To Be An Electric Telegraph

Song of the Day: Rilo Kiley, “Silver Lining”

Effects of Advertising

McDonald’s announced yesterday that it will phase out gestation crates in its food supply chain. Gestation crates are essentially small cages pregnant sows spend their entire pregnancy, and sometimes lives, in. Whole Foods and Chipolte already buy pork from suppliers who raise pigs in a group environment versus the cages. And, I suspect McDonald’s move comes as a the Zeitgeist shifts even more as a result of Chipolte’s effective commercial/short film detailing the evils of big agra farming practices. People want to know that the cows, pigs, and chickens that they eat are being treated fairly. It’s odd to be sure–we are after all killing these animals as a food source–yet I’m more likely to buy free range chicken than not. Those Tyson chicken trucks going up 540 freak me out.

Kitty visits

I’ve got a visiting orange kitty. Nope he or she is not staying.

Commonplace

However, she consoled herself by calling on the Gibsons; and, finding that Mrs Gibson (who was still an invalid) was asleep at the time, she experienced no difficulty in carrying off the unconscious Molly for a walk, which Lady Harriet so contrived that they twice passed through all the length of the principal street of the town, loitered at Grinstead’s for half an hour, and wound up by Lady Harriet’s calling on the Miss Brownings, who, to her regret, were not at home.

‘Perhaps, it is as well,’ she said, after a minutes consideration. ‘I’ll leave my card, and put your name down underneath it Molly.’

Molly was a little puzzled by the manner in which she had been taken possession of, like an inanimate chattel, for all the afternoon and exclaimed,–

‘Please, Lady Harriet–I never leave cards; I have not got any, and on the Miss Brownings, of all people; why, I run in and out whenever I like.’

‘Never mind, little one. To-day you shall do everything properly, and according to full etiquette. [...] So spoke Lady Harriet, standing on the white door-steps at the Miss Brownings’, and holding Molly’s hand while she wished her good-by. [...] [']And now good-by, we’ve done a good day’s work! And better than you’re aware of,’ continued she, still addressing Molly, though the latter was quite out of hearing. ‘Hollingford is not the place I take it to be, if it doesn’t veer round in Miss Gibson’s favour after my to-day’s trotting of that child about.’

~ Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughter

Cats and thunderstorm watching

My cats are literally sitting on my coffee table while I write watching our thunderstorm coming.

OK Go on Sesame Street

No matter how many deadlines I have, Sesame Street goodness and OK Go are guaranteed ways of making me pause.

OK Go did this video to teach kids about colors. Seems like the perfect idea to me.

And I apparently missed this video done with the dance troupe Pilobolus this past summer. Pure joy.

Call me deadline girl

I haven’t meant to fall of the map, but I’m working on somethings (essays, teaching, other projects) and I’m facing deadlines. So, I’m writing fun stuff in other places. I’ll post links to things at some point when they’ve actually made their way into print. For now, wish me good writing vibes.