Hoofed and behooved
August 6, 2010
This afternoon, I suddenly got to wondering how a word that looks like it would mean “possessing hooves” came to mean “be a good idea.” Is it because in ancient times before cars were invented, it was a good thing to have hooves, whether they were your own or those of an animal that was carrying or pulling you around? To one way or another have hooves would be advantageous. With the passage of time, did the original meaning get bastardized and generalized until “it would behoove you to” generically came to stand for “it would be a good idea if you”?
Such was my train of thought this afternoon as I pedaled home from work on my round, rubber hooves. I was also relieved that I had topic for tonight’s blog entry other than trying to make how I found half-price Birkenstocks at Marshall’s for my five-toed hooves sound interesting. Well, maybe this isn’t that much more interesting …
The behoove etymology study began at Online Etymology Dictionary.
behoove. O.E. behofian “to have need of,” verbal form of the ancient compound word represented by behoof.
behoof. c.1200, “use, benefit, advantage;” O.E. had bihoflic “useful,” implying *bihof “advantage, utility;” from P.Gmc. *bihafjan (cf. O.Fris. bihof, Du. behoef, M.H.G. bihuof, Ger. behuf “benefit, use, advantage”). In the common Germanic compound, the first element is cognate with be- and the second with O.E. hof, past tense of hebban “to raise” (see heave). The original sense is perhaps, then, “taking up (for oneself).”
hoof. O.E. hof, from P.Gmc. *khofaz (cf. O.Fris. hof, Dan. hov, Du. hoef, Ger. Huf “hof”), from PIE *kopos (cf. Skt. saphah “hoof”). For spelling, see hood. Sense of “to walk” (hoof it) is first attested 1641; “to dance” is 1921 Amer.Eng. (in hoofer).
A quarter in college of Chaucer in Old English does not qualify me as an expert, but I see “O.E. ‘hof’” in both entries. Does my idea have legs?
Also, show horses often have their hooves painted beforehand to make them look nice. In other words, to give them a winning advantage in the ring. It behooves them to have painted hooves.
hoof. “… corresponds to a nail or claw” (Merriam-Webster).
As a woman, does it behoove me to paint my hooves? Does it give me a winning advantage with the opposite sex? I think it’s a little overrated, myself, yet I kowtow to societal pressure and engage in this little bit of primping. This is a new shade, and in the store it looked like it would be quite a bit darker than it is. And these are my newest hoof shoes, the aforementioned Birkenstocks.
Of course I know what I’ve said is completely ridiculous. I’m just having fun.
Collection: produce stickers
August 4, 2010
I never meant to end up with a collection of stickers from my fruits and vegetables. It happened accidentally. It probably started when I was unpacking after a trip to the store and realized, hey, look at all these different stickers, I think I’ll stick them on my cupboard door.
Each sticker comes from an item that I myself consumed. The only exceptions are a couple of banana stickers that my mom brought me and one sticker from something that someone had at the office; I can’t even remember what it was, only that it was organic and that on the day I couldn’t resist grabbing the sticker, even though I knew that was cheating. There are also no duplicates.
I have thoughts of discontinuing the collection. But until I take down the old stickers, I will continue to add new stickers.
August 1, 2010
A microcosm of my neighborhood
July 22, 2010
It would be easy to answer the question ???what do you use every day???? with the obvious answer of ???eyeglasses??? or ???computer??? or ???toilet.??? But a more un-obvious answer is this crosswalk at Cedar Avenue and what would be 5th Street if 5th Street went all the way through. And on either side of the crossing are bars that represent the diversity of the neighborhood.
You will recall from my post a couple of days ago I mentioned that the majority in the neighborhood is African immigrants. There are also some southeast Asians. But in this case by diversity, I???m talking about the white Americans in the area, which borders two different university campuses. We whites range from 20-something college students to aging nuts-and-love hippies. I fall in the middle of that spectrum. I spent many years in college but I am no longer 20-something or even close to it, and neither my parents nor I were ever hippies, though I do remember making daisy crowns as a child.
