Permanent Record

he Best Book Review Ever Written

2009-01-10T22:05:00.003-08:00

The best book review ever written can be found here. Be sure to read the comments, too!

Isn't this the truth?

2009-01-08T22:56:00.002-08:00

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm You're probably in the final stages of a Ph.D. or otherwise finding a way to make your living out of reading. You are one of the literati. Other people's grammatical mistakes make you insane.
Dedicated Reader
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Non-Reader
Fad Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

The United Kingdom, Venn diagram style

2009-01-07T07:37:00.004-08:00

I love this!

Movie Quote Game

2008-12-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

RULES:

1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess. (Post your guesses in the comment section.)
4. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions

1. Not only does he own a personalized matching set of crocodile-skin luggage, but his favorite TV program is Baywatch. So you see there's always someone sadder than you.
2. It's only in pencil! Pencil never counts.
3. I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.
4. He's the sort who can't know anyone intimately, least of all a woman. He doesn't know what a woman is. He wants you for a possession, something to look at, like a painting or an ivory box. Something to own and to display. He doesn't want you to be real, and to think and to live. He doesn't love you. But I love you. I want you to have your own thoughts and ideas and feelings, even when I hold you in my arms. It's our last chance...
5. I’ll have what she’s having.
6. Only after disaster can we be resurrected.
7. You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia…
8. Here's the Remains of the Day lunchbox. Kids don't like eating at school, but if they have a Remains of the Day lunchbox they're a lot happier.
9. A- You can never go too far. B- If I'm gonna get busted, it is not gonna be by a guy like that.
10. I'm here in case you succeed.
11. Am I buggin’ you? I don’t mean to bug ya.
12. It's hell out there. Matthew's trapped with an evangelist from Minnesota.
13. Gentlemen, the lunchbox has landed!
14. Better watch out, Sammy. You'll get healthy eating all that crap.
15. The French are glad to die for love. They delight in fighting duels. But I prefer a man who lives... and gives expensive... jewels.

Macy's gets Rickrolled!

2008-11-27T18:37:00.003-08:00

I love Rickrolling, too!

One of the coolest iPhone apps yet

2008-11-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

Rock me

2008-11-10T20:55:00.003-08:00

Falco and I approve this shirt (thanks Natalie for the heads-ups!)

Proof Ethan's being raised right

2008-11-04T18:39:00.003-08:00

We're raising a true political junkie!

Election night fun

2008-11-04T13:24:00.004-08:00

Print and color as you follow along at home. Hopefully you'll just need some big blue crayons!

Download a version suitable for printing here.

Take the Day Off

2008-11-03T18:22:00.001-08:00

Me v. a Velociraptor

2008-10-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

51 seconds

Created by Bunk Beds Pedia

Anxious for her to be an ex-parrot

2008-10-14T09:50:00.001-07:00

You can call me "Doris"

2008-10-13T21:09:00.003-07:00

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Doris!

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

* Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.

* Share fun times with me.

* Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.

* Let me know that I am important and special to you.

* Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

* Reassure me that I am interesting to you.

* Reassure me often that you love me.

* Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Doris

* being able to relate easily to people and to make friends

* knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better

* being generous, caring, and warm

* being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings

* being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Doris

* not being able to say no

* having low self-esteem

* feeling drained from overdoing for others

* not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish

* criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should

* being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them

* working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often

* are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism

* try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding

* are outwardly compliant

* are popular or try to be popular with other children

* act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention

* are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)

Dorises as Parents

* are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)

* are often playful with their children

* wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"

* can become fiercely protective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

One year ago today

2008-09-30T21:52:00.005-07:00

One year ago today, we were on the last leg of our move from NC to CA. It was, in short, the Drive From Hell. We started the morning (at 6 AM, as I recall) Gallup, NM, and didn't stop till we'd reached Dublin, 916 miles later. We had 2 cars with us, so that meant Mitch and I both had to drive that entire route. If I never set foot (so to speak) on I-5 again, it will be too soon! I will say this, though, I'd never been so glad to happen upon 24-hr Starbucks in all my life! I literally think that large (grande? venti? whatever the F they call a "large" there) white chocolate mocha I ordered around 11pm was one of the two thing that kept me awake during that final stretch (the other being a Jack station out of Fresno that seemed to be channeling my iTunes library, thus allowing me to sing U2 and Police songs at the top of my lungs for a few hours).

After a year, CA is feeling very much like home (esp. thanks to the new, larger house we're in now after 11 months of being cooped up!)

It's working!

2008-09-26T14:29:00.003-07:00

My campaign to rid the world of poor grammar is working! I apparently have inspired others. A few days ago, I pulled into the same gas station where I launched my campaign back in April. At the same island where it all began, I was thrilled to find this, with corrections already added.

54 words

2008-09-23T19:35:00.002-07:00

I'm actually shocked that my speed (such as it is) is so fast, LOL

54 words

Typing Test

SorCon 2008

2008-08-22T22:53:00.005-07:00

If only this article were real...

New digs!

2008-08-22T15:16:00.007-07:00

Well, it's official - we're moving :-) It's not far, maybe six blocks, but it will make a world of difference. We won't be all crowded anymore! The first three pcis show the front of the hosue, and the last two show the back garden. That is Ethan's school you can see through the back fence (handy!)

