Flash Fiction Friday

So, the story goes like this, Susie found these guys she thought were really interesting and they introduced her to the concept of flash fiction and specifically the idea of writing a story in 55 words. Some people have said that they thing it is difficult but I think it's easier than writing a whole multi-page story, or even a multi-paragraph story. It's writing for those of us who adore short attention span theatre! Anyway, if you haven't given it a go and it appeals to you even a bit, you really ought to try it.




A shiver traced down her spine as she contemplated her day. Not that the challenges were insurmountable, or even especially demanding, but as she looked back and then looked to the future- the days all melded together, nearly identical, stretching as far as the mind’s eye could see, a vast unchanging landscape of endless demands.

There ya have it. Have a great weekend!

Only one week left...

of the baseball season. No practice three nights a week at two different places, no games twice a week testing whether or not I actually CAN be in two places at one time.

This is what my precious Thing Two spends alot of his time doing although when he does pay attention he is actually not half bad.

Thing Two is in a coach pitched league and is quite the little hitter.
Only two more games, I think we can make it.
Thing One's team won last night.
He played second base for half the game

and was given the game ball for an amazing hit to left field that set his team up for the winning run.

Halfway through the season he was put in the second position in the batting line-up

(if there are non-baseball types reading that means he is a consistent hitter).

It's actually quite lovely to see him doing well and enjoying baseball,

thank GAWD it's over soon!

Ya know, last year I said it about as well as I know how.

Afganistan~ There have been 575 coalition deaths -- 386 Americans as of May 24, 2007, according to a CNN count.

Iraq~ There have been 3,711 coalition deaths -- 3,435 Americans, in the war in Iraq as of May 24, 2007, according to a CNN count.

Persian Gulf War~ 382 U.S. casualties

Viet Nam War~ 58,200 U.S. casualties

Korean War~ 36,574 U.S. casualties

World War Two~ 405,399 casualties

World War One~ 116,516 casualties

Spanish-American War~2,246 casualties

Civil War~ Approx. 500,000 casualties

We have not forgotten.

This weekend

Pirates of the Caribbean III

we went to see At World's End

Hmmm, what to say about this movie?

There's fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...

If you went to see the first two in theatres go see this one.

If you waited for the videos, you can wait on this one too.

I got my Molly back from her break-in service.

The valves are all adjusted and she is running great.

I rode to Whidbey Island to see the mama for her birthday.

As you can see since her last photo on the blog she has highwaybars, a windshield, saddlebags, sissybar and bag.

Mmmmmm, so purty.

My mother's other daughter

"Sisters don't need words. They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks... expressions of shocked surprise and incredulity and disbelief. Sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs... that can undermine any tale you're telling."
Pam Brown

This is the Esteemed Elder Sister and her wee ones.

They are moving next week to the other side of the state. It will be a 6 hour drive.

She is almost completely crazy,

and I of course identify with, and greatly enjoy that.

I'm going to miss her.

A Grand Day Out

We made it to the Pacific Science Center on a horrible, drizzly, grey and rainy day, just like all of them are, the weather here sucks, don't forget it.

We went to our sneak peak of the fossil exhibit.

Some of them were incredibly large,
some were foolishly named,

some were pretty petite,

and some were even smaller than that!

The Things got to inspect dino eggs in detail,

and dig some specimens and identify the species.
They really enjoyed that part.
Thing One thought the models of baby dinosaurs in the eggs were cute,

although he was sad about the idea of the eggs being eaten by predators.

After we finished at the Science Center we went to Pike Place where the colorful musicians entertained us
or frightened us

while we feasted on cinnamon sugar covered mini-donuts

or as I call them

mini-crack.
And it was gooooood.

Colossal Fossils!

You know where we haven't been in about a month?

The Pacific Science Center

We tend to go there every month or two and the kids always have a good time and learn something which makes it, to me, the perfect outing.

Those of you who've endured my nonsense for several months may recall back in January we went to a member's preview of the exhibit

Grossology.

I had 4 little boys with me and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

Most of it.

As a bonus I filled out a review and was awarded a free year extension on our membership,

SCORE!

Today we are going to the member preview of Colossal Fossils.
Dinosaurs, what's not for two little boys to love, eh?

This and that

This evening in the car Thing Two was explaining to Mr. Logo and I the subtle differences between a maniacal laugh and a hysterical laugh. Ah, it makes a Logophile mama proud.
Here you see the jeans I got for a steal of a deal this weekend but they were too long. With my very own two hands I hemmed them. Yes, all by myself. Not bad, eh?

