あたしなんか悪いことを言っちゃったかな。
今日、ママは「アメリカ人は覚者じゃないて何のつもりでしょう。」ブロぐを読んで、剥れると思う。あたしはいろいろを言った。このあと、ママは何もないを言った。
気にかかる。ママが怒ってるのは絶対ほしくない。
；＿；
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Must...organize...
I basically spent this weekend organizing photos over at my smugmug.
I moved a gallery of Augusta photos from Travel to Exploring, because it doesn't count as travel because I was living in Augusta at the time. I only had it like that because there were several different galleries; moving it involved putting all the pictures into one gallery, something I hadn't felt like doing until now.
I added the pictures from when I went to Savannah with Aunt Bev and Cary to Travel. Unfortunately, these are smaller-size, watermarked versions that I'd had up on the Aubrey Family page. The original versions were lost in the fire.
I added a lot of keywords, including the state the picture was taken in. I realized belatedly that I could have been using multiple-word keywords this whole time, but it's too late now. Unless smugmug comes out with a way to change the name of a keyword, I'm just going to have "southcarolina" and "northaugusta" in there ;P
(There is another unless: unless I suddenly get the urge to change them all manually. You never know. It could happen.)
I still wish smugmug allowed sub-sub-categories. A glance at my Travel page will tell you why. For that matter, so will a glance at most of my Life subcategories.
Ah well.
I moved a gallery of Augusta photos from Travel to Exploring, because it doesn't count as travel because I was living in Augusta at the time. I only had it like that because there were several different galleries; moving it involved putting all the pictures into one gallery, something I hadn't felt like doing until now.
I added the pictures from when I went to Savannah with Aunt Bev and Cary to Travel. Unfortunately, these are smaller-size, watermarked versions that I'd had up on the Aubrey Family page. The original versions were lost in the fire.
I added a lot of keywords, including the state the picture was taken in. I realized belatedly that I could have been using multiple-word keywords this whole time, but it's too late now. Unless smugmug comes out with a way to change the name of a keyword, I'm just going to have "southcarolina" and "northaugusta" in there ;P
(There is another unless: unless I suddenly get the urge to change them all manually. You never know. It could happen.)
I still wish smugmug allowed sub-sub-categories. A glance at my Travel page will tell you why. For that matter, so will a glance at most of my Life subcategories.
Ah well.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
A random comic
When the idea for this first came to me this morning, I was just going to draw some random people saying the lines. But then I thought, "Why not use Yuuri and Wolfram?"
So I did.
Screencaps lovingly borrowed from kyoukaramaou.com. If you don't know what a Wii is, click here.
So I did.
Screencaps lovingly borrowed from kyoukaramaou.com. If you don't know what a Wii is, click here.
Melting pot?
The Spanish-language version of the US National Anthem sparked a very uninspired comment from our president.
First of all, I would have evaluated the message of the song, to see if I felt it matched the original Star Spangled Banner. Then I would have remarked that it's great that America is such a melting pot and that we have so much creativity coming from so many different cultures. After that, I would have expressed concern that the song might detract from English language learning, and suggested that the two versions be played back to back on the radio.
I don't think we should so easily tramp down on creativity and the desire for unity. Because that's what this song is. It's about inclusiveness. It's about welcoming Spanish speakers to the US. With the current immigration debate heating up, it's easy to go on the offensive about all things Mexican or South American or Spanish language-related. But we don't need to alienate the people who come here legitimately.
And a dangerous subtext of the president's remarks is, "If you come to America, you have to conform." I didn't think that was the message of our country at all. Shouldn't we be proud of the mishmash of cultures that have come together to form this great nation?
I do think that immigrants should learn English, but I don't think we should make it difficult for them to speak their native language. Our language is tied up with our identity, and people shouldn't be forced--or even strongly encouraged--to abandon that.
[Update 5/1 7:17 a.m.]: Condi's response is more what I was thinking would be good:
"I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English," Bush told reporters in the Rose Garden. "And I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English."I can see what he's getting at, and I can even see the argument that a Spanish-language version might encourage Spanish speakers not to learn the English version, but I don't think this is how Bush should have approached the issue.
First of all, I would have evaluated the message of the song, to see if I felt it matched the original Star Spangled Banner. Then I would have remarked that it's great that America is such a melting pot and that we have so much creativity coming from so many different cultures. After that, I would have expressed concern that the song might detract from English language learning, and suggested that the two versions be played back to back on the radio.
I don't think we should so easily tramp down on creativity and the desire for unity. Because that's what this song is. It's about inclusiveness. It's about welcoming Spanish speakers to the US. With the current immigration debate heating up, it's easy to go on the offensive about all things Mexican or South American or Spanish language-related. But we don't need to alienate the people who come here legitimately.
And a dangerous subtext of the president's remarks is, "If you come to America, you have to conform." I didn't think that was the message of our country at all. Shouldn't we be proud of the mishmash of cultures that have come together to form this great nation?
I do think that immigrants should learn English, but I don't think we should make it difficult for them to speak their native language. Our language is tied up with our identity, and people shouldn't be forced--or even strongly encouraged--to abandon that.
[Update 5/1 7:17 a.m.]: Condi's response is more what I was thinking would be good:
"I've heard the national anthem done in rap versions, country versions, classical versions. The individualisation of the American national anthem is quite under way," she said on the CBS show "Face the Nation."
"From my point of view, people expressing themselves as wanting to be Americans is a good thing," she added. "I think what we need to focus on is an immigration policy that is comprehensive and that recognises our laws and recognises our humanity," she added.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Honda Insight Hybrid
Look at this thing.
It's small, it's a hatchback, and it looks like a spaceship.
I may very well have to consider this an option...
It's a hybrid, and in fact is the most fuel-efficient car in America at 66 miles per gallon.
That is so totally cool...but it means the price is about $8000 more than I was wanting to spend. Eep.
I'm also a little concerned about the rear wheels. What happens if I get a flat tire? How high, exactly, would I have to jack it up? :>
But the design is awesome. Other hybrids are just kind of blah. The Civic, meh. The Accord just looks like a regular car...plus it's like $30,000. The Camry is the same way, though $5000 less. The Prius looks like a Star Trek: TNG shuttlecraft, and not in a good way.
This is by far the coolest hybrid (that I've seen), and it's competing with the Yaris in my mind for coolest car period.
[Update 9:56 p.m.:] I just realized that it doesn't have a backseat. Like, at all. So I don't know. I haven't used the backseat of my Subaru (for people, anyway) in years...but it's still nice to know that if I had to, I could cart three other people somewhere. So the Yaris is probably still winning.
...plus, the Insight looks a little doofy in this picture.
It's small, it's a hatchback, and it looks like a spaceship.
I may very well have to consider this an option...
It's a hybrid, and in fact is the most fuel-efficient car in America at 66 miles per gallon.
That is so totally cool...but it means the price is about $8000 more than I was wanting to spend. Eep.
I'm also a little concerned about the rear wheels. What happens if I get a flat tire? How high, exactly, would I have to jack it up? :>
But the design is awesome. Other hybrids are just kind of blah. The Civic, meh. The Accord just looks like a regular car...plus it's like $30,000. The Camry is the same way, though $5000 less. The Prius looks like a Star Trek: TNG shuttlecraft, and not in a good way.
This is by far the coolest hybrid (that I've seen), and it's competing with the Yaris in my mind for coolest car period.
[Update 9:56 p.m.:] I just realized that it doesn't have a backseat. Like, at all. So I don't know. I haven't used the backseat of my Subaru (for people, anyway) in years...but it's still nice to know that if I had to, I could cart three other people somewhere. So the Yaris is probably still winning.
...plus, the Insight looks a little doofy in this picture.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Yaris pimpage begins
Toyota has started to seriously advertise the Yaris. Apparently there are TV ads (or so I hear from my coworker), and now there's this bizarre little Flash ad on MSN.
I found out that the reason no one has the liftback Yaris is because they rolled out the sedan first. The liftbacks are being produced now. Hopefully one of the local Toyota dealers will get one in soon so I can test drive it. I know I have until November to finalize my choice for a new car, but I'm really excited about driving the Yaris :>
I found out that the reason no one has the liftback Yaris is because they rolled out the sedan first. The liftbacks are being produced now. Hopefully one of the local Toyota dealers will get one in soon so I can test drive it. I know I have until November to finalize my choice for a new car, but I'm really excited about driving the Yaris :>
I saw a mansion yesterday
Last night I had a meeting with one of my clients. Rather than go to their office, I went to their house.
It's in West Lake.
I've been to West Lake before, but I entered on the Fury's Ferry side, and the house I visited wasn't grandiose, it was just a little big, and old. It was one of those rustic cedar houses that would fit on a mountaintop.
My client's house, on the other hand, is on the Steven's Creek side, which seems to be newer, and filled with sprawling homes on oversized plots of land.
The home is massive. And gorgeous.
It's beige/pink stucco, with Spanish-style arches. It's two story, but the first floor was very tall. I'm talking 15 feet or more. I parked on a huge pad that curved in towards the house around the broad front lawn, and entered the estate at a side door that seemed a little more welcoming than the grand front entrance with its high porch and incredibly thick columns.
The side door opened on a small foyer and wide staircase. I was led off to the left, through a kitchen larger than my living and dining room area, and to a small marble-topped desk nestled against a wall between the kitchen and a sitting area.
What I didn't notice until I was leaving was the view from the kitchen. Beyond the huge marble island there was another sitting area, and the back wall was dominated by three massive, ceiling-to-floor oval windows. These looked out on a huge pond surrounded by grassy yards, gardens, and forest. The scene was breathtaking, especially in the dusk.
As I got into my car I had to force myself not to take a picture of the place. I discussed aloud with myself how amazingly huge and beautiful it was all the way to the exit gate.
(By the way, to enter West Lake you have to get a permit that you hang from your rear-view mirror. You just have to tell the guard who you're visiting and they'll give it to you. West Lake is the only gated community I've ever been to; I'm still not sure what I think of the concept.)
I used to want to live in a mansion. Big houses always filled me with covetous thoughts. Of course, that was back before I had my own place, and realized that you have to clean your house. Now I'm a little more pragmatic, and would prefer to simply have enough space to live comfortably. Which I do.
What I do want, though, is to be able to visit beautiful places...so seeing that mansion was pretty nice :)
It's in West Lake.
I've been to West Lake before, but I entered on the Fury's Ferry side, and the house I visited wasn't grandiose, it was just a little big, and old. It was one of those rustic cedar houses that would fit on a mountaintop.
My client's house, on the other hand, is on the Steven's Creek side, which seems to be newer, and filled with sprawling homes on oversized plots of land.
The home is massive. And gorgeous.
It's beige/pink stucco, with Spanish-style arches. It's two story, but the first floor was very tall. I'm talking 15 feet or more. I parked on a huge pad that curved in towards the house around the broad front lawn, and entered the estate at a side door that seemed a little more welcoming than the grand front entrance with its high porch and incredibly thick columns.
The side door opened on a small foyer and wide staircase. I was led off to the left, through a kitchen larger than my living and dining room area, and to a small marble-topped desk nestled against a wall between the kitchen and a sitting area.
What I didn't notice until I was leaving was the view from the kitchen. Beyond the huge marble island there was another sitting area, and the back wall was dominated by three massive, ceiling-to-floor oval windows. These looked out on a huge pond surrounded by grassy yards, gardens, and forest. The scene was breathtaking, especially in the dusk.
As I got into my car I had to force myself not to take a picture of the place. I discussed aloud with myself how amazingly huge and beautiful it was all the way to the exit gate.
(By the way, to enter West Lake you have to get a permit that you hang from your rear-view mirror. You just have to tell the guard who you're visiting and they'll give it to you. West Lake is the only gated community I've ever been to; I'm still not sure what I think of the concept.)
I used to want to live in a mansion. Big houses always filled me with covetous thoughts. Of course, that was back before I had my own place, and realized that you have to clean your house. Now I'm a little more pragmatic, and would prefer to simply have enough space to live comfortably. Which I do.
What I do want, though, is to be able to visit beautiful places...so seeing that mansion was pretty nice :)
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Weird
Reuters has two versions of the same story, as they often do. One is entitled "China faces storm in a D-cup as bust sizes grow", and the other is "Tempest in a D-cup as bust sizes grow". I'm still not sure why they have two different versions, but that's not what interested me today.
