May 31, 2008

Bee on TV

Well, the 2008 Scripps National Bee is over, and it's time to comment on the TV coverage. I would guess it's only been about 15 years since the Bee was first televised, and we used to have to track it down on ESPN 2, in the afternoon. In the last three to five years, they started televising the early rounds on regular ol' ESPN, and the finals in primetime on ABC. This has resulted in some interesting changes to the coverage of the Bee. Outtakes show up on SportsCenter, sports guys interview the spellers during breaks, and this year, Tom Bergeron of Dancing with the Stars and America's Funniest Videos was on hand to anchor the broadcast. I'm not entirely sure how all this coverage affects the kids, but I did a little TV photography to help share my impressions of the Bee.This is Justin Song. He sounded, I kid you not, just exactly like Keanu Reeves, circa Bill & Ted's. It was driving the judges nuts, because one of their duties is to ascertain whether or not the spellers are correctly hearing/pronouncing the words. He was a bit hard to understand, but he sounded just like a normal kid from San Diego. I was pretty sad when he was eliminated.
I was fond of this girl, as she bears a slight resemblance to me in my youth. She did not have a poker face, and would look this thrilled whenever she knew how to correctly spell a word. Here we see an excellent example of ESPN's coverage. They do a nice job of providing the correct spelling, along with the part of speech and definition. I only wish they'd add the language of origin, and put the word up a little slower. They used to give Sista Cool and I enough time to try to spell the word before it flashed up on the screen.Perhaps one of the better examples of why 5th-8th grade students really shouldn't be on national television. Jahnavi had to do something wacky whenever she was featured.
You'll be glad to know the ESPN's graphic folks work hard to keep us on top of the results. I'm not entirely sure the gender breakdown is entirely necessary. For your ethnic breakdown, it was one WASP and two Indian-Americans.And here we have our winner, Sameer. An excellent speller, competing in his 4th Bee, he participated in the funniest moment of the Bee, when he misheard the word "numnah" as "numbnut," and repeated it as such with much surprise and shock. He seemed like a great kid.
So, that's my wrap-up of the Bee. I love it. Watch it next year!

May 30, 2008

Happy Things

It just took me about three hours to get online, so hopefully I can finish and post this. I don't want to whine about how painful that "timed out" screen was, or how sadly addicted I must be to spend that much time trying to get on the Internet. No, I want to talk about two things making me happy this Friday.


#1: The Scripps National Spelling Bee
I loved competing in spelling bees when I was young (you already knew I was a nerd), and I have loved watching the national bee ever since ESPN started televising it. Sista Cool and I have especially fond memories of watching and trying to spell the word before it popped up on the screen. I'm watching the semis right now, and enjoying this year's nerdy kids, and Dr. Bailey's smooth pronunciation. The finals are on ABC tonight, so if you don't have plans, tune in. The spelling bee is riveting television. If you can't watch it tonight, rent Spellbound, a fantastic documentary about the world of spelling bee champs. Tomorrow, I'll have a longer post dedicated to the Bee on TV.

#2: My Sanctuary
This spring Mr. Cool helped me create a desk/crafting area in the closet of our guest room. I spray-painted an old black file cabinet purple this week, and the space is making me happy. I love its organizational features, and most of all, the fact that it is mine. I highly recommend peg board.

May 27, 2008

My Plans for Tomorrow

I have just learned to crochet. I have just bought a new craft book. By the end of today, all my household chores will be done. Tomorrow, I plan to create something from this fabulous book:
Inside are patterns for knights, spartans, trojans, amazons, and a Medusa. I only hope my limited crochet skills are up to the task. I think I'm starting with the knight.

In between, I need to catch up on the election--apparently, Obama has made some more gaffes. Maybe I should throw on some CSPAN while I crochet.

May 26, 2008

I Can't Help Myself--Movie Quote Contest!

I’ve seen this on many a blog, and as I enjoy the start of my break, I thought I’d share a few quotes from my comfort movies. Leave your answers in the comments! Do I need to offer prizes?


1. “You know what I would do if I had a million dollars? I would invest half of it in low risk mutual funds and then take the other half over to my friend Asadulah who works in securities...”

2. “Shaun! I read your story. You used a lot of big words. Great! Good for you! It was a little long, so I didn't read the whole thing, but who cares 'cause I gave you an A!”

3. “I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly...”

4. “I like Mass better in Latin. It's nicer when you don't know what they're saying.”

5. “Then you should know now at KNOW things are a lot like they are at NOW, we have to interview every applicant for every job, and so do you or you'd be going against NOW's definition of discrimination and you wouldn't want the readers of NOW or KNOW to know that, now would you?”

6. “I got a question. If you guys know so much about women, how come you're here at like the Gas 'n' Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?”

7. “Well, I remember Mel Gibson accurately, and he didn't say that. That Polonius guy did.”

8. “See, now's the time of the meal when you start getting the McStomach ache. You start getting the McTummy. You get the McGurgles in there. You get the McBrick, then you get the McStomach ache. Right now I've got some McGas that's rockin'. My arms... I feel like I've got some McSweats goin'. My arms got the McTwitches going in here from all the sugar that's going in my body right now. I'm feeling a little McCrazy.”

9. “That's ludicrous - The great state of Vermont will not apologize for its cheese!”

10. “ He helped Joshua fight the battle of Jericho, he helped Daniel get out the lion's den, he helped Gilligan get off the island.”

Baby Name Newsflash

I'm finally done with school, so expect a blizzard of posts today. (Well, this will probably be #2. I guess two snowflakes wouldn't count as a blizzard. Sue me.)

So, a few weeks ago, I saw the top 2007 baby names--I am, perhaps not surprisingly, related to three guys who bear Top 10 names--Jacob (#1 since 1999), Michael (still #2), and Matthew. Way to be popular, guys! Shockingly, I only know one girl with a Top 10 name (Hannah is, I think, #7), but Elizabeth is rounding out the Top 10, and I know multiple ladies with that lovely name for a middle name.

I have always thought about names a lot, in the stories I write, and as I prepare for having the great responsibility of naming my children (great power=great responsibility). When I was younger, I planned to name a daughter Caledonia or Rhiannon (yes, I liked Fleetwood Mac), and a son James Matthew (Anne of Green Gables named her first son that in Anne's House of Dreams). I've moved past those names, and many have been permanently ruined for me by students. (So long Josh, Justin, Jeremy, Shelby, Cala, Paul, Tyler . . .) Next year I'll apparently have a girl named Diamond and a girl named Magic. I just hope they are in the same class.

Mr. Cool and I have agreed on a set of four names--two for girls, two for boys. We're not planning to have four kids, we just like to be prepared for any possible set of two. As our second string boy's name is Strider Alexander, I felt this was written for me.

Any name thoughts, readers? Names ruined for you, wacky names you'd love to give your kids, etcetera, etcetera?

Ketchup

A while ago I asked for some positive knitting vibes, and if you sent any, they worked! (If you didn't, that's cool.) I managed to knit a prayer shawl for Sista Cool, to help her with her IV Chapter Camp. Amazingly, i finished it in a week, and I think she likes it. (You can never tell.)
Also, I had to share a great branding tradition picture--we always cook a giant roast for the main dish in the branding feast, and here we see Mama Cool demonstrating how short people get it done! (Yes, she's kneeling on the counter to have correct roast carving leverage.)

May 25, 2008

Happy Anniversary, Mr. Cool!

Six wonderful years! Pictures of the Cools together are hard to find, but as Mr. Cool once again mowed the lawn on our anniversary, I offer his handiwork from last year. I Heart U too!