Ok. I have a blogger crush. First, who can not adore a "*former* superhero?" And, the motto line. Perfect. You should definitely check out this guy's blog. It's my current favorite, and he has some great food blogging of late. Makes you want to go straight to lunch! And read back.
I first found JP via his guest blogging on Bitch, PhD, where he had some nifty comments about , I think, decorating cookies, and brown/white issues. Plus, the language teachers, they always can use a little extra love. Go, read, tell him he's awesome.
JohnPatrick'sblog
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Saturday, December 02, 2006
A new post
Well, I made it through another migraine. Boy, they really stink. I was trying to explain at work this week that although I had managed to get out of bed, get dressed and come in, I couldn't actually *do* any complicated thinking. It's really hard to explain, even when you're not right in the middle of it, and of course especially hard for someone who doesn't have migraines to understand. This one was my usual one day of pain (tbtg), but preceded by unusually long (several days) and severe pre-symptoms: fogginess, lack of focus (visual and other), sensitivity to light and sound, major difficulty reasoning. ugh.
One of the hard thing about these headaches to me is that they put me out of commission. Being productive is pretty much impossible. But I can't just take off X days a month either. I feel like I risk being percieved as a sloth if I don't go to work, and as a blithering idiot if I do.
hmph.
Well, at least the kitties have their jobs down really well, and have taken good purry care of me the last couple of afternoons, when I came home after work beat my behind. Kitty kisses and snuggles are the best.
In other news (this will surprise you) I've had a hard time writing here. I knew it would be a challenge, but I thought I'd be able to whip off a short note weekly, whatever. I guess it's hard to pick a topic. The interesting ones still seem too personal to share out in the ether. That is, some things I just really don't want to speak out loud anywhere, other things just seem too self-focused to be anything other than egotistical pollution of the web. I do realize that other bloggers' personal stories have been meaningful to me. Just can't seem to keep that 'share' toggle on.
One of the hard thing about these headaches to me is that they put me out of commission. Being productive is pretty much impossible. But I can't just take off X days a month either. I feel like I risk being percieved as a sloth if I don't go to work, and as a blithering idiot if I do.
hmph.
Well, at least the kitties have their jobs down really well, and have taken good purry care of me the last couple of afternoons, when I came home after work beat my behind. Kitty kisses and snuggles are the best.
In other news (this will surprise you) I've had a hard time writing here. I knew it would be a challenge, but I thought I'd be able to whip off a short note weekly, whatever. I guess it's hard to pick a topic. The interesting ones still seem too personal to share out in the ether. That is, some things I just really don't want to speak out loud anywhere, other things just seem too self-focused to be anything other than egotistical pollution of the web. I do realize that other bloggers' personal stories have been meaningful to me. Just can't seem to keep that 'share' toggle on.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Question about age difference in partners
On Any Given Day...: Answer me this...
Ragey asks what age differences folks would consider ok in a significant other.
This is something I've thought about a bit: not for me (we're 2 years apart), but because I've had really different reactions to similar age differences in different couples. (both hetero)
Couple 1: She is 20 yrs younger than he is. They found each other to be true soul mates, married, had kid... 15 yrs later they are still madly in love. But, some issues are coming up: she's terrified of what it will do to her to see him pass before she does (as is likely). Also, age/health issues loom, as does just the practicality of how to pace life when he is retired and she is in the prime of her career. Still, I don't think they ever considered there was another option, once they had met and fallen in love. They have a really beautiful relationship, and it has never struck me as weird.
Couple 2: girlfriend married a man 15 years her senior. Felt weird to me from the git-go. Since the other couple *doesn't* seem odd to me, I am guessing that my reaction to this one has more to do with how I see the power dynamic of the relationship. (There's also something odd about the balance of what I perceive them each bringing to the couple. He comes across to me as a fellow with less than she to offer.) He also seems to be the one with decision making power in the couple-- which probably hits a sensitive nerve for me in terms of men/women and power. In any case, their relationship has made me feel not-so-comfortable at times.
More generally: if it's true love, and there are no strange mommy/daddy vibes, age differences can work. If not, run the other way. But, in any case, even if the relationship is right, there can still definitely be (big) issues, if not at present, then later. I see a number of comments that point out that age differences get less problematic as one gets older... and I think this is true if you are talking about the potential weirdness of 15 years difference when one is a teen vs. when one is 30-something. However, other major issues do arise at the other end of the age spectrum as well. (See couple #1) Potential issues may or may not be a reason to avoid a relationship, though, right? I mean, all couples have some issue or another. Many issues can't be anticipated. As long as you realize that life isn't meant to be perfect, and you're both ready to try to make it as beautiful as you can, regardless, I figure you're in pretty good shape.
Good luck in love!
Ragey asks what age differences folks would consider ok in a significant other.
This is something I've thought about a bit: not for me (we're 2 years apart), but because I've had really different reactions to similar age differences in different couples. (both hetero)
Couple 1: She is 20 yrs younger than he is. They found each other to be true soul mates, married, had kid... 15 yrs later they are still madly in love. But, some issues are coming up: she's terrified of what it will do to her to see him pass before she does (as is likely). Also, age/health issues loom, as does just the practicality of how to pace life when he is retired and she is in the prime of her career. Still, I don't think they ever considered there was another option, once they had met and fallen in love. They have a really beautiful relationship, and it has never struck me as weird.
