Preview My First Music Video

I drew the man when I was 5 for the Metropolitan Readiness Test.
Red Staggerwing by Mark Knopfler from All the Roadrunning
(Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris).

if I was a staggerwing plane
a staggerwing painted red
i'd fly over to your house, baby
buzz you in your bed ...

This is a great album, and you can download it here for $9.99.

Happy Birthday, Larry

From: luci
Subject: New comment on Happy Birthday, Larry.
Date: August 31, 2008 8:21:57 PM PDT
To: linda

Linda, is that the camera that he's going to lend you?

No, Luci. I'm pretty sure it's this one:

Bad Hair

Adobe Device Central?

I was making wrapping paper from an old piece of art. I accidentally hit an icon for Adobe Device Central (??). My pattern opened up on the phone! Just what I need–another wonderful distraction. Has anybody used this software?

How I'm Feeling

I just received a package in the mail. I have a hard time putting my feelings into words–but now, with this device, no problemo. (Have I mentioned I'm learning Spanish?) The set includes 4 different faces, 8 different magnetic eyes, 4 different magnetic noses, and 4 different magnetic mouths. Namowal, thank you.

Farmers' Market

Tom, leaving for the farmers' market, still experiencing iPhone high: Don't forget to text me a list of things you want!

A couple hours later I text him my list:

• Happy Girl tomato juice for Bloody Marys

• Those plastic limes with lime juice

• Cattle corn

Text from Tom: otw

My phone rings. It's Tom. Me: OTW! What does that mean?

Tom: What does lol mean?

Me: Laugh out loud.

Tom: Well otw means on the way. I made it up. So put that in your pictionary or wherever you keep it.

˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙
Here's an interesting article about tomatoes that doesn't mention Bloody Mary's. How is this possible? Only because it's an interview with Barbara Kingsolver.

Are You A Nurse?

© Linda Davick





My sister Aggles has rented a cabin near Blowing Rock, NC, for Mom, herself, and me. She's reserved it for three nights, and I'll fly into NC to join them. This will take place in mid September during the full moon, as Mom loves watching the moon. But this means Aggles will have to drive in the car by herself with Mom for 5 or 6 hours there, and 5 or 6 hours back.

From: Linda
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 3:54 PM
To: Aggles

About the trip with Mom: There's time to reconsider if you're not sure about driving that far with Mom. I already have my ticket, and you've already made the deposit, but we can deal with those things. We want to have fun. The place you have found sounds FANTASTIC, but Aggles, you are not Mother Theresa, and driving 5 or 6 hours with Mom in the car is a job for M. Theresa. So let me know if you're having doubts and we can work out something else that's easier on you and Mom.

From: Aggles
Date: August 19, 2008 4:01:41 PM
To: Linda

... Not sure why you think I’m not Mother Teresa.

---------------------------

From: (Anonymous)
Date: August 20, 2008 5:49:30 PM
To: Linda

... Please tell me how we're going to manage old old age and sickness. Are we going to have a commune and fire shotguns at approaching bands of medical invaders, or are we going to hope that we will not live to a ripe old age. Give this some thought so we can get ready. Should we start adopting children (our future caregivers) today? I am not a nurse. In case you didn't know, I am not a nurse. Are you?

From: Linda
Sent: August 20, 2008 6:11 PM
To: (Anonymous)

No, I'm not a nurse either. But don't worry. I know someone a little younger who's a lot like Mother Theresa.

Break Time

I needed a break this afternoon. I decided to go next door. In the space of fifteen minutes not only did my right arm get cut off, but I was killed and then cut in half. Tomorrow I think it'll be healthier just to work straight through with no break.

Beach Glass

These photos are very grainy. I tried getting closer. I have my camera set on Superfine. What else can I try?

Perfect Day

What would you do if you didn't have to do any work and could spend the day any way you wanted? I did have to work today. But instead, I did the following:

1. Had my daily morning meeting with The Major. (Peet's Major Dickason, that is.)

2. Washed the plastic I picked up on the beach yesterday. Let it dry on newspaper on the back deck. Arranged it on the bathroom floor.

3. Discovered Tom's old tripod in the closet. Aggles' little Canon Elph screwed right on. The tripod made a world of difference, I found, after trying twenty or thirty times to get the picture square.

4. Saw new Woody Allen movie Vicky Christina Barcelona. Medium popcorn.

5. Made spicy Bloody Mary with fresh tomato juice Tom bought from the farmers' market this morning. Trader Joe's Oriental Rice Crackers are great with it (some are sweet, some are spicy). I'm also eating a carrot for good measure.

To me, this is a perfect day so far. And it's only 8:07.

My Best Sister Aggles

Junk Poetry Contest Winner

The Nigerian email said
"I've inherited buckets of bread!
Send money to me
And my cash goes to thee"
(I deleted the damn thing instead.)

You made a haul, Namowal. Congratulations! Your Spam Gift Set is on its way.

Runners Up:

Most Inflammatory: Scott's Ignes Fatui, An Ode

Most Clever: Luci's Yugs, daw nabasahan ko naman ni sa iban nga blog?

Most Tasteless: Ben's I Just Saved A Fortune On my Life Insurance! Did You?

