tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238692352024-03-13T07:05:02.824-04:00The Stone's Colossal DreamTania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.comBlogger1509125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-90436059045908803912011-12-23T10:35:00.000-05:002011-12-23T10:35:32.671-05:00Newest Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FAiQIhk_WvQ/TvSfterCkhI/AAAAAAAADwk/_FRkckIrEp4/s1600/2011-12-22+19.23.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FAiQIhk_WvQ/TvSfterCkhI/AAAAAAAADwk/_FRkckIrEp4/s320/2011-12-22+19.23.08.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-653871627766675982011-11-29T12:50:00.002-05:002011-11-29T13:00:28.444-05:00I Love Alice FrimanSo I wrote a review of Alice Friman's <i>Vinculum</i> for The Chattahoochee Review. Look for it in the next issue. The book is gorgeous, and I wanted to share one of the poems here. It was published in Gettysburg Review:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE COLOR OF INEFFABLE<br />
<br />
Yesterday on my walk, a Polyphemus moth,<br />
dead. All color drained<br />
but for the great dark eyes on her wings.<br />
How could I not bring her home? She was<br />
bleached perfection, the color of faded silk<br />
or a brittle papyrus on which were written<br />
the now unreadable inks and the cocoon’s mystery.<br />
<br />
The expert says she died of starvation,<br />
having used up all the fat<br />
from her salad days. But he can’t explain<br />
her lack of color or why she appeared<br />
in the one spot between sunshine and shade<br />
where I’d be sure to find her.<div><br />
I keep her on the corner of my desk,<br />
marvel at her six-inch spread, the night-<br />
flying veins bursting like moon rays<br />
from the center post of her body—a wonder,<br />
a week’s worth of wonder, for seven days<br />
is all she had. So says Professor Moth,<br />
and he must know. But I like to think<br />
when her allotted time was up,<br />
she in her hour of certitude put aside<br />
all purples and gold, all buzz of sequin<br />
and flutter and whim, and like a queen<br />
facing the wall of inevitable,<br />
laid the white flag of herself down naked:<br />
elect: the devil’s parchment, the angel’s chalk.<br />
<br />
The professor says impossible.<br />
But what does he know about epic queens<br />
or poets in white? And what could he understand<br />
about women and starve?</div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-60097802272424769172011-05-05T19:26:00.003-04:002011-05-06T09:56:46.835-04:00On Keeping My Mouth Shut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nbDK3KoroPQ/TcMu92x3MwI/AAAAAAAADwc/xpe_mwB29o0/s1600/widget_dHlRN_G2fg5P_COC0QzANk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nbDK3KoroPQ/TcMu92x3MwI/AAAAAAAADwc/xpe_mwB29o0/s1600/widget_dHlRN_G2fg5P_COC0QzANk.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
During the past two years of my clinical counseling education, I've had it pointed out to me more than once that I have a propensity to rescue--that I somehow feel it is my job to jump in and defend the downtrodden and insulted, even when my "help" might be unnecessary and/or unwanted. I've given this a lot of thought and know it comes from the feeling that, as a child, I was not protected, that people stayed silent when they should have spoken up. I understand my impulse but also, now, realize that it's not always my job to step in it (with adults), that people should be allowed to handle their own problems in their own ways, that not everyone welcomes my assistance. So.<br />
<br />
Last night, as a reward for another semester down and all my new new-found enlightenment, I went to get my nails did. Mani/pedi, as it were. I arrived at the salon around 7, and they close at 8, so it was pretty dead. Just me and another lady, getting her toes done in the chair beside me. She was around my age, unremarkable, leaning back with her eyes closed. I treated myself to the <i>deluxe</i> edition and was enjoying my third round of leg massage, feeling like the Queen of Cobb County.<br />
<br />
I was a happy camper, reading about Steven Tyler in People, watching my neighbors come and go for take-out Chinese next door, when the tiny, young probably-owner of the shop asked me to go ahead and pay before I got polished, which is the usual MO. While she was at it, she collected payment from the other lady (let's call her Miss Trunchbull*) too. I gave her cash and Trunchbull gave her a debit card.<br />
<br />
A few minutes later, the probably-proprietress returned with Trunchbull's card and receipt. Upon examining it, Trunchbull announced, "This is INCORRECT! It says $33 and my pedicure was only $19!" Then I said, "Oh, she mixed ours up," to which Trunchbull replied, "UN-AC-CEPTABLE!" I was afraid she'd call the magistrate.<br />
<br />
The wrong-doer, with her beautiful little face, began apologizing profusely in broken English, which would have disarmed a normal person, but Miss Trunchbull, as it turned out, was no normal person: "In your HASTE to clear the tab," said she, "you made a CUSTOMER very unhappy!" It was clear this customer had never gotten a birthday present or had her name called in the Magic Mirror, as it was such a short trip from unhappy to very.<br />