In the morning when I use the crosswalk, I get a minute or two to study the hippy and drunk neighborhood institution, Palmer???s Bar. Palmer???s is referred to, at times even lovingly, as a dive. I???ve never actually been inside. When I pass it in the morning on my way to work, I do occasionally see people making a beeline for the door. Whether they are employees or patrons, I couldn???t say, other than to note that I never seem to same people twice. Other than that one woman. But she did not appear to be on her way to work.
In the afternoon, I pass by Nomad World Pub. This place I have spent a few dollars in. They have a good beer list and, as I now recall, this is where I first saw Romantica, as they were the band-in-residence for a few Thursdays a couple of summers ago. This is where the college kids hang out and play bocci ball. This is the bar that hired in a giant screen tv to their parking lot for the important (read: USA and finals) World Cup matches. On summer nights when I have my windows open, I am quite able to hear the live music, because they leave their back door open. Also, they use to have an animated rabbit graphic on their web page. Unlike Palmer???s, I often see the same man hanging around the Nomad and I take him to be the owner.
Recently, the crosswalk was upgraded. It always had the lights and the button to trigger the right-of-way. But now it speaks. It says, ???Wait ??? ??? ??? wait ??? ??? ??? wait ??? ??? ?????? When you push the button for the walk light???which seems like it takes FOREVER to change???it then says in a reassuring male voice, ???Cedar Avenue. Walk light is on to cross . . . . . Cedar Avenue. Walk light is on to cross . . . . . ?????
Unless it is before 8:30am when traffic is heavier, I don???t usually push the button, I just jaywalk, or jaybike as it were. In the afternoon I???m on the side of the road I need, so I don???t use the right-of way (the Nomad-looking photo of the crossing was staged, I confess), though I do use the wheelchair ramp to the sidewalk, being on wheels myself. About?? half the time I have to excuse a pedestrian out of my way.
Yep, you never knew a crosswalk could be so interesting, did you?
Apple-flavored Kool-Aid
June 17, 2010
Despite my best effort, I do not have an iPhone 4 pre-ordered or even merely reserved. Why? Because Apple??AT&T decided to discriminate against people who, for whatever reasons, only have a debit card and not a credit card.
My own story is that I had personal bankruptcy effective December 31, 2004. I have found it surprisingly easy to lead a cash-based existence. I suppose that???s in part because banks for a long time have given you VISA debit cards, so I can pretend that I have a ???charge??? card, even though it comes (relatively) right out of my checking account.
That was all fine and dandy until yesterday, Day of the iPhone 4 Pre-Order. Yesterday, Day of the iPhone 4 Pre-Order, was the first time I have ever run into a SNAFU because my card is debit not credit.
At lunchtime, I made my way over to the downtown AT&T store because that was most convenient. I drank the Apple Kool-Aid a long time ago, as I believe I have mentioned previously, and would have preferred checking in at one of their stores, but as it was a non-weekend workday, I made do with what was available.
I can???t blame anybody but myself for this lack of fulfillment. I arrived at the AT&T store where the line-managing concierge made a frequent point of mentioning that debit cards would not be accepted and that if that was all you had, you should save yourself some agony and turn back now. I smugly watched three people ahead of me in the line of nine bail. I am an experienced Apple line-waiter. I stayed.
Oh, and I also answered to at least two passersby who wondered what the line was for, that AT&T was giving away a million dollars but that they should keep it on the down-low.
Yeah, then reality set in.
My turn with a CSR came and I had an enjoyable fifteen minutes with Zach while he waited for the overloaded AT&T and Apple systems to process each screen of information. Then came the Moment of Doom. I realized that my card was debit not credit.
It???s not that I???m dumb. I know the charges come right out of my checking account. But I???ve never been denied, because the card with the VISA logo, etc., is supposed to work “everywhere VISA is accepted.??? Right. Apparently not in Cupertino, California??AT&Tland.
The official line is that in previous pre-order situations, people were confused because a ???hold??? is placed on the total $$, though (as usual) the account activity doesn???t occur until the purchase is shipped. People less smart than I did not comprehend that it was not an actual duplicate removal of funds. Apple??AT&T decided not to deal with the questions this time around.
