Is there a genetic reason why many people cannot use the word “literally” correctly? As in "They have literally (sic) stuck their hands into a hornet's nest," said Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand, a fetal pain researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who believes fetuses as young as 20 weeks old feel pain.” The “they” in this case are the researchers who have debunked Dr. Anand’s theory, but that is neither here nor there. Literally.

Among the spate of plane crashes over the past few days, the one that occurred at the Brandywine Airport outside West Chester, PA may have been missed. Two people killed – very close to my house – the first fatalities ever at this tiny airport. The runway begins (ends?) on a precipice overlooking, creatively enough, Airport Road. The other end backs up to a private road (how hoity-toity of them) that runs through QVC’s property (yes, I live within spitting distance of the QVC Studio Park). The airport people finally erected signs on Airport Road warning of “low flying aircraft” when one too many drivers who live in the nearby over-55 community had a heart attack thinking that they were going to be hit by a plane that was landing. Alas, my premonition of a small plane crashing into the embankment short of the runway was not the case in this crash, which appears to have been caused by problems with the landing gear.

A while back I was perusing a list of products that have won various design awards (another indication of the sorry state of my “social life”). One of them, Rubbermaid’s Paint Buddy, seemed like such a practical tool that I just had to have one. In its acceptance speech for the Bronze “Idea” Award, the Buddy had this to say about itself: “The Rubbermaid Paint Buddy is a touch-up paint roller with onboard paint storage…. By combining paint storage with an applicator in a convenient, re-sealable package, Paint Buddy represents a paradigm shift for this type of paint application, not just an incremental improvement.” Even though it seems like a perfect product to be purchased online, it’s only available in stores. I finally tracked one down at the Home Depot and brought it home. It’s been sitting on the kitchen counter for a week while I decide which color to try it with first. It’s a disturbingly familiar shape, although it didn’t quite register with me for a few days. Here it is all dressed up for the award ceremony. And here’s what it reminds me of.