<br />
By now, the criminal-manicurist was on the phone, speaking in her native tongue to someone about correcting the grievous error. It took more than a minute, as even I could make out that she was flustered and having to repeat herself. When she came back over, she explained to TB, "14 dollars will be refunded to your account, but it takes one to two days. I'm so sorry." TB took the volume up a couple of notches: "I am not PLEASED! I realize 14 dollars might not seem like a lot of money, but it is MY MONEY, money that I will not have access to for ONE OR TWO DAYS! ALL BECAUSE YOU WERE RUSHING!"<br />
<br />
By now, I was eyeing my purse, wondering how much cash I had left. I would just give her all of it to shut the fukup. I had one woman working on my hands and one on my feet, and they kept their eyes cast down except to give me an occasional wide-eyed look that means what-the-hell in every language. No one interfered. We were waiting it out. But TB wasn't finished; she had to practice her condescension: "I am not ANG-GREE at you. I just want you to THINK about this in the future and don't be in such a hurry! Then these things will not happen!"<br />
<br />
Somewhere in the middle of all this, I noticed the teddy-bear-rainbow clip-on badge hanging from her collar that indicated she was a school teacher. Inside my heart, I wept for her students. And I don't even like kids. I imagined the poor elfin creatures banished to the broom closet for sneezing or breaking their pencil lead. She'd make them chew on their hair and drink their spit during snack time.<br />
<br />
Tirade over, finally, she leaned down to the woman holding her feet, who'd been steadily working during the outburst. "You always do such a good job," she told her, in a sweet-as-pie voice that proved she gives to charity and brakes for squirrels.<br />
<br />
Through it all, I held my tongue, but silently I cursed her: <i>In the next week or two, you're going to do something incredibly stupid, because you're in a hurry, or on your period, or thinking about why your husband left you. You're going to lose your car keys and find them in the refrigerator, or roll your Ford Tempo into the car in front of you at a stop light, or knock over the Entenmann's display at BiLo. And someone is going to be royally inconvenienced because you missed their parent conference, or they've gotta go to Ding King, or they have to mop up the powdered sugar. But they're going to tell you it's ok, no big deal, could happen to anyone, and you will have to live with that.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* Other Ideas:<br />
Cruella<br />
Ursula<br />
Maleficent<br />
Nelly Olsen<br />
Almira GulchTania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-47944207331110850672011-04-23T11:57:00.000-04:002011-04-23T11:57:34.561-04:00The Reason Lola is Grounded IndefinitelyFound on our desktop:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NKmZcYTAxqg/TbL20pH30qI/AAAAAAAADwY/TXkctX-klDI/s1600/LAST+DAY+OF+SCHOOL+NOTE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NKmZcYTAxqg/TbL20pH30qI/AAAAAAAADwY/TXkctX-klDI/s320/LAST+DAY+OF+SCHOOL+NOTE.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-74032882825787390882011-04-18T16:08:00.001-04:002011-04-18T16:09:44.424-04:00Sometimes I Amaze Myself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've worked at Portfolio Center for almost 13 years. One day last week daughter Georgia and I were in the school's ladies' room at the same time. I gave her first choice for a stall, and she chose the unit on the right (Picture #1). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9R-_PGX79OY/TayX5Le-oII/AAAAAAAADwI/9DL3WhzQrhc/s1600/2011-04-18+15.34.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9R-_PGX79OY/TayX5Le-oII/AAAAAAAADwI/9DL3WhzQrhc/s320/2011-04-18+15.34.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Ugh! Why would you want that one?!" says I, "You have to back up against the wall and squeeze yourself between the paper roller and the door to get out of it." Then I proceeded to demonstrate, as I've reenacted for you below...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5B-6-mynv4c/TayX8X-fokI/AAAAAAAADwM/NIgoQenaCC4/s1600/2011-04-18+15.34.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5B-6-mynv4c/TayX8X-fokI/AAAAAAAADwM/NIgoQenaCC4/s320/2011-04-18+15.34.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3WvwhicWz8/TayX9AnC8JI/AAAAAAAADwQ/uPTi-WLuMlw/s1600/2011-04-18+15.35.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3WvwhicWz8/TayX9AnC8JI/AAAAAAAADwQ/uPTi-WLuMlw/s320/2011-04-18+15.35.22.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
