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White Riot I Wanna Riot White Riot Riot of My Own
The Clash are one of the best bands ever, but let's be honest, this line shows a lack of imagination:
Nobody wants to go to jail
There's a lot worse things that can happen to people to riot.
Every time minorities get out of hand in this country there is a group of people tut-tutting about them rioting. I… am going to be one of those people. Because I don't want to go to jail either for rioting or for urging people to do something I am not willing to do myself. That being said, some of the criticism is rich, especially coming from white people. Let's be real, white people have rioted a lot, and a lot of the time, it worked.
Quick quiz:
What kept the Chicago Housing Authority from trying to integrate Chicago Housing Projects:
Hint: the Airport Homes Race ______s.
I'm just throwing that out there.
What about "black-on-black" crime?
What about you shutting your face?
No really, this is just something people say to distract. But since I have the day off while I'm waiting for my car to be repaired, let's answer this stupid question.
I grew up in a small town. It was surrounded by lots of fields, miles and miles of them. People sometimes lived "out in the country" i.e. between the fields, but for the most part people lived in town, because it's convenient and because to build next to a field you usually have to own that field. So there were all kinds of people living together, not really by choice, but because if you wanted to live in the area, you pretty much had to. In a town of 5,000 or so there were some nice neighborhoods, some very nice blocks where upper middle-class people lived. There were some not as nice blocks where lower middle class people lived. There was a trailer park where poor people lived. There was a housing project where other poor people lived.
The reality for black people is that, for a variety of reasons both historical and current, they live in neighborhoods with people with wider range of incomes.
"Blacks are segregated and even affluent blacks are pretty segregated," says Logan, who analyzed 2005-09 data for the nation's 384 metropolitan areas. "African Americans who really succeeded live in neighborhoods where people around them have not succeeded to the same extent."
What's my point here? Like my town, black people are stuck living in places with a lot of poor people. But I suspect that like in my town, they learned to manage that, to some extent. If you lived in a nice block on my town, sure your house could get robbed. And sure, your uncle could drink too much and decide to murder everyone. That could happen anywhere. But if you didn't want to get in a random fight, you'd probably stay out of the trailer park, the honky tonk and would probably not park your car on certain blocks. And if you didn't want to get shot, you probably do that by not joining a gang or dealing drugs.
None of these are fool-proof, but they're at least things you can control. You can minimize your risks. You know what you couldn't control through your own personal behavior? Police. Because they patrol everywhere in town. That's their job. So if there were a corrupt cop, he was everybody's problem.
And the only way for a town to deal with a corrupt cop is for people to get together and petition town government to do something. That's what black people are trying to do in America- deal with corrupt police.


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There's a chance I might have a new exercise addiction :) Last evening my gal E and I checked in about snow shoeing again today (she & her hub also went by themselves on Saturday). I knew that my housemate (A) has been wanting to get out and about, so we arranged for the three of us to head back up to Mt Hood.
The morning started out a lil behind, as I had to gas up and my tire pressure light was on (many thanks to the gents at Les Schwab for checking & filling my tires!), but we were only 15 minutes late to the rendezvous spot to get E & her dog. We made it up to the rental store by mid-morning, and as E owns two pairs of snow shoes already (and has a winter parking pass), we only had to rent one other pair for A. Luckily the three dogs got along (with Roxi it's hit or miss...and I honestly wasn't going to bring them today BUT couldn't bear to leave them behind while I went on an outdoor adventure that I knew they'd love) and it was a blast watching them run around like crazies along the track. We leashed them when around lots of other people, but it was so fun to see them chase each other and burrow through the snow banks :)
This was A's first time on the mountain and first time snow shoeing and she really seemed to enjoy herself, while E and I had a great time chit chatting as we walked along. (Note to self: show A more of Oregon.)
Today's trek was around Trillium Lake, which is about a 4-5 mile loop in the winter. Different views and less sun today---but still incredibly picturesque and beautiful!! Definitely a great way to spend the final day of the year!
Now, when to go again?! :)

subset: commoncrawl


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Property Location
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Make yourself at home in one of the 42 air-conditioned rooms featuring iPod docking stations and minibars. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming provides entertainment. Private bathrooms have designer toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and desks, and you can also request cribs/infant beds.
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Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage.
Are you affiliated with The Marble Arch by Montcalm? Apply to the Hotel WiFi Connect program to take control of your account, improve your hotel's confidence score and ranking.
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Today I thought I would use some NON traditional LOVE colors - but they are smashing. I love Cherry Cobbler, so I started with that one - then I went to my favorite tool lately - the Color Coach. This brought me to the color combo of Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie and Night of Navy. I used them all to color the stamp and then the card base was Night of Navy. I grabbed some scraps and rounded the edges with my corner rounder and started gluing! VOILA! A fun, simple and quick LOVE card!
I used the same set I've used all week - Love You Much - I want to see if I can go 7 days using the same set! Let's see - I'm almost halfway there!


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There are so many ways to fundraise for clean water! Celebrate the holidays, give up your birthday or celebrate a wedding in a whole new way.
Inspire your group to give clean water without spending another dime, The Water Challenge is a unique fundraiser for groups of all types and sizes.
Join our growing tribe of monthly donors by investing in the future. Keep water flowing by allowing our teams to revisit past projects and make repairs.


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(Update! Looks like Gamespot posted a featurette about the music, sound, and voice acting today too. What are the odds?! Check it out at the bottom!)
One thing I'm not going to fret about related to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is its soundtrack. Jeremy Soule has taken the helm as composer for the Elder Scrolls series once again, and from what limited previews we have seen - or heard, rather - of the music, he's done a stellar job. I adored his work on Morrowind, raved about the soundtrack for Oblivion, and now I'm eagerly anticipating the same for Skyrim.
An official soundtrack for Skyrim has been announced and will be shipped the week after the game is released on 11/11/11.
Unlike his previous soundtrack work for the Elder Scrolls series, Jeremy Soule has scored and compiled a whopping four-disc set for Skyrim! That's a lot of music! One of the criticisms leveled at Morrowind and Oblivion was that their soundtracks - while enchanting - quickly became very repetitive as they tended to loop ad-infinitum during the hundred of hours of questing players could get in the game. A four-cd soundtrack shoud alleviate that problem somewhat (just a tad).
The four-disc set is available at Directsong exclusively for $30.00. Pricey, but it just might be worth it. Check out Gamespot's featurette on Skyrim's soundtrack, sound effects, and voice acting below, and head on over to Directsong to preorder.


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CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. - The Gordon Lee express kept rolling Monday in the GHSA Class A public school baseball playoffs, but for the first time the Trojans had to face a little adversity.
Visiting Treutlen County shocked the standing-room-only crowd by jumping out to a 5-0 lead in game one, but Gordon Lee withstood the early punch, regrouped and outscored the Vikings 33-3 the rest of the way. The Trojans (29-2) used a 19-hit attack to rally for a 17-8 win in the first game of the semifinal series, then rapped out 12 hits in a 16-0, five-inning win in game two.
Gordon Lee will travel to No. 2 seed Charlton County for the championship series, which begins with a doubleheader Saturday. The Indians downed Trion 6-0 and 15-0 in the other semifinal series Monday.
"They did not get here because they weren't good," Gordon Lee coach Mike Dunfee said of the Vikings. "We knew they would battle us. That first game, you love those type of games. That's baseball and that kind of game shows what you're made of.
"I can't say enough about this group of kids. We like to say we're 18 deep, and today everyone contributed in some way. They deserve this because they've worked their tails off."
Two errors helped lead to the five early Treutlen runs, along with RBI hits from Kyle Rosen and Brad Cammack. The Vikings caught the error bug themselves, however, committing three in the next two innings as the Trojans took a 7-5 lead. Daniel Brooks, Adam Vandiver and Conner Coakley each had run-scoring hits in the rally.
The Gordon Lee lead was just 9-8 after Treutlen scored twice in the fifth on Cammack's bases-loaded single. The Trojans, though, scored seven times against three pitchers to finally get some breathing room. Cody Wilson had a two-run triple and Sexton a two-run single to highlight the rally.
Freshman Tucker Bradley, the fourth Gordon Lee pitcher, made the lead hold with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief.
"We've got the arms, and that's our game plan. If one struggles we'll go to the next guy and so on," Dunfee said. "We're just blessed with a lot of good arms, and we don't mind using them."
Game two was all Gordon Lee, which scored six runs in the top of the first inning on just three hits. Following Vandiver's leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt, the next four Trojans walked for a 2-0 lead and Branton Phillips followed with a three-run triple and scored on a wild pitch.
Sexton added a solo homer in the next inning and an RBI double in the third. Dunfee, up 11-0, emptied his bench in the final two innings.
Sexton, who had five hits and drove in five in the sweep, said the rough start got his team's attention, though no one panicked.
"They just came out and hit it against us," he said. "It kind of shocked us into action, so we came in and answered right back. Down 5-0, we just had to keep it together and come back. We've worked on it all year long in the cages, and now it's showing on the field."
Vandiver had five hits and scored four runs, while Brooks and Wilson had three hits and a combined six RBIs.


