Triad Diary http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/ The life and times of the Triad. en Copyright 2008 Wed, 14 May 2008 10:46:09 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Click in, click out. Click in, click out. http://www.cyclesdeoro.com/ Here's the whole events calendar. I'll feel a little silly on Friday at the end of my super short ride, eating the snacks the city is providing for cyclists who are coming from far away and may actually need refueling, but I'll do it anyway. ]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/05/click_in_click_out_click_in_cl.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/05/click_in_click_out_click_in_cl.shtml Bike to Work Week Wed, 14 May 2008 10:46:09 -0500 Bike to work Week ]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/05/bike_to_work_week.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/05/bike_to_work_week.shtml Bike to Work Week Mon, 12 May 2008 11:45:28 -0500 Cultural medley My mother was in town until yesterday evening, and in the week she was here, we did more fun things in Greensboro than in all the years I've lived here, practically. To wit: Last Thursday we saw "Rent" at the coliseum. Sunday afternoon we attended Nikki Giovanni's free poetry reading at the Carolina Theatre, and a few hours later we saw Polecat Creek's free concert at Center City Park. So next time you're sitting around bored, thinking there's nothing to do, or that you can't afford to do it, pick up Go Triad or go online and find something: There are lots of fun, free events all the time, but especially with the bicentennial happening. I tend to be a homebody, but I can honestly say I am so glad we went to everything we did. We were exhausted, but better off for it! http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/cultural_medley.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/cultural_medley.shtml Holly Lux-Sullivan Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:45:25 -0500 Me of little faith My 7-year-old son's school, Morehead Elementary, held a book fair this week. As part of the fair, they filled a jar with jelly beans and asked the kids to guess how many beans the jar contained. Riley guessed 500, a figure I knew was absurdly high and told him as much. "Are you sure you want to stick with that guess?" I said, hoping he'd succumb to the power of my paternal persuasion. "Yup, 500," he said without any hesitation. As much as it bothered me to submit such a ridiculous guess, I didn't intervene. Besides, I thought, a great teaching moment was at hand. When my son sees I was right, I figured, he'll learn to trust me more. He'll come away from this contest knowing he can always turn to me in times of need, secure in the knowledge that the advice I dispense will be both wise and reasoned. This just in: 506 jelly beans. To the victor goes the spoils. In this case, Riley won a new book and something even more precious: A chance to hold his victory over the old man's head until he turns, oh, say 18. Even now, three days, later, I am still hearing about it. Good for him. And I learned something, too: Have a little faith. http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/me_of_little_faith.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/me_of_little_faith.shtml Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:51:01 -0500 Head clearing sneezes attack. Ever since I can remember, allergies have been a runny, sneezy, stopped up, nose-itchingly part of my life. I started on Seldane, which Dennis Miller once called "the antihistamine of the stars." (Can you name that movie, folks?) Then it was Claritin, which cleared the airways but gave me headaches. Then Zyrtec did the job. And I get spring fever. I love being outside in shorts and flip-flops. My pots are planted with basil sprouts. I'm going to see the Grasshoppers this weekend. What stinks about this time of year, with all of its blooms, buds and baseball, is how much I dislike taking medications. It's not a guy thing, it's a I-don't-want-to-take-lab-manufactured-drugs thing. But this year I buckled again and bought some allergy medicine. When your eyes look like roadmaps first thing in the morning (without any fun from the night before) and your nose is swollen shut, it's time to break down. Once I heard that if you regularly eat local honey, it will reduce your allergies. Whatever. I'll just suffer with the rest of those with exploding noses. Got a tissue?]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/head_clearing_sneezes.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/head_clearing_sneezes.shtml Gerald Witt Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:10:01 -0500 Not my style my generation. All the boomers growing old in America. It's only natural that we women would want to put aside our T-shirts and jeans and go straight to house dresses. Speaking only for myself: Hell, no. I won't go. -- Teresa Prout]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/yesterdays_ugh_is_todays_fashi.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/yesterdays_ugh_is_todays_fashi.shtml Teresa Prout Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:54:52 -0500 Makeover or cover-up? grasshopperscollage%20copy.jpg Ever seen that reality show, "Extreme Makeover?" It seems Guilford, the uniform-wearing insect (center) who serves as the mascot of the Greensboro Grasshoppers, could've been a guest on the show over the off season. He unveiled his "fresh" new look (right) Monday at NewBridge Bank Park in the Hoppers' home opener. The question around the water cooler the next day: "Did you SEE the new Grasshopper?" The answers: "Ughhh, yeah." "I like the old one better." "It doesn't even LOOK like a Grasshopper." "Why'd they change it?" The question I wanted to know: What happened to GiGi (left), presumably Guilford's main squeeze for several years running, and Timmy (too shy for pictures), who seemed a little slow but was OK with being the third wheel? The official word from the Grasshoppers is this:
"The 2008 season will see Guilford take the lone reigns [SIC] over mascot duties at the ballpark with GiGi and Timmy finding alternate employment. Gigi, who unfortunately is allergic to dogs, moved to Grasshoppers Island in Australia and became a local tour guide. Timmy decided to stay local and will be working with students around the Triad as a staff member of the Bryan Family YMCA. Timmy will work with a variety of activities for the YMCA and will still be active throughout the Greensboro area."