whereupon my daughter, currently a student here, gave the door a little push OUT with her finger.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIBedf9aH8w/TayX9ygIrRI/AAAAAAAADwU/SSMXd7ytHjw/s1600/2011-04-18+15.35.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIBedf9aH8w/TayX9ygIrRI/AAAAAAAADwU/SSMXd7ytHjw/s320/2011-04-18+15.35.44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-14673616009980950872011-02-02T07:39:00.000-05:002011-02-02T07:39:46.081-05:00A Lesson in ContrastsCan you guess which part of the history belongs to whom?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TUlQWhgycHI/AAAAAAAADv0/2Y-t1zvWTek/s1600/Screen%2Bshot%2B2011-02-02%2Bat%2B7.28.02%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TUlQWhgycHI/AAAAAAAADv0/2Y-t1zvWTek/s320/Screen%2Bshot%2B2011-02-02%2Bat%2B7.28.02%2BAM.png" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-51517364143956330412011-01-27T09:26:00.003-05:002011-05-06T15:41:29.157-04:00The Jacklo Laziness Inventory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TUGAHaDZ_PI/AAAAAAAADvs/1el_URFf1OA/s1600/Lazy-Bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TUGAHaDZ_PI/AAAAAAAADvs/1el_URFf1OA/s320/Lazy-Bones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
This semester, I'm taking a testing & assessment class, which teaches us about the various psychological test instruments and how to use them. I decided to create one myself, inspired by my two youngest children. It is short but reliable.<br />
<br />
Directions: Imagine what you'd do in each of the following scenarios and choose the most likely answer:<br />
<br />
The JLI<br />
<br />
<b>1. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you do is:</b><br />
<br />
a. take your dog, which you begged for and promised to care for, out to pee before quietly making yourself a bowl of cereal.<br />
<br />
b. swaddle your dog tightly in the blanket, rendering him immobile, and go back to sleep<br />
<br />
c. throw your dog in your mother's bed, ask her to fix you pancakes, and go back to sleep until breakfast is ready<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2. You are on the couch, watching TV. Your mother is upstairs painting nesting dolls and listening to BeeGee's radio on Pandora. You need the remote, which is on the chair across from the couch, out of reach. You:</b><br />
<br />
a. get up to get the remote and, while you are up, gather your candy wrappers and little pile of toenail clippings and put them in the trash.<br />
<br />
b. just go ahead and watch 'Fishing With Roland Martin'<br />
<br />
c. call your mother on your cell phone and ask her to come downstairs and hand you the remote<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>3. You are doing your math homework when your pencil lead breaks. You:</b><br />
<br />
a. get up and find the pencil sharpener <br />
<br />
b. use the crayon that the dog is chewing on at your feet<br />
<br />
c. figure you really didn't need to learn fractions anyway<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>4. You are home from college for the weekend. You'd like to hang out with someone around your own age. Most of your friends, who are also home from school, live in a neighborhood less than half a mile away. You:</b><br />
<br />
a. ride your bike over to Dennis's house<br />
<br />
b. call your friends and tell them to come pick you up and take you to Applebee's<br />
<br />
c. ask your 21-year-old sister to watch you play Bioshock II<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>5. You are getting ready to work out at the Y and you want an energy drink before you go. You:</b> <br />
<br />
a. mix yourself a smoothie, adding fresh fruit and yogurt<br />
<br />
b. just eat a banana; the smoothie is too much trouble<br />
<br />
c. stare at the jar of protein powder until your mother offers to pour the milk and get the spoon<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Scoring: Give yourself 1 point for each a answer, 2 points for each b answer, and 3 points for each c answer.<br />
<br />
Results:<br />
<br />
5-8: Congratulations! You have a pulse and measurable brain waves.<br />
<br />
9-12: You are slothful but resourceful.<br />
<br />
13-15: Someone needs to make sure you're breathing and that you don't drown in your own drool.Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-67136354362383122312011-01-24T08:02:00.000-05:002011-01-24T08:02:11.920-05:00So Far<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT13nKdc0fI/AAAAAAAADvE/9ihFPL7qEvU/s1600/166127_10150119883166495_722906494_7739008_7295936_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT13nKdc0fI/AAAAAAAADvE/9ihFPL7qEvU/s320/166127_10150119883166495_722906494_7739008_7295936_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT13vTuhPGI/AAAAAAAADvM/QcenCmQH7OE/s1600/166164_10150119881821495_722906494_7739004_1468936_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT13vTuhPGI/AAAAAAAADvM/QcenCmQH7OE/s320/166164_10150119881821495_722906494_7739004_1468936_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT131q5glDI/AAAAAAAADvU/1yez2AtHWBU/s1600/163840_10150119881421495_722906494_7739002_773167_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT131q5glDI/AAAAAAAADvU/1yez2AtHWBU/s320/163840_10150119881421495_722906494_7739002_773167_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT139tUXh9I/AAAAAAAADvc/n8yuR09ijFM/s1600/163229_10150119903136495_722906494_7739310_6909363_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT139tUXh9I/AAAAAAAADvc/n8yuR09ijFM/s320/163229_10150119903136495_722906494_7739310_6909363_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT14L2Pxt_I/AAAAAAAADvk/WQKQQ2m30K4/s1600/2011-01-23%2B21.08.