What kind of badge does it earn?

2008-07-28T23:15:00.005-07:00

I took canoeing during my one summer camp experience, at Camp Tallchief. I'm just not remembering it as being nearly so much fun! I wonder if the Girl Scouts will have to revamp their canoeing badge in light of this development?

If I knew how to knit...

2008-07-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

If I knew how to knit, I'd make this.

We're in for some fun!

2008-07-22T10:02:00.002-07:00

I've just started editing a new alien abduction-themed fantasy novel. I can tell we're in for some fun...

He grabbed a glass and plate from the cupboard. He poured the grape soda into the glass, and inhaled a deep breath of air, allowing its purple effervescence to caress his nose and lungs like the touch of soft velvet.

I think I am in danger of shooting that same grape soda out my nose if it carries on too much more like this!

No digo el español

2008-07-21T20:18:00.002-07:00

I don't speak Spanish. Beyond "Buenos dias, Senor Cleaver, donde est Wallace y Theodore?" (thank you Harry Burns), I'm strictly a French/Russian/reading medieval Welsh kinda girl.

This afternoon, I was out running some errands and stopped to use the restroom. There was a woman already waiting, so I quietly stepped in behind her, forming a 2-person line. No big deal, right? Suddenly, the woman turned around and began this long, drawn out explanation of why she was waiting there ("It's a one-=person restroom, I can hear someone in there running water, but they haven't come out yet...") I saw no reason to question her motives, since this is how normal people everywhere handle this sort of situation, so I just smiled and nodded at her. I thought all was going as these things typically do.

We heard a paper towel dispenser doing its thing, and the woman who'd been in the room exited. The woman who'd been blathering on at me (in fluent English, with an American accent, I should add), stepped forward to enter the room. I stayed where I was, making no moves to muscle her into letting me go first or anything like that. The woman stepped through the door, looked around inside, and then turned around to me. In a VERY loud voice, and speakign VERY slowly, called out, "There is only room for one person in here. Uno persons!" and then held up one finger, to help make her point. Then again, in case I'd not understood I guess, "Just UNO persons - UNO!" and went inside.

I was, to say the least, not really sure what the deal was. When she came out, she then made a big production of holding the door for me and saying (again, in that loud talking to someone who does not speak English voice),"It's OK to go in now! You can go now! It's OK!!!" and then gestured for me to enter. At that point, it dawned on me, she doesn't think I speak English!

I'm not sure what made her assume I don't speak English. I'd not said anything to her, just smiled and nodded once, but does that mean a person can't understand what's being said? And seriously, if I was someone who didn't speak English, why assume I speak Spanish. If only I'd had the presence of mind, I'd have thanked her, in Russian, of course.

Best. Sign. Ever.

2008-07-10T21:17:00.003-07:00

All credit goes to GIllian for pointing me to this.

First grade friends (or not)

2008-07-07T16:07:00.005-07:00

While doing some work cleaning out the garage this weekend, I came across a box of old pictures, mostly things just tossed in at random over the years. I found several good ones from high school and college, and so I spent some time scanning them and uploading a few to Facebook. Ethan loved seeing old pics of me and Mitch, friends of ours from school, etc. He even mistook a few old pics of Mitch (during his pre-school years) as pics of himself wearing outfits he does not remember.

I was talking to my mom about all of this at lunch today, saying something to the effect of "it's interesting to see where the people I knew in first grade (or thereabouts) have ended up." I mean, who can really tell, at age 6 or 7, what anyone will become as an adult? Ethan was listening to all of this, and started asking me to tell him about some people. I obliged, telling him Chris is now a doctor, Shannon is now an accountant, and so on. He was quiet for a while and then asked, "What about Dick Cheney?" I said "What about Dick Cheney?" thinking perhaps he'd moved on to another topic, to which he replied, "Didn't you go to first grade with Dick Cheney?" I'm not sure how old he thinks I am, or how old he things Dick is, but I assured him, I did NOT go to first grade with DC. I know all grown-ups look old to kids, so I am not even thinking about the 40 yr age gap in play here.

And if I had gone to school with the Evil One, do you think I'd admit it? I'm sure Mrs Elrod wouldn't admit she'd taught him.

I need this!

2008-07-04T20:41:00.004-07:00

I need this poster. If you agree, you can buy it for me:-)

The Rocker

2008-06-30T23:22:00.002-07:00

I cannot wait to see this movie. Maybe it's the Aquanet left over from the 80s still stuck in my brain responsible for this, but man, you put Rainn Wilson in a movie about a hair band refugee, how could I ever resist?

The 100 Books meme

2008-06-27T20:29:00.007-07:00

I've stolen this from Gillian:

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicise those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who've only read 6 and force books upon them
5) Put a star next to those you've only partially read.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
**10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens** but love the movie w/ Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow ;-)
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
**14 Complete Works of Shakespeare**
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
**20 Middlemarch - George Eliot**
**21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell** so shoot me, I only made it to page 63
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
**24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy**
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh One of my top 3 all-time favs
**27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky** (but don't tell Mrs Barlow, my 11th grade AP English teacher!)
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck loathed this one
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis Um, hello, this is one of the Chonicles of Narnia!
**37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini**
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
**51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel** Maybe I'll finish this someday
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville No. Never. Not on your life.
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn
**89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle**
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare again, this would go in his complete works, no?
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

The GW Bush Sewage Treatment Plant Or, Why I Love San Francisco

2008-06-23T20:37:00.002-07:00

I can't think of a better way to honor the memory of GW Bush's time in office.