Most Inspiring: Marilyn's Critical Crossroads

Best Idea for New Contest: Susan's 6 Word Summaries

Contest Ends Tonight at Midnight

Found Poetry Contest ends tonight at midnight! If you haven't entered, you can start with this one (see sign above):

These things R on my mind
They like to occupy my time ...

Pétale Canapes de Rose

Ingredients:
8 tiny tomatoes from farmers' market
1 rose from next-door neighbor

When the rose loses its petals, collect them and arrange on a tray.
Top each petal with a tomato.
Serve with Champagne, turkey sandwiches, and chocolate cake.

New Trail

This afternoon we tried a new trail off Lincoln Boulevard, made up largely of wooden steps. We ended up almost directly under the Golden Gate Bridge. As we were walking, I kept saying, "This is hard to imagine." But there it was, all around us.

Napkin Sketch

Tiny Door

Where do you think this doorway leads?

He Couldn't Tell Me Face-to-Face

My husband wasn't strong enough to tell me in person that his iPhone had arrived. He had to e-mail me. (See forwarded message below.)

I can't order my iPhone until September 12 unless I pay an extra two hundred bucks.

----- Original Message -----

From: ATTOrderStatus@ordertrack.wireless.att-mail.com
To: Tom Davick
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 11:50 PM
Subject: iPhone Shipment Notification

Massive Even When Flaccid

I got an e-mail yesterday and found the subject line so lyrical that it inspired me to write a poem.












Massive Even When Flaccid

by Fredric Raghu

You say my name reminds you of spaghetti.

You love spaghetti and call me Freddy
Ragu.
I like you too.

I cook I boil
And I use oil.
My mezze penne’s overdone, I’m not much fun.

Myself an apple, you a pear
In our cotton underwear
Do I dare
to eat a peach?

Flaccidity and flatulence:
Apples and oranges,
Although they come together at times.

But nowadays I do not fret;
I heard it
through the Ethernet:

I’ll be massive while I’m flaccid!
With this URL
and an antacid.

So gaze on me
But do not touch. And we'll enjoy it
Just as much.

Does a headline in the paper or a piece of junk mail or a sign you see on the street ever inspire you to write a poem? If so, send it to me. In fact, e-mail it to me by next Wednesday, August 13th. If yours is the best poem, I'll publish it and send you a can of spam. All entries judged solely on literary merit.

Fuzzle-Duzzle

Last night Mom said: I don't know what came over me the other day.

Me: What do you mean?

Mom: You know–about you and me.

Me: Oh, you mean when you asked who you should introduce me as?

Mom: Yes. My brain just went fuzzle-duzzle. (I hadn't heard the term "fuzzle-duzzle" before and had to grab a piece of paper and write it down.)

Me: Well, even though you weren't sure who I was, did I seem to be a nice person?

Mom: Yes! I was proud to be called your mother!

p.s. I left my camera cable in SF, so can't post any photos I've taken since Stray's show. The morning after Stray's show, I borrowed Stray's husband's cable. Note to Pat: When you delivered the cable to me in room 310 and sat down for a minute to demonstrate the iPhone Blues Band, you left the blueberry pastry you had just bought at Trio. It only had one bite taken out of it, but I want to assure you that it didn't go to waste.

It's Your Birthday, Sal.

First Day With Mom

My first day with Mom I brought lunch over to her apartment. Sandwiches and sweet potato chips and gumbo. We took a nap and just as we were getting up Ken, Mom's old hiking buddy, dropped by with a big box of Russell Stover's. He combed his hair, sat down, and talked money, politics, travel.

When he left Mom and I drove out to River Park. All the buildings along the 13-mile River Walk are decorated with colorful fish like the ones in the photo. School kids made them out of little tiles–there must be thousands of fish in all–an incredible project.

But soon as we got to the park it started thundering and lightning. We sat in the car with the windows down for a few minutes. The temperature had dropped and the air was fresh and had that before-storm smell. When rain started falling we drove to Belk and tried on clothes. We found two soft pairs of pull-on pants for Mom with vertical pockets, and a light sand-colored jacket with big buttons. BIG SUCCESS! We were so happy that we decided to drive straight to the Big Table for dinner. I asked Mom if she'd like to stop for a bottle of wine on the way. She told me she usually didn't participate in that sort of thing, but that she'd be willing to try a tiny bit. I bought a bottle of Chateau St. Jean Gewürztraminer.

At the restaurant I poured her a little and me a lot. We had a toast. She tasted it and said, "It makes the tongue bright."

We split an order of crab cakes. They came with French green beans and blue cheese mashed potatoes. This tiny restaurant has wonderful food. Every time Mom took a bite of bean she would say, "I don't understand how these little bitty green things can be so good."

We had a great time together. Back at her assisted living joint, we walked slowly up to the big door. Before we went in she paused and touched my arm. "Now who should I introduce you as?" she asked me. "Are you my sister-in-law's daughter?"

Stray's Dog Show: A Stunning Success

for more, go here (see August 3 and 4, 2008).

Animal Contest Winners

Grand Prize: Luci
(Shown imitating gold fish.)

Runner Up: Stray, for uncovering the missing animal: the most dangerous animal of all (no, not Lulu– MEN.)
pictured at left is Stray's own man, Pat.























Genius Award: Namowal, for her dogged word dexterity.