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Like Miss Universe, But Better!
Continued Coverage of the International Vodka Cup Cocktail Competition...
It was better than Miss Universe for me, anyway. Firstly the contestants were mostly men (though I must give a 'shout out' to the few kick-a** women bartenders in the group) and all were making cocktails. Hellooo...?
Finally, here is a list of those 22 bartenders who beat out the competition in their own countries, and won a trip to the Ice Hotel in Finland, to vie for the ultimate placement as world champion. Each created 3 cocktails that wowed judges enough to get them this far... (I'd say they deserve a toast!)
Hoath Zsolt – Hungary, Costin Gache – Romania, Massimo Goacchini – Italy, Steffan Lohr – Germany, Paul Lambert – Ireland, Joost Dikmans – Netherlands, Martin Manov – Bulgaria, Leszek Kraszewski – Poland, Cesar Hernandez – Mexico, Arnaldo Hernandez Semidy – Puerto Rico, Shay Coren – Israel, Harri Tormanen – Finland, Giorgos Petris – Greece, David Cordoba – England, Francisco Antonia – El Salvador, Branislav Kunik – Serbia, Gurkam Gumus – Turkey, Olga Markevich – Russia, Aaron Specht – USA, Chris Harrop – New Zealand, Malinchev Vladimir – Ukraine, Mathew Hewitt – Australia
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
1 comment:
Ahem, where are the recipes?
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make-up - slideshow maker with music
The first fake blood that we tested was relatively inexpensive, and bought from a costume shop. The blood had a thicker consistency than normal blood; though it still looked realistic on the skin, through the lens of a camera. However, due to the thickness of the fake blood, it did not drip well, which was the effect we were intending to create. Therefore, we decided to make our own fake blood.
Experimenting with Make-Up effects - slideshow maker with music
Secondly, we attempted to make our own fake blood using syrup and red food colouring. Its constancy was good, and after we added some more syrup its colour turned to crimson red, which looked extremely realistic. We also added coffee granules to give the blood a texture.
We were happy with the result of our second test; and we use this blood during our filming.


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WICHITA — The Chick-fil-A opening at Central and Rock may be huge news here today, but the new Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Littleton, Colo., has unintentionally pulled off the best opening-week publicity stunt.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich ate his final meal there before heading for a 14-year prison stay following corruption convictions. Federal Correctional Institution Englewood is a couple of miles from Freddy's.
"I'm not sure if he had a Chicago dog," says Freddy's partner Scott Redler. "That's the big question."
Actually, Blagojevich had the patty melt.
There was something of an impromptu press conference with Blagojevich as reporters gathered around him as he dined. Redler says helicopters circled overhead.
It's not clear if media ate, too.
Even Redler is a bit surprised that, of all the restaurants where Blagojevich could eat his final meal on the outside, he chose Freddy's.
It might lead to a new strategy for the Wichita-based chain.
"We think prisons are really our new target market," Redler says. "Have a last meal at Freddy's."


