Photo Memory of the Week
Posted: 2025 Apr 19
Face Photos from Readers
Thanks to John Whitman for this slightly dismayed face from downtown Ottawa.
This space is available for other submissions.
Tag Archives: Conversations
Was It Something I Said?
“I’ll never forget what you said.” Yikes! It’s been several years since we worked together. Exactly what “I-meant-it-to-be-funny-but-it-came-out-awful” thing had I said? My face goes still, but the small furry creature in my head (Lab rat? Gerbil? Please, please, don’t … Continue reading
Did Hamlet Shop, Do You Suppose?
For years, I couldn’t walk into an antiques store without coming home with some little thing I never knew I always wanted. Ages change, and stages with them. Continue reading
To Boldly Go
“That’ll be three fifty, ma’am.” I hand over a scruffy five-dollar bill for my bag of milk-chocolate mini bars. “Make it so.” The convenience-store attendant’s head snaps up. “Did you just say, ‘Make it so’?”
Say What?
And we’re coming up on the county symmetry, on the left. As we boogie down the highway, our guide is narrating notable bits in our surroundings, as usual, and I am listening oh so carefully, also as usual. OK, my … Continue reading
Posted in Language and Communication, Laughing Frequently, Through Space
Tagged Conversations, Culture, Travel
2 Comments
What We Got Here
What we got here”¦is a failure to communicate. Captain, Road Prison 36 in Cool Hand Luke Another in a set of reflections on our recent trip to New Zealand and Australia. We have lots of kinds of coffee. He shouldn’t … Continue reading
Devoutly To be Wish’d
Dealing with strangers on the phone elicits an array of non-reactions and helpful reactions (Yay!) and suspicious, hostile, downright irritating reactions (Boo!). All that information is on the website. Ouch. It’s not the words, it’s the tone. Biting. Impatient. … Continue reading
Instructor, Instructee
Learning (in part) not to accept responsibility for another’s problem, and not to need to make others happy with me, and to accept my own rightful authority in a job. He asked the same question six times. I was … Continue reading
Degrees of Connection
Blair? I turn, in some surprise. I don’t usually answer to ‘Blair’ but the chatty guy behind me in line has just identified the first name of my nephew-by-marriage. How did two strangers arrive at this point? Thanks for asking.
You Talkin’ to Me?
A tai chi lesson becomes a lesson about learning styles – both in physical activities and in life. Drop your shoulders. I look around. You talkin’ to me? I don’t use my outside voice, but the thought likely shows … Continue reading