The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz ZafónMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Horus and Bear
Horus attempting to investigate the camera
Bear being nonchalant
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Now playing: Coldplay - Clocks
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Alien plant life
OK, it's not really alien plant life, but there are some huge mushrooms growing on a median here in town. I've been noticing them for a while and today I finally broke down and took a couple of snaps of some of them. And being the kind and generous person that I am - stop snickering, it's not polite - I'm sharing the best photo of them here.
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Now playing: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Canon
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(I know it's April and that's a Christmas carol playing, but it's one of my favorites so I see no reason not to listen to it when the mood strikes - or it comes up in rotation in my music library.)
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Now playing: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)
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(Yep, and that's another one. Also a favorite.)
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Now playing: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Canon
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(I know it's April and that's a Christmas carol playing, but it's one of my favorites so I see no reason not to listen to it when the mood strikes - or it comes up in rotation in my music library.)
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Now playing: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)
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(Yep, and that's another one. Also a favorite.)
Parents Fight Over Which Gang Toddler Should Join
(http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15851207/detail.html)
I'm not even sure how to respond to something like this. I cannot imagine a more heartbreaking ambition for my child than wanting him to suffer the same meaningless life I lead. The deliberate destruction of hope just leaves me speechless.
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Now playing: Sisters of Mercy - Black Planet
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I'm not even sure how to respond to something like this. I cannot imagine a more heartbreaking ambition for my child than wanting him to suffer the same meaningless life I lead. The deliberate destruction of hope just leaves me speechless.
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Now playing: Sisters of Mercy - Black Planet
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Sunday, April 06, 2008
Things have been boring
Nothing much is going on. I've managed to make a nice dent in my TBR pile. Unfortunately, as soon as I finish a book I seem to replace it with at least two more.
I'm currently reading a book called "Too Big To Miss" by Sue Ann Jaffarian about a large sized woman sleuth who looks into the apparent suicide of a friend. I've only read the first three chapters but I suspect I will buy the rest of the books about Odelia Grey. I have so completely identified with the character it's truly frightening. Not only do we share a love of cheesecake and Thin Mints (or whatever those Girl Scout cookies are called), but we also have cats (one in her case, several in mine) who've moved in with us because they wanted to. And there's the sense of humor and the way of looking at the world.
Or maybe it's just finally there's a character I can actually relate to.
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Now playing: Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
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I'm currently reading a book called "Too Big To Miss" by Sue Ann Jaffarian about a large sized woman sleuth who looks into the apparent suicide of a friend. I've only read the first three chapters but I suspect I will buy the rest of the books about Odelia Grey. I have so completely identified with the character it's truly frightening. Not only do we share a love of cheesecake and Thin Mints (or whatever those Girl Scout cookies are called), but we also have cats (one in her case, several in mine) who've moved in with us because they wanted to. And there's the sense of humor and the way of looking at the world.
Or maybe it's just finally there's a character I can actually relate to.
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Now playing: Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
~ snarf ~
Your Monster Profile |
 War Goblin You Feast On: Tofu You Lurk Around In: Shopping Malls You Especially Like to Torment: Lawyers |
Talk smart
Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence |
 You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convincing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator. |
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Inside/outside Izzy
I don't think I've mentioned that Izzy has decided she is an inside/outside cat. She has and she's quite adamant about it. When I got home from my ramble, she greeted me as I got out of the car.
And then she had to show me how happy she was to see me so I could let her back in the house to eat and drink.
Silly kitty!
And then she had to show me how happy she was to see me so I could let her back in the house to eat and drink.
Silly kitty!
Ghostly Rainbow
I tried to snap a pic of Rainbow, but she decided to move so I have this ghostly image of her. I still think it's kewl the way that happens.
When did here become profoundly ugly?
I took a drive around today because it was such a glorious day. Had my camera with me. Expected to take a bunch of pictures along the highway and at the park and at the beach.
Nope. No pictures. There was nothing I even remotely wanted to photograph. Not between here and the beach. Everything was so incredibly, profoundly ugly. And I just wasn't in the mood to capture ugly. Didn't want to save for posterity the sight of chemical plants butting up to the highway. Didn't want to capture all those awful beach shacks that have gone up along the ocean. Didn't groove to pasty middle-aged folk knocking back beer and sitting in lawn chairs next to their pickups parked along the waterline. Really didn't want to see pasty, flabby teenagers wearing mostly nothing clustered around their cars way back from the waterline.