Freakin??? awesome.
I tried to be interested in picking up something for lunch on the way back to the office, then decided I???d see what would happen if I tried pre-ordering online at the Apple website. The first two attempts failed. The third attempt denied me for some reason other than my debit card, because I never got so far as being asked to enter the number. But what it did ask me was whether I wanted to ???reserve??? one at a store to pick up on the Day of Release. YES, PLEASE.
I then got a friendly web page that said something to the effect of ???thank you, your iPhone will be ready for you to pick up.??? There was no subsequent email confirmation. I was nervous that I had any kind of deal.
In the evening I saw the headline informing the world that AT&T stores had sold out of their allotted pre-orders. Skepticism crept closer.
This morning I tried the Apple site again and saw that instead of ???Ships: Arrives on June 24th??? it said ???Ships: By July 2nd.??? After lunch it said ???Ships: By July 14th.??? What?
Then I saw the headline that over 600,000 iPhone 4s had been pre-ordered. Whoa! Panic!
I called the store where I thought I might have an iPhone 4 on reserve. Nope, they didn???t have me on their list and, of course, I couldn???t be added.
My main motivation for wanting to acquire an iPhone 4 on the day of its release is because I???m leaving for ten days in London the next day, and my current iPhone 1 (bless its Edge network soul) is beat up and cracked, and water seeped into those cracks a few weeks ago and caused the top half of the touch screen to no longer work. Although I have gotten quite adept at creatively rotating the thing to accomplish tasks, there are some important actions that I can???t do, such as dial a phone number with the keypad.
So it???s down to this. I will draw on my line-waiting experience at an Apple Store around dawn on June 24th and hope for the best. If the iPhone 4 stock has been depleted by the time it???s my turn, I will instead get the $99 iPhone 3GS and figure out the rest (with regard to contracts and upgrade prices) later. I really want to take something that is fully functional in every way with me on my trip.
A thing of the past: remember pay phones?
June 5, 2010
From my office???s kitchen window, I look down on two relics from the past???public pay phones. I can???t remember the last time I used a pay phone. No, wait, I can. I was in a pub in West Drayton, London, UK (in about 2000, before Stu moved to Newcastle) and wanted to phone someone I was trying to meet up with. Though it???s true I had had a couple of beers, I remember that the concept of adding money as necessary during your conversation flummoxed me and I lacked the necessary multitasking skills.
But here in the good old U S of A, I can???t remember. Heaven knows I was not an early adopter of the cell phone, but now that I am completely portable and it???s 2010, I can???t believe that everybody doesn???t have one. Or that they wouldn???t be walking with someone who had one.
So I am always fascinated when I see someone down there using one of those babies. I think I always assume that they???re a drug dealer who doesn???t want to be traceable, or some other nefarious type.
These pictured are at Hennepin and 4th Avenues. The only other blue pay phone that I used to see was at the corner of Blaisdell Avenue and 28th Street. I thought that one had been removed because it was well-known to be a favorite of evil-doers, but in this??Street View??I see a phone book dangling which implies that there is still a telephone.
I also have to share with you this oldie???the indoor phone booth. This is in a corner of Rostamo’s Bar where I like to sing karaoke, which I???ve been going to for a few years. It was only a few months ago that I noticed it, already relieved of its device.
Don???t connect the dots
June 5, 2010
I remember my disbelief a few years ago when my coworker Pam enlightened me to the true identity of all those black spots on sidewalks. I had never really thought about it before, and it took some time and more walks for me to accept it as the truth. They are all discarded wads of gum.
It???s bad enough that people throw their cigarettes butts anywhere-ever (something I was guilty of myself when I used to smoke), but at least those can be swept up and made to disappear. Gum spit out is the gift that keeps on giving.
Now that you know, take a look around. Sure they???re everywhere, but isn???t the increased volume in areas where people queue disgusting? Just notice the next time you???re out and about. Bus stops, nightclub entrances, all befouled.
