Music Notes, Part Two

Toby Keith just keeps getting better and better. Every album since Shock'n Y'All (2003) I've said "This is my favorite. This is his best album." Until the next one is released. Each album has a greater number of songs that go on my I-could-listen-to-this-song-every-single-day list. Now I know that artists are supposed to improve their craft but for every album to surpass the last is extraordinary. It seems more likely that there would be at least one album that I would say "whatever" about - which has happened with both Kenny Chesney and Dierks Bentley.

Contrasting all that TK fantastic-ness are two of the worst albums I've ever heard, Zac Brown Band's Foundation and Darius Rucker's Learn to Live. I liked both first singles, Chicken Fried and Don't Think I Don't Think About It (respectively); however, neither album is worth listening to even once. A friend loaned these to me, and she's even more disappointed in them than I am, 'cause she paid money for them!

"News" Dumbness

Remember, I don't have access to network or cable, so everything I know about Jon and Kate comes from the teeny snippets I see on news websites and blogs:

• they have eight children
  
• they have a reality TV show
  
• they are talking about getting a divorce
  

Here's a thought: Try living without the cameras before contemplating life-altering decisions. Or maybe that's just me.

Updated June 23: Why, yes, I do fairly well predicting fiction. I often know what the next line is going to be - it comes from watching, reading, and writing too much...

In other "news": Scalzi reports that people are dissing President Obama because he isn't having to deal with the same staggering issues as Presidents Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Truman. Seriously, people? You may want to live in interesting times, but I'll settle for peace and tranquility, thanks.

My Profession

Do you support your local library? It's there for you...

Today Show: Libraries Lend a Hand in Tough Times (4-minute video clip)

Summer Session

I am showing an English class how to blog.

Curiosity

Out of the mouths of babes...

The next Mars rover has been named Curiosity.

In hindsight, it's blindingly obvious. Way to go, Clara!

Beliefs

The Babylon 5 episode, "Parliament of Dreams" is about showcasing different alien culture's belief systems and ends with a display of "Earth's dominant belief system." Unlike all the other ceremonies which feature stories, chants, drums, and bells, the Earth celebration introduces, one by one, a loooooong line of at least 40 people, each representing a different belief system:

Atheist (I love that this is first!)
Roman Catholic
Zen Buddhist
Moslem / Muslim
Orthodox Jew
Sioux Indian
Greek Orthodox
Yupik Eskimo
Jivaro
Bantu
Taoist
Aborgini
Shinto
Maori
Hindu
Quaker

Not all are named, and of the ones that were only shown I, sadly, recognized only a few.

I leave it to the reader to take away the appropriate lesson.

Grow, Grow, Grow!

The "Less Hair" experiment is over. My shorter 'do was wonderful for ease of care, but every now and then I would catch sight of myself in the mirror and wonder, "How long has that piece been sticking up like that?" I tried a couple different lengths of short, but none of them really worked. I don't know if it's vanity or a need to be in control - or both - but I've changed my mind (love that prerogative!) and decided to grow it out just long enough to pull back into a ponytail. For now I'm keeping the bangs, although they've been their own problem in the past - we'll see...

Unfortunately, growing out short hair is a long process. Right now it's long enough to be in the way, but too short to keep out of the way. Argh!

Welcome Alexa!

Alexa (short for Alexandria) arrived on Tuesday. This delayed announcement is courtesy of Will and Henry and the paper due today that, despite weeks of work, refused to properly coalesce until around 3 a.m. {sigh}

Anyway, I have stolen a few moments to become acquainted with my new companion and she's just as wonderful as I anticipated. I already have 17 titles downloaded - 9 of which cost me absolutely nothing - and have begun reading this month's first new release. This weekend I plan on finishing it and moving on to the second. And then maybe to a third title.... Basically, I'm going to read a lot, but not anything from or about the 14th, 15th, or 16th centuries.

Letter of the Day: E

Today is Earth Day. And I'm doing better with recycling, reusing, reducing.

But for me, today is more about another "E": Escrow. As in I made an offer to buy a house and they made a counter-offer which I accepted and now I'm in escrow.

Here's another "E" word: Excited. And a non-E word that's just as applicable: Nervous.

Cleaning Up Bloglines Feeds

I love Bloglines, but sometimes the Keep New box is just too easy to check. So here are a bunch of things I want to keep track of:

Once again, Scalzi speaks, er writes, for me - this time about space exploration.

This post from Neil contains other info, but the part that spoke to me is his take on the New Scientist article that's right at the top. Human arrogance isn't surprising, but is still depressing.

I've been trying to convince people for years that it could, and will eventually, happen - will you be prepared when the digital world dies?

Kindle

I ordered my Kindle2 - it's a present from myself, my Dad & M, and J & P who gave me Amazon gift cards. It hasn't even shipped yet, let alone arrived, but I have already picked out her name and a "stack" of books...

Birthday Dinner

Normally I take my birthday off from work, but yesterday was a busy day: my Shakespeare and history class which overlapped with the first of two meetings which overlapped, a class I was teaching which overlapped with my dinner time, and Reference Desk - 7 hours of events scheduled to take place in 6 hours.

