(no subject)
Remember that big tantrum Richard had last week, that I mentioned on Saturday? Well, he smashed a dish or cup or something in the kitchen, which Q swept up… but she apparently missed a piece. I know she missed a piece, because I had predicted that she would, and that I'd be the one to find it. One of my really sucky mutant powers is that I'm always the one who finds stray nails, pieces of glass, et al.; generally by walking around barefoot and stepping on them (but occasionally gouging my thumb instead) - regardless of how thoroughly you or I might think that we cleaned up the mess. It's really not a very good mutant power, foot-glass-magnetism, and I have yet to figure out how to parlay it into a career of superheroic crime fighting. Anyway, I found the piece last night, and called Richard in to show him the glass and my bleeding foot, and explain to him (in a level voice, with no punishment) again why breaking things is bad. I didn't punish him (again; he was already punished for the tantrum), not directly, at least; but since I was limping and didn't feel like walking anywhere, I refused his later requests to go to the park.
On the other hand, I learned a new word today, thanks to Irregular Webcomic. The word is rhoticity (from the Greek letter "rho"), and describes "whether or not you pronounce the letter 'r' when it is not followed by a a vowel sound." Most English-speakers in England, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa are non-rhotic (they drop "r"s at the end of words, or within words but not followed by vowels); most English speakers in North America are rhotic (they pronounce all of their "r"s). But not me - "Chowdah! Chowdah! Chowdah!"