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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Please help me. I need milk. So badly.
No cheese. No yogurt. No chocolate milk. No butter. No dark chocolate.
Seriously, have you tried to go a day without butter? In Georgia, I can probably be arrested for it.
It's been one day, and I feel like a wraith.
I'm telling you, almond milk is not the panacea i'd hoped. It's like unicorn blood, thank you very much, Dr. Crog. Like unicorn blood for Crocodile Dundee. You can live off it, but it tastes like sh*t. And you look like Voldemort. Or at least feel like him.
See, we were at the pediatrician's office yesterday for t.rex's 4 month visit. He is a confirmed moose at 16 pounds 9 ounces. w00t!
Honestly, have you ever seen such a fetching cervid?
And our pediatrician asked me if he spit up much.
"A bit," I said.
And then he cheesed a quart of chunky sour milk on my sweater and laughed.
And she wiped the curds off her arm and said, "Have you considered it might be reflux?"
And I said, "But look at him. He's so happy. Reflux hurts. Surely it's not reflux, despite the fact that everyone in my family has a hietal hernia."
And although she agreed that he did seem very pleased with himself for making me smell like month-old yogurt, she pointed out that reflux was bad for babies, even if they aren't in pain. So she recommended I go dairy-free for a week and see if the spitting up improves, in case he's reacting to the dairy in my own personal dairy.
At the time, it sounded like a fun project. I'd go to Whole Foods and try some new and interesting milk substitutes. Like Silk hazelnut creamer, which is actually pretty decent.
But now, one day in, and I am trying to convince myself that one little dark chocolate Hershey's Kiss wouldn't hurt my little upchucker. Just one. One little chocolate. For the antioxidants.
Must. Resist. Chocolate.
Must. Find. Chocolate. Substitute.
Must. Eat. Jelly. Belly. Jelly. Beans?
On the upside, I am probably 300 calories under the norm today with a severe deficit in fat, but personal non-dairy torture is not my favorite way to diet.
As I tried to cope with my own personal dietary hell, Dr. Crog and the Biscuit enjoyed a little bit of music and completely ignored my plight.
Smug, milk-drinking jerks.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 7:03 PM 10 comments:
Monday, March 30, 2009
feelin' trashy
Would anyone out there like to take my money in return for sanitation services?
I understand that there are several companies in place to perform this very service, but I can't freakin' find 'em.
Here's the scoop:
1. Our current company
me: Hi, i'd like to know why my bill went up $6? I haven't been late or received a letter or anything...
her: Oh, you had your one year anniversary, so the fee went up.
me: Wait, so you're charging me MORE for staying with your company? Like, you're punishing me for my loyalty?
her: No! Of course it's not a punishment! Your rate just goes up.
me: How is that not a punishment?
2. Company B
me: Hi, I saw one of your trash cans in my neighborhood and would like to hear your rates.
her: We don't provide service to your street.
me: But I can see a trash can with your name and number on it from my door.
her: We service your neighborhood. Just not your particular street.
me: That makes sense. Garbage trucks can't drive 20 feet further.
3. Company C, Company D, and Company E
recording: Thanks for calling. We're open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and even though it's 3:26, we're not answering the phone. Ever. This bodes well for our customer service.
4. Company F
him: Yeah?
me: Is this Company F Sanitation?
him: Yeah.
me: So... do you guys provide sanitation services?
him: No.
me: You might want to alert the Yellow Pages about that.
5. Company G
me: Hi, i'd like to hear your rates.
her: Our rates are twice what you're currently paying and five times what you currently pay if you want recycling.
me: Really? Because that's insane.
her: Really. Can I get your credit card number and social?
me: Are you by any chance in Nigeria?
And *then* I had to call my insurance company.
Luckily, Dr. Crog has procured a delicious supper for me, and I know it will be good, because it is made out of chicken.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 4:12 PM 2 comments:
Labels: annoyance
Sunday, March 29, 2009
a biscuit, a basket
Yeah, I know it's not even April yet. But we like holidays, and we see no problem with celebrating them for a full month for maximum enjoyment.
Actually, Dr. Crog would probably celebrate his birthday for both April and May, if so indulged.
And also June.
Okay, he'd like to be celebrated all year as some sort of god-king, but that's for another blog post.
Today, we're talking about our neighborhood Spring Fling, which was completely wonderful until the temperature dipped so low that Dr. Crog couldn't feel his fingers. Good food, nice neighbors, generally pleasant suburban American time.
First, there was the Easter Bunny. The Biscuit is still at an age where he's "dat big nice bunny rabbit" and not a terrifying nightmare creature.
What do you mean, you haven't seen Donnie Darko? It's an iconic film, for pete's sake? And I misspelled "Donnie" on the photo to avoid copyright lawsuits. Not because the Biscuit was screeching in my ear for more cantaloupe and I wasn't paying attention.
Next, there were many fun games to play, from lawn bowling to frisbee golf to just puttering around the playground with her buddies.
Little Office joke for the true believers. Live to frolf. At Cornell. Ever heard of it?
And she also ran around with her own little shotput, much like her Big Ben's shotput. Except she could pick this one up. Because it was really a plastic bowling ball and not 15 pounds of solid iron. But we didn't tell *her* that. Look at that smile!
Next, we had some fun times chatting with neighbors, meeting new people, and receiving flyers from the sorely underfunded neighborhood teen babysitting crew. And I later found that this random photograph perfectly exhibited the age-old understanding of the three stages of womanhood. At least, as I exhibited them.
That's right-- my neighborhood is so cool that even the sullen teenagers come to playground parties. The food was good, and the egg hunt was brilliant. We're accustomed to battling 4651 sugar-crazed kids and their powermoms for 2 eggs at the city egg hunt, so sharing 200 eggs with 6 kids on the tennis court was a profound improvement. The Biscuit nailed all sorts of odd plastic eggs filled with good candy, bad candy, weird little toys, and Play-doh. Egg hunts have come a long way since the 80's, when we just had those gnarly little marshmallow eggs that always had shoeprints on them.
Her favorite cloacal treasure is a tiny little slinky.
Even t.rex had fun, rockin' his favorite hat and spitting up into my cleavage.
I was told the hat made him look like a miniature skater, which is a pretty good compliment. I hope he'll be the next Tony Hawk and end up doing a cameo on my favorite TV show and make a kabillion dollars selling ugly shoes and buy me a really nice Clydesdale/Tennesee Walker cross and a foxhunting outfit.
Not that i'm planning the future or anything.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 6:55 PM 4 comments:
Labels: fine holiday fun
Friday, March 27, 2009
m is for meh
So here's an object lesson for you.
You weigh 130 pounds. You get pregnant. You weigh 177 pounds. You have a baby. 20 months pass. You weigh 140 pounds. You get pregnant. You weigh 177 pounds. You have a baby. 4 months later, you weigh 158 pounds and don't like how you feel or what you see in the mirror.
You go to 2 Jazzercise classes and suddenly feel beautiful again. You put on your most very favorite Old Navy "cute pants", size M for medium, which mostly fit, except for some unavoidable crackage if you bend over at the wrong time. If you were to see your cute pants in a very dirty mirror, they'd look like this:
You go to Old Navy and are utterly amazed to find the reincarnation of your cute pants. You are so busy herding your toddler and carrying your happily shrieking infant that you slap the pants on, rejoice that they appear to fit, and run out of the store before someone realizes you just bought the perfect pants for $9.99.
You get home and yank out a very dirty mirror to take self-congratulatory photos of the old cute pants and the new cute pants. It's a cute pants party! You realize the mirror is filthy and clean it, and then your picture with new cute pants looks like this:
And you say to yourself, "I'm pretty hot! Eating well and exercise really work! These pants look and feel amazing!"
And then you go to take the tags off your new pants, and you notice something.
Something horrible. Insidious. Cruel. Surely a cruel joke.
Did you just buy...
...maternity pants?
That's right, hot stuff.
You just bought some amazingly well-fitting maternity pants.
M. For Maternity.
M for Medium, sure. But also for Maternity.
Your new hot pants that are super comfy and flattering are for pregnant peoples.
You should not have eaten that deliciously hot and crispy chicken skin just now, and you will be going to Jazzercise every. day. next. week.
Stupid Old Navy and their careless, slipshod sales section.
Today, I hate the letter M.
But I still love my new cute pants.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 6:58 PM 5 comments:
Labels: cruelty
I am a pretty reasonable woman.
Practical. Fair-minded. Just. Diplomatic. Flexible.
Especially after two Jazzercise classes, am I right? HEY-OHHH!
But in the morning?
I really do look like that picture up there.
My motto is this: "MY MORNING IS SACRO-F*CKING-SANCT!"
It's vulgar but true, and since I can't curse in person anymore, my only outlet is on my blog, using lots of asterisks.
And i've been known to shout my motto when disturbed, or annoyed, or when someone uses the last of the hazelnut creamer. One time, pre-children and on vacation with my parents, aunt, and uncle, my mom opened the door to our room to paw through her suitcase, and a beam of sunlight pierced my sleeping eye, and I screamed, "WHY DON'T YOU JUST STICK A GOD*AMN NEEDLE IN MY EYE??"
And then my mom cried.
It was a fun vacation. I was a pleasant person in my younger days.
Now, with the extra-added-superhero-style patience that can only be found with two children, I just make a very constipated face while I quietly daydream of 1000 firy arrows piercing whoever is getting on my nerves. Dr. Crog, when he's opening the fridge as I cook eggs, which is more annoying than it sounds. The handyman, who just wants to cheerfully describe all the things that are going to cause the house to fall over next week. Anyone who calls on the phone ever, who can't see the phone, and just wonders why I sound so constipated.
But here's the difference between now and then: now, i'm going to turn it all around. I'm going to have a good day. I'm going to be patient and pleasant and loving, and i'm going to find something fun to do. I already did the dishes. I still need to denastify the Foreman Grill, which is one of my favorite inventions of the 20th century. And there are delicious leftovers for lunch.
Honestly, it doesn't take much.
It takes a scene like this, in which the Biscuit says her belly button "needs some air".
Or looking down and seeing this fat little sleepy chipmunk cheek.
And if i had a picture of Dr. Crog standing around being awesome, i'd show you that one, too.
I guess what i'm getting at here is that I used to think that having kids doomed one to a life of uncoolness and boredom. What I didn't realize was that I was *already* boring and uncool, and that having kids would totally redeem me as a human being.
My mornings may be sacrosanct, but they're not really that important in the grand scheme of things.
They can, in fact, be easily fixed by aerated belly buttons, sleepy cheeks, and the generous addition of spinach omelets.
And that's a lot better than making my mom cry at Cocoa Beach.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 9:55 AM No comments:
Labels: motherhood
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
dj jazzy me and the fresh biscuit
An object in motion tends to stay in motion.
An object sitting on its butt in front of the laptop tends to stay in front of the laptop waiting for shoes to show up on www.mamabargains.com and hoping for Etsy sales.
This lesson in physics, at which I do not excel because Dr. Crog was in my class and we doodled and flirted the whole time, is just another good reason why i'm back on the exercise wagon.
Today, I joined Jazzercise.
Yes, Jazzercise. It's not just for old ladies in leotards. Or anybody in leotards, really.
Laugh, if you want to. Doesn't bother me. I see a chance to take a daily dancercise class 2 miles from my house with mother-staffed childcare, and I freakin' take it. I miss the gym. So much.
Okay, honestly, I don't miss the gym. I miss the way I feel *after* the gym, and I miss having tizzight arms. Because right now, i've got a bad case of "hi, marge". It works like this. You see your friend, you wave, you say, "Hi, Marge!" and that thing jiggles.
Yeah, that little jiggle at the bottom drives me crazy.
There are several other reasons to exercise, or in my case, Jazzercise.
1. Look and feel better. Duh.
2. Stay healthy.
3. Do frantic skipping motions to Beyonce songs.
4. Let the Biscuit plague someone else during her late-afternoon frenzy.
5. Give those poor, neglected New Balances something to do.
6. Benefit from the energy spike that makes me want to come home and vacuum.
7. Be able to breathe without splitting the bum of my prepregnancy jeans.
Number 2 is the highest priority right now, because we found out today that my paternal grandfather has prostate cancer. In addition to his colon cancer. My mom tells me it's no big deal, but i'm pretty sure that CANCER is BAD. Not only for my poor Papa, but for my father, me, and my children, who inherited Papa's genes. I want to do everything in my power to set a positive and healthy example for my children and to be around to annoy them as long as possible.
My father refuses to go to the doctor, which drives me insane. How do you make a 6'2'' monster go to the doctor for the first time since 1972? Valium and a tow truck is thus far my top idea.
Anyway. I want my children to grow up thinking of exercise and healthy eating as basic parts of life, so even though I hate working out, I'm doing it.
So far, it's working. Look at those little bitty guns!
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 7:25 PM 1 comment:
Labels: exercise
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
i'd rather be in gigglegiggle
I had a horrible day.
Was it horrible compared to most of the people on the planet? Probably not.
What about compared to most of America?
Still, no.
Most of my bad days, thankfully, exist inside my head.
