'Cat Scratch Fever

Vote for Davidson.

Working Vacation

No posts since Wednesday because I was in the cold helping Mom with this radical edifice.

Word of the Day: rodomontade

The Word of the Day for March 25 is:

rodomontade \rah-duh-mun-TAYD\ noun

1 : a bragging speech
*2 : vain boasting or bluster : rant

Example sentence:

My arrogant uncle is given to frequent flights of rodomontade about what a hard-working, self-made man he is.

Did you know?

"Rodomontade" (which can also be spelled "rhodomontade") originated in Italian poetry. Rodomonte was a fierce and boastful king in Orlando Innamorato, Count Matteo M. Boiardo’s late 15th century epic, and later in the sequel Orlando Furioso, written by poet Lodovico Ariosto in 1516. In the late 16th century, English speakers began to use "rodomont" as a noun meaning "braggart." Soon afterwards, "rodomontade" entered the language as a noun (meaning "empty bluster" or "bragging speech") and later as an adjective (meaning "boastful" or "ranting"). The noun "rodomont" is no longer used in English, but "rodomontade" is still with us.

Secret Service Code Name: Cottontail

Fantasy Baseball: Superdelegates

C Russell Martin (LAD - C)
1B Adrián González (SD - 1B)
2B Chone Figgins (LAA - 2B,3B,OF)
2B Howie Kendrick (LAA - 2B)
3B Alex Gordon (KC - 1B,3B)
SS Jimmy Rollins (Phi - SS)
OF Carl Crawford (TB - OF)
OF Nick Markakis (Bal - OF)
OF Michael Bourn (Hou - OF)
OF Josh Hamilton (Tex - OF)
OF Jay Bruce (Cin - OF)
RP J.J. Putz (Sea - RP)
RP Francisco Cordero (Cin - RP)
RP Manny Corpas (Col - RP)
SP Daisuke Matsuzaka (Bos - SP)
SP Adam Wainwright (StL - SP)
SP Joe Blanton (Oak - SP)
SP Ubaldo Jiménez (Col - SP)
SP Mark Buehrle (CWS - SP)
SP Tom Gorzelanny (Pit - SP)
SP Roger Clemens (NYY - SP)

Where No Man Has Gone Before

...and where no man in this house will go. The woman bought cat shampoo today, because Poster Nutbag has a dirty-scalp odor. Photos and possibly video of this uncomfortably close encounter may be forthcoming, as promised by the man. Woman contemplating prophylactic tetanus booster.

March Madness Haiku

burst bracket day one
this is why i don't gamble
p-nut picks next year

Hoppy Easter Week

If I didn't have a job, I think setting up and distributing photos of this variety is the kind of thing I would do all day. If anyone knows of a job that involves creating visual puns with candy or other novelty food products, let me know. I'll take it.

How to Make a Cat Litter Facial

Seriously. Click here.

Overheard at Work

"Guys, I've gotta go. My kids are in my office totally high on coke."

Everybody Clap Your Hands!

Arboreal Euthanasia: My Tree has Crotch-Rot

An email from our arborist (caps are his):

Dear Mr. K,

Please see the attached image of the water oak in your backyard.

The view is from above the crotch area (the merging of the main leaders).

This is an old wound that is constantly healing as it is probably splitting due to constant growth.

The lighter colored areas (kinda reddish brown) is new callous tissue.

I first recommend removal of the tree. If that is not a possibility then I recommend a crown reduction of the canopy, then insert a threaded rod into the 2 smaller leaders on the east side of the tree and finally a cable system, all to Reduce the Risk of Failure.

These actions in no way implies the tree is not a high risk tree.

Please call with any questions.

Birthday Hint

In case you're wondering what I'd like for my birthday, which is in five months.

Offal: It's the New Sushi

I recently read an article declaring offal (left-over animal parts not traditionally consumed as part of American cuisine) could be the next sushi. The recipe below, which appeared in today's Chronicle, graciously calls for sausage rather than having you boil pig innards on your own, but then again, what is sausage?

SCRAPPLE

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 2 hours

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 (12- to 16-ounce) package or roll sage-flavored pork sausage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage
1/2 teaspoon dried ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter

Combine the broth, sausage, sage, thyme, salt and pepper to taste in a Dutch oven with 3 1/3 cups water; heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the cornmeal slowly, pressing against the side of the Dutch oven to smooth out any lumps. Lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a mush, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove pan from heat; pour mixture into a buttered 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cool to room temperature. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Cut into 1/3- to 1/2-inch slices. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook slices, in batches, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side.

Makes 16 servings, each 85 calories (40 percent from fat), 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 10 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 240 milligrams sodium, 0 fiber.

Hot Late Night Shuttle Action

Last night I woke up suddenly at 12:30 and couldn't fall back to sleep. I turned on the TV and happened upon NASA on HDNet, where the space shuttle Endeavour was preparing to make a night launch. It was a pretty awesome sight in hi-def. If you can find a replay sometime this week, you should watch. In the meantime, try this YouTube video.

Refranes: Repitanlo

Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando.

Mary CATherine Gallagher

When I get nervous I stick my paws under my arms and I smell them.

Quote of the Day

On various efforts to eliminate the penny:

"The penny's problem is that it never established a relationship with a good drinking game." - Enemies List reader

Cute Niece

Sweet 16

HLS&R Review

I love the rodeo. Actually, I really love the livestock show and the carnival. Anyone who wants to go and doesn't mind my company, call me. I'm in.

We received an invitiation to attend last night's rodeo performance from a law firm. My husband decided that taking part in a caucus in possibly the most significant Texas Democratic Party primary of the previous and next fifty years was more important than my getting to eat a funnel cake (LAME!) so I bummed a ride from a coworker and headed out sans mari.

[Sidebar: while at the caucus, my husband sent me this email - "Mr. B (our elderly neighbor) keeps collapsing in the school parking lot. I wonder if someone should call 911?"]

I hadn't been to the rodeo since it moved to Reliant Stadium. The stadium itself is nice... for football and soccer (futbol.) Patrons are still way too far away from the action, and the acoustics are terrible. Everything is loud, but not melodious.

Dislike: Barrel racing (Actually, I like the beginning, when they get a running start, but once they turn, it's boring.)

Like: Bull riding (We saw a guy break his jaw on the horn of a bull. There was blood.) Drink prices ($5 for what usually costs $10.50 at a Texans' game!)

Love: Calf scramble (Kids desperatly pulling calves' poop-and-pee-covered tails toward a chalked box is hilarious. Why do they make those kids where white T-shirts?) Chuck wagon races (WaMu totally won, but the crowd disagreed with me.)

Sad/strange/happy: Faith Hill (As mentioned before, acoustics are atrocious and the soundmixing was worse. The stage, which is positioned at least 50 yards from the very closest audience member) is a weird rotating half-Stonehenge thing. I like her music, but I didn't feel like I heard it. At one point Faith pleaded, "You all sing along with this one. We can hear you..." We left just before the last song, so I missed out on the victory-lap-in-a-convertible - an HLS&R tradition that always cracks me up.)

Didn't see: Bareback bronc riding

Yee haw!

Chain Letter circa 1988

SY-

This is for 10-15 years old. This chain letter started in France & finally got here. Write down the guy you like at the bottom of this page and scratch it out. In one day he wil say, "I love you!!" This has worked for years. You have 7 days to write 8 letters to girls beside me. GOOD LUCK!

Caution: the girl who breaks the chain will have bad luck with guys Forever.

Signed

Alison

Note: Both the "o" in I love you! and the dot over the "i" in Alison were hearts.

Obey the Kitty