Random November

In a fit of efficiency, I organized today's post yesterday and promptly clicked the wrong button, inadvertently posting for about 50 seconds. If you were wondering what Teresa (link added belatedly due to rampant idiocy from yours truly) was talking about in the comment box on the last post, that was it. My "efficient" blog management.

Anyway! This month's random is going to be a quick one - I'm still only home for a few hours a day (for reasons which shall remain unnamed, as we are all sick of the topic), although am planning to gradually move back over the next few days, fumes be damned (ok, I mentioned it). I need my life back.

Dancing With the Stars is over. Sniff. I'm really going to miss this show - it's astounding how happy watching it makes me. And it made me really happy to see Emmit win – what a charmer!

I need to ask the American contingent among you something. Remembrance Day has just passed - Veterans' Day in the states - and I always thought that this day was intended to commemorate those who served, including those who died in service for their country. Or if not the latter, at least the day is a somewhat solemn one. Except, when watching TV last week on an American channel, I saw an ad for a Veterans' Day sale at Macy's and got hugely offended at the commercial takeover of what I thought was a day of quiet remembrance. Am I out of my tree or should there be some limits to what is an occasion for a sale?

Also last week, I was reminded of one of my favorite jokes (and prepare for a jarring segue). The first time I heard it, I was about 17 and at a party. I asked one of my friends to pass me some pretzels and she told me this joke. Imagine a child asking its mother for a cookie and a mother says "sure. Get one out of the cookie tin". Child whines and says "but Mom…", to which mother replies "I'm busy. If you want a cookie, get it yourself". Child stomps and whines even more pathetically "but Mom, I can't". This goes back and forth as long as you want to draw it out and in the end, Mom says "no arms, no cookies". Danish humor. Gotta love it.

Susanna Clarke, the author of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (which I raved about here) has a new book out – a collection of short stories called The Ladies of Grace Adieu: And Other Stories. If you love Jonathan Strange, go get it. If reading a 900 page novel is a little much for your current schedule, this book might be a better introduction to Clarke. I have the book, haven't read it yet, but cannot imagine that it is not wonderful.

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