I didn't get enough sleep, because I was up all night worrying. Our handyman had nothing but bad news about the roof, the chimney, the gutters, and the paint. My daughter was utterly atrocious. My son wouldn't sleep. My father won't go to the doctor. My mother went to the doctor, but i'm still worried about her. My grandparents haven't answered my phone calls for three days. Trader Joe's doesn't sell grits, of all things. I can't keep my house clean. My contacts hurt. I can't find the time to color my hair. My daughter wet her pants at the park and spilled the next three things she touched, and she followed *that* up with an encore of a solid hour of temper tantrums. My husband is training, and by the time he gets home, we'll only have 2 hours of watching our favorite TV show's latest season, out today on DVD, before I have to go to sleep in order to function. I can't find jeans that fit, my feet are perpetually calloused, i'm covered in spit-up 24 hours a day, and I forgot to wash the sheets after t.rex exploded on them this morning. I'd like to make about $500 a month but can't figure out how to do that while caring for an infant.
Oh, and my dinner is sitting on the kitchen counter, stone cold, because my meals always come last.
And when I write it all out like that, it's the most laughable, petty, stupid, meaningless, whiny drivel. I mean, i'm embarrassed for myself.
Those aren't complaints.
Those are like flies on a horse's rump. Swat, swat, whatever. This too shall pass.
And yet I feel compelled, some days, to share it. So I can remember it, because I have a frightfully bad memory for negativity. So I can be a better parent tomorrow.
And so maybe someone else will feel that they're not alone in being driven completely batsh*t insane by tiny little nothings.
* * *
After an hour of ferociously crying over such toddler hazards as cup preference, milk consistency, shoe placement, comparable comfiness of pants, correct way of sitting "Indian style", and whether or not I really meant the word "NO", the Biscuit finally collapsed into her bed and began our nightly ritual.
"Tell me about your day," I say.
"YOU tell me about your DATE," she says.
"Well, I rode the turtle train to Rainbow Mountain, where I ate an umbrella made of purple eggs. Then I took a green helicopter over to Alligatorville for some blue milk. They made me the mayor and gave me a muffin!", I say.
"Nooooo," she says.
"You tell me about your day," I say.
"I went to Giggle Giggle," she says.
Giggle Giggle is a place full of toys and friends and cookies, and she goes there every day. Even after a horrible day like today, when she cried as much as she smiled, she remembers going to Giggle Giggle and having a great day.
Today I did everything wrong, but I must be doing something right if my kid spent her day at Giggle Giggle.
I wonder if I can book tickets online. It sounds like a pretty cool place.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 7:24 PM 5 comments:
Labels: motherhood, toddlers
Monday, March 23, 2009
it's the new moosebutt
The Biscuit was being punished with a time-out for sitting on her brother, and she fell asleep while crying into the rear portion of her stuffed magical unicorn.
She was snoring really loudly, too.
I know it's a bit more vulgar than usual... but it's much funnier that way.
Believe me.
I tried.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 9:24 AM 1 comment:
Labels: the biscuit
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Biscuit's first encounter with a wacky, waving, inflatable, arm-flailing tube man.
She was appropriately horrified.
She was appropriately horrified.
Touch-A-Truck is one of those genius concepts that appeals to everyone wishing to thoroughly exhaust their child for free. Basically, a local municipality drives every truck, Bobcat, and bulldozer they own into a field, puts them in neutral, pops some popcorn, and hopes for the best.
Then parents fight for too little parking, purchase $6 hot dogs from a 30-minute-long line, and bribe their children to hold still for pictures instead of just screaming MOONWALK! and crying.
We love it.
And it's educational, too. This picture, for example, is brought to you by the letter "N":
And this image shows the basic measuring agent for a child against known quantities. It doesn't end at "knee-high to a grasshopper, you know.
The Biscuit is currently knee-high to a leggy moose and well on her way to knee-high to Abraham Lincoln. Proof that oatmeal and yogurt does a Biscuit good!
She was also really excited to see the inside of a school bus. Seriously, is this my child? I can think of very few tortures as exquisitely painful as riding the cheese. But she's adamant that one day, she'll be a big kid, and she'll ride a school bus.
And hopefully never get thrown out of the emergency exit.
Oh, and she also got to drive a Gator around with her grandfather. Always a learning experience in our family.
Sadly, she utterly refused to climb up in any other truck. It was school bus, Gator, and fire truck. And all the pictures of her in the fire truck were pretty bland.
We did get one artsy one, though.
As for t.rex, he basically did his best imitation of a lump. Sit, watch, nurse. Given the outrageous number of horns blaring, moonwalk motors churning, and children screaming in fear, that's about the best you can hope for out of a 4-monther. And he didn't crap his pants!
Our excellent day continued with a wonderful lunch with Nina, some quality quiet time, dueling naps, blistering yard work, our favorite family dinner, three episodes of The Office, and toenail painting.
Life is sweet. And not, like, Twinkie sweet.
More like 9-inch-tall, made-from-scratch tiramisu cheesecake sweet.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 10:16 AM No comments:
Labels: activities, the biscuit
Friday, March 20, 2009
spice, spice, baby
I read the rampaging Facebook link about Victory Gardens, and thought, "I should totally do that!"
Then I remembered my black thumb and current lack of spare time and memory and realized that a Victory Garden, in my uncapable hands, would become more of a Weed Pit of Defeat.
So I did the next best thing-- I purchased a Gourmet Chia HERB GARDEN for "Fresh Herbs at your fingertips year 'round." With text formatting like that, it's GOT to be good!
It was the Scooby Doo Chia Head that originally got my attention, but the thought of delectable, fresh herbs grown in my own kitchen "year 'round" for $11 was just too enticing to pass up. I've been enjoying the dried kitchen seasonings from our wedding spice rack for the past 7 years, but I hear that fresh herbs actually taste like something, which could only help my sub-par cooking.
And I also like singing CH-CH-CH-CHIA!!! like it was a late-night 1980's Christmas infomercial, much to the delight of my toddler.
Here's how it works. You slice open your bag of little brown soil packets, which look suspiciously like chocolate cupcakes.
But they don't taste at all like chocolate cupcakes.
Don't ask me how I know.
You then soak the little thingies in water, stuff them in the included pots, sprinkle on seeds, cover with ziploc bags, put them on top of your fridge, and wait for germination.
How could that be easier?
And did you know that the seeds all look like dead bugs? Squick.
They provide 6 packets of seeds and only 4 sets of pots, and then they force you to choose which 4 of the 6 herbs you will grow. How cruel is that? How much is it going to set back the Chia folk to give you 2 more terra cotta pots? They cost, like, 75 cents each!
And personally, I expect nothing but the best from the fine people of Chia.
But it's only four... so... suck it, cilantro and sweet marjoram!
I chose dill, chives, parsley, and sweet basil. Sweet, sweet basil.
There they are, all lined up on the windowsill, where they will eventually grow. But for some reason, Chia recommends sprouting them on top of the refrigerator, so that's where they really sit. But that doesn't make a very pretty picture, does it? Not like this one, which I love.
And i'd love it even more if you could remove the drain stopper, take off the ziploc bags, and just focus on the outrageously beautiful tree outside.
We may have bought this house just so we could own that tree. I'm not telling.
Until the little herbs germinate, and i'm not holding my breath, we also get to enjoy the included advertisement. Click on the pic for a close-up for maximum amusement. Please ignore the random oat and stray hair on the counter. Postpartum hair loss is a travesty.
That's right. You see several Chia plants, Chia cat insanity grass, The Clapper, The Clapper PLUS, and The Ov Glove, which can withstand heat up to 540 degrees! So, you know, go out and find a forge or a kiln and just go crazy. With the Ov Glove, it's okay!
I'll let you know how my Gourmet Chia HERB GARDEN turns out.
Oh, and please remind me to water it every couple of weeks. I'm likely to forget.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 7:37 PM 3 comments:
Labels: projects
Thursday, March 19, 2009
rock me, hashimoto
Did you know that I am diseased?
It's true.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis at the tender age of 26. I could quote a bunch of pabulum from Wikipedia or WebMD, but suffice it to say that my body is attacking and eating my thyroid gland, which is located in the neck area and plays Wizard of Oz to most of the body's glands.
Although there is no cure to this annoying autoimmune disease, the good news is that life goes on as normal as long as I take thyroid replacement hormone every single day under very tender conditions involving delicate timing, food, calcium, sleep, water, and hamster juggling.
So as long as the world stays about like it is, i'm fine. However, when the zombiepocalypse comes, i'm in deep trouble. Although the drug Synthroid is an exact chemical replacement of the sweet, sweet thyroid hormone I need, the only way to get it in nature is by eating pig glands. And can you think of anything more annoying and disgusting than slaughtering a huge, hairy pig and eating a big, ol', flappy gland?
Trying to explain the concept to Dr. Crog several years ago, I did extensive research and created this illustration:
To be honest, I don't remember why there are skeletons holding cupcakes. I just remember something about me getting fat and powerful with a goiter while everyone else starves to death. And I apparently have pink elephant toes, too. And there are coconuts in Georgia for my coconut bra.
I dunno.
But the goiter is clearly there from a thyroid gland run amok.
I like to think of myself as a very sophisticated self-cannibal.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 7:17 PM 8 comments:
Labels: Me
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
creme de love
It's been 10 years since candy was on my grocery list.
Dark chocolate doesn't count, because it's for my HEART.
I most definitely do not enjoy it, but I somehow manage
to snarf a square or two each day.
For my HEART.
But today, I fell in love. With a little green bag full of Creme de Menthe Hershey's Kisses. They're like a jollier version of Andes Candies. They just look so affable, in their sweet little green wrappers.
Here's my attempt at artsy photography, which involves smashing a bunch of buttons on my camera, which is really my mom's camera.
The angelic halo is real, though.
Aren't they cunning? Look at 'em, all lined up.
That one on the right is especially adorable.
I would like to get to know him better. Maybe we'll have a chat.
And then, after a leisurely dinner and a couple of glasses of wine and some romantic music, he finds himself slowly undressed.
And then I see into his very soul.
His delicious, dark-chocolate-enrobed-creme-de-menthe soul.
And then this happens.
And then this happens.
Because I can only be serious for so long before all the wacky
comes bursting out like minty green goo in a delicious little chocolate candy.
Thank you, fine people of Hershey's, for your diligent effort to sabotage my health.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 5:01 PM 5 comments:
Labels: food
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
happy sanpaggersbay
Yesterday, the Biscuit told me that it was "almost sanpaggersbay", and that they ate "funny cereal" in preschool that included "blue things, green things, a hourglass, and a leper".
I'm sure the fine folks at General Mills will want to know about the unfortunate condition of their leprechaun mascot so they can get him off the Lucky Charms box before his nose falls off.
Which makes about as much sense as the real Saint Patrick's Day, at least for your basic American mutt family like us. Throughout my life, I have been told that my lineage includes Irish, Black Irish, Scottish, English, Spanish, Andalusians, Clydesdales, and Cherokee Indians. All the names on the family tree, which date back to the 1800's, are totally bland and reveal nothing. No Patrick O'Brians, Brian O'Patricks, or Liam O'Flaherty Flannigan Patrick Brian O'Donnegans.
So I feel like a bit of a faker making a big deal out of St. Patty's Day, while at the same time, I love any sort of ridiculous celebration. So we had a special dinner, which was amazingly delicious. Shepherd's Pie, which diverted from the recipe at every step.
And yet... it was lovely. Just look at it!
Yeah, that does look a bit like barf.
But seriously, it did *not* taste like barf. Even Dr. Crog, the pickiest of the picky, said, "This tastes like something I would actually BUY in a STORE!"
High praise.
And then, at dinner, I noticed that the Biscuit had many Irish features.
And after a delicious dinner, she encountered an actual wild Irish chupacabra.
It's funny-- when I was a kid, I remember thinking that holidays were such a huge deal, and that everyone in the world was wearing green. And as an adult, I realize that they are only special if adults go to the trouble to make them special. All it takes to make my kid's day is 2 drops of green food coloring in her milk.
And thus a Happy Sanpaggersbay was had by all.
Posted by delilah s. dawson at 7:30 PM 1 comment:
Labels: holidays
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text:
So I haven't posted in a while because nothing blog worthy has really happened recently. Well, except for Amy being home for a few minutes in between camp and school, but all we did was go to Starbucks twice a day. It's a good thing she wasn't here longer, I was going broke. I'm ready for her to come back.
Craig and Merschon moved to Dublin yesterday! The good thing about them going ahead of me: they took their two cats, so they can tell me everything I need to know about traveling with a pet. (Even though I'm sure there's a slight difference between two regular-sized cats and one monster-sized dog) The bad thing about them going ahead of me: I'm still here. They did promise, however, not to have any fun until I get there too. I'm sure that will last about as long as their jet-lag. How can you avoid having fun in Dublin?
So, I'm trying to stay busy while I wait (mostly-patiently) for God's provision. Today I decided to make labels so I can "sign" my quilts. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. I think they look really cool. Toot!Toot! (That was me, tooting my own horn).
Today was the best day of the entire summer... it was only 85 degrees outside!!! I'd forgotten what cold weather feels like.


