PBS on speed

UPDATE: library displays

2005-06-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

Well, the blogging world isn't made of perfect people, but it still burns me that MCW is "moderating" the comments to only show those who agree with him. My comments never appeared, and I never even got near rant-mode. He chose instead to post comments like this:
"Do you know how hard it is to look at these little gay people in prom dresses and eat at the same time? I thought I was going to have to reclaim my eggs out of the key board. I didn’t know whether to laugh or puke."

I don't have a problem with moderating out cursing or threat filled comments, but this just shows how some people think. My way (FOR EVERYONE!) or the highway. I guess I was naive to think he would include any comments that were not as hateful as his own statements.

library displays

2005-06-22T11:40:00.000-05:00

It seems that there is always something to complain about in a library. Either they don't like the displays, they don't like the policies, or they don't like the books.

Sometimes I write a comment, the Meeciteewurkor blog moderates the comments so I'll reproduce here in full. I admit, I fell into the "dialect of the locals" at the end:

lore: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
June 22nd, 2005 @ 11:03 am
Why did you find it necessary to mention that the holocaust display mentioned the disabled? Do you find down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or people in wheelchairs “immoral”? Do you believe only in “perfect” people? Many groups were murdered during the holocaust based on their beliefs, ethnicity, and physical condition. Statements about the disabled should not be lumped in with your beliefs about homosexuality.

We are lucky to live today in America where you are not in danger of being executed by the government because of your religion, race, sex, or health conditions. I disagree with your views on homosexuality, but we all have the right to follow our own religion and to express our political beliefs.
I encourage you to find out more about the display policy at the library and create a political statement of your own within the display regulations (whatever they are). My public library allows a wide variety of displays, and even has a great section in the kid’s are for them to display their own collections (legos, stamps, trains, etc). You might suggest a similar setup for the Tulsa library in the kid’s area.

I also have one question since I am not from the Tulsa area and cannot visit the library. You state about your video “That short clip starts out looking toward the children’s library and I turn around to show the gay exhibit.” Where are you standing when you filmed? From your video, it looks like the display cases are in a main lobby sort of area with other general displays. Is the adult reading section nearby? The entrance doors? You could suggest that the children’s section be enclosed, so that the rest of of the library is not visible to them, and kids can’t run out the front door unsupervised. It is the parent’s responsibility to monitor what their children read, and where they are in the library. Too many parents assume the library is a safe place to leave kids unattended, when any stranger can walk in off the street.

Good luck with your inquiries. Remember to cherish your right express your views, and that others have the same rights.

t-shirts

2005-05-23T17:30:00.000-05:00

Fun t-shirts can be found at Threadless. I found the site through preshrunk, and now I'm back almost every day to vote on new designs. I love the idea that the designs are voted on, so the participants have a say in the next punny or political shirt.

I can't say that I always like what wins. The shirts I rate at a 4 or 5 tend to finish out at a 2 or 3. I guess I just have different tastes.
New design I like: Gingerbread Nightmares

letting go

2005-04-11T18:29:00.000-05:00

I should have just let this blog stay dead, but I couldn't resist linking to NoMilk's post about Terri S.
I also told myself that if/when I started blogging again, I would stick to odd facts, books, and educational themes instead of getting political. So much for New Year's resolutions.

Thank you to the dead pope for distracting the world from the whole Terri issue. At least I get to see cute swiss guards on the cover of the morning paper.

-ist

2004-11-16T11:28:00.000-06:00

More fun found through websurfing. The Gothamist site is great, if you live in NYC. Unfortunately, the Chicagoist site just isn't as detailed as Gothamist. I really miss the different sidebar categories for postings, and the events coverage. Hopefully Chicagoist is a growing blog that will improve over time.

the secret bookcase

2004-11-10T19:09:00.000-06:00

I always wanted a bookcase door, to conceal the hidden passages to the underground treasure vault, of course. Well, maybe just the coat closet.

random surfing

2004-11-10T18:39:00.000-06:00

I've been surfing down the "next blog" chain and found a blog I want to mention.

PCL LinkDump
It has some great pop culture, I loved the comics links to Kenn Minter and Thrilling Adventures. I'll have to do some detailed exploring.

piles upon piles of books

2004-11-08T19:37:00.000-06:00

Yes, I have an obsession. One can never have too many books. I just brought home another 15 books from the free book cart at the library, and I don't know where I will be able to put them. I have 4 book cases that are almost entirely full of books (they also hold some videos and cd's) so I'll have to do some rearranging to fit them all in.

An article in The Chronicle of Higher Education expressed how you can quickly find yourself buried in your treasures:

I wonder whether I am afflicted with something more than a "gentle madness," as Nicholas A. Basbanes described it in his 1999 book on the history of book collecting. You see, I spend more on books than I do on food.

There are at least 700 books in my English department office. There are another 200 stashed in filing cabinets in the hallway. In my home office I estimate there are more than 2,000 on the shelves and another 300 in a pile on the floor. There are about 400 books on cooking and gardening in the kitchen. And, finally, there are about 50 books on a shelf next to my bed. Those are the ones I intend to read soon. That shelf tends to fill up during the academic year and empty out during the summer.

read the rest of this article here.

Oh, Canada!

2004-11-06T10:04:00.000-06:00

Americans meant it that they said they didn't want another four years of Dubbya:

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President Bush (news - web sites)'s election win this week.

"When we looked at the first day after the election, Nov. 3, our Web site hit a new high, almost double the previous record high," immigration ministry spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi said on Friday.

On an average day some 20,000 people in the United States log onto the Web site, www.cic.gc.ca -- a figure which rocketed to 115,016 on Wednesday. The number of U.S. visits settled down to 65,803 on Thursday, still well above the norm.

Read the rest of the story here.

Get out and Vote!

2004-11-02T09:47:00.000-06:00

I've done my civic duty, I voted before work. The polls were very busy the first hour, but I didn't have to wait too long in line. My location used the optical scanner system. I'm interested to know what other systems are out there, and which is used the most. So get out there and vote, then leave a comment about what system your polls use. I'm also curious about how many polling places hand out those little stickers that say "I voted today".

No Milk has a great comic for election day on his blog The Deep South, so take a look.

Keyes says "incest is inevitable"

2004-10-26T22:53:00.000-05:00

Alan Keyes is certifiable. He is so busy frothing at the mouth to denounce gay marriage and adoption, he has denounced adoption in general. Maybe he is just paranoid that he might end up hitting on someone he's related to.

"If we do not know who the mother is, who the father is, without knowing all the brothers and sisters, incest becomes inevitable," Keyes told the Marquette Park rally held to oppose same-sex marriages.

