My oldest sister (about 3) went crying to our mother because my brothers (about 4 and 5) wouldn't let her play with the warpaint.
With her "mom sense" ringing, our mother ran to the boys' room, to find their Etch-a-Sketch on the floor with its front screen smashed open and the murder weapon-- my dad's hammer-- beside it. My brothers were nowhere to be seen.
The manhunt didn't take long because she was able to follow the little silver footprints going down the basement stairs. When she found them, they had silver streaks on their puffy, swollen cheeks as the aluminum dust from their victim took its revenge.
Later investigation found that the motive was "to see how it worked" (the ironic answer being "it doesn't work, now.)
And that's how Etch-a-Sketches became banned in our family.
Thinking of how I couldn’t even draw a decent square house while watching that person do a perfect rendering of Sanders on an even smaller Etch a Sketch is humbling. Plus my fingers are cramping just watching it.
Ta, Robyn, and a very happy birthday to Malala. The disco dance commercial is totally cool. I have a mini Etch-a-Sketch at work. Beloved husband Meccalopolis has made real progress finishing his novel; I can't wait to read it! We have had our fruit bowls, flowery green tea, and elitist avocado toast, and are sipping our delightfully strong coffee. Good day, beloved Wonketteers. I love and appreciate you all and I bless us all with love, health, peace, and grace.
Please, please stay safe. Wear a mask or two, wash your hands, sanitize when you cannot wash and let the sanitizer dry completely, stop touching your face, take Vitamin D, get a booster shot six months after your last, and catch up on any other vaccinations you need, avoid indoor and crowded outdoor gatherings and when you must meet, remove masks only to eat, drink, and take quick photos, and stay the fuck away from me and everyone with whom you do not share a roof. Do this because you love yourself, and because I love you, too. Do this in memory of dear departed family and friends like Forever 27 Treg and heroic Tony, Holly's pilot friend, among nearly eight million dead worldwide. Do this to honor the nurses and other frontline medical personnel (we love and appreciate you, Medicos of Wonkette), particularly ICU Hera Mrs Land Shark RN. Be kind, especially to yourself, and please stay safe.
Just got back from the farmer's market. Ate both my curry puffs for lunch. Yum.
Conversation as we were leaving the market:
He: Did you see who walked by just now?
Me: No. Who?
He: Real estate guy.
Me: I'm going to need another clue.
He: Head of Real Estate. [Ah, he's talking about a work colleague.]
Me: I didn't work much with real estate.
He: You worked with him all the time!
Me: I'm assuming a middle-aged white guy with grey hair and glasses?
He: Yes. He worked for the Commission, too.
And...the light bulb above my head goes on! I know who he's talking about. Except I knew that dude when he was an arrogant youngster working for House Republican staff, and cannot even picture him with grey hair and glasses. Such an asshole, he was. No wonder he didn't say hi. Wonder how he feels about PAB?
Fun fact: my dad knew the guy who invented Etch-A-Sketch. I don't remember the story - maybe it was something like they studied chemistry together or worked in the same lab at some point.
My dad was interesting, a chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project. I once gave him a diary and encouraged him to make notes about his life in it for us, his kids, and his grandkids, but he never did. When he died, I found it, empty. :-(
My cool grandpa led a very colorful interesting life -Eagle Scout who played the fiddle in a local brothel during WW2 to make ends meet colorful. Bus driver who refused to allow unofficial segregation on his bus, and would kick your ass off if you tried to move anyone to the back. He did keep journals with the intent his grandkids read them someday after he was gone.
My grandma, his much more concerned with appearances wife than he was, burned them when he was struck down by Alzheimer's and had to go into a nursing home. I was distraught when I found out. I loved his stories and was the only grandkid old enough to remember him before the Alzheimer's started.
I had a friend (moved to Chicago <sadface>) who was a singer in a punk band. But when we went to karaoke bars he used to love to sing yacht rock. Also on driving adventures he'd have a playlist so we could sing along.
My extended family does cringey singalongs to various yacht rock and Neil Diamond tunes. Gawd forbid some unsuspecting stranger mentions something that tips them over into singing. I never know/remember the words beyond the basic chorus but it’s fun to watch the variety of reactions to all 10-15 people suddenly bursting out into the same bad oldy.
I was always more of a spirograph man, myself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYEHvteniIc
I love the elder doggy Crossed Paws of Wisdom.
Hah! My "Moaning Lisa" still rests on an end table of honor in The Museum of Mom!
I like Charlie the dog VERY much!
I looooovvvve Malala! Her picture is my desktop background. Thank you for bringing this to our awareness.
Pakistani Cowboy? What a concept!
Etch-a-Sketch story (decades old):
My oldest sister (about 3) went crying to our mother because my brothers (about 4 and 5) wouldn't let her play with the warpaint.
With her "mom sense" ringing, our mother ran to the boys' room, to find their Etch-a-Sketch on the floor with its front screen smashed open and the murder weapon-- my dad's hammer-- beside it. My brothers were nowhere to be seen.