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TT14L2Pxt_I/AAAAAAAADvk/WQKQQ2m30K4/s320/2011-01-23%2B21.08.32.jpg" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-65004425659056104042011-01-01T14:42:00.000-05:002011-01-01T14:42:24.777-05:00Stella's Happy New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TR-Dive-ioI/AAAAAAAADu8/jGvtVJGTLDA/s1600/2011-01-01%2B14.17.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TR-Dive-ioI/AAAAAAAADu8/jGvtVJGTLDA/s320/2011-01-01%2B14.17.35.jpg" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-35787349981945073322010-12-26T11:57:00.000-05:002010-12-26T11:57:13.532-05:00I'm on a Roll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TRdzu52URoI/AAAAAAAADuw/kXTr-IJa5I0/s1600/2010-12-26%2B11.46.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TRdzu52URoI/AAAAAAAADuw/kXTr-IJa5I0/s320/2010-12-26%2B11.46.21.jpg" /></a></div><br />
These are for Georgia.Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-79879391126920005172010-12-25T14:36:00.000-05:002010-12-25T14:36:41.139-05:00For the Ultimate WizOz Fan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TRZHqXmaXqI/AAAAAAAADus/mthoIWi_UMY/s1600/2010-12-24+19.05.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TRZHqXmaXqI/AAAAAAAADus/mthoIWi_UMY/s320/2010-12-24+19.05.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I made these for Sadie.Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-74187204468941042422010-12-16T16:09:00.000-05:002010-12-16T16:09:19.806-05:00The horror...the horror...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxevdkavBBpX8twjkM54pmqjTKb3ZBCqBjIA0AgdFi9RUYJk9ZVw2vCvsOpN7Vhp8dMVSgCj3AEkHE' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
I had to go to Lo's class holiday party today.Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-32598569163233312092010-12-15T08:07:00.000-05:002010-12-15T08:07:48.037-05:00Life with DogsLast night when Georgia and I left to go work out at the Y, Biggy was grilling dinner. He was supposed to save Georgia's until we got home. When she and I returned, everyone in the house had gone shopping.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TQi6wA1VgjI/AAAAAAAADug/zL4ZwY_yaM4/s1600/2010-12-14+20.25.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TQi6wA1VgjI/AAAAAAAADug/zL4ZwY_yaM4/s320/2010-12-14+20.25.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TQi9aWqqoFI/AAAAAAAADuk/4hja8NIDSGg/s1600/2010-09-06+21.07.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TQi9aWqqoFI/AAAAAAAADuk/4hja8NIDSGg/s320/2010-09-06+21.07.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-76135648608151166432010-12-09T09:04:00.000-05:002010-12-09T09:04:27.847-05:00Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Why Worry<iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/G03Iw8qdBCk?fs=1" frameborder="0"></iframe>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-79342757266577687752010-12-04T11:56:00.000-05:002010-12-04T11:56:05.840-05:00There's Still Time to Order Books for ChristmasBookstore: <a href="http://www.snakenationpress.org/bookstore4.html">Snake Nation Press</a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">MARGARITAS</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beri is the funniest girl in the world.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kathy’s been a little depressed.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Josie’s just gotten off work</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">counseling rapists and pedophiles,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and because it is still the March</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of my thirty-third birthday,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we’re sitting on the patio of El Toro,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">drinking grande margaritas on a Tuesday night,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">discussing the elusive concept of sober sex</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">while our waiter runs the chips-and-salsa</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">relay so he doesn’t miss a word.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For Josie and me, newly single after a decade,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">like planets slung off our axis,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and Kathy, of ruler-strict Catholic upbringing,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sex intrigues us like a foreign language.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But Beri, married for more than four years,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is having a hard time remembering sex at all,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">its permutation of limbs, its wet rock and slide,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">though she pretends and doesn’t know I see</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she’s counting on her fingers under the table–</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">best I can figure, it was Christmas,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Charles’s tired stocking stuffer</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">offered up like a diamond necklace.