Silver Threads - 4/9/06

It’s called a Hanimal and there are many more of them that are just as amazing from Sonia - recently added to the ElderBloggers list - at Leaves of Grass. They’re peculiar and beautiful and fascinating, and I keep going back for another look.

Now don’t go telling anyone I said this, but not all new babies are cute. And neither are all dogs. It’s that time of year again and you too can vote for the World’s Ugliest Dog. Be sure to scroll down - there are a lot of worthy entrants.

Everyone's favorite kindly uncle of the blogosphere, Frank Paynter, has abandoned Sandhill Trek and (with some ado as to the backend mechanics) up and moved himself to a new place called Listics. It says, in the upper right corner of the new blog, a la Spike Lee, that Listics is “a Sandhill joint” which still doesn’t tell me what a listic is. And I miss the name of his previous blog. But it’s everyone’s right to redecorate and the same inimitable, Frank-style commentary can now be found at his new blog home.

Over time, Claude Covo-Farchi at Blogging in Paris has made this a signature piece: to juxtapose a poem with a photograph taken on one of her many walks around Paris - giving each a deeper resonance and meaning than it might have alone. She titles a recent one, Beautiful Old Age - and so it is, magnificently done.

Caught unawares last Sunday when the United States made its annual switch to Daylight Savings Time, I sighed at the prospect of resetting all the clocks in the house and considered not bothering with it this year. So I laughed out loud when I read this post from Suzz at Suzzwords. She had the same thought and added, “I think it’s time we retirees all stood up and started a campaign to end this foolishness.” Hear! Hear!

There are a million of these lists floating around the web and I they always tickle my fancy. Maria at Silver Fox Whispers posted a bunch of things kids have misunderstood, this time from a Catholic elementary school. A favorite: “When Mary heard she was the mother of Jesus, she sang the Magna Carta.” There are a whole lot more at Maria’s place to brighten your Sunday.

Tom Pry at The Old Man and the C:\ posted a list this week too - an astounding number of pieces of useless information. I knew a few of them, but most are new to me including, “The dot over the letter i is called a ‘tittle’", and (can this be true?), “Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller.”

Puns and limericks are two of my favorite word games but to my everlasting chagrin, I’m terrible at both - although I am a great appreciator. Limerick Savant, a master, knocks my socks off and he’s caught our Leaker-in-chief this week in his clever web. Also, in case you missed it on Friday, Mr. Savant wrote me my very own birthday limerick. I am so proud.

Comments

[limerick savant]

Ronni, here I am reading your blog first thing on Sunday morning and I discover another kind mention from you.

I afraid, however, I've gone an broken your link by using my poet's prerogative and changing the title.

I loved the marriage of photo and Lawrence poem at Blogging in Paris. Even a hack can enjoy good poetry. I had fun checking out the other blogs as well.

Thanks for thinking of me.

LS

[Ronni Bennett]

Thank you, Mr. Savant. I've fixed the link...

[Naomi Dagen Bloom]

ronni, just did my first post of a grandchild, then came here. all new babies are cute to their relatives. the other day i showed your blog to my 30-something son, "those are all her? how cool!"

then he oogled over photos of his new niece. we're all beautiful. it's just that elders need to be doing MORE of what you're promoting: valuing ourselves.

[Claude]

Hey Ronni, thanks for including me in your Silver Threads. I loved the Hanimals and laughed about the Daylight saving time. I hate it so much!

[John Deamer]

If we want to know how to "grow old" with grace, we merely need to look to our most powerful elders.

A case in point, Helen Thomas...
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/265950_thomas09.html

More powerful elders examples to follow.

[Fran aka Redondowriter]

I voted--damn, they were ugly, but beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. I, too, have seen some mighty ugly newborns--but none of them my grandkids, of course. But, if they are ugly, they would be gorgeous to me. I love the Hanimals--saw them at Sonia's site, and thanks for the links--and for the birthday limerick. And the birthday celebration goes on.

[ldh]

Hello everybody, I want to make friend with you. Nice to meet you.

[joared]

I try always to exercise my voting rights and responsibilities, but thank heavens for your post or I would have missed this election for the ugliest dog. I didn't even know it was election time.

Of course, at this late date there wasn't a lot of time to study the candidates, but I did the best I could, then, finally voted. Now I can't remember who I voted for due to fatigue because of the hour. This daylight savings fiasco, I agree, doesn't help matters any.

I sure hope somebody gives us the real story re Ohio's own Phyllis Diller/Fang/Susan Lucci ;cause now I'm curious.

Phyllis Diller is such a down to earth person, if somebody would just tell her about this blog, she'd fit right in ... and she does qualify as an elder ... a woman who made a mark in the late 50's/early '60's, opened some doors as a stand-up comic playing the clubs when not many, if any, women were doing that.

Like those other links you gave us, too.

[Sonia]

Hi Ronni, I am glad you like my post
about the book Hanimals and for your nice comment. Love also you had link me on ElderBloggers list. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
Have a wonderful week!

[Steve Garfield]

Snopes.com is a good site to go to if you want to see if things you read on the internet are true or not.

[Ronni Bennett]

Hah! Never thought to check it out at Snopes, Steve - and guess what? Urban legend. Phyllis Diller and Susan Lucci are NOT mother and daughter...

[Maria]

You gave me a big smile as I was scrolling down and found a mention of my site. Thanks!