My Legendary Black Thumb

I have always warned people: DO NOT GIVE ME PLANTS, I KILL EVERYTHING. And no one believes me, so now, here's the proof.  THIS is the fate that awaits greenery unlucky enough to find its way into my care.  I CAN KILL BAMBOO.

Go ahead and do a search on these beauties. You'll find all three touted as "Impossible to Kill" and "Hearty Houseplants for Beginners." So, clearly, I'm a professional. I CAN KILL BAMBOO.

The Power of the "Like" button

There's a new Frontline documentary that is a must-see for parents of teens: Generation Like.  Created by the same filmmaker who produced "The Merchants of Cool," this latest film is a fascinating report on the power of social media, and how this new generation invests so much of their self-worth on the affirmation they receive from the hits, "Likes", re-tweets, and shares their online posts generate.

Lost Something?

Tony, Tony
Look around!
Something's lost
And can't be found!

Works. Every. Time.

If you'd prefer a more traditional prayer, you could try this Novena to St. Anthony:

St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find [name of item] which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose al things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God.

But, for the record, the short version works, too!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you two crazy kids, but...

Watching House Hunters International on HGTV: a young, unmarried couple in a long-distance relationship decides to move to Uruguay and live together for the first time. They've never lived on the same continent before, never been to South America, and neither one speaks Spanish.  They can't agree on their budget, their basic wish list for an apartment, or anything else beyond wanting "an outdoor space."  It's like watching a horror movie where the cocky captain of the football team is heading down the dark basement stairs to investigate that strange noise, and his flashlight won't work, but he thinks he sees someone down there so he presses on, asking, "Is anyone there?" THIS WILL NOT END WELL, is what I'm saying.