The Chevy Volt made the IN list for 2009. That’s more optimism than I’m prepared for…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/features/2008/year-in-review/the_list_2009.html
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Friday, October 26, 2007
What women hate about buying a car
Women hate buying a car. And the problem is the same as with men in general:
They act like they want a relationship. But really, they're just trying to screw you.
They act like they want a relationship. But really, they're just trying to screw you.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Ethical questions raised by Harry Potter
In the second novel, Harry Potter is faced with the task of transforming a pair of bunnies into slippers.
My question is: if he is successful, has he killed them?
This leads to additional questions:
If he does kill them, is it appropriate to use live animals in the classroom?
If he doesn't kill them, are they still alive?
Can shoes that are made of animals still be considered alive?
Are they any different than Muggle-made slippers if you can't tell them apart?
If you return the slippers to rabbit-form, and you changed Muggle slippers into rabbits too, would one set of rabbits be alive and the other set only simulating aliveness, would both sets be alive or would both sets be simulating aliveness?
If there is a difference, what gives them this difference?
If there isn't a difference, why would it be wrong to treat a pair of rabbits like slippers right now (lock them in a closet without food and water for a week)?
My question is: if he is successful, has he killed them?
This leads to additional questions:
If he does kill them, is it appropriate to use live animals in the classroom?
If he doesn't kill them, are they still alive?
Can shoes that are made of animals still be considered alive?
Are they any different than Muggle-made slippers if you can't tell them apart?
If you return the slippers to rabbit-form, and you changed Muggle slippers into rabbits too, would one set of rabbits be alive and the other set only simulating aliveness, would both sets be alive or would both sets be simulating aliveness?
If there is a difference, what gives them this difference?
If there isn't a difference, why would it be wrong to treat a pair of rabbits like slippers right now (lock them in a closet without food and water for a week)?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
You can choose your friends...
MSNBC reports that Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, revealed Tuesday that her husband and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois — who wants to be the nation’s first black president — are eighth cousins. She said she discovered the two were related while researching her ancestry for her latest book, “Blue Skies, No Fences,” a memoir about growing up in Wyoming. “Every family has a black sheep,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton told The Associated Press.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Smelling the Roses
One of the things I love about Sundays is that you have time to putter around and be domestic...play hausfrau.
Since it's been raining, this morning was wonderful. Cool, misty and relaxing. I like to take time in the morning to treasure a cat, so I made a cup of tea (a beautiful display tea that a friend got for me in China). Alma chose to take advantage of the situation, and continued to hang out as I puttered around the front flower bed and my tiny vegetable garden. It's one of the more enjoyable aspects of working outside - I usually have somebody or another hanging out with me in that casual cat way.
One of the saddest parts of being grown-up is that my main interaction with roses has nothing to do with appreciating their beauty or smell. Instead, they've become another responsibility. Every weekend I must dead-head my pink shrub roses. Then I compost the blossoms. Which seems sacrilegious. But what else can I do with mounds of dead and drying blossoms I prune each week?
On another note, yesterday, I went to Borders because I wanted to pick up a couple gift books (I buy all of mine used). On the discount table in front, I saw "Heimskringla or The Lives of the Norse Kings." Now that's just one of those random things one is meant to buy, if you know what I mean.
The Old Norse were amusingly different, for example, "It once happened when Odin was gone far away and had been a long time from home that his people thought he would not come back. Then his brothers took it upon themselves to divide his goods in succcession to him, but they both took to wife his spouse Frigga. But a little later Odin came home and once more took his wife to himself." There was also Fjolnir, who drowned in a beer vat.
Odin himself was a bit of a trip: "It was said that he talked so glibly and shrewdly that all who heard him must needs take his tale to be wholly true." Which explains the part about him talking to the dead, foreseeing the future and changing into animals and wandering around. Though they don't go into it in the book, I think he also may be the first person to sell the Brooklyn Bridge. He was also able to convince his followers that he was a god. So, now we know where the plot for "The Man Who Would Be King" came from. Though Odin died in his bed since he was a better shuckster than Daniel Dravot, and didn't drink as much beer as Fjolnir.
After Odin, came Niord, who was a political prisoner at the time(or rather a hostage, which was actually more of an ambassador). Anyway, there is no mention of Odin's sons - odd, no? Niord had a son and a daughter: Frey and Freya, who each successively became a ruler/god. After Freya's rule, "...they called all their noble women by her name, even as they are now called fruer; so every woman is called Freya (Frue) who rules over her own property, but she is called house-freya (husfrue), who has a household. I wonder what Freya did with her dead rose blossoms?
Since it's been raining, this morning was wonderful. Cool, misty and relaxing. I like to take time in the morning to treasure a cat, so I made a cup of tea (a beautiful display tea that a friend got for me in China). Alma chose to take advantage of the situation, and continued to hang out as I puttered around the front flower bed and my tiny vegetable garden. It's one of the more enjoyable aspects of working outside - I usually have somebody or another hanging out with me in that casual cat way.
One of the saddest parts of being grown-up is that my main interaction with roses has nothing to do with appreciating their beauty or smell. Instead, they've become another responsibility. Every weekend I must dead-head my pink shrub roses. Then I compost the blossoms. Which seems sacrilegious. But what else can I do with mounds of dead and drying blossoms I prune each week?
On another note, yesterday, I went to Borders because I wanted to pick up a couple gift books (I buy all of mine used). On the discount table in front, I saw "Heimskringla or The Lives of the Norse Kings." Now that's just one of those random things one is meant to buy, if you know what I mean.
The Old Norse were amusingly different, for example, "It once happened when Odin was gone far away and had been a long time from home that his people thought he would not come back. Then his brothers took it upon themselves to divide his goods in succcession to him, but they both took to wife his spouse Frigga. But a little later Odin came home and once more took his wife to himself." There was also Fjolnir, who drowned in a beer vat.
Odin himself was a bit of a trip: "It was said that he talked so glibly and shrewdly that all who heard him must needs take his tale to be wholly true." Which explains the part about him talking to the dead, foreseeing the future and changing into animals and wandering around. Though they don't go into it in the book, I think he also may be the first person to sell the Brooklyn Bridge. He was also able to convince his followers that he was a god. So, now we know where the plot for "The Man Who Would Be King" came from. Though Odin died in his bed since he was a better shuckster than Daniel Dravot, and didn't drink as much beer as Fjolnir.
After Odin, came Niord, who was a political prisoner at the time(or rather a hostage, which was actually more of an ambassador). Anyway, there is no mention of Odin's sons - odd, no? Niord had a son and a daughter: Frey and Freya, who each successively became a ruler/god. After Freya's rule, "...they called all their noble women by her name, even as they are now called fruer; so every woman is called Freya (Frue) who rules over her own property, but she is called house-freya (husfrue), who has a household. I wonder what Freya did with her dead rose blossoms?
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Lists of Books (updated)
5 most depressing books:
1) Ethan Fromme - Edith Wharton
2) Sex and the City - Candace Bushnell
3) The Rise and Fall of Courtesans - Balzac
4) Hunchback of Notre Dame - Victor Hugo
5)
5 recommendations:
1) The Joy Luck Club
2) Darwin's Radio (new recommendation)
3) Wildly Sophisticated
4) Now, Discover Your Strengths
5) Cyteen
10 favorite authors:
1) C.J. Cherryh
2) J.R.R. Tolkien
3) Tolstoy
4) Thackeray
5) Greg Bear
6) Amy Tan
7) Louisa May Alcott
9) James Tiptree
10) James Herriot
5 books I most want to read:
1) Mrs. Edgeworth's Tales
2) The New Testament
3) Adam Smith
4) Peter Pan
5) The Secret Garden
10 childhood favorites (junior high or earlier):
1) Pigman by Zindel
2) Arm of the Starfish by L'Engle
3) I am Not a Short Adult
4) Lord of the Rings Trilogy
5) Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West
6) Narnia Series
7) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
8) Little Women, Little Men and Jo's Boys
9) Macbeth
10) Angus and the Cat
6 great quotes:
1) Sex and the City - Candace Bushnell
"Who was that man you were kissing in the cab?" Skipper asked.
