Jessicarrot

I am sick, but this scene from Anchorman (probably THE stupidest, most grotesque movie ever) is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Jack Black’s cameo in the movie is the only redeeming thing about it. I couldn’t find a video that was just right. This one is only missing the part after Jack kicks the dog where he says, “Thats how I roll.” Instead it has that lame song from the SNL spoof of the OC.

So BJay is a huge fan of PBS. Especially the programs “Nature” and “Nova”. I always roll my eyes when he insists on watching these programs. I don’t know what my problem is. I am just so bored with science and nature documentaries, usually. I like to watch tv mindlessly…to be entertained. But, if I’m honest I’ve learned some fascinating things while being forced into educational television. Last night B was watching the Nature program he recorded on Sunday with the children and he said, “Jess, you’ve got to see this!” I was busy doing–well keeping busy and I said, “I highly doubt I’m interested.” The program was Unforgetable Elephants and I have to admit that it was interesting. Fascinating even. To hook me in, BJay cued the documentary on an Elephant birth. He explained that there is a gland on the sides of the Elephant’s faces that oozes when they are experiencing intense emotions (they cry). And then he pushed play. Elephant families are matriarchal societies–another fascinating thing about them. So there at the birth of baby “Ebony” were all her aunts and sisters and mother. From the PBS webpage I linked above, “The excitement of several of the females in Echo’s family can’t be contained as they are heard bellowing and blaring during the birth of the new baby.” But even more interesting, they were all crying.

The film maker Martyn Colbeck spent 15 years following this one elephant family. The Matriarch was called “Echo”. He got to know the family intimately–recognizing each member individually. He got emotionally involved with their story. And their story played out like any human drama with joy, laughter, sadness, and plenty of surprise. One surprising thing Colbeck showed was a calf abduction. Another family stole one of the babies in Echo’s family by circling around the calf, protecting her as one of their own. This act (of course) was not tolerated by Echo or her girls. Just as you would expect a group of women to do in that situation– They charged into the circle, retrieved the baby with all the fierce love and rage of a mother. Then, as they fled with the rescued calf, they cried. It was beautiful. I was totally wrong.

Anyone who does laundry for small children knows that it is really hard to keep up with little socks. The smaller they are, the harder it is to keep up with… or maybe its me. Every time I do the wash I end up with fewer of Gabe and Hannah’s socks. Today I found out where they were all going…

The washing machine, literally eats them! Now whenever I do the whites I have to check the rubber (gasket?). The unfortunate thing is that it took me a year to figure this out. Seriously, a year of opening the washing machine and thinking, hmmm pungent. What is that smell?

Also, I bought this tiny Christmas tree for Hila at a yard sale for 50 cents. This afternoon she was very excited to show me something in her room. She had decorated the tree with her hair clips. Adorable.

And lastly, the cupcakes I made for Asher’s class. I learned that some children do not like chocolate. Where did their parents go wrong?