Sick.

I’ve got the flu. In honor of sick men everywhere, here’s a cautionary tale about the perils of men getting ill.

Dating in the 80s

My friend Chris sent me this link.  Little more needs to be said, other than – in the interests of fair and equal humiliation to all – I would like to see the women’s ads that were running at about the same time. My favorite line: “I am interested in most phases of data processing.”  Wish I’d tried that one. …

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

My son Hallam has started his own blog.  It’s all about two stuffed animals he’s had for as long as any of us can remember, who go by the names of Fred (who is a blue monster) and Squirrel (who is a squirrel.)  These were originally hand puppets that I would put on and animate with silly voices, but he …

Happy Birthday Diz, and others

Big day for birthdays, today. My friend Martin turns 40 today.  I’ve known him since we were both 13.  Weird. It’s also my nephew Jack’s birthday, and for the nth consecutive year I have totally failed to get him a present or a card on time.  He is always very understanding about this, but it doesn’t make me feel any …

Bit of Politics

Who would have thought an iPhone commercial would become such a rich a satirical tool?  This is going to annoy some people, but if anyone can show me an equivalent spoof for the other lot, I’ll post that, too. Thanks to my friend Chris for passing this on.  By the way, if have a moment, go to the original YouTube …

Dead Mouse

This was not a good way to start a Thursday morning. The dead mouse in question was an actual, literal dead mouse, not a metaphorical dead mouse.  I found him, at 5.13 this morning.  He had drowned in the downstairs toilet. This raises so many questions, of which the most intriguing is: how the hell did he get there?  Two …

Healthy Eating?

As parents, we try and feed our children as much healthy food as we can.  I spent a long time last night trying to cajole Catherine into eating a delicious bean casserole thing that Christina had lovingly made.  She ate it in the end, but it was an effort.  (Rather like her father, she can detect healthy food at fifty …

Easy Like Saturday Morning

I wrote a while ago about Catherine’s first ballet lesson.  I’m pleased to report she is still enjoying her Saturday mornings immensely, learning to skip, curtsey, play possum, and maybe do some dancing as well. But she’s not the only one who enjoys these weekly outings.  Hallam and I have begun our own little routine, too.  The three of us …

New Words

The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.
The winners are: 1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs. 2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. 3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat …