About Me

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Since 1984, my light commentary, Marginal Considerations, has been a feature of Weekend Radio. Moving into the 21st century (yeah, I know - a decade late and more than a dollar short), it may be time to explore the format known as "the blog." (Still on the radio, BTW.) I am the author of A Natural History of Socks, illustrated by the late Eric May, You May Already Be a Winner (and other marginal considerations) and The Nonexistence of Rutabagas, plus maybe 1K features, essays, book and arts reviews in newspapers and magazines nearly everywhere, except perhaps Kansas. I live on Lake Erie one city to the west of Cleveland with too many musical instruments, several large plants and no cats. My front door is purple. I collect dust, take up space and burn fossil fuel. I kayak, knit, hike, sing, canoe, write choral music and play hammered dulcimer, but not all at the same time. I read too much and don't write enough, but what's new?

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Blackcyber Daze

 Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone. And I am totally finished. I have successfully not bought every single item I planned to not buy, as well as a few things I didn't know I wanted to not buy until I went through the Thanksgiving Day paper. Three pounds of ad supplements! (No, I didn't weigh them - the paper bragged about this on its front page. I did count them, though. There were 47.) Three pounds. I can just picture the regional marketing manager of Lots o' Stuff calculating her ad budget by the ounce.

Of course I didn't look at all 47. I don't have that kind of time. I sorted out the appliance outlets, the camera and electronics stores, and the cheap stuff. If I'm going to browse for things I'm not buying, I want quality. I do always read the Target ads because I like the little dog with the red circles around his eye. (Is that a tattoo? A birthmark? I wonder if his little dog friends tease him about it.)

Besides Target, I look at Dillard's and sometimes Penney's but Macy's is my favorite. I spotted a faux fur animal print jacket (species unspecified) and some chandelier-ish earrings, but the coolest thing I'm not going to buy (in the Macy's ad, natch) is a croco-print leather pass case from the Donald J. Trump Signature Collection. Not just any old Donald Trump, but Donald J. Trump. And get this - I was able to not buy it at 4am Friday. 4am! That's at least an hour earlier than I was able to not shop last year. How great is that?

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving Forecast

Thanksgiving Forecast

Following Wednesday’s thaw, expect rising turkey temperatures, reaching a high of 180 degrees by dinnertime, accompanied by drifts of mashed potatoes with some low-lying gravy and widely scattered green beans, tapering off to pumpkin pie.
Beginning in mid-morning, flurries of grandchildren with gusts up to 75 mph are expected in some areas and may continue for several hours. Look for partly drowsy conditions with an 85% chance of football later in the day. The cold front of in-laws will push through between eight and nine p.m., bringing clearing tables and quieter conditions. Looking ahead to Friday, the chance of leftovers is 98%.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

test

still testing (to paraphrase the Beatles, "I hope I passed the audition.")