This is:
File photo: REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV
Apparently the "romanized" symbol for currency is the same in Japan and China. I did not know that.
However, the Chinese symbol is 元, and the Japanese is 円.
I wonder if any other countries use the ￥ symbol for their currency.
This is:
File photo: REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV
Apparently the "romanized" symbol for currency is the same in Japan and China. I did not know that.
However, the Chinese symbol is 元, and the Japanese is 円.
I wonder if any other countries use the ￥ symbol for their currency.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Unbelievable: my coworker has never heard of Highlander
I'm not that much older than she is, either o_o
Sunday, April 23, 2006
The Tesla Purple Energy Shield
Just...wow. Look at this thing!
:>
I wonder if No-Dogs "vibrate in resonance with the fundamental energy (Chi, Prana, Orgon) of the universe". They are anodized aluminum, after all...
The Tesla Purple Energy Shield outer shell is made of aluminium, which is first anodised (electrolytic oxidation) and then colored. The spin of the atoms and electrons of the aluminium is thus changed in such a way, that The Tesla Purple Energy Shield is said to vibrate in resonance with the fundamental energy (Chi, Prana, Orgon) of the universe. The Tesla Purple Energy Shield coating was developed by Ralph Bergstresser after a patent and from the knowledge / information and ideas of Nikola Tesla, with whom he worked in the 1940s. With anodising, the field of the plating is changed and interacts with tachyons. The surface of the plating has a unique crystal-structure.This has to be the most awesome thing I have ever read. And it's only $89.95 during this special introductory period!
The chemical composition of the outer purple shell is the same as that of rubies and sapphires, which also consist of aluminium oxide. We know that rubies give energy and thus were called "life-stones" in the Middle-Ages.
[...]
The Tesla Purple Energy Shield incorporates several future technologies as a basis for its creation and capsular design. The Tesla Purple Energy Shield is a functional scientific creation based on the principles of sacred geometry , zero-point energy, orgonomy, superconductivity, and harmonic frequencies of light.
The properties of The Tesla Purple Energy Shield are such that a "positive" light field is produced uniformly in all directions from the centre of the capsule. This light field is actually visible in a dimly lit room and is immediately recognisable to psychics or clairvoyants.
The device incorporates a special Ethero-Magnetic caduceus orgone generating coil which utilises the magickal and sacred 'lost cubit' measurement, a meaurement so profound that its precise value can not be found in ancient or modern literature. Only select few individuals and scientists are aware of its actual value.
:>
I wonder if No-Dogs "vibrate in resonance with the fundamental energy (Chi, Prana, Orgon) of the universe". They are anodized aluminum, after all...
Vashiel will @#$! you up
It has recently come to my attention that Connor can read.
Anyway:
Angry bishies rule!
Anyway:
Angry bishies rule!
27 Questions
I've seen this one around for awhile. I never did it myself; I found it to be irritating because usually I didn't know the songs that people listed as their answers. Well, now the shoe is on the other foot! Enjoy the following list of songs that you don't know, world.
(Quaisi made me do it.)
Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. Post on your blog.
Will I get far in life?
Planet Dance (Kageyama Hironobu, from Macross: The Tribute)
I'm assuming this is a good sign, even if I don't care for this remake of Planet Dance.
How do my friends see me?
Master of Flame (OC Remix by EvilHorde, from Mega Man 6)
I thought Sean was Hellfire...
Where will I get married?
Cat Blues (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop OST 1)
Swanky! Yeah, I dunno. I got married in a garden.
What is my best friend's theme song?
Memory of Fanelia (Yoko Kanno, Escaflowne OST)
Hmm, I'll have to let Brooke hear this and see what she thinks. It is pretty.
What is the story of my life?
Jingle Bells (midi)
...-_-;;;
What was high school like?
Ave Maria (as sung by Perry Como)
I don't know about that :>
How can I get ahead in life?
Yuu (NoR, The Legend of Condor Hero OP)
Am I supposed to be taking the names of the songs as the answers, or the messages of the songs?
What is the best thing about me?
Car 24 (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop OST 1)
The best thing about me is my car? Or what?
How is today going to be?
Gemini Salsa (OC Remix by McVaffe, from Mega Man 3)
Hey, I can kick it!
What is in store for this weekend? (Uhh...this is the weekend?)
Tristram (Matt Uelmen, Diablo 2 OST)
So my weekend is going to be a creepy love story. Got it.
What song describes my parents?
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (midi)
Um.
My grandparents?
Aquadecadence (OC Remix by analoq, from Super Mario Bros. 3)
Which grandparents is this supposed to describe? All four of them?
How is my life going?
Rhythm Emotion Remix (Two-Mix, from Gundam Wing)
That's pretty cool :)
What song will they play at my funeral?
7 Minutes (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
Wow, this song would make for a kind of goth-punk funeral. Or something.
How does the world see me?
No Money (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
...
Will I have a happy life?
Outcast, Unclean (Battlecry)
Great.
What do my friends really think of me?
Active Heart (Sakamoto Maaya)
When really my heart is quite inactive.
Do people secretly lust after me?
Opening Run (Hamasaki Ayumi)
That's kind of funny.
How can I make myself happy?
White Reflection (Two-Mix, from Gundam Wing)
If the video is to be believed, I just need to get out of the house every once in awhile to restore my inspiration.
What should I do with my life?
Mystic Eyes (Escaflowne OST, not sure who sings it)
So I should become a psychic?
Will I ever have children?
Goodnight Julia (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
Okay, universe, I get the picture.
What is some good advice?
Battle Rocks (OC Remix by AmIEvil for Super Mario Bros. 3)
Hey, that is good advice! @_@
What is my signature dancing song?
Odd Ones (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Vitaminless)
This actually would be a good song to dance to. Swingdance.
What do I think my current theme song is?
Airwolf Theme
ROFLMAO!
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Bowser is Pissed (OC Remix by PriZm for Super Mario Bros.)
Aw, come on guys...I still love you!
What type of men/women do you like?
Bubble Man (wants to get) Funked Up (OC Remix by Disco Dan for Mega Man 2)
So...are you saying I'm easy?
What did you think of this meme?
Hamduche (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
I have no idea what that means.
(Quaisi made me do it.)
Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. Post on your blog.
Will I get far in life?
Planet Dance (Kageyama Hironobu, from Macross: The Tribute)
I'm assuming this is a good sign, even if I don't care for this remake of Planet Dance.
How do my friends see me?
Master of Flame (OC Remix by EvilHorde, from Mega Man 6)
I thought Sean was Hellfire...
Where will I get married?
Cat Blues (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop OST 1)
Swanky! Yeah, I dunno. I got married in a garden.
What is my best friend's theme song?
Memory of Fanelia (Yoko Kanno, Escaflowne OST)
Hmm, I'll have to let Brooke hear this and see what she thinks. It is pretty.
What is the story of my life?
Jingle Bells (midi)
...-_-;;;
What was high school like?
Ave Maria (as sung by Perry Como)
I don't know about that :>
How can I get ahead in life?
Yuu (NoR, The Legend of Condor Hero OP)
Am I supposed to be taking the names of the songs as the answers, or the messages of the songs?
What is the best thing about me?
Car 24 (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop OST 1)
The best thing about me is my car? Or what?
How is today going to be?
Gemini Salsa (OC Remix by McVaffe, from Mega Man 3)
Hey, I can kick it!
What is in store for this weekend? (Uhh...this is the weekend?)
Tristram (Matt Uelmen, Diablo 2 OST)
So my weekend is going to be a creepy love story. Got it.
What song describes my parents?
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (midi)
Um.
My grandparents?
Aquadecadence (OC Remix by analoq, from Super Mario Bros. 3)
Which grandparents is this supposed to describe? All four of them?
How is my life going?
Rhythm Emotion Remix (Two-Mix, from Gundam Wing)
That's pretty cool :)
What song will they play at my funeral?
7 Minutes (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
Wow, this song would make for a kind of goth-punk funeral. Or something.
How does the world see me?
No Money (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
...
Will I have a happy life?
Outcast, Unclean (Battlecry)
Great.
What do my friends really think of me?
Active Heart (Sakamoto Maaya)
When really my heart is quite inactive.
Do people secretly lust after me?
Opening Run (Hamasaki Ayumi)
That's kind of funny.
How can I make myself happy?
White Reflection (Two-Mix, from Gundam Wing)
If the video is to be believed, I just need to get out of the house every once in awhile to restore my inspiration.
What should I do with my life?
Mystic Eyes (Escaflowne OST, not sure who sings it)
So I should become a psychic?
Will I ever have children?
Goodnight Julia (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
Okay, universe, I get the picture.
What is some good advice?
Battle Rocks (OC Remix by AmIEvil for Super Mario Bros. 3)
Hey, that is good advice! @_@
What is my signature dancing song?
Odd Ones (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Vitaminless)
This actually would be a good song to dance to. Swingdance.
What do I think my current theme song is?
Airwolf Theme
ROFLMAO!
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Bowser is Pissed (OC Remix by PriZm for Super Mario Bros.)
Aw, come on guys...I still love you!
What type of men/women do you like?
Bubble Man (wants to get) Funked Up (OC Remix by Disco Dan for Mega Man 2)
So...are you saying I'm easy?
What did you think of this meme?
Hamduche (Yoko Kanno, Cowboy Bebop Knockin' on Heaven's Door OST)
I have no idea what that means.
What I'm watching
Charles turned me on to Fate/stay night, which is an anime based on a videogame. I am really enjoying the series.
While the premise is similar to that of Kyou Kara Maou!--that is, there's a hapless male main character with strong convictions about protecting people who wields powers he is unaware of--in Fate, the main character isn't completely clueless. He already knows about magicians, so when he learns about the game he's being forced to play, he is able to accept it pretty easily. It's interesting to see a character understand what he's getting into, and still hold on to his idealism.
Of course, lately I've been thinking of writing a parody of this sort of anime, with an idealistic main-type character who gets killed off instantly due to his naivete. :>
I've gotten through a few story arcs, and things have played out in ways I couldn't have expected. Suddenly, Saber is conscious of herself as a woman. (By the way: intriguing rewriting of history there. I'm guessing the word 王 isn't as gender-specific as it is in English...) I was (and still sort of am) rooting for Shirou and Rin to get together, but you know how it is...a guy's always closest to the hero-warrior from the past he has summoned into present day.
Completely randomly--I was looking for something to do--I decided to try out The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. O. M. G. This show is too weird not to watch. I'm not even going to describe it; you just have to see it. I will say that the narrator is awesome. And it's not often that I call a pushover who grouses to himself without trying to better his situation awesome. I don't know; there's just something about him that makes it work. It helps that his constant internal monologue is hilarious.
Actually, there are quite a few things in the series that would normally annoy me, like what Haruhi does to poor Mikuru-chan, and Mikuru-chan herself (she's the stereotypical over-the-top cutesy-shy freaks-out-about-every-little-thing type), but somehow when they all come together, they're not annoying. They're just...mind-boggling.
It's obviously not a show to take seriously.
I also recently watched the first episode of Gakuen Heaven, which is...a boys' love anime. I don't know why I did it! Obviously I was bored at the time...
The episode served to introduce a gaggle of male characters ranging from kawaii to sekushii. The main character, Ito Keita, is a new transfer to the elite boys' school that is the setting for the series. He describes himself as fairly average and has no idea why he's been chosen for the school. However, he's pretty cute. Is the chairman a pervert?!
There's also a "troublemaker" named Endo Kazuki...who happens to be voiced by the lovely and talented Sakurai Takahiro. If the OP is to be believed (and when isn't it?) Kazuki and Keita are the couple to root for. The two hadn't met by the end of episode 1, because of course they have to drag it out. It made me look forward to the inevitable meeting. When will they meet? How will they meet? Will they like each other right off?
Of course, there's a chance that either the chairman or Kazuki is really Keita's long-lost brother.
Also--there was a random motorcycle accident!
I found that the episode reminded me of Prince of Tennis...I suppose because there were quite a few guys with different personalities who were all likeable in their own way. (The guys who kept hacking each other's computers were hilarious.) I'm not sure how far into the ecchi stuff the show is going to go, but I think it's worth continuing. (Besides, I must find out if the King survived! ;P)
Hai told me to watch a show called Nana, so now I have three episodes and the live action movie, but I haven't tried it out yet. We'll see how that goes. I've also decided to check out Shinigami no Ballad, because I find the death god mythology pretty interesting.
