Word to the Wise

Jul 31, 2008

When I was a girl, my grandmother often said, "never talk about politics or religion. Stick to the weather and your health." And as a child, I didn't know much about politics, or religion for that matter. The weather was always sunny and my health was fine. Mostly I talked about imaginary friends* and breakfast cereal.**

But now, as an adult in a wildly diverse office environment, I appreciate more and more her honest advice. Don't talk about politics or religion in polite company. . . unless you want to see what impolite company looks like.

Side notes:

*I had an imaginary friend until I was seven. His name was George, he was 6 inches tall, and he could fly. He got me in a lot of trouble.

**I was so fond of Cookie Crisp cereal that the child-bite-sized cookies made an appearance on a Cookie Monster birthday cake. That was a great birthday party.

Vocabulary Lesson #5: Test for Echo

Jul 30, 2008

vertigo
echo
sensory
creature
desperado
plausible
denial
showcase
silhouette
conform
syndication
drama
satellite
crime
respectability

Bonus:
commentary

Pet Peeve

Jul 29, 2008

People who talk on the cell phone IN THE BATHROOM!

(Returning to a corporate office after working from home for a few years seems to reveal a new level of peevishness.)

Meep

Jul 27, 2008

Local Color

Jul 17, 2008

I'm in Atlanta, Georgia, today and tomorrow, for some customer and sales team meetings. And it's already been an adventure.

At lunch, we dined at Paschal's where I enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes, Gumbo, Cornbread, and the most amazing Crab Cakes I've ever eaten in my life. My companions had Fried Chicken (not double-dipped) with Collard Greens and Black-eyed Peas. Delicious all around.

And then after lunch, between customer meetings, as we were walking through downtown Atlanta, we saw a vagrant reliving himself on the sidewalk. Aiming at a passing well-dressed lady and her Pekinese. While lying down on the concrete on his side. Lying down. On the sidewalk. With his *ahem* equipment out. IN. FULL. VIEW.

I'm pretty sure this isn't what they mean when they talk about "Southern Hospitality."

Something to Say

Jul 16, 2008

Jeff wants to talk about one of his favorite pastimes - the enjoyment of food. And a wide variety of cuisines at that. So hop on over and encourage the guy here.

Passive Aggression

Jul 15, 2008

Walk into the stall. Flush.

Paper the seat. Flush.

Repaper the seat and sit. Real fast. Flush.

Grab some TP. Flush.

Stand, button, zip. Nothing.

Wave hand in front of motion sensor. Nothing.

Wave hand some more. Nothing.

Push little button. Flush.

Open stall door. Flush.

Close stall door. Flush.

Vocabulary Lesson #4: Bastille Day

Jul 14, 2008

flaunt
guillotine
dungeon
innocent
kingdom
velvet
choir
cacophony
future
echo
century
power

Bonus:
revolution

Vocabulary Lesson #3: Vital Signs

Jul 7, 2008

unstable
environmental
atmospheric
feverish
interface
interchange
impulse
interference
distorted
incoherence
polarity
deviate
perception
obscure
persistence
existence

Bonus:
assonance

Home Sweet Home

Jul 2, 2008

There is nothing quite as pleasant as getting off the plane knowing that you don't have to go away again.