"Whether they mean it or not, that is what will happen. If you are masked from your knowing your biological parents, you are in danger of encountering brothers and sisters you have no knowledge of."

wiki

2004-10-22T13:59:00.000-05:00

Up until I linked through to this daybook from another blog, I had never heard of a Wiki. Well now. You learn something new every day.

cream pie

2004-10-22T11:09:00.000-05:00

I am a sick individual. Well, maybe not, but I love my unusual sense of humor. I am just tickled to hear the phrase cream pie used in a political commentary by the Rude Pundit. Ann Coulter may have meant it in reference to a clown's cream pie in her face, but this X rated version is so much better for the humor value. Someone with that much unfocused rage needs some serious BDSM training by a Mistress who can teach her to keep her spittle to herself. The bonus is the Focault reference, that just made my day.

mea culpa

2004-10-14T11:53:00.000-05:00

I've been so busy with school, house hunting, and the new SO that I haven't been updating this blog on a regular basis. I have been surfing through interesting blogs lately. I recommend Mental Multivitamins.
It embodies what I had planned on doing with my blog. I admit that laziness has been the downfall of my blog. Even when I find a story of interest, I am not as likely to drop everything to blog it. As R.T. pointed out, real life is more important than blogging.

strange comments

2004-10-05T15:44:00.000-05:00

I've been surfing down the "next blog" line, reading all sorts of interesting stuff. It's really like reading personal diaries. I predict that blog reading will be the next craze, replacing/supplementing reality tv.
I also like reading the commentary that people leave. Tom had a very strange statement:

Thank God ... that Jesus wasn't just God or just man. But he was 100% God and 100% man... Him being 100% man means he has felt all the pain we feel... he can relate ...because he was man.
And the Father comforted him, just as we wants to comfort us.
I pray that you feel his comfort today, you precious child of God.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? I know that if the word "man" in the above quote with "human", you get the traditional argument. But that phrasing sounds like a bad porn:
Vivid presents "The God"
...he was 100% God and 100% man... His being 100% man means he feels all that she feels... 100% pleasure, 100% pain. only $49.95

This is what he really said...

2004-09-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

I found a lovely bit of satire on Wonkette's site, a creation from Mr. Sun. I've posted my ad-lib selection below.

Make your own George W. Bush stump speech!

Thank you for that warm welcome. It's great to be off the booze and blow! This election may well be the most important in history. Now more than ever, America needs nipple cones for Janet Jackson. My opponent is on both sides of every issue. You know what I stand for: the triumph of mediocrity. If I am re-elected, in my first two weeks I pledge to pay off the twins' bar tab. After September 11, I stood in the rubble with a bullhorn and shouted: Attention, Halliburton -- belly up to the trough! Now, three years later -- I ask for you to completely suspend disbelief and ignore the uncontested facts. I have been blessed in my life, and I want you to know that it is hot here in Halliburton's back pocket. In conclusion, I would like to say All your votes are belong to us.

Remember High School?

2004-09-28T21:35:00.000-05:00

Take the What High SchoolStereotype Are You? quiz.

The Word On The Street

2004-09-24T15:30:00.000-05:00

The Word On The Street

A new blog to read

Persepolis

2004-09-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

Last week I read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. It made me thankful for my own childhood, where the religious school leaders could only harrass you during school hours. ;)
It was helpful in understanding what it is like for a girl living in the middle east, and gave great background on the political happenings at the time.
I haven't been able to read Persepolis 2 yet, but when I do I'll add commentary.

I am currently reading another graphic novel about different people's experiences in Bosnia:
Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995
by Joe Sacco

googlewacking

2004-09-16T13:11:00.000-05:00

My coworker told me about the new game for people with too much time on their hands. It's googlewacking, looking for a two word search on google that results in only one hit. I found my first one, although by mentioning it here, it will be destroyed. (Now two websites will contain that two word combination.)

Whitsuntide rumbustiousness

I got only one hit on goole when I searched those words. It must be a class vocabulary list.

Here's the definitions from Dictionary.com:

3 entries found for whitsuntide.
Whit·sun·tide also Whit·sun Tide ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hwtsn-td, wt-)
n.
The week beginning on Whitsunday, especially the first three days of this week.

[Download or Buy Now]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

whitsuntide

\Whit"sun*tide`\, n. [Whitsunday + tide.] The week commencing with Whitsunday, esp. the first three days -- Whitsunday, Whitsun Monday, and Whitsun Tuesday; the time of Pentecost. --R. of Gloucester.

[Free Trial - Merriam-Webster Unabridged.]
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

whitsuntide

n : Christian holiday; the week beginning on Whitsunday (especially the first 3 days) [syn: Whitsun, Whitsuntide, Whitweek]

Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

rum·bus·tious ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rm-bschs)
adj.
Uncontrollably exuberant; unruly: “Common to both his illustrations and his independent paintings... and lurking below their rumbustious surface, is a sympathy for the vulnerability of the ordinary human being” (Christopher Andreae).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Probably alteration of robustious(influenced by rambunctious).]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rum·bustious·ly adv.
rum·bustious·ness n.

Bush supporter violates Federal Law

2004-09-13T18:39:00.000-05:00

This story is a sad example of why the ACLU is needed.

Below is a portion of the story as it ran in the Decatur Daily:

"Phil and another man who works there were there," she said. "I asked him if he said to remove the sticker and he said, 'Yes, I did.' I told him he couldn't tell me who to vote for. When I told him that, he told me, 'I own this place.' I told him he still couldn't tell me who to vote for."

Gobbell said Gaddis told her to "get out of here."

"I asked him if I was fired and he told me he was thinking about it," she said. "I said, 'Well, am I fired?' He hollered and said, 'Get out of here and shut the door.' "

She said her manager was standing in another room and she asked him if that meant for her to go back to work or go home. The manager told her to go back to work, but he came back a few minutes later and said, " 'I reckon you're fired. You could either work for him or John Kerry,' " Gobbell said.

"I took off my gloves and threw them in the garbage and left," Gobbell said.

Though she is unemployed and uncertain if she will get her job back, Gobbell said, she doesn't regret her decision to keep the sticker on her windshield.

"I would like to find another job, but I would take that job back because I need to work," she said. "It upset me and made me mad that he could put a letter in my check expressing his (political) opinion, but I can't put something on my car expressing mine."

She was referring to a flier that she said Gaddis placed in employee envelopes to remind them of the positive impact that President Bush's policies have had on them. An employee at the plant who would not identify himself confirmed the contents of the letter.

Gobbell provided a copy of the flier. It says:

"Just so you will know, because of the Bush tax (cut):

I was able to buy the new Hammer Mill
I was able to finance our receivables
I was able to get the new CAT skid steer
I was able to get the wire cutter
I was able to give you a job"
It further says:

"You got the benefit of the Bush tax cut. Everyone did."