I'm always open to additional recommendations!
While the premise is similar to that of Kyou Kara Maou!--that is, there's a hapless male main character with strong convictions about protecting people who wields powers he is unaware of--in Fate, the main character isn't completely clueless. He already knows about magicians, so when he learns about the game he's being forced to play, he is able to accept it pretty easily. It's interesting to see a character understand what he's getting into, and still hold on to his idealism.
Of course, lately I've been thinking of writing a parody of this sort of anime, with an idealistic main-type character who gets killed off instantly due to his naivete. :>
I've gotten through a few story arcs, and things have played out in ways I couldn't have expected. Suddenly, Saber is conscious of herself as a woman. (By the way: intriguing rewriting of history there. I'm guessing the word 王 isn't as gender-specific as it is in English...) I was (and still sort of am) rooting for Shirou and Rin to get together, but you know how it is...a guy's always closest to the hero-warrior from the past he has summoned into present day.
Completely randomly--I was looking for something to do--I decided to try out The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. O. M. G. This show is too weird not to watch. I'm not even going to describe it; you just have to see it. I will say that the narrator is awesome. And it's not often that I call a pushover who grouses to himself without trying to better his situation awesome. I don't know; there's just something about him that makes it work. It helps that his constant internal monologue is hilarious.
Actually, there are quite a few things in the series that would normally annoy me, like what Haruhi does to poor Mikuru-chan, and Mikuru-chan herself (she's the stereotypical over-the-top cutesy-shy freaks-out-about-every-little-thing type), but somehow when they all come together, they're not annoying. They're just...mind-boggling.
It's obviously not a show to take seriously.
I also recently watched the first episode of Gakuen Heaven, which is...a boys' love anime. I don't know why I did it! Obviously I was bored at the time...
The episode served to introduce a gaggle of male characters ranging from kawaii to sekushii. The main character, Ito Keita, is a new transfer to the elite boys' school that is the setting for the series. He describes himself as fairly average and has no idea why he's been chosen for the school. However, he's pretty cute. Is the chairman a pervert?!
There's also a "troublemaker" named Endo Kazuki...who happens to be voiced by the lovely and talented Sakurai Takahiro. If the OP is to be believed (and when isn't it?) Kazuki and Keita are the couple to root for. The two hadn't met by the end of episode 1, because of course they have to drag it out. It made me look forward to the inevitable meeting. When will they meet? How will they meet? Will they like each other right off?
Of course, there's a chance that either the chairman or Kazuki is really Keita's long-lost brother.
Also--there was a random motorcycle accident!
I found that the episode reminded me of Prince of Tennis...I suppose because there were quite a few guys with different personalities who were all likeable in their own way. (The guys who kept hacking each other's computers were hilarious.) I'm not sure how far into the ecchi stuff the show is going to go, but I think it's worth continuing. (Besides, I must find out if the King survived! ;P)
Hai told me to watch a show called Nana, so now I have three episodes and the live action movie, but I haven't tried it out yet. We'll see how that goes. I've also decided to check out Shinigami no Ballad, because I find the death god mythology pretty interesting.
I'm always open to additional recommendations!
Saturday, April 22, 2006
A note
If your blog's RSS feed is filled with nothing but a bunch of old posts and republishes multiple times a day, I will unsubscribe from you!
;P
;P
Friday, April 21, 2006
Can I go home now?
I'm the kind of exhausted where I might burst into tears at any moment. Every time I start to think too hard about anything, I get frustrated. I know it's just because I'm tired. I've been this way all week. It's Friday, and it's almost over, and next week will be much better because I won't be trying to get up at 6:00 (except on Monday). So I just have to get through it.
I've been eating like crazy the past few days to try to stay awake, which has destroyed my "plan". Oh well.
I've been eating like crazy the past few days to try to stay awake, which has destroyed my "plan". Oh well.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Iraqis losing hope
The Iraqi blogger known as "Mama" says:
It is too hard to be afraid from the unknown.
What will happen? what shall I do? What is the proper way to guarantee my kids' future? to leave or to stay? Leave?! Where to?! Does leaving mean that I am an escapist or just a scared mammy?
This is how I keep wondering; thinking and asking my self, but I can't find the answers.
[...]
For the first time my Dad tells me that he is no more confident, and that there is nothing promising at all, I used to get my power from my dad but now ,what?!
PLEASE DON'T TELL ME TO STAND UP AND TO FIGHT FOR MY COUNTRY, I CAN'T TELL WHO MY ENEMY IS?. I am just an ordinary mom.
Skip the JBMF; go to Birdie Stock instead
It turns out that organizers of the James Brown Soul of America Music Festival have chosen a weekend for their festival that was already taken by another local festival. Organizers for Birdie Stock 2006 are positively molting.
(Sorry.)
To me, Birdie Stock sounds much cooler (even if their name is horrible). For one thing, it's an established festival; they've been having it on Memorial Day weekend for years now. For another, it's for a good cause. It's a fundraiser for Feathered Friends Forever, a group that provides sanctuary for birds in need.
The JBMF is also hilarious because of this.
Then there's the matter of where the money is going. Nobody seems to know. The organization in charge of the festival, the Heritage Crest Foundation, is kindasorta infamous for being founded by a former Georgia state senator who is now in prison for conspiracy and mail fraud. Here's a description of what he was charged with from the Augusta Chronicle:
I think people would feel a lot better about it if it seemed like the festival was being handled well. But the date's been changed several times. Artists who were reportedly "confirmed acts" have said they never agreed to come (and I'm not just talking about Wil Wheaton ;>), and now the website doesn't list any acts. Additionally, amateur performers are being asked to pay up to $600 for the right to play at the festival.
It gets a little hairy to say bad things about Heritage Crest and the JBMF, because Augusta is a racially-charged town. You can theoretically deflate someone's argument simply by saying "You're just being racist". I personally don't think it's racist to point out organizational blunders, but there you have it.
In any case, given the controversy surrounding the JBMF and the fact that Birdie Stock was there first, I'd say forget Augusta that weekend and head over to Harlem.
Or just stay home and have a cookout.
(Sorry.)
To me, Birdie Stock sounds much cooler (even if their name is horrible). For one thing, it's an established festival; they've been having it on Memorial Day weekend for years now. For another, it's for a good cause. It's a fundraiser for Feathered Friends Forever, a group that provides sanctuary for birds in need.
At Feathered Friends Forever we provide a loving, life long, care home for tropical birds. We take in all types, for any reason the bird cannot be cared for, in any situation. Feathered Friends Forever Rescue/Refuge, Inc. is the largest privately owned rescue/refuge in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation. We are a 501(c) non-profit corporation.Compare this to the JBMF. The "James Brown" Soul of America Music Festival is hilarious, first off, because James Brown himself is unavailable on the dates of the festival. Organizers claim he's coming for the opening ceremony, and that they're working on getting him to actually perform, but he's already scheduled to perform in Virginia immediately before and after the festival. It seems a little rude to demand that your supposed guest of honor--who isn't getting any younger, by the way--fly home from Virginia and then back again over the course of a weekend, and give a concert somewhere in there.
The JBMF is also hilarious because of this.
Then there's the matter of where the money is going. Nobody seems to know. The organization in charge of the festival, the Heritage Crest Foundation, is kindasorta infamous for being founded by a former Georgia state senator who is now in prison for conspiracy and mail fraud. Here's a description of what he was charged with from the Augusta Chronicle:
According to the indictment, between 1996 and 2003, Mr. Walker lost about $530,000 at casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., Las Vegas and Biloxi, Miss. Contained in the 66-page indictment are allegations Mr. Walker engaged in a pattern of deceit, covering up his personal ownership of businesses to sidestep mandatory financial disclosures, diving into his political donations for personal expenses and not disclosing that information.His son's in charge now, and to be fair, we shouldn't punish the son for the sins of the father. But it does raise a few eyebrows.
I think people would feel a lot better about it if it seemed like the festival was being handled well. But the date's been changed several times. Artists who were reportedly "confirmed acts" have said they never agreed to come (and I'm not just talking about Wil Wheaton ;>), and now the website doesn't list any acts. Additionally, amateur performers are being asked to pay up to $600 for the right to play at the festival.
It gets a little hairy to say bad things about Heritage Crest and the JBMF, because Augusta is a racially-charged town. You can theoretically deflate someone's argument simply by saying "You're just being racist". I personally don't think it's racist to point out organizational blunders, but there you have it.
In any case, given the controversy surrounding the JBMF and the fact that Birdie Stock was there first, I'd say forget Augusta that weekend and head over to Harlem.
Or just stay home and have a cookout.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
I can't read
MSN has a headline right now, "Americans Living Longer Lives."
I stared and stared at it, unable to make any sense of it whatsoever...because mentally I kept adding a "No" before the word "Longer".
(Which led me to thoughts like, "There's no subject-verb agreement!" and "Wait, what does that even mean?")
I stared and stared at it, unable to make any sense of it whatsoever...because mentally I kept adding a "No" before the word "Longer".
(Which led me to thoughts like, "There's no subject-verb agreement!" and "Wait, what does that even mean?")
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Looking forward to drawing something!
Tim and Kelly both won my little contest from the other day--by each getting one right. Seriously, people, you need to study my comics list. See it over there on the right? Gaze upon it, and be enlightened.
Anyway, ever since I announced the contest, I've been excited. I haven't really drawn much in awhile--image manipulation in Photoshop doesn't count. I'm interested to see what I'll be asked to draw, and how well I'll do.
Anyway, ever since I announced the contest, I've been excited. I haven't really drawn much in awhile--image manipulation in Photoshop doesn't count. I'm interested to see what I'll be asked to draw, and how well I'll do.
Japan's lost morphemes?
Today Namiko Abe of Japanese.About.com answers the following question: "Why there are two ways to write "ji" and "zu" for hiragana and katakana?"
I was very interested in this, because I've noticed it too. One obvious example is Great Teacher Onizuka, which some romanize as Great Teacher Onidzuka.
I always assumed that there was a pronunciation difference between じ and ぢ and ず and づ; namely, /ji/ versus /dji/ and /zu/ versus /dzu/. (Note that that really isn't a /d/. The difference is that of a fricative versus an affricate. The /d/ is just the easiest way to write it without using the IPA.)
There may be a difference, but apparently if there is it has no bearing whatsoever on the meaning of the word. Abe indicates that the alternate spellings occur as an artifact of assimilation. I therefore suspect that the Japanese don't differentiate between the two sounds.
I wonder if this has always been the case, or if the writing system reveals a past difference?
I was very interested in this, because I've noticed it too. One obvious example is Great Teacher Onizuka, which some romanize as Great Teacher Onidzuka.
I always assumed that there was a pronunciation difference between じ and ぢ and ず and づ; namely, /ji/ versus /dji/ and /zu/ versus /dzu/. (Note that that really isn't a /d/. The difference is that of a fricative versus an affricate. The /d/ is just the easiest way to write it without using the IPA.)
There may be a difference, but apparently if there is it has no bearing whatsoever on the meaning of the word. Abe indicates that the alternate spellings occur as an artifact of assimilation. I therefore suspect that the Japanese don't differentiate between the two sounds.
I wonder if this has always been the case, or if the writing system reveals a past difference?
Monday, April 17, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Strawberry Smoothie
This morning (oh, who am I kidding--it was actually around noon) I made a lovely breakfast for Sean and me: cheesy eggs, banana bread, and strawberry smoothies. I concocted the smoothies in the Magic Bullet. This time I just threw stuff in that sounded good, without consulting a recipe at all.
They turned out delightfully.
2 cups fresh strawberries
2 cups ice
1 T sugar
splash skim milk
This whole yogurt thing really seems to work out well for making smoothies. The vanilla is better than the flavored ones, I think. I'll have to remember that.
Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the breakfast, because we ate it right away. But believe me when I say that it was pretty. Sean finally brought home the plates someone from work gave us; they're kind of a pinky beige with soft pink and blue borders, and their rounded shapes are soothing, somehow. I put a wedge of banana bread, a glob of cheesy eggs, and a strawberry sliced in half on each plate, then served the smoothies in tall glasses. I thought wistfully that I wished I had some parsley with which to garnish the eggs, but oh well, nothing's perfect ;>
They turned out delightfully.