"Just another man I either don't want or can't have," Samantha said. "Like you."
"But you can have me," Skipper said. "I'm available."
"Exactly," Sam said.
2) The Prince and Pauper - Mark Twain
A sounding blow upon the prince's shoulder from Canty's broad palm sent him staggering into goodwife Canty's arms, who clasped him to her breast and sheltered him from a pelting rain of cuffs and slaps by interposing her own person. The frightened girls retreated to their corner; but the grandmother stepped eagerly forward to assist her son. The prince sprang away from Mrs. Canty, exclaiming:
"Thou shalt not suffer for me, madam. Let these swine do their will upon me alone."
This speech infuriated the swine to such a degree that they set about their work without waste of time.
3) The Bonesetter's Daughter - Amy Tan
I imagined two people without words, unable to speak to each other. I imagined the need: The color of the sky that meant "storm." The smell of fire that meant "Flee." The sound of a tiger about to pounce. Who would worry about such things?
And then I realized what the first word must have been: ma, the sound of a baby smacking its lips in search of her mother's breast. For a long time that was the only word the baby needed. Ma, ma, ma. Then the mother decided that was her name and she began to speak, too. She taught the baby to be careful: sky, fire, tiger.
4) The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan
There were also fine points of chess etiquette. Keep captured men in neat rows, as well-tended prisoners. Never announce "Check" with vanity, lest someone with an unseen sword slit your throat. Never hurl pieces into the sandbox after you have lost a game, because then you must find them again, by yourself, after apologizing to all around you.
5) Chanur's Home-Coming - C.J. Cherryh
For the first time panic hit her, real fear. This was the hero-stuff, being number one charging up the stairs into that mess. It was where her rashness and the possession of that illegal AP had put her. "Hyyaaaah! she yelled in raw terror, and rushed the stairs, because running screaming the other way was too humiliating.
6) Vitals - Greg Bear
I was hoping for Eden. Prince Hal Cousins, scientist, supreme egotist, prime believer in the material world, frightened of the dark and no friend of God, was about to pay a visit to the most primitive ecologies, searching for the fountain of youth. I was on a pilgrimage back to where the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil had taught us how to die. I planned to reclaim that fruit and run some tests.
1) Ethan Fromme - Edith Wharton
2) Sex and the City - Candace Bushnell
3) The Rise and Fall of Courtesans - Balzac
4) Hunchback of Notre Dame - Victor Hugo
5)
5 recommendations:
1) The Joy Luck Club
2) Darwin's Radio (new recommendation)
3) Wildly Sophisticated
4) Now, Discover Your Strengths
5) Cyteen
10 favorite authors:
1) C.J. Cherryh
2) J.R.R. Tolkien
3) Tolstoy
4) Thackeray
5) Greg Bear
6) Amy Tan
7) Louisa May Alcott
9) James Tiptree
10) James Herriot
5 books I most want to read:
1) Mrs. Edgeworth's Tales
2) The New Testament
3) Adam Smith
4) Peter Pan
5) The Secret Garden
10 childhood favorites (junior high or earlier):
1) Pigman by Zindel
2) Arm of the Starfish by L'Engle
3) I am Not a Short Adult
4) Lord of the Rings Trilogy
5) Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West
6) Narnia Series
7) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
8) Little Women, Little Men and Jo's Boys
9) Macbeth
10) Angus and the Cat
6 great quotes:
1) Sex and the City - Candace Bushnell
"Who was that man you were kissing in the cab?" Skipper asked.
"Just another man I either don't want or can't have," Samantha said. "Like you."
"But you can have me," Skipper said. "I'm available."
"Exactly," Sam said.
2) The Prince and Pauper - Mark Twain
A sounding blow upon the prince's shoulder from Canty's broad palm sent him staggering into goodwife Canty's arms, who clasped him to her breast and sheltered him from a pelting rain of cuffs and slaps by interposing her own person. The frightened girls retreated to their corner; but the grandmother stepped eagerly forward to assist her son. The prince sprang away from Mrs. Canty, exclaiming:
"Thou shalt not suffer for me, madam. Let these swine do their will upon me alone."
This speech infuriated the swine to such a degree that they set about their work without waste of time.
3) The Bonesetter's Daughter - Amy Tan
I imagined two people without words, unable to speak to each other. I imagined the need: The color of the sky that meant "storm." The smell of fire that meant "Flee." The sound of a tiger about to pounce. Who would worry about such things?
And then I realized what the first word must have been: ma, the sound of a baby smacking its lips in search of her mother's breast. For a long time that was the only word the baby needed. Ma, ma, ma. Then the mother decided that was her name and she began to speak, too. She taught the baby to be careful: sky, fire, tiger.
4) The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan
There were also fine points of chess etiquette. Keep captured men in neat rows, as well-tended prisoners. Never announce "Check" with vanity, lest someone with an unseen sword slit your throat. Never hurl pieces into the sandbox after you have lost a game, because then you must find them again, by yourself, after apologizing to all around you.
5) Chanur's Home-Coming - C.J. Cherryh
For the first time panic hit her, real fear. This was the hero-stuff, being number one charging up the stairs into that mess. It was where her rashness and the possession of that illegal AP had put her. "Hyyaaaah! she yelled in raw terror, and rushed the stairs, because running screaming the other way was too humiliating.
6) Vitals - Greg Bear
I was hoping for Eden. Prince Hal Cousins, scientist, supreme egotist, prime believer in the material world, frightened of the dark and no friend of God, was about to pay a visit to the most primitive ecologies, searching for the fountain of youth. I was on a pilgrimage back to where the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil had taught us how to die. I planned to reclaim that fruit and run some tests.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Take time to smell the flowers
Parsley flowers are about as exciting as witch hazel flowers.
Except, with witch hazel, you can do a really cool close-up.
Except, with witch hazel, you can do a really cool close-up.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Please, eat the flowers!
Last year, I bought some hard neck garlic from Pinetree Garden Seeds. I immediately planted up two squares in my square foot garden – then sat on my butt until the rest of it sprouted before I double dug my stone planter and stuck the rest of it into the ground.
Now, the thing is, garlic bulbs are the frosting on the cake. What I really need (on the addict level) are the young garlic flowers. They have the BEST, most delicate, chivey-oniony-garlic flavor! Really easy to cook with too.
So, I’ve been inspecting my garlic almost daily in fading anticipation over the past couple of months. Today, finally, the first flower has appeared. Yummy!!
Now, the thing is, garlic bulbs are the frosting on the cake. What I really need (on the addict level) are the young garlic flowers. They have the BEST, most delicate, chivey-oniony-garlic flavor! Really easy to cook with too.
So, I’ve been inspecting my garlic almost daily in fading anticipation over the past couple of months. Today, finally, the first flower has appeared. Yummy!!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Bush tours town devastated by tornado
In a moment of confusion, he declares "Mission Accomplished!"
For the real story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070509/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush
For the real story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070509/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush
Sunday, April 29, 2007
D-day
March 28th. That's the day it begins.
About March 25th, I noticed the Virginia Creeper leafing out. My jonquils were blooming, the ferns were coming up and I might have missed a dogtooth violet bloom from the corms I planted last year.
A few days later, I thought, "Hey, Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy are really similar plants!" and a chill passed over me. I put on my Poison Ivy eyes and, sure enough, at my feet were the first tendrils of a new vine. Brush-B-Gon time in my back yard. I have this great jug with a super-squirter attachement
So, for the past few weeks, I've been doing a poison ivy walk through my back yard. Especially the area I named "Poison Ivy Corner" a couple years ago, and where I have my deciduous azaleas now. When I spray that area of my yard, the three, golden Chows across the fence go into a frenzy. One sneaks around and stares at me, one barks, and one comes right up to the fence and whimpers for affection. I usually reach through and pat him on the nose, before continuing to spray any P.I. along the fence line. Last time I did that, he sniffed where I had just doused some P.I. He looked at me, then did a little drenching of his own.
