The most profound sayings cannot be ascertained merely be reading.  One must first meditate upon the essence of the words, and feel the meaning arise from the depths of the soul.

Indeed, what is an artichoke?  A thistle, a plant disregarded as a blight in the garden.  Yet beneath that hard, layered armor lies a heart of such exquisite passion and flavor that we must realise it as a symbol of our own search for perfection. 

"You are not the king of artichokes", she says, gently rebuking mankind.  For how can you be?  We all strive and search for ways to penetrate the thick skin and tough exterior of enlightenment, to reach the spiritual heart within.  Someday, 'daddy', you may indeed be the King of Artichokes.  But first, you must travel the path one artichoke scale at a time.

*meditates for happiness and joy on Tad's path to becoming King of the Artichokes*

I believe that surviving the trials and tribulations associated with parenting your two precocious children (thus far), two "wild" dogs, and two kitties who are just plain off qualifiy as the first three steps of your journey. 

Maybe you're already the King of the Marinated Baby Artichokes...?

BTW, all you bay area smarchers should come to Kepler's on monday night, where the great Robert MacNeil will be signing copies of Do You Speak American?, the awesome book/documentary about the language of america.  I, of course, will be bringing my beloved copy of The Story of English as well, simply because that book changed my life.  Until i had read that book, i didnt realise that there was an entire field of study dedicated to my passion. 

I'm also hoping to beg for a copy of the original nine part BBC series that went along with that book.  It's nigh unto impossible to find these days..

I think the real question is what the criteria for the artichoke monarchy is, Is it a constitutional monarchy where the king is a powerless benevolent mercurial figurehead, or is it a bloody rein of tyranny where the King feasts on the Hearts of his people.

Talinthas wrote:

BTW, all you bay area smarchers should come to Kepler's on monday night, where the great Robert MacNeil will be signing copies of Do You Speak American?, the awesome book/documentary about the language of america.  I, of course, will be bringing my beloved copy of The Story of English as well, simply because that book changed my life.  Until i had read that book, i didnt realise that there was an entire field of study dedicated to my passion. 

I'm also hoping to beg for a copy of the original nine part BBC series that went along with that book.  It's nigh unto impossible to find these days..

I would go but I'll be working. As always. Roger Ebert will be at Kepler's on ... I think March 3. My editor has given me the go to interview him and get what I can for a story. I'll be looking forward to that. I dunno how interesting Ebert might be, but he's popular which is why I'll be going. I don't know who you're talking about, but I'll bet he has some more profound and significant things to say than a pop movie critic.

Try for the Prince of Parsley and work your way up?

Kids are cute. Be nice to them. They will be the ones picking your nursing home.

(It's what I always tell my Mom.)

I had the one like little ponies, but they were bigger? With better hair? The tammy wynette of ponies?

I wish Wolfshade hadn't alerted us to the freudian dimensions of Devon's quote.


It's a pity it's in German, since this article is a very entertaining account of a father's capitulation to his daughters plastic-kitsh-cravings. Says the summary (my bumbling translation):
"You may try and endow your kids with beauty, quality, class, or at least with the appropriate genes -- they will always, (always!!) prefer plastic junk."

In my experience, this is painfully true.

*cringes* Yeah. Damn.  You're right. And so it gets even *more* Freudian...

Actually, with today's more edgy toys (and pop culture) it raises the question of how long until we can expect to see boy's "Action Gangsta!" figures and "My Li'l Ho"| for girls.

Oh, god, I really am becoming a sour old grownup.

We don't actually even allow Bratz dolls into our house.  Just what my five year old needs is to learn how to dress super slutty and coat herself in make-up to be socially acceptable.  Grrr.  Those dolls really make me angry.  In an era when I thought that we were getting away from barbie dolls and their stigmas, I find something way worse!!

I didn't even realize My little ponies was still around.  I thought that had died by the mid-eighties...