Anyway, I decided that after all this jumble, I was going to have pancakes and I happened to mention it to J and P, who said they would like to join me. K and K overheard and showed up to "crash" our dinner. What this meant for me is that instead of having a lonely dinner with only a book, I had a mini-party with four good friends. Lucky me!

Happy Birthday to Me!

A pretty from a good friend:

Despicable

A colleague told me today that some credit card companies are lowering the limit on credit cards without notification, then slamming the customer when the new, lower limit is exceeded. I've had my limit raised and only known by looking at my statement, but I think this new trick is the icing on top all their unreasonable business practices.

My Neighbor

I haven't seen Kilauea: Mountain of Fire yet, but several people have said it's very good. Kudos to PBS for putting it online.

No Regrets?

Yet another depressing example of the depths to which some of the human race can sink (see also last year's rainbow condundrum). I didn't spend the $$ for this new book, although the public library did...

Spring Break 2009

Just in case I forget tomorrow, I'd better post this now...

I will be out of the office, and therefore without Internet access, beginning Friday, March 20 and won't be back until Sunday March 29 (at which point it will take me at least three days to get caught up). But I'm getting a 9-day break and only using 4 days of vacation time, so it's worth it!

I have a to-do list that's a mile long, so send energy vibes my way, else I'll probably blow all this valuable time just reading and sleeping...

A Good Month

This year April - always a good month for me - brings the latest releases in two(!) of my favorite book series. I always buy the hardcover of Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series, and although in the past I've waited for the paperback of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series, I think with this, book #11, I'll switch to the hardcovers.

Or maybe I'll use part of my tax refund and buy myself a Kindle 2. After all, I'll be turning 40 (gasp!) this year and won't be doing anything else to celebrate. To think that I could carry in my hand more books than are currently in the 12 bookcases in my house is a mind-boggling thought, along the scale of how many other galaxies, stars, and planets are in the night sky.

Life and Death

My step-mother's mother passed away yesterday. Grandma Ginny was 90+ and lived a rich, full life for almost all of those years. After retirement, she and Grandpa Don were able to travel the world and spend time with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I hope that family who live closer than I do will remember that Grandpa Don is alone now for the first time since before I was born.

What I'm Missing

One week later, I've accepted that I'm not missing anything huge, but I am apparently letting many small things slip through. This must stop.

Shakespeare and History

I'm taking "English History and Shakespeare" this semester. We're reading Shakespeare's royal history plays and comparing them with actual events and people. It's quite confusing at times with all the constantly changing names, titles, and allegiances.

On Tuesdays, rather than a lecture, our instructor lets us raise items we are confused about to discuss - this is very useful! Then we have a multiple-choice quiz (with fill-in-the-blank bonus questions). You can do quite well on the quizzes if you've read the assigned reading at least once and pay attention to the discussion (as evidenced by the fact that I'm averaging 104).

On Thursdays, we watch a production of whichever play we're reading (half one week, half the next). We didn't read King John, but so far we've covered Richard II, Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2), and Henry V; we'll also cover Henry VI (Parts 1, 2, and 3) and Richard III. We have to write a 3,000 word paper on Henry VIII (which we won't be discussing or watching in class).

Our textbooks are the Riverside Shakespeare, 2nd ed. (a shame, as I still have my 1st ed.), Shakespeare's Kings by Norwich, and two books by Antonia Fraser: The Middle Ages and The Wars of the Roses.

As an undergraduate, I studied only some of the comedies and tragedies, so the history plays are completely new to me and my history coverage, especially non-American, has always be sparse. I am enjoying this class and hope to be able to take other history courses in the future.

Look-alike

One of the student assistants at the Circulation Desk looks a little bit like Miss Lori. Not a lot, but enough so that when I catch sight of her out of the corner of my eye, I feel a little anticipatory jolt of happiness. Followed by "oh, bummer"...

Don't Do This

I had a mole removed from my left leg on Feb. 20 and it required stitches, so I wasn't allowed to walk around a lot. I've been walking at least 20 minutes a day this year (and sometimes as much as 90), so I needed a distraction that would keep me seated as much as possible and since I did a Lord of the Rings movie marathon late last year, I decided to do a Star Wars marathon of all 6 movies.

I do NOT recommend this.

The inconsistencies had me yelling at the TV, wondering if George Lucas bothered to re-watch Episodes IV, V, and VI before he filmed I, II, and III. At some point, I'll probably end up watching them again, but I'll be careful to do it as two separate trilogies, not one continuous storyline.

Catching Up?

I'm going to try to get back into the habit of posting once a day. Wish me luck.

I appear to be almost caught up at work, which means I must be missing a huge 'to do' pile somewhere. If not, I'll get to try all those cool projects I keep reading about that I never have time to do. I sure hope I don't find that pile any time soon...

Kittens on Vacuum

Swallow* any food and / or drink before clicking. My three run if I even touch the evil device - I wonder what they would think of this model...

* I'm going to be finding walnut bits on my desk for weeks. Thank heavens I didn't have a mouth full of soda!

Patience, Please

As usual, Scalzi sums up the situation quite nicely...

Happy Holidays 2008

I will not be at work (hooray!) and therefore not checking email, blogs, news, etc. from Friday, December 19 through Monday, January 5.

I will be available by phone until noon-ish on Monday, Dec. 29, but not after that because I'll be getting some much-deserved rest and relaxation at Mom's.

