A Home for Obama

"Look, when I was a kid, I inhaled frequently. That was the point."

President Barack Obama

"I would have to...investigate more of Bill's dancing abilities, you know, and some of this other stuff before I accurately judge whether he was in fact a brother."

President Barack Obama -- on whether Bill Clinton was "our first black president"

"Let's pray that Pres. Obama will be able to continue to lead us with his true sanity."

Joy Behar tweet wishing everyone a happy new year

This arrived in my mail a few months ago. A "Commemorative Presidential Photo". It even has a unique number for authentication.

I put it with my pile of-bills-to-be-paid and tax stuff, and mostly forgot about it. Because, what was I to do with it?

I can't put it up where I work as political posters are not allowed for obvious reasons. I thought of a couple of people I know in New York who supported Obama in the last presidential election. One said no unequivocally. Another said no, your children will want it. ASIF was my response, but he was certain.

I emailed my son. I was right. He didn't want it.

And so it remained, homeless, sandwiched between a Commonwealth Bank statement and an already paid electricity bill.

Hardly appropriate neighbors for a president, let alone the incredibly cool President Obama. Yep I'm still supporting him despite a few of his less than perfect decisions. Look at the alternative. Well, get out your magnifying glass and look hard as there doesn't appear to be one ....

Of course my first choice for president was Hillary but we women are used to having to accept second best ...

Enough of the an ellipses - I was beginning to despair of finding a place where it was wanted, when I got a call from my old friend Sarah in OZ. I told her of my dilemma and she suggested she auction it off at a political (ALP) gathering that she's hosting in OZ. Right on, sister. But make sure it goes to a good home.

My brother as a bee, kir-ka 1952

Back to the ellipses - after my last posting Why can't the English learn to speak? - I double checked the spelling. You can't be too careful. After writing about Ruth Watson's (The Hotel Inspector) pronunciation of "circa" as "kir-ka" I received an email from a relative informing me that kir-ka was correct in classical Latin and that perhaps Ruth Watson had studied the classics.

I should have been a smarty pants and corrected him - people "READ" the classics at Oxbridge. "Study" is oh so redbrick! But I didn't think of it.

I always find it comical - "He's reading history". The English. Gotta love 'em. "Reading the classics" - it goes with living in houses that don't have street numbers ("Fern House", "Paddock View" and so on), and being "at home" (accepting visitors).

But I knew he was correct. I suppose the classical Romans said kirkle for circle. And was it Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis who said "Give them bread and kircuses ..."

But how do we KNOW how those Romans spoke? To the best of my knowledge, the recording and reproducing of sound did not occur until May 1877 and not kirka anything, when Thomas Alva Edison invented the phonograph. In any case, that was in New Jersey, U.S.A. - nowhere NEAR Rome.

In case you are wondering who the hell is Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis - well it's the poet fellow we call (in English) Juvenal.

Juvenal who was born but not pronounced kir-ka 55AD - or thereabouts!