A-Parently

Posted on 10/03/2007 by chick

We don’t mean to do it. We even struggle against it. No matter. We still turn into our parents.

During my last trip to Connecticut, I discovered another way in which I am like my mother. She didn’t want to plan her wedding either. In fact, she didn’t. Hell, she didn’t even pick out her own dress! My grandmother was close enough in size to be able to choose clothes for my mother, so she waltzed off to some discount store, selected an adequate gown, and that was that. Of course, we have to wonder if maybe grandma was a little controlling and if mom hated her for it then, but the way mom talks about it now, it’s like grandma performed some kind of marvelous magic act.

Sadly for me, the same mom who didn’t care to plan her own wedding does not care to plan mine. I’m going to have to perform my own marvelous magic act.

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Sad Goodbye

Posted on 10/03/2007 by chick

It’s always sad to say goodbye to September, my favorite month. May October treat us even half so well.

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Same Old Story

Posted on 09/30/2007 by chick

I’m not doing so well with this whole Sunday Stories thing, am I? I often have a good excuse. Like today, the little housewarming party we were supposed to attend turned out to be more like a local festival, with a tent, rented tables and chairs, and enough food to feed half the state. There was even entertainment of a sort—children crying over lost balloons, neighbors sharing the tragic details of their lives, that sort of thing. And though I enjoyed the food and the company, I would have been happier if the occasion hadn’t totally exhausted my Sunday afternoon. We didn’t get home until dinnertime. So you see, I have an excuse for not writing. Too bad it doesn’t make me feel any better.

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Physics Lesson

Posted on 09/29/2007 by chick

On Thursday morning, I proved one of Newton’s famous laws:

A sandwich in motion tends to stay in motion.

This law is important to remember while eating in the car. That is, unless you like to eat your breakfast off the floor mat.

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In With the New

Posted on 09/28/2007 by chick

I came home and my new computer was all set up and waiting for me (thank you, Faithful Reader!). We have fancier hardware, updated software, and a new look for this blog, but I am still the same old me, so the content won’t change much. There will be more silly rhymes and more reviews on books that everyone else in the world has already forgotten. There will be more gratitude and more Sunday Stories, more Vonnegut and maybe even some puzzles.

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Don’t Bank on It

Posted on 09/26/2007 by chick

My bank got me good. I had a CD that was scheduled to mature in September. They sent me a notice in July saying that if I did nothing the CD would automatically renew at an interest rate that would be determined in September. I planned to call and ask about the new rate, but it’s hard to remember to do in September what you thought of in July. I figured that if I missed the deadline, the new rate would be similar and it would be no big deal. Idiot. I forgot about it until midmonth, one day after I could have done something about it. I just found out the rate difference. The original APY was 5.1%. The new one is 3.7%—that’s barely staying ahead of inflation! The penalty for withdrawing the principle would wipe out most of the gains made by moving the money. Yeah, they got me good.

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Here I Go Again

Posted on 09/25/2007 by chick

It’s time for another trip to CT. I’ll tell you all about my adventures when I get back.

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Good Corn Burned Bad

Posted on 09/24/2007 by chick

It looks bad, it smells worse, and it’s called popcorn cooked way too long in a microwave. You can recognize it by the billowing clouds of yellow-tinged smoke and the aggressive reek of burnt corn. Microwaves accused of this “heat crime” can expect some hard consequences. In one recent case, the guilty oven was evicted from its home for smoking and stinking to High Heaven. Insiders say that the abandoned appliance hasn’t had food in days, and may never again.

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Another Book Review

Posted on 09/23/2007 by chick

I read another book recently—The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories by Mark Twain. It’s one of Dover’s Thrift Editions and may I say how much I love them? They pack a lot of punch for the price.

Grade: B+

Twain’s poorest writing beats most authors’ best. He just had the knack. So while these stories aren’t his best, they’re still pretty good. I particularly liked “The Mysterious Stranger.” As a story it fails, but it’s a fascinating diatribe against man and God. Here’s a sample:

It is true, that which I have revealed to you; there is no God, no universe, no human race, no earthly life, no heaven, no hell. It is all a dream—a grotesque and foolish dream. Nothing exists but you. And you are but a thought—a vagrant thought, a useless thought, a homeless thought, wandering forlorn among the empty eternities!

Cheery, eh? But have you ever wondered if maybe the world was a dream and you were the dreamer? It’s a powerful concept.

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The Story, Part VI

Posted on 09/23/2007 by chick

Boy, was it hard to write this part! It’s rough, but it’s out. Whew!

For the start of the story and links to other installments, see this post.

The days flew by and Phil adjusted to living in relative comfort. His mother’s health had improved along with their circumstances. All things considered, he was happy and life seemed to be going well. He wasn’t even worried about his upcoming three-month review. Mr. Gabriel would be intimidating, as always, but Phil knew his work in Frozen Foods placed him in good stead.

At the appointed hour, he took the elevator to the top floor, home to Mr. Gabriel’s office. Continue reading →

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