Next we have some meaningful graphics for you to enjoy.
I've actually threatened peeople who stood between me and a coffee pot.
I'm not proud of that, but come on, people, have you no self preservation instinct??

This is especially important in summer weather.

This next one I just really do love,
heh heh heh

The Google search meme

I tried this meme because I saw it on Nessa's blog.

You are to enter with quotation marks your name and the following words:

"---- needs"
"---- is"
"---- likes"
"---- wants"
"---- says"
"---- does"
"----- eats"
"---- gets"

Logo needs fixin' up!
Logo is the name for a philosophy of education and a continually evolving
Logo likes to claim (full text, While Za's may not be as gourmet as its logo likes to claim, it is certainly a welcome new member of the campus chain club).
Logo wants it back (in full...The designer of Illinois' Illiniwek logo wants it back).
What your Logo says about you.
(I promise you, I'm only saying really nice things about you and I'm totally not talking about that one thing, you know, that you asked me to keep quiet about. It's in the vault.)
The Vista Logo does matter!
Torch on the Chicago logo gets scorched.
The Westinghouse logo eats the CBS eye.

Mostly when I used Logophile I got no exact matches but the ones that did come up were distinctly odd, so I had to share them.
Logophile does not have toes.
If Logophile says turn right ... then turn left
Logophile is physically incapable of sticking her tongue out.

Lastly, I found a very complete online personality test.
Let me know your results!

Call me immature...

but when I saw this online I couldn't stop giggling. It is possible that I am overtired though or, well, like I said, maybe I'm just immature.

Friday, 55 miles to my mom's house

and that is just the beginning.

Today will feature a minimum of
6 hours of driving
(if there is NO traffic and everything goes smoothly),
2 hours of hospital waiting
(if mom's blood counts are good and everything goes smoothly),
2 different babysitters for the Things
(generous friends willing to watch my kids for 5 hours at a shot with less than 24 hours notice),
and copious quantities of caffeinated beverages
(espresso and Mountain Dew in alternating doses).
My papa has gone and contracted himself a nasty disease and after several hours in the emergency room Thursday afternoon it was clear that the trip for mom's chemo was going to require an alternate driver. Dad is doing ok, btw, he is medicated and hydrated and feeling much better.
I'm take my new Tori CD (thanks, Susie!) and I'm hoping to steal a good book from the Esteemed Elder Sister when I pick up mom.
I decided to leave you a meme to entertain you while I'm gone.
Please pretend I'm interesting and amusing, it will make me feel better when I get home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?

I’m going for the clouds, how cool would that be?

2. What’s your favorite article of clothing?

My polar fleece is always a favorite, although my black leather bondage mask always makes a splash at the grocery store.

3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?

Start with the face and then we'll see

4. What’s the last CD that you bought?

Don't remember

5. Where’s your favorite place to be?

Oooo, right now bed sounds good, especially in Mr. Logo's arms

6. Where is your least favorite place to be?

MRI machine

7. What’s your favorite place to be massaged?

Cheeky!

8. Strong in mind or strong in body?

Yes

9. What time do you wake up in the morning?

8:00 AM, give or take

10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance?

electric kettle

11. What makes you really angry?

Optional stupidity, selfishness and arrogance

12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?

Cello

13. Favorite colour?

Sorry, this is situation and usage specific,
at the moment my favorite pants are black,
my front door is orange, my bedspread is brown,
and my favorite bubblebath is green.

14. Which do you prefer…sports car or SUV?

For practicality SUV,
just for me? Sports car!

15. Do you believe in an afterlife?

Yup,

16. Favorite children’s book?

Anything by Dr. Suess, I'll Love You Forever

17. What is your favorite season?

Fall, beautiful, warm, and no allergies

18. Your least favorite household chore?

Cleaning boy bathroom, bleck

19. If you could have one super power, what would it be?

Peter Petrelli's

20. If you have a tattoo, what is it?

No tats

21. Can you juggle?

I can juggle schedules a little bit, balls not at all


22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?

My gramma

23. What’s your favorite day?

Fridays or Saturdays

24. What’s in the trunk of your car?

Rubbermaid container containing jumper cables and various emergency gear, a box of water bottles and various baseball gear.

25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?

Sushi!

Soooooo

The other day I went to visit the Esteemed Elder Sister who is moving in order to be of assistance with packing or child watching, or something or other.

