Continuing the children's education in American comedy ...

Have I ever mentioned I like waterfowl?

O, who is enamored with the poetry of Shel Silverstein, asked me to read "The Meehoo with and Exactlywatt"* (from Light in the Attic, scroll down for complete text) while we were snuggling up for a catnap. This cracks him up, so I told him he needed to see "Who's on First." We watched this version later in the afternoon, after getting home from the library. This totally cracked him up.



Reading: Plays for the play festival for which I am reading.
Hoping before sleep to get to the chapter on "completion" in Fearless Creating by Eric Maisel. I like this book a lot, and I have been using it piecemeal for many years. It is kind of an Artist's Way without the spiritual element. And, no, it is not at all ironic that I have been meaning to read this chapter for more than a week.

Writing: I talked more about writing than I did it. Brunch and conversation with longtime writer friends Catherine and Lee and discussion of producing a reading or suchlike event. Then this evening going to the second installment of a storytelling series called Cleveland Talks at the  Bottlehouse. Tonight's theme was about health and healing, and my friend Lynda, a doctor and a writer, shared a nicely edited version of an essay she wrote about the death of a patient. I had thought several times in the weeks leading up to this of putting myself on the list of storytellers. I wish that I had. Alas. Lesson noted, if not learned.

Dinner: I needed something simple to make in a hurry, and thought of making risi e bisi (Italian rice and peas), but lacking the bisi I just made cheesy risi and a side of lemony buttery Brussels Sprouts. Brugesi cheesy risi.

Soundtrack: O and I were rocking the P-funk on the way to the library.

I did not watch the Grammy's, but for today's love song ... in keeping with my O dominated afternoon and in honor of Akron's own Black Keys, who I understand did well this evening, here's a live version of "You're the One":



Random thing: This morning I saw Canada geese walking on the ice of the pond in Rockefeller Park, and then on the west side, I saw a huge white birch tree with branches full of chattering starlings silhouetted against the blue sky.

*The Meehoo with an Exactlywatt

Knock knock!
     Who's there? 
Me! 
     Me who?
That's right! 
     What's right?
Meehoo!
     That's what I want to know!
What's what you want to know? 
     Me, who? 
Yes, exactly!
     Exactly what?
Yes, I have an Exactlywatt on a chain! 
     Exactly what on a chain?
Yes!
     Yes what?
No, Exactlywatt!
     That's what I want to know!
I told you - Exactlywatt!
     Exactly what?
Yes!
     Yes what?
Yes, it's with me!
     What's with you?
Exactlywatt - that's what's with me.
     Me who?
Yes!
     Go away!
Knock knock...

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