Funny, that IS what it would like to a dog, but I never thought of it that way.
About March 25th, I noticed the Virginia Creeper leafing out. My jonquils were blooming, the ferns were coming up and I might have missed a dogtooth violet bloom from the corms I planted last year.
A few days later, I thought, "Hey, Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy are really similar plants!" and a chill passed over me. I put on my Poison Ivy eyes and, sure enough, at my feet were the first tendrils of a new vine. Brush-B-Gon time in my back yard. I have this great jug with a super-squirter attachement
So, for the past few weeks, I've been doing a poison ivy walk through my back yard. Especially the area I named "Poison Ivy Corner" a couple years ago, and where I have my deciduous azaleas now. When I spray that area of my yard, the three, golden Chows across the fence go into a frenzy. One sneaks around and stares at me, one barks, and one comes right up to the fence and whimpers for affection. I usually reach through and pat him on the nose, before continuing to spray any P.I. along the fence line. Last time I did that, he sniffed where I had just doused some P.I. He looked at me, then did a little drenching of his own.
Funny, that IS what it would like to a dog, but I never thought of it that way.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
I "Love" New York
The New York Times calls The Nanny Diaries "Diabolically funny."
This makes me think that either
1-The New York Times book reviewer partakes of crack cocaine, or,
2-They only read the first chapter.
Yes, this book has some hysterically funny lines:
This makes me think that either
1-The New York Times book reviewer partakes of crack cocaine, or,
2-They only read the first chapter.
Yes, this book has some hysterically funny lines:
- Speaking of the nanny interview: No other event epitomized the job as perfectly, and it always began and ended in an elevator nicer than most New Yorkers' apartments.
- After listing a child's endless food restrictions: This is Phase I of bringing me in the fold, of creating the illusion of collusion: "We're in this together! Little Elspeth is our joint project! And we're going to feed her nothing but mung beans!"
Ms. McLaughlin and Ms. Kraus just get better. I'd include more quotes, but it's the kind of book that takes a short essay to explain why you just snorted milk through your nose.
But then, you see, there's the plot.
The quick and stupid way to describe it is The Devil Wears Prada, with the increasingly psychotic boss woman, meets Sex in the City, where every woman is desperately trying to hook "Mr.Big," only to have him wriggle away for the next younger, thinner, sexier version.
Except, here, there's this heartbreakingly real four-year-old boy getting crushed by his parents' blindness to anything but power and status. All he wants for Christmas is a tree to decorate for Christmas and a Dad to hang the ornaments on the top branches. But his mom hired a professional ornament hanger and his daddy is . . . somewhere . . .working . . . .
His part-time nanny does her best to help him fulfill his needs, while the pit at the bottom of your stomach tells you it's not going to get any better. At the beginning of the novel, Nannie's mom tells her, ". . . I don't want you graduating on Valium because some woman with more money than she knows what to do with left you her kid while she ran off to Cannes." By the end, you believe that would have been the best case scenario.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Ha! I'm sooo smart.
Slate magazine has a reader discussion forum called "The Fray." One cool feature of The Fray is that Slate editors select certain comments as "Fray editor's picks." Thus, you can select to view only Fray editor's picks and see those comments that are on-topic, insightful and original.
One of my comments was FINALLY picked by the Fray editors.
Here's the article:
http://www.slate.com/id/2161163/fr/flyout
and here's my response:
Is Dove feminist?
I don't think that woman are purchasing Dove products because they think that Dove is a feminist organization. I think that they are purchasing the products because Dove's marketing message has a powerful emotional appeal to many women. The marketing allows women to express their personal values.
In the same way, people don't buy Hallmark cards because the company "cares enough to send the very best." As a matter of fact, mailing a mass-produced card with a standard sentiment is a poor expression of personal feeling. In spite of this, Hallmark has succesfully marketed their cards as the highest quality demonstration of love and caring. People respond to this marketing message as a way of fulfilling their emotional, cultural and social needs, not because the company intrinsically possesses those values.
One of my comments was FINALLY picked by the Fray editors.
Here's the article:
http://www.slate.com/id/2161163/fr/flyout
and here's my response:
Is Dove feminist?
I don't think that woman are purchasing Dove products because they think that Dove is a feminist organization. I think that they are purchasing the products because Dove's marketing message has a powerful emotional appeal to many women. The marketing allows women to express their personal values.
In the same way, people don't buy Hallmark cards because the company "cares enough to send the very best." As a matter of fact, mailing a mass-produced card with a standard sentiment is a poor expression of personal feeling. In spite of this, Hallmark has succesfully marketed their cards as the highest quality demonstration of love and caring. People respond to this marketing message as a way of fulfilling their emotional, cultural and social needs, not because the company intrinsically possesses those values.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
WWJD?
I've "tried to read the Bible" several times, but always started with Genesis. And got bored in Kings.
This time, I'm going straight to the Gospels, which are very cool. From what I can see (half-way through Matthew), Jesus wasn't very much of a "holier than thou" stick-in-the-mud. He really seems to be saying "These are the rules. Give 'em your best shot, believe in God and you'll be ok." There are also a few areas that I need to think about some more. I've also ordered the Thomas Jefferson version of the Gospels to see if they offer additional enlightenment.
How to go to heaven according to Jesus:
Matthew 5:20 "Except that your righteousness shall exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kindom of heaven." Of course, in Matthew 3:9, John the Baptist states that the Pharisees are a "generation of vipers" so this isn't a particularly high bar. Or is it?
Per answers.com, a Pharisee is a member of an ancient Jewish sect that emphasized strict interpretation and observance of the Mosaic law in both its oral and written form. This means that THEY were very much "holier than thou" sticks-in-the-mud. So we're supposed to do better than that. Shaking in your boots yet?
Don't worry, Jesus finds many opportunities to explain himself. Essentially, what we have are the 10 Commandments. They are the Law. And we need to follow the spirit of the law, not just the letter. Thus, it's not enough to say that "I didn't commit what I thought of as adultery, 'cause there was no penial/vaginal penetration." Congress and God are different. As are the Presidency and God, but that's a different topic.
(BTW, according to a Wikipedia article, I find the LDS interpretation of the Commandments to be the most functional and reasonable, especially since Jesus was pretty clear on the necessity of supporting one's actual, physical parents and not acting like your support is a gift, Matthew 15:4. The Jewish version upholds Jesus's concept of supporting one's parents too and is the easiest to follow, except for the interpretation of the last Commandment. Though that's also pretty consistent with Jesus. Matthew 6:25-34)
On the other hand, petty, routine acts of ritual observance are spurned. God isn't down with going to church on Sunday, then spending the rest of the week avoiding your mother's phone calls. As a matter of fact, Jesus even commutes the 4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. He states that you shouldn't take this to ridiculous lengths but should do reasonable things on the Sabbath, such as healing people and saving sheep. (Matthew 12:10-12)
So it's not all that hard to be better than a Pharisee. You don't need to know all of the ins and outs of religious thought. You don't need to live in utter purity all of the days of your life. You just need to live up to the spirit of the 10 Commandments.
This time, I'm going straight to the Gospels, which are very cool. From what I can see (half-way through Matthew), Jesus wasn't very much of a "holier than thou" stick-in-the-mud. He really seems to be saying "These are the rules. Give 'em your best shot, believe in God and you'll be ok." There are also a few areas that I need to think about some more. I've also ordered the Thomas Jefferson version of the Gospels to see if they offer additional enlightenment.
How to go to heaven according to Jesus:
Matthew 5:20 "Except that your righteousness shall exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kindom of heaven." Of course, in Matthew 3:9, John the Baptist states that the Pharisees are a "generation of vipers" so this isn't a particularly high bar. Or is it?
Per answers.com, a Pharisee is a member of an ancient Jewish sect that emphasized strict interpretation and observance of the Mosaic law in both its oral and written form. This means that THEY were very much "holier than thou" sticks-in-the-mud. So we're supposed to do better than that. Shaking in your boots yet?
