Oodles and Oodles of Noodles

Cal sent me an email this morning with a link to the middle school kids' latest obsession. They apparently howled with laughter when he played it after giving in to their incessant begging during 1st period. Strange little brains with weird little senses of humor they have. I think he's a bit worried about what he's gotten himself into with this new teaching gig, where hippopotamuses with noodles on their backs are the norm.

Enjoy! And good luck getting the song out of your head afterwards.

A childhood identity revisited

No longer am I known as "Lefty" at my tennis clinic. My coach realized last night that I am related to Amy Casper, former tennis coach at our school.

Now, I'm simply "Amy's sister".

If not Lance, then maybe Maria Sharapova*?

... or maybe not.

Against my better judgment, and in yet another attempt to find physical activity that I actually enjoy, I've signed up for a 4-week intensive beginner tennis clinic at the local tennis center.

The one perk? A free tennis racquet. How have I already used that perk to show my incompetence? I left it at the courts after practicing the other day.

Oh yes. I'm not lying. I didn't discover my embarrassing mistake until I pulled up to the parking lot of the tennis center the other day, five minutes before my class started. I had to borrow one from the front desk. I also had to explain very publicly to my coach (and director of the entire center) why I didn't have the one he gave me.

"Lefty**!" he shouts from across the net. "Why aren't you playing with the racquet I gave you?"
"Um, because I've lost it," I have to yell, sheepishly, back.
"Lost it? I just gave it to you last week!"
"I left it on the courts at my school after playing yesterday."
(accompanied by a look of disbelief) "Seriously?"
(accompanied by profuse blushing/blotchiness) "Well, um, at least you have proof that I was out practicing."

Right. Off to a great start.

*I didn't even know the name of the hot blonde that all the guys love. I had to ask Cal. He, of course, had to think about it a while before remembering her name. Right, Cal? RIGHT?????
**I have, for the duration of this four weeks, been stripped of my identity as "Miriam". I am nothing more than the only lefty on the courts.

Another one bites the dust. Sigh.

Take a look at Janet's latest news.

(Note to Janet: the "sigh" in the title of this post was just for effect. You know how I root for the Singleton, right? Well, I have to keep up pretenses. For Bridget's sake, of course. I really am happy for you.)

(Note to everyone else: Great. Another Smug Married.)

HURRAH!!!

Bridget!

Okay, owning these would be kinda gross and stalker-like, but it is pretty funny. I'm reminded of my hours spent in the American Embassy in London with nothing to entertain a distraught Rebecca and me but the adventures of our lurvely Ms. Jones.

Long live Bridget!

A National Hit (see map to the right)

OOoooooh!! Who's reading my blog in So. Cal? My friend Jacey, perhaps? She's the only one I know there, assuming Carrie's back from LA. And up in the Northeast? And Texas? And other spots that my red dots only so vaguely pinpoint? Apparently, I have some silent lurkers.

So fun!! Now, if only I can get Jenny to check my blog way over in Germany, I'll be world-famous!

(Thanks, Reba, for the map idea.)