An oldie but goodie

2008-06-20T22:38:00.003-07:00

Do you ever have a song randomly pop into your head after years adrift? "Metropolis" by The Church did that to me this evening.

But you can call me Felix

2008-06-19T19:38:00.003-07:00

I don't care what the quiz says, Kara Thrace remains my hero...

You are Felix Gaeta. Tactical Officer on Galactica. Loyal, smart and intelligent. You have saved the fleet on more than one occasion. You secretly worked against the cylon backed government while on New Caprica.

Felix Gaeta

70%

Sharon Agathon (Athena)

69%

Commander William Adama

67%

Karl Agathon (Helo)

63%

President Laura Roslin

54%

Lee Adama (Apollo)

52%

Kara Thrace (Starbuck)

48%

Chief Galen Tyrol

47%

Saul Tigh

41%

Sam Anders

40%

Number Six

27%

Dr. Gaius Baltar

22%

Take the Quiz! Battlestar Galactica Quiz

Staggering to the beat of our own drummer

2008-06-10T21:29:00.002-07:00

My dear friend Tamara has kindly alerted me to this auction on eBay. I am half-tempted to buy this. The item description alone must be worth something, and Ethan's birthday is coming up in a few days...

It's almost Snacktime!

2008-06-09T16:15:00.005-07:00

On Thursday Ethan and I will be going to see Barenaked Ladies. To get in the mod, I'm trolling the web looking for cool clips - enjoy!

This first clip is one of my favs, Raisins, from their new "Snacktime" CD, followed by that oldie but goodie, One Week.

The second clip is an interview about the album.

Something I am (most likely) not going to do

2008-06-08T22:40:00.013-07:00

In reading the paper this afternoon, I came across a quite striking ad and proposition: Be one of the first 175 people to spend $200 on Emporio Armani underwear at the Macy's in Union Square starting tomorrow, and I'll get to meet David Beckham later this month.

Apparently we buy now, and ~~inspect~~ pick up the package later.

Can I Have Another Piece of Chocolate Cake?

2008-05-15T12:02:00.014-07:00

Let's get this out of the way first: Neil Finn is a song-writing god. I've always thought it, but last night confirmed it. WOW - the Crowded House show at the Fillmore was just amazing, I wish I was going to tonight's show and the 2 this weekend in LA. if it were possible, I'd be there.

They played for a full 2.5 hrs, and, though they didn't get all my favorites (if they had, we'd have been there twice as long!), they did pay about 40 songs - including a 45 minute long encore. That, my friends, is how it should be done. This was our first time at the Fillmore, and it was great - it's an old hall, no seats, just boxes upstairs and a dance floor and bar on the main level. But, this worked well for us, as we were able to be right in front. I spent the entire show not more than 15 feet from the band. The pics in this post were taken with my iPhone - I wish I'd brought my regular camera - I'm sure with a zoom and all I'd have been able to get some really good shots.

I'm still waiting for the band's web site to post the set list, but here's what I remember, in no particular order:

Sister Madly
Four Seasons in One Day
Don't Dream It's Over
Pineapple Head
Love This Life
Whispers and Moans
Into Temptation
Chocolate Cake
Sacred Cow
Private Universe
Recurring Dream
World Where You Live
Now Were Getting Somewhere
Love You 'Til the Day I Die
I Feel Possessed
When You Come
Love This Life
Don't Stop Now
She Called Up
Silent House
You Are the One to Make Me Cry
Fall at Your Feet
Four Seasons in One Day
Won't Give In
Distant Sun
Locked Out
Nobody Wants To

Several brand new songs whose names I don't know

Covers: American Woman, the whole thing (and it ROCKED!) sung by Mark Hart, followed by Australian Woman - Neil's tribute to the Bee Gees sung in a hilarious falsetto right after American Woman
It's All Right (partial)
You Sexy Thing (partial)
Happy Birthday

The band was really into things and you could tell they were having a blast - as was the crowd. Poor Nick Seymour was plagued by technical woes with his amp and monitor throughout, but did an amazing job nonetheless. Fun audience participation highlights included an impromptu group music lesson in the middle of Chocolate Cake, wherein Neil made us sing scales (I kid you not!), lots of group singing, call and answer types things, etc. When we were all singing Don't Dream It's Over, Neil had the crowd take over the final chorus and we all, it seems, have been listening to the same live recordings at home because the whole place drew out that final "Home" for the same (very long) length, then held for an oddly-timed rest and came back in with "soon" in unison. It was very, very cool. Neil looked a bit surprised and pleased, to say the least.

They finished the tour in LA this weekend, then, as I understand it, head home to work on a new album - it can't come out soon enough for me!

I Heart the 80s

2008-05-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

I heart the 80s, and my score here proves it!

789 and other brilliant songs

2008-05-09T16:52:00.006-07:00

I am all about Barenaked Ladies, as you probably know, and am LOVING their new CD, Snack Time, a collection of original kids songs. "789" is the first single (see video above), though there are some other songs that have already become new favorites of mine (I've only had the book and CD about 3 hrs now!), especially "The Ninjas," "Bad Day," and "Crazy ABCs."

