if a tree falls

NaBloPoMo: Fun times accomplished!

I did it. I posted every day for a month. It was a tough month, a busy month, but ultimately, I enjoyed it. The daily posting ends today, but I'll be sure to keep making noise as often as possible.

...does it make a sound?

I watched a great interview with Natalie Portman by The New York Times today (embedded below). In it, the interviewer asks, "What are your five favorite non-musical sounds?" I thought that it was a great question, something to make you appreciate the details in your experience. Here are my answers:

• The little squeak that Gonzo lets out at the end of a big yawn first thing in the morning.
• The sizzle of freshly minced garlic hitting a pan of hot olive oil.
• The soft crunch of turning on fresh snow in skis.
• The warm hiss of a yoga class breathing.
• The steady clicks of typing that follow a good idea.

What are yours?

Overheard in the waiting room

Today I spent way too much time waiting to have blood drawn for a thyroid test (about 45 minutes for a 30-second procedure). My companions in the waiting room were some senior citizens who were not at all happy to be there. They coped in different ways.

One pair of older women were taking their frustration out on the receptionist, a friendly woman with a very thick Russian accent. The women would make fun of her pronunciation rather loudly and it was uncomfortable thinking of them bullying her audibly. But the irony of it was that I think the receptionist was calling one of their names. She kept saying "Eroz? Eroz?" Which I heard as "Rose? Rose?" The women kept yelling, "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT." Then they would giggle like it was their little secret.

They were on my right. On my left was a married couple. The wife was in charge of the paperwork, so she was quiet, but the husband was looking for anyone to talk to. As it turns out, he knew another man in the waiting room from a church that he no longer attended. The other man obviously did not want to talk to him.  "You know the light fixtures above the pillars? Beautiful work." He waited for the tiny nod that signaled that it was beautiful work. "I installed those back in '67."

He soon became disinterested and walked over to talk to the receptionist. "Do you think it's going to be awhile here? I've got another needle appointment across the street. Blood here, and blood and urine there." Then, in the cheeriest voice I'd heard all morning. "I've got the cancer. In my postrate."

It's too late in the month to miss a post

Oh NaBloPoMo, I will not miss you. Today I ran around multiple malls trying to find an "it" toy for a charity toy program. I also cooked my first real meal in more than a week. Oh, and I got the dog groomed and grocery shopped. This is not an excuse, just an explanation that I was out all day. So I will continue the music theme and present two excellent musical YouTube finds.

Firstly, Arcade Fire with Bruce Springsteen, "Keep the Car Running."

Lastly, the new White Stripes video for "Conquest." Perfect for rock aficionados and animal rights activists alike.

Muppetational

I'm home and sick today with a pounding head and a juicy cough, but this video made my morning. It's from a band called Escort (it's okay, I hadn't heard of them either).

Family logic

Mel: One thing that I've noticed lately is that I'll be meeting new people from the area, and they'll ask if I have children. I say "not yet" so that they know I'm not anti-kid, but then they either give me advice on how to enjoy my childless existence, or they treat me like I'm invisible.

Grammy: Well, then tell them about your puppy, how he's your baby.

Mel: No offense, Gram, but I don't think that women like their kids to be compared to other people's pets.

Grammy: Can't you talk about other things, like movies?

Mel: That's funny, because they usually say, "see a lot of movies" like they're your last meal on death row or "what good movies have you seen?" as a way of separating our lifestyles.

Grammy: Then just have a baby already.

Playing and winning

Just in time for Black Friday

Last year I made a calendar of pictures of Gonzo so that my sister, his self-declared best friend, could see him every day. This year I made the calendar with a new service, one that lets you make an online shop. So if you're a fan of Gonzo's like my sister is and you need a 2008 calendar, today is your lucky day. Click here or on the badge below to take a look.

My first Thanksgiving turkey

There is a very long story about how I have never eaten turkey on Thanksgiving. It has to do with being a picky child, my unreasonable fears of cliches, and a few humiliating family experiences in which force-feeding was attempted. Really, I've made it sound more interesting than it is. However, this year I've been making a concerted effort to become less picky, and it's been working wonderfully. A huge step was eating turkey sandwiches on days that weren't in November. Yes, I'm almost clinically insane.

This year, Thanksgiving was small and quiet. I ate turkey. And you know what? Nobody made a big deal out of it. And it was delicious. I took a picture.

Afterward, we played Mahjong with Joe's parents and tried to digest. But I did eat too much. Having eaten turkey on Thanksgiving and way too much of it, I think the cliches canceled each other out. After a bit more wine and some Heath bar cake, it was back to the house to watch old movies on the couch.

Filler*

Joe is home and we're catching up and running errands today. Sorry to phone it in again, but it's just too enticing to live life on the other side of the computer screen today.

*Get it? The centerpiece is filled with flowers? Anyone? Hello?