I seem to find myself on LJ inadvertently, but while I was here, I found my post of two years ago amusing. At that time, the Papaya had a deep longing for the black and white in literature. We had tried and failed with Jane Austen--the motivations and complications of characters being too much, in her words, like "real life." Ms. Buttercup, being ( Read more... )

The Papaya has a serious thing for Downton Abbey. She scared her friend Maddie in school by getting the shakes from Downton Abbey deprivation. Spot rolls his eyes and calls it melodrama (DA, not the Papaya, although you could say that, too). I agree, but I'll say I'm looking forward to the next episode anyway. So last night I thought I'd introduce ( Read more... )

The Papaya is reading Lois Lowry's quartet of books, so I reread The Giver and am working my way through the rest for the first time (the last one, Son, just came out this month). Of course the last time I read the book, I was closer in age to the protagonist, Jonas. Now the character that resonates is the Giver himself. What I took away this time ( Read more... )

I'm working in the local cafe this morning. My favorite barista, a rasta cycling chick with my name, is organizing a silent auction for an elderly artist with Parkinsons. She was doing some painting at a nearby house and met the neighbor, sitting in a wheelchair surrounded by hundreds of paintings. It's a talented body of work. They (husband, ( Read more... )

I've been dreaming a lot about freeways for the last few months, particularly about wanting to take an exit and just missing it every time ( Read more... )

Many of the three-year-old's questions have to do with the literal versus the figurative. This morning's: What does it mean to be "in someone's heart"? What does it mean if someone "steals your heart away"? She is beginning to understand when I say something is metaphorical and provide a translation. That's a step forward for my Morklet.

It's been a while since I've caught up on the 3 yr old Whimsy's doings. I recorded many notes in the back of my planner her first and second year. Bad move, but it's what I had with me, and I'm not made of time. Someday I need to transcribe them all. So finally at least one 3 year entry ( Read more... )

How do you know when you’re (culturally) old? Old may have more to do with how you feel, but traditionally there have been three objective criteria ( Read more... )

Last week, the Buttercup's wonderful music teacher asked them to figure out "Twinkle twinkle Little Star" on glockenspiel. They usually sight-read, so this was an exploratory assignment. Unbeknownst to me, she told them they should start on F. Well, of course you can't play "Twinkle twinkle" on a C Maj glockenspiel starting on F. There's no B flat ( Read more... )

I fiercely protect my thrice-weekly quality time, otherwise known as my 5am nap on the commuter rail. Without it, I turn into an even more vicious bitch than usual ( Read more... )