Día de las copas rotas

My friend Carol just sent me an email inviting me to a Día de los Muertos party that will be on Nov. 8th – a week after its official date (Nov. 1st). Except I am not allowed to touch her wine glasses.

I’ve been looking forward to this because I plan to make a nicho (miniature shrine) for my dog Silke, who died in May. Carol picked up the tradition when she lived in Denver. She invites people and their kids over to make refrigerator magnet nichos, supplying beads, sequins, trim, glue, etc.  (Rest of the story here. New - Carol's POV added 11/02/03.)

10:14:18 PM      trackback [] 

Fear of seashells

I just found a blog with “daily writing exercises to free the imagination.” It’s written by a writer/writing prof. The start of today’s post:

Last night, I had the folks in my writing class reveal their most irrational fears. Here's the best one I heard: fear of having seashells in the house.

Her assignment: Write about your own irrational fears.

Fear of libel?

How about the fear of being sued for libel for posting an opinion on your blog, or for the opinions other people post to your comments? Atrios received such a threatening letter from the lawyers of Donald Luskin, a columnist for the right-wing National Review Online. See the links at Eschaton to 44 bloggers, even some right-wingers, who wrote to denounce Luskin and support Atrios. (By the way, Atrios is anonymous and the lawsuit threatens to “out” him, or her or them.)

My favorite post on this is The Poor Man’s parody of the lawyer’s letter (see also his older post on the Victoria Plame affair):

October 29, 2003

 

“Atrios”

Author and Publisher of “Eschaton” Weblog

 

Dear "Atrios",

 

This firm represents Gollum, formerly Smeagol of Middle Earth. You recently stole the precious. Such an action constitutes tricksyness in the first degree, and we hates you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jeffrey J. Upton

2:16:42 PM      trackback []