Strawberry Smoothie (serves 2)
8 oz vanilla yogurt (Dannon Light 'n Fit)2 cups fresh strawberries
2 cups ice
1 T sugar
splash skim milk
This whole yogurt thing really seems to work out well for making smoothies. The vanilla is better than the flavored ones, I think. I'll have to remember that.
Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the breakfast, because we ate it right away. But believe me when I say that it was pretty. Sean finally brought home the plates someone from work gave us; they're kind of a pinky beige with soft pink and blue borders, and their rounded shapes are soothing, somehow. I put a wedge of banana bread, a glob of cheesy eggs, and a strawberry sliced in half on each plate, then served the smoothies in tall glasses. I thought wistfully that I wished I had some parsley with which to garnish the eggs, but oh well, nothing's perfect ;>
Self-important
Marie Mockett posted about kokeshi today, pointing out an awesome Hello Kitty doll and then briefly explaining what kokeshi are.
At the end of her post, she writes, "This post was specially for Heather!"
My natural reaction was, "She's talking about me!" But there's no link, so I can't be sure. And as I continued to consider, I realized that surely it's not about me. She probably just has a friend named Heather.
For this to be a reference to me, she would have to know that I have a kokeshi, or that I used to have one (although now I'm wondering if that one was actually a kokeshi or something else). This would mean she'd have to have been reading my blog, because I don't think I've made a Japundit comment on the subject. And what are the chances of that?
Still...what if she does read my blog? What if that was a reference to me? The idea is so awesome, I can't help but voice it.
But I'll do so over here, where it's less embarrassing if it wasn't a reference to me...and hey, if she does read my blog, she can confirm/deny!
At the end of her post, she writes, "This post was specially for Heather!"
My natural reaction was, "She's talking about me!" But there's no link, so I can't be sure. And as I continued to consider, I realized that surely it's not about me. She probably just has a friend named Heather.
For this to be a reference to me, she would have to know that I have a kokeshi, or that I used to have one (although now I'm wondering if that one was actually a kokeshi or something else). This would mean she'd have to have been reading my blog, because I don't think I've made a Japundit comment on the subject. And what are the chances of that?
Still...what if she does read my blog? What if that was a reference to me? The idea is so awesome, I can't help but voice it.
But I'll do so over here, where it's less embarrassing if it wasn't a reference to me...and hey, if she does read my blog, she can confirm/deny!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
I watched Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children today. (Finally.)
I can't say I understood everything that went on--while I did watch AJ play VII, I don't remember much about the story or the ending--but ultimately it was comprehensible enough. For a dead chick, Aeris sure does have a lot of lines. ;>
There were some crazy-cool fight scenes in this movie. The first scene was awesome because it featured the original battle music--and then the bad guy's ringtone was the music they play when you win. That cracked me up.
But the two major battles at the end were the best--first with the creature, then with the main-bad-guy-who-I-won't-reveal-but-you-can-probably-guess.
I was very happy when Cloud decided to stop feeling sorry for himself.
Cool thing: At one point, I thought to myself, "Cloud sounds like Yuuri." Well, what do you know. I think Sakurai Takahiro is my favorite voice actor :>
Final note: Tifa kicks ass.
I can't say I understood everything that went on--while I did watch AJ play VII, I don't remember much about the story or the ending--but ultimately it was comprehensible enough. For a dead chick, Aeris sure does have a lot of lines. ;>
There were some crazy-cool fight scenes in this movie. The first scene was awesome because it featured the original battle music--and then the bad guy's ringtone was the music they play when you win. That cracked me up.
But the two major battles at the end were the best--first with the creature, then with the main-bad-guy-who-I-won't-reveal-but-you-can-probably-guess.
I was very happy when Cloud decided to stop feeling sorry for himself.
Cool thing: At one point, I thought to myself, "Cloud sounds like Yuuri." Well, what do you know. I think Sakurai Takahiro is my favorite voice actor :>
Final note: Tifa kicks ass.
A new plan
It seems like I'm always coming up with plans and then not following through on them. I think I make my plans too difficult, or too restrictive, or too demanding of time to organize. I like to be spontaneous, and I like to spend my free time doing things other than charting what I've eaten or developing menus or whatnot, which kind of defeats any plan I have that requires those things.
So I'm thinking of using a plan with more wiggle room. Instead of deciding that I will always know what I'm having for dinner every night of the week, I'll make a deal with myself about what I can and can't do for food each day.
During the week, I've decided that I must always have a Slim-Fast breakfast (this is the most convenient anyway) and a Healthy Choice lunch. I may also have up to three snacks, one of which should be a fruit. Once a week I will allow myself to eat out for lunch if I really want to.
Dinner can be a little looser--what I get to eat will depend on what kind of workout (if any) I had that day. So if I don't work out at all, I need to be more careful: chicken or fish, veggies, not many carbs. If I walk during lunch, I can add in a starch like noodles. If I have even more of a workout, I can do a more filling, chunky dinner, like those dinners in a box, or I can eat out/order in.
On the weekend, I'm going to be less stringent: I can eat whatever I want as long as I do some form of exercise.
I'm also going to try to create a recipe organizational system so that I can plan ahead if I want to (for example, create a menu for Sean to cook on a day I don't have much time).
I think this will be easier for me to stick to than trying to do up crazy exercise and meal menus every week. The Slim-Fast and Healthy Choice dinners are very convenient because I can just grab them and go, which gives me more time in the morning to piddle around before work (or go to the gym, or do some contract work). Having a general plan will help me make smarter decisions, too.
I haven't decided if I'm going to try to use DietPower for this or not. Right now I'm thinking I don't want to micromanage yet. I just want to start building some new, good habits. Once I have those in place, we'll see if I need to push it further.
So I'm thinking of using a plan with more wiggle room. Instead of deciding that I will always know what I'm having for dinner every night of the week, I'll make a deal with myself about what I can and can't do for food each day.
During the week, I've decided that I must always have a Slim-Fast breakfast (this is the most convenient anyway) and a Healthy Choice lunch. I may also have up to three snacks, one of which should be a fruit. Once a week I will allow myself to eat out for lunch if I really want to.
Dinner can be a little looser--what I get to eat will depend on what kind of workout (if any) I had that day. So if I don't work out at all, I need to be more careful: chicken or fish, veggies, not many carbs. If I walk during lunch, I can add in a starch like noodles. If I have even more of a workout, I can do a more filling, chunky dinner, like those dinners in a box, or I can eat out/order in.
On the weekend, I'm going to be less stringent: I can eat whatever I want as long as I do some form of exercise.
I'm also going to try to create a recipe organizational system so that I can plan ahead if I want to (for example, create a menu for Sean to cook on a day I don't have much time).
I think this will be easier for me to stick to than trying to do up crazy exercise and meal menus every week. The Slim-Fast and Healthy Choice dinners are very convenient because I can just grab them and go, which gives me more time in the morning to piddle around before work (or go to the gym, or do some contract work). Having a general plan will help me make smarter decisions, too.
I haven't decided if I'm going to try to use DietPower for this or not. Right now I'm thinking I don't want to micromanage yet. I just want to start building some new, good habits. Once I have those in place, we'll see if I need to push it further.
@_@
It had been awhile since I had a nice bike ride, so today I decided I would go on one. It had to be quick, because I needed to have time to shower and get over to Surrey Center to meet Brooke at 2 pm. So I set out on my ride at the absolutely stupidest time for outdoor activity: 12 noon.
I intended to just cruise through the neighborhoods on West Wheeler; that would keep me close to home and wouldn't be overdoing it. However, once I got on the road, I found myself going up West Wheeler (literally--it's a hill) to Wheeler Road.
"Let's see how it would be to bike to the Y," I said to myself, and so I turned right onto Wheeler.
For a good part of the way I was coasting, which is always a bad sign--it means I'll be going uphill on the return trip. A hill began again towards the I-520 bridge--there's a sign there that says "WATCH FOR BICYCLES ON BRIDGE", which made me feel vindicated. Once over the hill I coasted again down to the Y, turning right onto Marks Church Road and then stopping in the grass at the entrance to the parking lot. The ride from my apartment had taken about 10 minutes, which I decided wasn't bad at all.
However, I really need to get a new backpack. I'd put my phone and keys into the Connor and Logan totebag Mom gave me and hung the tote from the handlebars. The last hill coast sent the tote bag into the front wheel, covering it with grease and grinding a hole into it. So yeah. A backpack (or a bike bag) would be good.
I slung the tote bag over my right shoulder and crossed back over Mark's Church Road so I could turn left on Wheeler at the light and head back to the apartment. The turn went fine (people across the way yielded for me!) and soon I was off up the bridge hill, then coasting briefly, and finally churning my way up the last big hill.
But about midway up I couldn't pedal anymore. I slid off the bike and began walking it in the grass.
But then I started to feel terrible, like I was about to throw up, and I couldn't stop panting. I didn't want to stop moving, because the best exercise keeps your heart rate up, but after awhile I knew I had to. I rested the bike on its kickstand and stood for awhile.
Then I gave in and sat in the grass.
I took off my helmet and sat for what seemed like a long time, just focusing on relaxing and breathing. It seemed that traffic slowed down to look curiously in my direction, and I thought maybe I should come out here every day, to keep traffic at a decent rate on this road.
After awhile I felt reasonably better, so I stood back up. My legs felt like jelly, and a little lightheadedness gave me concern. I decided to keep going, though, so I could get home to the air conditioning, and get some water.
Because, like a moron, I didn't bring any with me. I would have, if I'd planned from the beginning to go to the Y. But I had to go and be spontaneous. Note to self: always bring water, even if you're not planning on a long ride, because knowing you, you'll turn it into one.
I walked the rest of the way up the hill to the light. There isn't a cross street there; it's just a left turn, so I waited at the entrance to a parking lot for traffic to clear so I could cross the street to the left turn lane. This accomplished, I turned on the green and coasted back down the West Wheeler hill to Sanctuary.
Sanctuary!
I left everything in the middle of the floor--bike, helmet, tote bag--and collapsed in the office for a few minutes. Then I grabbed a bottle of water, which I have almost emptied.
It was a good ride. I didn't realize it had been that long, though. I will need to start biking more frequently.
It looks like a bike ride to the Y on the weekend isn't out of the question, as long as I go earlier or later in the day and bring water. Next time I will see about actually going in to the Y and maybe swimming or something. (I meant to check and see if there was a good place to tie up my bike, but by the time I was there I was ready to turn around, so I forgot.)
I intended to just cruise through the neighborhoods on West Wheeler; that would keep me close to home and wouldn't be overdoing it. However, once I got on the road, I found myself going up West Wheeler (literally--it's a hill) to Wheeler Road.
"Let's see how it would be to bike to the Y," I said to myself, and so I turned right onto Wheeler.
For a good part of the way I was coasting, which is always a bad sign--it means I'll be going uphill on the return trip. A hill began again towards the I-520 bridge--there's a sign there that says "WATCH FOR BICYCLES ON BRIDGE", which made me feel vindicated. Once over the hill I coasted again down to the Y, turning right onto Marks Church Road and then stopping in the grass at the entrance to the parking lot. The ride from my apartment had taken about 10 minutes, which I decided wasn't bad at all.
However, I really need to get a new backpack. I'd put my phone and keys into the Connor and Logan totebag Mom gave me and hung the tote from the handlebars. The last hill coast sent the tote bag into the front wheel, covering it with grease and grinding a hole into it. So yeah. A backpack (or a bike bag) would be good.
I slung the tote bag over my right shoulder and crossed back over Mark's Church Road so I could turn left on Wheeler at the light and head back to the apartment. The turn went fine (people across the way yielded for me!) and soon I was off up the bridge hill, then coasting briefly, and finally churning my way up the last big hill.
But about midway up I couldn't pedal anymore. I slid off the bike and began walking it in the grass.
But then I started to feel terrible, like I was about to throw up, and I couldn't stop panting. I didn't want to stop moving, because the best exercise keeps your heart rate up, but after awhile I knew I had to. I rested the bike on its kickstand and stood for awhile.
Then I gave in and sat in the grass.
