HUH?!

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' comment on the results in the primary election held on August 18, 2009, showing he received 25.06% of the votes:

"I expected the election to be close and it is."

(What part of 75% don't you get?)

GRRRRRRR!!!!

We all know what dogs hear when we talk to them, right?

Come on, you remember that Far Side joke.

Today, I finally figured out what I'm hearing when my dog talks to me...

WE BE BIESENBLOG'IN

I started this blog in 2006 but never really got around to figuring out what I wanted it to "be". So, I just let it sit out there in the great black void waiting for it to germinate and come to life. (Whoever decided that a void had to be black, anyway? Knowing my friends, I'm sure someone will enlighten me with why voids must always be black.)

But, first, what's with this 'biesen' thing? It derives from our family name, Biesheuvel. My family is Dutch and biesen is a reed-like grass that grows wild in the Netherlands. It's said that biesen is used to make thatched roofs. The "heuvel" part means hill although that's really a misnomer as there really aren't hills there-- more like little rises-- or speed bumps. A loose interpretation of our name is wild flower on the hill.

Until my first trip to the Netherlands, I had no idea that our name is actually quite common there. I was completely shocked the first time I visited and found that everyone knew how to pronounce my last name-- and spell it! In grade school, I was convinced the only reason I passed from first to second grade was because I could spell a word that is so difficult. I arrive in the Netherlands and find out our name may as well be in the Dick and Jane series of first grade readers there.

But, this blog won't be about biesen, bloggin', heuvel or hill. Today, I decided it would just be a collection of anything- funny, sad, political or not, rude, crude and/or socially unacceptable because that's just how my mind works. I feel I'm in good 'mind company' because our lineage dates back to the 1600's and includes Vincent Van Gogh.

Yes, I still have both ears.

I just did an ear check yesterday.