Round Up

I hope that everyone had/having a nice holiday.

Did you get a Christmas sweater?

I have had an office and been in a cubicle. Oh, how I wish I had this when I was in a cubicle. I would have had way too much fun.

Here are the top social networks. Wasn't too surprised about MySpace and Facebook. To me Facebook seems to have a lot of uproductive applications. I've never used LinkedIn. It seems to be more for business or for those looking for employment. Supposedly LinkedIn is going to have its own platform and will not have some of the unproductive applications that are prone to other social networking platforms. Time will tell.

Nice way to create your own cookbook.

I have fallen head over heels for John Derian's decoupage. Check here, here and here.

Momspit-universal cleanser.

I think 2007 will be the year that I became re-interested in handmade goods. I spent so much time of the fabulous Etsy site, and purchased some wonderful items. I visit the Etsy Pick of the Day site, and have become an Etsyaholic. Kudos to you Etsy.

The National Gallery of Art's Collage Machine is fun. I think it's supposed to be for kids, but then, aren't we all kids at heart. (need Shockwave for this)

Steve: the Art Museum social tagging project.

Omnibiography claims to be the largest online directory of biographies.

Have a telephone number, but don't know the geographic location of the nubmer. FoneFinder can help with that.

Another interesting blog: It's Knot Wood.

I wish for everyone Happiness, Love, Peace and Prosperity for the New Year.

"As you go through your week, month, and even New Year, recognize the people who have packed your parachute and enabled you to get where you are today!" Author Unknown

Round Up

Socks. I never give much thought to them. I have been wearing black, short Smart Wool socks for years. There was a time (back in the day) when I use to wear knee socks and thigh high socks. Because I'm outdoors more now I was looking for some thigh high socks and came across Sock Dreams. They have the most amazing selection of socks, all kinds of socks.

Since I'm covering feet, I thought I would cover hands. Look at these cute mittens made from recycled sweaters. These are available from BaabaaZuZu

Love, love to see what people collect and the creative ways they display their collections.

I must confess I was never a huge fan of the Planet of the Apes movies. I've seen a couple of them, but I just couldn't get into them. I use to work with a woman who knew all of the dialogue to the movies, and she would act out the different parts. She was too funny. Check out the Hasslein Curve-Planet of the Apes Timeline.

Something cool from my home state of Pennsylvania.

Metafilter's Ask Metafilter has birthed the wiki Read Me.

I once had thought of having a blog all about purple and its many shades. Someone is crazy about turquoise.

Looking for a private place for storing and sharing photos, video, audio, notes, docs, etc. Each is accessible only to those whom you tell exactly where to look. No signup and no account. You don't even have to use your email. Go to Drop. io.

2009 is the bicentenary of Charles Darwin's birth. A group will be launching a sailing replica of the HMS Beagle. They will be performing research both on sea and on land. Read more about on their blog.

All of you folks out there who are making toy purchases this year might want to visit the Healthy Toy Database.

Finally, a knitting and crochet community-Ravelry.

Hmmm, I wonder if there is a pear or lime museum?

I had never heard of the Keisuke Serizawa Calendars before. These were popular with U.S. officers' wives in Japan at the end of WWII.

Oh good grief, someone invented a snowman kit.
I think this is a bit ridiculous, but if they are going to have a man, then they need to have a woman kit. What's wrong with using some items from your home, get creative. When I was a kid we would use and old hat of my dads (he never had a top hat) and an old scarf, etc. Oprah even has a kit listed as one of her favorite things. Now come on O.

This will probably be my last post before the holidays. Everyone have a wonderful holiday. May your hearts be light.

"Backward, turn backward. O time in your flight, Make me a child again-just for tonight." Elizabeth Akers Allen

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." Agnes M. Phar

Round Up

There's something about the smell of bacon cooking that makes me want to give up my vegetarian ways. It really sets my mouth to watering. A friend of mine told me about a recipe, well not really a recipe, more a procedure that sounds delicious. You take some cooked, crumbled up bacon, mix it in a scoop of maple ice cream (maple walnut would be devine) and then put it over french toast. OH MY GOD!!!!!!

My elf name si Batty Monkey-Buns. Appropriate for me these days in so many ways. What's yours?

This is only relevant for those folks in the WDC area that take the subway and use a Smart Trip card. I purchased the card when they first came out even though at that time I only took the subway 1 or 2 times a week. I was tired of purchasing a farecard and then having it not work. Supposedly people's phones were wreaking havoc with the paper cards, but my phone was seldom on so I never understood how that was happening.

Anywho, I am now taking public transportation all the time, and I found out that these indestructable Smart Trip cards can get damaged. I dropped mine last week and I didn't even realize there was a tiny crack in the middle of it. Not until I went to add value to my card did I find this out. So yes, they can crack and mess up your whole day.

The Horticulture Society of New York has a blog.

I heard this toast over the weekend and thought, oh yes, this is a keeper. I've been collecting quotes and toasts for years and will have to add this one to my collection.

May you kiss whom you please
and please whom you kiss.
But love only the one whose lips
you would miss.

Can't remember what number the lords-a-leaping are-Christmas Carol Database. And speaking of Christmas look at these 12 Days of Christmas plates. More here. I keep seening more and more 12 Days of Christmas themed items. I also saw some napkins with this them, but can't recall where.

I've been seeing the preview for the movie Beowulf a lot. I won't be seeing this movie, but I was wondering what other movies had been inspired by poems. Of course soemone else was also wondering and compiled a list. Another movie list-9 famous jewels from the movies. I don't know-Kryptonite a jewel??

I have fallen in love with these Chinese laudry tubs.

The snowman doughnuts are back. I'm waiting for some snow women.

This is different than I thought it was going to be, but the Curehunter Visual Medical Dictionary is a graphic display of words dictionary. Search for a disease or drug and the viewer will get not only a list of relevant results, but a technical definition and a drug-disease relationship network graph.

This years Pimp My Bookcart winners. Oh to work in a fun library.

Love these wooden birds. These cuties were designed by Kristian Vedel in the late '50s. They have been re-issued and are available here.



2 interesting Flickr photo sets. Here and here.

That's all folks.

"Santa Claus has the right idea; visit people once a year." Victor Borge

Lookybook

This is so cool that it's the only item I am going to post about. Lookybook. If you like picture books, then I think you will love this. As a viewer, you can actually turn the pages. I find this pleasantly tactile and could do this all day. All you have to do is register. Hours and hours of fun.

