"Lame" and "retarded"

I can't stand when people use the word "lame" to mean "bad," "undesireable," "contemptible" or "worthless." Every time anyone uses "lame" in such a context, he or she is telling me that he or she equates a mobility impairment with a moral failing. More specifically, he or she implies that my sister is morally objectionable because she uses a wheelchair.

Same with the word "retarded" to mean "bad," "silly" or "stupid." Such a use equates brain damage with a moral failing and judges my sister as morally objectionable because she has brain damage.  And I also feel personally offended whenever "retarded" comes up because it disparages the non-neurotypical, and I don't think I'm completely neurotypical. "Lame" and "retarded" are stupid, hurtful, prejudiced words. STOP USING THEM.

I can't believe I'm even writing this entry.

Slough

The word spelled s-l-o-u-g-h has two categories of meanings and different pronunciations for each.

1. If you pronounce the word "sluff," it means "to shed skin" or "skin that is shed."

2. If you pronounce the word "slau" to rhyme with "cow," it means "a swampy area" or, metaphorically, "a depressive state."

Isn't that awesome?!!

Green Kellys and [relatively] cheap articulated Barbies

Target is carrying an exclusive series of Kelly dolls, Merry Monsters, including an all-green one, who happens to have the best outfit, as Frankenstein's monster. Also on the shelves are Barbie Fashionistas, which are your standard articulated Barbies with an under-bust and wrist joints. Unfortunately, 4 of the 5 Fashionistas are white, with no good representation of brown, black, green or any other color. MSRP for the Fashionistas is <$20.00. I need to get me to a Target to see if the Merry Monsters and Fashionistas are available!

La petite geante: The little giant girl and her diver uncle -- big moving dolls!

From boston.com: "Earlier this week, 1.5 million people filled the streets of Berlin, Germany to watch a several-day performance by France's Royal de Luxe street theatre company titled "The Berlin Reunion". Part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Reunion show featured two massive marionettes, the Big Giant, a deep-sea diver, and his niece, the Little Giantess. The storyline of the performance has the two separated by a wall, thrown up by "land and sea monsters". The Big Giant has just returned from a long and difficult - but successful - expedition to destroy the wall, and now the two are walking the streets of Berlin, seeking each other after many years apart.."

My favorite photo from this set is the one of la petite geante sleeping in her uncle's lap. They look so peaceful and loving!

La petite geante goes pee-pee in the street, part of the same performance:

To see la petite geante in an earlier performance, go here. Watch her lick a lollipop! She has an articulated tongue! Also marvel at her body language; she looks on tenderly as the little girls are swinging on her arms. I think that one of the best things about these dolls is that they show body language, blinking, swinging their arms and breathing, while the operators are putting them into position.