Federal law prohibits this type of discrimination:

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) contains a number of prohibitions, known as prohibited personnel practices, which are designed to promote overall fairness in federal personnel actions. 5 U.S.C. 2302. The CSRA prohibits any employee who has authority to take certain personnel actions from discriminating for or against employees or applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability. It also provides that certain personnel actions can not be based on attributes or conduct that do not adversely affect employee performance, such as marital status and political affiliation.

The Prohibited Personnel Practices specifically mention political activity, yet this idiot of an employer openly violates the law.

If this sickens you too, join the ACLU.

dealing with it

2004-09-10T20:00:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago I went to visit a friend who just got out of the military. I've been worried to death about her for two years, and I was thrilled to see her home safe. I expected that she would be a changed person, but I wasn't really prepared. If she was physically injured I think it would be easier to deal with. People have the tendancy to look at scars and say "Wow, that was a close call. You're lucky it wasn't a few inches over...". But what do you say when your friend sitting across the table from you shakes and rubs her arms and without noticing, constantly scanning the crowd as she eats? As you tell her who has been recently married, or who has kids now, she tells you she cannot risk having childen. The unknown chemical agents she was exposed to might cause birth defects, if she can even get pregnant.

I'm still her friend, but the college bond we had isn't there anymore. We talk about past parties, funny stories, or old plans but that is all the past. I'm trying to weave a new emotional bond with her scarred emotions, but I'm just not sure how to recreate the feeling of sisterhood.

update

2004-09-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

My last post never went through, and I've been busy with the new boyfriend. My readers (if any) will just have to wait until I can post something of substance.

POW! BANG! CRASH!

2004-08-31T15:58:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I went to a superhero themed bridal shower. It was a Jack and Jill shower (girls and guys) and turned out to be a blast. I won the traditional bridal shower game of "toilet paper dress design". Everyone grabbed a partner (this is where the guy-girl combo really made the night) to design and model a wedding dress made with 2 or 3 rolls of toilet paper. The girls were all the designers, forcing the men to model the dresses. (pictures will have to come later) I think it would be funny even at an all girl shower, but the looks on the guys faces as we decorated them was just hilarious. We certianly have some very tolerant male friends in our group.

All the prizes for games and costumes followed the superhero theme, I won a large aquaman figure that is almost a foot tall. I don't know what I'll do with it, maybe I'll stick it on ebay.

geeks are everywhere

2004-08-24T14:08:00.000-05:00

Not that geeks are a bad thing!
It's odd that Unshelved suddenly mentioned firefly.... Comic of the Day.

The Great American Novel

2004-08-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

It's such a slow day today, it's time I started writing what every hack aspires to, "the great American novel".

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
(A slow day can be a nice break, but this is mindnumbing.)

"Call me Ishmael."
(Call me bored out of my skull.)

or the classic Peanuts version...
"It was a dark and stormy night"
(It was a dull and sunny day.)

I'll just give up on writing and let my brain bleed out of my ears reading webcomics all day.

Firefly

2004-08-16T14:06:00.000-05:00

I never saw the show Firefly when it was on the air, but this past weekend I watched the entire series on DVD. I don't think it would have become a huge hit, but it could do very well on the sci-fi channel. A tidbit on the Heretical Ideas blog brought the show to mind:

Speaking of gunning for jobs, since Bryan Singer is going to be doing the new Superman movie, that's left quite the gaping hole for X-Men fans. Apparently, though, Joss Whedon of Buffy, Angel and Firefly fame is gunning to direct X-Men 3. Cool by me--and let him write the thing, too!

I popped over to IMDB.COM to check out the tv show background, and found they are making a full-length movie out of it called Serenity.

the pain, the pain...

2004-08-16T13:49:00.000-05:00

I had another great weekend hanging out with friends and swimming at the lake. Unfortunately, I roasted my face and shoulders. I hadn't planned on spending that much time out in the sun, maybe an hour or two, so I just used the sunscreen that I had handy. It was an spf 15 facial moisturizer, and it did not hold up under 5 hours of swimming.

When my cheeks were a little pink, I didn't worry. It could have been a blush due to the guy I had serving as my personal floating chair.

When we left to shower and change, my shoulders were a bit pink, but it didn't seem that bad.

When I got out of the shower, I looked in the mirror. My face, shoulders, and chest were bright pink. Uh-oh. Still, it didn't hurt, so I didn't worry.

One hour into the drive home, it started. An elapsed 2 hours after a touch of pink on the nose, my face and shoulders had turned bright red and hot. When I moved, it felt like roasted chicken skin. By the time I got home at 1 am, I could hardly carry my bags in from the car. Putting aloe on my shoulders was not fun, I felt as if my skin would crack if I lifted my arms too high.

I was stupid, I should have gone to the store for at least a 30 spf. Better yet, something waterproof.

Repeat after me:

I will wear sunscreen when I go out to play.

I will use waterproof sunscreen when I go swimming.

I will not forget to re-apply during my time in the sun.

quiz again

2004-08-12T17:44:00.000-05:00

Heart of Crystal

What is Your Heart REALLY Made of?
brought to you by Quizilla

linked from Heretical Ideas

Unshelved

2004-08-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

I found a fun new comic strip called Unshelved by Bill Barnes & Gene Ambaum. What really tickled me was the "draw your own comic" storyline, with a special appearance by John Constantine. (I read Good Intentions today)

Darwinian color cell game

2004-08-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

This reminds me a little bit of the game freecell. I was never very good at that game.

Quoting from Boing Boing:

Colorcell: Darwinian color game
In this game you make a square composed of four smaller squares. You get to pick the colors of the smaller squares. You then add your square to the current population of 100 other squares. Other people vote on the squares they like the best. If a square doesn't get enough votes, it eventually ends up in the graveyard. Some squares have stayed alive for close to a year.

could atkins get you fired?

2004-08-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

A coworker told me about this newstory yesterday. A woman was fired for eating pork in the company lunchroom, because the company is strongly muslim. I don't want to talk about this story to pick on muslims, but to show how they didn't cover their asses with a policy regarding behavior at work. The key quotes below show the problem:

"Local 6 News obtained the termination letter that states she was fired for refusing to comply with company policy that pork and pork products are not permissible on company premises.

However, by the company's own admission to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, that policy is not written, Local 6 News reported.

"Did you ever sign to or agree to anything that said I will not eat pork?" Holfeld asked Morales.

"Never," Morales said. "When I got hired there, they said we don't care what religion you are.""

