Author Archives: Sarah

The Lighter Side… of Horrible Flooding

Some thoughts on the (astounding, as always) collection of pictures from Alan Taylor’s photo feature on the flooding in Thailand.

#2: Important! Does the “hang loose” gesture mean the same thing in Thailand?

#4: I’d like to imagine this as a sitcom about two slackers who live in a perpetually flooded apartment.

#7: I was relieved to see that these were flooded hedges rather than rapid algae growth on local boaters.

#15: The yellow flags looked similar enough to the symbol on a shirt I got at Goodwill that I was able to track down its meaning: the Personal Flag of H.M. King King Bhumipol Adulyadej (Rama IX) in honor of the 60th anniversary of his accession to the throne. Neat!

#26: This guy will jokingly propose this picture for the family’s holiday update letter. His wife will merely scowl.

#33: Not only napping during a flood, but doing it on a bus stop anti-nap bench. He may win the nap championships.

#41: Best dad ever!

Upshot: communites were made safer

Rare on the internet, added context to an amusing video clip. In this case, on the importance of blowing on a hot New Zealand pie. I was surprised at the assertion that some viewers didn’t know the comment was in jest, but perhaps these would also be people taken in by the story about buying a 3 AM pie. Note in the longer version of the clip, the pie-seeker seems VERY familiar with how to present his wrists for handcuffing.

Dainty Floral Sandwiches

From the book One Hundred and One Sandwiches come these delightful recipes, fit for little girls and delicate older ladies (and possibly some delicate gentlemen and/or elves would wish to join the tea party).

Nasturtium
One dozen nasturtium blossoms, two tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise dressing. Spread white bread with the mayonnaise, and place each blossom overlapping the next half-way to give substance to the “filling.” Roll the sandwiches.

Violet
Two cups of fresh violets, one-quarter cup fresh butter without salt, fresh and cold. Put one cup of violets in bottom of jar, wrap the butter in waxed paper and lay on top, and cover with remainder of violets. Cover the jar tightly, and leave for several hours in a cold place. When ready, spread this butter on very thin slices of white bread which has been given a violet bath in the same way.

Juvenile Genres

There’s a popular (and long-lived, since I remember it from my own grade school days) elementary school reading assignment that involves requiring students to read a book from each of the major fiction genres. The drawback, I feel, is that they are the major fiction genres for adult fiction (Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, etc.*), not for kid fiction, and they haven’t been changing with the changes in publishing.**

I just found a couple possible books for a fourth grader who needed to read a mystery. The drawback being that mysteries are far more popular with people well out of childhood (and possibly well on their way to 40, as I find myself enjoying mysteries more these days). This may have something to do with children being less interested in books involving horrible murders and police corruption and poisoning and secret hatreds. Seems to frighten them, for some reason. The mysteries available for children almost feel like a different beast. More art theft, for instance.

And why not have kids read kid genres? I think this will teach them that there are different types of books within fiction (at least I hope that’s the purpose of the assignment). How about requiring them to read a book with animals that act like people, a dystopian novel where kids save the day, a school-based comedy, a best friends/worst enemies popularity drama, or a book with Serious Family Issues?

*Thank all that’s holy that they no longer require Westerns, since even adult fiction isn’t publishing more than a handful these days. I also don’t get why Fantasy is so often required while Science Fiction almost never is. Yes, there are fewer F than SF in the children’s section, but there’s some great new kid SF these days.

**The only possible benefit of teaching to tests is that it’s harder to keep using the same assignments for decades on end.

Nametags and Accountability

I was pleased to see the NYPD’s name badges were being worn and were readable in coverage of the Wall Street protests. In almost every media photo of protests (especially ones requiring crowd control) in London this year, police name badges were covered or removed entirely. I am sometimes annoyed by working in a nametag job, but now I think I’ll remember that it is a vital part of being accountable to the people you serve. I’ll stand behind my actions.

Oysters + Boxes

While perusing menus at NYPL, I often came across an item called box stew in the same category as oyster stews. I now happen to run across mention of a specially-made oyster stew box in the magazine Table Talk, a sort of 1800s combination of a fine living magazine and a home hints column:

Oyster-stew boxes are a china novelty. The decoration, shells, sea weeds, and little marine views. They have fitted covers like bouillon cups.

How delightful! I wonder what the less-fancy ones looked like!