All posts by Dona

Rupert Bear’s open letter to Google

Blogging, Humor, Rant, , , ,

I’ve been busy trying to learn how to make PDF files accessible, so I’ve recruited a guest blogger today. He’s in a foul mood though… Sorry about that.

He wanted send a message to Google about today’s Google Doodle.

I give you, Rupert the Bear.

Dear Google,

This morning when I logged onto my computer home page I couldn’t help but notice that you are paying homage to Paddington Bear on the anniversary of his 50th year. While I don’t mean to take away from Paddington’s celebrations, I must admit to feeling a little left out. Only three years ago I celebrated my 85th anniversary, and did anyone at Google make me a Google Doodle? Nope. Not even a sketch. I mean, 85 is awfully old for a bear.

You may or may not know, but Paddington and I have a long-time rivalry. Here in the States, where I’m now staying with Dona and her family, no one knows who I am. Everyone thinks I’m Paddington. They don’t even know I was around first!

Dona tried a website about my adventures, but the rhyming scheme just got too much for her.

But I digress.  Google, I’m fully expecting that in the year 2020, on 8 November, you will dedicate a Google Doodle to me for my 100th anniversary. I even made one for you, so you don’t have to do any work. Just put it on your Google calendar. Or send yourself a Gmail.

Sincerely,

Rupert Bear
Formally of Nutwood.

PS I’m not that other bear either — the one that cannot spell and who lives in the Hundred Acre Woods.

British Humor

Humor, , ,

I thought I liked British Humor, but recently I’ve begun to wonder if I do, or really ever did.

I began watching Monty Python’s Flying Circus as a junior or senior in high school and found it highly enjoyable. I adored Fawlty Towers — the character of Basil still makes me giggle when I think of his antics. “Don’t mention the War!” can induce fits of laughter if I’m in the right mood. I liked Pauline Collins and John Alderton in No, Honestly, mostly because Ms Collins was so darned cute. More recently, I’ve enjoyed The Office and Extras, both starring Ricky Gervais, but didn’t like Coupling.

Continue reading British Humor →

Fiestaware, Ted the Cow, Coke and me

Dreams, , , , ,

So last night I had a Dan Bern dream. I was watching TV on a big screen television that was attached to the wall. I think I was at my parents’ house, but it wasn’t really my parents’ house. A commercial came on the television and in the middle of the screen was a book with talking line-drawn characters. I recognized them as Ted the Cow-type drawings, but now that I look at the book, what I saw in my dream was not Ted the Cow-type drawings. Anyway, two of the line-drawn characters started to sing a well-known Dan Bern song (don’t know which one it was but my dad said something disparaging about those “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”1 lyrics) and I immediately ran to the store and bought a new shirt.

While the salesperson was ringing up my purchase (an oversized pink, lavender and aqua button-down denim shirt2) she asked what I wanted to drink — it came with the shirt, so I said a Coke. Then she said that the Coke had some strange powder3 in it and was probably contaminated, and showed me the front pocket of the shirt. Sure enough, something fizzy4 and white was floating in the Coke filled pocket of the shirt. She sent for a new shirt, but it was not the same color. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to buy it, but since it came with free Fiestaware, I figured I’d get it and donate the shirt.

On the way out I mentioned that my favorite singer, Dan Bern, liked Fiestaware6, but didn’t expect them to know who Dan Bern was. Turned out they did because he owned the shop.

—–

[1] This really happened once — but I was listening to Beethoven at the time.
[2] I recently found two oversized denim shirts and wasn’t sure if I should keep them or not. They are both blue though.
[3] I mis-read a mis-read comment on a bulletin board and confused Coke (as in Coca Cola) with coke (as in cocaine) and had to re-read it. Weird it would pop up in a dream.
[4] Last night my daughter had fun with suds and the kitchen counter and floor and walls were covered in soap bubbles. Before I went to sleep I worried about who was going to clean it up, since my daughter didn’t seem willing.5
[5] Dean cleaned it up.
[6] I don’t know if Dan Bern even likes Fiestaware — but he does live in New Mexico.