When I moved to Memphis, I had no idea that the city was famous for barbecue. But then again, I moved here from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and we liked to pretend there was no life north of the beach. In the 22 years that I’ve been here, I’ve had lots of Memphis ‘que to taste and develop opinions about. Because we Memphians certainly are opinionated about our barbecue. Wet vs. dry? Corky’s or Neely’s? Is it the food at the Rendezvous or just the atmosphere?
In honor of the 2008 Memphis Barbecue Fest (which, errm…according to the Memphis in May web site, is actually called “World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.” Locals just throw “Fest” on to the end of every MIM event, don’t we?), here is this week’s Friday Five:
- What’s your favorite BBQ?
- Who’s got the best sides? (beans, slaw, dessert)
- At home, do you make your own sauce or buy bottled?
- What’s your favorite BBQ Fest memory?
- What are your BBQ Fest plans for this year?
Leave your responses in the comments. My answers after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
Laughter…they say it’s the best medicine. But when was the last time you laughed out loud?
Jon Stewart makes me laugh out loud. I think Craig Ferguson is the funniest thing in late-night TV. There’s always a few good lines on House that make me snicker. The “Diversity Training” episode of The Office was possibly one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen on television.
There’s a hilarious chapter called “The Wisdom Tooth” in Augusten Burroughs’ book Possible Side Effects where Burroughs and his partner go on vacation and stay at an inn owned by a doll collector. They find it creepy and make plans to take the pants off all the dolls during the night. Or pop their heads off and stick them on stakes lining the front walk.
McSweeney’s lists make me laugh. I especially liked Text Messages That Would Have Been Helpful: ”hey just wnted 2 give the heads up, CC on way w 3 shps, want 2 colonize u. dont giv n unless u think casinos r gr8. txt me back”
Funny is David Sedaris, Juno, Jen Lancaster’s self-deprecating books.
What doesn’t make me laugh: bathroom humor, Adam Sandler, that Borat guy. I don’t get British humor. And I don’t think inappropriate automatically equals funny. Like South Park. Well except for that one episode where they lampoon Scientology and Tom Cruise. “Daaaad, Tom Cruise locked himself in my closet and he won’t come out.” “Mr. Cruise? Mr. Cruise? You need to come out of the closet.”
What’s the last thing that you read, saw or heard that made you laugh out loud?
Just like every other mom who is trying to juggle multiple lives and still keep track of what the heck is going on with the last days of school, I am getting inundated this week with notes and pleas for help, hot dog buns and special things needed at school each day. I try to keep track, I really do. Though today feels like a big fat failure. (Warning: Whining ahead.)
Not only did I wake up in a cold sweat, having forgotten to do something I said I would for a neighbor before work, but I flogged Tomas all morning, hurrying him into his school’s “dress uniform,” which involves a button-down shirt and coat and tie. No, I wasn’t very patient. I guess I was such a shrew that on his way down stairs he apologized for having to ask for help. Gawd.
And to top it off, we get to school, and the day for the dress-up, coat/tie uniform thing is TOMORROW.
Anyone else having this kind of day? How do you stop beating yourself up and just move on? Advice welcome.
Did you hear? They’re bringing back The Electric Company. Not the original, with Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno. No, I don’t believe kids today would be adequately entertained by that. I imagine this revisited version will have more flashy content. For shorter attention spans. I wonder if Joan Rivers will reprise her narration of THE ADVENTURES OF LETTERMAN! Faster than a rolling O, Stronger than a silent E, Able to leap capital T in a single bound!
I have a lot of great memories of The Electric Company, not to mention Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Sesame Street. Of course we watched them; there were only four channels. I was part of the original Sesame Street generation; the show debuted in November 1969, just as I was turning 3 years old. I was their target audience, and part of their broadcast experiment: Can we teach children to read with *gasp* television?? The answer was an unequivocal YES. Read the rest of this entry »
As always, Mother’s Day is a mixed blessing for me: I’m grateful beyond words for the fact that I’ve joined this Mom’s Club (photo to come later today), while I miss my own mother like a pain. In my column Sunday, I realized — as many of you already know (see comments below) – how much Mom’s cooking made a difference for us, and how much I treasure the hot-pink recipe cards she wrote for me.
Also, in case you missed it, Tom Friedman’s column yesterday was a terrific tribute.
So, how did you spend your Mother’s Day? What’s the best Mother’s Day gift you ever got?