I think this means I really need a vacation to someplace photogenic, or at least someplace that isn't profoundly ugly.
Nope. No pictures. There was nothing I even remotely wanted to photograph. Not between here and the beach. Everything was so incredibly, profoundly ugly. And I just wasn't in the mood to capture ugly. Didn't want to save for posterity the sight of chemical plants butting up to the highway. Didn't want to capture all those awful beach shacks that have gone up along the ocean. Didn't groove to pasty middle-aged folk knocking back beer and sitting in lawn chairs next to their pickups parked along the waterline. Really didn't want to see pasty, flabby teenagers wearing mostly nothing clustered around their cars way back from the waterline.
I think this means I really need a vacation to someplace photogenic, or at least someplace that isn't profoundly ugly.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Well, this is interesting
OK, it probably isn't to everybody else on the planet, but it is to me. I was messing around getting some email accounts created at (in . . . on?) my domain so I thought I'd take a gander at some statistics since I haven't done that in a while. My little corner of the 'web seems to be popular in Norway (2.24%), Germany (2.22%), and France (1.05%). When you keep in mind that slightly better than 91% of all my web traffic comes from ".com", ".net", and ".edu", those percentages are pretty impressive.
I wonder who I know in Norway and France. I know who I know in Germany but I don't think she's generating all that traffic by her little lonesome.
I also wonder which blog is generating all the traffic. Instinct tells me it's my crafty one since there are a lot of knitters in Europe.
So, anyway, if you're from Norway, Germany, or France - or any other place, for that matter - leave a comment and say "Hi!".
I wonder who I know in Norway and France. I know who I know in Germany but I don't think she's generating all that traffic by her little lonesome.
I also wonder which blog is generating all the traffic. Instinct tells me it's my crafty one since there are a lot of knitters in Europe.
So, anyway, if you're from Norway, Germany, or France - or any other place, for that matter - leave a comment and say "Hi!".
I know how to spell my name, too
Your Score: Owl
You scored 14 Ego, 7 Anxiety, and 10 Agency!
"Correct me if I am wrong," he said, "but am I right in
supposing that it is a very Blusterous day outside?"
"Very," said Piglet, who was quietly thawing his ears,
and wishing that he was safely back in his own house.
"I thought so," said O-wl. "It was on just such a
blusterous day as this that my Uncle Robert, a portrait of whom
you see upon the wall on your right, Piglet, while returning in
the late forenoon from a-- What's that?"
You scored as Owl!
ABOUT OWL: Owl is considered highly educated because he can spell his own name (WOL) and he can even spell Tuesday... although he doesn't always get it right. Owl is a good sort, really, although he can be a bit of a stuffed shirt, and he tends to overlook the smaller details in life - like the fact that his bellpull is actually someone's tail.
WHAT THIS SAYS ABOUT YOU: You are confident and you feel capable of dealing with whatever life throws at you. You know that you can handle just about everything... mostly because you know how to delegate the job of actually handling things to the people around you. You aren't one of those Bisy Backsons, who rush around trying to do everything at once. You prefer to stay at home and reflect on life, rather than go out and live it.
Sometimes, you know, you need to stop waiting for things to come to you and go out and get them. You need to go enjoy the weather, smell the fresh air, and pay attention to the little people in your life. They may not be as great as you... but maybe they could use your help.
| Link: The Deep and Meaningful Winnie-The-Pooh Character Test written by wolfcaroling on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test View My Profile(wolfcaroling) |
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Now playing: Qntal - Ad mortem festinamus
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Saturday, March 01, 2008
My TBR pile
Just felt like sharing . . .
This is the portion of my to be read pile on my desk where I can keep an eye on it.
And this is the portion of my pile stacked next to my desk where I can trip over it in the dark when I make my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
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Now playing: Three Dog Night - One
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This is the portion of my to be read pile on my desk where I can keep an eye on it.
And this is the portion of my pile stacked next to my desk where I can trip over it in the dark when I make my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
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Now playing: Three Dog Night - One
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Mauna Kea Shadow Eclipse
Shadow In Shadow from Alex Mukensnable on Vimeo.
I stumbled across a still from this video at the Astronomy Picture of the Day site. It was just too kewl to pass up.
