Monday, June 16, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
I've been meaning to tell you
Oh hello! You're still here! What a surprise! I didn't think anyone would still be hanging around, but there you are. Do you need anything -- a pillow, a cold beverage, maybe a snack? You must be starving, after all that time left alone in here. But I'm glad you stuck it out, because there's a bunch of stuff I've been meaning to tell you . You comfortable? Sure you don't want that pillow?
This could be a long story because I'm easily distracted. For example, every time I hear the phrase "I've been meaning to tell you," (even in my head
when I'm composing an imaginary blog entry about all the stuff I've been meaning to tell you), my brain immediately follows it up with the phrase "I've got this feeling that won't subside," which many of you (not you whipper-snappers born after 1980, but everyone else) will recognize as the first line in the 80's rock ballad "Hungry Eyes," which became wildly popular during the Dirty Dancing Craze of 1987. And I can't remember the Dirty Dancing Craze of 1987 without remembering the Dirty Dancing Scandal of 1988, wherein it was revealed that I had seen the movie Dirty Dancing (at a friends' slumber party) ! ! ! And that fact was then used by other friends to justify watching it at other slumber parties ("But Boss got to watch it!"), which led to other parents asking my parents why on earth they let me watch such filthy trash (answer: they didn't). And so a Scarlet D was appliquéd jumper and the decade (the 80's) danced awkwardly to a close.
And that entire distraction lasts less than a minute, because in the meantime I'm still humming through the rest of the lyrics to "Hungry Eyes" in my head, and before long I'm at the chorus, which goes a little something like this:
With these hungry eyes
One look at you and I can't disguise
I've got hungry eyes
I feel the magic between you and I
And then I start to get twitchy because someone needs to send that dude's hungry eyes back to 11th grade English class because the magic ain't "between you and I," it's between you and me." And maybe he knows that and just took certain liberties for the sake of rhyme and rhythm, which I'm OK with if there's a good reason. And a good rhyme. But this is the thing: It's not a good rhyme. Rhyming "I" with "eye" is lame, because rhyming is about a word's sound, not its spelling, and phonetically "I" and "eye" are the same word. And using the same word twice isn't rhyming, it's just redundant. (Unless, says wikipedia, you are French. )
Still, even though I think it's my right -- my obligation as an American! -- to ridicule pop songs that make it through the echelons of writers, performers, agents, producers, sound mixers, studio executives, and janitors without correction, none of that is what I've been meaning to tell you. What I've been meaning to tell you is that -- wait -- is it really 12:23 AM? Schniekies! I've got to go to bed! You're sticking around, right? I won't be long, I promise. Now pass me that pillow, would you?
This could be a long story because I'm easily distracted. For example, every time I hear the phrase "I've been meaning to tell you," (even in my head
when I'm composing an imaginary blog entry about all the stuff I've been meaning to tell you), my brain immediately follows it up with the phrase "I've got this feeling that won't subside," which many of you (not you whipper-snappers born after 1980, but everyone else) will recognize as the first line in the 80's rock ballad "Hungry Eyes," which became wildly popular during the Dirty Dancing Craze of 1987. And I can't remember the Dirty Dancing Craze of 1987 without remembering the Dirty Dancing Scandal of 1988, wherein it was revealed that I had seen the movie Dirty Dancing (at a friends' slumber party) ! ! ! And that fact was then used by other friends to justify watching it at other slumber parties ("But Boss got to watch it!"), which led to other parents asking my parents why on earth they let me watch such filthy trash (answer: they didn't). And so a Scarlet D was appliquéd jumper and the decade (the 80's) danced awkwardly to a close.
And that entire distraction lasts less than a minute, because in the meantime I'm still humming through the rest of the lyrics to "Hungry Eyes" in my head, and before long I'm at the chorus, which goes a little something like this:With these hungry eyes
One look at you and I can't disguise
I've got hungry eyes
I feel the magic between you and I
And then I start to get twitchy because someone needs to send that dude's hungry eyes back to 11th grade English class because the magic ain't "between you and I," it's between you and me." And maybe he knows that and just took certain liberties for the sake of rhyme and rhythm, which I'm OK with if there's a good reason. And a good rhyme. But this is the thing: It's not a good rhyme. Rhyming "I" with "eye" is lame, because rhyming is about a word's sound, not its spelling, and phonetically "I" and "eye" are the same word. And using the same word twice isn't rhyming, it's just redundant. (Unless, says wikipedia, you are French. )
Still, even though I think it's my right -- my obligation as an American! -- to ridicule pop songs that make it through the echelons of writers, performers, agents, producers, sound mixers, studio executives, and janitors without correction, none of that is what I've been meaning to tell you. What I've been meaning to tell you is that -- wait -- is it really 12:23 AM? Schniekies! I've got to go to bed! You're sticking around, right? I won't be long, I promise. Now pass me that pillow, would you?
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Garden time
I found a website for social networking for gardeners, and went ahead and signed up. It's myfolia.com. I don't know how well I'll keep up, but I do like gardening. This site allows for keeping track of plants and trading cuttings and starts with people nearby. That seemed like a good way to go on a budget.
The tulips I planted in late November (yes, I was behind) came up beautifully. I didn't get any photos while they were at their peak, but this one is pretty good.
Memorial day
Good times in Burton were had on Memorial day. We got to sample Sister (?... can't remember her name) $50 blueberry pie after it was given to Dad as a birthday gift (right after being hard-won in the church fundraiser auction). It was good. Really good. Apparently all those bidders knew what they were doing. We hung out with Harvey and Pooka et al, and were happy to see Daisy, Mom, and Dad too. Finally got Dad's iPod loaded up with forums and conference talks (approximately 1% of the space is now used after loading the videos from an entire general conference). We went to the Holden arboretum and saw the blooming rhododendrums (as well as the Kirtland temple nearby). We visited my favorite bonsai nursery and they had some AMAZING new additions. And, last, but not least, we hung out with our great friends, the Nielsons. They barbequed up a storm for us and then came up to hang out the next day. Here are some photos from the pond. Malcom has never had a better weekend in his life.
Adam caught a fish. Go Adam! Sam and I caught a frog (and saw turtles and snakes too).
We got in some boating, as well as the Nielsons. Good times.
May update
Stuff happened in May, we just failed to blog about it. For example, Grace got cuter (I thought it was impossible).
We dogsat a sweet hound named Clementine. She was very good natured about all the up close and personal attention she got (fingers in the eyes, ears twisted, etc.)
Sam took up interpretive dancing.
Our garden came out of hibernation. Although there were a few minor issues when we moved into this house, the garden is really quite beautiful.
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