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a new year. So long 2008 - and good riddance!

Cassini Goes to Saturn

A tour of the Saturn system courtesy of the Cassini mission, narrated by Carolyn Porco. Thanks to Phil Plait for the link.

There is lots of CGI, but also note how much actual imagery is used. I'll be the first to acknowledge that I'm an astronomy geek, but I'm guessing that this will be entrancing and exciting even for those who are less obsessed with astronomical exploration.

On Being Sick

One's nose should be allowed to be stuffy or runny. Not both at the same time.

Holiday Shopping

If you are fortunate enough to have some $$ to spend on gifts and have anyone who likes jewelry, I would like to recommend virtuallori's Etsy store. When I attended her* wedding last year, I bought a necklace for my cat-sitter, who still thanks me every time she wears it (yeah, it's that good).

Note that some of the pieces can be customized. Whimsical designs, quality craftsmanship, great value - what more can you ask for? What are you waiting for?


*Have no fear - she may be a friend, but I wouldn't hawk her stuff if it wasn't any good.

Thanksgiving

I still lead a blessed life. This year the thing I'm probably most thankful for is that this craaaaaaaaazy semester is almost over.

LIFE Photo Archive

You gotta love Google - they've posted millions of photos, most never published, from LIFE magazine in the new LIFE photo archive.

Don't let the list of subjects on the home page limit your thinking - pick a subject, any subject, and start searching. Try Hawaii or cats or library or Disney or space...

New Food Fave

There is no way Yoplait French Vanilla yogurt is healthy - it tastes too damn good.

btw, if it's not really healthy, I don't want to know - thanks anyway. Ignorance is bliss and all...

Naming Objects

I knew I wasn't the only one, but now someone else has admitted it. Hooray!

For me:

• Car = Beauty
• Computer = Serenity {yes, I know the car should be Serenity, but I got the computer before the car, so the name was already taken}
• 1st PDA = Jade (she, yes she, was a beautiful green)
• 2nd PDA = Panda 'cause it (yes, it) is black and white and when I was trying to name it, Mom had just watched Mulan
  

Why is Panda an it when Jade was a she? 'Cause I could actually use the Grafitti writing system that Jade came with - I even still find myself occasionally using the symbols when writing with pen and paper. When I had to replace Jade several years later, Palm had changed the writing system and I never got the hang of it. Not Panda's fault, I know, but I'm an irrational human - so sue me...

Banned Books Display

"We will be celebrating Banned Book Week by having volunteers read banned and challenged books in our special Banned Book Reading Room at Twin Hickory Library. We have a comfy reading chair, ottoman, reading lamp and a nice selection of banned and challenged books for our readers."

It's worth clicking through to see the photos...

Jon Stewart on 9/11/01

Courtesy of a link from Neil Gaiman's Journal, I was able to see, for the first time, the beginning of Jon Stewart's first Daily Show after September 11, 2001. Not only was I impressed by a man who wasn't afraid to share, and show, the emotions he was battling with, but one of the last things he said really hit me: He said that the view from his apartment used to be the World Trade Center, but that now it was the Statue of Liberty. Not only from his apartment, but from all of lower Manhattan. He didn't dwell on it, but it really got me thinking about the American way of life and our priorities - the dominant feature of a landscape changing from buildings of commerce and business to a symbol of what this country used to, and should, stand for. And, I hope, will again someday.

Hawai‘i State Public Library System in Trouble

A big Mahalo to Librarian In Black for bringing national attention to the plight of Hawai‘i's public libraries.

Map Tunneler

Geek Alert!

A Free Map Tools map that shows you what's on the other side of the Earth.

For the Big Island of Hawai‘i, it's Botswana, Africa.

Where's your opposite?

Brit-Fix

Most of my audiovisual material lately has been from the United Kingdom. For months now, my Netflix queue has been Doctor Who and MI-5 (with the original Avengers creeping in recently), I've been watching and re-watching my Jane Austen collection*, and my iPod keeps me awake while I drive with the Harry Potter books.

Right now, November 18** seems an awfully long way away, although with as crazy busy as this semester is going to be, I'm sure it will actually fly by.

* Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth; Sense & Sensibility with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, and Alan Rickman; Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds; and Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam

** Release of Season Series 4 of Doctor Who

Reference Question

One of the most unusual questions I've received at the Reference Desk:

"How many sentences are supposed to be in a paragraph?"

The patron really, really wanted a specific number...

What Does a Rainbow Mean?

Please, PLEASE, somebody tell me this is a hoax: Sprinkler Rainbow Conspiracy.

Some of the hope I felt when I found Splendid Elles just leached away - I want it back! I'm tired of being disgusted with and / or embarrassed by vast numbers of the human race! I'm not perfect, but c'mon, people!

A/C Problems

You know the air-conditioning is having a bad day when it's cooler outside -- in Hawaii, in June -- than it is inside your place of work.

Lego

Classics in Lego is a flickr photoset showing the re-creation of famous photographs using guess what.

Splendid

Do yourself a favor: without reading anything else on the page (comments, about, etc.) go read this post and this post and then come back here and scroll down...
















...thoughtful, intelligent, and analytical, weren't they? Wondering why you haven't heard this insightful commentator before?