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Now playing: Kelly Clarkson - Miss Independent
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Saturday, February 23, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
WashingtonPost.com | Predatory Lenders' Partner in Crime
How the Bush Administration Stopped the States From Stepping In to Help Consumers
By Eliot Spitzer
Thursday, February 14, 2008; Page A25
... continue . . .
By Eliot Spitzer
Thursday, February 14, 2008; Page A25
Several years ago, state attorneys general and others involved in consumer protection began to notice a marked increase in a range of predatory lending practices by mortgage lenders. Some were misrepresenting the terms of loans, making loans without regard to consumers' ability to repay, making loans with deceptive "teaser" rates that later ballooned astronomically, packing loans with undisclosed charges and fees, or even paying illegal kickbacks. These and other practices, we noticed, were having a devastating effect on home buyers. In addition, the widespread nature of these practices, if left unchecked, threatened our financial markets.
Even though predatory lending was becoming a national problem, the Bush administration looked the other way and did nothing to protect American homeowners. In fact, the government chose instead to align itself with the banks that were victimizing consumers.
... continue . . .
Friday, February 15, 2008
I promised you a picture
But it's not really very helpful, is it? Loki just did not have any interest in cooperating. He was bound and determined to show me his back no matter what I tried to distract him with. Oh, well. Can't really say I blame him.
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Now playing: Evanescence - Call Me When You're Sober
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Now playing: Evanescence - Call Me When You're Sober
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Boy gone
Loki became gender neutral yesterday. He's back home from the vet's today and he doesn't seem to be the worse for wear although he did insist on chatting with me when I first got home. Poor thing had to tell me just how traumatized he was by his first trip away from home and how he really, really, really didn't appreciate being left at that nasty, strange place.
Normally I would have pictures to go with a post like this, but the rechargeable batteries in my camera finally gave up the ghost after almost four years and I just don't have any others handy at the moment so pictures will have to wait. I guess I should really look online for more batteries for the camera, but I'm feeling lazy right at this moment. It is Friday night after all and I am right in the middle of a really good book.
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Now playing: Azam Ali - Ben Pode Santa Maria
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Normally I would have pictures to go with a post like this, but the rechargeable batteries in my camera finally gave up the ghost after almost four years and I just don't have any others handy at the moment so pictures will have to wait. I guess I should really look online for more batteries for the camera, but I'm feeling lazy right at this moment. It is Friday night after all and I am right in the middle of a really good book.
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Now playing: Azam Ali - Ben Pode Santa Maria
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Sunday, February 03, 2008
Kind of an update
Did I ever mention the ordeal of the finger caused an outbreak of psoriasis which lead to an extremely debilitating case of psoriatic arthritis for which I've been undergoing Remicade treatment since December? Personally, I think it was the steroid treatment that sent my system into such shock which caused the psoriasis which led to the arthritis which pretty much kept me from doing anything. Ask the Prodigal Son . . . he had to open bags of chips for me as well as jars and doors since I couldn't really grasp doorknobs to turn them. When I say the arthritis was debilitating, I am not kidding. I was becoming concerned about my job because it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to drive to get to it not to mention losing the manual dexterity needed to perform some of it.
However, the Remicade treatments I've undergone have worked miracles. The arthritis is under control and I'm all but back to being my annoyingly cheerful self.
On the other hand, the finger still isn't 100%, but at least I can mostly use it to do mostly normal things like holding cups and cutting my own meat. Per the hand surgeon, I've at least another six months of self inflicted therapy to go through before I can give up and just learn to live with a finger that isn't 100%.
Right now I'm in the process of psyching myself up to trying to knit again since the finger and the arthritis made it impossible for me to do it. I have a scarf on the needles I started last year before all this finger nonsense started that I'm going to rip out and redo. I think. Well, it's certain I'll rip it out because I screwed it up badly when I thought I was recovered enough to knit to actually knit on it a bit that the perfectionist in me just won't let it go on. Whether or not I'll retry this pattern with this yarn . . . well, that's the question, isn't it?
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Now playing: Evanescence - Lacrymosa
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However, the Remicade treatments I've undergone have worked miracles. The arthritis is under control and I'm all but back to being my annoyingly cheerful self.
