Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 11:43 AM CDT

I think I'd go as Cleopatra. I've always wanted an excuse to wear black liquid eye liner.

The punch wasn't spiked, it was tart.

I don't know about you, but I used the parking lot lines to park my car.

I remember, as a kid, sitting on the middle school steps waiting for my always late mother with my clarinet case in my lap and the teacher on duty impatiently looking up and down the street, tapping her toe and sighing, as if she had better things to do. 9 times to 10, I was the last kid picked up.

I will attempt a drawing.

Who all here has taken a toke before?

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 11:54 AM CDT

6. As a second baseman, often the angle made it expedient to throw sidearm to first base. On the rare occasions I pitched, I sometimes dropped down on the fast ball and delivered the ball Laredo-style, much like the recently-retired David Cone, except he was good.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 2:32 PM CDT

If the punch at the party was spiked, Pope Pius did it. :)

A familiar scene in the Bible would be the prodigal son? Or in this case, the prodigal father?

Morgan inherited the drive to "pirate" other corporations by hostile takeovers.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 3:24 PM CDT

How do you know the punch wasn't spiked????

No token here...possibly a Tolkien, but no token.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 3:25 PM CDT

Makes sense. Nice to know. Thanks for sharing.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 3:27 PM CDT

I would agree with Pope Pius, the naughty, naughty boy.

As to the Bible, think of scenes from the Prologue and Chapter 1...and future writings of Keith.

The link between Morgan and Isaac in this part of the book will be obvious when I point it out to you, and I know you don't wanna be kickin yourself in the behind, so figure it out.

I hope your scrimshaw is on its way...

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 4:40 PM CDT

Keith, do you point your toe when throwing? One of the few times I actually got useful, practical coaching for softball was from a woman on our team who had been to Nationals in college. She broke me and the other female players (mostly) of the habit of throwing sidearm, although I still threw sidearm when playing second base.

When winding up, she told us to point the big toe of our leading foot at whatever we were aiming at. Somehow this helped straighten out the follow-through, or something. We looked goofy, but all us gurrrls could really throw far.

Jeez.

Topic: The Pittsburgh Pirates are not really pirates. Discuss.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 4:46 PM CDT

1. Catwoman, of course
2. if the punch was spiked, my money is on Moses (or Napoleon)
4. does it have anything to do with Isaac hiding in the whale-shaped hedge?
5. I can't believe you actually put your hands on those filthy parking lot lines...do you know what kind of disease you can pick up from them?
6. It's either a penchant for pomade or the favorite term "Cripes!"
7. I'm sure the number of spots is determined by some law or another, and some people, even though they have a permit to park there, prefer to use a regular spot so that someone worse off than them can use the handicapped spot. It does seem that they go overboard with the number of spots at times...

We'll see what I can do about a scrimshaw...drawing with a mouse is not my strong suit.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 4:47 PM CDT

p.s. your scrimshaw must be Isaac's sugar cube smile

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:00 PM CDT

I'll get to other questions eventually...
2. What, exactly, is the point of punch if it doesn't pack a punch? And of course it was Dickie Cregan.
6. Rare and unerring ability to throw sidearm?
7. Speaking as a person who has a handicap tag but almost never actually parks in disabled parking, I always want to leave the spots for the "really" handicapped people if there's another spot reasonably close. Besides, it hurts my ego to need it. Now, as to why there have to be five "New and expectant mother" spots that are always empty, I don't know.
8. My mother was always very late picking me up. The only time I wasn't the last kid at school was when the car was acting up and making obscene noises while blowing black smoke.
Actually, quite often the car wouldn't make it up the little hill before the school, so the teacher would walk me down the street to the car.
When I was about 7, I was off practising my balance on the parking lot lines while waiting, and everyone left. Not only the teachers and principal, even the janitor was gone. And Mom still wasn't there. So, being a somewhat practical child, I decided to walk home. Never seemed that far when we were driving. Mom had fallen asleep, I was just past the school grounds when she found me. Man, was I in trouble, which I thought terribly unfair, since she was the one who was late.
Oh, and then there was the time that the car would only go in reverse, and we had to drive all the way home backwards. Which I thought was really cool.
Soon thereafter, I insisted that they allow me to start riding the bus.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:04 PM CDT

Well, if they're not really pirates, then what are they really???

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:05 PM CDT

Damn woman. You're good. You better be sending in a scrimshaw.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:05 PM CDT

4.I think labsnabys is on to something with the Isaac-Jonah-Whale-Gus link.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:07 PM CDT

You and lab would be correct. It was Issac hiding in the whale.