By law, a company cannot refuse to hire your or fire you on religious basis. Many companies do have illogical or too broadly interpreted workplace policies. They are within their rights to say what you can and cannot have in the lunchroom, however stupid the rules may seem. (although I'm sure a no-pork rule would be challeged and lose if it ever went to court, since I can't think of a non-religious reason to enforce it.)

The problem in this case is that the employee never signed anything regarding this unspoken rule. I've had jobs where I nearly signed my life away with behavior regulations. (my favorite one to hate is the broad "innappropriate behavior". What's that, sex on your desk so loud the whole dept hears it, or blowing your nose during a teleconference?)

If she didn't sign anything agreeing to follow company regulations, or if the no-pork rule wasn't included, they were out of bounds to cite that as her termination reason.

I'm sure they would have found another excuse, every employer knows how to get rid of "troublemakers". Every little nit-picking reason is brought into play, even if it was a minor, forgivible offence before the employee offended them. That two-minute too long lunch break (when your co-workers are constantly late without reprimand) suddenly gets written up in your review file. The one time you get snippy with a customer is suddenly a pattern of "bad attitude" after you complain about working conditions.

I shouldn't seem so bitter, I've never been pushed out or fired for religious or personal reasons. Then again, I'm smart enough to keep personal beliefs and behaviors seperate from my "work persona".

Give me some comments readers, have you ever been pushed out of work (made unwelcome til you quit) or fired due to your personal beliefs?

The JibJab Times

2004-08-05T18:08:00.000-05:00

I sometimes read the blogs to watch, and today I checked out The JibJab Times. I can't believe the traffic they have gotten in comments alone! No wonder they need a new server.

herb quiz

2004-08-04T23:02:00.000-05:00

I got the herb quiz working that I mentioned in a past entry.
I am Catnip! (but I really wish I was basil)

YOU ARE CATNIP

What herb are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

What's your car's name?

2004-08-04T19:17:00.000-05:00

My first car, an 88 Ford Escort, didn't get a name until it almost died in 1999. She then became Ethel the escort, since she was old and sickly and needed an old lady name. Ethel was silver with lots of dings, dents, and other injuries from the abuse she put up with over the years. The front bumper and left headlight were smashed, the rear bumper was cracked, multiple scratches from being keyed (including some asshole carving "JR" on her roof), and a rusty patch underneath that was so bad the mechanic told me not to let anyone in the back seat stomp their feet. She was finally sold in 2001 when I couldn't afford to fix the transmission. For the next year or so I still saw her around town, so her new owners must have fixed her up. She was the car that just wouldn't die. For years she sounded like she would fall apart in the next month, but never really did. I only had to give up when I couldn't drive back up the hill to my own place.

My current car is Sophia, a cranberry red saturn SC2. She doesn't have much personality yet, she got her name for the ideal of it. Sophia means wisdom.

Thanks to NoMilk for the topic o' the day.

film fans

2004-08-04T18:19:00.000-05:00

Sorry to neglect my blog for so long, it's time for a lengthy update.

This weekend I visited friends in C'dale again, and helped two of them move. Most of the planned activities fell through, but it was still lots of fun. (minus mosquito bites)

I saw The Village on Saturday night, loved it. There is more to it than trailer implies, it's not just another horror flick. Great tension and the-things-you-cannot-see sort of thriller, with a twist at the end. I didn't care much one way or the other about Joaquin Phoenix before, but he's very good in this role. (and in Quills, which wasn't a good movie overall)

All hell is breaking loose at work, but I will stay professional and not hash it out on a public blog. However, if I end up laid off, I will gripe to my heart's content.

I watched the director's cut of Pitch Black, then watched it again with the actors/director's commentary. I know I ripped on Vin when I saw xXx, but I'm starting to appreciate him. At first I had the impression that he's another male bimbo with muscles, but after hearing the commentary with Pitch Black, I realized he's a film geek with muscles. Awww, he reminds me of my friends. (who don't have the big muscles)

Hmm, let's use that word one more time... "Moving 48ft of books shelf-to-shelf builds muscles."

In the commentary, every other scene brought out the response from Vin of "I love this scene" or "this is one of my favorite scenes". I highly doubt he was just kissing butt. Since he started out making his own films, I think he's just a big film fan in general. I can hardly sit through a movie anymore without my friends (3 film majors, 2 radio/tv majors, and countless "I can quote the entire dialog" fans) picking it apart. It's funny to hear the actors do it too.
The movie itself was good, nothing deep there but I didn't expect that so I wasn't disappointed. Just another fun action flick with a few fun quotes.

Hellblazer

2004-07-28T18:50:00.000-05:00

I found out ages ago that they are making a movie out of Hellblazer, a comic I love.

Now I read that not only is Keanu playing the lead, but that they moved the setting to LA. A flat actor like him going to ruin it, and the setting will kill it... I can only begin to count the ways that this is, as squrl says, "so wrong".

The story really works best in England and Ireland, I can't even picture it in LA. It's just so sad to see it messed up like this, I wish they'd stick to basic action crap like superman or batman. At least those have already been reworked so many times over the decades that another twist might even work. Yeah, yeah I know some other comic fan will take offense to that, but at least they aren't putting batman in the middle of southern France with a bad accent.

One redeeming casting choice is the part of Gabriel. I've loved Tilda Swinton ever since I saw her in Orlando. She will be a perfect Gabriel.

body art

2004-07-22T19:14:00.000-05:00

I found out one of my ex's just got his nipples pierced. Now why didn't he do something fun like that while we were together? Oh yea, the military frowns on all non-shrapnel pieces of metal embedded in the skin. That explains it...

Sex with students: 9 years

2004-07-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

It was on the cover of the Daily Herald today, Laurie Augustine got 9 years.

Another article in the Chicago Tribune:

"A former Glenbard East High School library aide, lambasted as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" by the father of one of her victims, was sentenced Tuesday to 9 years and 4 months in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with three male students.

Laurie Augustine, 42, of Downers Grove, accepted a plea agreement with DuPage County prosecutors, who contend that if she had been found guilty after a trial, she could have been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison.

Augustine was arrested in October 2002 and charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse and assault of three 17-year-old students whom she met at the school."

People who abuse children should go to prison. However, men who do the same thing frequently get shorter sentences. I don't mean to say hers should have been shorter, but there is an injustice in making an example out of her just because she is a woman.

Not only did she take advantage of a minor, it is even worse that she took advantage of a position of authority in a school to do it. As adults a sexual relationship between co-workers can be abused, even if you aren't in direct authority over the other person. I see daily proof from a couple who met at work and married, it certainly doesn't make things easy at home or work.

Laurie Augustine Tattooed?

