Geranium Pepper by Fresh, like the flower that gives it a big blowsy kick of nothing special, is sunny, cute, dumb. Like a Golden Retriever, it really, really wants to be your friend, whether you're a writer not interested enough to go on about the neither here nor there of it, or a poet who exactly nails how the flower (and this scent) are good for nothing other than being better than nothing. The Geranium When I put her out, once, by the garbage pail, She looked so limp and bedraggled, So foolish and trusting, like a sick poodle, Or a wizened aster in late September, I brought her back in again For a new routine-- Vitamins, water, and whatever Sustenance seemed sensible At the time: she'd lived So long on gin, bobbie pins, half-smoked cigars, dead beer, Her shriveled petals falling On the faded carpet, the stale impotence aids teak grease stuck to her fuzzy leaves. (Dried-out, she creaked like a tulip.) The things she endured!-- The dumb dames shrieking half the night Or the two of us, alone, both seedy, Me breathing booze at her, She leaning out of her pot toward the window. Near the end, she seemed almost to hear me-- And that was scary-- So when that snuffling cretin of a maid Threw her, pot and all, into the trash-can, I said nothing. But I sacked the presumptuous hag the next week, I was that lonely. --Theodore Roethke

And the booger problem appears to be solved. I go down to the Bay most mornings to see what's up. Last week, early on the morning of that very full moon, it was NOT the tide. Even at low tide, Coffee Pot Bayou is a lovely place to sit and reflect, stretch, read or hum to oneself. Assuming the Manatee Shrieker is not there. That's what we call this woman who hangs over the edge of the seawall talking baby talk to the manatees. Non-stop, high pitched gibberish. She suffers under the illusion that they are coming to see her when in fact, they are coming to the fresh water drain off that empties into the bayou right at that spot. When they slurp against the wall she says nonsense like, "I wub you too! You my little pretty girl! A kiss for me! Oh, tank you, you widdle wovey thing." One morning she was busy pointing out to some tourists (I'm not one of those, thank you very much) that the "mommy was hugging her babies" when I was pretty sure it was a bull trying to mess around with the ladies at the wall. But what do I know? The other day I came within a short swift kick of accidentally knocking her in; Rich restrained me in the nick of time. He said, "She's benign." He's so much nicer than I am. She needs a Bichon Bleu de Gascogne or something. So, provided she's not there, I enjoy that time in the early morning. The small green heron is always there. I put him up as my sidebar picture while I'm check emails ere in Florida.

If you're feeling fed-up from a rough week at work and are looking to let off some steam, you might want to visit Friction.tv , a new video sharing site out of the UK that is positioned as a forum for topical debates. Ostensibly "an online platform for user generated news and opinion," it actually amounts to a platform for people mortgage lead lists ith extreme points of view on a given topic can egg each other on. Opinionated citizens spark a new debate by posting a video op-ed piece and site visitors join in the debate by posting video responses or text comments. Check out this gem in which a British radio personality argues in favor of global warming (possibly/probably with tongue-in-cheek, but still) -- this video has prompted 70+ responses (mostly anonymous, interestingly enough, and some quite serious.) [ Feed and email readers click through to watch - all others, if you don't see the video controls, click on the still to activate them .] I'm all for conversation and love the idea of a platform that spurs genuine consumer-to-consumer debate, but I wonder if a site that seemingly caters to the crazies (or nutters, as they say in the UK) does more to hurt the mainstream perception of consumer generated media than to help it. What do you think? I'd especially love to hear from my British readers. Or if you're feeling particularly ornery, feel free to start a debate at Friction.tv and post the link in the comments here. :-) [via PSFK and Urban Junkies ]

If you're feeling fed-up from a rough week at work and are looking manhunt login o let off some steam, you might want to visit Friction.tv , a new video sharing site out of the UK that is positioned as a forum for topical debates. Ostensibly "an online platform for user generated news and opinion," it actually amounts to a platform for people with extreme points of view on a given topic can egg each other on. Opinionated citizens spark a new debate by posting a video op-ed piece and site visitors join in the debate by posting video responses or text comments. Check out this gem in which a British radio personality argues in favor of global warming (possibly/probably with tongue-in-cheek, but still) -- this video has prompted 70+ responses (mostly anonymous, interestingly enough, and some quite serious.) [ Feed and email readers click through to watch - all others, if you don't see the video controls, click on the still to activate them .] I'm all for conversation and love the idea of a platform that spurs genuine consumer-to-consumer debate, but I wonder if a site that seemingly caters to the crazies (or nutters, as they say in the UK) does more to hurt the mainstream perception of consumer generated media than to help it. What do you think? I'd especially love to hear from my British readers. Or if you're feeling particularly ornery, feel free to start a debate at Friction.tv and post the link in the comments here. :-) [via PSFK and Urban Junkies ]

And the booger breast lift surgery roblem appears to be solved. I go down to the Bay most mornings to see what's up. Last week, early on the morning of that very full moon, it was NOT the tide. Even at low tide, Coffee Pot Bayou is a lovely place to sit and reflect, stretch, read or hum to oneself. Assuming the Manatee Shrieker is not there. That's what we call this woman who hangs over the edge of the seawall talking baby talk to the manatees. Non-stop, high pitched gibberish. She suffers under the illusion that they are coming to see her when in fact, they are coming to the fresh water drain off that empties into the bayou right at that spot. When they slurp against the wall she says nonsense like, "I wub you too! You my little pretty girl! A kiss for me! Oh, tank you, you widdle wovey thing." One morning she was busy pointing out to some tourists (I'm not one of those, thank you very much) that the "mommy was hugging her babies" when I was pretty sure it was a bull trying to mess around with the ladies at the wall. But what do I know? The other day I came within a short swift kick of accidentally knocking her in; Rich restrained me in the nick of time. He said, "She's benign." He's so much nicer than I am. She needs a Bichon Bleu de Gascogne or something. So, provided she's not there, I enjoy that time in the early morning. The small green heron is always there. I put him up as my sidebar picture while I'm here in Florida.

If you're feeling fed-up from a rough week at work and are looking to let off some steam, you might want to visit Friction.tv , a new video sharing site out of the UK that is positioned as a forum for topical debates. Ostensibly "an online platform for user generated news and opinion," it actually amounts to a platform for people with extreme points of view on a given topic can egg each other on. Opinionated citizens spark a new debate by posting a video op-ed piece and site visitors join in the debate by posting video responses or text comments. Check out this gem in which a British radio personality argues in favor of global warming (possibly/probably with tongue-in-cheek, but still) -- this video has prompted 70+ responses (mostly anonymous, interestingly enough, and some quite serious.) [ Feed and email readers click through to watch - all others, if you don't see the video controls, click on the still to activate them .] I'm all for conversation and love the idea register name f a platform that spurs genuine consumer-to-consumer debate, but I wonder if a site that seemingly caters to the crazies (or nutters, as they say in the UK) does more to hurt the mainstream perception of consumer generated media than to help it. What do you think? I'd especially love to hear from my British readers. Or if you're feeling particularly ornery, feel free to start a debate at Friction.tv and post the link in the comments here. :-) [via PSFK and Urban Junkies ]