following newly released books out there in that vast and varied market of ours will you find the following words to live by: "Beauty is in the smize of the beholder."

1 - Blueprints for Building Better Girls by Elissa Schappell

2 - That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back by Thomas L. Friedman

3 - Unconscious Putting: Dave Stockton's Guide to Unlocking Your Signature Stroke by Dave Stockton

4 - Modelland by Tyra Banks

5 - A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Bailey is, sadly, out of the running on this one as she was my main / only source.

He-Man Nation

It recently came to my attention that I have been singing the wrong, though preferable in my opinion, words to the only song worth mentioning (that’s right I said it) by the band Filter: “Hey Man, Nice Shot”. Changing the title line to “He-Man Nation”. See what I mean? Yeah. Better. Rather than making the necessary adjustments and correcting my error, I have decided that this is evolution at it’s best—survival of the fittest. Mistakes and mutations that are better and stronger force out those that are lesser, replace those that were weaker. I rule.

Ok, He-Man Nation, I’ve set the example and now I would like to open the floor to hear your examples of wins and fails. They don’t necessarily have to be song lyrics and they don't have to be yours, though you will get extra points, as always, for any self-flagellation. What have you made better or worse…on accident…or on purpose, but seriously though…on accident?

Just serendipitous.

Favorites of 2010

So here is a link to Whit's blog post about his favorite things from 2010 (not to be confused with Oprah's). And I couldn't decide if I wanted to go with a Nacho Libre or a Groundhog's Day reference here so I'm going to try to mash them together. Here goes: "Are ju kidding me?! Everything ju just said is me...me...also me...whew, I am really close here!" Basically Whitney's list was both pretty awesome in and of itself and could double almost completely (with some GLARING exceptions--ANTM, I'm looking at you...) for my list of favorite things from 2010. Though, once again, just to be sure we're not confusing things: this is NOT Oprah's list, guys. It's NOT. As in 'isn't'. You're not getting any and or all of these items...If you look under your seat right now, they won't all be jammed under it. We cool? ...We cool.

Some day I may follow-up with my edits...maybe it'll even be before 2011's over. I realize this is the Western Family version of this post! So sue me. Sometimes the Western Family brand tastes better!