Argument

It seems to me that this wraps up the current state of politics in this country. Watch first, then read...

We go in seeking an argument: a reasonable back and forth of opposing viewpoints; sometimes heated. Instead, all we get is endless contradiction "no I didn't" "yes, you did!" Until one side declares that the argument has finished (Ding!), and won't argue any more until the other side coughs up a few quid. After which we get...more childish contradiction about the basics of what the argument is supposed to even be about.

In frustration, you storm off and want to register a complaint. But the complain sounding board has complaints of their own and can't be bothered to listen to yours.

Seeking a sympathetic audience you enter yet another room, and get a nasty knock on the head, with coaching instructions on how best to take this punishment.

All that's lacking is the humorous recursive punchline at the end.

Literary Heroes

In an old house in Concord

With tulips in lines

Lives one little girl

Who loves Madeline!

The Joys of Instant Gratification

I've always been good at delayed gratification. Cross-country training in high school, eventing/jumper training with Panache, and—oh yeah—this whole residency thing.

Recently, however, I have been enjoying the wonders of instant gratification in the digital age.

Example the First: Netflix streaming. We have been longtime subscribers to Netflix, and it was nifty enough when DVDs started arriving regularly at our house in the mail. But this streaming thing, though not available for all movies/TV shows, is FANTASTIC! I finished the available seasons of Friday Night Lights a couple of months ago and have since moved on to Angel. I just click a button and boom, brain candy TV arrives on my computer screen, ready to entertain me through a session on the bike trainer or a laundry-folding extravaganza.

This was taken to an even higher level a couple of weeks ago, when, thanks to a spring snowstorm, I ended up doing a 12-mile run on the treadmill at the YMCA. Ick! Luckily, I was able to use the wireless network at the Y and the Netflix app on my iPhone to stream the three episodes of Angel that entertained me through my run. Ah, the wonders of technology!

Example the Second: My Kindle. I love my Kindle. I didn't want to love my Kindle so much, but I do. As a book-lover and former bookstore-worker, I was kind of hoping that it would be deeply inferior to real books. And there's no doubt that for decorating the house, or looking at illustrations, or making notes in the margins, books carry the day. But for reading in bed, the Kindle is great...light, and none of that foldy-over-book-bulge problem with every other page. I can carry it anywhere, and access any book I've bought. And boy oh boy...I can think, "hmm, I'd like to read that book!" and then fifteen seconds later I've downloaded it and am starting the first page. Fabulous! I'm going to be in trouble with the book budget if I ever get more time to read...

Cookies!

A couple of weekends ago, Brynna and I decided to make cookies for the neighborhood firemen.

Here's B facing off with our fabulous mixer, a wedding present from my grandmother. I have a bunch of photos of me baking with my grandmother when I was a little person, so it's really fun to pass the tradition along!


Supervising the mixing:


And learning how to roll out the dough:




B was quite taken with the cookie cutters, I anticipate many hours of fun in the future!


Laying out the cookies on the tray:


And enjoying the fruits of our labor!


The firemen enjoyed them too.