about Mr. Toad

Family & Friends & Eliza's Favorite Bumper Stickers

Some of Eliza's favorite bumper stickers and quotes:

~Feminism is the radical notion that women are people~

[Unknown]

-Well, at least the war on the environment is going well.

-Not all who wander are lost.

-Remember who you wanted to be.

-Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind.

-Poverty is a weapon of mass destruction.

-Our national health plan: don't get sick.

-If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

-The best things in life aren't things

-What if the hokey-pokey is what it's all about?

-Why experiment on animals when there are so many lawyers?

-Will work for social change.

-Humans aren't the only species on earth. We just act like it.

~If you see someone without a smile, give them yours~

[Unknown]

~Better a witty fool than a foolish wit~

[William Shakespeare]

~When work/school feels overwhelming, remember that you're going to die~

~Peace in the world, or the world in pieces~

~You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one~

~I'm not disturbing the peace, I'm disturbing the war~

~I dream of a better world, where chickens can cross the street without having their motives questioned~

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websites of family and friends...

Dan Mason - my brother, who survived growing up with five sisters to become a reliable source of bizarre food goods tucked into his coat pockets -- oh, I mean, imported -- from all over the world, and violinist and violin professor extraordinaire.

Kate Mason-Wolf - my youngest sister, who knows more about drinking fountains, gardening, and Creative Memories than anyone I know, and is always at the ready to serve as a human GPS (terrible sense of direction but first-rate google skills). My most reliable email correspondent, if she's not busy playing tennis or golf.

John Carnes - one of my twin-brothers-in-law, who along with his twin taught me everything I need to know about silkworms, cylinders of Unknown origins, and light-bulb hats, is a fabulous massage therapist, songwriter, and founder/banjo-plucker/singer in the band Intermittent Animals, known especially for its hit singles, When You're a Clone, You're Never Alone and Going to Spend the Summer at Camp-Get-Over-You. If you're ever in need of a massage in Columbus, Ohio, Uncle John is your guy.

Charlie Weaver - my other twin-brother-in-law, owner of Architectural Gardens, another Columbus, Ohio must-see landmark. If you want to have your landscape redesigned and laugh until you cry, give him a call; I'll be able to provide a link just as soon as he gets his website back in operation. He must be busy chatting with Silkie.

Bruce Sova - my brother-in-law Bruce moved all the way to Africa and took our darling niece Haley with him, but we still love him! If you're ever in Malawi, Africa, stay at his Lukwe Eco-Camp and tell him Maggie sent you.

Mami Hayashida - married to my brother Dan. I haven't known her long enough to harass her too much. She plays the piano alot better than me.

Dan Webb - Seattle-based nephew and amazing sculptor and artist. Born in East Lansing, Michigan, so he knows all about cornfields and the gnomes that frequent them.

Penny Webb - Niece and founder/bass guitarist/vocalist for the awesome mama-rock band The Kegels, and ultimate sweetheart. All My Fault on their Totally Effaced album is a ballad for the ages.

Arlie Scott - The best godmum ever, and long-time feminist leader and activist. She doesn't have a website but she is mentioned on lots of webpages, like this one about Shirley Chisolm's presidential campaign, for which Arlie was California state coordinator.

Sandy Birdsall - kind and lovely owner of the Botsford Cottage outside Petoskey, Michigan, our favorite vacation place and site of inspiration and renewal. Eliza's stream is there.

Phoebe Leed - Phoebe is my best friend from college and she doesn't have a website but she should. She and Nathan Neel have created the first translation of Guiseppe Santarelli's Legend of the Sibiline Mountains: "the roots of literature in popular consciousness, the intimations of Christian existentialism, the absorption of pagan traditions into Christianity--reach far and wide. Goddess worship, necromantic rites, the death of Pontius Pilate, Benevenuto Cellini, Goethe's "Faust" Wagner's "Tannhauser"...they all connect here in a real place of strange geological formations and magical beauty."

Carol King and Michael Rose - known far and wide for their PBS program Great Cars, but also beloved by us; back in the day we spent many wonderful hours doing who knows what, and they still remember our old brown corduroy couch. Carol's film Passing the Torch, about the Michigan women's movement (in which Carol played a central role for years), should be shown in every high school classroom in the state.

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Kammy ~ Spring 2010 graduate of Kalamazoo College, and off to New Mexico with Teach for America to spend two years teaching in the Navajo Nation (and being a meticulous reader and editor for her mother, still, she promises)

Isaac ~ A Student Conservation Association alumni and MSU Spartan, went all-state in cross-country at his high school, dropping 21 seconds in the state final while running half the race wearing only one shoe. Silly boy.

My 3 (no longer so) wee ones at a Detroit Tigers game with fun-loving Papa, my husband

Rodger Webb ~ my first reader (just as soon as he finishes the NYT crossword puzzle) & best friend, and a fierce advocate for justice and workers' rights as well as for any Michigan State University sports team.

Our little cockapoo Loki, who can jump higher than a rabbit (really!)

Rodger & Loki, doing one of the many things they do so well.