Possibly because she has to finish her homework before she can blog, since Splendid Elles is only 15-years old.

Suddenly, I have some hope for the future, don't you? Thanks, Elles.

Scheduling Meetings

Tired of the endless back-and-forth emails when you're trying to schedule a meeting? Check out When is Good. It doesn't get much simpler.

Bumper Sticker

Saw a great bumper sticker today:

Frodo Failed
Bush has the Ring

Jediism

Courtesy of S., a story that leaves me speechless:

Man Dressed as Darth Vader Spared Jail for Attack on Founder of Britain's Jedi Church

Favorite quote: "In the 2001 United Kingdom census, 390,000 — 0.7 percent of the population — listed Jedi as their religion."

Two other related items:

Jediism Wikipedia article

Google results for search performed today: "about 47,600 for jediism"

On the one hand, it's a lot less harmful than a lot of other things; but on the other hand.... oh, never mind.

More Learnin', with Some Fun on the Side

Professional development is a big thing in the library world - librarians are constantly giving and attending courses, workshops, and conferences. And yeah, some of it is bogus and some people don't take it seriously, but for the most part, I've always gotten a lot out of the experiences I've been able to partake in.

The usual obstacles to professional development in an organization are institutional support and money. Despite the prevalence of professional development as an occupational cornerstone, some organizations still do not give time and / or monetary support to librarians for these activities. Fortunately, my Library Director is a staunch supporter of professional development; her only obstacle being how much money she can finagle for it.

I've read about librarians who don't get any kind of support from their employer, rather, they take vacation time and use their personal money to attend - that's how seriously we take this whole life-long learning concept.

This year, the American Library Association Annual Conference (which always takes place in the summer, and therefore someplace warm; Midwinter conference: someplace freezing) takes place in Anaheim and I get to go!

Now, the quickest way to get kicked out of my library director's office is to say that you want to go to XYZ Conference because you've "never seen Paris in the springtime." And I have to agree with her: first consideration should be the event and how it will benefit you and your organization professionally. That said, my boss already knows I'm a bigger Disney freak than she is, so she knew that my wanting to go to ALA had a little bit to do with the location.

But this is also one of those events where there are two, sometimes three, sessions that I really want to attend that are happening at the exact same time. Decisions, decisions...

So, the countdown has begun and my renewed Annual Pass is quivering. I leave on June 26 (and, if things go smoothly, will eat dinner in the Magic Kingdom that night!) and return home on July 3.

Sure, I'll be happy to tell Mickey "Hi!" for you...

Shiny!

My copies of Absolute Sandman have arrived - don't anyone tell Neil, but I got both Volume One and Volume Two for ~ $99 instead of $99 each.

These are absolutely* gorgeous - I've always enjoyed this series immensely, even though I know that I'm missing a lot of the numerous literary, mythological, and cultural references.


* pun intended

Phoenix on Mars

Here's the Phoenix Mars Lander captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE camera as Phoenix descended toward Mars. The wider perspective is also incredibly impressive.

HiRISE also captured Phoenix sitting on Mars after its successful landing.

And thanks to Phil Plait for pointing out:

"Think on this, and think on it carefully: you are seeing a manmade object falling gracefully and with intent to the surface of an alien world, as seen by another manmade object already circling that world, both of them acting robotically, and both of them hundreds of million of kilometers away.

Never, ever forget: we did this. This is what we can do."

Amen.

Happy Holiday

I've been dealing with a difficult situation at work that is incredibly draining. I've decided to take an extra-long Memorial Day weekend and will not be at work, and therefore not checking email, from Thursday, May 22 until Tuesday, May 27.

Have a fun, yet safe, holiday.

Podcast Suggestions

I'm looking for interesting podcasts - any recommendations?

Thanks!

Wow-lau!

I had an absolutely fabulous time visiting Mom. We talked and hiked and talked and went to the beach and talked and ate and talked.... Mom is still doing great, living her dream, loving life.

Except for missing my babies, I didn’t want to come home. If I could figure out how to swing it, I’d go back in right now and not come back out.

For those I’ve friended on flickr, I’ve posted new photos. If you’re not currently my flickr friend and would like to be, email me and let me know.

amy96839 at yahoo dot com

Grandpa

My grandfather died one year ago today.

He was a wonderful man: kind, giving, caring. He was spiritual, attended church regularly, and participated with church activities. He was married (and widowed) twice, both times to (in my opinion) difficult women. He served in World War II, worked for Corning Glass until retirement, drove for Meals on Wheels. He lived alone, drove himself, was full of life until the very end, and even had a new lady-friend – he had a more active social life than I do!

My grandfather was possibly the sweetest person I’ve ever known. I miss him.

Hair-less

Not bald, but certainly shorter than at any other time in my life. The response so far has been 100% favorable, although there is one person who hasn't seen it yet who I suspect will hate it.

{I really think it looks a lot better than this picture shows.}

I'm enjoying it: it's quicker and easier to wash, rinse, and dry. Of course, I now have dozens of useless scrunchies and hair ties and I can't stick a pencil in the ponytail anymore, but those are small prices to pay for the ease and comfort.

So, what do you think of my new 'do?

{Updated with different photo 3/9/07}

Music Notes

I really shouldn't listen to Toby Keith's Get My Drink On when I'm driving. The song just demands dancin'.