Round Up-Part 2

So I think I've found some more commercials that I am totally charmed by. The Starbucks Christmas commercials are running neck and neck with my beloved Tractor Supply Company commercials.

Have money to burn and looking for a unique gift for someone. Check out Cloud 9 Living.

There was a time when I took a lot of cabs (company was paying). Out of the hundreds of cabs I rode in, I only had 1 female cab driver. She was great. First of all, her cab smelled wonderful. As soon as I sat down in the cab, she asked me if I wanted to listed to some music, and if so, what type. That was probably my best cab ride ever. She talked about her kids, she was in school, etc. As opposed to the toothless, garlic-reeking male drivers who had the nerve to try and flirt. Eee gads!!!!! Melissa Plaut is a female cabbie in New York City. Here's her blog and she's a blogger with a book deal.

And speaking of New York, some clever person has created site of movies that have filmed in New York.

I'm not making a gingerbread house this year, but that won't stop me from virtually making a gingerbread house. Here and here. Too cute!!

The gingerbread houses that I have made were pretty standard. I never thought of trying out different architecture. I always wanted to try and make a Victorian gingerbread house, but then would chicken out and go for the standard. Look at this mid-century modern house for sale at Red Envelope. This looks kind of like a 1 level version of my childhood home.

Now for some book news. The 2007 book lists have started. The New York Times is alread out with their 100 Notable Books of 2007. Also, the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2007.

I was telling A. the other day that I sure would like to get some applewood to burn in the fireplace. We're going to look locally for some, but if all else fails the Internet to the rescue. Firewood.com can send you the wood of your choice. They also carry beautiful birch wood.

Uh-oh. I found another 'opoly.

I have had a thing about castles since I was a kid. I become awed by photographs of them, so I can just imagine how I would be if I ever got to see Neuschwanstein Castle or Dunbeath Castle (Ireland).

There are "castles" in America too. The Richthofen Castle in Denver is a castle with an interesing story behind it. The Castle was built by the uncle and grandfather of the Red Baron, Baron Manfred von Richthofen. His name was Baron Walter von Richthofen. The castle was already built by the time the baron's famouse nephew was flying the skies.

And of course, the castle is supposed to be haunted. (scroll down to the middle of the page to read about the castle-one day I'll learn how to link to other areas on a webpage)

So I found a new online game Picto. I thought oh this is simple. How can it be a game? Silly, silly, me. I can only get up to 15. See how you do smartypants.

Cool dentistry library blog and great tips on what to do with all of that Halloween candy.

Have a nice weekend.


"How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” Dr. Seuss

Round Up 1

I seem to have amassed quite a few sites, so this week I think there might be 2 roundups. (woo-hoo)

I don't know how much energy this would save, but it's a search engine powered by Google that uses a black screen, aptly named Blackle.

I read a few craft blogs and it appears that softies are very popular with the craftsters out there. I have looked at so many of these and I really like Tamar Mogendorff's dolls.

I was looking for some information on St. Michael's Mount and found this list of tidal islands on Wikipedia. Islands have always held a certain mystique to me and tidal islands moreso. These tidal islands also have a bit of mystique to them. The reason that I was looking for information on St. Michael's Mount was because A. and I had a bet (we are always making bets with each other and then reneging on the bet-okay I end up reneging on the bet-There, I've said it) on the name of the castle that is on the BBC America logo. He was right. It's St. Michael's Mount I, who thought I was really up on my castle identification (love castles)guessed something totally different and no I'm not going to tell my ridiculous guess. I think I need castle flash cards.

Have some problems with coyotes? Check out Coyote Bytes. Apparently coyotes are becoming quite a problem in many areas of the country where they never were before.

I just think this would be a fun job. Maureen Taylor is a photo detective. I love when people are able to turn what might have been a hobby into a money-making venture.

I'm a candle nut and I was wondering if anyone has tried the wood wick candles. The Virginia Candle Company makes these and they have a natural wick made from organic wood. The wick makes a crackling sound when lit. I've read some descriptions that say it sounds like a fireplace crackling.

My favorite candles are Votivo, but I also like the Henri Bendel candles, in particular the Firewood. I have had mine for awhile and I just looked on Bath * Body Works website and they don't seem to have this scent anymore. It's amazing. Especially for this time of year. And speaking of Bath & Body Works-if you like scent the Tree scent and the Winter scent are incredible. I could go on and on about home scents. I am obsessed. I always have been. And I still can't believe that I didn't know about Yankee Candle tarts until a work friend told me about them a couple of years ago. Enough about this. I could go on and on.

Library Use Value Calcualator.

Once I finish the 3 knitting projects I've started I think I am going to try this one. Heck, I loved anatomy class back in the day.

Ohio State has a Cartoon Research Library. I seem to be more interesed in cartoons and comics now that I'm a mature lady than when I was an immature lady.

Oh, the money I could have saved on education if I had only known.

I've already started getting excited about the Christmas commercials that are already being aired. My favorites from last year were from the Tractor Supply Company (TSC). I was watching DIY over the holiday and they air TSC commercials a lot. I don't know who the creative genius is behind their advertising,but I hope they keep this team on. I still love my California Cows, but TSC is awesome.

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” Mary Lou Cook

Round Up

Cool architecture-The Flowerbox Building

Jen, from Brooklyn, photographs her breakfast everyday. The photography is beautiful. Check out Simply Breakfast.

You have probably heard of Tiny URl, but what about Decent URL?

K. sent me this list of Medical Wikis. Thanks K.

Have you heard of Veropedia? Veropedia is a collaborative effort by a group of Wikipedians to collect the best of Wikipedia's content, clean it up, vet it, and save it for all time. These articles are stable and cannot be edited, The result is a quality stable version that can be trusted by students, teachers, and anyone else who is looking for top-notch, reliable information .

The squeamish might want to move past this, but MedlinePlus has videos of surgeries and other medical procedures.

Wellcome Images contains over 40,000 biomedical images from the Wellcome Library"s collections. Lots to feast your eyes upon here.

Check out this catalog card generator.

Garden-opoly, Dog-opoly, Birdopoly, Mayberryopoly, Canadaopoly, Strippopoly (obviously for adults),Collegeopoly,Cocktailopoly, ,Dino-Opoly, Horse-opoly, Wine-opoly, Cat-opoly and finally the one that I one that I yearn for Bookopoly. I probably shouldn't even think about this, but wouldn't it be fun to collect all of the 'opoly games? Hmmmmmm

I have always like magicians. I mean really liked them. I never actually wanted to be a magician, but I was always fascinated by them. I came across the name Fetaque (pronounced Fee-Take) Sanders and now I am searching for information on him. Fetaque Sanders was an American of African descent magician who toured with the USO during WWII. He performed for the black troops in the then segregated Armed Forces. After WWII he made his living by performing at black schools. Here are some posters featuring him. Some more information on Mr. Sanders.

