Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Special Guest Letter

This week, I'm pleased to have Puppytoes' best friend forever, G, as my guest. G was asked to define Conversion.

CONVERSION, n. 1: a change in nature or form. 2. a change in
direct report 3. trading the Christmas tree lights for the Sukkah
decorations. 4. moment of clarity, see "Coulda had a V8".


About G: G is a former Irish Catholic who became a Romanian Jew and a former working mother who became a blogger. Her blog began six weeks ago with a style already in place featuring well-written, concise anecdotes complete with wit and perspective. If she doesn't answer all your comments it will be for the first time. You can also find her holding court at Central Snark, the conversation site started by Puppytoes and Kyahgirl.

G is a new(ish- they grow up so quickly) blogger and quick friend. She learned about blogs from a newspaper article about our own Pia, and quickly showed up on Courting Destiny with an almost stunned comment about how touched she was by Pia's writing. I left a comment after hers suggesting she stick around and Pia and I soon had a blogging friend without a blog. A remedy wasn't far off and Pia and I were soon back to only having friends with blogs. Simply Said was simply forced into existence. Her site is entertaining, funny, well written and I'll be darned if G didn't start putting up images in record time. G is also a great blogpal and a big part of the fun on this and several other sites. Hopefully her job does itself. G is the mother of Julian and Tali, future mother-in-law of Tianna, salami courier to her in-laws and the wife of a hairdresser. Don't get me started.

How to be a future guest on this site: Just send an email to dpascover at mac dot com. On a future Wednesday, after posting that week's guest, I'll send you an email with a word to define. You'll be expected to return your definition along with a graphic representing either your definition or yourself by the following Saturday. The only rules are no profanity and no novels, please. And whatever I make up at the last minute.

Starting after next week, I may be contacting previous guests who regularly comment here to repeat in no particular order. Previous guests who haven't been much heard from since their guest post should recontact if they would like to repeat.

68 comments:

TLP said...

First? Oh, my I don't know how to act. Where is Minka when I need her?

Hiya G! Good definition. Great write-up Doug. If my eyes were actually open at this hour, I would go check out G's blog.

Conversion: The tables used to change money from Pesos to dollars, etc.

G said...

Well, lookey here, my favorite number - 3! Glad your eyes aren't open yet TLP as I just awoke and put up my new post. Morning Actonbell, can I have a sip?

Anonymous said...

my NBFF is already doing a guest spot on WA?? oh my... i'm so proud of you... even tho' you told me a lie from the pits of hell when i asked you if you'd ever consider doing this. (apparently we didn't talk about *everything* last week, did we??)

Conversion: what a nice Catholic girl might do for an endless supply of keeflie.

Anonymous said...

Wow...already doing a definition! Someone certainly grasped the concept of blogging quickly!!

Coolio definition.

Miz BoheMia said...

Oooweee! 'Tis our girl G! I loved hearing about how you got into blogging G! Fascinating! So our dear Pia brought you into our inner circle, huh? Pia and Doug are great guides and beautiful hands to hold in this here journey! Now, you are stuck with us! Bwahahahahahaha!

WOOH TO DA HOOH FOR G! DANCE THE DANCE ELECTRIC PEOPLE AND GET DOWN 'N DIRTY!

FUNKIFIED!

Great work G, but could your work be anything less I ask? COULD IT? Hell to the NO!

And brotha, you do hold the sassiest ladies as your friends! Bohemians everywhere applaud you, especially the sistahs!

Anonymous said...

Congrats G! Great job!

Conversion: The play attempted after a touchdown. Comes in one and two point variety.

Conversion: G's move from blog newbie to "Waking Ambrose tested" veteran.

The amoeba said...

CONVERSION, n. The factor needed to change English units of measure to metric, and vice versa. See Mars Climate Orbiter. D'oh!

Way to make a splash on the blogging scene, G. Cannonball!! :)

No particular surprise that Minka is AWOL today. Germany lost. Spare her a thought.

Anonymous said...

Yes, hope Minka is not too distraught. Very tough loss to Italy in overtime.

CozyMama said...

very cool, going to check her out now!!!

Kyahgirl said...

G!!!So nice to see you here in the spotlight. Maybe your presence here will guilt the rapscallion puppytoes to ask our Doug for a word?