Sugarland's Stay is brilliant: the simple musical accompaniment is exactly what the {freakin' awesome} lyrics need, as is the simple, stark video. Kudos!

I would love to hear Garth perform More than a Memory live. Tho' the studio version has plenty of power...

I really like Kenny Chesney's latest CD, Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates. I'm really glad he released Shiftwork with George Strait: "Talkin' 'bout a bunch of shi-------ftwork. A big ole pile of shi-------ftwork." Lots o' fun. The first two singles (Never Wanted Nothing More, Don't Blink) are actually my least favorite songs - don't get me wrong, they're good songs and good singles, I just enjoy most of the other songs more: Dancin' for the Groceries, Scare Me, Demons, Better as a Memory, Just Not Today. Normally with a song as fun as Got a Little Crazy, I would say that I would love to see a video for it, but nothing they could do would compare with the video that plays in my head when I listen to it: "I think I feel a fresh tattoo / What is it of? I wish I knew / Couldn't get more out of sight / It got a little crazy last night"

Coffee, Again

Had a craving for coffee this morning. Although, I'm not sure who it's for, since nobody's talking yet.

Stay tuned...

New Semester

The semester just started and I'm already tired. We're having lots of computer / website issues that are making me quite dizzy as I go 'round and 'round in little circles chasing solutions that just laugh at me as they dance out of the way.

It's a good thing I decided to not take any classes this semester.

I would be even more frustrated than I am, but for two things:

1. The library's {wonderful} Systems guy is just as stymied as I am, so I don't feel like a complete dolt.

2. I re-instated my Netflix account and have been enjoying my evenings and weekends with the fun that is NCIS. I'm part-way thru Season One and glad that there are several more seasons waiting...

Packed?

Well, no, not completely. Yes, I've started. And yes, I have furry helpers.

I leave tomorrow for the East Coast. I start out in warm Orlando for 5 days of fun and then head up north to see how long it takes me to turn into an Amy-sicle. The snow can stop anytime between now and then. Please.

Keeping in Touch

If your cell phone went kablooey, how many people would you be able to contact? What about your email service?

Thanksgiving Already?

I'm thankful for all the same stuff from    the     past     four    years.

This year in particular, I'm thankful that my Dad and his wife invited me to share their Christmas vacation - we're going to Disney World!! And then I'm going to get to relax and visit with them and other friends and family up North - I'm trying to avoid thinking about how cold it's going to be.

I'm thankful that my Mom's dream has finally become a reality and that it has worked out the way she wanted (mostly). She's incredibly happy, for which I am incredibly thankful.

I'm thankful that I do not live in a country where:

"women are subject to numerous restrictions, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man's permission to travel or have surgery. Women are also not allowed to testify in court unless it is about a private matter that was not observed by a man, and they are not allowed to vote." CNN.com

I hope you have good things in your life to be thankful for and that you will have a great holiday weekend.

Nifty

These creative staircases are amazing...

Captain Malcolm Reynolds

Nice to hear Mal's voice again...

Funnies from Others

Two of my favorite bloggers had posts recently (okay, last month - time is relative) that made me squirt soda out my nose (note to self: stop drinking when reading Bloglines).

You've been warned - hilarity follows:

Wil Wheaton's ill communication

Cherie Priest's Muzzle the Dogs of War

And although he hasn't made me squirt soda lately, I also highly recommend John Scalzi's Whatever and By the Way.

Dresden Files

Once again*, I get hooked on a TV show and it gets canceled after a short run. And people wonder why I don't have cable...

Anyway, I really enjoyed the 12 episodes of The Dresden Files and if enough people buy the DVD {hint, hint} maybe we can initiate a reincarnation -- hey, it worked for Firefly.

Although not true to some of the details of the book series by Jim Butcher (which I am absolutely hooked on), I think the TV series captured the spirit of the world Butcher created.

And Paul Blackthorne is the ideal Harry Dresden. Mahalo, Paul, for bringing Harry to life so perfectly.


* Other short-lived shows that I liked: Brimstone, Mann and Machine, Now and Again (no, not the Sela Ward show - that was Once and Again).

There you have it, more evidence of what a strange, strange person I am...

Text Talk

No profanity in this post, but I can't vouch for the comments.

While working at Astronomy, I had Yahoo! Radio playing on the computer. One of the commercials was sponsored by Chevy and was a "translation" guide for text messages. The first example was LOL; the second and third were gobbledy-gook that "translated" into features about some truck. The last one was WTF which they said stood for "Wow! That's fantastic!"

That's certainly not what I thought WTF stood for. How about you?

Feeling Old

The Beloit College Mindset List for the Class of 2011 lists some interesting facts about most of the students entering college this fall.

Stardust... and Bourne

The Bourne Ultimatum was a great movie: an edge-of-your-seat, almost non-stop action wild ride. If you liked the first two, you won't be disappointed.

I can't say enough good things about Stardust. It's wonderful, fantastic, amazing, insert other !!! adjectives here. It's a fantasy story about a young man who offers to retrieve a fallen star for his lady-love in exchange for her hand in marriage; he has one week or she will marry his rival. Of course, finding the star turns out to be the easy part...

Really, you need to stop reading this and whatever else you're doing and go see this movie.

