Some crazy “wanderer” damaged the Liberty Bell with a hammer. The loonies always ruin everything.

I think the American press is actually more interested in Sophie Rhys-Jones’s comments about the Royal Family than the British are. I mean, I’ve read over what she supposedly said and I pretty much agree with all of it. Tony Blair is very presidential. Cherie Blair is a horrid woman. (An irreverant late-night fake news program portrays her very accurately as an animated frog.) William Hague does look deformed. Nobody would be surprised if Charles married Camilla after the Queen Mum dies. The British don’t care exactly what she said; it’s that she said it at all. The higher your class, the less you talk about yourself. The whole concept of her babbling away to a “sheik” (a disguised tabloid reporter) about sensitive family issues just smacks of the lower classes. As an American, I found this British attitude very difficult to understand at first. Unfortunately I seem to be absorbing it unconsciously… I can’t define the class structure for you, but I can definitely sense when it’s been violated.

I was all set to comment on my new-found respect for Jay Leno (who apparently called Giuliani a “fascist” on TV) but I was diverted by the phrase “National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations” in the story. Isn’t that a bit redundant? Shouldn’t it just be the “National Ethnic Coalition”? I mean, why do they feel they need to specify? As a self-proclaimed Grammar Nazi (Hey! Giuliani and I have something in common!), I have very little patience for bad writing.

Here are three characters… Can you spot the one that’s French? If you guessed the one in the middle, you’re right. (That’s Obiwan and Tigger on top of my computer monitor at work, flanking eMan the crazy-haired Frenchman.)

Joy of joys! Did I mention that I have the BEST boyfriend in the world? While I was running around Chinatown trying to find cabbage, Snookums was tramping around north London with Wee Ben looking for computer parts. I caught up with them in the Trocadero and Snookums handed me a big bag with a present in it: Star Wars: Episode 1 Monopoly! How cool is that? I geeked out big time. So while I was at home, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over my new toy, he put another bag on my lap. It was Mac OSX. He got me OSX! Isn’t he the best? (If an operating system doesn’t sound like a very romantic gift, you’re obviously running Windoze.) I haven’t had time to get it installed yet, what with the egg rolls and all, but I’m hoping to find time early this week. I’ll let you know how it goes…

Korean Feast Update: Well, I couldn’t find the red lettuce, but I got everything else. The worst part was finding “napa cabbage,” which is a very long and leafy green Oriental cabbage. I was sure they had it in Chinatown, but the Chinese of course call it something different. Eventually I found an ancient little shopkeeper lady who was able to point it out to me. Sweet. So now the bulgogi’s in the fridge marinating and all the egg rolls are prepared and ready to fry. Being a domestic goddess is hard work.

In other exciting culinary news, I’m hosting a “Korean Feast” dinner party Monday night as a leaving-do for my friends Kel and BJ. (They’re both leaving London and heading back to the States. *sniff*) Tentatively on the menu: bulgogi (spicy beef), rice, red lettuce, and all the chicken and beef egg rolls the guests can eat. Which reminds me, I need to run to Chinatown for some more supplies. I’d better go while London is still enjoying its weekly quota of one hour of sunlight… 🙂

How excited am I to receive my first order of groceries purchased on the Internet today? VERY. I feel so futuristic. Tesco, don’t let me down!

Artists are funny people. I was just chatting to my sister, who’s readying some sort of exhibit for an art show next week. It involves pigs and neon… and some sort of pitchfork. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation so you can see for yourself:

Amy: hmm. man, i forgot to tell you…my pig mold is destroyed. i can’t make anymore. (i tried to use polyester resin as a medium, and it was old and never hardened. it’s like, impossible to clean out.)
Me: too bad. so you didn’t even get one pig?
Amy: no, i got 2 and a portion of one out of wax. (it broke.) our stuff for the show is due next week, and i already ordered my neon sign. i’m screwed. 🙁
Me: why screwed?
Amy: i wanted 3 to sit below the sign, then another to go on top of this pitchfork i welded. i don’t have any time to re-sculpt the pig and make a new mold.
Me: hmmm… “pitchfork i welded”
Amy: yeah, if i really apply myself, i’m thinking i might have time to sculpt a PIG’S ASS and get a mold made this weekend. then i can pour a few wax ones in time for the show. they can go next to the pigs’ heads. 🙂
Me: what’s, like, the message of this piece?
Amy: i hate school. i hate st. francis. what better way to show it than pigs and asses and a neon sign that says “eat me” ?
Me: hahahaha
Amy: i’m hoping somebody asks me that same question at the show.

Meg found the coolest game on the Internet: Bilbana. I have no idea what that means – it’s Swedish – but you build a scalextrix race track (one of the ones that snap together and have little electric cars that whizz around) and then race against a cockatoo. Yes, a bird. I told you it was cool.