There exists a book series, published before Scooby-Doo, that features:
What is that series?
– Kristin
“Jeepers, Kristin, we don’t know! I’d better get reading.”
I’ve done them all. More than once.
10. Forget to plug the espresso maker in, then turn it on and wait.
9. Plug in my cell phone instead. Turn on the espresso maker and wait.
8. Plug in the espresso maker but forget to turn it on. Wait for coffee.
7. Turn it to “steam” instead of “brew.”
6. Forget to put espresso in the filter.
5. Put espresso in the filter. Forget I have done it and dump out the filter into the compost.
4. Forget to screw the pressure lid on. (Loud.)
3. Forget to put water in.
2. Put water in the carafe but not the espresso maker. Turn it on.
1. Put water in the espresso maker. Forget I have done it and put it in again. (Big mess!)
My youngest has been in kindergarten for three months now, and I’ve had tons of time to myself. I can’t help but feel that I’ve rather squandered it, and not even with fun. I’ve spent way too much time on the Interwebz. Facebook! Google reader! Three email accounts! Discussion forums! Ergh. I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds it hard to disengage.
What else have I done, though . . . some essay writing, some book-reading, a bit of walks, lots of sorting through stacks of papers and filling up recycling bins, an endless amount of scraping food into compost bins, Doctor Who-watching, naps, and lots and lots of coffee drinking.
This week’s goals: send in an essay to a literary magazine, send in a short article for a newsletter, email some folks I’ve been meaning to email, call my family, prepare for going out of town, and set up a playdate for my long-suffering daughter. Noble aims.
This week’s planned fun: go for a walk, get involved in the book The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, OR ditch it for another book. That’s the sort of squandering I want.
My theme song for today is “Should I stay or should I go” –
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
If I stay it will be double!
Have you ever outstayed your welcome in a group? Or, rather, clung to a sinking ship like a drowning rat who didn’t know it was time to desert?
BUT, on a happier note, I found a quote about feminist science fiction that I like. It’s from this post on the Geek Feminism blog:
The author of the post, Mary, quoted a 2001 interview by Nick Gevers, a science fiction editor and critic:
[Gevers asks] Who, for you, are the finest SF authors now writing — both your fellow feminist writers and more generally?
[Le Guin answers] First I am to list fellow feminists and then… non-fellow anti-feminists? Come on, Nick, let’s get out of the pigeonholes. If feminism is the idea that differences between the genders, beyond the strictly physiological, are an interesting subject of study, but have not been determined, and so are not a sound basis for society to use in prescribing or proscribing any proclivity or activity — which is what I think it is — then I probably don’t read any non-feminist SF writers, these days. Do you?
Who else can merge biting wit, humor, and dazzling leaps of theory in just one sentence like that? Yes, my favorite author.
After spending the better part of an hour sitting on my front steps, watching my daughter meticulously covering the same small area with sidewalk chalk, again and again, I suddenly deduced the origins of fire.
Adult: Quit that kid, you’re getting on my nerves!
Kid (putting sticks down): Okay.
(Later)
Adult: If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t play with the sticks!
Kid (putting sticks down): Okay.
(Later)
Adult: Can you pleaase stop that awful squeaking noise? It’s been a hot day and I’m very thirsty and you’re really getting on my nerves!
Kid: What?
Adult: Put. The sticks. Down.
Kid (putting sticks down): Okay.
(Later)
Adult: This is the last time I’m going to tell you —
(Stick bursts into flame)
Kid (waving stick about): Lookit my new toy!
Kristin Ann King 