A Study In Arrogance: When Coleus Becomes Political

July 22, 2016May 6, 2021 / Ally Bean / 52 Comments

Trying to rid myself of the RNC’s frenetic vibes this week, I turned my attention to doing something productive.

I researched COLEUS.

I wanted to find out the names of the three varieties that are growing profusely in pots on our deck.

At the beginning of the summer I planted six different types of coleus in pots, but three died within weeks of planting. So I thought that next year I’d plant more of the ones that grew, if I could figure out/remember the name of each type.

But, of course, in the process of my research I found more information about coleus than I’d anticipated. Coleus has a long history.

# # #

For instance, did you know:

that in the scientific community coleus is called PLECTRANTHUS SCUTELLARIOIDES?
that at one point coleus was referred to as PAINTED NETTLES?
that some sources say coleus has A CONNECTION TO ARTHURIAN LEGEND?
that coleus was cultivated by the Mazatecs of Mexico as A HALLUCINOGENIC PLANT?
that during England’s Victorian period coleus was planted to create what was known as A CARPET GARDEN?

# # #

But my research, inspired by a desire to rise above politics, ended when I discovered the most ridiculously depressing fact about coleus. You see, in the language of flowers coleus means: “How dare you address me that way?!”

That is, the plant means ARROGANCE.

And it was upon learning this that I found myself circling back to my thoughts about the Tangerine Tornado + the Nattering Nabobs of Negativity. I couldn’t believe that I was researching a plant whose meaning embodied all that The Donald represents, when my goal was to avoid thinking or hearing on the news about his nonsense.

Yet here I was doing something good, trying to make the world a better place through learning, only to find myself tripped up by arrogance.

Now how defeating, and oddly metaphorical, is that?

What Ally Forgot: A Different Kind Of Book Review

July 19, 2016August 28, 2018 / Ally Bean / 49 Comments

• Introduction •

A few weeks ago Akilah at The Englishist wrote a post titled, “Top Ten Books I Have No Recollection of Reading.” Her point, which is excellent, is that we all read lots of books, but not all the books stick with us.

We forget about some books entirely– and only remember odd tidbits in other ones.

Inspired by Akilah I decided to figure out what books I’ve read, enjoyed enough to keep a copy around here, but now can’t tell you much of anything about the characters, the plot, the setting.

• My Top Five Books That I Have [Almost] No Recollection Of Reading •

1. And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander

I know that I read this book when it was cold outside because I remember looking at the cover and thinking how much warmer I’d be if I had on that red dress. As for the story, couldn’t tell you a thing about it, but that dress…

2. Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman

Someone on Twitter suggested this book so I got a copy of it and read it. My impression is that I thought the story was cute. The only specific I remember is that there was something about grilling steaks [?] in it. Must have been hungry when I read it.

3. Then Again by Diane Keaton

I’ve enjoyed Diane Keaton’s work as an actress, so I bought this book hoping to learn about what makes her tick. Apparently that didn’t happen because all I can tell you is that Diane’s mother was seriously ill. There might have been more insight, but I’ll be darned if I know what it was.

4. The Buddha Walks Into A Bar: A Guide To Life by Lodro Rinzler

I bought this book at Anthropologie thinking that I could use some self-improvement, and with a title like this one, I’d find the meaning of life within the pages of this book. No idea what this book was about, but the cover is cute. So there’s that.

5. Four Souls by Louise Erdich

A few friends recommended this book to me. There was a character with a French first name, and I remember thinking that there was a lot of history going on in this story. Guess I forgot all the facts, just like I used to do immediately after taking any history test.

• Some Fun Bookish Things To Do •

Want to laugh about books you don’t want to read? Go to Awful Library Books.

Want to learn about books you will want to read? Go to What Should I Read Next with Anne Bogel.

Want to read like an incoming freshman at Harvard? Go to Malia Obama’s Essential College Reading List.

Want to get a book reading list customized for you? Go to whichbook.

Want to keep up with books that aren’t popular? Go to The Neglected Books Page.

• Question of the Day •

What are you reading now?

Is it something that you think you’ll always remember reading? Or is it a filler book, good in the moment, but destined to be on your very own Books I Have No Recollection of Reading List?

Antiques + Ghosts: There’s Something Off-Key Here

July 14, 2016July 14, 2016 / Ally Bean / 42 Comments

A real-life honest-to-goodness made-me-smile conversation…

{ source }

~ ~ • ~ ~

“I ain’t afraid of no ghost.”

I met a friend for drinks and dinner. She got talking about her part-time business, which is selling antiques.

She scouts around local Goodwills and garage sales, then takes her finds, tidies them up a bit, and puts them in a rented booth in an antique mall. She’s done this for years, turning a modest profit on her efforts.

My friend told me that a ghost is now haunting her booth. This ghost, who isn’t pleased with the way my friend is merchandising her hats and jewelry, moves items around within the booth.

And the ghost has gone so far as to break an item. Bad ghost!

Come to find out this problem is part of dealing in antiques. [Read more here.] According to my friend you learn to accept the fact that as long as you have an item a ghost has attached itself to, you’re going to have difficulties.

Once the item is gone, either through a sale or by intentional destruction, the ghost leaves you alone.

The trick, of course, is figuring out which item is the one that has brought the ghost to your booth.

So far my friend has not been able to do this on her own, so she’s enlisted the help of other antique booth renters, asking them to keep an eye on her things, in case they see a ghost lurking about.

As one is wont to do, apparently, in antique malls.

Who knew?

~ ~ • ~ ~

An entertaining ditty for your listening pleasure!

Of Plans & Parsley Thwarted

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 / Ally Bean / 61 Comments

“Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.”

~ E. B. White

• • •

Two parsley worms munching on my parsley.

Zen-Den and I took last week off to go on a staycation.

My plans for our staycation, which we scheduled last January, revolved around the idea that together we’d be able to do a long list of outside chores. But the weather turned hot & muggy with rain so we weren’t able to do much outside.

Like I’d planned. Carefully.

At first the weather bummed me out, but after a rather stern Come-to-Jesus meeting with myself I managed to convince me that all was not lost. That I’d adapt to this unfortunate turn in staycation weather with a revised plan and a hopeful heart.

Dammit.

• • •

So what did we do on our staycation?

Well, I’m glad you asked, my gentle readers. We did boring things, mostly inside the house, that had needed to be done for a long time. To wit:

we cleaned out more of the basement, taking 2 carloads of stuff to Goodwill;
we sorted through clothes closets and our garage, tossing out all sorts of junk;
we shredded documents from as far back as 1998;
we cleaned out both the refrigerator + freezer, going so far as to replace the water filter in the frig;
we installed the last 3 new outdoor lights, a project we began last fall, taking the old still useable lights to Habitat For Humanity; and
we tried 2 new dessert recipes, Mexican Brownies & Apricot Clafouti.

We were productive and made yummy things to eat.

• • •

One particularly hungry parsley worm followed the parsley stem to the end.

But much more was going on here than de-cluttering and dessert.

While we were working to make things less cluttered inside the house, two parsley worms set up residence in my herb pot, and decided to devour as much parsley as possible.

I’d be upset about this except that in light of all the current chaos and discord going on in the United States, their destruction seemed insignificant.

Charming, even.

Plus I know that if they eat enough now, they’ll be able to turn into Black Swallowtail Butterflies later in the summer. And that kind of small hope, of transformation and growth, of plans succeeding, makes me think that tomorrow will be a better day.

For them.

For us.

For everyone.

• • •