Rodent Regatta

My efforts to learn XHTML and CSS will take a different turn today. I’m going to begin working methodically through Elizabeth Castro’s excellent book.

The workbook I’ve been producing will change to reflect my attempts to follow and complete the exercises in the book. I’m not sure when Day 7 will be ready, but keep watching. For the experienced among you, this will be hilarious. For those in the same boat that I’m in, it will be merely comical.

Trying to learn web design and development at my age and with my background brings this to mind:

Doan’t Be What You Ain’t
Lyrics by Edwin Milton Royle from the Musical ”Moonshine”
performed in New York in 1905

De sunflower ain’t de daisy,
And de melon ain’t de rose.
Why is dey all so crazy
To be sumpin’ else dat grows?
Jes’ stick to the place you’s planted, and do the bes’ you know,
Be de sunflower or de daisy,
Be de melon or de rose.

De song thrush ain’t de robin,
And de catbird ain’t de jay.
Why is dey all a-throbbin’ to outdo each other’s lay?
Jes’ sing de song God gave you, and let your heart be gay.
Be de song thrush or de robin,
Be de catbird or de jay.

Chorus:
Doan’t ye be what you ain’t,
Jes’ you be what you is,
Ef a man is what he isn’t
Den he isn’t what he is.

Ef you’s jes’ a little tadpole,
Doan’t you try to be de frog.
Ef you’s de tail doan’t you try to wag de dog.
Jes’ pass de plate ef you can’t exhort and preach;
Ef you’s jes’ a little pebble,
Doan’t ye try to be de beach.
Ef a man is what he isn’t, den he isn’t what he am,
And as sure as I’m a-talkin’ he isn’t worth a ___

Doan’t ye be what you ain’t,
Jes’ you be what you is.
Ef a man is what he isn’t,
Den he isn’t what he is;
And as sure as I’m a-talkin’,
He’s qwyne to git his.