Joyeux Bastille Day!

For now, these are my Bastille Day earrings. Next year, I will have guillotines. Oh yes, it will be done.

I heard of guillotine earrings after my college roommate, whose family was living in Germany at the time, brought me a magazine with an article all about the French Bicentennial festivities in 1989. Guillotine earrings were a thing during the Revolution. So ever since 1989, I've been wanting some. They've been the Holy Grail of my earring collection.

When another friend was heading to France for a summer study abroad program in 1990, I asked her to bring me back a pair if she saw them. She went into every jewelry store she passed asking, "Avez-vous des boucles d'oreille guillotine?" and getting some very puzzled reactions from the clerks. Stupide Americaine.

Today, through the miracle of eBay, I know where I can get some. They have a more modern look. It would still be awesome to have authentic antiques, though. Or ones with functional moving blades. And I could wear a bloody head in the other ear. That would be truly revolting. Like the peasants.

Prince of Pyrotechnics Part 2 (or Pete vs. the Police - Part 23)

In a previous blog post, I introduced my brother Pete and his proclivities with all things pyromaniacal. It should come as no surprise to learn that he has had some run-ins with the police on those occasions when he actually got caught doing something he shouldna been.

Not every episode involved fire and explosives. For example, one time he was arrested for breaking and entering – a home that wasn’t even finished being built yet. All the neighborhood kids would explore the new housing development that leveled the woods behind our house; Pete was just the one that got caught for it. I didn’t even know it was illegal. Which is not to say he didn’t deserve to be punished. There were plenty of things he did that he didn’t get caught doing, and plenty of things he got blamed for that he never did. I figure the karma evens out.

Prince of Pyrotechnics Part 1

Most people associate the Fourth of July with parades, cookouts, watermelon, homemade ice cream, and a pleasant trip to see the fireworks. My family did that stuff, too, but sometimes instead of a trip to the fairgrounds, our fireworks meant a trip to the Emergency Room.

Most of my friends have met my two eldest brothers, Tom and Bob. But usually when I mention Pete, they scratch their heads and say they don’t recall meeting him. Allow me to introduce you now.

Pete is one year younger than Tom and Bob, who are twins, and I’m about six years younger than all of them. Maybe you could blame it on his middle child status and a need for attention, but for whatever reason, Pete was always getting into trouble. I should clarify: he was always finding trouble, but not necessarily getting in trouble, as getting in trouble would necessitate getting caught.

Happy Canada Day!

The pic's not very good, but these are my Canada Day earrings.

I'm not sure how one celebrates Canada Day, other than by enjoying a brewski and adding "eh" to the end of every question, but I hope the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate it by re-signing my current favorite player, Ray Whitney, who is Canadian and a free agent as of today. Oh please oh please?