I leave you with a bit of autumnal splendor.



Have a good weekend and a wonderful holiday.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John F. Kennedy

Round Up

Yesterday I learned that if you type in a URL and place a question mark at the end of the URL you will get the most updated version of that webpage. I had to do this for my blog. I updated the entire blog with new colors,etc., but it wasn't showing. Hopefully it will be okay today.

For all of you cereal lovers out there here is a very cool quiz from the folks at Mental Floss magazine. I didn't do so well, but I didn't really expect to since I'm not now or ever have been a cereal eater.

Very good Wikipedia page on placeholder names.

Another Wikipedia offering: Parliament Street, Exeter, England-the world's narrowest street.

And yes, one more from Wikipedia. School bus yellow . And since I'm speaking about color how about Golden Gate International Orange?

Okay, I have a confession to make. My heart has strayed. I'm a cheater. I am lusting in my heart for another. You want a name; I'll give you a name. I must atone for my sin in some way. The name, the name is Ranunculus. I know, I'm nothing but a hussey, cheating on my beloved peonies that way, but I can't help myself. I just can't .

ACLU Surveillance Society Clock.

Shhh....The State Department has a blog.

Oh how I love, love, love Anthropologie. If I ever won a contest where I could go crazy in a store for 10 minutes and gather everything I want and not pay-this would be one of the stores where I would want to do that. The clothes, housewares, just everything. And look at this adorable ornament.

Are the weeds in your yard driving you mad? Are they out of control? You may want to rent-a-goat.

Since I seem to be Wikipedia nuts today here's another entry. Subtropolis. I had never heard of this, but it's fascinating. Here's there official website.

I found another cool online store (they are also brick and mortar). American Harvest. They have lots of wonderful folklore items. They also have a blog. I had to laugh when I just linked to their blog. The first thing I saw is an angel tree topper. Is tree topper one word or two? That's another thing that drives me nuts. Yesterday I posted about my problem with "K's"; well I also have a problem with the cutesy way we combine words that should be "unto themselves", but we turn into 1 word.

I digress. At first I thought it was one of my favorites-an Infant of Prague. How I became so attached to the Infant of Prague I have no idea. I'm not even a religious person and the faces never freak me out the way doll faces and angel tree toppers do. The angel tree topper photo scared the hell out of me. I have such problems with them. We had one on the tree for years that we finally had to give to the thrift store because I swear she was following me around the room with her eyes. Just me, not A.

That's all for now. Have a good weekend and those of us that are lucky enough to be off on Monday-enjoy that as well. I will be thinking about my dear, sweet Dad. He will be 83 on Thursday(15th) and is a WWII vet. Love you Daddy!!!

"Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative." - Maurice-Auguste Chevalier

"K"

What the hell is it with all of these "K's"? I am so sick of seeing words that are generally spelled with a "C" spelled with a "K". It seems like this inappropriate use of "k" has krept (crept) into all walks of life.

During the 60's there was the creative use of "k" in Kanada and Amerika. There are all of these kutesy (cutesy) names like Kathy's Kut and Kurls and Kwik Kuts. Businesses that have intentionally spelled their names incorrectly drives me bonkers. Some more oh so cutesy names of businesses: Kopy Korner, Kandy's Kandies, Krazy Customs and Katy's Cookies.

And what about Krazy Kat.

Or Krazy Glue.

I could go on and on, and you are probably thinking, she's left out the biggest "K" abuser of all. Krispy Kreme. So, even though Krispy Kreme has given me many moments of sugary bliss, many moments when everything was indeed right with the world; to be fair I must include them in the Inappropriate Use of the Letter K Klub, I mean Club.


"...simplified spelling is all right, but, like chastity, you can carry it too far." - Mark Twain, The Alphabet and Simplified Spelling speech, December 9, 1907

Children's Book Week

Next week is Children's Book Week.

As I've noted many times in this blog I love children's literature. I don't particuarly like calling it children's literature because it's really just good literature that all ages can enjoy. Yes, of course Pat the Bunny and Good Night Moon is obviously written for the wee ones,but I know I will never get to old to enjoy Clement Hurd's wonderful illustrations or Margaret Wise Brown's words.

When I was a teenage I volunteered at our town library. It was also our school library and was located in the high school. The wonders of small town living. And I mean wonders. I miss small town living more and more each day. One of my duties as a volunteer was to read to the children during storytime, which was every Saturday morning. I really enjoyed it.

Most of the books I read to the kids I had at home or they had been read to me when I was a little girl. I would generally just get the book out for the next week and look through it quickly and that was it. Except for this memorable time. I was supposed to read The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.

Since I had never read this book and was totally unfamiliar with it I should have read it first. But I didn't. When reading to the kids I tried to be extra expressive and I would do different voices for different characters. I took my story book reading very seriously. At the age of 16, I took everything seriously.

So the next Saturday I sat on my little stool and started to read the story. The more I read aloud the more it was like I was reading it just to myself and the children weren't even there. The next thing I knew I just burst into tears. This beautiful story about how toys become real had moved me that much. I was so embarrassed. One of the more vocal children came up to me and said don't kigh/ Miss L., don't kigh. That just made it worse.

When I think of that little boy now, and I can still see his sweet face, but I can't recall his name, I still can feel how I felt in that moment. I'm welling up typing this with the memory so near. That little boy probably has children of his own and I hope that he spent some time reading The Velveteen Rabbit to them.

I hope that everyone has a book from their childhood that means that much. After all, the books from childhood have the power to forever change you, and they seem to be the ones that we remember the most.

Here is a list, not in any particular order, of some of my favorite "children's literature. And it's just a partial list, there's far too many to list.

1.The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

3. The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron.

4. The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank

5.Charlotte's Web by E.(Elwyn)B.(Brooks) White

6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

7.The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

8. The Nancy Drew Series by Mildren Wirt Benson(Carolyn Keene)

9. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

10. 365 Bedtime Stories by Mildred Gilbertson (Nan Gilbert). I adored this book and wish I could find a copy of it. For awhile there I was bidding like crazy for it on eBay, but the prices were just too high for this favorite. I had the one at top.

As you can see most of these were childhood favorites. There are so many new titles that I have come to love: The Harry Potter series, The Library by Sarah Stewart and The Herman Tantamoq Series by Michael Hoeye.

