National Hug Day is rapidly coming upon us. In commemoration of the 2-year anniversary of the study it inspired—“Awkward Hugs: An Investigative Report”—we have something special in store. In the meantime, watch the report here. If you haven’t already seen it, you will be blown away by its truth; if you have, an additional viewing will reinforce its lessons.
“You’re looking at a species of flimsy little two-legged animals with extremely small heads whose name is Man…Very tiny undeveloped brain; comes from primitive planet named Earth. Calls himself ‘Samuel Conrad’. And he will remain here in his cage with the running water and the electricity and the central heat- as long as he lives. Samuel Conrad has found the Twilight Zone.”
-Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone, “People Are Alike All Over” (online here)
Customer 1: Where is the Underdog Café?
Carmen: You're here.
Vanessa: I thought it was over there, that this side was Emporium Wines and that side was the Underdog Café.
Carmen: But isn't it like the border between life and death, which doesn't really exist?
Vanessa: Interesting! I've always thought of it as a Venn diagram.
Carmen: Oh, so there's an overlap?
Vanessa: Right. You can exist within the border. But if you go far enough toward one side (or the other), you can exist wholly in one (or the other).
Customer 2: I don't mean to interrupt this philosophical discussion, but can I get a muffin?
Carmen: Will it be traveling? To the café?
Vanessa: Crossing the border? Does it need a visa?
shameless self-promotion department
Picasa Web Albums - Vanessa Query - Yellow Springs - 2/09: Ellis Pond & Polecat Rd
…an effort to capture a living moment in a certain place- the place of Yellow Springs- by paying close attention to the things that often go unnoticed in daily living.
Raccoon attack
Tonight on my way home from work I was charged by a raccoon.
It was in an unlit walkway between two streets and some shops (King’s Yard for those of you familiar with Yellow Springs, Ohio), and I sat the silouette of two creatures. I paused and took a step toward them, thinking them cats, which I love and always try to seduce. The one in the back I think was a cat. The one closer to me was not a cat. I saw this immediately and before I could do anything it came at me, running full speed toward my feet, making a noise like a small dog wrenching and writhing a small child.
I kind of yelled. Did I mention it was dark, and that it was a narrow footpath so I had nowhere to run and I probably would have tripped and then I would have really been in trouble? I had a baguette in my hand, not for me, I’m gluten intolerant but I was bringing it to this family I know. I swung the baguette and it whacked the raccoon in the face. It was tossed kind of behind me to the edge of the footpath, and I looked back at it assuming it would come at me again. It didn’t, so I walked quickly away.
I brought the bread to the family’s house, left them a note saying they might want to cut off the ends (I didn’t remember which end), and also that I wouldn’t be camping in their yard as I had intended because tonight I was terrified of raccoons (which also frequent their yard), and making a comment about how gluten isn’t all bad for me, it saved my life or at least my ankles.