There???s just one word for it.
Bridge to Augsburgithia
June 2, 2010
All day long, I was trying to think of someplace to explore where I hadn???t been before, which would make me feel uncomfortable being there, and which was conveniently located due to my feeling that I never have enough time. I realized that if it were conveniently located, it would be unlikely to make me feel uncomfortable because convenience would mean it was somewhere between home and work.
If I had had more ambition, I thought it would be interesting to go to a Mexican restaurant in a Latino neighborhood. I had two years of Spanish in junior high and can get the gist of a conversation and pronounce menu items correctly. When I go to Chicago, I always listen to the Spanish language radio stations in the car. Going to a Mexican restaurant would be uncomfortable but would have a delicious payout. Today was a lazy day.
By the time I left work, I had instead convinced myself that Pizza Luc?? would be the perfect supper, no discomfort necessary. In addition to whole pies, they sell by the slice and each day feature different meat and veggie selections. The only question was whether to go to the one a couple of block from my office or the one a few blocks from my home. I chose home.
The Seward Neighborhood Pizza Luc?? is about a half mile further. To get to it, I have to cross I-94 and then travel a few blocks on a busy street. I rode on the sidewalk going and resolved to take the side street between the freeway and the busy street on the way back.
I picked up my slices and headed to the side street. Trouble was, it was one-way in the opposite direction that I needed to go. Maybe it makes me sappy, but as a bicyclist I do follow the rules of the road 98% of the time. I don???t blow through red lights and I come to a complete stop at stop signs even when no one???s there. I prefer not to ride on the sidewalk (though I will), and riding the wrong way just isn???t right.
So I paused at the corner, debating which was the lesser of the two evils, sidewalk or wrong way. I just happened to look the other way and spied the solution to my dilemma???a pedestrian bridge over the interstate. And it fulfilled another need, to explore someplace new.
I???d never even realized it was there. It???s just to the east of 22nd Avenue and crosses to Augsburg College. There was nothing uncomfortable about it, though as I stood still to take the pictures, it was disconcerting to feel the vibrations caused by the traffic hurtling past underneath. I???d never been in the part of Augsburg where it came out. I found myself at a little town square type park and another one-way street going in the opposite direction. This time I only had to go one block against the grain so I said screw it, yet it that short distance I had to dodge two cars and one pedestrian.
I got home and enjoyed some tasty pizza.
The cockpit of my life
May 22, 2010
There you have it. This is where my life happens. From this one chair, I waste time at the computer and I waste time watching television. ???Happens??? might imply a bit too much proaction on my part. From this one chair, my life passes before my very eyes in the form of RGB pixels.
This would be an appropriate time to make one of my periodic declarations that I???m on the verge of canceling my cable tv subscription. We all know that will never happen. It???s not because I???m too lazy to get shows online or join NetFlix. No, it???s because the Comcast machine makes it really easy from a financial standpoint to stay. The last time I attempted to leave, I was informed/coerced that if I unbundled, the price of my internet service would go up and that I???d be saving less than $15 per month. One could stand on principle and go ahead and cancel. I caved. The internet doesn???t help either. Unlike the television, I don???t see spending time with it to be as much of a waste, thought it certainly does chew up time. I got this chair, this comfy chair, from IKEA. I had previously sat a cast-off old desk chair from my office, but because of the amount of time I spend sitting in this one location doing both computer and television, I decided I wanted a better one. It was only about $80, but it???s a whole lot more comfortable than my fancy desk chair at the office which I know they paid over $200 for. Oh, and the cushion for a little extra lower back support? That???s the bottom pillow from the cat bed I got for my sweeties a couple of years ago. I didn???t really understand its purpose in its original application. So this is the location from which I conduct a large part of my life. On a typical night I would be writing my blog entry from there; tonight I am in a hotel room in Schaumburg, Illinois, where I will be bowling in a tournament tomorrow. It???s a little strange, because due to not having packed any long pants, such as sweat pants for lounging, and having the air conditioning on at full blast because it???s very humid outside and will be warm tomorrow, I was cold, so I pulled the comforter off the bed and wrapped myself in it while sitting in the desk chair with my feet up in a second chair. At home, I never wrap up in a blanket because I can just add more clothing layers. Here, burritoed as I am, all I can think of is how movie characters wrap themselves in a sheet or blanket when they get out of bed after sex. That???s my mental image, but it turns out it???s a really cozy, comfortable setup. But I digress.Message in a bottle, yeah
May 15, 2010
As I recall, I only ever did this one time in my life when I was pretty young. I think it was in the little stream that goes through the Indiana University campus where we summered when I was little. I loved that stream, and a message in a bottle seems like something I would have done there.