They'll be in town on Ethan's last day of school and we're going to see them - I am counting down the days, believe me! If you love BNL, have a kid, or just love catchy songs, you can't go wrong with this CD. This quote says it all, "Our collective kids now outnumber the band more than 2 to 1," explains vocalist/guitarist Ed Robertson. "We set out to make a record that would be entertaining for them…not strictly a children's record, but a record that children would really enjoy. Our kids are in to all kinds of music. They love the They Might Be Giants kids records, but they also love The Beatles, Fountains of Wayne, Randy Newman, Black Eyed Peas and Green Day. Making the focus about what our kids like was a truly liberating process and fun for the whole band."

Two words

2008-04-30T17:20:00.006-07:00

Fashion. Victim.

Note the Burberry visor, arm warmers (yeesh!), cropped (or just too short?) paints, etc. I don't even know where to start. To quote Chandler Bing, "Too...many...jokes..." Indeed.

This Dream is Brought to You by the Letter...

2008-04-24T11:19:00.005-07:00

I had a dream last night that Ernie was supporting Barak Obama, while Bert was voting for John McCain. I'd always sort of thought Bert was the smart one, but, clearly, I was mistaken.

If only I could use this!

2008-04-18T10:22:00.005-07:00

If only I could use this article as a references &/or student resource for the digital video & media course I'm writing right now. I KNOW the kids would love it, but am not sure sure about my editors and the teachers who'd have to deal with the ensuing "productions." I bet even Madge would get a kick out of seeing that vid!

One gas station island down, 5 to go

2008-04-15T15:36:00.003-07:00

I'm still at it

A story, by Ethan

2008-04-10T16:41:00.004-07:00

Part of Ethan's weekly homework is to write and illustrate a story. Here's today's tome.

My Lost Tooth

On April 6th, my tooth was loose.
I wiggled it and I wiggled it!
It did not come out.
It finally came out on April 10th.
Guess what?
I swallowed it!

Any literary or studio agents reading this, please contact me to begin negotiations for film and book rights ;-)

One comma down...

2008-04-10T14:05:00.005-07:00

I need to start carrying a Sharpie marker with me, but a regular old black pen works just as well, I suppose. This morning, I struck back in the fight for proper punctuation. I may well find myself banned from the ARCO in Danville, CA, but it'll be worth it. You see, after I added the comma and put the pen away, I realized I should have gone "whole assed" (to quote Jamie Buchman from "Mad About You") and added a period at the end. I'm already plotting my next trip to the ARCO.

More notes from yo mamma...

2008-04-07T13:54:00.004-07:00

So, I'm still addicted to the Postcards from Yo Mamma blog, and came across this one this afternoon:

The news is out! Dad bought me a Webkinz. It is reallly well designed and is the biggest craze I’ve seen in a long time.. It is comparable to the tamgachi and beani babies of your early youth. Every first grade through 5th grade student has one. They are awesome, yet a bit addicting.

I need your help. I can’t make enough money to feed my Webkinz. I have failed at three jobs so far. Please do not check my resume. My Webkinz has survived on pudding which is the sale item.

Please tap into my account and do something about it. Remember, I can get kicked off the site if not used appropriately. No mating of Webkinz. Any ways here is the information you will need.

www.webkinz.com
username #######
password #######
Thanks, Gotta go and make some real money.
Love,
Mom
P.S. Don”t give my password away………seriously

LOL! As someone who spends waaaay too much time at the site (thank you Ethan!), I really feel for this woman and her pudding-eating Webkin. If only I knew the username and password, I'd log in and win her some KinzCash...

Yo Momma...

2008-04-02T15:47:00.004-07:00

This has got to be the funniest blog I've come across in a long time. The entry below is my fav (so far)

APRIL 2, 2008
Convent internship

Thanks for your note. How coincidental that just this morning we have just completed the application process for [xxx]’s entry into the 5 yr. convent internship program, conveniently located adjacent the main gate at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

Having the Army so nearby gives the sisters that added sense of security.

I am sure she’ll be in touch once the 2 year seclusion period passes.

love,
mom

In league with the Grammar League

2008-03-31T13:34:00.004-07:00

In light of yesterday's post about the roving grammar police, I am inspired anew to seek out typos and other abuses of the English language. I've not had far to look. At lunch today, I came across a customer service pledge promising that I would be "completely sasistied" by my dining experience. The food was great, if only I could say the same for the typing. As the guys in the article noted, sole proprietorships tend to be the worst offenders when it comes to these things, and this was the case for me today. If only I'd had a million red pens and a few hours to go through and correct all of their menus...

When I grow up...

2008-03-30T17:38:00.002-07:00

When I grow up, I want to be one of these guys, or at least do my own pilgrimage in their honor.

Too many conference calls

2008-03-27T11:01:00.003-07:00

You know you're in on too many conference calls when you can sing along to the (instrumental) music that is always playing while waiting for the call to begin. Oy...

iTunes rules

2008-03-18T16:29:00.001-07:00

Putting one's iTunes on shuffle can yield forgotten little gems., Hearing this for the first time in years has put a HUGE smile on my face. Enjoy!