Don't worry, Jesus finds many opportunities to explain himself. Essentially, what we have are the 10 Commandments. They are the Law. And we need to follow the spirit of the law, not just the letter. Thus, it's not enough to say that "I didn't commit what I thought of as adultery, 'cause there was no penial/vaginal penetration." Congress and God are different. As are the Presidency and God, but that's a different topic.
(BTW, according to a Wikipedia article, I find the LDS interpretation of the Commandments to be the most functional and reasonable, especially since Jesus was pretty clear on the necessity of supporting one's actual, physical parents and not acting like your support is a gift, Matthew 15:4. The Jewish version upholds Jesus's concept of supporting one's parents too and is the easiest to follow, except for the interpretation of the last Commandment. Though that's also pretty consistent with Jesus. Matthew 6:25-34)
On the other hand, petty, routine acts of ritual observance are spurned. God isn't down with going to church on Sunday, then spending the rest of the week avoiding your mother's phone calls. As a matter of fact, Jesus even commutes the 4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. He states that you shouldn't take this to ridiculous lengths but should do reasonable things on the Sabbath, such as healing people and saving sheep. (Matthew 12:10-12)
So it's not all that hard to be better than a Pharisee. You don't need to know all of the ins and outs of religious thought. You don't need to live in utter purity all of the days of your life. You just need to live up to the spirit of the 10 Commandments.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
5 most annoying main characters in fiction
We'll call this the "smack 'em up 'longside the head" category.
1) Madame Bovery. At one point her mother-in-law said something like "she needs to have kids and stop thinking about herself." And, ya know, her mil was right!
Madame Bovery - Gustave Flaubert
2) Claudia Parr. She and her husband get in a fight. He tells her, "Fuck you." She tells him "Fuck you." She packs, gets a taxi, goes to live at a friends and gets a lawyer. Then she spends the rest of the book whining about why her husband left her.
Baby Proof - Emily Giffin
3) Tiny Tim. Need I say more?
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
4) Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bears. She doesn't get really annoying until the third book. She and her non-monogamous, but strangely faithful, partner invent everything that's ever been created. From needles and thread to the domestication of animals. I think they invent the internet in the sixth book. Enough already.
The Mammoth Hunters - Jean Auel
5) Tatiana. She's so dumb you want to smack her. Really, really hard.
Now and Forever - Elizabeth Doyle
1) Madame Bovery. At one point her mother-in-law said something like "she needs to have kids and stop thinking about herself." And, ya know, her mil was right!
Madame Bovery - Gustave Flaubert
2) Claudia Parr. She and her husband get in a fight. He tells her, "Fuck you." She tells him "Fuck you." She packs, gets a taxi, goes to live at a friends and gets a lawyer. Then she spends the rest of the book whining about why her husband left her.
Baby Proof - Emily Giffin
3) Tiny Tim. Need I say more?
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
4) Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bears. She doesn't get really annoying until the third book. She and her non-monogamous, but strangely faithful, partner invent everything that's ever been created. From needles and thread to the domestication of animals. I think they invent the internet in the sixth book. Enough already.
The Mammoth Hunters - Jean Auel
5) Tatiana. She's so dumb you want to smack her. Really, really hard.
Now and Forever - Elizabeth Doyle
Friday, December 29, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Why Sergie Must Work in the Fashion Industry
See, this is what living with him is like:
We were watching the new Bond flick on the big screen. We got to the part where Mr. Bond discovers that he has been given a new suit. Miss Vesper says something like "There are dinner jackets and dinner jackets. That is the second type. I need you to look like you belong at that table."
Next scene: James is admiring himself in the bathroom mirror. And he looks good, damn good. So, I lean over and whisper "Nice."
Sergie leans over and whispers back "Brioni."
We were watching the new Bond flick on the big screen. We got to the part where Mr. Bond discovers that he has been given a new suit. Miss Vesper says something like "There are dinner jackets and dinner jackets. That is the second type. I need you to look like you belong at that table."
Next scene: James is admiring himself in the bathroom mirror. And he looks good, damn good. So, I lean over and whisper "Nice."
Sergie leans over and whispers back "Brioni."
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Fat Boy Retires
Fat Boy (a family-owned and operated, single location, fast food restaurant in Smyrna) is an exemplar of the American Dream.
It was started in the 1960's by a Greek Merchant Marine who jumped ship in New York City, moved to Atlanta to stay with relatives, and worked his way up from "menial" restaurant jobs to owning his own restaurant.
Unfortunately, it will close its doors December 30th, 2006 at 8:30 p.m.
In memorium: farewell to fresh cheeseburgers, tasty fries, great prices and the best milkshakes money can buy. As well as all of the meals and deli sandwiches that I'll never get to try. Smyna will miss you!
It was started in the 1960's by a Greek Merchant Marine who jumped ship in New York City, moved to Atlanta to stay with relatives, and worked his way up from "menial" restaurant jobs to owning his own restaurant.
Unfortunately, it will close its doors December 30th, 2006 at 8:30 p.m.
In memorium: farewell to fresh cheeseburgers, tasty fries, great prices and the best milkshakes money can buy. As well as all of the meals and deli sandwiches that I'll never get to try. Smyna will miss you!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Are you crazy or just plain stupid?
Often one of my Atlanta friends would say to me (or I'd say to them) that it would be really cool to take a day and bike the Silver Comet trail. Four hours up, eat lunch, then four hours back. The other would respond, "Yeah, that's great! Let's do that sometime!"
Today, I did just that. Let's say I have a slightly different answer now.
Actually, I didn't ride for four hours. I counted the hours between the time I started (11:30 am) and the time the sun goes down (6 pm), divided that in half and subtracted 1/2 an hour (1/2 hour for lunch and 1/2 hour for slowness on the way back). So, my turn-around point was supposed to be at 2:30, which is 3 hours of riding.
A few lessons learned:
1) A person who hasn't touched their bike in months cannot ride for three hours straight. According to my records, she can ride for two hours, which includes pushing her bike up the super-steep hills on the way to the S.C., and water breaks. This will get her to the 16.99 mile point (starting at 2.4 - the Concord Road access).
2) Diet Coke with Splenda and water are not ideal take-along drinks. Gatorade or Coke Classic or something with sugar is a better idea.
3) Those nasty energy gel things would also be a good idea.
4) The tuna fish sandwiches and baked Lays were really yummy. What would have been even better is cherry tomatoes. I packed tuna into a plastic container, toasted bread into a sandwich bag and the chips into a ziplock bag. I also included a plastic fork.
5) Using masking tape to fasten a Publix bag to your rear bike rack works just fine as a lunch container.
6) Not that anything happened, but it would have been a heck of a lot smarter to have included a tire patch kit and a first aid kit. Though I was smart enough to bring my phone, i.d., credit card and cash. 911 will get you help just about anywhere on the trail.
7) Exercise or padded bike gloves would have been nice. My hands hurt almost more than my butt. I did bring running gloves because I thought the air against my hand might chap them, but that wasn't a concern (I think it was around 70 today).
8) Dressing in layers was ideal, as riding a bike was a lot cooler than walking. Padded bike pants might be worth looking in to.
9) Helicopter support would have been nice, but wasn't necessary. I think the trail is canted slightly upward outbounds, which was just enough to make it possible for me to get home. On the homeward journey, I stopped to stretch (also to try to get feeling back into my pinkies). I also stopped for Gatorade at the Depot.
10) A pad of paper and a pencil would have been surprisingly handy. Lots of good thoughts.
11) Be warned: after Powder Springs, the trail accepts equestrians. I'm not going to say, what you think I'm going to say. What I'm going to say is that the pavement becomes slightly textured which makes for a less smooth ride. About the other thing, dogs caused more "problems" than horses.
12) Ride with a helmet! This was my first time ever. My brain is finally smart enough to protect itself, thus proving that it is worthy of being protected. Honestly, I didn't really notice it (the helmet, not my brain).
13) Kleenex.