text:
True love, is like a ghost, so many people talk about it, but only a few have experienced it.
For me, my true love is certainly love at the first sight. After so many years of knowing each other, going through many heartbreaks, the hurling of anger, swearing not to call each other anymore, we know that somehow we can never get enough of each other no matter what happens.
It is not easy making that decision to get married. You will often ask yourself, "Is she the one? Do I want to spend my life with her? Do I want to grow old with her?"
But then I asked myself," How can I not get married to someone who is so understanding, someone who is always there despite my hardships and flaws, someone who knows me so well that I really think she is a psychic at times, someone who after all the stupid things I did, will still say I love you?.
Then, I told myself, "This is the one, this is the one who you want to spend your life with, the one who you want to grow old with".
And I definitely concur with that.


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Exposing Faces Of The Carnegie Science Criminal Climate Engineering Cover-Up
Industrialized/militarized society is, unfortunately, filled with individuals who are willing to do anything (or say anything) so long as it provides a paycheck, a pension, and what they perceive as a secure place in the most powerful tribe. The global climate engineering/weather warfare/biological warfare assault is the greatest and most immediate threat faced by humanity and the web of life (short of nuclear cataclysm).
When specific individuals have made a career out of helping to cover up the criminal geoengineering programs by their "professional" public denial, these individuals need to be exposed. The "scientists" in question are paid to pretend geoengineering is only a "proposal" which helps to pacify the population in regard to the threat already posed by the ongoing geoengineering programs. "Carnegie Science" appears to be major sponsor of the ongoing climate engineering cover-up disinformation campaign. The 3 minute video below from Carnegie representative Ben Kravitz is a very revealing example of the "geoengineering is just a proposal" deception.
Two more primary actors in the geoengineering deception effort (also part of "Carnegie Science") are Dr. Ken Caldeira and Douglas MacMartin (AKA Doug MacMynowski). The 10 minute video below is a very revealing exposé, is their acting convincing?
Climate engineering/solar radiation management programs are obscuring skies all over the globe. Highly toxic heavy metals and chemicals from these illegal programs are supersaturating our breathable air column and thus contaminating every breath we take.
Geoengineered skies, Yosemite National Park, California. Photo credit: Sydne Pomin
Yet another "Carnegie Science" climate engineering disinformation representative is Dr. David Keith. Keith has helped to draft the new study shown below. Ken Caldeira, and Doug MacMartin (AKA MacMynowski) also contributed to this "study".
Carnegie Council Announces Launch of Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance InitiativeTwo excerpts from this report are below:
"There is a considerable lack of understanding of the governance requirements for addressing climate geoengineering—technologies that fundamentally require multilateral governance approaches," said Pasztor, the executive director. "This is what the C2G2 Initiative plans to address."
there is no comprehensive international framework to govern these technologies, which have planetary-wide consequences, pose many serious, unknown risks, and raise profound ethical questions.What did Ken Caldeira do when he worked as a scientist for the United States government? In the 1 minute video below you can hear some of the shocking answers in Mr. Caldeira's own words (how to spray pathogens into clouds to infect the populations below, create tsunami's for destroying costal cities, weather as a weapon, etc).
With all the above information considered (along with other geoengineering studies and solar radiation manegement reports drafted by Douglas MacMartin), the dialog shown below becomes very relevant. It is a full transcript of my very recent communications with Douglas MacMartin in which he compares "believing" that geoengineering is already deployed, is to believe that "the moon is made of blue cheese".
The conversation with "Carnegie Science" climate engineering disinformation representative Douglas MacMartin (AKA MacMynowski) began from an initial message sent to MacMartin from a very dedicated and credible anti-geoengineering activist, Maciej Kocialkowski, who expressed his very dire and justified concerns about climate engineering to Mr. MacMartin.
Response to Maciej from Douglas MacMartin (AKA Douglass MacMynowski):
Good day Maciej,I was cc'd the above communication between Maciej and Douglas, and joined in the dialog:
I am sorry that you have been so deliberately deceived, but if you were a decent human being you would learn the facts before accusing other people of bad behaviour.
Theory #1: Clouds are made of water vapour
Theory #2: There is a vast conspiracy of hundreds of thousands of people in every single country on the planet, not one of whom is willing to break the silence and acknowledge that clouds are, in fact, not made of water vapour.
Personally I find Theory #1 to be more likely, but I understand that there are some people on the planet who find Theory #2 to be compelling, and that they are even capable of taking pictures and posting them on websites; just because they know how to use a camera and know how to type doesn't mean that you should trust what they say. Like I said, I'm sorry you've been deceived by dishonourable people, but please don't accuse us of lying when we tell you that clouds are made of water.
I think it is clear who is cowardly, morally and ethically bankrupt here…
Hello Mr. MacMartin, our legal team (Legal Alliance to Stop Geoengineeing, LASG) recently conducted a survey of almost 1500 climate scientists/meteorologists. These academicians were asked if they were willing to deny (on the record) ongoing geoengineering deployment. Not a single scientist was willing to deny the geoengineering reality Mr. MacMartin, not one. Are you willing to tell us on the record that you know with certainty that global geoengineering/climate engineering/solar radiation management/stratospheric aerosol injection programs have not yet been deployed?
Survey of 1500 scientists/meteorologists (the entire list of academicians surveyed is contained in the link, PDF file)
I have been on conference calls all week with a growing # of attorneys that are joining our effort, geoengineering will be exposed, wait and see. When that happens, how will the public react to your narrative of denial which in effect has helped to cover up the ongoing climate engineering crimes? Time will soon enough reveal the answer to that question.


text:
Who is Ernie?
The new guy at work is wearing a red and blue striped shirt, shorts, and sneakers. With his messy black hair and that goofy smile on his facem he is a dead ringer for Ernie from Sesame Street. Seriously, if you saw a photo of Ernie and then saw this guy in real life you'd swear he is Ernie!
Stop. Ernie Time
Last week, Ernie walks up to my cubicle with a grave look on his face. He says he needs to talk to me about something.
JAKE: "What's up?"
I am genuinely concerned.
ERNIE: "Well, I need to ask you a huge favor. It's big. It's a really big favor. "
JAKE: "OK," (Paying close attention.) "What is it?"
ERNIE: "Will you stop the blog? It's getting me into trouble."
JAKE: "What?" How are you getting into trouble?"
ERNIE: "I just am."
I can tell by the sorrow in his eyes that he hates participating in this conversation. Ernie loves the blog just as much as everybody else, but something is wrong... This isn't a joke. He is dead serious.
JAKE: "I don't understand. Did something happen?"
ERNIE: "Yeah. Just please stop." (Lowering his head and looking meekly at his ragged white sneakers.)
Perhaps I should let it go and take Ernie for his word, but I have to know more. This blog is a terrific creative outlet for me and I can't give it up without a fight. I press for details and after several repeated questions, it is revealed that some of the things in the blog are causing arguments at home.
JAKE: "Really? Which parts?"
I am completely taken aback.
ERNIE: "All of it."
JAKE: "What?!"
I thought it is generally understood that a lot of what gets written goes through a vigorous 'poetic licensing.' Of course everything is accurate and true, but any observations or skewed personal notes are of my own making, not of Ernie's.
JAKE: "But, what about the traveling doll? What about the fans who read the blog every week? What about the podcast episodes?"
These are knee-jerk reactions. I honestly didn't expect it to come to this.
ERNIE: "You can still do the Ernie doll. Traveling Ernie is cool."
I look at him for several seconds while contemplating more bargains, but it is no use. Like Jane Goodall, I have become too friendly with the gorillas. The observer is gone and the friend now sits in his place.
JAKE: (Muttering.) "OK. But I need to write one more blog entry to explain things."
ERNIE: "Thanks, man. I really appreciate it." Ernie walks back to his desk and leaves me alone in a dazed state.
Later in the day, Kenny G. stops by my desk and I explain the situation.
KENNY G: (In a soothing jazz tone.) "Since when does Ernie's personal life revolve around your writing? Do you have that much control over his marriage?"
It is a good question.
JAKE: No, but Ernie and his wife are young and they've only been married a few months. They haven't had enough life experience to know what to really get upset about."
Kenny G. nods.
JAKE: "Then again, nobody wants to think their husband looks like a Muppet.
KENNY G: (Whispering) "True, but that's just your take on it. It's not the truth."
He looks me in the eyes.
KENNY G: "For example, when you tell my wife that I look like Kenny G. or you mention anything about anything to either of us, we don't take it at face value. We know it's gone through a Jake filter, and that's just the way you see the world."
JAKE: "Fair enough."
Was this a compliment or a put down? I don't know, but Kenny G. has given me something to think about, and after thinking about it for several days, grappling with the idea of stopping the blog or not, I'm still stumped. I've kept Ernie's identity anonymous. In fact, I've gone through great strides to keep his identity a secret, possibly in case it ever came to something like this.
There is nothing specific in writing pointing to Ernie's true identity.
What would you do? Would you stop the blog and respect Ernie's wishes? Would you stick to your guns and document the humor in the lives of your co-workers? I watched a program on PBS the other night about stress. You wouldn't believe the toll stress takes on 75% of the world's population. Stress causes more physical, emotional, and mental problems in our lives than we think, but there are many ways to reduce stress. Laughter being the most effective and healthiest way.
It should be noted that the goal of this blog is not to cause offense, and it certainly isn't to inject strife or stress into anybody's marriage. It's simply a creative endeavor for a man who "has too much time on his hands," as I've often been told.
So after careful consideration, I will leave the fate of this anonymous Ernie blog up to you, the reader. A poll has been placed up there in the right hand corner of your screen. See it? After 7 days, the end result will yield the fate of the blog. Can you live without your occasional Ernie update? Or do you enjoy peering into the secret life of a Muppet?
Cast your ballot. This isn't the current presidential elections, this is important!
The choice is yours.
4 comments:
The writing is hilarious and I don't want it to stop.
Not stopping will strain your relationship with Ernie.
Best response to the situation, I think, is find another Ernie. Find someone else to write about, who doesn't know about this blog and who you have a lot of contact with, and name him Ernie.
- September 27, 2008 at 9:02 PM
- Free said...
I was really hesitant to vote in the poll, just because I feel like my personal desire to have you keep the blog should not have anything to do with your decision...
I don't know. It's a tough call Jakey. If he really wants you to stop, maybe you should. :-( But I love it and want you to keep it.
Tough decision ahead...
- September 27, 2008 at 9:31 PM
- Morrighana said...
I don't know, man. If he's asked you to stop, you should stop blogging about Ernie. Especially if it's causing issues in his personal life. It doesn't sound like Ernie minds the blog, but when it's affecting his personal life, then the line is drawn.
I do like Rev's suggestion about finding someone else to blog about, though. I'm willing to bet Ernie wouldn't mind a cameo appearance every now and then, similar to Kenny G.
- September 28, 2008 at 3:26 PM
- Janna said...
Drat! I got here too late to vote in the poll!
I see that the final tally is 9 to 8, in favor of continuing the blog.
I'm glad.
That's how I would have voted.
Keep writing.
- October 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM


text:
Friday, 17 October 2008
Christmas Card of the Day
10 comments:
Awww! Very sweet!ReplyDelete
Super card. love how you fixed the sky looks great.ReplyDelete
lovely, such a nice shade of geenReplyDelete
I love the image! I've never used buttons on my cards before and it just adds to the cuteness of it. A new thing to try:)ReplyDelete
Great card ! Love how you matted it and the coloring is fab !ReplyDelete
Oh I love the birthday one and the one with the flowers running vertical the most...but I love them all... you inspire me so much...I love seeing your face pop up on the message boards...thank you so much for your support... and for your beautiful inspiration ... I love your cards.ReplyDelete
Aw this is such a cute card En! You're right it's a great card for a child. Mind you I'd love it too heheReplyDelete
- AnonymousSaturday, October 18, 2008
Love your cards...I love the K&Co cards they are `Gorgeous`:)~X~ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSaturday, October 18, 2008
I love this stamp!! You have the cutest holiday stamps. I am really envious!!ReplyDelete
yes it is so sweet...haven't visited for a day or two and you've been so busy with all your fab creationsReplyDelete


