Banter Bites

Ida … Don’t Know What To Do

Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and we all came together to help then … and we'll all come together to help now.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: While Red finds all the images and stories coming out of Louisiana heartbreaking and made even worse by the fact the state has one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the country, Black knows that Americans will do what they do best … in times of disasters, we stand together to help.

The easiest way to help is often donating to an organization, and no contribution's too small … as they all add up.

But first, Black feels the need to add a few words of wisdom (or are they words of warning?),

There are many legitimate nonprofits (and for-profits) accepting donations to help Hurricane Ida victims which, unfortunately, means there will be scammers. So, if in doubt – check them out. (Two good resources to make sure they are legitimate are GuideStar and Charity Navigator.)

LOCAL

NATIONAL

natural disasters
Animation

Fire In The House!

RED+BLACK - Fire In The House!
youtu.be

Red may have been annoyed that Black questioned whether she was prepared in case there was a fire in her house, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized Black wasn't trying to be annoying (that seems to come naturally), she just knows the time to think about it is BEFORE it happens.

Curious about the “Back Story” to our animation teasers? Red’s daughter, Sawyer, told us we needed to do some very short animated “teasers” … so Black said, “Great.You want to work in video production. Take the final working versions of our animation and start creating them!” So, she did!

P.S. – For those of you who've met us or seen us at speaking engagements, we'd love to know if you think the animators have accurately captured us! (You can email us at Banter@RedandBlackBooks.com.)

safety
Ask Red & Black

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?


Red assets.rebelmouse.io


Absolutely! Even though I’m not Irish, although growing up, many people thought I was because of my red hair. Regardless, I’ve always looked forward to St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate it the same way I did growing up in New York – with corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes . It was one of my favorite dinners then, and it still is, and my daughters feel the same way. Neither one of them will be home this year, but I’ll still be cooking a big pot of it and savoring the leftovers for days.

Plus, and I’m sure Black will roll her eyes, I “dress up” our 5-foot standing stuffed bear that “lives” in the front hallway in his St. Patrick’s Day outfit. (Throughout the year, the bear’s outfit changes with each “significant” holiday – a family tradition that started when my girls were very young.)


Black assets.rebelmouse.io


Considering Red loves history, I am surprised that she did not mention the history behind St. Patrick’s Day or that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was neither Irish nor a Saint. And, given Red's love of bagels, I am shocked she did not mention that our local bagel shop would always make green ones to celebrate the holiday.

How do I celebrate? I have always been a clotheshorse, so it is easy just to wear something green. Growing up, it was not that I was conforming to the tradition of wearing green so leprechauns could not see me; it was because many boys in school looked for any “legitimate” excuse to pinch girls, and I refused to give them that opportunity. Over the years, as I collected Hermes shawls (you can see them in the background in Selfish,Shallow … And Svelte?), I would grab one that had green and call it a day. St. Patrick’s Day.

You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day – whether with food and drink (does green beer taste different?), wearing green, thoughts of leprechauns and good luck, or just taking a few minutes to enjoy these Irish quotes.

holidays
Banter Bites

Any Idea What The Ides Of March Is? Or Why You Should "Beware"?

Beware the Ides of March! That sounds scary. But what is it? And is it a myth or the truth? Red knew it had to with (Julius) Caesar, and the mere mention of “Caesar” made Black question if we were talking about a General, a politician, or a salad. But it does reveal the power of storytelling, and how a good story can last not only decades, but centuries!

Is "The Ides of March" the day Julius Caesar was assassinated, a famous Shakespearean quote, or a George Clooney movie?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: The answer is "all three" but we'll completely understand if "The Ides of March" means nothing to you, or if you think it sounds familiar but you're not quite sure why.

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storytelling