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January 12, 2005 12:11 PM- poets die young?

It's true. I didn't sum up 2004. This is likely due to the fact that January really isn't the beginning of a new year for me. For some odd reason, I always like the Chinese New Year and think of years in terms of the animal spirit that is in the driver's seat. We get no animals, no pagentry with our New Year's . . nothing but champagne (which frankly, I'd rather have gingerale if it's a fizzy drink I'm after), cheap toot-y horns and discontented souls searching for meaning. But aside from the Chinese New Year, I would say a new year begins for me in September. Due to the excessive amount of time I've spent in academia, no doubt---

However, having said all that---- I love beginnings and fresh starts as much as the next recovering addict American and am slowly waking up to the fact that we are now in 2005. Yesterday I came across this article via kottke. The following are the ones that will stay with me most:

19. The collective noun for rhinos is "crash".
Sure. I should already know this, but I didn't and now I do and I like these tidbits of info I will never have cause to use.

61. Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London, has got solar panels fitted on the roof of his Cricklewood home.
I can't wait until the big celebs start following this trend and then I'll be so cool . . .

63. Just one in a hundred workers goes to the pub for their lunch, according to a study. The same proportion spend lunch having sex.
Yes but how many workers have sex in a pub at lunch? Tell me what I really want to know.

73. Ducks have regional accents. London ducks shout out a rough quack to be heard above the urban din; those in the West Country make a quieter, softer sound.
I love this one. No explanations. Just love it. It may be my favorite thing I learned all year. Quite possibly.

85. Poets die young... "On average, poets lived 62 years, playwrights 63 years, novelists 66 years and non-fiction writers lived 68 years," according to California State University's James Kaufman.
So here I was all chagrined that my first book coming out next June is non-fiction when I should be thrilled! Do you think my life insurance company will lower my rate if I tell them I'm not a poet?

86. You can see the back of your own head in some parts of the universe as time and light are so curved. The universe is neither flat, nor football shaped - it looks like a flat-sided trumpet, German physicists believe.
Okay. This kind of thing will be with me for days and days--- I will be sitting in a chair staring into space and T will walk by and ask, "what are you thinking about?" And I'll be all "mmm, how the universe is kindof like a flat-sided trumpet." And he'll go, "A trumpet or a coronet?" The brat.

94. A cruise ship can put more than 130,000 litres of sewage into the sea each day.
Like I needed another reason to never take a cruise?

got 2 cents?



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stephanie says:
Hmmm. Good to know about the ducks.
posted on: January 12

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lizardek says:
Like I needed another reason to never swim in the ocean again. ICK
posted on: January 12

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bp says:
oh thanks gatsby-- that DID make me feel slightly better about the world . . . I should be good to go now until the next time I read about wind turbines chewing up eagles and red-tailed hawks . . .
posted on: January 12

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gatsby says:
ug. thanks for that. why can't the dolphins step up here a bit? dolphin soup kitchens.
posted on: January 12

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Meg says:
It is SO good to be informed of the important things in life. What would we do without you BP? *hugs*
posted on: January 12

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violetismycolor says:
the raw sewage thing just grosses me out...makes you want to swim in that big ole' ocean, don't it?
posted on: January 12

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Erica says:
Chinese New Year is infinitely better -- all the tasty round foods, the presents, the dragons! American New Year gets Dick Clark. No contest.
posted on: January 12

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Margaret says:
Tres interessant, BP. Je suis heureuse aussi de ne pas etre poete.
posted on: January 13

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Marilyn says:
I believe ducks have regional accents. I'll bet the ones who live in the pond right below our balcony are totally quacking in a West Indian accent (but I wonder if they can 'suck their teeth' in disgust, which is the mark of a true West Indian...you know, since they don't have any teeth...) And, hey pal, thanks for #94. Bet you really wanna run your hands through that jar of sand now, huh? :)
posted on: January 13

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bp says:
Erica-- that's exactly what I meant about the Chinese New Year-- thanks for supplying the details--- Marilyn--ducks who suck their teeth in disgust!! Mwahhhhh.
posted on: January 13

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suzanna danna says:
thanks for stopping by and i appreciate your 2 cents and even more... the howling... loved that i think Amy got me confused with someone else and posted my link, but thanks for the information anyway. if i'm ever in boston or manchester, i'll know where to go.
posted on: January 13

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