Conversion: now, this is something I'm a master at since I have a Mom who lives in 'imperial', and many American friends who won't convert to metric. But I cheat, I have a handy, free tool, available for anyone to download to their desktop. For the geeks among you, there is every imaginable conversion there, time, pressure, speed, temperature, energy, distance, even computer terms.

Great job Gina-enjoy your day at WA, you might have to take off the lampshade for the day, you know, to let your light shine a bit more :-)

Sar said...

Conversion:

1.) It's up and it's good! Applies to both the extra points in football and G's new blog.

2.) The difference between the Dollar and the Franc which will be of interest when I someday get to Tour de France. What cycling?

Anonymous said...

Conversion: When it becomes that time of year where we Minnesotans trade in our snow ski's for water ski's, snowmobiles for jet ski's, and our hunting guns for our ice fishing spears. :)

G said...

Doug! Are you going to answer these nice people's comments or am I? Oh, right I am only the guest letter, got it. May I just say what a funny wiity crew you have here? May I say it is the reason I kept shyly coming back before commenting? No? Okay, I'll head over to the Snark then.

Alana said...

Hey G! That is very impressive...you are a quick learner, perhaps you could teach me some of those blogging things you learned (I'm a much slower learner). And wait...you married a HAIRDRESSER? Congratulations on finding the one straight hairdresser in existence (I'm sure you get that A LOT).

Anonymous said...

kyahgirl: rapscallion? moi? (what is a "rapscallion", anyway, an urban song about green onions?)


Conversion: to embrace the light you just saw.

mireille said...

oh wow, I LOVE Irish Jews! Now that there's two of us, it's a club! See, originally latkes -- potato pancakes, get it? were a development of the Irish contingent of Judaism. Most people think Ashkenazic or Sephardic, we think Gaelic. Hi, G! xoxo

G said...

Mirielle! HI! Are you toying with me! Could this be - the avatar I've admired from afar, oh, I must sit down. This may just make the being down all day conspiracy theory I've been working up in my head, all so worth it. Here we are the Gaelic Jewish contingent! My work here is done!

Anonymous said...

whew! WA is back online. sigh... the apocalypse has apparently been postponed. long enough, one suspects, for a few more conversions...

Kyahgirl said...

psst g, when I was guesting here I answered the commenters and so did Doug. I've seen it both ways though. Since he's not around he'd probably be grateful if you passed the cheese trays around and refreshed everyone's drinks. Maybe you could put some music on. I his disco blaring from Central Snark..
:-)

Kyahgirl said...

woops, that was 'hear' not 'his'. The heat is melting my brain.

puppybrose, you're just a rascal, plain and simple.

G said...

Duh - see definition 4.

"Oh..well, okay" as she fumbles with her lampshade and the tray that Kyah has just gently but firmly shoved her way. Passes the tray to Puppybrose, "here! you're my new best friend forever - deal with this for me, whilst I go get some lunch".

Anonymous said...

What the...blogger converted my post into invisible ink. Harrumph.

Run amok while you can, G. I did. Do. Hm...

Anonymous said...

TLP: first? cool.

Actonbell: second? cool.

G: third? cool.

Puppy: 4th? as in July? cool.

Brian: 5th? don't drink too much. stay cool.

Jenna: 6th. isn't that pronounced sex-th in Iceland? cool.

Miz B: ELECTRIC 7's? cool.

Joel: football season hasn't started yet. has it? cool.

O'C: you're scary. and yet...so smart. so cool.

Joel: you don't watch soccer. cool.

Jodes: check out G. she's cool.

Kyahgirl: you mock me? okay. i deserve it. that's cool.

Sar: don't talk to us. you're on vacation. stay cool.

CJ: how's the weather up there? is it cool?

SquareGirl: need an appointment with Mr. Scissorhands? I'm sure that'll be cool.

Puppy: mocking Kyahgirl? not cool.

Mireille: *another* Irish-Jew? too cool.

G: are you through with that lunch yet?? i'm losing my cool.

Kyahgirl: we are always cool!

G: I'm sweatin' here. buckets. buckets, I tell ya, BUCKETS!! (did i mention i'm losing my cool?)

Jenna: another comment lost in the pits of Blogger Hell? soooo not cool.

Brian: what? huh? you can actually watch TV and blog at the same time? very cool.

what's that? no one wants doug to make a conversion from guest posts to "guest commentors"??? well that's just fine by me. *and* cool. (this was funny in my head when i first started it. now? not so much)

G said...

