This just in: Today was a bit surreal. What do I mean? Let me tell you a couple of wee true stories.

1) Just after my break at work I arrived back at my desk to see an IM from my husband which stated: “I had a parrot put a quarter on my shoe ”
As you can imagine, I blinked a few times before replying: ???

Him: parrot
Him: quarter
Him: shoe
Him:

The conversation went on rather in this same vein (read: like pulling teeth) until I finally got some of the story out of him. He told me: “I was standing in line to order food, and a parrot on the ground walked over with a quarter in her mouth and put it on my shoe.”

No, he wasn’t at Long John Silver’s. I asked. Nor did he say thank you to the kind bird…as he was trying to order and not laugh. I also managed to glean the fact that the clerk didn’t even mention the parrot. (Common occurrence at this non-pirate related eatery?) The parrot had come along with some guy or other…who I suppose didn’t care if it was wandering about distributing quarters. And what became of said quarter? My dear hubby put it back on the ground, and the parrot picked it up and walked away.

I feel a new family term coming on to add to the glossary. Perhaps bizarre occurrences may now be referred to in this manner: “Yes, but did a parrot put a quarter on your shoe?”

I’ll have to think on it. But this is only one story from today.

2) Before my morning meeting, I received an email…requesting the use of one of my poems for a podcast. O.O

As you may imagine, I stared a the computer in disbelief and read the email a couple of times. Then I came over all: Hey! Someone likes my poem!

Apparently they found it on SoundCloud. I knew I liked that site.

This is the poem in question:
This is not a proper poem by themusecalliope

After my meeting, I downloaded the most recent episode of the podcast. It’s called: The Jackass-Penguin Show’s Jazzy Selections, “A down-to-earth compact selection of instrumental jazzy tracks by independent artists.” (If you like the modern jazzy sound, you should give it a listen.)

So…I said yes.

Eep.

2a) Apparently my little sister was on the news this last weekend? She was doing a run to support a women’s shelter. My sister is cool. That much is at least not strange.

Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
It’s been quite the long year
So I deserve tea.

*bows* Thank you.

For a more proper birthday song, I offer you this video from a man who always claimed to be the age I am now.

Take it away, Jack!

You know those memes that attempt to show your particular linguistic variations? Yeah. This is like that, but you can actually hear it (if you want to).

The Pronounciation Meme by themusecalliope

Behold! A MEME THINGY:

Your name and/or username: Calliope/Celticangel
Where you’re from: Sacramento, CA
The following words: Aunt, Roof, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting Image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught, Orange, Coffee, direction, naturally, aluminium and herbs
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house? T-Ping
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called? Soda
What do you call gym shoes? Sneakers
What do you say to address a group of people? Y’all
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs? Daddy Long-legs
What do you call your grandparents? Nana/Grandpa, Grammy/Grandpa
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket? Shopping Cart
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining? Sun shower
What is the thing you change the TV channel with? The remote.

“Mr. Tudball (Tim Conway) is looking for a secretary, but his wife (Vicki Lawrence) doesn’t like any candidates until Wanda Wiggins (Carol Burnett) shows up. This is the raw recording of the sketch, filled with bloopers and wild lines from the cast.”

Anyway, here is the 30 Second Bunnified version of Star Wars (A New Hope/Episode 4/etc.). Make sure to take note of Princess Leia’s “haredo.”

Over this past weekend, Koshvader and I went on a nice little road trip. We went as far south as SLO, stopped at and photographed two missions, visited Hearst Castle, found a squirrel tame enough to stand on my shoe, got stuck behind several very slow people on Highway 1, photographed a Surrey with the fringe on top, saw a bunch of illegal fireworks from a distance, and even went to two beaches without actually setting foot on the beach.

And what else did we do?

We invented a new game.

I’m sure that many of you are familiar with the game known as “Slug Bug,” especially since Volkswagen has started putting a modified version of it in their commercials. For those few of you who have not yet encountered it, “Slug Bug” basically involves seeing a VW Bug before the other person playing the game (most often played while in a car for the record) and then hitting the other person (who did not see it first) and saying “Slug Bug.”

Well, out this way there are far less Bugs than there used to be, both classic and modern. What are there a whole bunch of these days?

Mustangs!

And thus, my friends, the game called “‘Stang Bang” was invented. Basically, it has the same rules as “Slug Bug.” (Except for the one memorable “‘Stang Elbow” incident. If I may just say…ow!) The only thing that we have specified is that you can’t just keep hitting each other due to repeatedly passing the same darn car as you go down the road. That is just plain cheating, and therefore naughty.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and play! (Within reason, mind. Use your good judgment and don’t come crying to me if you get into a wreck. I have the smallest violin in the world and I’m not afraid to play it.)

(Merriam-Webster) adj. having shapely buttocks.

Okay. Why do I love this word so much? Well…because my nickname is Calliope. (Yes. And my new girly jeans are very flattering to the posterior. giggle)