Now, I don't like to gossip or start any rumors, but this story bugs me. (Yes, pun intended.) See, I've been to Australia, and there's no Grasshoppers Island. I think it's a cover-up. I think Guilford was gone for his fancy makeover too long. GiGi got tired of waiting on her beau, and Timmy started looking pretty good. (Frankly, he's a hunk compared to the new Guilford.) And, of course, Guilford's the star, so he got them both axed. Now, I can't prove it. But if you see any turtles with fuzzy red hair or any larvae with goofy grins around town, you'll know I'm right. ]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/makeover_or_coverup.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/04/makeover_or_coverup.shtml Jennifer Burton Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:11:41 -0500 On buying the basics Conversation between two middle-aged women. Overheard in Harris Teeter during the first day of the triple coupon sale. The topic: The economy. Woman 1, flipping through an envelope of coupons: "I come in here to get $30 worth of groceries and leave out here with over $100." Woman 2: "I know. A friend said she came in and only got $25 worth of things. I said, 'What did you buy? Toilet paper and bread?'" http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/on_buying_the_basics.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/on_buying_the_basics.shtml Lanita Withers Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:07:08 -0500 Humming along kept seeing them. I have to admit that I don't understand the appeal of driving the same vehicle -- albeit a shiny black one with leather seats and a 30 CD changer -- that the military uses to cross rivers and carry troops through battle zones. Maybe it's fun to ride up that high? Maybe you feel safer? Could it just be the cool factor of owning something called a Hummer instead of a Camry or a Neon. Whatever made y'all buy one, I have to imagine that, these days, that cool factor fades a little bit every time you fill up the tank. ]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/humming_along.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/humming_along.shtml Jennifer Burton Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:56:36 -0500 Super size me At the Brassfield Cinema on Saturday, I tried to order a small popcorn with no butter for my daugthers to share. The clerk came back with a bag of popcorn that clearly said "medium" on the side. When I pointed out that I had ordered a small, she explained that the medium is now the small. When I said I didn't want that much popcorn, she was mystfied, but finally suggested that I order the "junior" size, which is the new small. She threw away the first order, filled up the "junior" container and then squirted butter all over it. I reminded her I didn't want butter, so she threw it out and started all over again. And we wonder why childhood obesity is such a problem ... http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/super_size_me_1.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/super_size_me_1.shtml Ann Morris Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:43:08 -0500 T-bone sandwich? No thanks I was driving on W. Smith Street in downtown Greensboro this morning when I noticed this car to the left approaching the intersection with no signs of stopping. The problem was I had the green light. I couldn't stop in time to let it go by, so I hit the gas, wishing I had something with a little more oomph under the hood than an econobox 4-cylinder. I dodged a bullet. A co-worker last year was not so lucky. Just a few blocks away from my near-miss, Mike got T-boned at Church and Friendly by a driver who ran a red light. Here's hoping my luck won't run out, but I'm not counting on it. http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/tbone_sandwich_no_thanks.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/tbone_sandwich_no_thanks.shtml Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:41:34 -0500 Bag lady The limo came to a stop at Green Valley Grill in Saturday's rain and out stepped a beautiful woman. She was maybe 30 and dressed to kill: Black-sequined dress and shoes to match. You could tell she had put a lot of time and effort into the evening that awaited. If only she had put as much thought in bringing an umbrella. The plastic CVS bag over her head didn't exactly pull everything together. http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/bag_lady.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/bag_lady.shtml Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:25:09 -0500 A very brief history of Greensboro Greensboro is celebrating its 200th birthday this year. We want you to help celebrate by writing the city's history in just six words. The idea comes from Smith Magazine's new book, "Not Quite What I Was Planning." The paperback is a collection of six-word autobiographies from both famous and obscure writers. I love the cleverness of the concept. The idea, according to the book's editors, is that everyone has a story. We think that everyone has a story about Greensboro — and that you can tell it in six words Here are a few that I've come up with: * Lots of trains pass through here. * Four college freshman couldn't eat lunch. * Jefferson Davis stopped, but kept going. (I was thinking of Don Patterson's recent story about Greensboro during the civil war.) * George Washington might have slept here. (I was thinking about yet another Don Patterson piece.) * Roll out brown cans next week. Those are all top-of-the-head tries. I know you can do better, so do better in the comments. ]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/a_very_brief_history_of_greens.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/a_very_brief_history_of_greens.shtml Sat, 08 Mar 2008 12:01:00 -0500 Mind games The dude wearing the Maryland hat was walking out of the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday when an elderly couple wearing matching Duke sweatshirts passed him heading in. "Better get in there," the Terp fan said. "Duke's already down 12." The couple looked at each other horrified and hurried their pace. The Terp fan looked at me and my kids and smiled. It was only 8:15. Duke's game with Florida State wouldn't start for another 15 minutes. "I love messing with a Duke fan's head," he said. http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/mind_games.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/mind_games.shtml Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:43:27 -0500 The lion or the lamb ]]> http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/the_lion_or_the_lamb.shtml http://blog.news-record.com/staff/triaddiary/2008/03/the_lion_or_the_lamb.shtml Nicolette Miller-Ka Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:31:17 -0500