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Aug 16
Posted by John Orso
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Posted in Funny, Meme of the Week.
Tags: call me maybe, david bowie, meme of the week, scifitakeover
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We were thinking of making this a paid site, but perhaps we'll go with Ad Sense instead.
Another insight into Gee Dubya Bee's re-election strategy.
Cat cartoonists as opposed to dog cartoonists.
They're playing our song.
Hm, we haven't tried the hat thing yet.
And what's a nice girl like you doing in a blog like this?


text:
February 3, 2011
Cool BATMAN Cake for Noah's 13th Birthday
Check out this extremely cool BATMAN Birthday Cake!! These photos were sent in by a Bat-Blog Fan named Scott. This awesome cake was for his son Noah, who just turned 13 ( Happy Birthday Noah! ) The cake has two levels. The bottom has graphics around it that looks like the skyline of Gotham City. The 2nd level features comic book "word balloons" with phrases like, "Pow!, Zing!, Boom!", and my favorite, "Holy Teenager Batman!". Then, on the top of the cake, there is a really great Batmobile!! Yes, this cake is a total Art Masterpiece. I wonder if Noah ate that car or kept it, ha! Thanks to both Scott & Noah for sharing their pics.
1 comment:
i loveee batman... rawr hes the best i love all those cakes (happy)
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Overview (2)
|in Broadstone, Dorset, England, UK
|in Selsey, West Sussex, England, UK
Mini Bio (1)
British producer/director Michael Relph, the son of stage actor George Relph, graduated from Bembridge School and became apprenticed to Alfred Junge at Gaumont Pictures in 1932. He was also a stage designer and art director, often working for Michael Balcon. In 1942 he became the chief art director at Ealing Studios, and in 1946 became a producer and screenwriter. He began a productive partnership with director Basil Dearden at the studio, and the relationship continued after Ealing went out of business. He directed such pictures as Davy (1958), Mad Little Island (1958), but eventually gave up directing to concentrate solely on producing. Later in his career he became Chairman of the BFI Production Board.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: firstname.lastname@example.com
Spouse (2)
|Maria Barry
|(1950 - 2003) ( her death) ( 1 child)
|Doris Gosden
|(1939 - ?) ( divorced) ( 1 child)


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Status: Closed
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Disabled American Veterans can be found at Avalon St 2809. The following is offered: Social Services. The entry is present with us since Sep 8, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 12, 2013. In Klamath Falls there are 3 other Social Services. An overview can be found here.
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12-18-10 Hodgepodge
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Right Reaction, Wrong Target
Regarding FIFA's recent decision to permit Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup, Ann Killion is right to be indignant about it.
But am I expected to cover my head, arms and legs -- while working in 120 degree heat? And what about my friends who would face five years in prison by attending the World Cup. That's the penalty for homosexuality, which is illegal in Qatar.However, she is wrong to sloppily blame capitalism or Western values as the bases for such an absurd decision.
The 22 men on the FIFA Executive Committee apparently don't care that Qatar isn't exactly a leader when it comes to human rights. They were wowed by imaginary stadiums, the impact of petrodollars and president Sepp Blatter's apparent desire to take over the world.Blatter's decision regarding Qatar fits right in with holding this year's tournament recently in South Africa (while pointedly doing nothing to quell the annoyance of vuvulzelas) and his strong desire to have China host one in the future. For one thing, none of these countries is exactly a soccer hotbed and for another, he decries the "arrogance" of the Western world since its fans want the games held in places where there is a strong appreciation for the game and in which they are free to behave as they usually do.
I have always regarded Blatter as either a multiculturalist or a pragmatist hoping to take advantage of multiculturalism. It is almost amusing to see leftists so upset about the choice of Qatar since so many of them are also such ardent multicultural apologists for Islamic totalitarianism when it sees expression as the Iraqi "insurgency" or courtroom maneuvers to undermine individual freedom throughout the West.
Rather than smear capitalism -- government petrodollars would not exist under actual capitalism -- or western civilization -- this non-leftist, secular, pro-Western man would have broken ranks with Blatter had he a vote -- Killion ought to check her own premises and reconsider the whole idea of multiculturalism (aka cultural relativism) now that she has had a sneak preview of it being put into practice.
Weekend Reading
"If a cupcake stand can't survive more than a few hours' exposure to bureaucracy, what happens to real businesses?" -- Dana Berliner and Jeff Rowes, in "Discouraging Tomorrow's Entrepreneurs" at Investor's Business Daily (via HBL)
"[P]rices might temporarily rise as a result of a speculator making massive bullish bets, but because the investor has to eventually sell to someone, and because nobody is bigger than the market, prices inevitably end up quickly correcting long before the operator can capitalize on the scheme." -- Jonathan Hoenig, in "Why Cornering a Market Doesn't Work" at SmartMoney
"Psychologically speaking, the biggest problem with the holidays is that too many people approach it as a duty or as drudgery." -- Michael Hurd, in "Stress-Free holidays" at DrHurd.com
"Personal responsibility thus presupposes that an individual has the freedom to make his own decisions and to enjoy -- or suffer -- the consequences thereof." -- Paul Hsieh, in "Beware Counterfeit 'Responsibility'" at Pajamas Media
"Sorry, kid, your business can wait: some guy you don't know wants cheaper insurance." -- Yaron Brook and Don Watkins, in "The Irresponsible Individual Mandate" at Forbes
Working While Standing
I am loath to buy office furniture since my thinness quickly makes a mockery of almost any chair I use for any length of time. I have also had, as a result, an on-again, off-again interest in working standing up. I have played around with it a few times, but found nothing really workable in terms of ease-of-use.
Basically, I do at least know that I hate just standing even more than just sitting. The ideal arrangement for me would enable me to alternate easily between the two. Via John Cook, there's an excellent page about just such a solution. This, or something very much like it, is where I will go once I have more space and the money to sink into decent furniture. I will experiment a lot more before buying furniture, though.
Actually, now that I think about it, this reminds me a lot of how my Dad set up the studio for his watercolor hobby.
The Herd Mentality
Related to a point I made last week, Michael Hurd has an interesting blog post about "groupthink."
Individuality and reason require a lot of thought. The person who succumbs to group think is surrendering the responsibility to think -- i.e. to ask and answer the kinds of questions I just asked, in these examples. Each and every time he surrenders this responsibility, he "gets off easy," but, in another sense, makes life harder for himself. How? Because, by evading his responsibility to think for himself, he goes through life dependent on the appraisals of others.Just because everyone around you is saying the same thing doesn't make them (or you) right.
The Death of Sports Writing?
Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated writes an amusing (and somewhat self-refuting) piece on computer-generated sports reporting.
[N]ow the robots have come for me. A new media company called StatSheet operates 345 college basketball websites, one for every Division I team. Each site -- they're all accessible through statsheet.com -- is chockablock with game stories. And every one of those stories is written not by a human being, but by a malevolent piece of software intent on killing sportswriters.Here's a verbatim sample:
Rice is definitely firing on all cylinders. On December 16th at home, the Owls beat the Trojans, 65-55, in the Las Vegas Hoops Classic.Rushin quotes Leigh Montville on sports writing as saying that, "It's not really sports, and it's not really writing." Certainly, if people aren't catching things like the Engrish version of "put the hurt on" in the passage above, then Montville is right, as far as game summaries are concerned. I'd also note that such a treatment would not do justice to a really important or memorable game like a human could.
A note about this matchup: The RPI ranked Arkansas-Little Rock higher, #89 to #159.
The game came down to a big separation between Rice and Arkansas-Little Rock in shooting and a somewhat smaller one in assists..
The Owls shot 51% while the Trojans struggled against a good defensive effort with only 35%. Rice beat Arkansas-Little Rock with assists, 21 to 12, and facilitated more balanced scoring. A highlight for Rice was the 21 assists, which was way up above their 13.1 season average.
Arsalan Kazemi led all scorers against the Trojans with 15 points on 75% shooting in 31 minutes. Kazemi also contributed a game-leading 9 rebounds.
Rice put a hurting on a very good Arkansas-Little Rock team. The Owls are now 5-4 and we look good early in the season. Our record against RPI Top 100 teams (Arkansas-Little Rock #89) improves to 1-2.
Here's my take. Computers are freeing sports writers to report on really interesting things or to write more commentary. And while computer-generated summaries might mean fewer low-level jobs for aspiring sports writers, how useful would it be for someone to spend very much time on such assignments? If he's any good, he won't be doing them for long, and if he isn't any better than this, he ought to consider another career.


