Running Away With Me

I was flipping radio stations on the way home and heard “Just My Imagination” by The Temptations. It’s a song I must have heard a million times,  but sometimes you luck out and you hear a song you know really well with fresh ears. Such was my drive home. And I just want to say [...]

Young Mothers

Holy cow, this interview with Lauren Bruce is amazing. I think there’s a lot of overlap between what Lauren is saying and what Kathy says in this post: You know what I’d like to see? A story about abortion restrictions in red states written by a woman who actually lives in one. I’d like to [...]

Two Old-Timey Things

1. Google is marking Mark Twain’s birthday with a mess. Huck Finn is making Tom Sawyer paint a fence?! That doesn’t make sense on at least two levels. I just don’t think it’s a compliment to fuck up a man’s iconic work like that. 2. Bridgett reminded me that today is the anniversary of the [...]

1867! 1867!

I am done with 1865, which is a relief, as I found it crammed full of crap. A ton of stuff has to happen in 1867, too–the finding of the cave, the death of a dog, the death of a wife, Ben Allen’s 12th birthday. Ha, yes, waiting around for Ben to get old enough [...]

“Obviously this Woman Reporter is a Homosexual”

Poor Ron over in the comments at Pith seems to think I have a much more exciting sex life than I do. But the part that gets me is this: In case someone didnt educate you, the tongue is for taste and talking. The human rear is for body waste to be removed. The penis [...]

Things Get Strange When You’re Writing

There are times when I’m working on the Sue Allen piece when I wonder about an MFA. Not because I necessarily want one. I don’t want to end up writing things that feel too workshopped or too un-stranged. But because the more I write this first draft the more I am daunted about the second. [...]

“Let’s Crappy Mustache It Up In Here!”

The Red-headed Kid is growing a mustache. A tiny crappy mustache, because he’s having a contest with his brother. The Butcher and he are now discussing which movies are like diarrhea and which are like terrible constipation. But the most important thing we all discovered is that none of us have finished The Fourth Kind. [...]

How to Improve Vegan Food

Let me be clear. I am not a vegan nor even a vegetarian. But I have had an ongoing discussion about vegan food over the past three weeks with lots of people and I figure that if I, a non-vegan, am having this conversation repeatedly there must be some meat (so to speak) in it. [...]

“Before You Slip into Unconsciousness…”

I went to bed last night at nine thirty. And I slept like I was on the Olympic Sleep Team until 1:30, at which point I woke up feeling so refreshed and alert. If it hadn’t been the middle of the night, I would have felt like I woke up from the greatest nap ever. [...]

betsyphillips.net is a Thing!

And some day, I will have betsyphillips.com! If I have to become a super villain to do it, I will! (My origin story is, I know, incredibly stupid. But really, what does Lex Luther have to be so pissed about? “Oh, I’m rich. Boo hoo hoo!” I can’t get a .com I want. That’s at [...]

Soul Weary

I’m not physically tired from my trip, but lord, my soul is tired. I’ve spent all day just going to the park, building a fire, and reading the new Greil Marcus book about The Doors. And I keep having to remind myself that I need to do a small load of laundry. But my brain [...]

Richland Park

I’ve Got a Mustang, It’ll Do 80…

On the way home from North Carolina, as we were sitting in traffic in Knoxville for hours and hours and hours and hours because of this mess, my dad said, “If you’re sure you’re not going to have a family of your own, you should really get a hard-topped convertible.” People, I had no idea [...]

The Phillipses Fail at Santa Beards and Succeed at James Gang Impersonations

My dad wanted us all to be wearing Santa Claus beards, but we couldn’t find any, so I made some from holiday flocking. It didn’t quite work. I was laughing so hard through the whole thing that I was crying, which is why my eyes are shut.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am, as always, thankful for you guys. I am also thankful that the back-to-back of Thanksgiving and Christmas only come once a year. Ha. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go make dinner. For my family, I am preparing turkey, mashed potatoes, corn bread, stuffing, green bean casserole, yams with marshmallows, and [...]

This is Going to be a Long, Weird Thanksgiving

I’m honestly not sure how this is going to go. My parents have only been here since 6:30 last night and I’m already feeling antsy and upset. The typical stupidity has taken on new contours as they’ve gotten older. I called my mom to specifically tell her not to dawdle because they were predicting tornadoes [...]

Waiting Around on Parents

I’m waiting around on my parents. You may be, as well, since they are apparently stopping every place between here and Kankakee. If that’s the case, you’ve probably noticed that they’re running slow. So, I invite you to check out the Austin City Limits featuring the Americana Music Awards. Some notes–I don’t care who knows [...]

Oh, Is the Recession Over?

The kid over at Tennessee Talking Points is pissed that the grown-ups aren’t doing more to smooth his/her way in the world. Yes, I did laugh briefly and say to myself “Welcome to what Generation X has been living with. Smoke some pot. Watch Clerks, and relax. Here’s your flannel shirt.” But then, I thought, [...]

Things I am Learning While Writing This Thing

1. The most popular rifle available during the Civil War was the Springfield. I don’t think there was actually a dominatrix in Black Bottom who would beat you with one after the War, but why the hell not? 2. Crinolines did not go out of fashion right after the War. One had to sit carefully [...]

I Bow To Danielle Crittenden or Stand on Guard to Her, Whichever is a Compliment in Canada

People, this is why I will never, every speak ill of Canadians. Who else among us is brave enough to try it?! USians are all “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you could do it…” and Canadians are all “OOH ouch ouch. Hell no!” Plus, their national anthem is cool as fuck. (Thanks, W., for bringing [...]

Didn’t the Republicans Win?

I have to say, there’s a certain something that, once Southern Beale pointed it out, I’ve not been able to unsee: the rise of the unnamed, put-upon Republicans. In Beale’s post, there’s a quote from Ron Ramsey: “Most people don’t want to be cited publicly. … They are dealing with the Department of Revenue, the [...]

Did I Have a Good Idea?

One thing about a state like Tennessee, you’re never sure when you say something like this whether it spurred someone to try something like this. Could have been something I said. Could have been that it was just utterly obvious. Either way, I’m glad to see Democrats proposing something. But, on the off chance it’s [...]

I Think I Invented a Fetish…

I’m slowly working on the Sue Allen thing and tonight I was trying to draw a parallel between the discomfort of losing the Civil War and the discomfort of being a medium for one of my characters. And as I’m going on trying to explain how some veterans like it–being a medium–because it lets them [...]

The House is Clean

We are as ready as we will ever be for Thanksgiving. Some family bullshit is going down that has me a little stressed, but it’s minor, typical crap, so I am trying to breathe through the ridiculousness. But you know me, I’m getting wound up and anxious anyway. The Butcher’s friend who is a girl [...]

I Really Love the Public Square