Her daughter got sick, my dad (who lives across the street) also got sick but

I watched her kids so she could run some errands and I ran a couple errands for her.

I watched while she packed one box and helped make some sauce for some yummy phad thai.

I also let her keep me up past midnight so she could beat me at Scrabble.

She was very proud of this win and requested a special mention as she felt she was poorly represented in the infamous pink shirt episode.

Which brings up a whole new topic for this post, lets follow that rabbit trail, shall we?

The Esteemed Elder Sister is one of the very few people in my daily 3D world who knows of or reads my blog. She does not read often, but occasionally pops by to see what I have to say or admire cute photos of the Things since I am notorious bad about getting photos out.

Yes, that's right, you people get cute pics of my kids and my poor family has to make do with the noisy real-life version, so unfair, anyway...

The EES decided that she needed an appropriately geeky pseudonym if she were going partake in this on-line carrying on.

So she choice the name met2morf.

I feel it should be noted at this point that she chose a far geekier name than just about anyone I know online except maybe Diesel

(by the way, Diesel, she also said that your advice about staying away from pink because of my hair color was totally off base but I am still going with it, I believe in you, man).

But be that as it may...

occasionally she will leave a comment on this or that, and when she commented on the post linked above she had this to share;

met2morf said...
The Ministry of Information would like to state for the record that the portrayal of the EES was grossly fictional. While she is even more witty than her character in the "IT IS Finished" highly fictionalized screenplay of an actual event, she would like to say that her office has long been on record supporting the difference between finding a sale item onjectionable and finding a sale objectionable. She has also long been on the record opposing the use of the third person in references to oneself as grandiose and potentially schizo, as well as refuting them as a a defense strategy for the war on style. God bless America.

To which I promptly replied;

Dear Ministry of propaganda~ Your objections are hereby recognized and completely disdained. While referring to oneself in the third person may on occasion lend itself to grandiosity referring to oneself as an entire department AND in the third person clearly telegraphs a break with reality on a scale hitherto unrealized. I shall bless America when I am damn good and ready!

The rest of you may or may not find us amusing but WE think we are hy-lar-ious!

:p

ANYWAY, after returning home today I had to get the lawn finished even though it was getting chilly. Hurray for polar fleece!

Egan, stop lusting over my mower!

Here is one of those cute picture of the Things I was talking about.

This is history class at casa de logophilia.

Thing One (that is the older one, the red head, for those of you who have a hard time keeping track) is just finishing up The Middle Ages.
Thing Two (the 8 year old, younger, blondish) is just starting The rise of Roman Empire. Due to their history studies they've both experienced a recent upsurge of interest in archery and swordplay. I try to console myself with the thought that it's better than guns.

It's all been a lie!

I finally met a one armed paperhanger, and he wasn't busy at ALL!
He's collecting worker's comp, disability, and social security.
He sits on his ass ALL day doing NOTHING!

We interupt this blog break to announce...

Thing Two very inconveniently scheduled his birthday on Mother's Day this year. While Ipersonally don't mind sharing the mothers of his friends seem to think said friends ought to spend the day with THEM. So he opted for a mom and son birthday outing and a quick cake and ice cream party on the day.
This morning we set out early and here you see Thing Two, flushed with victory at our destination.

And where is this, you might ask?

The Space Needle!
The surrounding sights were carefully scrutinized and his father was called.
Mr. Logo was very accomodating and went out on the 17th floor garden roof of the building where he works so he could wave to us.

After rising so early, travelling and accomplishing so very much
soon Thing Two was drooping,unable even to lift his head for a good picture.

Until candy was procurred for him.

Then he had plenty of energy to meet dad for a lunch date, roam through Pike Place Market with me finding lots of fun ways to spend his birthday money and he even stayed awake on the ride home!

In other news, it is now firm fact, and beyond disputation, Mr. Logo is a freak in the box.
Not only does he ebay, chat, and blog, he has received MAIL from one of his blog pals.

There is NO going back NOW, dude, you have been assimilated!

Today the Aged Ps headed out to Seattle as well, for mama's chemo treatment.
Things appear to be going alright. Tomorrow she and I are taking an art tour. It's an annual event on Mother's Day weekend and this will be the third year we've gone. It's a great tour and should be alot of fun. Dad will stay with Mr. Logo and the Things and have man time, arr, arrr, arrrrrr.

Finally, here is Ariella.
Because everything's better with a puppy picture on it, right?