I took off my helmet and sat for what seemed like a long time, just focusing on relaxing and breathing. It seemed that traffic slowed down to look curiously in my direction, and I thought maybe I should come out here every day, to keep traffic at a decent rate on this road.
After awhile I felt reasonably better, so I stood back up. My legs felt like jelly, and a little lightheadedness gave me concern. I decided to keep going, though, so I could get home to the air conditioning, and get some water.
Because, like a moron, I didn't bring any with me. I would have, if I'd planned from the beginning to go to the Y. But I had to go and be spontaneous. Note to self: always bring water, even if you're not planning on a long ride, because knowing you, you'll turn it into one.
I walked the rest of the way up the hill to the light. There isn't a cross street there; it's just a left turn, so I waited at the entrance to a parking lot for traffic to clear so I could cross the street to the left turn lane. This accomplished, I turned on the green and coasted back down the West Wheeler hill to Sanctuary.
Sanctuary!
I left everything in the middle of the floor--bike, helmet, tote bag--and collapsed in the office for a few minutes. Then I grabbed a bottle of water, which I have almost emptied.
It was a good ride. I didn't realize it had been that long, though. I will need to start biking more frequently.
It looks like a bike ride to the Y on the weekend isn't out of the question, as long as I go earlier or later in the day and bring water. Next time I will see about actually going in to the Y and maybe swimming or something. (I meant to check and see if there was a good place to tie up my bike, but by the time I was there I was ready to turn around, so I forgot.)
Cleaning out comics
I've gotten rid of comics in my Webcomics list that either have been on hiatus forever or don't update on a regular schedule. I don't mind comics that update once a month or once a week or twice a week, as long as it's mostly consistent...but comics that update "whenever the artist feels like it" (which usually translates to "once in a blue moon") get on my nerves after awhile.
And comics that claim to have a regular schedule but then never update annoy the hell out of me.
So goodbye, comic that has been filled with nothing but cat photos for the last I don't know how long.
Goodbye, comic whose site's been down all week and which hardly ever updates anyway.
Goodbye, comic whose claim of "rapid-fire reruns" is absolutely false.
Goodbye, awesome comic that I've followed for years.
Goodbye, comic that started out strong but then went the way of the author's other comic.
Goodbye, extraordinarily pretty comic of a friend-of-a-friend.
I'm open to replacement suggestions. If you know of any good, stable webcomics, let me know!
Post your guesses in the comments! Whoever gets the most right by, oh, Monday night will be the winner, unless someone gets them all right before that, in which case that person will be the winner.
And comics that claim to have a regular schedule but then never update annoy the hell out of me.
So goodbye, comic that has been filled with nothing but cat photos for the last I don't know how long.
Goodbye, comic whose site's been down all week and which hardly ever updates anyway.
Goodbye, comic whose claim of "rapid-fire reruns" is absolutely false.
Goodbye, awesome comic that I've followed for years.
Goodbye, comic that started out strong but then went the way of the author's other comic.
Goodbye, extraordinarily pretty comic of a friend-of-a-friend.
I'm open to replacement suggestions. If you know of any good, stable webcomics, let me know!
Contest!
If you can guess the comics above, I'll draw a picture for you of whatever you want and post it here, and you can see why I don't have a webcomic of my own.Post your guesses in the comments! Whoever gets the most right by, oh, Monday night will be the winner, unless someone gets them all right before that, in which case that person will be the winner.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
My car doesn't stall at intersections!
I don't have to throw my car into park, take the key out, start the car at the dangling ignition, put the key back in, put the car in drive, press carefully down on the gas and hope it won't just stall again!
I don't have to drive with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake!
I can just, like, drive normally!
And it just...runs.
Ah.
This is bliss.
I don't have to drive with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake!
I can just, like, drive normally!
And it just...runs.
Ah.
This is bliss.
Cake: breakfast of champions
It seems like there has been cake, or cookies, or pizza, or something naughty available to station employees every week I've been here.
A dozen or so of the ladies, myself included, threw $10 each into a weight loss pot. Whoever loses 10% of their body weight first wins all the money. (The guys, on the other hand, are betting on who will win.)
We all felt that the extra motivation would help.
So why do people keep bringing in all these goodies?
In any case, the cake is delicious :>
A dozen or so of the ladies, myself included, threw $10 each into a weight loss pot. Whoever loses 10% of their body weight first wins all the money. (The guys, on the other hand, are betting on who will win.)
We all felt that the extra motivation would help.
So why do people keep bringing in all these goodies?
In any case, the cake is delicious :>
A life without a car is a life turned upside-down
Today Sean's picking me up at lunchtime and we're going to go get my car. The fuel something-or-other on the caburetor has been replaced, which means that there should no longer be a problem with gas getting to the engine. There is still a problem with the pressure in one of the cylinders--the explosion is "leaking", per se, so that it doesn't add as much oomph to the engine--but this is on a gradual decline, and is not worth messing with if we are simply getting rid of the car at the end of the year.
Which we are! We will be giving the Subaru to Ben and Manda, as promised, at Thanksgiving, and then buying me a new car.
At this point I'm thinking Yaris. Sean said the PT Cruiser didn't get high marks in the car rating magazines he studied when he decided to buy a Corolla. Of course, we don't know how well the Yaris rates, since it's brand-new. (It's the second generation of a car that has been around in Europe for several years. While we could find out how the first generation fared, that might not be very meaningful information.)
I have the rest of the year to decide. In the meantime, I will still be test-driving the Yaris liftback in the next couple of weeks.
This week I've been forced to get up earlier so that Sean could drive me to work and then go to work himself. I spend my morning in my office, wasting time online until 10:00 rolls around. After work I've been getting rides from coworkers, or Sean, or friends--Brooke picked me up yesterday and we went to the Greeneway.
When I get home I'm very tired. I figure something out about dinner (last night we both just ate cereal) and putter around on the computer. I always think that I will go to bed a little earlier so I can get more sleep, but then I end up staying up until midnight.
I don't know if I actually do need more sleep or not; though I'm tired in the mornings I usually shake it off by the middle of the day. But of course, I'm then tired again after work.
I will be so glad to have my own transportation again. America's general lack of decent public transportation means that I have been essentially stranded wherever I go. It would be nice if I could just hop on a local train or subway and be at or near my destination in half an hour or less, but hey, this isn't Japan. If I did try public transportation, I'd probably have to walk a fair distance to a bus stop and then ride around for over an hour to get to work.
Here's the Augusta Public Transit home page! It appears that I can go anywhere for $2.00. And here are the routes. Hmm. It looks like if I wanted to walk all the way to Target, I could get on the Sand Hills route (10) and that would take me downtown, and then I could take the Downtown Shuttle (18) to North Augusta. Let me revise my estimate; I think that would take a few hours ;P
I'd like to see a map with all their routes on it, instead of having individual maps. I'd also like a dynamic page that can figure out the best route to take based on my starting and ending positions, but whatever.
Oh well, you can't say I didn't try to understand Augusta Public Transit.
Bottom line: it will be good to have my car back.
Which we are! We will be giving the Subaru to Ben and Manda, as promised, at Thanksgiving, and then buying me a new car.
At this point I'm thinking Yaris. Sean said the PT Cruiser didn't get high marks in the car rating magazines he studied when he decided to buy a Corolla. Of course, we don't know how well the Yaris rates, since it's brand-new. (It's the second generation of a car that has been around in Europe for several years. While we could find out how the first generation fared, that might not be very meaningful information.)
I have the rest of the year to decide. In the meantime, I will still be test-driving the Yaris liftback in the next couple of weeks.
This week I've been forced to get up earlier so that Sean could drive me to work and then go to work himself. I spend my morning in my office, wasting time online until 10:00 rolls around. After work I've been getting rides from coworkers, or Sean, or friends--Brooke picked me up yesterday and we went to the Greeneway.
When I get home I'm very tired. I figure something out about dinner (last night we both just ate cereal) and putter around on the computer. I always think that I will go to bed a little earlier so I can get more sleep, but then I end up staying up until midnight.
I don't know if I actually do need more sleep or not; though I'm tired in the mornings I usually shake it off by the middle of the day. But of course, I'm then tired again after work.
I will be so glad to have my own transportation again. America's general lack of decent public transportation means that I have been essentially stranded wherever I go. It would be nice if I could just hop on a local train or subway and be at or near my destination in half an hour or less, but hey, this isn't Japan. If I did try public transportation, I'd probably have to walk a fair distance to a bus stop and then ride around for over an hour to get to work.
Here's the Augusta Public Transit home page! It appears that I can go anywhere for $2.00. And here are the routes. Hmm. It looks like if I wanted to walk all the way to Target, I could get on the Sand Hills route (10) and that would take me downtown, and then I could take the Downtown Shuttle (18) to North Augusta. Let me revise my estimate; I think that would take a few hours ;P
I'd like to see a map with all their routes on it, instead of having individual maps. I'd also like a dynamic page that can figure out the best route to take based on my starting and ending positions, but whatever.
Oh well, you can't say I didn't try to understand Augusta Public Transit.
Bottom line: it will be good to have my car back.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
I grew up in Kentucky, so of course I have never been to the Kentucky Derby
It's like how people who live in New York have never been to the Statue of Liberty.
Still, I found this article interesting.
I am such a tourist/snob/rich person-wannabe. "It's expensive, so obviously it must be awesome and therefore I must have it." ;>
Still, I found this article interesting.
As if custom-made hats, premium box seats and limo rides weren't enough, the Kentucky Derby will now feature the $1,000 mint julep.I don't drink, but my first reaction to this was "I want one!"
Sip this drink slowly.
The sweet cocktail will be made with one of the state's finest bourbons and served in a gold-plated cup with a silver straw to the first 50 people willing to put down the cash at the May 6 race.
Mint from Morocco, ice from the Arctic Circle and sugar from the South Pacific will put this mint julep in a class of its own, the distillery selling the drink said.
"We thought we would reflect on and complement the international nature of the Kentucky Derby," said Chris Morris, master distiller for Woodford Reserve. The distillery, owned by Louisville-based Brown-Forman Corp., will sell the drink only on race day to raise money for a charity for retired race horses.
I am such a tourist/snob/rich person-wannabe. "It's expensive, so obviously it must be awesome and therefore I must have it." ;>
The best song ever
I called in and recorded this at 9:30 or so this morning, and it's only now being posted. Hilarious!
Anyway, this is a song I learned when I was younger. I believe I learned this from my music teacher, Mr. Nichols. I can see the classroom in my head, and imagine the teacher striding between the desks singing this song, but I'm not positive about the teacher's name. I had a music teacher named Mr. Nichols at one point...but he may not be the right one.
Regardless, I will always remember this song, because it's awesome. It was one of the things I was singing to myself this morning, and I thought I'd share :)
Anyway, this is a song I learned when I was younger. I believe I learned this from my music teacher, Mr. Nichols. I can see the classroom in my head, and imagine the teacher striding between the desks singing this song, but I'm not positive about the teacher's name. I had a music teacher named Mr. Nichols at one point...but he may not be the right one.
Regardless, I will always remember this song, because it's awesome. It was one of the things I was singing to myself this morning, and I thought I'd share :)
Don't worry, be happy
Today didn't start off well.
I didn't feel that I'd gotten enough sleep, even though I did wake up naturally right before my alarm, as I've been doing this week. I didn't want to get up, so even after my alarm, I stayed in bed, not getting up until around 8.
The thought of going to work did not thrill me; I wanted to keep sleeping.
In the shower, I remembered that I still hadn't bought any soap. We've been out for a couple days now. I bathed with my face wash.
"Heather," Sean yelled later, as I was sitting at my computer reading news. He only calls me Heather to get my attention. He calls me Honey when he thinks I've done/said something silly/wrong/stupid, and he calls me Baby at all other times. Now you know the code!
I knew instantly it was about the soap, and I was annoyed. Surely he should know that I hadn't bought any soap. Had he seen me leave the house the previous night? No. And I don't have a car other than his, so I felt it should have been pretty obvious.
So I headed back there and told him there was no soap and that he should use his hand soap, and he resignedly shut the door.
Irritated, I drove to Eckerd and bought some soap while he showered.
I spent the rest of my before-work time grousing about how inconvenient my life is and how I have to do everything. Finally, in the car, I shared my feelings with Sean and worked towards a solution. But I was still unhappy when I got to work.