So, next week read a book to a child, purchase a book and drop it in a bin for kids that can't afford a book or maybe re-read one of your childhood favorites.

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ~ Madeleine L'Engle

“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” ~Maya Angelou

Round Up

Minimum wage laws in the United States. It's heartbreaking that the minimum wage is so paltry. In a wealthy country like this the lowest salary should be $50,000 a year.

Check out all of the cool packing tape. I was excited when I found Christmas packing tape a couple of years ago.

The Turkel House located in Palmer Woods in Detroit, Michigan was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was originally built for Mrs. Dorothy Turkel. The house built 52 years ago has been suffering from neglect. The house has been purchased and is being restored. Flickr has photographs of some of the restoration.

21 amazing facts about pigeons (yes, pigeons)

I've fallen in love with yet another china maker, Johnson Brothers. I particuarly like their village scenes and castles.

I am starting to like more and more things with villages on them. I don't know what it is, or how someone's tastes can change so much. I would have never liked anything like this sort of busy china or anything villagey, but now I do. I may have to go and get a jigsaw puzzle that has a village. Yes, I do jigsaw puzzles. I used to do a couple every year at Thanksgiving. I haven't done one in awhile because I just don't seem to have the requisite patience it requires, but I might have to try anyway.

Martha Stewart has a blog and it's updated everyday. Say what you will about this woman, but I can't have a lot of bad feelings for anyone who loves Halloween the way this woman does.

I am not even going to say anything about this, but look at this forest swastika.

AbeBooks has a list of literature's scariest characters. Can you think of any others?

I am a mushroom lover. I keep thinking maybe I should attempt to cultivate my own. Look at this video about growing mushrooms in a laundry basket with straw?

Have a good weekend.

"Wit lies in recognizing the resemblance among things which differ and the difference between things which are alike." - Madame De Stael

Round Up

First let me say that my heart goes out to all of the folks in Southern California. My parents, thankfully, did not have to evacuate, but their neighborhood is still a smokey, ash-filled place, but nobody lost their home. I wish some brilliant person could come up with some preventative measure to ensure that this does not happen again. What about wetting down the entire area before the Santa Ana winds arrive in late October? Sounds silly, but it might work.

And now to more light-hearted talk.

Do you remember when you finally learned up to jump rope and you thought you were the coolest thing? Or what about when you learned how to "jump in"? I always loved jumping rope and I still jump rope occasionally only now it's more for weight control. I love the Double Dutch Divas. They are amazing and they look like they are really having a blast.

Feed hungry people and test your vocabulary at the same time at Free Rice. Today I learned that cumbrous means unwieldy.

There was a time when I use to collect baskets. I had quite a few. Nothing so grand as a real Shaker Basket or these wonderful Sweetgrass Baskets.

I have become such a fan of these repositional graphics or wall decals. I have some on the wall of my office, but I would love to have some from Ferm Living. Now the company has a USA prescence and I would love to get some of their decals. Love the power pole , but really, really, really diggin' the Love Birds. They even have a blog.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture won't be opening until 2015, but there is website.

The GrayLit Network is a searchable database of U.S. Federal Government gray literature. And you might be asking, "And what my dear is gray literature?" Gray literature is literature that is not easily found. I could go on and on, but that is basically what it is.

That's all for this week. Have a good weekend and be thankful for everything you have.

"The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love." - William Sloan Coffin

Round Up

Take this bigots Nobel prize away from him. It just goes to show everyone's bigotry comes to the forefront one way or another. Am I surprised? No, of course not. I deal with this shit on a daily basis from people who swear they are very, very liberal and don't have a racist bone in their bodies. I'm just disappointed once again.

The international media project This I Believe has a wonderful website. I first heard about this on NPR and I got the book out of the library last week. I like that anyone can post their thoughts and it's just not a celebrity thoughtfest type of project. Some of the entries brought tears to my eyes. Check it out.

I never gave much thougth of the pocket protector and it's been awhile since I've seen anyone sporting one. Here is the history of the pocket protector and the pocket protector collection.

One of my favorite sites is Neatorama. They had a post on the 10 most amazing temples. Hands down the one that totally blew me away is the Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan.

Wikitravel-need I say more?

Fascinating site about the Mao (Sun Yat-sen) suit. Every time I see one of th suits I think of that Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation video. Just can't escape the pop culture.

I have fallen in love with the items from Polka Dot Platypus. If you have babies in your life,believe me, you will want to spend some cash here. Such cute items. And what a delightful name. I always said that if could own a children's bookstore I would name it Knick Knack Paddywack.

K. thanks for telling me about Gridskipper. What a cool site. It's edgy and urban and chock full of information.

Occasionally A. and I will watch some of these judge shows while we are eating dinner. I am absolutely appalled at the way Americans speak. And I'm not talking about regional accents or anything like that. I am talking about deplorable grammar and the horrific buthering of words. It's awful. I think some of these folks should subscribe to Daily Grammar. Yes, I know that I tend to be a maniac about this sort of thing, but I spend a lot of time looking up words. I always have. Nothing has pleased me more than to be able to go to Merriam Webster online and hear word pronunciations. A. and I had a bit of quibble on the way to work this morning on the pronunciation of the word desultory. It's des-ill-torey. We both were a bit off on that one, but now we know.

Once again I am going to whine about the weather. It's October 19th. I need it to be cool and windy. I want to go for a long walk, wearing a sweater, and I want to hear the crunch of beautiful-colored leaves under my feet. While I'm walking I want my hands to be chilled and to feel that nip in the air. I want to return home from my walk and put on one of my Autumnal tarts to burn and have some cider. I CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT IF IT'S 80 DEGREES.

"[The secret of] how to live without resentment or embarrassment in a world in which I was different from everyone else ... was to be indifferent to that difference." - Al Capp

Stuff

I was looking through a magazine the other day and I was reminded of some of the different projects we used to do when I was a Girl Scout. I remember making the balloon paper mache jack-o-lanterns. Now, I don't recall if we had orange crepe paper back in the day. I think we just used torn up pieces of newspaper and then painted them orange when they dried. I definitely know we didn't have Mod Podge. We just used watered down Elmer's Glue. The most fun was popping the balloon after the paper mache had hardened, and then decorating them.