No wonder I crave egg rolls from time to time

2008-03-18T13:25:00.002-07:00

You Are a Fortune Cookie

You're a rather normal person, except that you have extraordinary luck in life.

People want to be around you (even when they're a little sick of you), in hopes of being lucky too!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

One more St Pat's thought...

2008-03-17T19:13:00.002-07:00

The St Patrick's Day Massacre

2008-03-17T09:29:00.005-07:00

Destruction rained down on Ethan's classroom today, as the class discovered that their room had been overrun by leprechaun vandals over the weekend. Books were tossed around, chairs turned over, name tags on desks switched, and everyone's behavior card was turned to red. No leprechauns were caught (in spite of 20 traps set around the room), but taunting notes, footprints, and gold coins were left in the vandals' wake. Ethan's trap is the one you can see here - the hill with an Irish flag, a pot of gold, and tons of shiny shamrocks and leprechauns glued on to attract the creatures so renown for their love of all things tacky.

Garden Envy

2008-03-15T22:33:00.007-07:00

My mom and I went to the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show this afternoon, and I am now in serious need of a garden. I addition to the fabbo display gardens, the vendors were to die for - finally, a garden show that requires vendors to actually be garden-related! Really, how many booths of junk jewelry and happy hands at home crafts must one stroll past without ever stopping before event organizers get that no one wants that crap? Luckily, the SF people get it. I got some great looking plants that I'm itching to get into pots, and a way cool vertical garden pot set. Oh, and now I know what outdoor tub I need to put neat to my dream outdoor shower someday...

WWAPKD?

2008-03-04T13:17:00.006-08:00

As a lover of all things 80s, and especially 80s sitcoms, I would be remiss if I didn't post a link to this brilliant editorial in today's NY Times. BTW, I agree with Michael J Fox.

The AP and I agree on something today...

2008-02-29T17:30:00.004-08:00

Looks like I'm not the only one who entertains this fantasy...

A view from my "office" window in Mill Valley

2008-02-08T11:42:00.001-08:00

Eloquent answer of the day

2008-02-07T20:51:00.002-08:00

I was at a meeting today at my new job (which is going fabulously, btw), and one of the head guys was wandering through the area saying hello to everyone as things were getting started, doing that standard, "Hi, how are you?" thing where you ask the question but don't really stick around to hear the answer. So, he got to me, and was chatting with me when he noticed my laptop on the table behind me.

My desktop wallpaper is the photo accompanying this post.

So, he glanced at the screen, and asked, "Oh, is that your husband?" I was just speechless. I think my reply was "Uhhhhhh...." before he moved on to the next person. The girl sitting next to me, however, was quite amused. Now I'm just wondering who to bring to the co. summer picnic or Christmas party. I've warned Mitch, and he is on the lookout for some Fly shades...

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-01-09T13:49:00.001-08:00

I know other people often misspell my name, but I never do.

What do you expect from a place called Dublin?

2008-01-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

Sure, it's cheesy, but apparently, Dublin IS the place of magic and rainbows - this rainbow ends (apparently) right on top of our house. I took it while E and I were driving home from Trader Joe's today.

But you can call me Nanci

2008-01-07T08:55:00.001-08:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Reverend Countess Nanci the Imposing of Frome Valley
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Better than Uma-Oprah, Oprah-Uma

2008-01-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

I'm still a Hillary fan, but, if Obama gets the nom (and I'd be happy with either of them), I'll be buying Ethan (and me too, if they made grown-up sizes) this tee.

Down came the rain

2008-01-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

It is finally raining here in NoCal. I was promised a rainy season, and dammit, there had been hardly a drop before this week. But man, we're making up for ti! I don't know what the current stats are, but as of about 24 hrs ago we had had 6.5" of rain, and it's been pouring all day again today (with several more days to come). Thank God it's in the 50s, or we'd be all iced up.

Before the rain arrived, I took a few minutes to "harvest" our oranges (hoe many pieces are required for it to be a harvest?). I've never had a fruit tree, let alone a citrus tree, before, so I know nothing about how to care for them and prompt more fruit growth. That being said, we had 3 good-looking oranges, and one that is not quite ready to come off the tree. if it survives this storm, I will be pleased. Anyhoo, here's pics of the tree and our harvest. Next up, I plan to do lemons, once I figure them out.

The "flooded" pic above was one I took this afternoon while running some errands, It is flooded in some places, though I'm into quite sure why that sign was placed in the middle of a median on a street that's clearly not flooded. Maybe it's there on spec?

Yikes!

2008-01-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

This post on Go Fug Yourself has started the new year off right - with plenty of snark, and a seriously messed up B-list outfit. What was she thinking?!?

Like the show says, I Love the 80s

2008-01-01T16:21:00.001-08:00

I certainly don't know anyone in the consumer group referred to in this article.

/whistling.../

What? I can't hear you, "Never Gonna Give You Up" is blasting too loudly on my iPod...