Today, I was working with a much larger canvas???the Mississippi River. My office is only a few blocks from it and I met Tori for lunch at the sushi restaurant Origami in the same general direction, so I declared to my coworkers that I was taking a long lunch and set out.
I didn???t actually have a bottle so I had commandeered a small plastic jar that previously housed colored toothpicks. (We photoshoot quite a bit of food preparation at work so we actually have a pretty well-stocked pantry.) My note read:
“I am a member of a web site http://tweaktoday.com, which has daily missions for its members. Today I am sending a message in a bottle.??I dropped this jar in the Mississippi River at the Hennepin Avenue Bridge in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, on May 14, 2010. Its first obstacles will have been the Upper and Lower St. Anthony Falls and U.S. Lock & Dam #1. If it made it through all that without being destroyed, please do me a favor: surf to http://tweaktoday.com/missions_accomplished/2010/5/14 and let me know that you found it.”
I printed it on bright yellow paper so that maybe the jar would be more noticeable in the water and perhaps thus be more likely to provoke interest should someone see it along shore. Then just because, I also included a little plastic alien. Cracker Jack it isn???t, but I was trying to do what I could to promote a response by the finder.
As it turns out, the St. Anthony Falls and Lock and Dam were not the first obstacles my little jar encountered. I biked over to Origami and as I sped around the corner from Hennepin Avenue onto Washington Avenue, the jar flew out of my shorts pocket into the road. I screeched to a halt (well, you know, as much as screeching is necessary when you were only going 12 or 13 mph to begin with) and parked my bike on the sidewalk. Trafffic on Washington was still stopped for the red light, but turning left right behind me from Hennepin was a city bus. I dashed into the road and snatched the jar back from what certainly would have been a flattening with just moments to spare. I oriented it the other way in my pocket and went on to have an enjoyable lunch.
Once at the river after lunch, it took me a few minutes to find the perfect spot from which to launch the jar. I first went to a place where steps take you right down to the water, but I quickly determined that I wouldn???t be able to throw the jar far enough to get it into water that was moving forward in a decisive manner and that it would probably just bounce along the bank for not very far. I took the photo and concluded that I had to go onto the Hennepin Avenue Bridge (in the background) and drop the jar from there.
A few minutes later I was in place about a third of the way along the bridge. I was paranoid about getting ticketed for littering, so I waited about five minutes until the gap between pedestrians was large enough that I felt I could make my pitch without anybody being very sure about what I had done or being so interested that they felt the need to stop and chat about it.
In hindsight, I should have gone further toward the middle of the bridge. The jar caught the current, but it looked like its trajectory was going to take it into the Lock and Dam to the right in the photo (more hazardous) rather than more toward the middle to the Falls (more natural). Hopefully it will make the pass through the lock with a little pleasure boat rather than a freighter. And I really hope somebody finds the jar and picks it up and responds, preferably from out of town or, better yet, out of state.
My mailbox ??? it balances out
May 11, 2010
Such a thrilling topic. It???s not. The significant thing about my mailboxes through the residences is that most have ended up being the one that contained the master lock for the mail carrier. I???m happy to help out, but a lot of times it means that my missives get squished because the panel has to be able to be closed back up, and my Saturday grocery flyer is in the way. On the other hand, as a result of not having had any credit cards for a number of years, at least half the time I don???t have any mail at all. Overall, I can???t complain.
Kelly’s Unnecessary Blog 