Doug handled things in my absence? Cool.

Ariel the Thief said...

hi, G! first, I love your avatar. second, to all the nice things are written about you by Doug, I'd add your kindness and playful mind.

Joel, "Waking Ambrose tested veteran", that's just too funny!

Khya, THANK YOU for the converter program! I had a page bookmarked but this is so much faster to use. *kiss on your nose*

G said...

Doug - are you blogging at a baseball game? Cool.

igkgy - i get kagey!

Ariel the Thief said...

are those Sukkah decorations in the second photo? I thought they were Christmas decorations. they're lovely.

G said...

Doug - sit down, I'll get the door.
Ariel - Me too! the bestest gift ever from Kyah. What can I say - I am humbled - thank you.

Anonymous said...

et tu, gina? sigh... i try to help and what do i get for my trouble? mockery.




hihgzv: high zive (i have no idea... i've lost my mind here...has no one noticed?)

G said...

They are Ariel - don't they look nice? When our sukkah is up in the Fall, I'll post a picture. When I first saw decorations in one of the odd lot stores (you know, cheapey 99 forint type stores), I thought they looked rather Christmasey. It's a lot of fun to decorate too. When we put a sukkah up for the first time, my daughter gushed "This is the best day of my life!" Ah life's simple pleasures...

G said...

Okay I'm laughing puppybrose because I am not sure what I could have done now - is it the tray? That was a compliment on how together you are! How you would be able to handle it with aplomb, err, a plum. "Allright! give it back!" she says as she wrestles the fruit tray back from puppybrose, fruit smearing down her lamp.

mireille said...

G -- NOT toying with you, never! But your work is only done if we count two as a minyan! I am a product of conversion (after two years' study with a stoic but discouraged rabbi who never saw me as his best student) Oh, also: I flunked out of hebrew class twice. But I try. I do try. I can't wait to see your sukkah! xoxo

The Village Idiot said...

Ok

Third Time's A Charm

Conversion -- The act of getting a stiletto to watch cycling

and since we talked about cycling its TOUR TIME( there is only one you know ) Yes, its Tour De France and its nice to see George Hincapie only 10 seconds off the lead. It will be interesting to see what happens as this race unfolds..as always it will be decided in the mountains and this time George is not riding for anyone i.e. Lance.

Allez Georgie, allez!!

Anonymous said...

a PLUM?? seE why she's my NBFF, people?! (and, worry not you in that tilted, soggy lampshade, with fruit puree slopped all over your funny self. believe it or not, the fact that i've lost what was left of my mind did not prevent me from catching on to your joke! i laughed. and heartily, i might add.)

yes yes, i know. i'm leaving now, doug. i see the door. i know the way out. no need to call security. sigh.

G said...

Ahh Mireille - it's beshert I tell you! And if we count two woman for that matter (but we won't go there today :) Thanks to my daughter I may now be able to brush up on my Hebrew! She's entering 4th grade and going to a yeshiva next year so we'll definitely be learning together (except I am sure she will surpass me in no time).

G said...

The puppy stays in the picture! "I'm handling admittance here today Puppybrose", she says drunk with authority.

VI: Allez oy vey!

Anonymous said...

The puppy is just toooo cooooool.

I am running amok amok amok amok everywhere. Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ah-ha.

sashays away "amok, amok, amok, amok."

I looooovvvveeee that word. I know. You all are so surprised that I converted from a mild, mannered...

Anonymous said...

aw. thanks "bossy lamplady"... just put a little paper down for me, as i tend to pee when i laugh too hard!

and, ya know, i'd be happy to stay in a corner, but doug informed me there were none to be found (and, no, he didn't call me "Nellie" at the time, G, but still, has he reading our e-mail again?) xo

by the way...wouldn't you think doug would remember what happened *last* time he left us alone here? does he *not* remember HOW you got that Lampshade in the first place??

Ariel the Thief said...

inflation, now they are 100 forint stores, G. ;)

Anonymous said...

Snuppy, you'd think Doug'd know better. Shrugs.

Has anyone mention the master of conversion? I mean...Clark Kent could change in phone booth. That's skill! He never had to worry about his cape being tucked in his tights. That's skill.

G said...

Thanks Cowgirl - so happy to see you back in town for the event!

The puppy is madcap! I know puppy - the hair stands up on the back of my neck! I can't be responsible for what happens. He's toying with us - like a parent - testing us. Well, I for one am on my best behavior!