My own pop culture vulture

2007-12-28T17:26:00.000-08:00

Ethan is now 6 1/2 years old - time, I am realizing, that he is getting into things on his own, things I don't even know he knows about. Luckily, I'm not talking about anything bad, in fact, this past week has been one delightful revelation after another. It all began a few days ago, as we were driving in the car. I had one of the cooler radio station in the Bay Area, KFOG, on, and the opening riff of the Stray Cats' "Rock This Town" began to play. A small voice from the back seat popped up - "Mommy, I know this!" I thought to myself, Sure, he's probably heard it before a time or two. Then Brian Setzer - and Ethan - began to sing. The kid knew every single word - and even sang a bit of the guitar solo. I looked over my shoulder at one point to see him playing his air bass (he prefers to pluck strings a la Adam Clayton and Sting, instead of strumming, and on this song, who wouldn't?) and rocking out, as much as one can while confined by a seat belt. I asked where he learned it, and he said from one of his Cars games. Who knew? Need I tell you that E was thrilled to learn the band's name - he's always been a cat lover ;-)

Yesterday, Ethan and my mom were discussing Britney Spears and Martha Stewart. Martha was on the Today show demonstrating something when Ethan walked in and said, "Oh, that's the lady who got her kids taken away." My mom was puzzled, so she questioned him some more. Ethan went on to say, "You know, she's a really bad driver, so they took her kids away to keep them safe." "Do you mean Britney Spears?" my mom asked. "Oh yeah, I meant Britney Spears - that lady is Martha Stewart." I think this might possibly be the first time anyone, anywhere, has confused Martha and Brit. Oh how I'd love to see their faces if they knew this - I'm sure both would be horrified!

Finally, this AM Ethan showed mastery of more current pop music, too, singing along with Peter, Bjorn & John's "Young Folks."

I remember singing "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," alongside my friend Penny Ehrles, when I was 6 1/2 - it's nice that E is developing some sense of pop music too. Now, I must devise a plan to transfer my absurd love for George Michael and Wham! to him - that may prove more difficult...

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T22:02:00.001-08:00

We're in full Christmas Mode here, and enjoyed going out to see the light this evening. Nothing is as cool as the lights here, run by a guy Mitch used to work with (before working with Mitch, he was a guitar player for Pink Floyd - somehow, given the Pink Floyd laser light show cliche, this all seems to fit, doesn't it?).

Check out his web site, and, if you're in he Bay Area, check out the show in person - the video from last year (below) doesn't do it justice!

Christmas Lights Timed To Music

This I want to see

2007-12-21T16:07:00.000-08:00

Total crap!

2007-12-06T09:43:00.001-08:00

I'm attempting to grade students' outlines for their final papers, but am finding it more challenging that I'd like. Why, you may ask? Because I get crap like this:

English in America was the first language to speak by the British

This was followed by:

The language between English and the British are different in a way but, their minor

Oy.

Happy Chanukah!

2007-12-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Chanukah

It was 20 years ago today...

2007-12-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

I have an insane ability to remember the dates of all (major) concerts I've ever attended. This is why I sucked at chemistry in high school and upper-level Russian classes in college, cos this info is crowding out the other stuff.

Anyhoo, it occurred to me this morning that it was Dec 3, twenty years. to the day from my first grown-up-free rock concert. (Though looking back on it, I must use the term "rock" loosely.) My friend from 8th grade, Julie (who later went on to be my Maid of Honor) and I went to see none other than Richard Marx, at the Mabee Center in Tulsa. Oh how we looked forward to it! Within the year I was attending much "cooler" shows, like Bon Jovi (with Skid Row opening - remember them?), but nothing really compared to the months-long anticipation of that first-ever concert.

Def. not in Kansas (or OK, or NC) anymore...

2007-12-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

I've been loving the weather here in No Cal, but it only truly hit home for me how different it is from everywhere else we've ever lived this past Friday. I'd taken Ethan to school and no sooner had we entered the school yard (where all the kids play until the AM bell rings and they walk to their classes together), when the girl who sits next to him can running up saying "Ethan, Ethan! You've gotta come see - there's ICE on the PLAYGROUND!!!!" They both went running off to see the wondrous event. I walked ove and was greatly amused to see probably 50 kids crammed into about a 40 sq. ft section of the cork that lies below all the playground equipment "skating" on the "ice." From the looks of the excitement on their faces, it might have been the first time any of them had ever experienced "ice" before. Not a coat was in sight, I don't need to tell you. Was it ice? I'm not even sure - it seemed like a thin layer of frost to me, but it was enough that no one had to pick up their tennis shoes or sandals make the feet move.

After returning home form the ice event, I heard that the middle of the country was experiencing a blizzard. I think I'll take our icy cork flooring any day!

Dance With Me Sesame

2007-11-20T21:05:00.000-08:00

I wish I'd thought of this myself, but, as usual EW.com's PopWatch got it spot on. The resemblance is uncanny!

You, too, can be a Soccer Mom

2007-11-20T16:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true, apparently anyone can become a soccer mom. ll it takes is an excitable 6 yr old (I recommend boys, though I am sure a girl would work too), one pair of shin guards, and a registration fee.

Ethan has been proclaiming his love for soccer for about two years now, and today, he finally joined an official soccer group. He told me before we left today that he wanted to be the goalie, and was thrilled to get to be one for part of their game. I was pretty impressed, too, that he did so well - it was his first time out and he blocked four goals. His team btw, is the Carrots. they devastated the Blueberries this afternoon.

I'm also amazed that, in mid-late November, it was actually comfortable sitting on the ground for 45 minutes watching him. I'm not sure where my coat is, but it was fabulous not to need it or care! This NoCal weather can grow on a girl...

