Look before you leap

We have a couple of good vintage/antique shops in town, and we trawl through one or the other most weekends if we’re out and about.

They say the time to buy an unusual or appealing antique is when you see it, because it might not be there when you return and you won’t be able to find another one like it.

We haven’t always followed that dictum, and we’ve missed out on things from time to time. But, “buy it when you see it” puts some pressure on you… you can’t sleep on the idea, you can’t take time for your better judgment to kick in. It’s all id, no superego.

So, with all that in mind, we won’t judge too harshly the person who got up yesterday and bought themselves a faded overstuffed orange velour chaise longue… they certainly won’t be finding another one like it any time soon.

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I’m sorry, but…

I’m sorry, but I’m officially tired of the phrase “I’m sorry, but…” as I hear it used in conversation. 

There are lots of good reasons to say you’re sorry. These include “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t listening. Please repeat yourself.” Or, “I’m sorry, but I can’t give you what you asked for.” The key ingredient seems to be that you should actually be sorry.

However, the usage of “I’m sorry, but…” that seems most common and really gets to me is, “I’m sorry, but I think you’re an idiot.” Maybe you don’t actually say the word idiot, but that seems to be what is meant…so it’s not so much that you’re sorry, but that you hate to be the bearer of bad news. “I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you, but you’re an idiot.”

Here are some examples:

  • “I’m sorry, but the board won’t be voting on your proposal at this time.” (because the proposal was idiotic or illegal or obviously doomed to fail)
  • “I’m sorry, but under what name was your reservation?” (because if you think you’re getting a table here dressed like that you really are an idiot)

So, an October resolution: next time I want to disagree or reject or demur, I’m going to do my best to say something like “I disagree, because…” Or even – and this may seem radical – “no.” And the next time I want to tell someone they’re an idiot…

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The Ice Pond on the Retreat Trails

Looks like next week should be peak fall colors.

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Our last, or possibly our second to last, harvest of the year. Peppers, tomatoes, all good.

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Fall foliage across the Retreat Meadows. Next week I think will be the peak time for colors.

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Sunset at fisherman’s wharf

Hooray for all those little slider bars, with tint and hue and saturation.

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Mum’s the word

Last Saturday, to celebrate my birthday, I did my second annual running of the Brattleboro walk-in clinic 5k. And my second annual door prize of a beautiful chrysanthemum.

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Our hearts still ache for the futures snatched away, the lives that might have been.

President Barack Obama, on the 12th anniversary of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks
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