I wish I had saved so much of my Scouting paraphernalia. I wish I had saved all of the Girl Scout books or manuals, my autograph books, etc. The one item I did save is my sash with all of my badges. It cracks me up to look at it and see how I sewed the badges onto the sash. I don't even remember what some of badges are for. I also can't believe I got the sash around me, but then I do remember weighing 39 pounds when I was 6 years old. Our German Shepherd Nicki weighed the same amount and my mom has a picture of the two of us with our weight. I didn't really pork out until the last 10 years. I wonder what sorts of cool crafts Scouts do these days. My mom was my brother's Cub Scout leader for awhile and I used to help her with projects for them. Loads of fun.

So, I really don't have much to talk about today. I'm happy that cooler weather is prevailing, even though I've taken to wearing a baseball cap to protect my face and my hair from the pesky afternoon sun. Ever since I was a kid the sun turns my hair white. People always thought we were putting something on my hair. My friends would lay in the sun for hours and use bottles of Sun-In (I think that's what it was called). Mine just turned naturally, and I didn't care for it. Not my whole head turned, just the hair around my face. Now nature is turning the sides gray and the sun is turning the part touching my forehead white. Oh, yeah-very attractive. Hence, the baseball cap. I think it's interesting that we never get what we want, when it comes to things like hair.

The only other comment I have to make is about the Northwest Passage. And the comment I have is : LEAVE IT THE HELL ALONE. I'll be following this issue very closely. I have always been crazy, crazy about anything to do with the Arctic, and I so don't want us to do any more damage than we (and yes I do mean we AMERICANS) have already done to this pristine place.

"Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line through a land so wide and savage
And make a northwest passage to the sea " taken from the Northwest Passage song by Stan Rogers

Round Up

The garden Gnome craze hasn't really gotten to me yet, but I keep seeing more and more of these magical curmudgeons in more and more yards. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that there is a Gnome Reserve and Wild Flower Garden.



Check out the cool design of the mugs and other items from Dovetail Shop and Studio.



I hope that public restrooms will start to feature the very clever footpull soon.



Girl Power-Half of us are Female, but only 10 of our leaders are. That's right ONLY 10.



The Gallery of "Misused" Quotation Marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Real names of the Marx Brothers:

Chico Marx-Leonard
Gummo Marx-Milton
Groucho-Julius
Harpo-Adolph (changed to Arthur)
Zeppo Marx - Herbert



Gems from the Archives of the New York Times. Lots of good articles here.



This site of Passive-Aggressive Notes is hilarious.



A history of the V sign.



Have a good week and a good long weekend.



"The leaves fall patientlyNothing remembers or grievesThe river takes to the seaThe yellow drift of leaves."- Sara Teasdale

Round Up

I knew it, I knew it. I knew that Aristotle, Ferdinand Magellan and oh yes, that schmuck Columbus were wrong.

If you were/are a fan of the program Dead Like Me, there's going to be a movie (yippee).

Thinking of moving. Movingscam might come in handy.

My newest ceramic obsession is Cathrineholm ceramics. (the link is to an ebay page. I'm loving the orange and the black. In fact, I am liking so many things that are orange these days). It's Norwegian ceramics. Lovin' everything about Scandinavia.

The longest living light bulb in history.

Square America, a gallery of vintage shots and vernacular photography.

The Mother's Day Project. I think this is a lovely idea, but it pisses me off that there is a need for anything like this. It should piss everyone off.

My Favorite Mirror makes custom pocket mirrors and oh so cool mousepad, which I am in the market.

Oh, someone after my own heart. Love the List Universe. (thanks K. how did I miss this one).

You must visit the very cool blog Faces in Places.

Eons, a social networking site for the 50+ crowd.

Love this photography. Probably because most of it is in Sweden.

A few more days and it will be my favorite month. Can't wait.

falling leaveshide the pathso quietly~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com

Round Up

I had never heard of or seen a bottle tree before, but it wasn't long before I moved to the South (okay Maryland I know you don't consider yourself the South, but I do) did I find out about these charming bits of folk culture. If you can't make your own, the Bottle Tree Man can create one for you.

This story about the Lost Gardens of Heligan are fascinating.

Another small car I've been diggin'.

I'm always interested in knowing where author's papers end up-being the big author groupie that I am. I also get excited when I see that there papers are available electronically. I mean, I really get excited. I was thrilled to see that the wondeful University of Illinois Press has made Booker T. Washington's papers available online and get this-they're searchable.

Frosting/Icing color chart. Why didn't I have this when I used to bake a lot.

Cow Pots-the pots you plant.

Pooch crazy, yes I am. This just cracked me up.

Drexel University has a well-done exhibit devoted to Women Physicians 1850's to 1970's.

Top 100 Science Fiction Books.

Breathtaking.

Totem Poles-incredible artistry.

That's all folks. Have a good one. I think some cooler weather is coming my way. Happy, happy days.

"Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are." Jose Ortega y Gasset

A Wrinkle in Time

I didn't read A Wrinkle in Time until I was older, but it was very much like a light was turned while I was reading this wonderful book. When a friend recommended the book to me, I kept thinking this book sounds like fantasy and I'm not a big fantasy lover. This book was so much more than anything I could have imagined. A book that combined science with wonderful characters was something I would have loved to have read as a child.

I re-read A Wrinkle in Time every couple of years and it still charms me as much as the first time I read the book. I was so crazy about this book I had to find out more about its author Madeline L'Engle. What an amazing woman Ms. L'Engle was. I ended up reading quite a few of her children's books and her books for adult reader. I am especially fond of her book, The Summer of the Great Grandmother. I am not a religious person, but I enjoyed reading her thoughts on religion and her mystical approach to religion in general.

Sadly, Madeline L'Engle passed away last Thursday (9/6/07) at the age of 88. She disliked being classified as a children's author. Here's what she had to say about that, "In my dreams, I never have an age," she said. "I never write for any age group in mind. When people do, they tend to be tolerant and condescending and they don't write as well as they can write. "When you underestimate your audience, you're cutting yourself off from your best work."

She shared her unique gifts with us and I for one will always be thankful for that. You can find out more about her here , here and here.


"In the face of such shape and weight of present misfortune, the voice of theindividual artist may seem perhaps of no more consequence than the whirringof a cricket in the grass, but the arts do live continuosly, and they liveliterally by faith: their names and their shapes and their uses and their basicmeanings survive unchanged in all that matters through times of interruption,diminishment, neglect; they outlive governments and creeds and societies, eventhe very civilizations that produced them. They cannot be destroyed altogetherbecause they represent the substance of faith, and the only reality. They are what we find when the ruins are cleared away."
Madeline L'Engle-Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage.

Round Up

I'm going to start this entry by talking about two incredible women, Grace Paley and Kris Carr.