A day late & a dollar (give or take) short

2007-11-14T18:09:00.000-08:00

I was saddened, today, to learn that I'm too late in my quest to buy an Ethiopia-shaped island. I wonder what else might be left? Have a browse here.

What happens in Dublin stays in Dublin

2007-11-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

Ethan's school is having its annual gala fundraiser next March. Info went home to parents today - this year's theme will be Viva las Vegas, with the tag line "What happens in Dublin stays in Dublin." LOL There will be dinner, an auction, and gaming tables. Apparently last year they raised $45,000 in one night. Yikes! At least we don't have to endue endless bake sales, candy bar sales, wrapping paper sales, etc. This puts the $10 Baileywick cookbook from last year to shame.

Hey dúid, don't be a dorc

2007-11-09T22:17:00.000-08:00

Check out this sóúil article in the NY Times.

Random iPod inspection

2007-11-09T15:32:00.001-08:00

EW's Popwatch (a column I love) does a random iPod inspection from time to time, and it's always fun to see what mine will reveal So fire up your iPod and see what the first 5 shuffled songs will be! (This pic is stolen from Popwatch too, it's nice to see them giving the Aussie blokes some love.)

My results today:

! All Because of You, U2
2 Rapper's Delight (Medley), from the Wedding Singer soundtrack
3 I Burn for You (Live), Sting
4 Elevation, U2 (Live from the Vertigo Tour, 2005)
5 Fast Cars, U2

Hmmm... I sense a pattern...

On a semi-related note, I bought a new desk calendar for 2008 today, the 1980s Book of Days, it looks gnarly!

I miss the 80s

2007-11-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

I miss the 80s, even if this wasn't really from then.

You need one of these (really)

2007-11-07T17:08:00.001-08:00

Capt. Ethan

2007-11-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

It's so great to be living in a place where there's cool, fun stuff to do EVERY weekend.

Today, Mitch & Ethan went to the Hiller Aviation Museum to check out the planes while my mom and I hung out at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto. I can't wait to begin Christmas shopping... Note to all gift receivers reading this - update those Amazon wish lists ;-)

It's official...

2007-10-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

We're now Californians. We had our first (noticeable) earthquake this evening, a 5.6, according to prelim reports, with an epicenter just 20 miles southwestish of us. It was an interesting sensation!

Finally all in CA - and back online!

2007-10-12T16:23:00.001-07:00

Mitch sent me this today - a view from his office. Proof that even Oakland can be pretty sometimes.

Now that we are all out here and back online, the blog should resume as usual...

Watch this

2007-09-20T08:32:00.001-07:00

A new one for my library

2007-09-18T14:31:00.001-07:00

I've just found an ad on the SF Chronicle's web site for this book. I think I may need to buy... LOL

What did you say?!?

2007-09-14T11:13:00.001-07:00

Liz gave me the funniest thing ever for my bday (thanks, Liz!), Shakespearean Insult Gum.

Thy breath stinks with a cating of toasted cheese.

I've not eaten any yet, as I am currently working my way through another yummy thing she sent, dark chocolate covered espresso beans, but once I do, you'll be hearing from me!

I should certainly hope so!

2007-09-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

Given my profession, it is a relief to announce...

Your Vocabulary Score: A+

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary!
You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Sorta Bionic

2007-08-23T19:51:00.001-07:00

See What You're Made Of - Visit The Official Site

Not bad, given that I had the sound turned down on my computer when taking the aural section ;-)

Bono's blog?

2007-08-22T18:42:00.001-07:00

This is, I believe, the funniest fake blog I've come across in a long time.

Road Trip, part I

2007-08-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

Not much of note happened during the first half of the trip - NC, TN, AR, and OK all look pretty much the same each time one drives through them (with NC and TN being far more pleasant and interesting, imho). When e got to NM, however, we were in for some interesting sights. As we were driving through the desert east of Albuquerque, we could see a massive storm ahead - several miles wide, easily. We stopped and took a few cool pictures of the sky.

The next day we were on through Arizona and up to Las Vegas. Arizona's rock formations, as always, amaze me.

Before we reached Vegas, we drove over the Hoover Dam. Now, I've always heard of it, of course, and love the song by Sugar, but didn't really know what to expect when we got there. I was def. selling the thing short. And kudos to whoever it was that came up with the plan to make a feat of engineering a tourist attraction! I seriously want to go back when we have more time and spend a few hours looking at the displays and wandering around. (Note to self - do not try to drive a massive RV down the windy mountain road surrounding the dam, like someone we were stuck behind for a half hour.)

Mitch was Vegas earlier this summer, but neither Ethan nor I had been before, so we stopped off to take in the spectacle for a day. Like all good, non-corrupting parents, we let Ethan choose which casino hotel to stay at. We offered him a choice between the Luxor and the Excalibur (we were just there for a night, not looking for a place you'd want to stay for ages and ages). Ethan, being my child chose to stay in a castle over a pyramid, so the Excalibur it was. (I was secretly pleased, too, as Carrot Top is in residence at the Luxor, and the idea of encountering him and his scary torso is about enough to give me nightmares.)

