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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Vote Blinky-Winky!

If you watched the debate, I don't need to relive it for you. You know your own mind.

But I have to ask you, between the incessant winking and smirking, what was McCain really saying with his face? I was so distracted by the winking that I didn't notice if he was sticking his tongue out like a lizard. There must be a psychologist out there that can explain these facial tics.

The guys at FiveThirtyEight.com, which I've been frequenting more and more lately (even though some of the statistics are way over my head), had some fun live blogging, btw. And I like Andrew Sullivan's too.

***

My little tangent for tonight was inspired by McCain's blinking, and then realizing that his running mate is fond of a'winkin'.

It reminded me of one of my favorite nursery rhymes. Do you remember "Wynken, Blynken and Nod?" (I bet my little dutchbaby does!)


Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe---
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"
The old moon asked the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea---
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish---
Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam---
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
'T was all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 't was a dream they 'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea---
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

***

Time for bed, Blinky. You behaved like someone who didn't get his nap today.

6 comments:

Anonymous October 15, 2008 at 10:44 PM  

I'm in avoidance. I celebrated my over-sated debate state by going to a wine and cheese party in Beverly Hills.

And writing a post when I got home. In my quasi-semi-inebriated state...

Nancy Ewart October 15, 2008 at 11:19 PM  

You are a stronger woman than I am. I could not stand to listen to that b-s. Watching the stock market tank and tank and tank is bad enough. I cannot add listening to another one of the politicos who put us in this mess lie, slander and mislead. Instead, I worked on a new hand lettered book, finished another book on Islamic Spain and watched a documentary on Cezanne. But if you want great commentary, go read Matty Boy. I've got a link on my blog - can't remember it now. He's fantastic!

Dutchbaby October 16, 2008 at 8:07 AM  

You betcha I know about Wynken, Blynken and Nod but not because of my Dutch roots. My sister-in-law gave me a beautiful picture book featuring this poem when the kids were wee ones. The poem has a beautiful, mesmerizing cadence. Maybe I used to hypnotize them to sleep with this book!?

paris parfait October 16, 2008 at 3:23 PM  

ha ha! Winkin' and blinkin' - that's the Republican ticket. xoxox

tangobaby October 16, 2008 at 3:32 PM  

Hi johanna,

As long as you weren't driving...we know how those LA drivers are! (And I can say that because SF drivers are *almost* as bad).

Cheese is almost as good as chocolate in the food-as-drug category.

Hi namastenancy,

No, not stronger. More like feeling like you had to watch your little brother go to the debate finals in Junior High School. I had to see it through. And I'm glad I did, because this was the debate that felt the most "authentic" to m, for lack of a better word.

However, your evening sounded MUCH more interesting and productive and I'm really glad you did something different. I'll be sure to check out Matty Boy.

Hi dutchbaby,

It is a really sweet poem. I bet you did hypnotize those little kiddies! But they probably liked it!

Hi paris parfait,

Just when I thought I was being all kinds of funny and smart, it looks like half the country thought of the same name for the ticket. I've been getting hits all day for Wink/Blink, Winky/Blinky '08, etc. And here I thought I was so special.

Anonymous October 17, 2008 at 11:32 AM  

i just don't know how to settle down here i am so excited!!! i haven't even read this post yet...all i needed to see was the reference to wynken blynken and nod....this is a childhood memory that sends me into a hypnotic state. i had a very beautiful book that i have never seen again that had this story/poem in it and my mother would read it to us. i was so into he dreaminess of this and peter pan... last year or the year before i can't remember i created an audio recording of myself reading this out loud as a bedtime story for one of my on-line friend's daughter. zippy and i read it together actually.... i love that you know it and wrote it here... the presidential campaign is peanuts compared to the importance of childhood memory...you have that straight from a 'psychologist type.'
xo