Parsley flowers are about as exciting as witch hazel flowers.
Except, with witch hazel, you can do a really cool close-up.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)