The Gay Agenda

Gosh, I guess this is what the Christian right is so afraid of!

Wasteland of the Free

Iris
I've always liked Iris Dement's music but somehow missed this song which is an early (1996) indictment of the right-wing agenda in the U.S.
My sister (a good union sister herself) mentioned it to me recently and I think that Wasteland of the Free can stand beside the best of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, etc. as a keen observation of what ails America. I turn it way up when I'm driving and it gets me really angry every time I hear it.

daffs

It's been gloomy but the rain is good for the garden.

My Favourite Slippers

Peeling the Onion

An hilarious article on the creation of The Onion's post on the demise of the pope:

Wild and crazy Catholics cavort

"World's Catholics Go On Crazed Sin Binge. . . . "There's no sheriff in town,' say churchgoers." "I like that," says writer Chris Karwowski. "I don't like "no sheriff in town,' but I like "World's Catholics on Sin Binge."

Maria Schneider, a writer who has been concentrating on paying her phone bill, looks up from her checkbook. "Yeah, I like that."

After settling on a headline they like, the creative process heats up. They add and delete words to make the line sharper.

"Should it be "Sin Binge'? Or should it be "Crazed Sin Binge'?" Hanson asks.

"It should be "World's Unsupervised Catholics Go On Sin Binge,' " Krewson says.

The London Review of Books Personals

LRB Personals are full of gems like this:

She signed the letter, ‘All yours, Babooshka’. Little did I know that Babooshka wasn’t, in fact, my wife trying to catch my infidelity (thanks for nothing, Kate Bush), but a gorgeous East European minx looking for no-strings love and a place to rest her tired head every now and again. If only I’d realised when I replied with a parcel of my smalls and a request to use non-bio (I have very sensitive skin). The bad luck fairy sits permanently on the shoulders of male dufus (38) at box no. 08/07

Very entertaining, almost more so than their erudite reviews.

Road Trip to Paris

les soeurs

Our trip to Arkansas went so well that my sisters, Mr. Nag and I have decided to go to Paris next April. I've always wanted to do this trip with them but didn't think they'd be interested. I'm already drawing up an itin. I wouldn't be surprised if the middle sister tries to back out but Mr. Nag says he won't let her and he has great persuasive powers. He also says that the reason he likes travelling with my sisters is that they're great spare parts for me (and believe me at my stage of life that's a consideration - sister, can you spare a kidney?). I love Paris so much I want to share all my great experiences there: the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries at the Cluny, the Jacquemart- Andre Museum, lunch at the Musee D'Orsay dining room or Le Polidor, dinner at Le Petit Zinc, a take-out picnic from the Rue Cler market to eat at the Champs de Mars, resting at St. Julien le Pauvre with its great medieval vibe. I'm so excited.

Mum and her dog, Peggy

My mother passed away on April 4 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. My husband and my sisters and I made the marathon drive to Jonesboro, Arkansas to see her one last time. It was emotionally draining but I'm so glad we made it to her bedside before she died - I know that our being there meant a lot to her husband. He was her faithful and devoted caregiver and advocate and visited her every single day for the five years she was in the nursing home. He'll miss her terribly.