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Before she knew it, Hewitt said, the dog had her 14-pound bischon Maltese, Cindy, in its jaws.
... Hewitt said she finds herself struggling to feel comfortable again in the neighborhood where she's lived for two decades.
"Our lives have changed. I'm afraid to go outside. My husband has to go with me," she said. "And when we take Cindy out, you can tell she's scared, too..."
Hopefully this Lake County Board member can effect some changes in her home town of 20 years to make all normal, pet dogs safe from dogs that were bred to attack other dogs - pit bulls.
By Dan Moran
Read more:
Lake County News-Sun
Accessed: 2012-02-08. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/65Ij09uYH)


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The Michelle Living Room Group by Flexsteel from Jordan's Home Furnishings. We proudly serve the New Minas and Canning, Nova Scotia area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Don't be fooled by the technical jargon- Blue Steel and Dualflex springs are the real deal. The manufacturer's innovative, time-tested Blue Steel springs and the updated Dualflex system are made of heavy-duty materials and never need retying or replacing. If you don't believe it, the spring system can be replaced by the manufacturer at any time thanks to a lifetime warranty.
Add a unique look and a comfortable place to sit to your living room or family room with a casually styled piece from this collection. Piece's in this collection feature a square-front cushion and a unique track arm that doesn't extend to the seat-front, which will add a modern feel to your space. Each seat cushion is also reversible so there's less worry and stress if you spill on it and is available in heavy duty and stain-resistant performance fabrics. Combining with this collection's adaptable style, are a myriad of customization options ranging from the finish of the feet, to the fabric of the sofa, all the way to the seat you'll be sitting on. When you select a piece from this collection you can truly make it your own.
The Michelle collection is a great option if you are looking for Casual furniture in the New Minas and Canning, Nova Scotia area.
These images are representative of this group as a whole and may differ from this item.
Browse other items in the Michelle collection from Jordan's Home Furnishings in the New Minas and Canning, Nova Scotia area.
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


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How much would a work of fine art have to cost for you to buy it? Less than a CD? Less than a meal at a restaurant? Ok. The Art*o*Mat is what you need. With works of genuine art (size: 54mm x 82mm x 21mm) priced at $4-5, it's pretty affordable. And, if you have good taste, you might even make a great investment!
Art*o*mats are retired cigarette vending machines that have been converted to vend art. There are 76 active machines in various locations throughout the country.The sad part is that "the country" means the U.S. I'm waiting for a similar initiative somewhere nearby...
The purpose is simple:
Our mission is to encourage art consumption by expanding access to artists' work. Art*o*mat® has created an opportunity to purchase original artwork while providing exposure and promotional support for artists. Art*o*mat® combines the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form.If anyone considers this form as too commercial or silly, I would recommend trying to make a living (and a name) as an artist for some time.
Here are some examples of works you can discover in the Art*o*mat:
Want to have your art in an Art*o*Mat?


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white Perfect Panels in memento tuxedo black ink and colored them with prismacolor markers before cutting one out. Pulling out a CD tin from my stash and some retired Stampin Up! winter designer paper, I put some score tape on top of the CD tin and then turned it over onto the designer paper. (Thanks Jodi for the tip from your blog) This way I only had to cut around the sides with my Fiskars finger craft knife instead of trying to "match up" everything.
Here's a close-up of the CD tin.
This set of four has some fantastic sayings to go along with the Flopsey image. I've used the Thinking Of You here on the decorated inside. Only this time, I used a punched out snowflake by the saying instead of a brad.
Now if you haven't entered the Guest Designer contest for a chance to win up to $125 worth of stamps and the chance to post during the teasers with the Design Team, make sure you check out the challenge here in the MFT forum.
Here are some details about the upcoming release on December 3rd:
•The MFT release is on Wednesday December 3rd at 10 PM EST. You can attend the release party from 8-10 PM EST here in the forum for fun, games, and prizes! All the new sets and dies will be available on December 3rd at 10 PM EST.
•If you'd like to see all the teasers for today, please click on over to Kim's blog at 11 AM EST. Be sure to leave comments as you go for a chance to win one of 2 $10 gift vouchers being given away, just for leaving a comment. :) Check Kim's blog every day for the winners.
Stamps: MFT Ice Skating Flopsey
Cardstock: MFT White Perfect Panels, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, Bliss Blue, Soft Sky, Winter Designer Paper (retired)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Soft Sky, Bashful Blue, Bliss Blue
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Martha Stewart Punches, Ice Stickles, Dimensionals, CD Tin, Martha Stewart Glue Pen, Small Circle Punch, Making Memories White Snowflake Brads, Glue Dots, Gem Stickers, Martha Stewart Ribbon, Stipple Brush


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...Bring your friend, or just a laptop...
- said the brochure at an outdoor cafe.
It was bitter. Surrounded by geese and not a laptop in sight.
Comments: laptoplessness
Soon there will be special laptopless bars for the sad and lonely unlaptopped among us; in the seedier ones you will pay extra for a few delirious minutes of laptop dancing
Posted by laura at June 2, 2005 10:18 PM
and a gander.
Posted by boynton at June 2, 2005 10:45 PM
A saucy retort.
Posted by Ajax at June 3, 2005 08:04 AM
Laptop Dancers for the lonely?
Posted by Francis Xavier Holden at June 3, 2005 12:40 PM
Posted by laura at June 3, 2005 02:55 PM
Googling, not ogling...
(or vice versa?)
Posted by boynton at June 3, 2005 05:22 PM
Dance To The Laptop of Time
Posted by Brownie at June 5, 2005 06:56 PM
on a mac or in one?
Posted by boynton at June 5, 2005 07:37 PM
One of those places where you'll just click with the rest of the clientale.
"Hi, could I borrow your mouse? My ball is really grunged up."
Posted by Nabakov at June 5, 2005 09:47 PM
and you gotta keep an eye on your mouse
Posted by boynton at June 5, 2005 11:26 PM


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In the land of GRC, who is the sane person?
I just love Michael Rasmussen's new post at http://corp-integrity.blogspot.com/2010/01/wanted-grc-psychologist.html, "Wanted, GRC Psychologist".
Michael notes: "In pursuing discussion with other organizations that have implemented GRC strategies, one told her that they actually had to get a psychologist involved. That is right – a psychologist. It appears that the firm had so much disagreement and pull in different directions they brought a psychologist in to help the different factions work through their issues and come to common agreement on a strategy (which actually came down to two strategies when implemented)."
I suggest that when you try to bring people in from different parts of the organization to put together a "GRC strategy", this result should not be surprising. GRC is so broad, encompassing areas heavily involved in governance (such as legal and internal audit), risk management (the CRO, COO, CFO, Treasurer, CIO, Supply and Logistics, Sales, etc.), and compliance (again, the CIO, legal, EH&S, and many more), that a loud Babel of competing interests using different language should not be unexpected.
This is one of the reasons I believe a discussion of GRC is not always optimal. Companies are much better off to focus on their specific business needs, rather than something as amorphous as GRC – which is essentially how you direct and manage the organization. For example, if the need is really for risk management, then work on risk management. If it is risk plus audit, then those owners should be involved.
Bring together those individuals responsible for owning and addressing your real business needs, rather than trying to tackle all of GRC, and you will not need a psychologist.
Another contributing factor to the need for a therapist is the variety of definitions of GRC. How can you get people to work together when they are using the same word but with different meanings?
Perhaps the CFO is talking about SOX, insurance, and risk management. The CIO is talking about IT security, project management, standards and policy management, and IT vulnerability and risk assessment.
I am sure I would get a headache listening to a CIO and CFO talking about the best GRC solution, especially if they used an analyst assessment of GRC solutions that was based on yet another definition of what GRC means.
Hmm. In the land of the GRC, who is the sane person?
January 28, 2010 at 1:32 PM
Norman, I thought what Michael shared was great. I don't think I have heard of such extremes but I will say that 10 years ago as a new CCO, I began organizing a federated approach to risk and compliance management to address enterprise legal and compliance risk. I used to tell peeople that I spent 80% of my time settling frustrations, counseling, educating and making concessions all in the name of progress. The other 20% was actually directing projects, developing processes and standards and negotiating legal interpretations into business requirements. From my experience, this is a fairly common experience for a CCO.
So what background and personal characteristics create the best person for the job?
One other comment is with regards to focusing on the most pressing business issue. I agree however before you begin making substantive changes in your organization, you should see how it fits within your larger vision. Making the smaller decisions within the broader vision will help you make wiser decisions along the way. There is an old saying that goes, when you don't know where you are going, any road will do!
Thanks for the post.
March 14, 2011 at 8:47 AM