Guaranteed Smile

...probably also at least giggles, if not downright laughter. If not, seek professional help. How can you not feel better after seeing these four kittens attacking a box...and each other, of course.

Hawai'i Weather

It's actually been a really good week: the earthquake was scary, but not as bad as last October; Hurricane Flossie petered out (we had no winds and not much rain); and the tsunami from the earthquake in Peru never materialized. Due to "projected weather-related hazards" schools were closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, and wow! did I get a lot done at home.

And, of course, Friday is a state holiday -- hooray for the two-day workweek!

Bye-Bye Bookshelf

I have officially canceled the amysbookshelf.com domain. I wasn't doing anything with it and my life is only going to get busier.

I will keep this blog and my flickr account (which only has three pix at the moment, but behind the scenes, I'm organizing my digital photos, so soon eventually it will have more) and maybe some other communication tools in the future (Twitter intrigues me a bit, although right now mostly just to read what others are writing).

But for now, good-bye amysbookshelf.com -- I'm sorry I didn't make better use of you. My intentions were good.

NASA TV

I don't know how anyone could watch the coverage of the shuttle launch and not be awed and impressed and proud of what has been accomplished. I'm sitting here watching the shuttle go into orbit courtesy of a camera on the main fuel tank. I just saw the shuttle detach and (seemingly) drift away from "my" position.

Sometimes technology is amazing.

Thanks to NASA for the goosebumps!

Shuttle Launches

Godspeed, Endeavour!

btw, the NASA TV Public Channel is fantastic!! I watched the launch via my computer and saw all kinds of nifty closeups and heard lots of chatter.

Harry Potter: The End

Spoiler-free post, but I can't vouch for the comments.

I finished the seventh Harry Potter book, an as I previously noted, it's difficult to put down once you pick it up. This was even truer with the second half.

In the interest of not saying too much, I'll settle for observing that I think it was a worthy end to the series.

And now, back to Book One...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Spoiler-free post, but I can't vouch for the comments.

My pre-ordered copy of Harry Potter 7 finally appeared in my mailbox yesterday, a mere 12 days after the release date. I'm gonna go easy on Amazon 'cause every other order I've ever placed has arrived much more quickly than expected and I can't be sure it's Amazon's fault (USPS, I'm thinkin' of you).

Anyway, I'm barely able to keep my eyes open after being at the theatre until midnight on Tuesday and reading until almost 3 a.m. last night. I'm just past halfway and while I would like to finish it tonight, I think a good night's sleep is probably the wiser choice.

I don't want to give anything away, but I really hadn't planned on reading that long last night. I was just going to start it, read a little, read a little more tonight, and then finish it in a Friday-night marathon. The spell JKR weaves still has lots of power left.

Movie Reviews

I recently saw both Ratatouille and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Ratatouille is the usual Pixar perfection: everything is very detailed and very lifelike -- the views of Paris will take your breath away and if you don't like rats, you will be creeped out. Despite this, it's probably last on my list of Pixar flix -- hey, somebody has to be at the bottom!

HP5 was good -- it's been some time since I read the story, so I can't speak to how closely the movie sticks to the book, but as a movie, it rocked.

I read somewhere that this might be the last HP movie they do because someone thinks the actors are getting too old to play teenagers. I don't agree; I had no trouble believing that Daniel, Emma, Rupert and the others were 15. I would very much like to see them film the last two books (but that could just be my completion fixation).

Who Ya Gonna Trust?

I'm relieved to know that at least some of the next generation has critical thinking skills.

Impotence of Proofreading

This brilliant video is for anyone who has ever typed anything. Some adult language.

I could practice for 100 years and still not be able to recite this...

HP5 Movie

Three reviews of the movie version of Order of the Phoenix from Pop Goes the Library (they all liked it). The reviews contain spoilers if you haven't read the book.

Yes, it's possible. I actually know two people who haven't ever read any Harry Potter. Yeah, I'm shakin' my head, too.

Toby Keith

I'm officially removing Kenny Chesney from my voices-that-make-me-weak list.

It's not that I don't still enjoy his music, 'cause I do. And it's not that the reason he went on the list in the first place doesn't still exist, 'cause it does. But unlike everyone else on the list, there's only one time that he makes me weak: the 'on and on and on' part of the chorus in the live version of 'What I Need to Do'.

On the other hand, I have to watch myself anytime I hear Liam, Alan, Kiefer, John, or Johnny*.

And Toby Keith deserves to be on the list. Back in February 2005**, I became seriously addicted to The Big Dog while waiting for Honkytonk University to be released. This addiction keeps getting stronger and stronger. There have been very few days since then when I haven't listened to at least some TK, and plenty of days when he's all I've listened to.


*I mean Johnny Depp as Johnny Depp, not in any one particular movie -- most of my experience with his voice as himself comes from his episode of Inside the Actors' Studio

**Yes, I've been meaning to add him to the list since then, but haven't gotten around to it. I'm a bit of a procrastinator, remember?

HP7

I am determined to not believe anything I hear about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I don't care if the person swears that it's the black-on-white truth, I'm treating all spoilers as rumors.

Alive?