14) One great thing about the S.C: it's flat. This means that the ride is easy. I think I averaged around 7 miles an hour.
15) One drawback to the S.C: it's flat. This mean that you have to pedal the entire time (which, as I mentioned, is more true going out than in).
16) The Epsom Salts bath at the end is worth any pain experienced tomorrow.
17) The S.C. is the finest place on earth. Go see it for yourself!
Note: December 20th, 2006: Per my car's odometer, the S.C. trail is almost exactly 2 miles away via the route I bike. This gave me a 33 mile bike ride yesteday. My last two fingers are still numb, my knees are sore, but "other areas" hurt surprisingly little.
Today, I did just that. Let's say I have a slightly different answer now.
Actually, I didn't ride for four hours. I counted the hours between the time I started (11:30 am) and the time the sun goes down (6 pm), divided that in half and subtracted 1/2 an hour (1/2 hour for lunch and 1/2 hour for slowness on the way back). So, my turn-around point was supposed to be at 2:30, which is 3 hours of riding.
A few lessons learned:
1) A person who hasn't touched their bike in months cannot ride for three hours straight. According to my records, she can ride for two hours, which includes pushing her bike up the super-steep hills on the way to the S.C., and water breaks. This will get her to the 16.99 mile point (starting at 2.4 - the Concord Road access).
2) Diet Coke with Splenda and water are not ideal take-along drinks. Gatorade or Coke Classic or something with sugar is a better idea.
3) Those nasty energy gel things would also be a good idea.
4) The tuna fish sandwiches and baked Lays were really yummy. What would have been even better is cherry tomatoes. I packed tuna into a plastic container, toasted bread into a sandwich bag and the chips into a ziplock bag. I also included a plastic fork.
5) Using masking tape to fasten a Publix bag to your rear bike rack works just fine as a lunch container.
6) Not that anything happened, but it would have been a heck of a lot smarter to have included a tire patch kit and a first aid kit. Though I was smart enough to bring my phone, i.d., credit card and cash. 911 will get you help just about anywhere on the trail.
7) Exercise or padded bike gloves would have been nice. My hands hurt almost more than my butt. I did bring running gloves because I thought the air against my hand might chap them, but that wasn't a concern (I think it was around 70 today).
8) Dressing in layers was ideal, as riding a bike was a lot cooler than walking. Padded bike pants might be worth looking in to.
9) Helicopter support would have been nice, but wasn't necessary. I think the trail is canted slightly upward outbounds, which was just enough to make it possible for me to get home. On the homeward journey, I stopped to stretch (also to try to get feeling back into my pinkies). I also stopped for Gatorade at the Depot.
10) A pad of paper and a pencil would have been surprisingly handy. Lots of good thoughts.
11) Be warned: after Powder Springs, the trail accepts equestrians. I'm not going to say, what you think I'm going to say. What I'm going to say is that the pavement becomes slightly textured which makes for a less smooth ride. About the other thing, dogs caused more "problems" than horses.
12) Ride with a helmet! This was my first time ever. My brain is finally smart enough to protect itself, thus proving that it is worthy of being protected. Honestly, I didn't really notice it (the helmet, not my brain).
13) Kleenex.
14) One great thing about the S.C: it's flat. This means that the ride is easy. I think I averaged around 7 miles an hour.
15) One drawback to the S.C: it's flat. This mean that you have to pedal the entire time (which, as I mentioned, is more true going out than in).
16) The Epsom Salts bath at the end is worth any pain experienced tomorrow.
17) The S.C. is the finest place on earth. Go see it for yourself!
Note: December 20th, 2006: Per my car's odometer, the S.C. trail is almost exactly 2 miles away via the route I bike. This gave me a 33 mile bike ride yesteday. My last two fingers are still numb, my knees are sore, but "other areas" hurt surprisingly little.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Old Man River just keeps rolling along...
Henry had another growth spurt. He came up behind me when I was feeding them on Thursday. I put my hand down to pet him and encountered a head that was much bigger and further off the floor than I'm used to. He is tons bigger than his mom now and might end up rivaling Orpheus.
He has also chosen to abandon all of his feral habits. When Amie came to visit on Thanksgiving, he greeted her, along with Sergie, me, his mom and the O-man each time he entered the house. Which is terrific as Amie is quite allergic to cats. I didn't do anything to dissuade him. After all, his mom hisses, growls, swats at his ears and threatens to bite him every time he greets her. Not sure what more I can do as he's not exactly taking his mom's "hints."
Orpheus's entire coat is becoming speckled with white. And his whiskers are beginning to turn grey. He must be 10 or 12 now. It's hard to believe, since we've had him such a short time. He's lifetimes older than the other two. I'm betting he'll live to a solid 20.
Alma is doing fine. No sign of any side effects from her FIV. Contrarily, her coat has become completely luxurious over the past week - sleek, plush, warm. I'm not sure whether it's the flea/worm treatments, or the colder weather. She's my top candidate for being turned into a coat. And if she continues eating the way she does, she'll be the right size in just a few more years.
He has also chosen to abandon all of his feral habits. When Amie came to visit on Thanksgiving, he greeted her, along with Sergie, me, his mom and the O-man each time he entered the house. Which is terrific as Amie is quite allergic to cats. I didn't do anything to dissuade him. After all, his mom hisses, growls, swats at his ears and threatens to bite him every time he greets her. Not sure what more I can do as he's not exactly taking his mom's "hints."
Orpheus's entire coat is becoming speckled with white. And his whiskers are beginning to turn grey. He must be 10 or 12 now. It's hard to believe, since we've had him such a short time. He's lifetimes older than the other two. I'm betting he'll live to a solid 20.
Alma is doing fine. No sign of any side effects from her FIV. Contrarily, her coat has become completely luxurious over the past week - sleek, plush, warm. I'm not sure whether it's the flea/worm treatments, or the colder weather. She's my top candidate for being turned into a coat. And if she continues eating the way she does, she'll be the right size in just a few more years.
Friday, December 08, 2006
I don't have an MP3 player
I've just bought my first country song: Jason Aldine's Amarillo Sky. And I got it off the internet.
Amarillo Sky's a funny one for me 'cause it's got a fairly heavy country rythmn and sound (i.e. it uses a violin) though it's still "New Country." So, the first time I heard it, I liked the song, but I was sceptical about liking the sound. Now, I'm addicted.
So, I wanted to buy the song, not the album. I wanted to be able to burn the song to CD (for my personal use) or load it to an MP3 player, which I'll get sometime after the next coolest thing has hit the music industry. I-Tunes is great, if you have an I-Pod, but they're just too darn proprietary for my taste. Computers are all about personal choice, right? Who to choose, who to choose?
I picked Napster. After all, they've already had a well-publicized lawsuit, so they've probably got it down by now.
The one thing I'm worried about, is that Aldine's song Hicktown (which I also like) is listed as a "Radio Edit." I really want the ability to buy whatever version I want as computers are about personal choice, but I'm not worrying about that for now.
Also, it took a little bit to figure out the site. After all, I want to purchase on a song-by-song basis and Napster wants me to pay monthly, though they do offer "Napster Light" which is exactly what I want. Here are the steps I used, if you want to know:
Amarillo Sky's a funny one for me 'cause it's got a fairly heavy country rythmn and sound (i.e. it uses a violin) though it's still "New Country." So, the first time I heard it, I liked the song, but I was sceptical about liking the sound. Now, I'm addicted.
So, I wanted to buy the song, not the album. I wanted to be able to burn the song to CD (for my personal use) or load it to an MP3 player, which I'll get sometime after the next coolest thing has hit the music industry. I-Tunes is great, if you have an I-Pod, but they're just too darn proprietary for my taste. Computers are all about personal choice, right? Who to choose, who to choose?
I picked Napster. After all, they've already had a well-publicized lawsuit, so they've probably got it down by now.
The one thing I'm worried about, is that Aldine's song Hicktown (which I also like) is listed as a "Radio Edit." I really want the ability to buy whatever version I want as computers are about personal choice, but I'm not worrying about that for now.
