miscellany

The world is coming to an end and I don't have my towel. Perhaps I'll buy one from... (dare I continue?) ... Wal-Mart. I have avoided Wally World like Southern Baptists avoid queer bars. My main reason for doing so has been their ginormous donations to the Republicans and their generally "red" demeanor in things I prefer "blue."

Still, perhaps redemption is not inaccessible, even for the biggest of sinners. Of course, they are still corporate evil incarnate and the real reason they (or any corporation) are doing this is $$$. Hmmmm... I think I'll wait this out awhile and see just what "Wall-Mart" does with their newfound sensitivity.

Hell, at least there's amusement in them pissing off the fundies!

Wal-Mart becomes gay-friendly - Nov. 30, 2006

It turns out that much of this activity can be traced back to an unassuming middle manager who several years ago asked Wal-Mart to live up to the words in the cheer - "It's My Wal-Mart" - that its people shout out whenever groups of them get together.

Early in 2003, Ken Pearson, who works at Wal-Mart University, the company's training arm, came back from a corporate meeting where the theme was "It's My Wal-Mart" and speakers included the African-American poet Maya Angelou. "But I didn't really feel like it was my Wal-Mart, as a gay man," Pearson says.

Back then, the company did not have a written policy protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees against discrimination. Nor did it provide health benefits to the same-sex partners of gays and lesbians.

So Pearson composed an e-mail to a Wal-Mart vice chairman, explaining that he is gay, asking if he was welcome at Wal-Mart and outlining his concerns.

"I sat there shaking," Pearson recalls. "Can I hit send? There's nothing to protect me from losing my job." Soon after dispatching the e-mail, Pearson was invited to meet with the executive, who told him that the letter had moved him and that things would change.

I've known Robert as an acquaintance for a few years and am happy to know I can sample his cooking once again. We were at a Super Bowl party awhile ago and I made Twinkie Sushi. I loved that Chef Robert thought it was the real thing up until he put it in his mouth! He's a super nice guy and I cannot wait to have dinner at The Secret Tearoom.

"Tearoom puts flavor in forefront " : Stories : goTriad.com

"The Secret Tearoom is a charming little place in a historic structure on State Street. Unindicted co-conspirator Shauna reports that in its primary role as a lunch and afternoon tearoom, it serves the best scones on earth. Alas, I don't do lunch, and when I drink my tea, it's at home. But the establishment caught my attention when I saw an ad indicating that Robert Pearse was cooking dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.

'We've been following Robert for years,' said proprietor John Biester before he knew who I was. Well, so have I, ever since he was the chef at The Nicholas, then Robert's (both formerly in Forum Six, two of the best restaurants the Triad has seen) and later at Revival Grille. I was delighted with the experience he provided here."

Several years ago, I ruptured a disc in my lower back. After a year of various attempts at treatment, I finally had surgery. During rehab, I was told that a likely contributor to my back problems was my having held in my belly for many years. (Since I was about 10 years old) That was because my father told me to. Now I learn that sitting up straight is bad, too??? It would seem that information on back health is about as trustworthy as that of the egg controversy of the 70s & 80s.

'Sitting up straight is bad for the back' | Metro.co.uk

"A 135-degree body-thigh sitting posture was demonstrated to be the best bio-mechanical sitting position, as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most consider normal.

"Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential, since the strain on the spine and its associated muscles and ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness."

On Thanksgiving, Granny used a word I'd never heard: sygodlin. When referring to one of her amaryllis flowers growing askew, she said it was sygodlin. It's a word she learned when she was a child and it means skewed. Apparently, it's a Southern expression and a rare one, at that. She guessed at the spelling, but it's the only variation I tried than came produced results in a Web search. I only found two instances of it via Google: here and here. If you know anything about it, hit me up. She'd love to know the origin of it. She thinks it's probably from an English word, but was changed in that (ahem) Southern way that yields so many unique words and phrases.

A friend just sent this to me. It really touches my soul. Be sure to click the image and read the caption.

Thank you, Clarke.