Now reading...

Today I was delighted to receive this book in the mail. For those who love grammar and the precise use of words, this is the book for you. It has helpful clarifications between such words as adjure and abjure; it rightly denounces the use of everyday as an adverb; and it relishes its stance of preserving the clarity, and even the truth and goodness, of language: To misuse allude for elude is common, and can mean only that the writing of those who do so is itself common.

How to waste thirty minutes...

Today I spent way too long purusing a web-site dedicated to a randomly absurd collection of lists. A few of my favorites:

Things said by the crowd gathering around the Body of Phildippides, Reporter of the Greek Victory Over the Persians at Marathon, Soon After He Gasped, "We Won," and Died.
BY BRIAN HUBBARD

• "Gosh, he must have run five, six miles. He looks beat."
• "It seems that, after a clear conscience, the best thing for a man to take on a journey is a little water."
• "I admire his diction."
• "Back up. Give him a little room to catch his breath."

Possible First Names for Count Chocula.
BY ADAM SELZER

• Steve
• Don
• Todd
• Norm
• Lawrence
• George
• Bradley

7 Habits of Highly Successful People.
BY BRENDON LLOYD

1. Skiing
2. Yachting
3. Snorkeling
4. Golf
5. Polo
6. Dinner parties
7. Shopping

Adjectives Rarely Used by Wine Tasters.
BY ADAM KOFORD

• Chunky
• Super-charged
• Pondy
• Wine-a-licious
• Caffeinated
• Sludgy

Food and Drink Combinations That Would Make a Horrible Afterschool Snack but a Great Buddy Cop Team.
BY LISA SEGER

• Pickles and Mad Dog
• Marmite and Everclear
• Scrapple and Bosco
• Eggs and Falstaff
• Salami and Zima
• Chichirrones and Sangria
• Skittles and Hot Dog Water

Today I have learned...

...not to sing Phantom of the Opera's "Prima Donna" in the seemingly deserted hallway as I carry an armload of newspapers to the trash, gesturing roundly and grandly with the other arm. There may be someone coming around the corner.

If such a thing were to happen, my book of Worst Case Scenarios instructs me to avert my eyes, pretend nothing out of the ordinary has happened, and hurry on my way.

National champions!

Despite the fact that my Texas A&M friends outnumber my Longhorn friends, oh, about 10-to-Clay, I have to offer a well-earned congratulations to my home-state team!

A step back in time...

My aunt e-mailed this picture recently. It shows my mom with her five siblings and parents on the back patio of their house in Houston, Texas. My grandmother, Joy, stands in the background, carrying a tray of beverages. It almost seems like a Back to the Future sort of moment to stare into the scene and imagine myself there.

The following picture is a charcoal work by Joy which she made in the 1940's. I had a high-quality reproduction done last summer, and they included a digital copy. It's reminiscent of her childhood days in Kansas.

And lastly, one of my own recent photos. I had the feeling this would be a great picture, but I was disappointed when it turned out rather bland. However, using some editing software to make it a black-and-white shot made it a much better picture. It has some interesting shapes and light/dark contrasts.