Also, it took a little bit to figure out the site. After all, I want to purchase on a song-by-song basis and Napster wants me to pay monthly, though they do offer "Napster Light" which is exactly what I want. Here are the steps I used, if you want to know:
- Register on Napster.
- Find a song you like.
- Click "Buy Track." This will prompt you to download the Napster software (which requires a restart).
- Go back to Napster, login and find a song you like.
- Click "Buy Track." You will be given payment options.
- Click the Library button on the top, right hand corner and watch your song download.
- Click the Purchased Tracks folder, once the song has finished downloading, and play your song.
Meowie, Owie, Owie.
I've spent today getting taking Alma to the vet, then getting everybody dewormed and deflea'd. This is one of those things that is negligble for one cat, but wallet-busting with three: about $45/cat. Ouch.
Though, thank god, it wasn't ouch in all the ways it could have been. Sergie is a master cat-piller. He wraps them up in a towel, sticks the pill in their mouths, then kinda shifts the cat around until they swallow. No holding their mouths closed, no tapping on the throat or holding their nostrils. They just swallow. And they're not real pissed afterwards either. I heard that Time magazine is looking for a Man of the Year...
What did piss them off was the Advantage for fleas. I do admit it doesn't feel real good when I spill some on myself, but it's got to be done. Alma's sitting on my lap again, which isn't exactly great as she smells strongly of Advantage, but it also means that she's not hiding from me. Maybe getting rid of the worms will help her deflate a little.
I'm sure Orpheus will forgive me sometime between now and next Thursday.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Racewalking
I've finally made the commitment to learn how to racewalk.
For those I haven't bored with the story:
On Saturday, I completed a 5k. Ahead of me were two middle-aged women who were walking (really walking, not just strolling in their jeans and Macy's sneakers). Since I'm most motivated by the competition in a race - that's why I love races - I thought that I would use the ladies to set my pace. If I could keep them in sight (or maybe even pass them) I'd be good.
I was left in the dust. I lost sight of them in the first 5 minutes, they were going that fast. This particular course doubled back on itself, so they both passed me coming back. They were super-nice, giving me a thumb's-up and words of encouragement (they could speak!! at the pace they were going. I was puffing.). So, when I found that they were parked right behind me, I went over to introduce myself and commend their athleticism.
Turns out that they'd both been racewalking for years. The best part (for me) was that they assumed I had been racewalking too. How flattering! Learning to racewalk is something that I've been toying with for the past year or two. I love walking. I love walking in races. I'm probably not going to get below a 12 minute mile as a fitness walker. So, in order to keep pushing myself, I have to either walk longer distances as a fitness walker, or learn a new way of walking. And, by racewalking, I would be an athlete. I mean, racewalking is an Olympic event.
My main hurdle is that I'm completely unathletic. I can't tell you how many times I've been worst in a dance class and couldn't get better because my body couldn't understand the instructions that I was getting. What if I sucked at racewalking too? What if I totally didn't enjoy it? I find failure in the physical arena completely humiliating. Why put myself through that if just walking was fun enough.
So, my new racewalking friends gave me just the right push. After all, if I was close enough that they mistook my fitness walking as racewalking, then I don't suck and I do enjoy it. They offered to get together with me on the weekends and show me what they know. I mean these ladies are great!
I was so excited that I had to find out if there were any clinics or lessons in Houston. Hallelujah! Houston is flat, so racewalking is big and there's something almost every day of the week including an actual class on Tuesdays. Since Tuesday was Halloween, I called to see if they were still holding class. And they were! Turns out that Dave Gwen, one of the instructors, came out just for me. What a giving group of people.
I told Dave about the feedback I got on Saturday. He rolled his eyes just a bit; I'm sure he's heard all that before. Then he showed me the basics. Turns out that I did pick up on everything more quickly than average. As a matter of fact, he asked if I'd been practicing. I told him that I had experimented with some of the tips in Prevention's Complete Book of Walking from the Rodale press. I can do it!
That's not to say it was easy. Racewalking is NOT really walking. It's more like a modified jog. There's a lot of tricks to learn and a lot of new muscles to develop. And I'm going to have to learn to work through my shin splints. With walkers, they'll go away in about 15 minutes if you just keep going. (Runners get them for different reasons, so they might have to treat them differently.)
Now that I know what physical attributes are necessary for racewalking, I can see how some of it is natural for me. I tend to keep my shoulders very still, and have a lot of movement in my hips. Bad for ballet. Bad for most sports. Ideal for racewalking. I'll still have to work with the pronation with my left foot, but even that is easier to control by the way you push your leg straight and let your hips take a lot of the upward motion.
One interesting thing I've noticed is that the walker-specific stretches seem to do a lot more for me than the dance, yoga, etc. stretches I've done before. Dave showed me a hamstring stretch, something that I've been working to loosen for YEARS. Did it yesterday when he showed it to me. Did it today after I warmed up and after I finished walking. Wham! I can bend over and touch my toes with my knees completely straight. I swear to you, that is a very rare thing for me. I can usually only touch my toes after months of stretching every day. Also, the DBX stretches in the back of Prevention's book do an awful lot for me. There's just something about the way you use your body that is very right for me.
Right now, I'd like to learn to really racewalk, possibly even in judged competitions. I'd ALSO like to apply the techniques to fitness walking. I'd fitness walk in run/walks, which tend to be hilly in North Georgia, so it's more difficult or even impossible to racewalk. Also, according to Dave, you can actually go faster walking than racewalking, as racewalking has form being judged too. So, I could really work against the clock in non-judged competitions. This is so cool!
For those I haven't bored with the story:
On Saturday, I completed a 5k. Ahead of me were two middle-aged women who were walking (really walking, not just strolling in their jeans and Macy's sneakers). Since I'm most motivated by the competition in a race - that's why I love races - I thought that I would use the ladies to set my pace. If I could keep them in sight (or maybe even pass them) I'd be good.
I was left in the dust. I lost sight of them in the first 5 minutes, they were going that fast. This particular course doubled back on itself, so they both passed me coming back. They were super-nice, giving me a thumb's-up and words of encouragement (they could speak!! at the pace they were going. I was puffing.). So, when I found that they were parked right behind me, I went over to introduce myself and commend their athleticism.
Turns out that they'd both been racewalking for years. The best part (for me) was that they assumed I had been racewalking too. How flattering! Learning to racewalk is something that I've been toying with for the past year or two. I love walking. I love walking in races. I'm probably not going to get below a 12 minute mile as a fitness walker. So, in order to keep pushing myself, I have to either walk longer distances as a fitness walker, or learn a new way of walking. And, by racewalking, I would be an athlete. I mean, racewalking is an Olympic event.
My main hurdle is that I'm completely unathletic. I can't tell you how many times I've been worst in a dance class and couldn't get better because my body couldn't understand the instructions that I was getting. What if I sucked at racewalking too? What if I totally didn't enjoy it? I find failure in the physical arena completely humiliating. Why put myself through that if just walking was fun enough.
So, my new racewalking friends gave me just the right push. After all, if I was close enough that they mistook my fitness walking as racewalking, then I don't suck and I do enjoy it. They offered to get together with me on the weekends and show me what they know. I mean these ladies are great!
I was so excited that I had to find out if there were any clinics or lessons in Houston. Hallelujah! Houston is flat, so racewalking is big and there's something almost every day of the week including an actual class on Tuesdays. Since Tuesday was Halloween, I called to see if they were still holding class. And they were! Turns out that Dave Gwen, one of the instructors, came out just for me. What a giving group of people.
I told Dave about the feedback I got on Saturday. He rolled his eyes just a bit; I'm sure he's heard all that before. Then he showed me the basics. Turns out that I did pick up on everything more quickly than average. As a matter of fact, he asked if I'd been practicing. I told him that I had experimented with some of the tips in Prevention's Complete Book of Walking from the Rodale press. I can do it!