Then, as I was flipping on the light, I thought, We choose our mental state. I choose to make this a good day.
I know this works, but I'm always surprised when it does. After that I was cheerful, humming and singing to myself. I even called Audioblogger to record a song, which should show up eventually. :>
My day has only just begun. But it's going to be a good one!
I didn't feel that I'd gotten enough sleep, even though I did wake up naturally right before my alarm, as I've been doing this week. I didn't want to get up, so even after my alarm, I stayed in bed, not getting up until around 8.
The thought of going to work did not thrill me; I wanted to keep sleeping.
In the shower, I remembered that I still hadn't bought any soap. We've been out for a couple days now. I bathed with my face wash.
"Heather," Sean yelled later, as I was sitting at my computer reading news. He only calls me Heather to get my attention. He calls me Honey when he thinks I've done/said something silly/wrong/stupid, and he calls me Baby at all other times. Now you know the code!
I knew instantly it was about the soap, and I was annoyed. Surely he should know that I hadn't bought any soap. Had he seen me leave the house the previous night? No. And I don't have a car other than his, so I felt it should have been pretty obvious.
So I headed back there and told him there was no soap and that he should use his hand soap, and he resignedly shut the door.
Irritated, I drove to Eckerd and bought some soap while he showered.
I spent the rest of my before-work time grousing about how inconvenient my life is and how I have to do everything. Finally, in the car, I shared my feelings with Sean and worked towards a solution. But I was still unhappy when I got to work.
Then, as I was flipping on the light, I thought, We choose our mental state. I choose to make this a good day.
I know this works, but I'm always surprised when it does. After that I was cheerful, humming and singing to myself. I even called Audioblogger to record a song, which should show up eventually. :>
My day has only just begun. But it's going to be a good one!
Forgetful Me
Yesterday was one of two non-family birthdays that I will probably always remember.
The other one is December 13.
Sadly, I still don't have Brooke and Mari's birthdays memorized.
The other one is December 13.
Sadly, I still don't have Brooke and Mari's birthdays memorized.
Monday, April 10, 2006
FY(TM)I
I feel nauseated and bloated, and like I have indigestion.
You never think about how nausea and indigestion are different until you have them both at the same time. Or at least I don't!
You never think about how nausea and indigestion are different until you have them both at the same time. Or at least I don't!
Sunday, April 9, 2006
Patriots
A throwaway line in this post by Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing interested me. I've emphasized it below:
You see, I always got the impression that the liberal stance was "I love my country, including the part that says I have the right to question our government." This line makes me think that the stance is now--or at least Jardin's stance is--"I am not loyal to my country whatsoever."
I'm not going to suggest that "If you don't like it, get out", but I do wonder whether someone who is so detached from his country should have any influence over that country's policies.
Of course, Jardin is a commentator, not a politician...but her words do reach many people.
Self-portrait in a French press coffee pot ("freedom press," for patriots) by blogger and artist Kamala.The non-hilarity of the joke aside, this brings up a question.
You see, I always got the impression that the liberal stance was "I love my country, including the part that says I have the right to question our government." This line makes me think that the stance is now--or at least Jardin's stance is--"I am not loyal to my country whatsoever."
I'm not going to suggest that "If you don't like it, get out", but I do wonder whether someone who is so detached from his country should have any influence over that country's policies.
Of course, Jardin is a commentator, not a politician...but her words do reach many people.
Nesting
Look at this adorable kokeshi Brooke brought me back from England!
Her name is Hohoemi, according to the packaging and the little sign that came with her and the label stuck to her bottom. Ho ho ho!
Brooke told me she and David specifically looked for one of these because they knew I'd lost my original in the fire. Apparently they are very popular in England.
In the picture above, Hohoemi is sitting with the tray I bought at the oriental market on Dean's Bridge, the chopstick rests I bought at that same market and at Hibari Market in Lexington, and a pair of chopsticks from the Dean's Bridge market. All of these are sitting on the beautiful bar table Mom and Dad got for us:
They actually sent us two of these, due to a problem with the online ordering, and they said we could keep the second one too. Originally I was going to put them in the dining room, but after building the first one, I didn't think it looked right, so I put it in the living room. We'll have to see where the other one ends up.
As you can see, Sean has set up shop on the kotatsu. He loves it. As I have taken much delight in telling everyone, he keeps it on in 80 degree weather.
Originally he was disappointed by the size; we both expected it to be a little bigger. But then I remembered that it is a Japanese piece of furniture :>
I want a low black shelf to go on the wall where the TV is, to hold our books and DVDs. And then I want to get some rice paper accent lights. After that, the living room should be pretty much done, other than curtains and wall hangings.
You'll note that I have moved the chairs out. One of them is in the office, serving as my desk chair. I put the other one in the bedroom yesterday. I think that works pretty well.
The rest of the bedroom needs serious work. Our new king-sized bed should be arriving soon, at which point we'll pick a mattress. We're thinking about TempurPedic, but we're going to check out other options too. I've always been intrigued by the one with the "cells" that don't distribute movement, so you can jump up and down on the bed without spilling a glass of red wine. We'll just have to see what's comfortable.
Other than the new bed, I'd like a chest of drawers and two night stands. The gold lamps from the living room will probably end up in the bedroom, since they don't match the sleek style I'm going for, so the night stands will need to be large enough to accomodate them.
I'm thinking about putting the bed we have now in the office, so people can stay over, and to perhaps encourage Sean to come in here and be near me (he likes computing in bed). It just depends; there will need to be something, a small table or shelf or desk, on that wall to hold the router and modem, and Sean might decide he wants a desk after all...so there might not be room for the bed.
I still want a noren (or two!) for the kitchen. And depending on how I end up arranging the bar tables, we might need some sort of dining room table, too. We'll see. I also still need a shelf for my bathroom.
In all, though, things are really coming together. I'm happy with our space and the things we've chosen to fill it :)
Her name is Hohoemi, according to the packaging and the little sign that came with her and the label stuck to her bottom. Ho ho ho!
Brooke told me she and David specifically looked for one of these because they knew I'd lost my original in the fire. Apparently they are very popular in England.
In the picture above, Hohoemi is sitting with the tray I bought at the oriental market on Dean's Bridge, the chopstick rests I bought at that same market and at Hibari Market in Lexington, and a pair of chopsticks from the Dean's Bridge market. All of these are sitting on the beautiful bar table Mom and Dad got for us:
They actually sent us two of these, due to a problem with the online ordering, and they said we could keep the second one too. Originally I was going to put them in the dining room, but after building the first one, I didn't think it looked right, so I put it in the living room. We'll have to see where the other one ends up.
As you can see, Sean has set up shop on the kotatsu. He loves it. As I have taken much delight in telling everyone, he keeps it on in 80 degree weather.
Originally he was disappointed by the size; we both expected it to be a little bigger. But then I remembered that it is a Japanese piece of furniture :>
I want a low black shelf to go on the wall where the TV is, to hold our books and DVDs. And then I want to get some rice paper accent lights. After that, the living room should be pretty much done, other than curtains and wall hangings.
You'll note that I have moved the chairs out. One of them is in the office, serving as my desk chair. I put the other one in the bedroom yesterday. I think that works pretty well.
The rest of the bedroom needs serious work. Our new king-sized bed should be arriving soon, at which point we'll pick a mattress. We're thinking about TempurPedic, but we're going to check out other options too. I've always been intrigued by the one with the "cells" that don't distribute movement, so you can jump up and down on the bed without spilling a glass of red wine. We'll just have to see what's comfortable.
Other than the new bed, I'd like a chest of drawers and two night stands. The gold lamps from the living room will probably end up in the bedroom, since they don't match the sleek style I'm going for, so the night stands will need to be large enough to accomodate them.
I'm thinking about putting the bed we have now in the office, so people can stay over, and to perhaps encourage Sean to come in here and be near me (he likes computing in bed). It just depends; there will need to be something, a small table or shelf or desk, on that wall to hold the router and modem, and Sean might decide he wants a desk after all...so there might not be room for the bed.
I still want a noren (or two!) for the kitchen. And depending on how I end up arranging the bar tables, we might need some sort of dining room table, too. We'll see. I also still need a shelf for my bathroom.
In all, though, things are really coming together. I'm happy with our space and the things we've chosen to fill it :)
Choco-blackberry-banana smoothie
That's right, kids; I used my Magic Bullet for the first time today.
After reading through the instructions and the sample recipes, I threw together some ingredients I had on hand and came up with a pretty darn good smoothie. Here's the recipe, with nutritional info (because I love you).
1 banana (mine happened to be very ripe)
1/2 of 1.61 oz. Almond Joy bar
1 cup ice
3 T skim milk
I recommend spacing the ingredients out; what I did was put them in in the order listed above, which caused the ice to block the blades. I had to shake the cup and even stir the ingredients to get the Magic Bullet to process them.
Nutrition info generated by DietPower, based on my (possibly inaccurate) input.
After reading through the instructions and the sample recipes, I threw together some ingredients I had on hand and came up with a pretty darn good smoothie. Here's the recipe, with nutritional info (because I love you).
Choco-Blackberry-Banana Smoothie (1 serving)
4 oz blackberry yogurt (Dannon Light 'n Fit)1 banana (mine happened to be very ripe)
1/2 of 1.61 oz. Almond Joy bar
1 cup ice
3 T skim milk
I recommend spacing the ingredients out; what I did was put them in in the order listed above, which caused the ice to block the blades. I had to shake the cup and even stir the ingredients to get the Magic Bullet to process them.
Nutritional Info
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%DV means percentage of the Daily Value, the amount recommended for the average American adult.
Your needs may differ.
Your needs may differ.
Nutrition info generated by DietPower, based on my (possibly inaccurate) input.
Saturday, April 8, 2006
Yaris
Check out my new car!
Just kidding.
Come on, you should know that I want the liftback, not the sedan. And in cobalt blue!
I did test-drive the sedan today, though.
It's a very small car, which I like. The gas mileage is fabulous. The bucket seat is comfortable, though not as big as the seats in Sean's Corolla (something I noticed when I was driving the Corolla home). One weird thing was how the console was laid out--absolutely nothing in front of the steering wheel.
It took me awhile to get used to looking to my right to see my speed.
The view out the rear window seemed small and limited, but the car is so small itself that it's not as big an issue as it was, say, in those crazy Tauruses from a few years ago. Plus, the side mirrors help.
The sedan I drove did not have power locks and windows. The door locks were kind of funky, and they do not automatically unlock when you open the door from the inside. Also, the Yaris does not have daytime running lights. (This doesn't bother me, but Sean loves him some running light goodness.)
There was no cup holder immediately between the two front seats, but there was one dangling off the back of the center cubby. A little inconvenient, but at least it's there--the Subaru has no cup holders.
Driving the sedan hasn't given me an idea of what the liftback will be like, because the two were designed by completely different teams. I'm hoping that the brakes will be more responsive in the liftback; the sedan seemed to want to keep moving, despite my efforts to stop it. Maybe I'm spoiled by the very nice brakes in Sean's Corolla.
I'm also hoping that rear visibility will be improved by having a hatch rather than a trunk, but I honestly don't know how that will be. Since the car is so small, the headrests of the front seats actually obscure the view! I doubt that will be much different in the liftback.
The center console and controls are all pretty easy to navigate. Turn signals, wipers, and lights are all in the same place as the Corolla. The hazard lights are a button on the top of the console--fortunately, this button is positioned a good distance from other controls. In the Corolla, I'm always hitting the hazard lights every time I go to turn on the air conditioning.
The handling was great. Being a small car, it has a tiny turning radius, which is faboo. The steering was comfortable, too.
I had plenty of room, but I'm short. I don't know how my taller friends will react. Then again, Brooke can fit in the Subaru (with a little crouching, I think), so it might be okay.
In all, I was more pleased with the sedan than I thought I would be. It is much cuter in person than it is on the website.
However, I am still waiting for the liftback. Toyota of Augusta should be getting one in on April 21. I have my name down for a test drive already :D
Just kidding.
Come on, you should know that I want the liftback, not the sedan. And in cobalt blue!
I did test-drive the sedan today, though.
It's a very small car, which I like. The gas mileage is fabulous. The bucket seat is comfortable, though not as big as the seats in Sean's Corolla (something I noticed when I was driving the Corolla home). One weird thing was how the console was laid out--absolutely nothing in front of the steering wheel.
