The Three Amigos + taking your wife's name + last words
May I recommend
The comedic masterpiece, The Three Amigos
Does it pass the Bechdel test? No! Does it feature notorious dirt bag Chevy Chase? Yes! Does it have puns and Steve Martin urging someone to “Sew, sew like the wind?” YESSSSSSSSSS
I have incredibly fond memories of this movie. When I was in Grade Six I had TWO friend in Grade Seven (brag) and both of them were named “Amy.” My friend Amy’s father called us the “The Three Amy-gos.” We were all juuuuust young enough to find that cool rather than literally the most embarrassing thing ever, Oh My God, Dad, Shut UP, I want to die.
Our dads were also friends
When The Three Amigos movie came out we drove the hour+ into the big city (Montrea)l to watch it. We went to the Faubourg, which was an incredibly glamorous new building that had just opened on Ste Catherine Street.
There was a bagel shop (Montreal bagels are the best bagels in the world, don’t yammer at me about New York bagels — revolting, overly doughy grotesqueries —Also, don’t contradict me, you KNOW I have strong feelings about baked goods) Anyway, at the Faubourg, you could watch the bagels being made, which was very exciting. You could also buy M. Felix and Mr Norton cookies, which remain an amazing cookie. We went out for tandoori chicken, which I had never had and which blew my mind. Sweet, spicy, RED!
Then we settled in for a movie with comedic geniuses Steve Martin, Martin Short and God help me, Chevy Chase (he is very good in this). It’s an excellent movie. It stands up. This scene alone is worth the price of admission.
On the long drive home, I got my dad all to myself (a rare thing in a family of five children). It was a magical night. Watch The Three Amigos, also, eat a Montreal bagel.
What to do about surnames after marriage
Why Don’t Most Men Take Their Wives’ Last Names?
It never even crossed my mind to take my husband’s last name when I got married, but neither did he consider taking mine. When we had a kid, we spent a lot of time thinking about her first name, but in the postpartum haze (horror?) defaulted to ye olde patriarchy… Lots to think about in this article.
It is exceedingly unusual for grooms to take their bride’s surname — though data on how rare is tough to find. The Social Security Administration doesn’t track it, nor does the Census Bureau. The Knot’s 2021 Real Weddings Study surveyed over 15,000 respondents and found that 78 percent of couples who got married that year had one partner take the other partner’s last name — but that survey doesn’t break that data down by gender.
The logistics of dying are fascinating
What People Actually Say Before They Die
What are people’s last words, really?
It’s still the interactions that fascinate me, partly because their subtle interpersonal textures are lost when they’re written down. A linguist friend of mine, sitting with his dying grandmother, spoke her name. Her eyes opened, she looked at him, and died. What that plain description omits is how he paused when he described the sequence to me, and how his eyes quivered.
100 Small Ways to Improve Your Life
100 ways to slightly improve your life
My beloved Pocket app is doing its “best ofs” for the year. Maybe I shared this one already, but it’s good, and here it is again as a reminder.
54 Always bring something – wine, flowers – to a dinner/birthday party, even if they say not to.
55 Learn the names of 10 trees.
56 Call an old friend out of the blue.
57 Every so often, search your email for the word “unsubscribe” and then use it on as many as you can.
Book Stuff
Here’s the cover for my next book, out in March 2023! It is a little darker than the first two and is the second in the Dominion Archives Mystery series, introducing you to a new detective, world-weary coroner, Dr. Cate Spencer. This one is all about a very creepy nitrate film vault, which could spontaneously combust at ANY MINUTE.
Also, I sent my latest manuscript into the publisher this week. If all goes well, Honor the Dead (The missing “u” kills me, but my publisher is American and they threw all the “u”’s into Boston Harbor when they dumped out the tea) will be out in spring 2024!
A couple of weeks ago I had a great event with the fabulous author Bianca Marais - we talked patriarchy, writing and witches, of course.
I also had a great time moderating the “Comfy and Cozy” Panel for the Maple Leaf Mystery Virtual Conference. I learned a lot from some experienced writers and it was a great session. Also, look how cute their tote bag is. Sign up for their next conference and you too can get one!
Buy my books!
TikTok
I’m putting my own TikTok in here - Daffy plays a starring role, natch.
Soothing bread baby
Jeopardy Day 2 - some hair
The eyebrow work is first rate
This made me laugh
Fur babies
Oh. My. God
Corgi + baby
I’ve literally been on this trip
Still funny
Where are they going?
Did I shed a sympathy tear? Maybe!
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