The BBC is funny

Ah, the BBC and it's parody of news.

On a story about match-fixing in football. The interviewee explains that betting occurs not just on goals-scored and victories but also things life balls out of bounds, offsides, corner kicks. So match-fixing occurs even at these more micro levels.

So the BBC interviewer asks for the obvious question (if you're partially lobotomised): "But governments can regulate the betting markets so they can make this stop, isn't that right?"

And here I thought the issue was match-fixing. Silly me.

Atlanta opera

That's the one with the funny singing; not the club.

And it is magnificent! 

This was my first time there, having purchased season tickets, with high expectations. And they were met and surpassed. 

I should mention that I saw the Tosca. It was my first time seeing it live, and has been on my to do list since I was a little girl. I mean, this is the opera where the tragic heroine jumps off the Castel Sant'Angelo to her dramatic and devastating death. Who doesn't want to see that live? 

It certainly helps that the music is breathtaking. 

Opening night brought a crowd of silk lapels and evening gowns; a discerning and enthusiastic audience; a flawless resident orchestra;  a soprano seemingly born to sing Tosca and Cavaradossi as I always imagined him. 

Thank you Atlanta!

Leaving the workforce

We always talk about women having the right to choose a career or full-time motherhood. We do not talk nearly enough about this same choice for men.

Ok, that's slightly different from what comes next, but it is something that truly bothers me and I wanted to state it here. Because the context of this post is the right one. I just read Lisa Endlich Heffernan's Why I Regret Being a Stay At Home Mom.

Her points are realistic and considering these does not make you selfish or unconcerned (again: nobody questions fathers choosing to stay in the workforce).

Her poignant conclusion:

I lowered my sights for myself as I dimmed in my own mind what I thought I was capable of. I let go of the burning ambition I once held because I didn't feel as though I could hold it and three babies at the same time. My husband did not do this, my children did not do this, I did this. In the years that I was home, I lulled myself into thinking that I was accomplishing enough because I was. I was raising my children and as any parent who had spent a day with a child knows, that can fill all of the hours in a day. What I hadn't realized was how my constant focus on my family would result in my aspirations for myself slipping away. And despite it being obvious, I did not focus on the inevitable obsolescence that my job as mom held.

A couple other points that stood out:

During the years at home with my children, I made the most wonderful friends, women I hope to know all of my life. But living in the suburbs among women of shockingly similar backgrounds, interests and aspirations narrowed the scope of people with whom I interacted. In the workplace, my contacts and friends included both genders and people of every description, and I was better for it.

And

I got my driver's license after a short course and a couple of lessons in 11th grade. My post-secondary education took six years of hard work and yet, for years, I used my drivers license far more than my formal education. On one level, I felt like I was shortchanging myself and those who educated, trained and believed in me by doing this.

New Month's Resolution

I shall no longer say I am busy, or have been so busy.

Pizza: it's not what you think

Conversation held last night between the guy at Fellini Pizzeria taking my order - let's call him Filbert - and me*.
*Note: in my head this was all friendly banter; G later told me I was being rude and obnoxious. So I may never return there. Again. 

Me: A large margherita please and 2 Peroni

Filbert: Excuse me? What kind of pizza?

Me: A larghe margherita.

Filbert:.... *look of confusion*

Me: You know. Just a pizza.

Filbert: Oh ok. I thought you said margherita. We don't have that.

Me: Of course you do.

Filbert: No we don't.

Me: What do you put on a pizza with no toppings?

Filbert: Mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce.

Me (slapping counter top with my palm): Margherita!

Filbert ignores me and puts in the order. Rightly so.

Me: So when you serve a margherita, what are you serving?

Filbert: Spinach, garlic,...

and I missed the rest, for obvious reasons.

In Cubaaaaa

violent leaders who you're afraid of
there's nothing you can do
Now you're in Cuba
a worldwide leader in executions
and child prostitution
let's hear it for Cuba

Culture comes in all shapes and sizes

From NASCAR

To Dutch Masters