5.30.2008

Wow, I Wanted to Blog About the Spelling Bee

See, I'm a nerd. But instead, I must write about our new throne.

Today we got a brand new commode. It is awesome for several reasons.

1) Our old commode was a rocker. It rocked both forward and backward, like a rocking chair, and side-to-side, like a Niagara Falls vibrating bed. Neither of these conditions facilitated using the commode.

2) It has a seat and lid that drop gently (and quietly) to rest upon the base of the commode. The only way this could be improved upon is if it had remote lift and lower capabilties akin to those that the back hatch of my Lexus Rx400h sports.

3) 1.65 gallons per flush. My husband has trained me to the habit of the courtesy flush. I always thought it was a waste of precious water, but the absence of an exhaust fan and his refusal to use the Oust Odor Fighting spray can I so considerately perched on the tank of the commode have converted me. I feared that the eco-friendly gpm would not "take care of the business," as it were. I am pleased to report that "the business" now disappears both more quickly and more quietly in my new Toto than with the 1950's vintage American Standard throne we formerly utilized, and the courtesy flush is more sustainable than ever.

4) Activia - the yogurt that makes women poop. Thank you, gently contoured toilet seat.

5.28.2008

Near Miss


5.27.2008

LOL Cat


5.26.2008

Right Store. Right Price.

The name of our Kroger cashier today was Haretresier.

5.25.2008

BadASSminton
















C&S lead S&S 1-0.

5.21.2008

Term of Art

Joining "Hidey Hole", "Deep Weenie", and "Butt Glazing" on my list of favorite construction industry terms is.... "Saturated Shorts."

5.18.2008

Word of the Day: hierophant

The Word of the Day for May 18 is:

hierophant \HYE-uh-ruh-fant\ noun
1 : a priest in ancient Greece; specifically : the chief priest of the Eleusinian mysteries
2 *a : a person who explains : commentator b : a person who defends or maintains a cause or proposal : advocate

Example sentence:
"Very few women can be coerced into spending $4,000 for green leather trousers embroidered with silver petals ... simply because some fashion hierophant declares it a trend." (Cathy Horyn, The New York Times, March 30, 1999)

Did you know?
"Hierophant," "hieroglyphics," and "hierarch" have a common root: "hieros," a Greek word meaning "sacred." "Hieroglyphics" joins "hieros" with a derivative of "glyphein," the Greek verb for "carve." "Hierarch," a word that can refer to a religious leader in a position of authority, joins "hieros" with a derivative of "archein," meaning "to rule." "Hierophant" itself joins the root with a derivative of "phainein," which means "to show." The original hierophants were priests of the ancient Greek city of Eleusis who performed sacred rites. In the 17th century, when the word was first documented in English, it referred to these priests. By the 19th century, English speakers were using the term in a broader sense. A "hierophant" can now be a spokesperson, a commentator, an interpreter, or a leading advocate.

5.17.2008

Chipper Jones Threw His Gum at Me


There it is. He went 0-4.

5.16.2008

Dames Aflame

Final Show Tonight. It's Show Biz What Sizzles.

5.15.2008

Word of the Day: titivate

The Word of the Day for May 15 is:

titivate \TIH-tuh-vayt\ verb
: to make or become smart or spruce

Example sentence:
"Work could undoubtedly be done on the show to titivate it for Broadway -- but the score will remain a problem, if not a liability." (Clive Barnes, The New York Post, August 13, 2000)

Did you know?
"Titivate," "spruce," "smarten," and "spiff" all mean "to make a person or thing neater or more attractive." "Titivate" often refers to making small additions or alterations in attire ("titivate the costume with sequins and other accessories") and can also be used figuratively, as in our example sentence. "Spruce up" is sometimes used for cosmetic changes or renovations that give the appearance of newness ("spruce up the house with new shutters and fresh paint before trying to sell it"). "Smarten up" and "spiff up" both mean to improve in appearance often by making more neat or stylish ("the tailor smartened up the suit with minor alterations"; "he needed some time to spiff himself up for the party"). The origins of "titivate" are uncertain, but it may have been formed from the English words "tidy" and "renovate."

5.09.2008

:(


5.07.2008

Chronicle Reporter Makes Tasty Syrup

SWAT team in standoff with Woodland Heights man
Police say he threw a brick at his neighbor then barricaded himself in home

By JEMIMAH NOONOO
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

HPD's SWAT team is negotiating with a man who threw a brick at a neighbor before barricading himself inside his home in the Woodland Heights.

The name of the 53-year-old man was not released late Wednesday, but authorities said they have received several complaints about his behavior, which include acts of vandalism.

After throwing the brick and striking a neighbor in the leg, police said the man went inside his home in the 2700 block of Michaux. Police arrived a short time later.

The man, unwilling to cooperate with police, has been in the house since 6:30 p.m., authorities said.

In addition to SWAT, a crisis intervention team is on the scene attempting to get the man to leave his home and surrender, said John Cannon, a Houston Police Department spokesman. It does not appear that anyone else is in his residence.

jemimah.noonoo@chron.com

[I'm not sure what's funnier to me - Jemimah or Noonoo.]

5.06.2008

Democrats Are Sexy

5.02.2008

Convicted Vocabulary Elitist

From: facility.manager@bigcompany.com
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 3:33 PM
To: a litany of people
Subject: FW: Person smoking in glassed in area at back of building

Guys,

When can we have this area cleaned out so employees can use it for the purpose intended. I brought this up many weeks ago, and it is still being used for storage.

If this is material that we should retain, then have someone contact [some guy]. We have a facility for comestible material.

Thanks

[I love this email for a) the absence of a question mark in the first "sentence" and b) the hilarious typo that is "comestible", as I wonder if he has found a fancy way to refer to the breakroom fridge.]

5.01.2008

My Heart Will Go On