It took me awhile to get used to looking to my right to see my speed.
The view out the rear window seemed small and limited, but the car is so small itself that it's not as big an issue as it was, say, in those crazy Tauruses from a few years ago. Plus, the side mirrors help.
The sedan I drove did not have power locks and windows. The door locks were kind of funky, and they do not automatically unlock when you open the door from the inside. Also, the Yaris does not have daytime running lights. (This doesn't bother me, but Sean loves him some running light goodness.)
There was no cup holder immediately between the two front seats, but there was one dangling off the back of the center cubby. A little inconvenient, but at least it's there--the Subaru has no cup holders.
Driving the sedan hasn't given me an idea of what the liftback will be like, because the two were designed by completely different teams. I'm hoping that the brakes will be more responsive in the liftback; the sedan seemed to want to keep moving, despite my efforts to stop it. Maybe I'm spoiled by the very nice brakes in Sean's Corolla.
I'm also hoping that rear visibility will be improved by having a hatch rather than a trunk, but I honestly don't know how that will be. Since the car is so small, the headrests of the front seats actually obscure the view! I doubt that will be much different in the liftback.
The center console and controls are all pretty easy to navigate. Turn signals, wipers, and lights are all in the same place as the Corolla. The hazard lights are a button on the top of the console--fortunately, this button is positioned a good distance from other controls. In the Corolla, I'm always hitting the hazard lights every time I go to turn on the air conditioning.
The handling was great. Being a small car, it has a tiny turning radius, which is faboo. The steering was comfortable, too.
I had plenty of room, but I'm short. I don't know how my taller friends will react. Then again, Brooke can fit in the Subaru (with a little crouching, I think), so it might be okay.
In all, I was more pleased with the sedan than I thought I would be. It is much cuter in person than it is on the website.
However, I am still waiting for the liftback. Toyota of Augusta should be getting one in on April 21. I have my name down for a test drive already :D
Time-traveling chiropractor cures what ails you via phone and Internet
Obviously this guy has a very powerful mind.
A chiropractor who claims he can treat anyone by reaching back in time to when an injury occurred has attracted the attention of state regulators.
[...]
Burda denied that he is mentally ill. He said he possesses a skill he discovered by accident while driving six years ago.
[...]
The Web site describes the treatment as "a long-distance healing service (not a product) to help increase the quality of your life that can be performed in the privacy of your home or other personal space. There is no need to come to my office."
The treatment is not telepathic because the patient does not have to believe in what he's doing, Burda said.
Friday, April 7, 2006
Ergonomics
I've noticed that I don't hold my mouse the way they're designed to be held. My hand goes over it kind of sideways, so that my pointer finger rests on the scroll wheel. That's the most comfortable position for me. When I go to click on something, I slide my pointer finger over, which is awkward. I feel the stress running through the rest of my hand when I do it.
They should redesign the mouse to fit the hand's actual resting shape.
They should redesign the mouse to fit the hand's actual resting shape.
An unexpected visitor
Tom Hanks is all about Koizumi's hair
As are we all.
But Koizumi made a gaffe:
But Koizumi made a gaffe:
During the brief, jocular meeting at Koizumi's office, the 64-year-old prime minister also told Hanks, 49, that he looked much younger in his films.Come on, Jun-Jun; we Americans are blunt and all, but we're also horribly self-conscious about our ages :>
Hanks grimaced but quickly replied, "My children are constantly reminding me what an old man I am."
Thursday, April 6, 2006
I know you won't believe it, but I took more pictures
Yes, I am trying to create horrible load times on my front page.
Here's today's lunch.
I went out to the park next to the station and had lunch on the lone picnic table. Then I went back and forth about climbing the tree next to me. I went so far as to take my shoes off and try to get a leg up on the tree. Then I decided I didn't want to try it in a skirt while there were people around, so I gave up and headed back to the table. It was at that point that I noticed my feet were covered with pine sap.
After that, I stepped back into my sandals (effectively gluing my feet to them) and wandered around for pictures.
Mom had told me she wanted to see a particular tree up close, so I strolled down the street to get a picture of it. The tree is in front of a house two or three doors down from the Always Christmas house.
After that I got my best picture of a dandelion EVAR.
Here's today's lunch.
I went out to the park next to the station and had lunch on the lone picnic table. Then I went back and forth about climbing the tree next to me. I went so far as to take my shoes off and try to get a leg up on the tree. Then I decided I didn't want to try it in a skirt while there were people around, so I gave up and headed back to the table. It was at that point that I noticed my feet were covered with pine sap.
After that, I stepped back into my sandals (effectively gluing my feet to them) and wandered around for pictures.
Mom had told me she wanted to see a particular tree up close, so I strolled down the street to get a picture of it. The tree is in front of a house two or three doors down from the Always Christmas house.
After that I got my best picture of a dandelion EVAR.
The purpose of MySpace: to pimp your music?
I keep receiving MySpace messages from people I don't know who want me to listen to their band's music. Does this tactic work? I usually just ignore the messages.
Quest for karate master leads to...nothing
Poor kids.
Three Singaporeans were found safe on Thursday after getting lost on what they said was a mission to find a legendary karate expert on a snowy mountainside in Japan.Here, in case you're interested, is a size-comparison picture of Singapore and Japan (thanks be to MultiMap).
One of the three men told police in Hirosaki, near the northern tip of Japan's main island, that they had come to Japan after his dying father, a martial arts expert, had ordered them to seek out the karate teacher, TV Asahi said on its Web site.
"Japan looked so small on the world map that we thought we would be able to find him straight away," one of the group, aged between 25 and 50, was quoted as saying.
All three were dressed in light clothing and huddling in an abandoned car when they were rescued from the slopes of 1,600-metre (5,249-ft) Mount Iwaki in the early hours of the morning after calling for help on a mobile phone, a police spokesman said. "Neither police nor local people know of anyone running karate classes in this area," the spokesman added.
North Augusta woman leaves 15-month-old in car for nine hours
Obviously, the child died.
My first reaction upon hearing this story was to growl, "Death penalty!" I think I scared my coworker.
According to the Chronicle, the woman's coworker said she was having trouble finding a babysitter. There needs to be a solution for this. I'm tired of hearing about children dying due to neglect, and I'm tired of hearing excuses. I can understand feeling trapped, needing to make money to feed the kid and so being afraid to call in to work to stay home with the kid...but honestly, leaving the child in the car all day? The stupidity here is mind-boggling. Parents need to be smarter.
And there needs to be a community solution that helps single parents or parents who both have to work to have decent childcare during the day. Because regardless of how well we try to educate people, there are always going to be morons. We need to have systems in place to protect our children from them.
My first reaction upon hearing this story was to growl, "Death penalty!" I think I scared my coworker.
According to the Chronicle, the woman's coworker said she was having trouble finding a babysitter. There needs to be a solution for this. I'm tired of hearing about children dying due to neglect, and I'm tired of hearing excuses. I can understand feeling trapped, needing to make money to feed the kid and so being afraid to call in to work to stay home with the kid...but honestly, leaving the child in the car all day? The stupidity here is mind-boggling. Parents need to be smarter.
And there needs to be a community solution that helps single parents or parents who both have to work to have decent childcare during the day. Because regardless of how well we try to educate people, there are always going to be morons. We need to have systems in place to protect our children from them.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Pictures
I posted more pictures last night and forgot to mention it. (Or was too tired to mention it, whatever.)
The first group is a small set from Monday's lunch, when I had Sean's car. I went to Wife Saver and got some catfish strips, then went to the North Augusta boat dock (and dropped my tea, spilling it all over the parking lot. Alas).
I also finally got some decent shots of the WBBQ radio towers. They dominate the skyline in certain parts of North Augusta, so I'm always taking pictures of them, but rarely are they ever, you know, not washed out.
Well, I like it, anyway.
The next set is from yesterday, when I walked to Burger King.
People haven't been commenting on my pictures, and no one (except Mom) ever goes to my actual gallery and posts comments, so I have to come to the conclusion that my pictures are terrible.
I'll keep posting them anyway. :P
The first group is a small set from Monday's lunch, when I had Sean's car. I went to Wife Saver and got some catfish strips, then went to the North Augusta boat dock (and dropped my tea, spilling it all over the parking lot. Alas).
I also finally got some decent shots of the WBBQ radio towers. They dominate the skyline in certain parts of North Augusta, so I'm always taking pictures of them, but rarely are they ever, you know, not washed out.
Well, I like it, anyway.
The next set is from yesterday, when I walked to Burger King.
People haven't been commenting on my pictures, and no one (except Mom) ever goes to my actual gallery and posts comments, so I have to come to the conclusion that my pictures are terrible.
I'll keep posting them anyway. :P
Local television Web producer tired, hungry
One of the male anchors from work was in my dream last night. He was giving a Bible study class about how forgiveness is a theme in both the New and Old Testaments, and for some reason he was talking about Job...except in the dream version of the story, Job had children who were also put through horrible trials. In retrospect the lecture makes absolutely no sense, but in the dream I found it very moving.
I'm at the station a little early this morning due to not having a car. Same as yesterday. Bleh.
Yesterday I walked to Burger King for lunch. There are plenty of places I can get to in a 20 minute walk. I didn't bring a lunch today, so obviously I'll be walking again. The sad thing is that I forgot to eat breakfast. I thought about walking somewhere for that, but I really didn't feel like it. Maybe I have enough change to get a honey bun or something out of the snack machine.
This week has already run me ragged, and it's only Wednesday morning!
I'm at the station a little early this morning due to not having a car. Same as yesterday. Bleh.
Yesterday I walked to Burger King for lunch. There are plenty of places I can get to in a 20 minute walk. I didn't bring a lunch today, so obviously I'll be walking again. The sad thing is that I forgot to eat breakfast. I thought about walking somewhere for that, but I really didn't feel like it. Maybe I have enough change to get a honey bun or something out of the snack machine.
This week has already run me ragged, and it's only Wednesday morning!
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Saving the world, one souvenir at a time
Newsweek: Vanishing Acts
This article discusses the wonders of the world, and how, due to various factors, we are losing them. It concludes that one of the major forces of destruction might be molded into a savior.
As the world changes, new things replace old things. Even if we go back and try to preserve something, we ultimately have to sacrifice something else. Is the 1970s concrete block of a building worth less than the 1950s house it replaced? Aren't both icons of their time period? How do you choose which to restore?
This is not to say I don't think we should try and save the wonders of the world--it's just that I find the perspective of this article to be a little naive.
I am personally a big fan of tourism done right. I would like to see more tourism here in Augusta, for the history and beauty rather than for the Masters. The idea that tourism could be used to "save the world" is attractive to me.
This article discusses the wonders of the world, and how, due to various factors, we are losing them. It concludes that one of the major forces of destruction might be molded into a savior.
A world awash in tourists can be a curse for its endangered treasures, or a source of funds to save them. Getting the balance right could be the difference between future generations beholding the living wonders of the world, and merely reading about them in a story book.It seems to me that the world has always been changing, and things we would call landmarks today disappear regularly throughout history. But I suppose there is more of a global awareness now that might make it seem as though everything is vanishing all of a sudden.
As the world changes, new things replace old things. Even if we go back and try to preserve something, we ultimately have to sacrifice something else. Is the 1970s concrete block of a building worth less than the 1950s house it replaced? Aren't both icons of their time period? How do you choose which to restore?
This is not to say I don't think we should try and save the wonders of the world--it's just that I find the perspective of this article to be a little naive.
I am personally a big fan of tourism done right. I would like to see more tourism here in Augusta, for the history and beauty rather than for the Masters. The idea that tourism could be used to "save the world" is attractive to me.
Wireless billing scam?
I got an automated call just now from the telephone number 888-249-9735. The recording said it was from Sprint. The message stated that our wireless service was reading its "spending limit", and that to avoid "service interruption", which would occur within 48 hours, we needed to make a payment. It asked me to put in my billing zip code, and then to make an automated payment, at which point I hung up.
If this is a scam, it's a pretty clever one. I almost believed it for a second, because Sean does make a lot of long-distance calls. But there are several fishy things about the situation.