Grace Paley passed away last week at the age of 84. I must say that I was more a fan of Grace Paley the woman, than I was of her as a writer. Oh, I'm a fan of authors-more than a fan-a groupie; but Grace Paley wrote mostly short stories. She also wrote poetry, and I am ashamed to say I have never read any of her poems, and short stories have never been my cup of tea. What I admired about Grace Paley was her unabashed liberalism, her years of activism, her want and love of peace and justice.
This is why I and many others loved her.

Last night, between watching Serena and Roger at the U.S. Open, I happened to switch over to TLC. I ended up watching an amazing documentary, by an incredible woman, Kris Carr. The documentary is Crazy Sexy Cancer. Kris Carr found out she had a very rare form of cancer 4 years ago. This documentary tells, with much humor and bravery, how she fights her cancer and all the people she meets along the way. She also has a blog and a book. There's so much more I want to say about this incredible individual, but just watch the documentary or read her blog.

So all you here about in the news and on television is DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Has it been awhile since you studied about this in science class? If so, DNA from the Beginning might be just the primer you need.

Da Wanda-European Etsy.

Someone sent me Babies Eating Lemons from You Tube. It's hilarious and oh so cute.

Even though I work in WDC, I still get a kick out of seeing all the monuments every day. I don't see the White House on a daily basis, but I think we Americans think, Yeah, the White House, so what. (or maybe our attitude depends upon whose "up in there"). Anywho, I don't think I've ever given much thought to where other heads of state reside. Presidential Homes Around the World doesn't include all the head of states, but it does have a few. Love the pink Casa Rosado in Argentina.

Flickr is the bomb. Two more photosets I like. Vintage books and Paris windows.

Another cool Wikipedia list-People With Craters of the Moon Named after Them.

When I saw these Adinkra symbols they reminded me of my beloved hobo signs.

Kaboost-very cool chair booster.

I would love to have an heirloom book done by the Good Stock people. What a wonderful idea.

Have a great holiday weekend.

Grace Paley was asked what her dreams were for her grandchildren. Her response was, " “It would be a world without militarism and racism and greed – and where women don't have to fight for their place in the world."

Round Up

Sarah Vowell groupie-yes, I am. Hear what Sarah has to say about architect Louis Sullivan. Do you have a favorite architect? And, please don't say Frank Lloyd Wright. I love him too, but who else.

Oak Park Public Library has received a $3,000 grant to develop the countries first transgender resource collection. Love the name of the Collection Development Librarian-Bleue Benton.

Hmmm...Great Moments in the History of Technical Services.

I was searching for something the other day, and it escapes me what it could have been, but I wound up on the List of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks Wikipedia entry.

I've spent the week reading articles from the magazine The Next American City. I haven't seen this one on the newstand anywhere. Really great articles on cities.

Interesting article on yearbooks and libraries that collect them.

Cute new children's book-The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris.

I would love to see the musical Bookends. This musical is about Madeline Stern and Leona Rostenberg, the legendary antiquarian booksellers who you may have read the book Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion. More about the musical here.

Sadly, Madeline Stern passed away this wake at the age of 95. Ms. Stern was the person who discovered the earlier "blood and thunder" writings of Little Women author Louisa May Alcott. Ms. Stern was 95. Read an interview that she give with her partner Leona Rostenberg.

Someone else who made my world a bit brighter passed away this week as well. Jon Lucien was a jazz singer, but for me, his rich baritone was evocative of warm island breezes and sand between your toes. He was 65. Here's more from Mr. Lucien's website.

Have a good weekend.

"There are times when I think that the ideal library is composed solely of reference books. They are like understanding friends - always ready to meet your mood, always ready to change the subject when you have had enough of this or that." J. Donald Adams

Round Up

(Once again-I apologize for any wonky spacing problems in this post)

Love, love, love to bake. I don't bake very much anymore because of my sugar problems and A. doesn't eat sweets. I know-How can that be? My beautiful red Kitchen Aid mixer is so lonely.

So what do I do to quell the Baking fever. Read baking blogs and eye all of the gorgeous food porn that abounds in the blogosphere. I came across Bakespace-MySpace for bakers the other day.

And speaking of baking, look at this ginormous cupcake. One can purchase the giant cupcake pan from here. Popgadget actually shows a good image of the pan. Things like this just make me giggle a bit. I can't even imagine how one would go about cutting this or seriving it. I would think it would end up a big mess on the plate.

When I was a kid we had to make the approximately 80 mile round trip to Pittsburgh once a week to see my asthma doctor. This went on for a number of years because my asthma was so bad and I had suffered an atelectasis (collapsed lung). We would either go by or stop in Big Boys. Big Boys was a burger, fry, shake restaurant. It was very 1950's. Out front there was this giant, well, big boy. I loved him. Any sort of giant symbol I'm all for. He sort of looked like the one in Livonia, Michigan, but they didn't have him perched so high-this one's going to get a nose bleed.

Even though I'm not baking too much anymore a couple of weeks ago I did whip up one of my old favorites. No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies. You know the ones with the peanut butter, chocolate and oatmeal. A friend of mine asked me to make these for her, but I ended up altering the recipe. I found a recipe that uses Nutella. Oh, my, gosh. The recipe also called for Frangelica, but I left that out and used high quality vanilla. Here's the recipe for Nutella Oatmeal Cookies. I only ate two and of course cleaned out the bowl and got the cookies out of the house as soon as possible. I think I might try that yummy white chocolate peanut butter next time instead of nutella.

Blueprint magazine featured an article entitled 100 reason to get rid of it. It's also been bounced all over the web. I've seen it on a couple of blogs. I thought I would join in because they really cover everything.

For all of you Mike Rowe fans (of Dirty Jobs fame)-All About Mike Rowe.

Every evening we watch the BBC News. Last night they had a story about 4 mountain gorillas being killed in the Congo. I actually shrieked when they showed the slain gorillas. One was a mother gorilla and her baby was found alive. There's more about it here (be warned-photographs) and if you go to the BBC News website there's the video they showed last night.

On Wednesday night BBC News had a story about the what is thought to be the last river dolphin in China.

All I have to say about both the dolphin and the mountain gorillas is this-STUPID FREAKIN' HUMANS.

Last weekend A. and I went to see Becoming Jane. It was okay. A lot of liberties were taken with historical accuracy, but it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours. For some authentic Jane Austen check out Jane Austen Quote of the Day. .

Love this idea-The Historic Architecture Campus Project. I was very excited to see one of my alma maters listed.

