I'm thinking about... fear

So after reading The Dairi Burger's latest post about a book I may have read in childhood (judging from my slightly fearful reaction when I saw the cover, I believe I may have read it and repressed it, lol), I am thinking about things that scared me as a kid in terms of TV/books/movies/etc.

While this stews, and it's stewing a lot -- I have SO MANY things I could write about, I'm opening it up to you. What kinds of TV/books/movies scared you as a kid? It could be scared as in, omg, that's so creepy cool, or omg, I will never sleep again, whatever you want! I can't wait to write about this, but I need some time to put it together, and this week is not good for time!

Two from London

I'm still getting back in the groove, and have tons of work to do for next week.

But check these two out!




It says No Smoking, but too bad, we are smoking. Smoking hot! (Groan)



Hal took this one and I love it.

Some (but not all) Paris Pictures

DITL, March 14, 2009 ---- These are unedited, guys! I will get to it. It's all I can do to stay awake right now!! :)

Some pictures from Paris.





Good Morning, Arch.







We see you, tower. We're coming for you...







Taking pictures of yourself is HARD.

After the tower, we head to the Musee d'Orsay. Being hungry, we went for what was easy -- lunch at the Museum's cafe.



Goat cheese with honey. See that diet coke? Cost me 4.50 Euro. Yikes.





Van Gogh's bedroom!







A view of the museum through a window on the upper floor.







Hal had an entire conversation in ITALIAN with the people who took this picture for us. He has been learning Italian all year because we are going to Italy in May. I was proud of him.







We headed to San Chappelle, a beautiful and very old church.







Across the way from San Chappelle is:







We toured Notre Dame and then went across the street for a Crepe.







Then back to Notre Dame for mass. (We are Catholic.)







Then dinner.







I had a Croque-Madame, while Hal had a Croque-Monsieur (which was the same except his didn't have an egg). Afterward, we took the Chunnel back to our little room in London.







Where we enjoyed some sandwiches we picked up at the corner grocery.







All in all, an exhausting but successful day!

London

Well, I leave for London soon!

The last time I was in London, it was almost exactly 6 years ago. We flew home on March 20, 2003, the day the war started. I went with my friends Emily and Andrea, and we made sure to know where the Embassy was in case we wouldn't be able to get home. :)

That crazy, wild, Spring Break London trip is seared in my memory. The guy in our hostel room passing out wearing only a tshirt and socks. Spilling pineapple juice in my HAIR the first night in town (I may have been a little over-served -- this was the first night that I discovered beer and I did NOT get along) -- ewww, sticky, crunchy hair. Meeting boys from around Europe and spending lots of time with some Germans and some Spaniards. Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in a London pub (The Rat and Parrot) -- singing a Russian drinking song surrounded by people from all sorts of different countries. Enjoying a beautiful day in Strattford. Hanging out with Keith, who I was there, in part, to visit (at least for the first weekend).

I love London. I can't wait to get there and show Hal the city.

I also can't wait to see Paris. We think we're going to attend mass at Notre Dame, and I'm SO EXCITED about it. :)

Don't worry, I will be sure to tell you ALL ABOUT it when I get home! :)

Greek to Me

It is a fact of family history that my brother Donnie would constantly and without any guilt lie to my brother Stephen.

There are many instances of this. Enough that I could make several blog posts out of the lies. He did this for personal gain as well as for personal mirth.

Today's episode of "Lies My Brother Told Me" comes from a moment of personal mirth, including the embarrassment of the younger brother.

In our town, there opened a Greek restaurant. The restaurant, playing off of the pithy phrase, was named "Greek to Me."

Simple, correct?

No so.

Donnie somehow managed to convince Stephen that the restaurant was actually named "Greek Tome" (Pronounced toe-may').

That seems ridiculous. I understand that it seems ridiculous.

But Donnie, as a liar, was not content to have Stephen believe that the store name itself something nonsensical.

No, Donnie is much more crafty than that.

So he created a simple explanation.

"Tome," Donnie told Stephen, "is the Greek word for 'food.'"

Brilliant!

Now, something interesting happened when Donnie would lie to Stephen. Stephen would BELIEVE him. Hook, line, and sinker, defending the lie to everyone who challenged it.

"It is not Greek Tome," my father tried to tell him. "It's Greek to Me!"

"No, it's not," Stephen would retort. "Tome is the Greek word for food!"

Finally, after trying endlessly to convince Stephen that the store was not, in fact, called Greek Tome, Dad resorted to desperate measures.

He marched Stephen into Greek To Me and made him ask the people behind the counter (who were bewildered) what the name of the restaurant was.

"Greek to Me," they replied.

"You mean to tell me," Dad said to them. "That it is not Greek Tome, with Tome being the Greek word for food?"

The people there cracked up. "No," they responded.

Donnie's lie busted, we returned to daily life.

And still call Greek to Me, Greek Tome.