Of course ariel - silly me.

Call Doug what you like - but mild mannered is not a term that readily comes to mind. Are you one of the girls Brian?

FirstNations said...

well i'll be damned.
G you wacky woman!
nice post, girlie. congratulations!
now i'm off to read 'coulda hadda v8'. we must TALK.


i thought everyone got kicked offa here for talking too much. i see i wuz rong agen. DANG, dougie. confuse a person!

G said...

FN: Thanks, but ah - don't get too comfy, as soon as he gets back home, we're back to the park.

Damn! We were going for Portugal! Ahh, well.

Anonymous said...

i'm thinking we should send 'im (doug, not portugal) a nice plant. maybe offer up a platter of your MIL's keeflies. he'll be okay. unless, of course, the Royals lost yesterday. in which case... mums the word, Bob's yer uncle, and we're all up that you-know-what creek without a paddle. (whew...i just checked. they won.)

Conversion: changing *this* to *that*.

Anonymous said...

hey kids, has no one noticed who's missing today, besides Doug?? our beautiful/beloved Karma! apparently it's been raining cats and dogs for the past 5 days in Mumbai, causing power outages and more than a few headaches.

so go visit the dear girl, toss her a dry towel... she's gonna need one once those waters stop swirling around her head.

G said...

I certainly did but was being far too gracious to call any one out on not visiting on my guest day! Ooh, I'll pay her a visit!

Doug The Una said...

let's see, where were we? Thanks all of you for having fun while I (may as well have) walked from Kansas City to Los Angeles.

TLP, what were you doing up at that hour, young lady?

Happy 5th of July, Actonbell.

Good evening, G. Welcome to G day.

The treason is worse than that, Puppybrose, she tried to lure me into making you this week's guest before agreeing to do it herself.

Morning, Brian. Is that the sport with all the needles?

Jenna, one thing about Irish Catholic Romanian Jews, they ain't shy.

Miz B, that's because the sweet ones will chew your heart of your chest. Sassy is safety.

Thank you, Joel. I was afraid the two-point conversion would get left out.

O Ceallaigh, Minka is AWL. Sure hope V.I. catches your definition.

You know Joel, she's a tough little lady. I'm sure once she bites the head off a live bunny she'll be fine.

Thanks Jodes, for giving G the alumni handshake.

Oh, Kyahgirl, say that middle paragraph again. Only slowly this time.

Sar, I hate to be the one to break this to you but there is no more Franc. Vive la Difference!

CJ, and when's laundry day again?

Squaregirl, that's exactly what you're supposed to not get me started on.

Puppybrose, I know which word you won't be getting when it's your turn. Nice turn as moderator! Big thanks!

Mireille, I tried to tell you a month ago. She's your tribe.

G, it's sure'n begorah. Mazel Tov.

Puppybrose, it resolved itself without my having to land the plane. 5 enails that my site was done followed by three dozen comments.

Hey, Cowgirl's back! Cowgirl, when did Midwestern farmers start playing croquet? I think just spent a whole day with English aristocrats in overalls. Tell me Red Man doesn't sponsor the championship.

Haha, G. Thanks for extra duty on my travel day.

Jenna. Trollop.

Haha, Brian. Did they tax you badly?

Oh, I'm really confused right now. I'm going to try to answer everybody but I know it's out of order and apologies to anyone I've missed.

Ariel, that's nice.

G, I did go to the Royal's game last night but that was sort of a last minute addition to insure my total 72-hour sleep deprivation.

Idiot, I'm going to need steroids EPO if you expect me to watch that.

Sashay away, Jenna. It's what we all want for and from you. Don't you ever convert.

Ariel, 100 Forints? That's Outrageous! Convert that to dollars, please.

First Nations, no-one got exiled. They were just put on a reservation.

OK, I'm back and share your concern for Karma, although she was going on vacation.

OK, I'm back and will try to do a better job from here out. Thanks for having so much fun in my absence *scratches head*

G said...

Nicely done!

Well, I don't know whether to be insulted or take it as a supreme compliment that you tricked, I mean trusted me with your place after the last debacle! Welcome home, it sounds like you had fun. Settle in, I was just going to lead a little sing-a-long to the tune of Let's Call the Whole Thing Off -

You say the Bible
I say the Torah
You dance the foxtrot
I dance the hora

needs a little work...