The manhunt didn't take long because she was able to follow the little silver footprints going down the basement stairs. When she found them, they had silver streaks on their puffy, swollen cheeks as the aluminum dust from their victim took its revenge.
Later investigation found that the motive was "to see how it worked" (the ironic answer being "it doesn't work, now.)
And that's how Etch-a-Sketches became banned in our family.
A psychiatric theory is that little boys disassemble shit to try to figure out where babies come from.
I do not subscribe to said theory.
This is an old friend from Philly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59G4He6YtII
He's also quite the puppeteer.
(Etch a Sketch Guy - The world in sixty seconds)
I /love/ We Are Ladyparts!
I never could do a damn thing with Etch-A-Sketch either.
Now, gimme a Spirograph and I'll have you straight up trippin'.
Thinking of how I couldn’t even draw a decent square house while watching that person do a perfect rendering of Sanders on an even smaller Etch a Sketch is humbling. Plus my fingers are cramping just watching it.
I can *barely* draw a straight line, much less anything on an Etch a Sketch!
Oh hell yes, there's We Are Lady Parts fans here!
Ain't Nobody Gonna Honor Kill My Sister But Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8eIogIaa48
Ta, Robyn, and a very happy birthday to Malala. The disco dance commercial is totally cool. I have a mini Etch-a-Sketch at work. Beloved husband Meccalopolis has made real progress finishing his novel; I can't wait to read it! We have had our fruit bowls, flowery green tea, and elitist avocado toast, and are sipping our delightfully strong coffee. Good day, beloved Wonketteers. I love and appreciate you all and I bless us all with love, health, peace, and grace.
Please, please stay safe. Wear a mask or two, wash your hands, sanitize when you cannot wash and let the sanitizer dry completely, stop touching your face, take Vitamin D, get a booster shot six months after your last, and catch up on any other vaccinations you need, avoid indoor and crowded outdoor gatherings and when you must meet, remove masks only to eat, drink, and take quick photos, and stay the fuck away from me and everyone with whom you do not share a roof. Do this because you love yourself, and because I love you, too. Do this in memory of dear departed family and friends like Forever 27 Treg and heroic Tony, Holly's pilot friend, among nearly eight million dead worldwide. Do this to honor the nurses and other frontline medical personnel (we love and appreciate you, Medicos of Wonkette), particularly ICU Hera Mrs Land Shark RN. Be kind, especially to yourself, and please stay safe.
Slava Ukraini. 🌻🇺🇦💙💛
Just got back from the farmer's market. Ate both my curry puffs for lunch. Yum.
Conversation as we were leaving the market:
He: Did you see who walked by just now?
Me: No. Who?
He: Real estate guy.
Me: I'm going to need another clue.
He: Head of Real Estate. [Ah, he's talking about a work colleague.]
Me: I didn't work much with real estate.
He: You worked with him all the time!
Me: I'm assuming a middle-aged white guy with grey hair and glasses?
He: Yes. He worked for the Commission, too.
And...the light bulb above my head goes on! I know who he's talking about. Except I knew that dude when he was an arrogant youngster working for House Republican staff, and cannot even picture him with grey hair and glasses. Such an asshole, he was. No wonder he didn't say hi. Wonder how he feels about PAB?
Fun fact: my dad knew the guy who invented Etch-A-Sketch. I don't remember the story - maybe it was something like they studied chemistry together or worked in the same lab at some point.
My dad was interesting, a chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project. I once gave him a diary and encouraged him to make notes about his life in it for us, his kids, and his grandkids, but he never did. When he died, I found it, empty. :-(
@ 1988--toward the end--my Dad worked on the AWACS. Showed us a model, and I could NOT believe what they were doing!!!!!
That honestly sucks.
My cool grandpa led a very colorful interesting life -Eagle Scout who played the fiddle in a local brothel during WW2 to make ends meet colorful. Bus driver who refused to allow unofficial segregation on his bus, and would kick your ass off if you tried to move anyone to the back. He did keep journals with the intent his grandkids read them someday after he was gone.
My grandma, his much more concerned with appearances wife than he was, burned them when he was struck down by Alzheimer's and had to go into a nursing home. I was distraught when I found out. I loved his stories and was the only grandkid old enough to remember him before the Alzheimer's started.
Every now and then, I want to ask my mom something, but she passed away almost 20 yrs ago.
I had a friend (moved to Chicago <sadface>) who was a singer in a punk band. But when we went to karaoke bars he used to love to sing yacht rock. Also on driving adventures he'd have a playlist so we could sing along.
My extended family does cringey singalongs to various yacht rock and Neil Diamond tunes. Gawd forbid some unsuspecting stranger mentions something that tips them over into singing. I never know/remember the words beyond the basic chorus but it’s fun to watch the variety of reactions to all 10-15 people suddenly bursting out into the same bad oldy.