2004-07-20T23:29:00.000-05:00

I was at the Skin Gallery with some friends last night (no, I haven't added any decoration to myself) and I heard a great story from the tattoo artist. He claims that tonight, July 20th, he tattooed Laurie Augustine, the librarian's assistant charged with sleeping with students from the high school she worked at. He said she had her 6 boy's names tattooed in a ring on her back, with a heart in the middle. She also told him to watch the 10:00 news because his work would be on it and she was "going away". I don't know if she was convicted and will be sentenced to prison, the last I heard in the Chicago Tribune on June 9th (p3 metro) was that she was going into psychological counseling.

I didn't get home in time for the 10pm news, and I haven't seen anything online in the local papers yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll see more info in the Trib.

red or blue

2004-07-20T19:54:00.000-05:00

I took the slate quiz, and I'm almost dead in the middle. I guess I just knew too many "red" things, like who dr. laura is. Just because I know who she is doesn't mean I agree with the stuff she spews, but as the slate article says,

"...the background noise where you live plays a big role—the local news, what your neighbors talk about, how you get from one place to another, the kinds of culinary and artistic options available, what I like to think of as the "cultural soundtrack" that you can hum automatically because it's always on. If you're a blue-stater, you might happen to have learned how often Rush Limbaugh is on the air, but if you're a red-stater, chances are you know it off the top of your head. That instinctual knowledge is what this quiz intends to judge, not how smart you are about the other side."

take the quiz and see how much you fall to one side or the other.

Eeeeeeeee...

2004-07-20T19:16:00.000-05:00

Boredom/Mania strikes again.

I can't help myself. I love herbs, wish I had an herb garden, and now there's a herb quiz! (found it through Spiral Blog) How sad that it won't load! :( I'll just continue with my pastime of browsing through the recently updated blogs until I find something else fun.

I've been reading The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat today, facinating stuff although I feel a bit of a voyeur. Haven't gotten started on The Book of Skin yet.

The Book of Skin

2004-07-19T15:42:00.000-05:00

The next book on my "to read" list has arrived:

The Book of Skin by Steven Connor

It's a very dense book with lots of tiny type and a few creepy looking old plates mixed in with the modern photograps. (One of my favorites is the corset-piercing.) A book this thourough is going to take some serious reading time, not just lunch hour breaks.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is coming along well, the Disembodied Woman is a facinating case study. I'm starting to wonder if the different case studies will give me nightmares.

great archive

2004-07-16T13:26:00.000-05:00

I found a great link through the Library Stories blog:

Archive.org

Some really great old film is available, the social films from the 40's and 50's crack me up. Must see's include Duck and Cover, A Date with your Family, and Are You Popular?

For something more right-wing and risque, try Perversion for Profit.

ren faire wedding reception

2004-07-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

The wedding reception I went to last saturday was fun, but velvet outdoors when it's 80+ really sucks. It was a ren faire theme, complete with costumes and roast turkey legs. It seems the groom got the idea when a buddy of his had a bachelor party at the Bristol Ren Faire.

Highlight of the afternoon: my buddy Reg and the other men in his family all in kilts (worn the tradtional way, lol) and the ladies in matching dresses made with the family tartan. Too bad their car was burgled the day before, taking all the cd's including the one with The Scotsman song.

The party included a new play, "The Taming of the Alchemist" which ended in a short wedding ceremony complete with a tipsy monk.

hairy

2004-07-08T18:08:00.000-05:00

Hair: Public, Political, Extremely Personal
I just finished it a few days ago, and loved it. I tend to read sets of books following a loose theme. Last time was plague (Rats : Observations on the History and Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants, An American plague : the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, Journal of the Plague Year) now it's hair.

A few others related to the subject:

Curly Girl

Rapunzel's Daughters : What Women's Hair Tells Us About Women's Lives

Cheap Shots

2004-07-08T17:51:00.000-05:00

I had a great 4th of July weekend hanging out with some of my old college buddies. A few things I learned about them in drunken moments of candor at 4 am really disturbed me. I didn't need to know what exactly "James" is willing to do for $25. I didn't need to know "Gary"'s moral loopholes regarding prostitution. Or what "Will" does in his spare time away from work.*

Is there something about nearing thirty that makes people give up on high standards? Or at least makes them tell-all about themselves, warts and all? I admit that a few shots can loosen tongues, but why now? Why not all those other times they were drunk and mistook the couch for a confessional?

(*names changed, of course. Not that I care if they wander by my blog, but I'm sure they don't want everyone to read their story)

The Rule of Four

2004-07-02T11:04:00.000-05:00

I really liked it, although I wouldn't compare it to Da Vinci Code. It's much better in terms of the writing, the plot, and the characters. It focuses on the relationship between the friends working on the book instead of the mystery of the book itself. There is still enough information about the mystery to satisfy the conspiracy and code fans, but not so much as to bog down the casual reader.

Da Vinci was just too fluffy without enough substance. It is very suited to a cheesy action movie, but does not make for a satisfying book.

The Rule of Four also reminded me of Old School by Tobias Wolff.

back to reading

2004-06-28T12:08:00.000-05:00

My excuse for not blogging is that I have been reading. However, I have not been reading anything of note. I do not post any commentary on bad mysteries or romance novels (how embarrassing to admit I have read them) that I occasionally read on my lunch break. Hey, I can't read non-fiction every day. Although I'll have to write up one of the Hair books I've been reading lately.

New book today: The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell
I've heard good and bad things about it, so I'll give my opinion when I finish it.

Wild Animus by Rich Shapero is not going well, I can't bring myself to pick it up again. Yecch.

yawn and stretch

2004-06-26T21:52:00.000-05:00

I've been a lazy blogger.

quote of the day

2004-06-04T14:52:00.000-05:00

People who want to ban books say the funniest things.

“Libraries are not safe places,” countered Greeley resident John Bookman, adding that “the reason for that is there are ideas to be found.”

from the article "Colorado Mom Vows to Picket over It’s Perfectly Normal" on the ALA website.

Wild Animus

2004-06-04T12:44:00.000-05:00

I got my free advance reading copy of Wild Animus by Rich Shapero in the mail yesterday. If you would like a copy, sign up at BookCrossing.

It's ok so far, a little bit hipy-dippy. (As much as I can tell from the first 30 pages.) I'll be able to give it a fair review once I finish it, probably by monday.
I have a 3hr car trip (each way) tomorrow to move my sis home from college, so I expect to get quite a bit of reading done.

The fun part is getting the furniture back in my parent's house. I plan on bribing a few guy friends with food & drink to carry the solid oak dresser upstairs, it nearly rolled over me when I was carrying it down the stairs. If you were offered pizza and beer to help a friend move, would it be enough? Or would you hold out for something a bit fancier?

