I was reading my Dictionary of Cliches last night and I realized that since my daughters have left home, they don't really keep in touch on a regular basis. I'm not complaining (OK. So I was complaining.). I usually get emails from them. My oldest daughter helped me set up this blog. I just wish I'd hear more from them more often. If I haven't heard from them in a week, I start imagining all kinds of catastrophies. Excuses range from, "There wasn't anything new to write you about." to "I'd rather call you but I need to go out and buy a new phone card." to "I've just been so busy." to "Insert whatever excuse you've heard here" Then I realize, I sound just like my mother. It used to be, "Why don't you write us more often or call?" and now it's "Why haven't you emailed? Are you OK?" I sound like my mother-in-law too. She's a novice at the computer we got her a few years ago but I still get emails with, "I haven't gotten any emails from you lately. Is this thing working? Did you get this email? I bet this stupid thing isn't working. I'm going to unplug it and get rid of it." My father transcribed some family letters written by my great-grandmother. You guessed it. "Why haven't you written? Are you OK?" This seems to be a recurring problem back through time. I wonder if Pliny the Younger got complaints from Pliny the Elder. I bet it all started as soon as man developed writing or did it start even before that and writing was the new invention that was supposed to solve the communication gaps?

Cliche of the Day

Nothing to Write Home About. Ordinary, unexciting. The thought was put by Pliny the Younger in one of his letters almost 2,000 years ago: "There is nothing to write about, you say. Well then, write and let me know just this---that there is nothing to write about...." The current version dates from the 19th century.