I loved the water "show" at the Bellagio, sadly, though, we did not see George, Brad, or any of the other Oceans 11-13 people while we were there. We stayed out of Pacino's wonky casino as well. I think Ethan's faavorite thing was our visit to M&Ms World, where he could mix his own color combo of M&Ms. (He went for purple, hot pink, blue, and mixed colors, both regular and Mini M&M size, in plain and dark chocolate.)

After one night in Vegas, we were on to CA...

Long time, no blog

2007-08-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Gads, it's been positively AGES since I've blogged regularly! Where have I been? I suppose a better thing to say would be, where have I NOT been? As we prep more for the move to CA, we decided that we a) ended to get a car out to CA for Mitch to use all the time so his company won't have to keep renting him one and b) we needed a family vacation. It wasn't the most relaxing thing we've ever done, but it was fun. So, we set off - on a mere 24 hrs notice, for Road Trip 2007.

We did the drive (NC to CA) in about 5 days, without really pushing ourselves. We stopped in Knoxville, TN, Fort Smith, AR, Albuquerque, NM, and Las Vegas, NV along the way. I've not got much to report on the first half of the trip, but will be blogging about the more interesting parts of the trip, and the following 2 weeks that Ethan and I spent in CA with Mitch. (We're back in NC now, waiting for school to start and the move to get underway.)

How spam could be more effective

2007-08-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

My "real" job's email account has been overloaded with spam for the past 2-3 weeks, and no one at the school seems to be interested in installing a spam filter to help the poor, beleaguered faculty escape it. Some came in yesterday with the obviously porny subject line "Me and my roommate . . ." I would be more inclined to open these if the subject lines were grammatically correct: "My roommate and I . . ." You know what writing teachers are like!

Simpsonized!

2007-08-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to do this for a while now. I've been Simpsonized!

What I need...

2007-07-17T19:34:00.001-07:00

I SO need to be a contestant on The Singing Bee. Where else could I ever turn by knowledge of the lyrics to Electric Avenue into $50k?

The Rusty Remains

2007-06-16T04:42:00.000-07:00

They opened the car time capsule in Tulsa yesterday.

Her's an update before it was unveiled:

And, the final unveiling:

Here's a CNN article about it, too.

All told, I kninda wish Id been there!

I have ALWAYS been cool

2007-06-15T13:52:00.001-07:00

My mom and I have bee playing with our genealogy stuff this week, using Geni, a way-cool, free genealogy site. I've been scanning an uploading lots of family photos as well, which is how I happened to come across this pic of me at age two (which means this was taken in late 1976 or early 1977). if you look carefully, you can just make out that Winnie the Pooh is all over the dress.

Tulsa, 50 Years later

2007-06-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

This New York Times article is about a time capsule buried 50 years ago in Tulsa, OK. As you may or may not know, I grew up there, so when they open it up on Friday, I'll be looking forward to seeing how the things in it have held up.

Scary, but true

2007-06-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Some of my classes had rough drafts of their final papers due last week. ONe student didn't submit hers, so I sent her a note reminding her it was due (something I am required to do, but really loathe). So, she wrote back with a list of "updated labor law poster kits" contents. Her paper is not on labor law.

What is this, Student? I asked.

I don't know, she replied.

WTF? Who submits something when they don't even know what it is?

And she wonders why she isn't passing my class.

My pirate name

2007-06-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

My pirate name is:

Captain Jenny Cash

Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. You're musical, and you've got a certain style if not flair. You'll do just fine. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

The pool is open!

2007-05-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

We had Dale, jane, & Amanda here for Memorial Day weekend, and the kids got to open the neighborhood pool of the year. Luckily, ethan and Amanda are evenly matched in he water - neither is Greg Louganis or the Thorpedo, but they are both happy enough to paddle around and splash each other in the 3 ft area without feeling like they have to have an adult to grab onto at all times.

I think I know how my remaining NC afternoons will be spent once school is out...

Let's go shopping!

2007-05-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

My mom has a new shop up on Cafe Press - it's got her watercolors and a few pencil and colored pencil pieces up for sale. You can get cards, postcards, prints, posters, T-shirts, mugs, aprons, tiles, you name it, it's there. So, what are you waiting for? Visit her shop HERE!

But what about MY needs?

2007-05-26T05:09:00.000-07:00

My friend, Gillian, turned me onto the needs meme in her blog, so now I must do it. All you do it go to Google and type your first name followed by "needs." Hi-jinx ensue! Here's what I've learned about myself this morning:

Nanci needs to calm the hell down. - Probably true...

Nanci needs to remember that we only get to be in college once. And thank God for that! ;-)

Nanci needs to score her rental skis before we leave. Nanci has had some experience skiing, and has chosen to stick with the sure thing rather than brave a new sport.

Nanci needs to find guys that have more honor. Nah, Mitch has plenty :-)

Nanci needs to send out minutes from special meeting of August 23rd for review by Directors and approval at next board meeting. Oh God, one more thing I've forgotten to do!

Nanci needs to come home and find out what is going on with Iran. So long as the Shrub is around, i shudder to find out what may be going on there soon.

Nanci needs us! Duh.

Whoever said Nanci needs a stronger guitarist should hear this guy play. No, really, Edge is just fine!

Nanci needs some help with pre-made scrapbook pages.

And last, but certainly not least: Nanci needs our prayers for financial blessing. So, get those checks, PayPal transfers, etc in the mail ASAP, OK?