And could I really have gone to high school with them?

And, mustering all my self-control, I did NOT tell anyone this story that night:

I was test-driving a new car recently. In an effort to improve safety, certain features — like making phone calls and tuning radio stations — are now voice-activated. So as I tooled along I said, “Classic Rock,” and some Led Zeppelin started playing on the radio.

“Country,” I said. Kenny Chesney.

“No. REAL country” Johnny Cash. Oh yeah.

“Light jazz,” I ventured. Diana Krall. Cool.

Just then someone cut right in front of me. “Idiot!” I shouted. And the radio tuned in Howard Stern….

Yeah, you can tell the same joke and substitute Rush Limbaugh, Tucker Carlson, etc.

It has been harder to find buttons the last few years (since the local head shop and record store both went out of business). A few weeks ago I was in a Walmart (don’t ask) and saw BUTTONS! They were in sets of seven buttons for $1.97. Singe buttons would usually run $1.00 or $1.50 each. I looked over the selection and saw several that I would wear. “Look,” I said, “I found a gold mine.” I ended up buying four sets that include such gems as:

Forever I walk among the ignorant

It’s been lovely — but I have to scream now

Take my advice — I’m not using it

Ever stop to think — and forget to start again?

Never miss a good chance to shut up

Not the brightest crayon in the box now are we?

Never underestimate the stupidity of boys in large groups

And now that I’m getting back into the daily grind of a new school year, I want to drift away….

I think my favorite shot of the night is this one though. This was f8 for 1 second.

I hope everyone in the USA and Canada enjoyed their respective holidays!

.

Because, how could this possibly be embarrassing? You can stop laughing now. Really. Get up off the floor….

[Edit: Okay. I'm standing behind the chair. I also feel compelled to explain that, while it was fashionable at the time for men to get perms, my hair is really that curly. I just wear it a lot shorter these days. And I have no idea what was happening off to the side -- it would be a pretty good guess that one of my uncles was doing something stupid distracting us....]

I’m much more comfortable behind the scenes just as I am more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it….

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This particular colleague has a dog (a pug) that she says hates her. Loves everyone else in the world. Hates her. She made the mistake of telling told us that she had a dream during her pregnancy that her baby came out as a pug. She delivered last week and emailed us baby pictures. Which I um… modified and sent back like this:

Don’t look too closely — it’s not a very neat job. I still maintain that I don’t have too much time….

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Hmmm… about that resemblance to Steinbeck……

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Apparently, I’m a cubist….

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