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Josie says it takes three martinis</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to forget the day’s fun accounts</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of rodents and rectal thermometers.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kathy needs five beers on an empty stomach</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to get past god, his son, and the holy ghost,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and I’m thinking half a bottle</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of a decent dry white, I’ll relax a little</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">about the popped balloons of my breasts,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the post-caesarian belly battle zone</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my husband traded in for a twenty-year-old</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with a moon-pie face and perky ta-tas.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The waiter smiles a young Spanish smile</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that tells us he understands this English perfectly,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11.5px/normal 'Garamond Three'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">understands our need for extra sour cream,</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and suddenly we’re appreciating the fit of his apron</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">over tight black jeans, the neon sombrero</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">glow washing over our enchiladas,</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the low night rumble of practical sedans</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">burrowing back to the suburbs</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">like guilty fathers, and the clear constant moon,</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with its gathering of all things oozing and flowing,</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that keeps us glued together. We’ve fallen</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">silent as the empty fishbowls</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in which swim our dreams of love</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in dregs of salt and citrus when Kathy says,</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You have to really trust a man to have sober sex.</span></span></i></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">MY BEST FRIEND MOVED 2000 MILES AWAY</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even my dogs hate me today,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that weasel-eyed Chihuahua</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and the prissy Jack Russell, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">their thick middle-aged growls </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">when I sat too close on the sofa. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And my three-year-old socked </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">me, smack in the nose. I almost </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">slapped her back, except it was my fault </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she didn’t get her nap, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">what with me lugging the vacuum </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">from room to room, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">like something that couldn’t wait.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don’t recognize myself anymore,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the magpie shrill of my voice,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the way the corners of my mouth</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">mop the floor. I can’t spare</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the energy to smile, something</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my husband just doesn’t get, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">crooning </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Smile, </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">like our sadistic</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">high school track coach. Apparently, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he doesn’t like me much either, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my spouse, and neither </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">do the two teenaged daughters,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who brandish unfeasible schedules </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as I shoot daggers</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">at their renegade belly buttons. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s a civil war, alright:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Who will empty the dishwasher;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who should buy the K-Y?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And all the while, they’re,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">all of them, tossing dead herrings</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of socks and panties into a pile</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that blocks the sun.</span></div><!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-19978920159393606712010-10-31T17:22:00.001-04:002010-10-31T17:25:10.183-04:00Evolution of Hallow's Eve EveI committed to attend an event on the 30th long before the neighborhood changed Halloween to Saturday, so I had to leave during the neighborhood cul-de-sac party. <br />
