Tag: funny

ethical oversight

October 22, 2015

For some reason I was reminded, this morning, of a discussion a few years ago post-Snowden, where an acquaintance of mine who had worked in the intelligence field spoke at great length, and passionately, about why Snowden had been wrong to leak the surveillance information that he did. His reasons were (roughly) matters of trust inside intelligence agencies, safety of intelligence officers, necessity of some secrets being kept, and possibly a couple other things I’m now forgetting. It was well reasoned and well written and I fundamentally understood and agreed…

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Epic Disciplinary Parent Fail

October 5, 2015

Epic disciplinary parenting fail: Note from teacher: Young Indiana had to be spoken to in the yard for licking other children. Me, already trying not to giggle: Indy, did you lick someone in the yard today? Indy, full of big blue eyes and guilelessness: Remember the game we were playing where we were dogs? Me: …yes… Indy: I saw one of my owners, so I had to lick him! Me: ‪*completely loses it, bursts out laughing* I’m still giggling. I eventually managed to look solemn enough to say he shouldn’t…

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funny things with houseguests

September 25, 2015

Woe, our guest has had to return home, but she has left us with many smiles and funny memories. The other night she cleared her plate from the table, then returned to the dining room, where she picked up a napkin and wrung it as she gazed indecisively at our plates. Ted said, in the driest and most certain tone ever, “You’re procrastinating. Go work on your thesis.” She said, “I’m NOT! I’m trying to be a good guest!” Ted said, “I’m married to a writer and you’re procrastinating. Go…

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a friendly moment of panic

September 21, 2015

A friend of ours is visiting and working on her thesis. Early yesterday evening she​ came downstairs with the look of one martyred and suffering nobly for her cause and handed me her phone so that she couldn’t check Twitter or FB while she was supposed to be working on her thesis. Several hours later, just before bedtime, she retrieved the phone and went into her bedroom. Moments later she came back out saying, “Catie? *CATIE*?!” in increasingly alarmed tones. Ted ran out to see what was wrong and she…

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a must-read author

September 6, 2015

A children’s book writer and artist, Chris Judge, lives down the street from my parents. Last year, or the year before, he gave them two of his (quite charming) books for Young Indiana, who is very fond of them. (My parents gave them fudge. When Dad arrived at their house with it, Herself answered the door and said, “Oh! Thank you! We were just discussing what to have for dinner.” :)) I saw on Friday that Chris’s new book, THE SNOW BEAST, had just come out, and I told Indy…

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