The Apartment/Lion's Head

2004-06-01T17:06:00.000-05:00

We ended up at a different bar on Sat night. The Apartment/Lion's Head was pretty nice, I liked the feel of the decor upstairs. However, it isn't going to be a fave spot. As the place filled up it really felt crowded, not enough room to mingle with your friends, and too crowded to talk. The dance area is very small, with so many people standing around the tables nearby it really turned into a cattle pen. Drinks were ok, they make a decent Black Martini.

John Barleycorn

2004-05-29T17:55:00.000-05:00

I'm out to visit a new bar tonight, John Barleycorn. I'll post a review later.

old friends

2004-05-27T15:21:00.000-05:00

I read an article in Newsweek that reminded me of my friend, Sarah. She's an old friend from college, but I don't know how she will be changed when she returns to the US. I know that all of my college buddies have changed over the years, it is painfully obvious whenever we get back together after months at a time. If I can't relate to the ones who moved across the country, or got married, or just changed as they grew up, what will I say to the ones who come back with haunted eyes? I never saw my co-worker blown up. I never drove to work wondering if someone would be trying to kill me. I don't wake up each day wondering if I will be sleeping in the same bed tonight.

It makes me feel like a normal, boring life is just a waste. How can you appreciate life when everything is routine, another day in a cubicle or office or factory?

hooray for happy harry

2004-05-20T19:11:00.000-05:00

I'm having flashbacks of my buddy squrl who has personality overtones mimicing Christian Slater in Pump Up the Volume. All thanks to the blog The Professor's Wife --or-- What are YOU doing in Farmington?

Listening to: "Everybody knows" by Leonard Cohen

statistics

2004-05-20T18:23:00.000-05:00

Latest reason for not blogging:
I'm miserably sick

Boxes of tissues used:
2 1/2

Doses of Nyquil taken:
8

Doses of Dayquil taken:
16

Average cups of tea per day:
8

Pitying looks/comments from co-workers and strangers:
7

tech support for the parents

2004-05-16T01:41:00.000-05:00

I just read a great post by Robert in his blog One Bad Random. You really can't give your parents tech support over the phone, it just doesn't work. Here's a select quote from him:

Parents: The computer doesn't work again.
Me: What does it do?
Parents: Nothing.
Me: Nothing at all?
Parents: Nope. It doesn't come on.
Me: Does it beep or anything?
Parents: Beep?
Me: You know...like the road runner on that magical box in your living room. Beep beep.
Parents: The magic box scares us. We don't use it any more.
Me: Ok. I'll drive two hours to fix your computer.

It was even worse when I lived 6 hours away. They would just leave it screwed up until the next holiday when I came to visit. When I told them the new whatever they had bought (printer, camera, fax, whatever) was not compatible, they griped that it was past the 30 day return time limit. Oh gee, I guess you should have done something about it a month and a half ago when I told you to call a professional.

template fixes, Listed in blogsearchengine

2004-05-16T00:09:00.000-05:00

I finally got around to fixing the glitch that made my title a link. In other news, this blog is now listed at blog search engine. If you happen to follow a link from there, please leave a comment.

Next task, adding some links to my favorite blogs & websites.

I hate it when they ruin a good story/book/comic book

2004-05-14T23:44:00.000-05:00

Terrible news, Keanu Reeves is playing the lead in Constantine. This is a tragedy, not only because he is a lousy actor, but because even if he was good I don't think he could pull off the right attitude. Another great story turned into a crappy movie.

Hellblazer is great, I read most of it in the collected graphic novels.

movie: Troy

2004-05-14T23:33:00.000-05:00

I saw Troy tonight, and it was better than I expected. It still isn't one of my favorite movies, but I was entertained enough to make it worth my time and discount ticket price. I was suprised it didn't turn out to be as cheesy as the trailers made it feel. the characters were flat, the battle scenes had a bit of poor editing, but the costumes and sets were very much in the style of the classic epic films from the old studios.

oh help

2004-05-12T19:47:00.000-05:00

I'm getting slammed at work, my sandals have given me blisters, and it's still an oven in here. I am counting down the minutes until I leave tonight so I can go home and hop into a cold shower. (To be followed by a large glass of iced tea.)

ALA has a fun new tea mug... not that I want to think about hot beverages right now. Just give me something with lots of ice...

gripes / odd memories

2004-05-12T18:21:00.000-05:00

I feel too hot and sluggish to write anything of importance. It's only a high of 86 today, but I already feel like a melted lipstick. I hope the AC at work is up an running tomorrow as planned.

I finally remembered the name of a book that has been nagging me all day:

Miss Pickerell goes to the Arctic by Ellen MacGregor

I read that book sometime around 4th grade, and I don't know what made me think of it today. All I rember is that she was consulting almanacs to check the weather, and wanted to take a patch of grass to the arctic so it would get more sun and grow quickly enough for her cow.

Recommended website

2004-05-08T12:39:00.000-05:00

Everyone should visit Bookcrossing. You may view my books shelf here.

Mr. Shesha's - "Not just a coffee house"

2004-05-08T10:48:00.000-05:00

Last night Patty took me to a coffeehouse out in Naperville, Mr. Shesha's. It's a very relaxed place, with good food and drinks. You can also smoke a Hooka for $10-15 (Three flavors: strawberry, apricot, or apple).

Mr. Shesha's
1570 W. Ogden Ave. #103
Naperville, IL 60540
630-983-6600

I am officially an über-geek for staying out til 1 AM playing Scrabble and drinking tea.

Awww, rats!

2004-05-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

After reading an article about it, this is a book I need to read:

Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants
by Robert Sullivan

Still reading....

2004-05-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

The Rural Teacher's Work by John Slacks.

Taking into account this book was written in the 1930's, and not the 1860's, the following excerpt is amusing:

Attending Parties, Dances, etc.
We have already considered the rural teacher's obligation to help provide wholesome recreational and social opportunities for the young people who are no longer attending the rural school. The old-fahsioned spelling school and the home-talent play are illustrations of what may be done with the teacher as the leader. In some communities these would provide almost the only social life the young people would have. In other communities, however, the social life of the younger set is sometimes overdone. Parties or dances are held two or three times each week. If the teacher is young, she will be invited to attend these social gatherings. Sometimes a teacher is confronted with a personal problem in connection with these social affairs. This is especially true in regard to dances. In every community there are those who hold that dancing is immoral. No matter what the teacher's opinion on that point may be, she cannot afford to do anything that is likely to injure her character in the community. It is hardly likely that anyone will criticize the teacher if she does not go to dances. On the other hand, there may be those who will be ready to talk about her if she does go to them. The safest course, then, is to refrain from dancing.