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The two priests stepped into the warmth and the dimness of the hall and leaned wearily against the wall.
Karras listened to the eerie, muffled singing from within. After some moments, he spoke softly to Merrin. "You said—you said earlier there was only… one entity."
The hushed tones, the lowered heads, were confessional.
"All the others are but forms of attack," continued Merrin. "There is one… only one. It is a demon." There was a silence. Then Merrin stated simply, "I know you doubt this. But you see, this demon… I have met once before. And he is powerful… powerful…."
A silence. Karras spoke again. "We say the demon… cannot touch the victim's will."
"Yes, that is so… that is so… There is no sin."
"Then what would be the purpose of possession?" Karras said, frowning. "What's the point?"
"Who can know?" answered Merrin. "Who can really hope to know?" He thought for a moment. And then probingly continued: "Yet I think the demon's target is not the possessed; it is us… the observers… every person in this house. And I think—I think the point is to make us despair; to reject our own humanity, Damien: to see ourselves as ultimately bestial; as ultimately vile and putrescent; without dignity; ugly; unworthy. And there lies the heart of it, perhaps: in unworthiness. For I think belief in God is not a matter of reason at all; I think it finally is matter of love; of accepting the possibility that God could love us…"
Again Merrin paused. He continued more slowly and with a hush of introspection: 'He knows… the demon knows where to strike…." He was nodding. "Long ago I despaired of ever loving my neighbor. Certain people… repelled me. How could I love them? I thought. It tormented me, Damien; it led me to despair of myself… and from that, very soon, to despair of my God. My faith was shattered…."
Karras looked up at Merrin with interest. "And what happened?" he asked.
"Ah, well… at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically impossible; that the love which He asked was in my will and not meant to be felt as emotion at all. Not at all. He was asking that I act with love; that I do unto others; and that I should do it unto those who repelled me, I believe, was a greater act of love than any other." He shook his head. "I know that all of this must seem very obvious, Damien. I know. But at the time I could not see It. Strange blindness. How many husbands and wives," he uttered sadly, "must believe they have fallen out of love because their hearts no longer race at the sight of their beloveds! Ah, dear God!" He shook his head; and then nodded. "There it lies, I think, Damien… possession; not in wars, as some tend to believe; not so much; and very seldom in extraordinary interventions such as here… this girl… this poor child. No, I see it most often in the little things, Damien: in the senseless, petty spites; the misunderstandings; the cruel and cutting word that leaps unbidden to the tongue between friends. Between lovers. Enough of these," Merrin whispered, "and we have no need of Satan to manage our wars; these we manage for ourselves… for ourselves…."
The lilting singing could still be heard in the bedroom. Merrin looked up at the door and listened for a moment. "And yet even from this—from evil—will come good. In some way. In some way that we may never understand or ever see." Merrin paused. "Perhaps evil is the crucible of goodness," he brooded. "And perhaps even Satan—Satan, in spite of himself—somehow serves to work out the will of God."
He said no more, and for a time they stood in silence while Karras reflected. Another objection came to mind. "Once the demon's driven out," he probed, "what's to keep it from coming back in?"
"I don't know," Merrin answered. "I don't know. And yet it never seems to happen. Never. Never."
Monday, March 30, 2015
Accepting the possibility that God could love us
Here below is an excerpt from the novel, "The Exorcist", by William Peter Blatty (emphasis mine). Blatty is a devout Catholic and has been interviewed quite frequently on EWTN. In this excerpt, the old and wise exorcist, Fr. Merrin, attempts to explain to the young Fr. Karras the reason or point for why a demon would possess a young and innocent girl. Fr. Karras asks, pointedly, "What's the point?" Indeed. This leads to a brilliant reflection by Fr. Merrin on the intrinsic goodness of human beings and God's unwavering love for them; for us. This awareness is what the devil wants to destroy. Therefore, the target of this possession was not the innocent girl but rather the observers -- those living in the house -- who have to watch this unfold.
Posted by Mr. Alan Phipps, O.P. at 3/30/2015 0 comments
Sunday, March 29, 2015
The blood of Christ is dripping from his fingers...
Holy Week 2015 already! A meditation from Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: The Precious Blood of the God-Man, from Through the Year with Fulton Sheen.
Life had to be forteited for our sins, and no life is more precious than that of God who became man. His blood was the blood of the God-man, and therefore he paid the infinite price. We were not bought with gold and silver, but with the precious blood of Christ. That is how our sins are forgiven, and that is why our Blessed Lord prayed for our forgiveness at the moment that he poured out his blood for us sinners. If you have faith in Jesus' sacrifice, now is the time to go to confession, to get rid of your sins. When the priest raises his hands in absolution over you, the blood of Christ is dripping from his fingers. We priests are hardly conscious of this great power. I think we would almost be shocked to death if we ever really realized it. But that is how the sin is absolved, by this blood of Christ.How long has it been? If you haven't done so already during this season of Lent, use this time to make a good and holy confession. Enter into the deep mystery of the God-Man's suffering, death, and resurrection.
Posted by Mr. Alan Phipps, O.P. at 3/29/2015 2 comments
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Archive for the 'ESPN' Category
Immortality, Thy Name is YouTube!
Posted by: Jon Pyle on June 1, 2007
Posted by: Jon Pyle on June 1, 2007
|June 1st - one year… on Kill Buss
|Pyle of List »… on Discussion: Crazy Kobe Trade…
|soozefrombabes on Movin' on Up!
|yojoe on It's All Talk Until the…
|Extra P. on Movin' on Up!


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After the last mammoth post, another three-parter, but this time a bit shorter, hopefully.
PART 1 - Beach Huts
I have a "thing" about beach huts. I just love them. They remind me of childhood trips to the seaside, lazy, sunny days and holidays. I've never actually been in a beach hut, but used to imagine a life whereby the family would de-camp to the beach and set up home for the day in one of the long row of brightly decorated little houses along the sea front. There are many along the south coast of England, but the prices to buy one are astronomical and I'd never be able to justify the expense. I can still dream, though.
So you can see that when "The Patchsmith" revealed her pattern for this darling, little mug rug, I just had to have it. We had a day of sunshine last week (was that our summer?) and the sun made me think of the seaside and so I dropped everything and made this (as I couldn't actually go to the seaside - reason in Part 3).
A complete mess-up! All my fault, not the pattern's. It's only a small project, just 9" x 4 1/2 ", but I had quite few problems with it. I thought , because it was small, that it wouldn't take me long to make, but I was so, so wrong. This is applique and I've only ever done it once before, a little star on the front of a t-shirt for my grandaughter. I had some Bondaweb tucked away, but the paper backing was separated from the fusible bit and so was very fiddly to trace and cut out the shapes. I also didn't know which side to iron down first as it wasn't stuck to the paper, so had to keep cleaning the mess off of the soleplate of my iron. I also put the bonding on the right side of that green stripy hut three times!
When it came to sewing it around the edges I decided to use the blanket stitch on my machine. I did practice on a scrap first to see where I needed the edge to be, but failed to practice going round corners. I haven't quite mastered where to stop sewing, and at which part of the stitch, before I turn to get a neat corner.
I used a piece of cotton batting and backed it with a piece of blue cotton before hand quilting around the huts, doors, roofs and flags.
And then we come to the binding. What a disaster! I wanted a red, stripy binding and I had a 10" square of red stripes from a "Marmalade" layer cake I am saving for my "Farmer's Wife" quilt that I am going to make. Unfortunately, in my haste, I cut the strips the wrong way, so instead of neat little vertical stripes I have horizontal stripes. I didn't have enough fabric left to cut more binding so had to go with it. I had a job to match the stripes when I joined the pieces, and also managed to get a join right close to a corner when I sewed it on. I hadn't left myself enough room to do a diagonal join for the finishing join and the straight join at the top of the quilt is horrible.
One good thing has come out of this though. I shall actually use it! If it was perfect I would be very hesitant about putting a cup of tea on it as I wouldn't want to get tea stains on it and ruin it, but because it is a "second" I don't mind. I will make another one "for best" now I know all the pitfalls, and will definitely not rush it next time.
PART 2 - May Round-Up
Not a lot of sewing has been going on during the month of May, the main reason for which will become clear in Part 3. I've been spending time trying to sort out my sewing stuff as it seems to be taking over my downstairs living space. I live on my own now and so don't always tidy away at the end of the day. I'm also not very good at clearing away one project's mess before starting on a new one. The accumulation of scraps and bits and pieces make for a very disorganised workspace, and I've been trying to bring some semblance of order to it all. I've decided to move my sewing upstairs to one of the bedrooms, which in itself has provided lots of problems, as I have lots of stuff to sort out there as well. It's a job to know where to start.
Here's what I have finished this month.
1. The aforementioned Beach Huts mug rug.
2. A dress for my granddaughter (blogged here)
3. Five Star mini quilt (blogged here)
4. Commissioned baby quilt. (blogged here)
PART 3 - An Introduction
Finally, here is the main reason for my lack of productiveness.
An eight-week old Golden Retriever pup called Molly!
Molly belongs to my daughter who lives five minutes away from me. She has been wanting a Golden Retriever for a long time (she used to have one, but when she split from her partner she lost custody of the dog). This puppy became available at the last minute as the prospective owners couldn't take her and so Catherine jumped at the chance and we went to get her that day (2 weeks ago). The problem being is that my daughter is a full-time teacher, and puppies need looking after all day, so this is where I come in.
I go and fetch Molly first thing in the morning and bring her down to my house. She plays in the garden and sleeps on her bed in the dining room. I keep the patio doors open, and so far, there have been no puddles indoors. Only problem is that it has been so cold for me, and I sit hunched over the computer with a blanket wrapped round me. I have managed to slip out of the house when Molly has a nap, but I only like to leave her for an hour at the moment. At first, I didn't like to make a sound when she fell asleep in case I disturbed her, but I'm getting more used to her now. She races around my garden like a demon possessed, and then just flops and is asleep in an instance. She is really very mischievous. See that blanket she is sitting on. Well, it was in the house, but Molly decided it needed to be outside.
Catherine comes by after work, eats her dinner with me and then goes home with Molly. She has the "night watch" which I'm really glad about. Molly's just had her second lot of injections so can go out in 2 weeks time. We're both going to take her to Puppy School so that we both learn how to train her, and are consistent with our commands. She's already coming when her name is called, and she sits on command.
Here she is now at 10 weeks old.
Next month I want to get the final blocks done for my star sampler quilt so I can get it put together ready for hand quilting over the summer. I also want to start on my Farmer's Wife" quilt, but I've been saying that all year. I wonder if this little Miss will let me?


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This blog is available to keep students, faculty, staff and all patrons of Coastal Carolina University's Kimbel Library updated on news and information about Kimbel Library. Postings will include information about library hours, services, new resources and more.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
New Online Resource: IEEE Xplore
Good news! Kimbel Library now has online access to IEEE Xplore. IEEE Xplore "is a digital library providing full text access to the world's highest quality technical literature in electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics. IEEE Xplore contains full text documents from IEEE journals, transactions, magazines, letters, conference proceedings, standards, and IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) publications."
Posted by Allison at 11:56 AM
Labels: computer science, databases, electronics, engineering, IEEE Xplore


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Breaking all rules on the traditional game play, Heavy Rain is based around its story with its emotional involvement unlike other games, where by battle and competition take place for high scores.
This short film documentary looks at the involvement on emotion. How far will you go to save someone you love? I think most of us can answer that question in a heartbeat. Directed by Neil LaBute, the documentary talks with other films greats as posses the questions and its interesting the thoughts on some.
'How Far Would You Go?' short film inspired by PlayStation 3 title HEAVY RAIN from David Farrer on Vimeo.
This will be one to watch for this month when it comes out. Contrasting your standard game How far will you go?
Heavy Rain is out on PS3 on the 26th of February to buy…


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Those aren't my words, it's what I have been reading in the news today. The sources say that the Wii Fit and balance board do not help children to get fit. That's true, but in conjunction with other things it can help. The Wii Fit is never going to replace exercise completely, especially for children.
Kids should be getting plenty of exercise naturally. They should be playing outside in their gardens, with their friends in the park or out on the road. If it's too cold (or unsafe) they can play games indoors like Hide & Seek, or dance around to music.. that in addition to playing 'active' games on the Wii.
The Wii Fit is primarily for adults. It helps motivate and get us moving when the last thing we want to do is travel to the gym or undertake strenuous exercise. It spurs us on and in doing so we make changes to our diets, and start upping the ante a little by adding more activity to our daily life. That's what it did for me anyway.
It's a great tool for adults and there are some fun games for children, but if that is the only source of activity in your child's life then it is safe to say they are not getting the exercise, that as a growing human, they need.