I believe, however, that I will have to award you DVPs anyway for your incredibly heart wrenching story above. You poor, poor child. Later (my son has a ballgame) I will share my ridiculously pathetic story with you as well. Don't forget to send in your scrimshaw!!!!!

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:08 PM CDT

The rotator cuff of my throwing arm is now hamburger meat, so I wouldn't be one to emulate.

The Pittsburgh Pirates: At one time, they did in fact conduct piratic raids. In those days, even stars like Yogi Berra worked off-season jobs (Yogi worked in a clothing store). When baseball salaries began to skyrocket, the Pirates no longer had need to pirate and were re-classified by the FCC as pirate reenactors though allowed to keep the name.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:19 PM CDT

Ginny,

P.S. You forgot to tell us who you'd go to the costume ball as....

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:36 PM CDT

Hey, if I had known there were points involved, I would have made up a sob story too...er...recounted a harrowing tale of abandonment is what I meant to say. Seriously, my only fears were (a)that someone would make fun of the dorky french horn case I was carrying or (b)that the car would break down on the way TO school and my friends would find out my mother wore her pajamas and fuzzy slippers to drive me to school.
- Labs

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:39 PM CDT

Thanks, sweetheart, I'll add 'em to my collection.

I emailed you my pathetic 'shaw, so I think that only leaves the first and last questions.

1. Scarlett O'Hara. She may be my least favorite literary heroine, but I already have the hoop skirt. And a much better accent than Vivien Leigh.

9.Erm, trivia. Hmm. Ok, who can name (without googling) all of Henry the VIII's wives? Here's a hint: Joan of Arc was not one of them.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 5:42 PM CDT

Oops, got used to mindsay and forgot to sign my name.

lab, I resent the implication that I made up my abandonment story. If I'd made it up, it would have been MUCH sadder. ;oP

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 6:02 PM CDT

I haven't read the book, but I'll answer the questions that I can....

1. Fancy dress... I'd have to go as Mata Hari - just something about dressing in all those floaty scarves - but only if it's Summer time, if it's winter then I'll go with something a little warmer to wear. (I would love to go as Scarlett O'Hara as she is one of my favourite heroines, but that one's taken and I definitely don't have the accent... although I'm very good at "I'll think about that tomorrow!")

2. Punch isn't punch if it isn't spiked so I'd say yes, but 'don't know' as to who-dunnit.

5. I was never allowed to play in parking lots... I wasn't the most observant child (read: dreamy/own world) and my parents figured, correctly, that I'd be likely to get run over. Such a sheltered and restricted childhood I had - sob sob sob.

7. I don't know about the US but here on our isolated island, the law is that for every so many car parks one has to be handicapped. And speaking as someone who has a mother with handicapped parking, she can actually walk - just not too far - and doesn't look disabled, so if she can park close without taking a handicapped spot she will, to avoid the verbal abuse she inevitably gets from people who don't know anything about her. Also, it depends where in the shopping centre that you need to go - sometimes it's closer to park elsewhere.

8. As an only child, my parents never had the opportunity to forget me - and I was constantly supervised... so no trauma of being left alone - although I did sometimes wish for it!!! ;)

Gnomie

ps. I'm definitely going to read this book when it makes its way to my isolated island!!!

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 6:18 PM CDT

Trillian, I was just kidding! I don't doubt your story for a minute. :-D

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 9:12 PM CDT

OOOHHH I am excited to talk about this book...in response to RDD's questions, here are my answers. (in the order the questions were asked, of course.

1. Cinderellla
2. Definately spiked...my guess is everyone tipped a little bit into the bowl
3.I am not Keith, but no, I don't throw sidearm
4....not a clue
5.Not that I remember, but I grew up in the country. We spent most of our time trying to set the corn field on fire by smoking my Mom's Winston cigarettes w/o hurling.
6. Gots to be his aim, and ability to throw sharp objects
7. yes it always boggled my mind.
8. No, I was the most favoritest child of the four of us...okay that isn't exactly true...my sister Leslie was/is still the favorite
9. Hmmm...Where do you think Morgan got the model ship from that sits on his mantel...and do you have a special treasure like that from your childhood that takes up a place of honor in your living room?

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 10:21 PM CDT

Cinderella BEFORE of AFTER the fairy godmother came into the picture?

2. Good answer.

5. Shame on you.

6. Good guess, but not it. Cripes!

7. Thank goodness!

8. No worries. I wasn't the favorite either, but then again, I'm not sure any of us were.

9. Will work on getting the answer to this one for you.

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 10:24 PM CDT

Gnomie,

That's pretty darn good for not having read the book.

The Mata Hari sounds like the way to go. I'm thinking I would go as Baby New Year with a strategically placed diaper...

