May 2025

“Enjoy every sandwich” - Warren Zevon.

May is the month of my wedding anniversary. Also that of my wife. We have a lot in common. As this one was a round number, I was uncharacteristically proactive and made reservations for us to spend a longish weekend staying in a silo in Fredericksburg. A romantic weekend, just the 5 of us. Here's some images of the silo and surroundings; and here's some of miles and miles of flowers - but sadly none of Jed taking an enormous poop just outside the gift shop door. The thought that "just outside" is better than "just inside" is small comfort as the line grows longer, waiting for him to finish and you to pick it up. He's our special guy.

Each new event on the calendar is of course just a reminder that I am getting older and older. But, there is hope. Smartphones help against cognitive decline. And here's a "simple test" to measure how well or badly you're ageing. I am well enough cognitively to know I don't want to know.

Also, some help in learning new tricks - even if you are an old dog.

And here, while I'm being practical, let me help you married folks: This is how you load a dishwasher.

This month in books: A nice list to help you build up your fiction TBR pile. And an essay on the (to me, a non-expert) plausible theory that Gatsby was actually Black. Discuss with your favorite English teacher. As a writer of lists, I love that Raymond Chandler took the time to set up his typewriter to bring a list of Things I Hate into the world.

In history, a look at the trial of the book Ulysses, one of the many significant censorship trials of the mid-twentieth century. So pleasing to be on the other side of that sad time and living in our much more progressive future.

Science! What you and everyone else is getting wrong about evolution. And some weird and disturbing results on the study of plants, pain, and sight.

I am obsessed with the online auction of movie and TV memorabilia that happened this week (May 7-8). It's safe to look; you can't buy anything now. But you could have had...

Jack Benny's hairpiece ($520)

Benny Hill's glasses ($1,300)

A signed coconut from Gilligan's Island ($910)

Cher's feather headdress (didn't sell)

Liberace's Diners Club card ($2,275)

The American Idol Season 3 desk - signed! ($7,800)

Lt. Columbo's desk nameplate ($2,925)

A hospital gurney from ER ($100!)

Suicide vest from Homeland ($1,625)

Hayden Panettiere's cheerleader uniform from Heroes ($3,900)

X-Files: Scully's blood-spattered scrubs (unsold); Mulder's raincoat ($2,600); Mulder's conspiracy board clippings ($125)

The Hulk's shorts (ripped, obvs) ($2,600)

Wonder Woman's bodysuit ($130,000!); tiara ($26,000); Lasso of Truth ($$32,500); boots ($52,000)

The sofa from Roseanne (unsold)

And finally, a subject very close to my heart: Spoilers. It's not an important topic, but it is an important topic. Football scores, movie plot points, the exact date next year when civilization crumbles: Do not tell me.