The phone number is unlisted on whitepages.com, and I don't see it on Sprint's website. Sean just paid our Sprint bill. Also, my number is not the primary line on our account; you'd think Sprint would deliver such a message to Sean's phone. And how could we reach a "spending limit" when we have unlimited night and weekend minutes and no long distance or roaming charges? :>
The most telling thing is this: there was no way for me to confirm that the caller was actually with Sprint. I had two options when they asked me to make the payment: either make one immediately, or put the line on hold to gather my account information and then make the payment immediately. There were no "We'll call you back later" or "Call us back later" or "Make your payment online" options.
I told Sean about it so he could check our account just in case, but I'm pretty sure this is a scam. I hope people are smart enough not to make payments to people who call them randomly on the phone.
If this is a scam, it's a pretty clever one. I almost believed it for a second, because Sean does make a lot of long-distance calls. But there are several fishy things about the situation.
The phone number is unlisted on whitepages.com, and I don't see it on Sprint's website. Sean just paid our Sprint bill. Also, my number is not the primary line on our account; you'd think Sprint would deliver such a message to Sean's phone. And how could we reach a "spending limit" when we have unlimited night and weekend minutes and no long distance or roaming charges? :>
The most telling thing is this: there was no way for me to confirm that the caller was actually with Sprint. I had two options when they asked me to make the payment: either make one immediately, or put the line on hold to gather my account information and then make the payment immediately. There were no "We'll call you back later" or "Call us back later" or "Make your payment online" options.
I told Sean about it so he could check our account just in case, but I'm pretty sure this is a scam. I hope people are smart enough not to make payments to people who call them randomly on the phone.
Ainu activist hopes to raise cultural awareness through children's book
Kayano Shigeru, an Ainu activist, wrote the children's book The Ainu and the Fox in 1974, and a picture book edition came out in 2001. This year, it is being released worldwide in an English edition.
"The Ainu and the Fox," which Kayano authored in 1974 based on an Ainu folktale, underscores the importance of people's co-existence with nature. In the story, a fox who faces expulsion because he ate a salmon caught by Ainu people claims that God created salmon and determined the number of the fish that go up the streams so that Ainu people, bears and foxes can divide them.Charles T. Whipple interviewed Kayano. The article isn't dated, but I'm guessing the interview took place around 1994.
This summer, (name) passed away, leaving one of the 10 Socialist seats vacant. Shigeru Kayano got that seat, and became the first Ainu Dietman ever.Unfortunately,
Immediately, the switchboard at the lower house office building was inundated with phone calls. "Can you wear traditional Ainu dress in the Diet?" some wanted to know. "Is it okay to ask questions in the Diet in the Ainu language?" others asked. All because Shigeru Kayano is also Japan's best known Ainu. He has devoted most of his life to the preservation and promulgation of Ainu language and culture. He's written 25 books on these subjects, one of which has been translated into English and dubbed "Our Home Was a Forest--an Ainu Memoir."
"Shamu (the Ainu word for Japanese) don't understand my Japanese," Kayano says, sitting in his corner Diet office. "They buy 50,000 or 60,000 of each of my books, but nothing happens. They don't understand."
Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone once said he was glad Japan was a homogeneous nation, because it was the blacks and the hispanics that pulled literacy levels down in the United States. As is the case with most Japanese, he ignored two other races -- the Ainu on Hokkaido and the Okinawans of the Ryukyu islands.
[...]
Working as a day laborer, Kayano watched his native culture gradually slide toward oblivion.
"I started going to Noboribetsu to work in the tourist traps," he explains. "We performed the bear-sending ceremony three times a day. In real life, it was done once in five or ten years."
At the ripe old age of 29, Kayano was astounded at the tourists' naive questions:
"My, your Japanese is very good. Where did you learn how to speak that well?"
"Can you eat Japanese food?"
"You wear the same kind of clothes as a Japanese."
"Do you pay taxes?"
That's when he decided the Ainu language and culture needed saving. Since then, he hasn't deviated from that goal in the slightest.
A total of 3,000 copies [of "The Ainu and the Fox"] will be sold in Japan, North America, Australia, Britain and South Korea. Further details are available by calling its publisher, the Tokyo-based R.I.C. Publications, at (03) 3788-9201.That's not too terribly many, is it? Maybe I can get my hands on the Japanese edition :>
Monday, April 3, 2006
I can't sleep
Earlier, I fell asleep on the couch. Sean was sitting at the kotatsu and I wanted to be near him. I also wanted to ask when we were going to watch the latest Smallville, but he was busy so I was waiting for a break in his game. I guess one didn't come.
I woke up at about 12:30 and got online, where I did some reading and chatting and basic puttering around, and then I started trying to sleep. But I just sort of lie there, and nothing happens.
So I got up and got a few things ready, like the rent check and my tax documents, and organized some of my paperwork, and put my magazines in the bathroom. Then I tried to sleep again.
No dice.
So finally I gave up and got back online. I wrote some emails that needed to be written and sent out an invoice. I'm hoping that dealing with unfinished business will help turn my mind off, because it's just racing. I lie there in bed and I just can't shut my brain down.
I guess I've been staying up too late this weekend.
My car is at a real mechanic's shop, so tomorrow Sean and I will be sharing his car. I think what we'll do is let me keep the car, because that way we don't have to get up as early. We'll take him to work first (he's on his 9 to 6 this week) and then I'll go to my job. Originally he was going to drop me off first and then go to work, but that would mean I'd be in North Augusta two and a half hours early, and we'd both have to get up at a ridiculous hour.
I'm still probably going to get up at a ridiculous hour, because I have some more contract work to do.
This contract stuff is starting to wear on me. But I like it, so meh. I haven't done any extra work all week due to moving and the car situation. I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to getting back into it or not.
I'm currently watching a new anime called Fate/stay night. (Yes, in English, with that capitalization.) It features...a normal boy with powers he doesn't know he has. Maybe that's just my genre?
But really, it's not all that similar to Kyou Kara Maou. For one thing, this guy, Shirou, is apparently attractive to girls. It's not quite harem, but it's close. For another, Shirou isn't the king of a country in another dimension(?). And of course, there aren't bishies everywhere.
The anime does share some vocabulary with KKM, though. Maryoku, for instance. The fansubber I'm using (the one that gets releases out the fastest, natch) translates maryoku as "mana", which is interesting. And I guess that makes sense. I don't know enough about the fantasy genre; I never would have thought of mana.
There is a difference in Japanese between mahou and majutsu, or "magic" and "sorcery". I'm still trying to figure out what the difference is. Here are some definitions from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC:
Anyway, those definitions don't help much. I got the impression from Kyou Kara Maou (and my understanding of the suffix -jutsu) that majutsu was more like a skill, something you had to learn, while mahou was more of an innate ability. Kind of like how we can all learn to walk on our own, but have to work a little bit at things like reading. But I don't know if that is actually the case, or if there is some other difference. The definitions give majutsu a darker connotation, but that doesn't necessarily conflict with my understanding. After all, black magic is unnatural because it does things that go against the normal flow; learned skills, it could be argued, are the same. It's not natural, for example, to build a skyscraper.
But obviously I'm just guessing here, following context clues, just like how I built my English vocabulary. It's a great system for remembering, but not necessarily for total comprehension. So those of you in the know, please feel free to enlighten me.
I went to Kohl's today and got some nice tops and a new pair of pants. They were finally selling shells; I guess it was just too early last time I went looking. I got three: a blue one, a brown one, and a pink one. I also got a short-sleeved purple sweater and a sleeveless blue sweater thing. I was going for tops that will be comfortable in the heat, but still nice-looking. The new pants were my response to not having any decent casual pants. I love my low-rider jeans and khakis, but the jeans have a hole in the butt and the khakis get terribly wrinkled. Both show their age. I was hoping to find replacements, but I ended up with some olive slacks instead. Meh.
When I was going through my paperwork I discovered a 10% off Kohl's coupon, so maybe I'll go back ;P
I don't feel tired at all, but I guess I should try to sleep some. Get at least a couple of hours in before the new day. So...'night.
I woke up at about 12:30 and got online, where I did some reading and chatting and basic puttering around, and then I started trying to sleep. But I just sort of lie there, and nothing happens.
So I got up and got a few things ready, like the rent check and my tax documents, and organized some of my paperwork, and put my magazines in the bathroom. Then I tried to sleep again.
No dice.
So finally I gave up and got back online. I wrote some emails that needed to be written and sent out an invoice. I'm hoping that dealing with unfinished business will help turn my mind off, because it's just racing. I lie there in bed and I just can't shut my brain down.
I guess I've been staying up too late this weekend.
My car is at a real mechanic's shop, so tomorrow Sean and I will be sharing his car. I think what we'll do is let me keep the car, because that way we don't have to get up as early. We'll take him to work first (he's on his 9 to 6 this week) and then I'll go to my job. Originally he was going to drop me off first and then go to work, but that would mean I'd be in North Augusta two and a half hours early, and we'd both have to get up at a ridiculous hour.
I'm still probably going to get up at a ridiculous hour, because I have some more contract work to do.
This contract stuff is starting to wear on me. But I like it, so meh. I haven't done any extra work all week due to moving and the car situation. I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to getting back into it or not.
I'm currently watching a new anime called Fate/stay night. (Yes, in English, with that capitalization.) It features...a normal boy with powers he doesn't know he has. Maybe that's just my genre?
But really, it's not all that similar to Kyou Kara Maou. For one thing, this guy, Shirou, is apparently attractive to girls. It's not quite harem, but it's close. For another, Shirou isn't the king of a country in another dimension(?). And of course, there aren't bishies everywhere.
The anime does share some vocabulary with KKM, though. Maryoku, for instance. The fansubber I'm using (the one that gets releases out the fastest, natch) translates maryoku as "mana", which is interesting. And I guess that makes sense. I don't know enough about the fantasy genre; I never would have thought of mana.
There is a difference in Japanese between mahou and majutsu, or "magic" and "sorcery". I'm still trying to figure out what the difference is. Here are some definitions from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC:
魔法 【まほう】 (n) magic; witchcraft; sorcery; (P) [Ex][G][GI][S]I find "thermos flask; vacuum flask" hilarious. Is the connotation that being airtight is magical? What sorcery is this? :D
魔方陣 【まほうじん】 (n) magic square [G][GI][S]
魔法使い 【まほうつかい】 (n) magician; wizard; sorcerer; witch [G][GI][S]
魔法的 【まほうてき】 (adj-na) magic [G][GI][S]
魔法瓶 【まほうびん】 (n) thermos flask; vacuum flask; (P) [G][GI][S]
魔術 【まじゅつ】 (n) black magic; sorcery; (P) [Ex][G][GI][S]
魔術師 【まじゅつし】 (n) magician; conjurer [Ex][G][GI][S]
魔術的経済学 【まじゅつてきけいざいがく】 (n) voodoo economics [G][GI][S]
Anyway, those definitions don't help much. I got the impression from Kyou Kara Maou (and my understanding of the suffix -jutsu) that majutsu was more like a skill, something you had to learn, while mahou was more of an innate ability. Kind of like how we can all learn to walk on our own, but have to work a little bit at things like reading. But I don't know if that is actually the case, or if there is some other difference. The definitions give majutsu a darker connotation, but that doesn't necessarily conflict with my understanding. After all, black magic is unnatural because it does things that go against the normal flow; learned skills, it could be argued, are the same. It's not natural, for example, to build a skyscraper.
But obviously I'm just guessing here, following context clues, just like how I built my English vocabulary. It's a great system for remembering, but not necessarily for total comprehension. So those of you in the know, please feel free to enlighten me.
I went to Kohl's today and got some nice tops and a new pair of pants. They were finally selling shells; I guess it was just too early last time I went looking. I got three: a blue one, a brown one, and a pink one. I also got a short-sleeved purple sweater and a sleeveless blue sweater thing. I was going for tops that will be comfortable in the heat, but still nice-looking. The new pants were my response to not having any decent casual pants. I love my low-rider jeans and khakis, but the jeans have a hole in the butt and the khakis get terribly wrinkled. Both show their age. I was hoping to find replacements, but I ended up with some olive slacks instead. Meh.
When I was going through my paperwork I discovered a 10% off Kohl's coupon, so maybe I'll go back ;P
I don't feel tired at all, but I guess I should try to sleep some. Get at least a couple of hours in before the new day. So...'night.
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