Yes, I'm still among the living. May was very busy with helping Mom pack and move and build her house. The Ohio trip was wonderful right up until the very end, when I was next to the toddler-from-hell on the plane home who shared his germs with me which them combined with the dust and mold from the renovation at work to make me sick for most of June.

A few wedding photos are available.

I was working on beefing up this post until I found this entry at Lori's site. Look for a lot more short posts from me...

Mom's House

I won't mention names yet (maybe later), but if a company tells you that 3 people can build their pre-cut kit structure in 2 days, don't believe them. If the incredibly hard-working, dedicated crew of 7 that we had wasn't able to do it in 4 days, it can't be done.

Also, don't believe them when they tell you the lumber will be marked as to where it belongs (F=floor, W=wall, etc.) or that it "comes with the thinking all done."

We didn't believe some of their claims and knew that others were exaggerated, but we had no idea just how far off they would be...

Ms. Dewey

I'm really surprised that I haven't seen Ms. Dewey mentioned on any of the blogs I read. So here she is.

Saturn's Rings

Call me a geek, but this movie of Saturn's rings is awesome*.

From the intro page: "Image scale is 48 kilometers (30 miles) per pixel."

Per PIXEL. Think about that.



*I'm not even sure awesome is the right word, but it's all my tired brain can come up with right now.

My Own Web Domain

Some of you might remember the original homepage for my amysbookshelf.com website. It had a wonderful graphic of books on a bookshelf that D spent many hours creating and fiddling with.

The original intent was that each book would be clickable and lead to a page of {supposedly} interesting stuff. I was also going to use my website as a portal for my home research business – hey, this was back before Google convinced everyone they could find everything themselves in .06 seconds.

But with the plethora of free options like Blogger, Flickr, and wikis, I’ve begun to wonder if I really need my own domain that I’m not using. On the one hand, it’s approx. $100/year for something I might want some day. On the other hand, it’s approx. $100/year for something I haven’t used in a long time.

Opinions, anyone?

The Demon Murphy

If your flight is on time, the gate for your connecting flight will be nearby.

If your flight is delayed, your connecting flight will be four concourses away, at the very last gate. And, of course, it goes without saying that even if you are able to sprint fast enough to board that second flight, there’s no way your luggage is going to make it....

iPod Dilemma

Why would I get an 8GB iPod nano for $249 when I can get a 30GB iPod for the same price?

The nano plays only music and holds only up to 2,000 songs, while the regular also plays videos and holds up to 7,500 songs.

I keep looking at the specs list, sure I must be mis-reading numbers.

Is there some other consideration that I should be aware of? Some catch that I'm missing?

Row, Girl, Row

I finally got a rowing machine. Yippee!!!

Some of you know that this has been quite the impossible quest. I knew exactly which model I wanted, but the company (FitnessQuest) wanted to send it UPS 2nd day, which would mean that the shipping would cost almost as much as the machine. This was not an option, as I am a girl on a budget, so I started researching alternative methods of delivery.

Five months and many frustrations later, I was able to just order it from Amazon.com.

Yeah, I don't believe it was that easy either. When I checked several months ago, Amazon wouldn't ship a rowing machine to Hawaii (neither would Sears, Walmart, Costco, Target, or Sports Authority...).

But they must have changed their policies, because I placed the order mid-February and it was delivered on March 1.

There was still the potential for disaster, as my address is a RR box, which UPS can’t deliver to. However, I experienced FANTASTIC customer service from both Amazon and UPS and it arrived at my front door without a hitch.

I put it together on Friday and have used it 6 times so far (and it hasn't fallen apart yet). I'm starting with at least 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night, plus one or two additional sessions on non-work days. But I have it set up in front of the TV, so if I happen to be watching a movie and end up rowing for longer, so be it.

I am hoping that not only will this enable me to get fit, but that I’ll also stop getting sick as much (every other month lately). Already my arms ache a little after about 10 minutes (although they feel fine shortly after I stop) and I think I can actually feel a little tightness in my abs. But that might just be wishful thinking….

Sick, Again

I've managed to catch another cold. At least now I know it's not being on Oahu that makes me sick...

All I drink when I'm sick is orange juice. This time, I decided to try some zinc lozenges. I was a little perturbed to find that I couldn't drink any citrus 1/2 hour before or after sucking on one of the lozenges, but decided that it was still worth a try -- mostly because I had already bought them.

Several colleagues asked what I was taking for my cold, and then each proceeded to offer advice. Unfortunately, it turned out to be mutually contradictory advice:

1. You need both the orange juice and the zinc. And be sure to get plenty of rest.
2. You don't need the zinc lozenges. Orange juice has all the zinc you need. And be sure to get plenty of rest.
3. You don't need the orange juice. The zinc will do more than the vitamin C. And be sure to get plenty of rest.

I'm quite dizzy now, so I think I'll go curl up under the covers...

Three Breathless Minutes

Five years of frustration, planning, paperwork, and waiting came to an end on Friday morning.

The Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources Board voted to approve Mom's permit application.

Translation: Mom finally has the official okay for her house.

:) :) :) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! :) :) :)

Let the building begin!

Speaking of building, we've decided that I'm going to help. I have no actual building or carpentry skills, but as long as someone more knowledgeable says "get that" or "hold this here" I think I'll be useful. Or, to be more precise, Mom thinks I'll be useful.