That's not to say it was easy. Racewalking is NOT really walking. It's more like a modified jog. There's a lot of tricks to learn and a lot of new muscles to develop. And I'm going to have to learn to work through my shin splints. With walkers, they'll go away in about 15 minutes if you just keep going. (Runners get them for different reasons, so they might have to treat them differently.)
Now that I know what physical attributes are necessary for racewalking, I can see how some of it is natural for me. I tend to keep my shoulders very still, and have a lot of movement in my hips. Bad for ballet. Bad for most sports. Ideal for racewalking. I'll still have to work with the pronation with my left foot, but even that is easier to control by the way you push your leg straight and let your hips take a lot of the upward motion.
One interesting thing I've noticed is that the walker-specific stretches seem to do a lot more for me than the dance, yoga, etc. stretches I've done before. Dave showed me a hamstring stretch, something that I've been working to loosen for YEARS. Did it yesterday when he showed it to me. Did it today after I warmed up and after I finished walking. Wham! I can bend over and touch my toes with my knees completely straight. I swear to you, that is a very rare thing for me. I can usually only touch my toes after months of stretching every day. Also, the DBX stretches in the back of Prevention's book do an awful lot for me. There's just something about the way you use your body that is very right for me.
Right now, I'd like to learn to really racewalk, possibly even in judged competitions. I'd ALSO like to apply the techniques to fitness walking. I'd fitness walk in run/walks, which tend to be hilly in North Georgia, so it's more difficult or even impossible to racewalk. Also, according to Dave, you can actually go faster walking than racewalking, as racewalking has form being judged too. So, I could really work against the clock in non-judged competitions. This is so cool!
Monday, October 23, 2006
No More Fat Cats
Check out this IFilm video for the answer to overweight indoor cats.
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2777180
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2777180
Thursday, October 19, 2006
If I could dance to just one song (a list)
Here's a list of songs that I would give anything be able to boogie down to:
- Save a horse, ride a cowboy - Big and Rich
- Just my imagination - The Temptations (requires a soft, satin halter neck dress with a plunge back, and a bias-cut, ankle-length skirt. Not sure about the shoes.)
Friday, October 13, 2006
Praise God Fasting
Per Slate Magazine, Bush offers his support of Dennis Hastert:
Is it just me or has this, historically, been the signal for the Bush supportee to leave their office under a cloud?
Everyone notes that President Bush appeared at a fund-raiser with
embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert. It was the first time the two have been
seen together since Hastert became the target of criticism that he dropped the
ball on the congressional page scandal. "I am proud to be standing with the
current speaker of the House who is going to be the future speaker of the
House," Bush said.
Is it just me or has this, historically, been the signal for the Bush supportee to leave their office under a cloud?
Sunday, October 08, 2006
It's still Texas
On the talk-radio show this morning, there was a discussion about what should be done about the shootings that are happening in our schools. Here's a few choice quotes:
- In a discussion about the feasibility of arming teachers, the statement was made that some teachers might not be able to "draw" (point a gun with intent to shoot) on a person. That is ok, because they could be responsible for directing the other children to safe areas. But that the teachers who CAN "draw" on a person should be identified and armed. My thought: do we really want to hire teachers who are capable of shooting children?
- A caller suggested arming teachers with stun guns and putting electronic locks on all the doors, to instantly seal off the school into areas. My thought: Perhaps we should ban all metal objects and shoe laces as well, to better prepare our kids for life in prison.
- Another caller asked where the heck could a thirteen-year-old get an AK-47. "Great question!" I thought. He then went on to say, "I have guns in my house, but my children are taught never to touch them." My thought: That answers your question; they get AK-47s from family members and neighbors.
I might not have an answer to school shootings. We have metal detectors and rules that students can't access their lockers. We have adults breaking into schools and taking hostages. I'm not sure that there is a complete answer. But exploring the question "Where in the heck cold a thirteen-year-old get an AK-47?" might offer a part of the solution.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Is Texas Part of the South?
I was once told by a native Georgian that Texas was more a part of the South than Virginia. Virginia was more “East.”
After a few question, I was told by my beloved late Aunt Margaret, in her pristine, soft, elegant accent that she was a Southerner. She was born in Virginia and Virginia is part of the South. That tone of voice admitted no argument.
So what about Texas, then?
I’m commuting to Houston. Grits are served in all restaurants, but there are only two establishments where sweet tea can be found - one of which is the airport McDonald's. This is deplorable for a Southern city. I’m told by people from places like Baltimore and Philadelphia this is NOT deplorable is because Texas is NOT southern (I think they use the lower-case spelling).
So, here's my Pros and Cons...
Texas is Southern:
· Trucks
· Grits
· Belles
· Jefferson Davis County
Texas is not Southern:
· A serious lack of sweet tea
· Twang instead of drawl
· People refer to themselves as “Texan” not Southern
What do you think?
After a few question, I was told by my beloved late Aunt Margaret, in her pristine, soft, elegant accent that she was a Southerner. She was born in Virginia and Virginia is part of the South. That tone of voice admitted no argument.
So what about Texas, then?
I’m commuting to Houston. Grits are served in all restaurants, but there are only two establishments where sweet tea can be found - one of which is the airport McDonald's. This is deplorable for a Southern city. I’m told by people from places like Baltimore and Philadelphia this is NOT deplorable is because Texas is NOT southern (I think they use the lower-case spelling).
So, here's my Pros and Cons...
Texas is Southern:
· Trucks
· Grits
· Belles
· Jefferson Davis County
Texas is not Southern:
· A serious lack of sweet tea
· Twang instead of drawl
· People refer to themselves as “Texan” not Southern
What do you think?
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Lost - Athena
Athena ran away on Friday, April 14th.
I left the basement door open, like I always do.
I should have known better because she'd been showing more interest in the outside.
She was just beginning to let me pet her.
Anyway, I spoke to an expert. He suggested that I put up posters formatted exactly as shown. I got a few calls at first (more than I'd ever gotten in response to a poster before). None of them were her.
If you don't mind, I think I'm not going to post on this blog for awhile. The cool stuff happening in my backyard pales in comparison to Athena's loss.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Poison Ivy
Yikes!
After learning to identify the plant (click here), I realize that I have a poison ivy LAWN in my backyard. And a nice healthy sample next to my front step.
I've done a bit of research on methods of killing it.
You have to root it out, otherwise it will grow back quickly. As I posted earlier, this is impossible as it hides under immovable objects. Like one's house.
There are organic herbicides that use clove oil, but it sounds like they do diddley-squat.
According to Mike McGrath, former editor of Organic Gardening (immediately before the magazine went down-hill with Maria Rodale), pulling as much as you can get works ok. Which is my general Plan A. The problem with THAT is that I have so much and I don't want to continually pull out plants from the same roots. I want to kill the roots.
That leaves Round-Up and Brush-B-Gone. My impression is that Southern gardeners swear by BBG. One lady fills up an eye-dropper with Round-Up and carefully places a drop on the cut stem. Others put a small amount in a coffee can and dip the poison ivy in the can. It is then absorbed by the leaves into the roots, thereby killing the plant from the roots.
So, I think I'll go out and pull. If I can't get the root out, I'll put a drop of Brush-B-Gone on the cut end. If poison ivy comes back into areas I've cleared, I'll try a careful method of using the Brush-B-Gone to kill the root. MINIMAL toxins. gardenweb has studies posted about the long term effects of Round-Up. Yikes! On the other hand, I have just as much right to enjoy my backyard as the frogs.
As an aside (Have you noticed how recognizing the plant and the rash, and getting rid of the plant and the rash are topics of ALL articles published about poison ivy. There's nothing out there - including this post - JUST about getting rid of the plant.) , washing with Aveeno Body Wash seems to be a necessary ingrediant for the long-term efficacy of Ivarest.
After learning to identify the plant (click here), I realize that I have a poison ivy LAWN in my backyard. And a nice healthy sample next to my front step.
I've done a bit of research on methods of killing it.
You have to root it out, otherwise it will grow back quickly. As I posted earlier, this is impossible as it hides under immovable objects. Like one's house.
