But Call Me Betsy

Not a lot of time to write about his, but I wanted to get something up before the end of the day since I've been so out of touch. Here is your very first South Philadelphia St. Patty's window. And already we have the stirrings of Easter and bunnies galore. GALORE! Here is a left-over Valentine's Day window with the VD bear, flower arrangement, fan object and, of course, the Virgin Mary with her, "Look at all this crap" gesture. None of these kitty pictures turned out all that well. The glare was just too much. I do like the reflections in the windows though too. And here is an itty-bitty peeking out. And lest you think I'm prejudiced and only feature cats, there is a dog in this photo somewhere. And back at home, cats reign supreme. Try not to look at the ripped up arm of the sofa. All three plus the dead animal blanket. Have a great weekend!

I just haven't had the time or energy to write in it for a little while. I can't give it up--I'm too narcissistic. But I will cheat for this entry by giving you a link to my latest article in Maven . It's called "Blind Love" and it's about my penchant for dating men with eye problems. It's not my favorite piece so far, but I like some of it. Maybe you will too. You can read it here . Thanks to my friend Gina for helping me to edit it...

A "pajama-gram." NPR is heavily marketing these things and I've seen an ad or two for them on TV as well. It just seems weird to me--instead of flowers, you get a bouquet of p.j.'s? It's lazy too, like the guy can't even get up the energy or enthusiasm to go to a store to buy a gift. I also don't need flowers. I hate to see them die. I'd rather have a plant, but not really that either because I can't keep plants alive and the cats can't stop eating them. I brought this nice little plant home from work on Wednesday, and by Thursday evening, every single leaf had been chewed in half, so that the plant looked like Ernesto had given it a jagged and too-short hair cut. I had to move it to the top of a free-standing shelf that's inaccessible to the cats. I suspect when I get home today, I will find a ladder built of cat toys and string up the the plant, which will have been gnawed to the roots. How pretty is this V-Day tree? All lit up and guard...

Welcome to more Valentine's Day windows. The series below comes from three competing houses in a row (I think). Please note that the poor little Cupids in these windows are being perpetually burned by lit candles held under their bare bottoms. But the house next door wins for even more dazzle and whimsy--hearts plus windows framed in lights. And then the stately cupids bisected by window panes. A random winter shot on campus. This is a snowy A.J. Drexel the morning after our big blizzard. This is one of my favorite statues on campus because it's the one where he looks like he's just about to rise out of his chair to go fetch a glass of Scotch. And here we are back to the VD windows. They have tried very hard here to hide the fact that the stuffed dog is suspended by a noose around his neck. I like these hanging hearts, like raindrops racing down a window. Well, not really like that, but for some reason, that's what this picture reminds me of. And now here is Sam, the wa...

Well, it occurred to me this weekend that I won't be able to do moment-to-moment reporting of The Bachelor after tonight (don't cry), because I'll be teaching a fiction class on Monday nights from 7-9 for the next 8 weeks. I suppose I could try to work it into the class--force everyone to bring their laptops and request a TV in the room so that we could collectively use it as a writing exercise. Or, I could rush home and capture the most important moments---the last fifteen minutes. They recap everything at the end anyway, so maybe it won't be a problem. In any case, fasten your seat belts for the next 2 hours and the fabulous HOME TOWN DATES!!! Just as an aside, the show doesn't start tonight until 9 p.m. b/c President Obama is giving a press conference. I have never in my life willing tuned into any kind of political public forum like this before this election. I actually like hearing Obama speak--I am a little bit or possibly a lot in love with him. I don't ...

There's a meme going around via email and Facebook that asks you to list 25 random things about yourself so that your friends may learn things like that you love yellow M&M's best or that you were beaten severely as a child and still wet the bed. I don't know why I'm so resistant to doing this...Maybe because it seems so self-indulgent somehow. Not that I ever really participate in any of the Facebook friend applications like virtually throwing mac and cheese at your friends or buying someone a pretend drink--I don't get it. Anyway, last night, I was having a little trouble falling asleep b/c at midnight, one of my neighbors decided to shovel his sidewalk for 25 minutes and a bunch of other people were frolicking in the streets and laughing and making snow men, so I started making up my list of "25 Random Untrue Things About Me That You Never Knew." 1. I have a baboon heart. 2. When I was a baby, we lived on a sheep farm and my mother fed me only on sh...

Last week on The Bachelor : This girl was a bitch, that other girl cried almost real tears, Shannon blew her nose in a napkin and begged for him to keep her so she won't go home and make out with her dog, some girls got roses, others were tough nuts, Nikki's eyes popped out of her head, she went home, groomless and broken hearted, even though she does everything right! And don't forget how Jason broke all the rules at the rose ceremony by sending three bitches home. Tonight: More TY!!! Lots of Ty. Ty at every turn. How unexciting. All the girls get to go his hometown, Seattle, a bunch of them get to be in a helicopter and later, Jason has some unanswered questions for Jillian and guess what, It's the most intense rose ceremony ever and Jason cries. I wonder if he will take his shirt off at any point? Time: 8:05 for Christ's sake. Chris Harrison has given up his Urban Outfitters shirt for a more grown up button up oxford. He explains there will be no roses given out ...

Back in the window business with my new digital camera. You must note with this first photo that they have planted rows and rows of red hearts in the front flower box. They also had a red heart-shaped wreath on their door. Might capture that next time. Took this one last night after having dinner and Carrie and Padhraig's (delicious Thai food--potatoes with yellow sauce and some kind of jelly and naan bread. V. good). I am not sure if this is a window that's left over from Christmas or if it's just a festive scene for all year round. I don't really windows with Disney characters so much, but this one does have a cute "x o" banner strung across the back. And now, on to the cats. That's Henri, trying to work up the courage to jump on the back of my desk chair. A rare two cats in one photo. Emma on the radiator attempting to lick my hand and Henri worried that a piano might fall from the sky any moment. Note that he has made it onto the chair. Emma Carol, the...