After that, Mom and I get to go back to Oahu, corral five unwilling cats into carriers for a trip to the vet to be sedated, then onto a helicopter for the ride to their new home.

Stressful? What makes you think it's going to be stressful?

Pray for us...

Weather

One big, major, huge reason I live where I do and don't live where I used to:

Beautiful Day

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous.

On Friday, there wasn't a single cloud anywhere in the sky. Both mountains, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, were completely visible in all their glory. A little voice told me to grab my camera before I left the house. I wish I had listened.

Saturday and Sunday were also clear and sunny, with just a few fluffy white clouds dotting the beautiful blue expanse. There was a cool, brisk breeze that had me throwing open all the windows and airing out the house.

We have a saying: "Lucky you live Hawaii."

Amen.

Kimbooktu

I will not buy anything...

I will not buy anything...

I will not buy anything...

How's your willpower against book-related gadgets?

Charlotte's Web

Charlotte’s Web is a perfect example of how to turn a beloved classic book into a movie. There are a few slight changes, but not enough to quibble over.

Personal quirk time: Julia Roberts as the voice of Charlotte was mildly distracting (however, Steve Buscemi as Templeton the Rat really worked). Don’t get me wrong – Julia did a fantastic job. I was just never able to forget it was her, unlike Oprah Winfrey and Reba McEntire and Robert Redford, whose voices I didn’t recognize at all (similar to how I don't hear Allison Janney or Geoffrey Rush in Finding Nemo).

I’m sorry I’m not able to explain the voices problem better (but then again, it’s probably just me). The bottom line, though: if Charlotte’s Web is still playing at a theatre near you, go see it; if it's not, grab the DVD when it comes out.

On the other hand, the preview for Bridge to Terabithia gave Mom and me matching looks of horror…

Jane Addiction

I've recently developed an addiction to Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice. I've watched the A&E version an average of once a week since Thanksgiving (I was sick for the second half of December, so I'm not as much of a sloth as that might otherwise indicate). I switched to the Keira Knightley version a couple times, but I can't stay away from Jennifer and Colin for long.

I just finished reading the book for the first time - yes, I somehow got a Bachelor's degree in English without reading any Jane Austen - and enjoyed it so much that after about a two-week break, I'm starting it again. That addiction thing again.

I also read Sense and Sensibility for the first time, but didn't enjoy it as much (unlike the Emma Thompson movie, which I adore). I found the (I think) perfect editions (even tho' they're from B&N) of Austen's works: they're smaller than mass market, but hardcover, with attached red ribbon bookmarks. If I could just find Mansfield Park, my collection would be complete...

Now that the new semester has started, I think I shall be forced to wean myself from Ms. Austen, as my Literature of the Environment class will be keeping me quite busy. Like most addicts, I shall miss my fix; however, I do believe I have the will power to overcome this...

Unlike my addiction to chocolate...

Procrastination

I am a procrastinator. I always have been. For the most part, I’ve learned to live with it, although I am trying to plan better and start earlier.

Sometimes my procrastination works out for the best. Running flat out at a deadline often causes the creative juices to flow, resulting in some good work.

But there are other times when it’s a decided disadvantage. One example of this is when it comes to writing letters. I’ve lost touch with some friends over the years due to my slackness in the note-penning department. {Kendra M. is one of these, if anyone knows where she is now.}

So, to C. in Ira, Vermont and S. in Dundee, Florida: there are letters coming. They were going to be inserted into the Christmas cards, but that deadline somehow came and went when I wasn’t looking (I’d mention the cold I’ve been nursing since the 16th, but that would sound like a too-convenient excuse).

Anyway, please know that I have gotten your letters and emails and I’m really going to write to you.

Soon….

MS Thesaurus

Microsoft Word has me scratching my head again.

I wanted a synonym for the word 'information' and since there was a cat on my lap and my thesaurus was on the other side of the room, I decided to see if MS Word had any good suggestions.

Yes, I was balancing the laptop computer on the lap desk and the cat on my lap all at the same time. Obviously, it was Oreo and not either of the boys or there wouldn't have been room. There wasn't really enough room for her, but she was so insistent. And purring....

Anyway, which of these do you think I should use:

in order
in sequence
in turn
in rank
in a row

Huh?!

And here I thought we were living in the Information Age?

Thanksgiving 2006

The tradition continues...

Things I'm thankful for:

Opportunities
Having others believe in me
Second chances
Answered prayers
True Love
Laughter and smiles
Friends
Family, including my three black shadows
My wonderful house and shiny car
Chocolate
Disney
Books, Music, Movies

I hope you and yours have a fantastic week.

A Matter of Courtesy

Picture this:

Your favorite radio station is giving away a CD that you want. You’re the correct caller and the DJ (announcer?) tells you you’ve won. You say, “Wow! Really? That’s great!”

Stop.

What’s the next thing you say?

I listen to a country music station that’s broadcast from the Mainland and they have contests every Thursday and most weekends. I hear a lot of calls, received from cities and towns all over this nation, where people have just been told that someone is going to give them something. And only one out of every twenty or thirty says what I consider the natural, logical next thing: Thanks.

I’m going to refrain on posing this as a commentary on our modern, materialistic, “I deserve this” society.

Or maybe I’m not…