Thursday, 14 April 2005 - 10:58 PM CDT

Here are my answers to the questions:

Well if it's a yaht club the obvious dress code would be to go as The Professor from Gilligan's Island, or maybe the sailor from The Village People (there was a sailor wasn't there?), or perhaps Bluto....hmm. That would be a sight to see. No, I've never been very good at dressing for costume parties..it's just so stressful and I always want to be the most unique person there...full of anxiety and dread I usually go as myself, and get made fun of.

The punch wasn't really spiked, you see someone had dropped a glass and when they tried to pick it up they cut their hand, and then while disinfecting the wound, they dropped a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the punch...I swear it happens all the time.

If I were Keith I'd say, "I can not confirm or deny if I throw sidearm, but I do ride side saddle."

De bijbel....sorry, I sneezed.

I've never had a use for parking lot lines, I try to not park between them, just to piss them off...the wankers. And the fact that they paved paradise and put up a parking lot, that sucks because I was so looking forward to going to paradise and having a big fruity drink with a sword in it..and an umbrella. Damn parking lots are the real pirates..or maybe ninjas...I guess I shouldn't piss off the parking lot lines because there are usually more of them then me, and they could all gang up and kill me. I swear it happens all the time.

Morgan inherited a large rum plantation in Jamaica from his father...and a sixth toe.

I saw a guy in a wheelchair drive a car and he somehow (before I arrived and saw him) got the chair out, and then got himself into it, and then tried to shut the door of the huge van he just got out of...I think he deserved the parking spot just for being able to do that..and if he was faking it, he went to a lot of trouble and deserved the spot anyway. (I'm being held at gun point by some parking lot lines, handicap parking lot lines that is, and they made me say that.)

I was never left in a parking lot...but I'm sure that my mother who had to tow around five children wanted to leave some of us at one point or other. In fact, come to think of it I think I used to have another brother...what happened to him...

As to the question of what the names were of Henry VIII's wives, I believe they were as follows:
Groucho
Zeppo
Chico
Harpo
Woody
Buck and let's not forget,

Bubba

Friday, 15 April 2005 - 1:34 AM CDT

Might be a good idea to have a strategically place rattle/bottle and teddy bear too!

If I couldn't go as Mata Hari then I'd compromise and go as Jeanie (from the 'I Dream of..' fame!) Okay, I admit it... I just don't like wearing a great deal, but floaty chiffon outfits would manage to maintain a modicum of dignity and modesty - but only just!

I'm enjoying the questions... if the entire book club continues like this then I'll be able to participate and read the book at a later date!

ps My mother is hanging for some reading material of the TSOF variety... how's Art going with the story????

Friday, 15 April 2005 - 8:03 AM CDT

1. bonnie parker
8. Once at the grocery store, dad changed lines without telling me. So I'm talking to him and he's not there. Then I panicked because....I didn't know where he went. To a shorter line!!

Friday, 15 April 2005 - 11:39 AM CDT

Maybe I could add, Moses and his (ecstasy) tablets?

"Cripes" is the strongest curse word that the two fellows share so far, and they seem to be the same ages, Isaac in the prologue and Morgan in Chapter 1. In the prologue, Morgan and Isaac both were natural leaders of their respective groups.

Keith: I would love to see a scrimshaw of Isaac from the prologue, he sounds like a real hottie. ;) And, I thought, the kids in the party would surely think Morgan's dad was the coolest dad EVA.

Friday, 15 April 2005 - 11:40 AM CDT

Gnomie, You can have Scarlett. I'll come as the heroine from one of my favorite true pirate stories, Emmaline Tottington. Hoop skirt still works. Nelson won't post my story... I suspect it's cause he doesn't like the ending. The chick kills the pirate, hijacks the ship and goes back home to Scotland.

I give you fair warning, though. Corsets and fifteen petticoats are rather more binding than floaty chiffon scarves.

Friday, 15 April 2005 - 5:48 PM CDT

Mrs. Malaprop. I woudl be the very pineapple of fashion. Make of that what you will.

Friday, 15 April 2005 - 9:33 PM CDT

I'll probably stick with Mata Hari as I don't have to use an accent for her... I can just give smouldering mysterious looks. (Ha! Ha! Ha! Like I could shut up that long!)

I don't mind the corset and petticoats - but I doubt my waist could get small enough to be Miz Scarlett... I just liked her attitude. One of the first heroine's I ever read that didn't let men rule and manipulate her - she got in first.

Wednesday, 20 April 2005 - 8:49 PM CDT

RDD- Still waiting to hear your abandonment story, darlin.