There are organic herbicides that use clove oil, but it sounds like they do diddley-squat.
According to Mike McGrath, former editor of Organic Gardening (immediately before the magazine went down-hill with Maria Rodale), pulling as much as you can get works ok. Which is my general Plan A. The problem with THAT is that I have so much and I don't want to continually pull out plants from the same roots. I want to kill the roots.
That leaves Round-Up and Brush-B-Gone. My impression is that Southern gardeners swear by BBG. One lady fills up an eye-dropper with Round-Up and carefully places a drop on the cut stem. Others put a small amount in a coffee can and dip the poison ivy in the can. It is then absorbed by the leaves into the roots, thereby killing the plant from the roots.
So, I think I'll go out and pull. If I can't get the root out, I'll put a drop of Brush-B-Gone on the cut end. If poison ivy comes back into areas I've cleared, I'll try a careful method of using the Brush-B-Gone to kill the root. MINIMAL toxins. gardenweb has studies posted about the long term effects of Round-Up. Yikes! On the other hand, I have just as much right to enjoy my backyard as the frogs.
As an aside (Have you noticed how recognizing the plant and the rash, and getting rid of the plant and the rash are topics of ALL articles published about poison ivy. There's nothing out there - including this post - JUST about getting rid of the plant.) , washing with Aveeno Body Wash seems to be a necessary ingrediant for the long-term efficacy of Ivarest.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Garden Pests
It's like a blues song.
I got aphids on my roses... da da da dum.
So, I need to get some Safer Insecticidal Soap, which I just saw somewhere. Home Depot? Lowe's? I remember being surprised.
And there's the poison ivy. da da da dum. I'm pulling it, then showering in luke-warm water with CVS brand Poison Ivy Anti-Itch Scrub. This might be working, it seems like I'm getting less of a rash than I should be. Of course, the true test - rubbing ivy on both wrists and only washing one - isn't going to happen, so I don't really know for sure. I'm rubbing on Caladryl Clear afterwards, which doesn't seem to work at all. Ivarest is what I use for the areas that break out. It says "8 hour relief on the package. I seem to get 10 if I use it right after showering. Of course, it flakes off EVERYWHERE. But it's better than itching!
So I have a little bit of rash on both wrists, but it's no big deal. And there's that one spot on my temple : (
2006: the year of the itch. Since I'm no longer as terrified of poison ivy as I was after my HORRIBLE experience last year, I'm pulling it up like gangbusters. Unfortunately, you can't really dig it up, because it's always rooted under something like a sidewalk or a tree. So I'm considering pulling it back as far as I can, then treating the broken end with a poison.
Let me clarify: I identify myself as an organic gardener. I spray my roses with fish emulsion and have a compost pile. I mulch and use the square foot method to control weeds and water usage. But, as I would use chemotherapy to treat existing cancer (though I'd try to prevent it homeopathically), or would call in an exterminator if my house had termites (though I have a brick house), so I believe in using poisons to remove plants and animals that cause horrible or deadly conditions. For example, the last time I was bit by a fire ant, my entire leg swelled. Every time I've gotten bitten by a fire ant, my reaction has been markedly worse. Thus, I'd use a fire ant killer. On the other hand, I will not use a toxin on wasps. Neither I nor Sergie are allergic to wasp bites. So we can afford to mess around with discouragement techniques. My entire backyard, and parts of my front yard are covered in poison ivy. I'm at the point of reaching "last ditch" techniques.
Like many gardeners I use floating row cover to discourage weeds and noxious insects. And any mammals that might have designs on my vegies. So, imagine my surprise when I see a shadow in my garden. It's furry. It's black. It's Henry!!
He's looking at me like "Yum, it's warm in here." Thanks, Henry. Your butt is on my tomato.
He had managed to find a place that I hadn't clothespinned quite tightly enough.
(Maybe I should try the Cat Stop Willow Barrier. You think they'd even notice? Perhaps it's electrified?)
So, I drag him out of the garden.
Then he decides to go irritate the bumble bees that are pollenating my blueberries. Leaps 5 feet into the air to try and catch them. I figure that there's a fast way and an easy way to learn about bumble bees. And, given the don't-listen-to-a-word-I-say cat he's grown up to be, he'll just have to learn the fast way.
I got aphids on my roses... da da da dum.
So, I need to get some Safer Insecticidal Soap, which I just saw somewhere. Home Depot? Lowe's? I remember being surprised.
And there's the poison ivy. da da da dum. I'm pulling it, then showering in luke-warm water with CVS brand Poison Ivy Anti-Itch Scrub. This might be working, it seems like I'm getting less of a rash than I should be. Of course, the true test - rubbing ivy on both wrists and only washing one - isn't going to happen, so I don't really know for sure. I'm rubbing on Caladryl Clear afterwards, which doesn't seem to work at all. Ivarest is what I use for the areas that break out. It says "8 hour relief on the package. I seem to get 10 if I use it right after showering. Of course, it flakes off EVERYWHERE. But it's better than itching!
So I have a little bit of rash on both wrists, but it's no big deal. And there's that one spot on my temple : (
2006: the year of the itch. Since I'm no longer as terrified of poison ivy as I was after my HORRIBLE experience last year, I'm pulling it up like gangbusters. Unfortunately, you can't really dig it up, because it's always rooted under something like a sidewalk or a tree. So I'm considering pulling it back as far as I can, then treating the broken end with a poison.
Let me clarify: I identify myself as an organic gardener. I spray my roses with fish emulsion and have a compost pile. I mulch and use the square foot method to control weeds and water usage. But, as I would use chemotherapy to treat existing cancer (though I'd try to prevent it homeopathically), or would call in an exterminator if my house had termites (though I have a brick house), so I believe in using poisons to remove plants and animals that cause horrible or deadly conditions. For example, the last time I was bit by a fire ant, my entire leg swelled. Every time I've gotten bitten by a fire ant, my reaction has been markedly worse. Thus, I'd use a fire ant killer. On the other hand, I will not use a toxin on wasps. Neither I nor Sergie are allergic to wasp bites. So we can afford to mess around with discouragement techniques. My entire backyard, and parts of my front yard are covered in poison ivy. I'm at the point of reaching "last ditch" techniques.
Like many gardeners I use floating row cover to discourage weeds and noxious insects. And any mammals that might have designs on my vegies. So, imagine my surprise when I see a shadow in my garden. It's furry. It's black. It's Henry!!
He's looking at me like "Yum, it's warm in here." Thanks, Henry. Your butt is on my tomato.
He had managed to find a place that I hadn't clothespinned quite tightly enough.
(Maybe I should try the Cat Stop Willow Barrier. You think they'd even notice? Perhaps it's electrified?)
So, I drag him out of the garden.
Then he decides to go irritate the bumble bees that are pollenating my blueberries. Leaps 5 feet into the air to try and catch them. I figure that there's a fast way and an easy way to learn about bumble bees. And, given the don't-listen-to-a-word-I-say cat he's grown up to be, he'll just have to learn the fast way.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Biggest Purrs in the World
I'm getting Athena-sugar now!
We're not even pretending that the treat container is scratching her behind the ears. It's very much on her terms, but that's how it should be.
I'm getting about 15 seconds at night, but she's also approaching me in the basement (which didn't happen before) and becoming much more confident everywhere. She just let me touch her in the morning! in the dining room! So, every day means progress.
There's been a lot of little things I've had to learn:
We're not even pretending that the treat container is scratching her behind the ears. It's very much on her terms, but that's how it should be.
I'm getting about 15 seconds at night, but she's also approaching me in the basement (which didn't happen before) and becoming much more confident everywhere. She just let me touch her in the morning! in the dining room! So, every day means progress.
There's been a lot of little things I've had to learn:
- Shoe heels on the floor scare her. Henry gets worried too, if it's somebody he doesn't know. Maybe that's early memories of being under the porch? I wear softer shoes now.
- No grabbing at all. Even if the reason my hand is moving toward her is that Henry is pushing it from the other side.
- If she starts looking anxious, I'M the one that needs to run away.
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