Two thoughts only tangentially related to Empire Records

[conuly]

1. If you have small children, take this advice. One day they'll scribble all over themselves with marker. When they do, don't panic. You can't scrub it off, so let them go to town, and if people question you, look down your nose and say "I don't need to explain my art to you" or, better, "Don't question my art". I stole that line gleefully from Empire Records and have never forgotten it.

2. Eva remembered that's her mom's favorite movie, but she's never seen it and therefore forgot the name. I asked her to tell her mom it was airing once - "Do you want to see The Emperor Archives?"

Missed a few 4th of July links, so here they are now:

18 Vintage Photos of People Celebrating Independence Day

Photographs of Independence Day in America

This woman’s name appears on the Declaration of Independence. So why don’t we know her story? (Fascinating story, though half of it is the Post conspicuously equating patriotism with journalism. Well, can't blame 'em, and they're right anyway.)

Why are Danes celebrating the Fourth of July?

How Americans Celebrated Independence Day in 1777

The government’s annual mannequin murders, ranked

Before America Got Uncle Sam, It Had to Endure Brother Jonathan

Why I Love (And Question) Independence Day

Comments

[sholio]

Not to disagree with the excellent advice in #1, but if you encounter a situation in which non-scribbled-upon children are preferable, vegetable oil (and some scrubbing) will remove it. I know this because, as an artist, I occasionally scribble all over myself with marker - not on purpose - and I was whining about it one day to my (scientist) husband, who casually remarked, "Just use some kind of oil, that'll take it off." FECK, HE'S RIGHT. I just use food-grade vegetable oil from the kitchen when I need to de-marker myself.

[conuly]

Hm. I'll suggest it next time. I don't think I've ever seen that suggestion, so it must be a good one - usually people go with some combination of rubbing alcohol and long baths*. Which, I mean, okay, but my advice is easier and a lot funnier.

* Sometimes they suggest magic eraser, which I'm sure must be a bad idea.

[sholio]

Yeah, and I definitely don't want to be That Killjoy Who Just Doesn't Get the Joke. XD It's good advice, and frankly, it doesn't matter if children are covered in marker or not (certainly not to the children!). But in case it ever does become important, it works for me.

[flexagon]

"Don't question my art" is a FANTASTIC line and I intend to use it on many future occasions. Or perhaps "Excuse me, are you questioning my art?" Either way, thank you!

[conuly]

My pleasure : )

[plicease]

I can remember being on the other side of that scribbling on.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Dude, baby oil takes permanent marker right off. Still, "Don't question my art" is a great line!

[conuly]

It's the weirdest thing. In 14 years, I've never heard that, and yet, I've gotten that piece of advice twice in the past two days.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Well... in the past 14 years, how often have you brought up the subject of removing marker marks? It's just one of those odd bits of childcare-lore, like using peanut butter to get gum out of hair, or WD-40 to get pine-sap out of hair, or mayonaisse to kill lice, or meat tenderizer to kill the pain of bee stings, etcetera etcetera.

Coconut oil will take marker off too, but not as easily as mineral oil does.

[conuly]

Well... in the past 14 years, how often have you brought up the subject of removing marker marks?

At least once a month, actually. I hang around parenting and now homeschooling forums. It comes up.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Sheesh, and nobody knew about baby oil? Amazing. I'd have told you years ago, if I'd known you didn't know. Apparently hand sanitizer and baby wipes also work, which I hadn't heard before.

"Don't question my art" is still a great line. When my daughter was a teenager, she had a penchant for drawing incredibly-elaborate elbow-length black lace gloves on herself with Sharpie - rockin' the Violet Baudelaire Look - and she could have used that line.

[conuly]

Honest, this is the first I've heard of it!