Six weeks - oops!

Oops - didn't mean to stay off for this long. Graduate school keeps ya busy!

As I was bored this evening and channel hopping, I stopped on QVC for a minute. Can I just say - Oh My God. Who knew the levels of inanity to which the world has fallen.

Look - buy this item and it will save your life, whiten your teeth, fix your personal finances, help you lose weight, be taller and more beautiful, boost your IQ, and find you true love. What is it, you ask?

Don't look now - there's more! Its retail value is $58, and our normal price is $38.50. But look - today you can get it for just $35.12, plus $7.22 shipping and handling. It's wonderful, amazing, and people from all over the country are calling in to rave about how fabulous it is.

What is "it," you ask? A fan. A stinking room fan. And these people are oozing delight and excitement.

See, here it is.

I'm worried about the future of America!

Breaking news!

The economic crisis might be making some people sad. No - really!! In fact, it might even be making some of them depressed. They might even cry. I know. It's hard to believe. Some people are really worried about the emotional impact the economy might be having, and have set up methods to identify and help these poor souls. Warning signs might include persistent sadness, crying, excessive anger, anxiety, increased drinking, and difficulty paying attention or being focused.

Who are these generous souls poised to help those emotionally impacted by the economy? US! Yep - as in both "us", and as in "U.S." Your tax dollars at work.

The federal Substances and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA has set up a new web site, complete with a guide offering practical advice on how to deal with the effects of financial difficulties on physical and mental health.

I'm a pretty compassionate soul, and I certainly do not wish anyone ill. However, I wonder if our tax dollars were used for similar purposes when our grandparents were struggling with the Great Depression. Or - did they find their boot straps and PULL.

Yes, a safety net is a good thing. But so is a dose of old-fashioned gumption. We need both right now, and I'm not seeing much of the latter.

They guarantee you'll have a ball!

So, seems the Rotary Club in Oakdale Calif. has an annual fund-raising dinner for themselves and the Oakland County Museum. It's $50 a plate, for a sit-down dinner. The Rotarians are frying up 400 pounds of their main course, and serving them to about 450 people. Last year, the dinner raised about $28,000.

Why do I care? Because the entree is Rocky Mountain Oysters. Yep - bull's testicles. In fact, the event is the annual Testicle Festival. According to the Rotarians, everyone is guaranteed to "have a ball."

Wonder how much airfare to Oakdale runs.

Yet more people with waaaaay too much time on their hands!

My Little Ponies as action heroes and movie stars? Check out the photos here. And another favorite in the group. I would never have thought of dressing up a cute little pony like Jack Sparrow. Oh - wait - that's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow.. . which makes all the difference! I'm not sure which is more sad: the creative genius bored enough to come up with this concept, or the insane folks who pay more than $500 each for the little things! (And yes - that's really five-hundred-dollars. I didn't put an extra zero on the end!)

Ms. Hogg was amazing!

Had a cousin in town this week - my favorite one on my Dad's side. That's saying a lot, since there are 13 first cousins on that side of the family (six more on mom's side, for a total of 19 in all!) My aunt came too. Their trip was scheduled to coincide with Spring Break, which gave us a nice amount of time to hang out and play. In our goal to find something to do with cousin, his mom and my mother, who is 85, while avoiding the rain, not paying too much for something that would require hours to experience, doing something fun, and not overtiring the grandmas in our group, we touched upon Bayou Bend. The estate of Texas legend Ima Hogg, Bayou Bend is an impressive site. I can't believe that in the 40+ years I've lived in the Houston area, I'd never been there. I'm going to add it to my list of favorite places to take out of town guests!

The house is really impressive. Built in the late 1920s, Miss Hogg filled it with historic American furniture representing all eras in American history. My favorites were the ones that looked the most like Greek and Roman culture, like the Federalist style. And I loved the Texas room - of course! If you want to see photos of the rooms, including a 360-degree panoramic view of some of them, are here.

Equally impressive, however, were the acres of gardens. I'm not usually a fan of going to look at flowers, but this collection was amazing. The manicured hedges, gorgeous samples. .. the wisteria, for instance, smelled amazing.

Think I'll go back, and even plan a visit to coincide with what's blooming at the time!

Oh - and no, she did not have a sister named Ura.

Baaah-Studs!

Try saying it with a British (specifically, Welsh) accent. Then watch this:

Spring - good news / bad news

The good news about spring: Bluebonnets! Fresh air. Sunshine. Lots of outdoor time with friends. Weather that's neither too hot nor too cold. Longer days. A new beginning. A crisp feeling to life. The equinox-driven need to clean and tidy and get one's own world in order. Green - and lots of it. Little shoots pushing their noses just above the ground, seeking the warmth of the sun. Blue skies and puffy clouds.

The bad news about spring: POLLEN! Achooo!!