Eating Elephants and Other Things

Just for the record, others thought the pronouncer in the first year of the Bee for Literacy pronounced Polonaise a lot like Mayonnaise (making me wonder, just long enough, if it was some Mayo-like sauce) ... and some really brilliant people I know also thought mastodon might just be spelled mastadon. It's not like these things are part of our everyday lexicon. This is why we have dictionaries, after all. Which we can't use during spelling bees.

Mike was too modest to sign the incredible sketches above with the mastodons dancing the Polonaise (both in traditional dress and blissfully naked, thank you very much). But after the Writers' Block mis-spelled Polonaise and Mastodon in the first two years of the Bee for Literacy, I knew only one artist who could bring those two seemingly disparate words together in the way I envisioned. The sketches had been laid aside almost two years ago, but Mike knew right where to find them.

It's fun - and sort of important - to be able to laugh at flops and foibles. The laughter and good memories buoy you up when life gets you down.

I could easily be overwhelmed and squashed down by what's happening with the economy right now -- and in my personal corner of it. And by the knowledge that I have some huge responsibilities (those tasty elephants that I'm trying to eat) looming over my head, nipping at my heels, taunting me, trying to stomp on my nose. I know the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. (And I'll never forget Ann's advice to start with the crispy, crunchy tail.)

I know some really amazing artists who can help tackle those elephants - and other things. Just ask me.