Owen has tomorrow off of school and I have a parent-teacher conference for him.

If anyone is interested ina great memoir from the Great Depressuion era - I found, King of the Hill, fascintaing.

Did I mention here that I bought E books yesterday? The ones I gave him last night "When I am angry" (due to last weekend's violence and continued anger issues this past week) and "The Gas We Pass: the story of farts". He of course loved the second, but surpriosing even me, asked for me to read the first one twice. He really really is grasping for tools to use - it is really encouraging to watch.

The recycling coordinator did a waste audit at my building last week: [link]

I haven't heard the sound on the report, but I'm pretty sure the reporter doesn't mention the condoms...

My grandparents were farmers in MN during the Depression. Their life savings was in an old winter coat. When the house burned down, my grandfather infuriated my grandmother by asking if she'd saved the coat. She was like your children!! HOUSE.BURNED.DOWN. Who cares about the coat!!

Luckily, she'd been storing winter clothes in the old chicken coop (where they lived until they could rebuild.)

Nice visit with my brother last night. He was a bit nervous but psyching himself up for today.

This weekend's This American Life has a bunch of Studs Terkel interviews that were originally broadcast in 1971 about the Great Depression and whatnot. It's pretty incredible. If for no other reason, and I realize this is kind of stupid, but it's hard to remember and really "get" what my grandparents have seen and lived through.

I heard part of that, and I couldn't help wondering if they ran those interviews to prep us for a new Depression for a new era, or if they were trying to remind us that as bad as things are, they could be worse.

Or, if I weren't so cynical, I would have thought like Jesse did and appreciated the POV on what my grandparents lived through.

"The Gas We Pass: the story of farts".

I've given that as a gift to more than one family member.

He really really is grasping for tools to use - it is really encouraging to watch.

That's great.

I heard part of that, and I couldn't help wondering if they ran those interviews to prep us for a new Depression for a new era, or if they were trying to remind us that as bad as things are, they could be worse.

Oh, both, neither, all of it. I'm guessing there is only so much Terkel stuff that was recorded for public radio that they had immediate access to, and that was it.

I'm guessing there is only so much Terkel stuff that was recorded for public radio that they had immediate access to, and that was it.

Ah! I hadn't even thought of that. Good point.

"The Gas We Pass: the story of farts".

Is that as good as "Everybody Poops"?

Same author, tommyrot.

When sophie gets angry-really really angry by molly Bang is really good, too,msbelle.

eta: [link]

The New York Times profiles Nate Silver!