Some school boards insist that their teachers remain away from dancing. Some go so far as to include a prohibition of dancing in the teacher's contract. Many teachers consider this an infringement on the personal liberties. Without a doubt it is. There is but one course left to a teacher who resents this attitude on the part of the board. She should refuse to accede to the board's request and look for another school.

Oooh, I'm feeling a little touch of Footloose.

The Professor's Wife --or-- What are YOU doing in Farmington?

2004-05-04T16:33:00.000-05:00

This blog just really tickled my fancy. I am terrified of bees, for absolutely no reason other than it hurts to be stung. I am not allergic, I will not die, but I still run like the little chicken I am every time one flies too close to me. They fall into the same category as getting a shot. I hate it, but I will put up with it being in close proximity to me if I absolutely have to. I still hate to watch either one on tv, those wiggling little bee-butts are just mini syringes. Ugh.

Most phobias seem so silly, but it doesn't make them any less upsetting to the individual suffering from it. A friend of mine is so scared of spiders, she can't even stand to be in the same room as an obvious fake such as really cheesy halloween decorations.

cell phone sucks

2004-05-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

This time it wasn't Cingular's fault, just my phone. I guess it needed to download some update, which hadn't happened becasue my phone had not been turned off. I wish I had known that a few days ago, since I always leave my phone on. (my sister tends to call me at midnight, thanks sis for those wake-up calls) Now I will be turning it off every night before I go to bed.

Rembrandt at the AIC

2004-05-04T11:18:00.000-05:00

Here is my delayed review:

Word of warning, do not take the last available timeslot of the day. The galleries were so packed, I hardly got to see the collection. I was still in the first room trying to squeeze in to see 4 inch square etchings when they started to give the countdown. "30 minutes until closing" I hate being rushed, and even rushing I didn't have time to see the entire show.

Other than that, it was a very good show. Nice selection, arranged by theme instead of chronological order. A few of the original copper plates were displayed next to the etchings. There were also magnifying glasses and audio tours available for rent.

Side note: I found some beautiful amber earrings down in the main gift shop, it was a special sale of 20% off for members.

Next show coming up:

Seurat and the Making of "La Grande Jatte"

under the category of S&W, but terribly funny:

2004-05-03T17:38:00.000-05:00

Threat Alert Jesus

Sasser Worm

2004-05-03T17:08:00.000-05:00

We had a very unwelcome visitor at work today, the Sasser Worm. The poor techs were running all over to fix everyone's computer. It would have been an easy fix with the patch for MS XP, if only I had admin privileges on my own computer.... so I had to wait a few hours for the tech to come by and install it for me. Ah, bureaucracy.

Cingular Sucks

2004-05-02T21:53:00.000-05:00

I am absolutely fed up with my cell phone. Three times now they have screwed up my accound, causing me to loose service. How difficult is it to pay for two seperate phone (each with their own plans and minutes) on the same credit card? They combine the accounts, they cancel the accounts, they take it off automatic pay without telling me, and shut off the phones without a call or late notice. Now I can't even call to gripe until tomorrow during their regular hours.

Blocked Blockades

2004-05-02T12:15:00.000-05:00

Looks like the pirates are still having problems.

Rembrandt

2004-05-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

I'm going to see the Rembrandt special exhibit at the Art Institue of Chicago this afternoon, I'll update later with a review.

yarrr, me hearties

2004-05-01T23:35:00.000-05:00

I spent most of my Saturday playing Puzzle Pirates. The creators (Three Rings) have created a really great game, although a new bug pops up now and then when they add to it. They just added blockades, which keeps booching every hour or so. The whole battle won't be over until sunday, so I hope they get the kinks out while I'm sleeping.

Win a free book

2004-05-01T23:13:00.000-05:00

Normally I wouldn't just post a freebie ad in my blog, but I read Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesean's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece and really liked it. I saw it reviewed in Choices, & thought it would be interesting. It was a quick read, without being a fluffy beach read. Good details with the research made it work, but without the obscure writting style of most research books.

BLOGGERS! Enter for a chance to win a free book!

Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece
by Debra Hamel

Neaira (pronounced "neh-EYE-ruh") grew up in a brothel in Corinth in the early fourth century B.C. and became one of the city-state's higher-priced courtesans while still a teenager. Read about her life as a prostitute and about the larger world of fourth-century Athens in which her drama played itself out.

A "gripping story of politics, sex and sleaze in ancient Athens...." --The Sunday Telegraph

amazon | more information | Bloggers! Enter to win a free book! (drawing 8/1/04)

reading

2004-04-29T18:03:00.000-05:00

The Rural Teacher's Work by John Ross Slacks. It's out of print, so I couldn't find a amazon link to this book. It is listed in WorldCat.

an expressive sigh

2004-04-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

If I shook my head every time something ridiculous happened relating to national security, my head would fall off. Blog-watching was to be expected. I've heard some people cry invasion of privacy, but that's just not logical. Blogging is posting something on the web for the world to see. How is it private? Yes, you can argue freedom of speech, just like writing a column in the newspaper, but it isn't private mail.

The secret service is also jumping down the throat of some 15 year-old kid for a drawing he did as part of a class assignment. It may or may not have qualified as a political cartoon, but his teacher is still a rat fink for over reacting and sending it to the gov't.

Closing quote from the article:

"If this 15-year-old kid in Prosser is perceived as a threat to the president, then we are living in 1984," Cravens said.

eight forty-eight

2004-04-28T11:12:00.000-05:00

I was listening to wbez this morning, and heard a great poem on eight forty-eight. by Kristiana Colon.

one to watch

2004-04-26T19:34:00.000-05:00

Here's a blog I've been reading:

blindfold blog

I'm very interested to see what she will write after she removes the blindfold. Will the blog continue even after the original purpose/countdown has been completed? I hope that she will continue with the process of training the dogs, and how the 10 day blindness helped her in her work.

I don't think I could go through a 10 day stint. Everything I do is so vision based, I work in a library! I couldn't go more than a day or do without reading, I have no patience for listening to someone else read.

Awww, how cute

2004-04-26T19:03:00.000-05:00

Isn't this little marmoset adorable? It's strange how often animal pics show up in the yahoo "most emailed" news photots. Why does everyone feel the need to email each other another dog pic? At least this little guy is something unusual and interesting. I didn't know there were so many types of tamarins. I have the vague memory of learning something about them in my anthropology class as an undergrad, but the room was dark and the video sound was lousy, so I fell asleep during it. I'm more of a book person anyway. If there was a class where you could watch 12 hours of tapes or read the textbook, I would choose the text. A student came into the library a few months ago to get the videos of "Race to save the Planet" to study for his Dantes test, and he watched all 12 hours. Ugh, I couldn't sit through all that. Besides, I could have read the book cover to cover in 6 hours.