On the other hand, the finger still isn't 100%, but at least I can mostly use it to do mostly normal things like holding cups and cutting my own meat. Per the hand surgeon, I've at least another six months of self inflicted therapy to go through before I can give up and just learn to live with a finger that isn't 100%.
Right now I'm in the process of psyching myself up to trying to knit again since the finger and the arthritis made it impossible for me to do it. I have a scarf on the needles I started last year before all this finger nonsense started that I'm going to rip out and redo. I think. Well, it's certain I'll rip it out because I screwed it up badly when I thought I was recovered enough to knit to actually knit on it a bit that the perfectionist in me just won't let it go on. Whether or not I'll retry this pattern with this yarn . . . well, that's the question, isn't it?
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Now playing: Evanescence - Lacrymosa
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Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Only a splash of beauty
| The Recipe For Margit |
 3 parts Sensitivity 2 parts Panache 1 part Fearlessness Splash of Beauty Finish off with whipped cream |
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Now playing: Soft Cell - Tainted Love
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3 Parts Seductiveness (snort)
| The Recipe For Seitherin |
3 parts Seductiveness 2 parts Vitality 1 part Enchantment Splash of Tolerance Sip slowly on the beach |
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Now playing: Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique & John Eliot Gardiner - Symphony No.5 in C Minor: I. Allegro con brio
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Friday, January 11, 2008
Real life muppet or . . .
Seitherin -- |
| [noun]: A hermit living in the big city |
| 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com |
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Now playing: Qntal - Ad mortem festinamus
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Sunday, January 06, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
!! HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
May the best thing that happened to you in 2007 be the worst thing that happens in 2008!
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Now playing: Qntal - Unter der Linden
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Now playing: Qntal - Unter der Linden
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
More of a geek than I thought
 | I received 64 credits on The Sci Fi Sounds Quiz How much of a Sci-Fi geek are you? |
| Guess the Sci-Fi Movie Sounds hereCanon powershot | |
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Now playing: Qntal - Entre moi (Alternative)
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007
I can't respond to emails today . . .
moar funny pictures
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Now playing: Mediaeval Baebes - All for Love of One
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
What people in the know are reading
~ snarf ~
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000JTOYLS/ref=cm_rdp_product
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00032G1S0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Psst! Read the reviews.
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Now playing: Mediaeval Baebes - The Holly and the Ivy
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000JTOYLS/ref=cm_rdp_product
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00032G1S0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Psst! Read the reviews.
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Now playing: Mediaeval Baebes - The Holly and the Ivy
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Sunday, December 02, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
baltimore.sun | Here come the thought police
By Ralph E. Shaffer and R. William Robinson
November 19, 2007
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Now playing: Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
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November 19, 2007
With overwhelming bipartisan support, Rep. Jane Harman's "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act" passed the House 404-6 late last month and now rests in Sen. Joe Lieberman's Homeland Security Committee. Swift Senate passage appears certain.
Not since the "Patriot Act" of 2001 has any bill so threatened our constitutionally guaranteed rights.
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Now playing: Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
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Wounded soldiers asked to return signing bonuses
The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.
To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to $30,000 in some cases.
Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back.
I don't need to comment about this, do I? It's way too early in the morning and I haven't even had a cup of coffee yet so I don't think I can work up enough appropriate vitriol to express what I truly feel about this.
What is the cost of an unfulfillable dream? What is the worth of an appendage or of sight or of a brain damaged?
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Now playing: Filter - Take a Picture
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
CNN.com | Knights Templar secrets revealed
ROME, Italy (AP) -- The Vatican has published secret archive documents about the trial of the Knights Templar, including a long-lost parchment that shows that Pope Clement V initially absolved the medieval Christian order from accusations of heresy, officials said Friday.
The 300-page volume recently came out in a limited edition -- 799 copies -- each priced at $8,377, said Scrinium publishing house, which prints documents from the Vatican's secret archives.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Zorba the Greek
I spent the afternoon at the Greek Festival with a friend from work. The humidity was bad but the rain waited until we left to think about starting. I enjoyed myself. It was a really good way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
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Now playing: Rod Stewart - Passion
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Now playing: Rod Stewart - Passion
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Thursday, October 04, 2007
It's there
| You Scored an A |
 You got 9/10 questions correct. It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors. If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human. And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes. |
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Now playing: C. Orff, Carl Orff - Carmina Burana, II, Fortune Plango Vulnera
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