Book Tuesday: Oops!

"Elephants, by tradition and common sense, are supposed to be buried where they fall."

I read this line and couldn't help but cracking up. The practicalities of burying an elephant had never crossed my mind until reading this statement, which appears in the book, Oops! 20 Life Lessons from the Fiascoes that Shaped America.


Normally, I actually read the entire book before posting about it on a book Tuesday, but I must admit I'm so enjoying this, that I'll recommend it without finishing it. The book is a really fascinating look at interesting people and situations that have shaped our country. Each chapter can be read stand alone and, I'm sure you could skip around if you wanted to, but the authors -- Martin J. Smith and Patrick J. Kiger -- make it so entertaining, you really wouldn't want to.

The book covers interesting people and things they did, including John Humphrey Noyes, who started a religious sex colony in the 1800s;  Thomas Edison's smear campaign on alternating current (A/C, which his lovely light bulbs didn't use -- they were direct current, or D/C, electricity) that ended with Edison electrocuting an elephant; Thomas Midgley, Jr., the scientist we can thank for exposing our country to massive amounts of airborne lead; and Jimi Hendrix, particularly how he ended up in a failed pairing with Monkees on tour.

So far, it's all very fascinating. I actually picked up the book on the library display case the other day, so it's at PG county libraries if you're looking for a fun, interesting read.  And I'm not saying you can't buy the book--as you should always support authors you enjoy reading. I'm just letting you know it's at the library, too.

That's all for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Addicting TV...

I don't have time to watch tons of television, but I must say, the shows I watch and like, I REALLY like.

I started watching ABC Family's short-run shows, Pretty Little Liars and the Lying Game, and was totally hooked. But, they were short run shows, 10 episodes and they're out until January.

So, now I am totally hooked to the CW's Ringer.  

It's no surprise, of course, because the show stars Sarah Michelle Gellar. I really LOVED Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gellar as the lead. So, I was already primed to like the show.

I'll admit the first episodes started off just OK, but things have really picked up and there are surprise after surprise after surprise. It's very unexpected and totally compelling. For the unannointed, the show is about twin sisters. Siobhan is the supposed good girl and Bridget the bad girl. Siobhan is living the apparent high life with her wealthy husband while Bridget is a stripper/recovering drug-addict expected to testify against a crime lord in a murder trial.  Fearing for her safety, Bridget decides not to cross the crime lord and runs to her sister for help. Siobhan appears to commit suicide, so Bridget--like any TV twin assumes her sister's identity. However, Siobhan isn't really dead and she's also not happy her sister has assumed her identity.

Even though the plot is a bit contrived, I must say I love all the twists and turns. I totally can't wait 'til the new episode.  If you're interested in the show, you can watch the past five episodes online: http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/ringer. They're up to episode 7 currently, so you can't see the first two (but honestly, they weren't that great; there is one thing in episode 1 or 2--I can't remember which one now--that has not been explained, and I'm waiting for them to come back to it, because it seems important. Basically, in a flashback, Siobhan curses her sister and looks longlingly at a photo of a young child. But there's been no follow through on this)

So, what's on the can't miss TV for you folks out there? Any new show you love and just can't get enough of?

-Hyattsville Mom

Forget TMI, how about NEI?

Nowadays people often talk about getting TMI -- too much information.

And I haven't entirely shunned the trend, myself. The other day, when I asked my 4-year-old daughter if she needed to potty before story time at the library, she looks at me and goes, "No, I just have to fart." Then, she proceeds to fart loudly. "Yeah, it was just a fart."  I am certain I said to her, "TMI, honey."

However, while TMI is the trendy thing to say, I find myself more often thinking NEI - not enough information. I find that people give you a bare minimum of facts, and want you to make things happen. The other day, my son's school sent home a list of supplies they'd need for a project. The list said, I kid you not: straws, tubes, cans (without sharp edges), stir sticks.

Now, they're going to build something with this and I'm sure it will be a fun and interesting project, but, might I ask, who sends a list of supplies home without any numbers. How many of these things do they need?  By using the plural, I can assume they need more than one.  But how many. And there was no due date for these supplies either. It was odd, yet not atypical of the stuff I get home sometimes.

I'm not picking on schools, though. That example just happened to be freshest in my mind. Politicians do the same too. They promise grand things and give no information about how they're going to achieve these lofty goals. To them and all those like them, I say: "NEI."

I hope more people say it, too. NEI, NEI, NEI.  Sometimes we need more than what we're getting.

That ends my rant for today.  This is my post for this week, as my son turns 8 on Friday and I have tons of stuff to do to get ready for his party on Saturday.

Next week, I'm going to blog on party planning in PG county.

Have a good one.

-Hyattsville Mom