More info on the Red Bellied Tamarin (Sanguinus labiatus)

Book of the day:

2004-04-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

Acts of Possession: Collecting in America by Leah Dilworth

Haven't read much of it yet, I'll update later.

church and state

2004-04-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

That was just a grabber headline, I've been reading Dave Sim again. What it really should say is religion-created personal morals vs. constitutional freedoms. That's the real issue. Not religion itself, but the people who mix religious tenets with secular law, all in the name of morality. Just because certain flavors of religion (sect or cult are biased terms) had a part in America's history, doesn't mean "The Word of God" should be law. This problem is in the news every day. Not that I like Howard Stern, but I don't like where the Indecency laws are going either. John Kerry is catching grief too, and he isn't even president yet. We elect presidents, not a religious figurehead.

I'll leave the marriage debate for another day.

Book of the day: Hellfire Nation by James A. Morone

book of the day:

2004-04-24T14:59:00.000-05:00

Five Centuries of Women & Gardens by Sue Bennett

Ow ow ow ow

2004-04-24T11:45:00.000-05:00

Oohh, my legs and feet are killing me. I spent last night at Coyote Ugly, dancing in high heel boots. I am not in the habit of doing this (esp not up on the bar), so my feet are a bit sore, and I think I pulled a muscle. At least I didn't get pushed off like the other girl who fell into the bar, almost on top of a bartender. Other than that it was a very tame night. No patrons got wet, no ties cut off, no bras came off. Just the one businessman who took a whuppin'. I'm not sure how long the Chicago location has been open, they only have 5 girls in the group pic on the website.

gah. #@%!

2004-04-19T18:49:00.000-05:00

I have new respect for witnesses trying to create a face to represent what they saw. I can't even make something close to my own face.

coolercam

2004-04-19T18:38:00.000-05:00

I just can't take the excitement.

book of the day:

2004-04-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

The Anatomist by Federico Andahazi.

reading material of the week:

2004-04-16T14:58:00.000-05:00

The Mechanical Baby: A Popular History of the Theory and Practice of Child Raising by Daniel Beekman. It's from 1977, but it still provides a great history of baby care. I don't mean just Dr. Spock, but back to rhyming verse from the 1600's. Plague wasn't the only killer, infant mortality was also from all the terrible treatment. Swaddling a baby until it can't move and then keeping it warm near the oven might be convinient for the servant mom, but you might as well wrap it in plastic wrap. The swaddling cut off circulation, and the oven was sometimes too warm. You'll have to read it yourself to find out about the Victorians and the soap stick... (shudder).

make up your minds

2004-04-16T14:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm not getting laid off in December. I think. When the university I work for moves my campus, they will not lay off half the staff as hours are cut, because they are opening more campuses. Every meeting I attend has more news, which is then changed 3 days later. I'll try to keep myself posted, and IF I know what is going on, I'll share the news.

Keenspace

2004-04-07T21:42:00.000-05:00

I've been in keenspace reading comics today, comparing it to the articles on Thorn's website. Some freaky stuff, some boring stuff. What exactly seperates the boy manga from the girl manga? Aside from tentacoo wape, of course.

researching again

2004-04-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

I found an article today entitled "slash fiction and human mating psychology", which was interesting enough in itself. Even better was a citation that mentioned Matt Thorn, "What Japanese girls do with manga and why". His website has quite a few interesting articles.

messy reference:

Slash Fiction and Human Mating Psychology. By: Salmon, Catherine; Symons, Don. Journal of Sex Research, Feb2004, Vol. 41 Issue 1, p94, 7p; (AN 12532572)

book of the day

2004-04-05T19:32:00.000-05:00

Old School by Tobias Wolff

Great book, even better than I expected. It really captures the hero worship that some writers have for famous authors. I think my friend Dave would really love it, "um yeah".

house/dog/bunny sitting

2004-04-05T19:29:00.000-05:00

I've been house sitting for the last week, and taking care of the homeowner's pets. The dog, a Keeshond, is a smart little brat. She loved long walks, but I didn't love long walks in the 40 degree rain late at night after I got home from work. After walking a few blocks, we would turn around to head home, but she would just sit down and refuse to budge. ( I guess she wanted more than 1/2 mile) She always knew which direction was home, too. If we walked a different direction on the way out, she would stop as soon as we started to near the house. Grr.

At least I didn't have to walk the bunny.

LENNNNYYYY!

2004-03-26T15:24:00.000-06:00

Say it ain't so, Mister. Say it ain't so... Ok, so it's not that upsetting. Orbach leaving Law & Order is not the end of the world to me, but Seneka might cry. or smoke an entire pack. She liked the character of Lenny Brisco so much, she called it the Lenny Show. He may be put into a spinoff, but it won't be the same.

Happy Birthday to me...

2004-03-24T15:38:00.000-06:00

Today I turned 27. Not that big a deal, I guess. I had a suprise party on Sunday and saw some friends that I haven't talked to in years. It's strange to see how many are getting married, moving out of the midwest to the east or west coast. A few of us still love Chicago. So many of us are in Limbo after changing from one dream to another...

"Don't like your job? Get another degree in a completley different field. Don't like your fiancee? Break it off and choose another. Kids or Career? Better hurry up and pick one!"
I don't have a life long schedule, so I can't say I haven't accomplished X by Y date, but I look at my friends and wonder if they have a life plan. We're just a bit too young to fall into generation X (I was in junior high when the term was coined), but I wonder if my age group is postponing that dream job or marriage plans even more than gen X.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I'll decide before I retire. maybe."

I have my basic Maslow needs met. All other griping is needless. (I will self actualize before I die. a work in progress.)

For your amusement:

2004-03-22T20:47:00.000-06:00

the Kikkoman video. Thanks to Dave Barry, who always has something entertaining in his blog each and every day. He blogged the Kikkoman song ages ago, and just posted it again. It still cracks me up.

current research topic: epidemics

2004-03-20T15:20:00.000-06:00

Yellow Fever Epidemic of 793

Sweating sickness of 1485 to 1551

Soon to be transformed into a facinating historical-fiction short story.
If I ever get the motivation going to actually write.

strangers in paradise

2004-03-20T12:15:00.000-06:00

continuing with with the comics theme, I present a much loved comic book:

Strangers in Paradise

I didn't intend to focus on comics today, but an amusing webpage reminded me of it. Don't knock those librarians, you may think the little old lady in the children's dept of the local public library does nothing but read books as her job, but it's an earned title with degrees to match. At least one masters, if not two.