<br />
<br />
This is the condition of Biggy and Lola when I left. They planned a long night of trick-or-treating after the party.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TM3dHUlwKqI/AAAAAAAADt8/HYwEjIVrN7s/s1600/DSC03523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TM3dHUlwKqI/AAAAAAAADt8/HYwEjIVrN7s/s320/DSC03523.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I arrived home around 11 pm, and this is how I found them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TM3dITE2SaI/AAAAAAAADuA/OMYV57KlI40/s1600/DSC03526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TM3dITE2SaI/AAAAAAAADuA/OMYV57KlI40/s320/DSC03526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And this is the final phase, Saturday morning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TM3dJKulqbI/AAAAAAAADuE/mZTBCgfgnxU/s1600/DSC03536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TM3dJKulqbI/AAAAAAAADuE/mZTBCgfgnxU/s320/DSC03536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-36702696892319701752010-10-07T12:16:00.001-04:002010-10-07T12:25:44.650-04:00Like the Back of Her Hand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TK3sm3bIDgI/AAAAAAAADto/Mr7dbb_N6nI/s1600/2010-06-27+13.41.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TK3sm3bIDgI/AAAAAAAADto/Mr7dbb_N6nI/s1600/2010-06-27+13.41.25.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>So Biggy and I have a long-standing "issue" regarding Lo's diet. Part of the reason he's doing the grocery shopping now is that he believes he is more conscientious about buying healthy snacks and preparing wholesome meals (The other reason, of course, is that I spend too much). According to Georgia, all the two of them ever eat is steak. Yeah, just that. Nothing with. Unless you buy Reagan's ketchup-is-a-vegetable thing... But when I make the child's lunch in the morning, it's supposed to be half a lean turkey sandwich, a carrot stick, and an apple slice. Water to drink. She's supposed to have grapes for snack, 8-10. It's good if I can use the same baggie a few days in a row.<br />
<br />
Anyway, this morning, while she was eating her cinnamon toast (He was sleeping) and I was making her lunch, she yelled at me from the sunroom:<br />
<br />
Lo: Hey, those cheddar and sour cream potato chips on the counter are for my snack.<br />
<br />
TR: Really?<br />
<br />
Lo: Yeah.<br />
<br />
TR: You must have caught your dad in a really good mood.<br />
<br />
Lo: Buy one, get one.Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-19550128171077251212010-09-30T08:56:00.003-04:002010-09-30T09:08:02.162-04:00New RefrainIn the grad program I'm in, we 're required to take part in group counseling. Last week, we were asked to come in with a self-affirmation to share. Very 90's-Stuart-Smalley, I know. But it can't hurt.<br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YsMZkCLxfkM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YsMZkCLxfkM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-39958332243682494402010-08-30T09:19:00.000-04:002010-08-30T09:19:13.939-04:00The Lieutenant's Alter Ego<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/THuvsG-mAOI/AAAAAAAADtY/yn21LytbPFo/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/THuvsG-mAOI/AAAAAAAADtY/yn21LytbPFo/s400/-1.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-27780938695302493722010-08-23T17:18:00.000-04:002010-08-23T17:18:01.942-04:00What I Gave Myself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/THLlgCagecI/AAAAAAAADtI/6mMlfw8mdF0/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/THLlgCagecI/AAAAAAAADtI/6mMlfw8mdF0/s400/-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-20432422430938944572010-08-19T16:26:00.000-04:002010-08-19T16:26:40.400-04:00What I Want to Give Jack for Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TG2SZ08mAaI/AAAAAAAADtA/ebR-nqbYlVU/s1600/The-Golden-Girls-Nesting-Dolls-500x374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TG2SZ08mAaI/AAAAAAAADtA/ebR-nqbYlVU/s400/The-Golden-Girls-Nesting-Dolls-500x374.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Alas, <a href="http://www.gingerwilliams.net/site/?p=475">Ginger Williams's</a> nesting dolls are not for sale.Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-64538116322199562142010-08-15T12:34:00.000-04:002010-08-15T12:34:05.854-04:0090 Minutes I Will Never Get BackEvery once in a while, Biggy will talk me into watching a movie with him against my better judgment--either a high-number sequel to a good movie (Saw) that was never equalled the second time, much less the sixth, or a terrible movie (Jackass) whose sequels cannot even be ranked against the original, or a movie that was so bad (The Waterboy, Team America: World Police), a sequel was never considered. I watch to be a good sport, to be his buddy, so he knows he can count on me even when things get unpleasant. And does he return the favor? No, he doesn't. He wouldn't go with me to watch Sex and the City, one or two; he refuses to watch Heartburn on TV, and he fell asleep during The Deer Hunter, which isn't even a chick flick.<br />
