Subscribe2
Photo Memory of the Week

Music of the Week
Quotes of the Week
Bon mots from a few good women (dames, even, which is a whole other topic):
- When women go wrong, men go right after them. - Mae West
- I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot. - Marilyn Monroe
- If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman. - Margaret Thatcher
Source: Brainy Quotes
After invading southern Greece and receiving the submission of other key city-states, Philip turned his attention to Sparta and asked menacingly whether he should come as friend or foe. The reply was "Neither." Losing patience, he sent the message:
If I invade Laconia, I shall turn you out.
The Spartan ephors again replied with a single word:
If.
Philip proceeded to invade Laconia, devastate much of it, and eject the Spartans from various parts.
Source: Plutarch, via Wikipedia
Me again. Saying "If" in response to some "if/then" statement that you want to be dismissive of is cool, but there are two points:
- It's a better story when the last sentence is left off. That "if" actually happened.
- Today I learned that laconic derives from Laconia, the city-state that Philip invaded.
Posted: Jun 06
Backyard Blog
Tag Archives: Stuff
Another Person’s Treasure
An exercise in recycling; a lesson in tolerance. Continue reading
Stick. String. Nerve. Not.
As a communicator, my default assumption is that a situation gone bad — whether at home or work — is all about the medium selected, the words chosen, the tone used. But the failure here was not one of communication, but of nerve. Continue reading
Life is a Purse
Sitting in an airport holding pen, I look up, disoriented. Have I missed my flight? As panic rises, the thinking part of my brain rouses. Reluctantly. Sluggishly. Continue reading
One Key at a Time
I drop my mystery key back into the catch-all. It could be a sombre warning of all the things I hang onto without reason: the old junk stuffed into basement boxes, the outdated attitudes tucked away on my mind’s shelves. Continue reading