Make sure to watch for the Perseids this weekend.

"This we know. . . the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected, like the blood which connects one family. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. " Chief Seattle (c. 1786 - 1866)

Miscellany

Macaroons. I've become obsessed with them. Not what we in American call macaroons, but French macaroons(macarons). The party-colored delectables below are what I am speaking. Not that I've ever tasted one. There's a couple of bakeries in my areas that have them, but I have journeyed to get them and of course I could bake them myself, but let's face it-I'm just too lazy at this point in time. (even too lazy too drive to pick up these mouth-watering treasures-the height of laziness, which you would think that I would be too ashamed to admit)

What's sort of crazy, but then this always happens is focus. Once you focus on something it then appears to be everywhere. I keep seeing them in magazines, baking blogs, and I found out about cookbook author Dorie Greenspan's blog and voila-look at her Monday, August 6, 2007 post.

For some non-confectionary news, congratulations to Charles Simic, the new U.S. Poet Laureate. I confess to never having heard of Mr. Simic, but am looking forward to reading some of his poetry. And if you care to know who all of the U.S. Poet Laureates were, take a gander at this handy dandy timeline provide by LOC.

Science Hack-science video (hours of fun).

Just in time for Halloween-possessed books.

PC World has listed the 100 Blogs We Love.

After 40 years of being in deep freeze at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, the complete Apollo Image Archive is available for browsing or downloading. Here is an article about the archive and here is the link for the archive.

I have always wished that every tree and flower, especially those in public spaces, were marked with not only their common name, but their classification, order, family, etc. You get my drift. Sometimes it's just inconvenient to carry all of the different printed resources on tree and flower identification with you. I can remember as an undergrand at Seton Hill wishing that someone would do that on campus. Seton Hill is a beautiful tree-heavy campus and I always wondered what was there besides maple and oak. Reed College in Portland, Oregon has a website devoted to their trees. Very cool.

3191 is a photo blog that two women share. They live 3, 191 miles apart. One in Portland, Maine and one in Portland, Oregon. They each post one photo every day. I really like this blog. It's simple and elegant and a very clever idea.

"Bakers of bread rolls and pastry cooks will not buy grain before eleven o'clock in winter and noon in summer; bakers of large loaves will not buy grain before two o'clock. This will enable the people of the town to obtain their supply first. Bakers shall put a distinctive trademark on their loaves, and keep weights and scales in their shops, under penalty of having their licenses removed." 1635 law introduced by Cardinal Richelieu

Round Up

Thoughts and well wishes to the people of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

It's good to know that there are companies that care about more than the bottom line. TOMS is one of those companies. Blake Mycoskie started the company after a visit to Argentina. His shoes for tomorrow(toms-tomorrow-Get it) are a simple canvas shoe that comes in a variety of styles. For every shoe purchased, a pair of shoes is donated to a child in need. Very, very cool. So far over 10, 000 pairs of shoes have been donated to the children of Argentina.

My friend to the let is JABBA. JABBA the hanging dryer from Ikea. Clever, very clever.

So your on vacation and you return home and find all of these pesky folks cluttering your picture. Some clever person has written a tutorial on how to remove said pesky folks.

Wonderful site devoted to FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry). I'm telling you these ladies rocked (rock).

These web trend maps are fun. This one has the 200 most successful websites.

I have been spending way too much time on Google Patent Search.

If you are a fan of Vermeer, then you must visit this Vermeer Clickable Map or this Vermeer Clickable Map.

A friend of mine told me about the adorable blog Fat Eric and Friends. Just too cute.

How to Make a Box tutorial.

Flickr really is a wonder. People think of such interesting topics. Look at some of the Corners of My Home pics. Lots of great decorating ideas without the cost of one of the expensive home magazines.

That's all for today. Have a nice weekend.

"So our lives In acts exemplary, not only winOurselves good names, but doth to others giveMatter for virtuous deeds, by which we live. " George Chapman (1559?-1634) ATTRIBUTION:Bussy D’Ambois. Act i. Sc. 1.

Round Up

I'm a sucker for a two-lane road. Rural Pennsylvania is thick with two-lane roads and nothing was more of a pleasure than to get in the car, and explore these rural gateways. Driving along these scenic roads, surprises seem to lurk around every twist and turn. The Icefields Parkway beckons. I can't think of anything better-the Canadian Rockies and a two-lane road. Here is some more information on the parkway.

More Canadian-Bay of Fundy Blog

I have always been under the impression that Doo Wop was a muscial term. Apparently it is also applied to certain types of architecture. There is a Doo Wop Preservation League that is an organization whose educational mission is to foster awareness and appreciation of the popular culture and imagery of the 1950s and 1960s and to promote the preservation of the largest collection of mid-century or "Doo Wop" resort architecture found in the United States, right here in the Wildwoods.

The magazine Sassy was around after I was a teen, but I know that so many females were very upset when it folded. Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer were fans of the magazine and together have penned How Sassy Changed My Life: A Love Letter to the Greatest Teen Magazine of All Time . I'm always interested to see why magazines fold. Looks like I'll have to add this to my TBR (To Be Read) list.

Urban Outfitters has a blog.

Since I started writing this blog I have menntioned quite a few books. I generally link to Powells. This is really just for information purposes. I am a huge proponent of supporting independent bookstores. So if you are going to purchase a book, try and purchase from an indie. That's my soapbox for this post.

I adore public art. And I would love to see this art installation. Has anyone seen WaterFire? It combines my two favorites-fire and water. I don't know, I keep finding out all of these cool things about Rhode Island. A. and I are looking for a place to relocate. Hmmm.

I have been digging Martini in the Morning (Internet Radio) this week. Was I the last two know about this cool cat?

I remember when the cookbook/memoir Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine came out. I had a copy of it and thought it was delightful. I didn't know that these sisters (and I do mean that both ways) have two restaurants. Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too and Miss Maude's Spoonbread Too.

I thought that these were called pom-poms. So why is this called a ponathon or ponponathon? I'm very confused. Is it regional? I used to make tons of these when I was a kid, probaby for some Girl Scout project and we called them pom-poms. Here's something about Youth Pom Poms and Pom Pons. Oh, cool, pon pons from nature. They look like they all have Afros.

Look at these Red Etch-It cups.

One of my new blog addictions is Aubrey's Blog . This blog is full of lush,lyrical writing about women, history and art and other topics. Of course I'm partial to the name of the blog since that's my sweetie's name. A name that seems to be a popular girl's name these days. (the new Lindsay Lohan movie, I Know Who Killed Me, that's being advertised for example)

Want to keep up with your Muppet news? Muppet Newsflash.