Anonymous said...

Nobody ever tells me anything. I feel like the mother whose children, childen-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews don't call, don't write, don't even email

Had to read all 55 comments :-)

And by birth I'm half Irish Catholic and half Russian/Polish Jewish but they didn't have to form a conversion because we never bothered about such things, and my birth mother was of legal age, and her parents were Orthodox.

G said...

Well, the end of another perfect day here in blogland she says as she turns out the light...but not before taking one more giddy spin beneath the sukkah decorations and **crash** darn, %$#@* ouch, as she trips over the dog passed out on some luggage!

Picks herself up, grabs a cold V8 and heads for the F train...

G said...

Snaps light back on! If I went to e-mail you once, I went to e-mail you well, three times today and due to an ADD addled brain, well here I am begging for me mum's forgiveness - this is just terrible Doug! Wake up as she kicks, I mean gently nudges the dog with her foot. Must keep lists! Ah, you're covered - birth mother Jewish? No prob my little Pialah! Come on sit down, have some rugelach :)

Doug The Una said...

Haha, g, maybe if you hum a few bars.

Pia, I meant to call but my sciatica was giving me fits and the bunions- oy!

(How'd I do?)

Anonymous said...

nice. ve-e-ery nice. you may nap now.

Anonymous said...

Nice Sukkah. Most years we contribute bamboo to the local synagogue for theirs.
Conversion: shouldn't be tried on most hairdressers. . . .

G said...

It's a good start Doug (particularly the oy), but the nuance goes something like this:

"Call you? we should call you? Miss Fancy Schmancy Manhattanite, and so, if we did - you'd be having dinner somewhere? Nu? Achh, you don't have time, you're busy - doing covers, writing books, we should bother you? No, we decided to let you have your life, not to bother...Awright, you want us to bother you? we'll e-mail, we'll write, we'll call"

Something like that, you get the drift - the key, although no questions were asked, in speaking authentic Jewish - always answer a question with a question!

Good night all - have I mentioned you guys from #1 to number 60 are cool? Funny? Witty? Okay in my book? Tired...

Omnipotent Poobah said...

conversion - Something that most people go through at some time in their life, although almost always when it is too latte.

G said...

weisdo, please don't get Doug started.
OmniP: too little too latte.

Alana said...

Oh Doug, you know how much I love getting people started ; P and G, next thing you'll tell me is that you and you nice Jewish boy hairdressing hubby have a Unicorn for your family pet!

Doug The Una said...

Funny, Weirsdo. My mother's bamboo used to donate itself to the neighbors.

G, well converted!

Well defined, Poobah.

G, I was planning to let that one slip. Most Lattes are too much, I think.

Squaregirl, a roc ate their unicorn. Very sad.

G said...

Named sparkle...

Anonymous said...

Nice to meet you G; although, I believe we have already met.

Great definition.

I thought I converted when I moved from Maryland to NYC.

yea yea a day late and a dollar short.......or maybe a dollar richer..

G said...

Likewise Cooper and yes we have, which may I say only makes me respect you all the more - perhaps I didn't mention that in my email?

Thank you and mazel tov on your conversion to NYC. And I, for one, like the dollar richer perspective.

Minka said...

Late to the party. the best for last ey?!
Well done on the guest appearance g! With what did he blackmail you? :)

Conversion seems a fitting word for you since you seem to have done quite a few of them conversion thingies in your life. Me not so much, whenever a brand changes its logo or packaging I have difficulty accepting :) I am in-conversional so to speak :)

G said...

minka! I say the party can always start again! as she hugs the slippery little penguin...a year's supply of light bulbs :)

That's why I have sometimes referred to myself as being in the witness protection program. Though that in-conversional thing may have something to do with the cancerian in you - just a guess:)

Hope you are enjoying your vacation, World Cup results notwitstanding.

Minka said...

'takes out her dancing hat and shoes, opens a tequilla bottle and starts jumping in the air*

let's partey................

World Cup? *tears rolling down her cheek and she leaves to get some tissues...*

G said...

There! There! here I've got tissues. Never mind! We'll need teh salt for the tequila!

Happy Birthday (a little early? only ever so slightly for me...)

Minka said...

Thank You g! *sobs*

let's quote Bob here:
"Everything's gonna be alright..."

G said...

And now to make this one a nice 75! Slow day at the office, what can I say?