Have Some Catalonian Music

Sopa de Cabra (Goat Soup), performing Deixa'm Dir una Cosa.
Which I think roughly translates to "Let Me Say One Thing."

Or maybe, "There's a Dogfish in the Banana Patch."

Hard to say, Catalan is a strange dialect. Regardless, I think his chick is leaving him.

Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend.

Reap What You Sow

I love Bill Maher, and although I don't have HBO I catch clips of him on HuffPo pretty regularly.

This comment, Skinheads Up, by Bill on the death of Neo-Nazi Leader Jeff Hall.

Endangered Species Day

Friday, May 20th is the sixth-annual Endangered Species Day.

Go out and do something endangering. Or at least perilous.

If you can't think of anything, look here to see what's happening in your area.

And if you are a progressive liberal democrat like me, just throw money at the problem by donating to:

The World Wildlife Fund

Earthjustice

Natural Resources Defense Council

or an organization in your city.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

A Cajun Joke.

So growing up in Texas means OU jokes, A&M jokes, Cajun jokes. They are probably the same jokes anyone hears anywhere - pick-your-enemy jokes.

OU - Actually I think technically it's The University of Oklahoma, but if you're from the University of Texas we downgrade them to OU.

Totally classic UT joke:
Q: Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf?
A: Because OU sucks.

A&M - Any university that encourages students to say "Howdy" to each other should be plowed under. A&M literally hates UT....and as well they may, considering our superiority.

Cajuns - okay, I can tell cajun jokes because I come from cajuns. Hi Grandpa, wherever you are!

Here's one of my favorite cajun jokes, from a series of jokes involving Pierre (PEE-air) and Baptiste (Bob-TEESE):

So Pierre and Baptiste go down the bayou to rent a boat and go fishing.
They go out the bayou (way back where it dauk, even in da daytime) and casting their lines, they start catching left and right (da fish, day jumpin in da boat).

Pierre says, "Baptiste, we gotta come back ta dis same spot tomorra!"
Baptiste replies, "Well yeah - but how we know how ta get back ta dis spot?"

Pierre thinks.

"I know," he says, "I put a big 'X' right here on da bottom of da boat ta mark da spot."

Baptiste, disgusted, "Pierre, you so stupid. How you know tomorra we get da same boat?"


Ha! Oh I am so Texan sometimes.

Have Some Music.

Sorry I've not written much, been a rough week.

Here's some swing. Have a great weekend.

A Question from my Dad

One awesome thing about my Mom is, she respects my privacy and rarely asks me about my personal life. My Dad is a different matter - but he has a sense of humor about it.

"So how's it going in DC? Are you dating anybody?"
"No not really. The guys I go out with, it's completely casual."
"But you're a good-looking girl! Can't you find a keeper?"
"Well I suppose so - but you know Dad, these days I'm strictly into 'catch and release'."

He laughed and said "Good for you!"

Texas, Our Texas

First off, I want to be careful here because the only person I want to truly mock on this blog is me. But I just returned from a weekend at home in Po-Dunk for my brother's wedding and there were some pretty funny moments with my Texan brethren.
....

Apparently silverware has its own nickname in Texas: "snackin' irons".

I heard the words, "ain't", "yonder" and "vittles" often enough to last a lifetime. Also just so you know, if it is farther than yonder, it's "way down yonder".

Related to, but different from, the plural of "ya'll", which is "all ya'll".
....

My Mom is almost completely deaf - she only has about 20% of her hearing in one ear. These leads to her often misunderstanding what is said to her.

Dad to Mom: Did I tell you the story of Howard meeting his wife?
Mom: What?? When did that happen? That's awful - was that before or after they got married?
Dad: ?
Mom: Oh, I thought you said 'beating'.

Me to Mom: Mom, do you want a glass of wine?
Mom: No, I have some in my purse.
....

My Dad always drops one really excellent gem, and I often time it to see how long I am home before he does.
Picking me up at the airport, Dad jumps out of the car and hugs me. "Wow, you look great! You're not fat again!" Timing: two minutes.
....

I saw my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Reba Lee (yes). We have the same exchange every time I see them.

Aunt Reba: So what have you been doing?
Me: Well I'm an attorney now, working on environmental policy issues in DC. I get sound science in front of congressmen so they can make informed decisions on the application of statutes, like the Endangered Species Act, for example.
Aunt Reba: So no man? Well honey you're not getting any younger.

Here's what I fantasize about:
Aunt Reba: So what have you been doing?
Me: Well my novel is on the New York Times best seller list, I discovered the cure for cancer, and I single-handedly end the drug wars in Mexico.
Aunt Reba: So no man? Well honey you're not getting any younger.