Look at this Rubik's Cube cake. I'm awed by what the home cook can do.
Yes, I am awed by what Duff and his crew on Ace of Cakes do as well, but the home cook with non-professinal equipment, kids running around, etc,. yet still able to be creative. Hats off to You.!!



Have a great weekend.



"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." Albert Einstein

Taney

"It is difficult at this day to realize the state of public opinion in regard to that unfortunate race which prevailed in the civilized and enlightend portions of the world at the time of the Declaration of Independence, and when the Constitution of the United States was framed and adopted; but the public history of every European nation displays it in a manner too plain to be mistaken. They had for more than a century before been regarded as beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations, and so far unfit that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect."--from Roger B. Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott decision)

What you have just read is an excerpt from Robert B. Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott decision. Robert B. Taney was was the twelfth Attorney General and the fifth Chief Justice of the United States., and the author of the Dred Scott Decision. Interestingly enough, he died on the same day that Maryland, his home state, abolished slavery.

There is a bust of Taney in the Supreme Court. This bust meant with strong oppostion when it was commissioned after the installation of a life -size figure of Taney at the Maryland State House in Annapolis in 1872.

A heated debate erupted in the Senate Chamber when Senator Lyman Trumbull of Illinois introduced a bill providing for a bust of Taney for the Supreme Court room. In response, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts exclaimed: “I object to that; that now an emancipated country should make a bust to the author of the Dred Scott decision.” While Trumbull eulogized the late chief justice, noting that even if Taney had made a wrong decision he was still a great and learned man, Sumner retorted: “Let me tell that Senator that the name of Taney is to be hooted down the page of history. Judgement is beginning now; and an emancipated country will fasten upon him the stigma which he deserves.” [1] Following the debate further action on the bill was indefinitely postponed.

Therefore, it was not until January 29, 1874, that a congressional resolution authorized the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a bust of Taney and one of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase. (via Senate website)

People are urging officials to remove the statue of Taney at the Maryland State House and a statue of him located in Frederick, Maryland.

And how does Fig Newtons and Scotch feel about this? Well, my knee-jerk reaction is yes, remove these statues, but then I started thinking, if we removed all of the statues of racist people around the country ......You see where I am going with this. Apparently there are quite a few statues of Taney around-are they all going to be removed?

Here is a link to the Washington Post article that caused me to read way too much about Taney. I don't know how I actually feel about the last paragraph of the article. If you visit the Maryland State House, you have Taney by the front entrance, and Thurgood Marshall at the back entrance. Is that suppose to make us black folks feel better?

"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute. " Thurgood Marshall (1908 - 1993)

Round Up

I came across a bit about the Grace Lee Project. Has anyone seen this documentary? Sounds really good, I may have to purchase it.


Wonderful article about growing old by Jon Carroll.

I have mentioned a few times in this blog how I am ga ga about Judi Dench. Must have this.

I've been following the story about the Gee's Bend Quilts. Extreme Craft's June 19th post discusses the situation. Extreme Craft has an interesting post from July 18th about Episcopalians and one of Grace Cathedral's stained glass windows. This window has an image of Einstein. How cool is that?

It goes without saying that Google Maps is the bomb. Here is a map of textile museums in the U.S.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to create a social networking site for all of the bibliophiles. Someone did and it's called Litminds.

Very informative website about Mildred Wirt Benson, author of many books, including many of the Nancy Drew books. (the site seems to be having problems with some of the links)

I spent a lot of time when I was growing up playing board games. I still love them. I thougth I knew most of the board games that were out there, but good grief, I couldn't have been more wrong. Board Geek has games that I have never heard of before. There's also Boardgame News. Whenever I think of boardgames I get this auditory memory of the board game Trouble. Fun, easy game with that Pop-O-Matic dice roller that makes that clop-clop sound? I can't think of words to describe that sound.

Cheese blog-Curd Nerds.

I'm not going to start collecting these, but all things map are of an interest to me. I collect map hankies. I should say I collected them until they got a bit too pricey on eBay. Every once in awhile I come across one that's not too expensive, but that's a rarity. I don't want to even think about my lust for map tableclothes. Let's face it, I'm just a map ho, which leads me to these Maptotes. I think I'll have to wait to purchase until they feature Pittsburgh.

Have a sweet tooth? Want something unusual that most of the other kids probably won't be ingesting. What about a Watermelon Flavored Sigmund Freud Head Lollipop?

That's all folks.

"I have an existential map; it has 'you are here' written all over it" Stephen Wright

"If geography is prose, maps are iconography." Lennart Meri

Nosy

Why is it so hard to think of quick comebacks when you need them? I tend to think of something clever to say after the fact. I always thought that I would become more socially adept at handling rude, nosey people, but apparently I have not.

Every office has one-a paper tiger drunk on presumed power who thinks their "stuff don't stink". Said person has a tendency to corner me into conversations. And you know how there's loads of people out there who don't understand personal space-who don't understand that to stand almost on someones toes while you carry on a conversation is RUDE.
Perhaps its because this person is vertically challenged-I don't know, but good grief , step-the-hell-back.

Plus, I do everything I can to avoid quite a few people on the job. I have meticulously constructed my days in such a way that I avoid people. It helps that I start my work day at 6:30 a.m. By the time most of the other folks come to work I'm already tired.

Anywho-this puffed up excuse of a person corners me and trolling for information. Some I gave, most I did not. It was after she asked a question about salaries that I thougth my head was going to start spinning. After I answered her question, the look on her face was, well, like secretly she couldn't believe that people could live on a certain salary. Generally when that happens I take the wind out of the rude persons sails by saying something like, "Why do you ask?" or something like that. I just couldn't think of anything at that time. I think it's because I would never dream of getting in these sorts of conversations with people that I really don't know. People are so nosy, and not in a good way. I wish I could have thought of an appropriate comeback, but I couldn't. It bothered me all day yesterday, and it's still bothering me.

Unfortunately I seem to be the whipping girl for crap like that. Hence, why I stay away from people and have become even more introverted that I already was.

Okay, I'm finished with this.

For some fun check out Franks Vinyl Museum. I keep playing the theme to Mission Impossible and Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits.


"Discourtesy does not spring merely from one bad quality, but from several--from foolish vanity, from ignorance of what is due to others, from indolence, from stupidity, from distraction of thought, from contempt of others, from jealousy." Jean de la Bruyere