<br />
So why did I let him talk me into THIS last night? Showers don't help; prayers don't work. My soul has been permanently damaged.<br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IX8fKLjC__c&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IX8fKLjC__c&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-69187756163050440112010-08-08T12:16:00.000-04:002010-08-08T12:16:41.206-04:00Never Goin' BackSix years sober today, this from <a href="http://www.snakenationpress.org/bookstore4.html">Karaoke Funeral</a>:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THE NEW LOVER</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I’m sitting on him in my living room chair,</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">his lap like a table where my bills pile up,</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">his lap a glossy stage I dance across,</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and from it rises his big carpenter’s hand,</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">then down and into my shirt, he’s asking</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">if I’d have his child. Fat fucking chance,</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I’m thinking. “I know all I need to know,”</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">he soothes as we’re watching PBS on the widespread</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">use of antidepressants; I’d rather pay a shrink</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">the hundred-plus dollars to whine about</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">my father’s floating penis, about that straw</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">perched on the lip of that tall drink, that olive</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">trembling in the bottom of a glass, and zombie dreams</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">starring my dead sister, grave-tight until twilight</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">when she appears, post-autopsy, offering up</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">odd pieces of herself. Here’s what Big Guy Lover</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">doesn’t know: Alcoholics take hostages.</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He pulls my face up to his, his eyes deep</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">as disco, says, “Sweetie, I know you could never</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">be depressed, you smile too much.” I just grin</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and shimmy over the hardwood, an unransomed</span></div><div style="font: 11.5px 'Garamond Three'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">history aimed at his head.</span></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-24757560415692065402010-08-06T10:42:00.002-04:002010-08-06T11:48:09.443-04:00...the sense god gave a chihuahua...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFwfPk4z6kI/AAAAAAAADs4/7YMh8zXjXGg/s1600/-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFwfPk4z6kI/AAAAAAAADs4/7YMh8zXjXGg/s400/-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do click.</div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23869235.post-63727220196084805242010-08-05T13:51:00.000-04:002010-08-05T13:51:20.802-04:00First Day, Fifth GradeBiggy, pretty much boohooing about how this was the last first day of elementary school, the first day of fifth grade, the first day of the last grade before middle school...got up extra early to make the instant pancakes, as always, which were not appreciated as much as they once were. Nor were the perfunctory snapshots for our cranky youngest child. The dogs, however, were as excited as ever to get to the bus stop.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2eqHdLPI/AAAAAAAADsY/UwOuLUuvb-c/s1600/cook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2eqHdLPI/AAAAAAAADsY/UwOuLUuvb-c/s320/cook.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2i5Ny6yI/AAAAAAAADsg/kp_gPEeTKmU/s1600/panc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2i5Ny6yI/AAAAAAAADsg/kp_gPEeTKmU/s320/panc.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2mkoS0gI/AAAAAAAADso/7vJvp49zjaE/s1600/door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2mkoS0gI/AAAAAAAADso/7vJvp49zjaE/s320/door.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2qU-oOXI/AAAAAAAADsw/ycQAbdH1GNQ/s1600/walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YJvZnVgEuYc/TFr2qU-oOXI/AAAAAAAADsw/ycQAbdH1GNQ/s320/walk.jpg" /></a></div>Tania Rochellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01343894619102379852noreply@blogger.com2