This is, in no way, a reflection on Holland, Michigan, a place I enjoyed immensely. As a matter of fact, I’m fairly certain the folks having this conversation were from out of town. Probably somewhere in Indiana…
Girl One: Name a movie star whose first name is ‘Tom’.
Girl Two: Tom and Jerry!
(And, as if that weren’t bad enough):
Girl One: No, you idiot! That’s the ice cream!
Another example of why I think plague and pestilence can’t be far behind. A recent cover of BabyTalk magazine featured an image of a baby breastfeeding. As you can see from the photo, this is clearly “offensive” and “disgusting.” Well, at least that’s what about 25% of the readers who responded to the poll thought. In my opinion, their responses were, for the most part, offensive and disgusting. Here’s a sampling:
“I was offended and it made my husband very uncomfortable when I left the magazine on the coffee table.”
“Gross, I am sick of seeing a baby attached to a boob.”
“I had to rip off the cover since I didn’t want it laying around the house.”
[Comment: Am I the only one who wants to smack these people?]
Lisa Moran, executive editor of the magazine, appears to be the only person making any sense on the issue. Moran said, “You see celebrities practically baring their breasts all the time and no one seems to mind in this sort of sexual context. But in this very natural context of feeding your child, a lot of Americans are very uncomfortable with it.”
That buzzing sound you hear? Probably locusts.
Jack and I were in the car last night, driving home from Dairy Queen. The windows were rolled down and he picked up the distinct sound of millions of cicadas in the trees.
“Dad, what’s that sound?”
Stopped at an intersection, I listened to a sound that I grew up with, one that brought back memories of big ugly bugs and the husks they leave clinging to tree bark. “Those are cicadas,” I said, “millions of them, up in the trees all around us. They make that sound by rubbing their wings together.”
A pause from the back seat. And then: “Oh yeah, they’re scratching their backs, right?”
I laughed and said, “Yeah, something like that.”
He finished, “They’re scratching their backs because they’re itchy, Dad.”
[See Jack’s favorite fruit]
[See one of Jack’s other questions]
[Ed. Note: Turns out they actually make this noise by vibrating two membranes on their bellies. I’ll have to tell Jack this, of course, and I imagine he’ll think they’re burping.]
I received this editorial cartoon this morning from a friend who still lives in Terre Haute, IN. I was initially so surprised, I didn’t trust my eyes (or my email.) But after a little digging, I learned it was the actual cartoon that was drawn (written?) by a talented guy named Mike Lukovich and forwarded without any alteration.
It was originally printed on July 14, 2006 and you can see it on the Washington Post web site.
[More Mike Lukovich cartoons]
[More about Stuckey’s, home of the pecan log roll]
[More reasons it’s time to move]
Since having kids, we’ve taken a lot of pictures. But I don’t think I’ve taken another that captures a certain quality, the perfect personality, the feeling of a moment in time like this one. And I’m certain I haven’t taken any other that has prompted as many comments.