Couple 2: girlfriend married a man 15 years her senior. Felt weird to me from the git-go. Since the other couple *doesn't* seem odd to me, I am guessing that my reaction to this one has more to do with how I see the power dynamic of the relationship. (There's also something odd about the balance of what I perceive them each bringing to the couple. He comes across to me as a fellow with less than she to offer.) He also seems to be the one with decision making power in the couple-- which probably hits a sensitive nerve for me in terms of men/women and power. In any case, their relationship has made me feel not-so-comfortable at times.
More generally: if it's true love, and there are no strange mommy/daddy vibes, age differences can work. If not, run the other way. But, in any case, even if the relationship is right, there can still definitely be (big) issues, if not at present, then later. I see a number of comments that point out that age differences get less problematic as one gets older... and I think this is true if you are talking about the potential weirdness of 15 years difference when one is a teen vs. when one is 30-something. However, other major issues do arise at the other end of the age spectrum as well. (See couple #1) Potential issues may or may not be a reason to avoid a relationship, though, right? I mean, all couples have some issue or another. Many issues can't be anticipated. As long as you realize that life isn't meant to be perfect, and you're both ready to try to make it as beautiful as you can, regardless, I figure you're in pretty good shape.
Good luck in love!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
"Naturally" stick-like. Right.
Finally!
I'm so pleased with the decision by the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers. (This news is about a week old now... sorry!)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5341202.stm?ls
"Madrid bans waifs from catwalks
Madrid fashion week, one of Spain's most prestigious shows, is banning underweight models on the basis of their body mass index (BMI).
Boo, hiss Cathy Gould:
"Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modelling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for weight-related illnesses.
I'm so pleased with the decision by the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers. (This news is about a week old now... sorry!)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5341202.stm?ls
"Madrid bans waifs from catwalks
Madrid fashion week, one of Spain's most prestigious shows, is banning underweight models on the basis of their body mass index (BMI).
UN health experts recommend a BMI of between 18.5 and about 25, and some models may fall well below the minimum.
The Spanish Association of Fashion Designers has decided to ban models who have a BMI of less than 18.
Unhealthily skinny models at last year's fashion shows led to protests from doctors and women's rights groups.
The association agreed to use the BMI - a calculation based on height and weight - in response to local government pressure....."
Now, if only NYC and Paris would get on board. Ooh, and can you imagine a world with fashion magazines having pictures of realisitically sized people?Boo, hiss Cathy Gould:
"Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modelling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for weight-related illnesses.
"I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer?" she asked, adding that the careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models could be damaged."
(My bolding.)
WTF!?!?!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Books for free
What could be better, right? Well, it's not as much fun as the town library book sale, when everyone comes out in droves, and you have the thrill of a good find and good people-watching besides, but I recently was pointed to Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page) by a friend. Not sure what the difference in titles/canon is between this project and, say, Google Book Search mentioned in Language Log today (http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/).
Still, cool!
It's a really random collection of texts with outdated copyrights, so you can have them legally. Seems like a good idea. Here's what I don't get: you can volunteer to be a proofreader for Distributed Proofreaders, an organization which helps produce these online texts. I guess someone scans the book in, then it's read by a OCR program, then real people proofread and format the text, then it gets published online. Good. But, the aim of the game is supposedly to make as many texts available to the world as possible. So, why not just put up the scanned texts? Then we'd also get to see the text/page as published. Is it about searchability or file size? Does anyone here know?
Still, cool!
It's a really random collection of texts with outdated copyrights, so you can have them legally. Seems like a good idea. Here's what I don't get: you can volunteer to be a proofreader for Distributed Proofreaders, an organization which helps produce these online texts. I guess someone scans the book in, then it's read by a OCR program, then real people proofread and format the text, then it gets published online. Good. But, the aim of the game is supposedly to make as many texts available to the world as possible. So, why not just put up the scanned texts? Then we'd also get to see the text/page as published. Is it about searchability or file size? Does anyone here know?
Saturday, August 19, 2006
A Gripe of One's Own
Been traveling lately, putting my usual carry-on in the checked luggage, as required. Baggage claim? Clearly part of "Why I Don't Check Luggage." They should paint a yellow line about 5 feet back from the carousel. And you know those recordings they used to run: "the white zone is for loading and unloading of passengers only!"? They need one of those for the baggage claim area.
"Please stay behind the yellow line until you see your bag arrive. Please vacate the carousel zone immediately upon claiming your bag. Please do not line up with 3 other members of your family to block the view of other passengers who would also like to claim their bags, especially if they, unlike you, fuckwit, did not pack 3/4 of their worldly belongings to go on a 2-week trip."
And this should be played repeatedly, until passengers of the world become less stupid, or for eternity, whichever comes first.
"Please stay behind the yellow line until you see your bag arrive. Please vacate the carousel zone immediately upon claiming your bag. Please do not line up with 3 other members of your family to block the view of other passengers who would also like to claim their bags, especially if they, unlike you, fuckwit, did not pack 3/4 of their worldly belongings to go on a 2-week trip."
And this should be played repeatedly, until passengers of the world become less stupid, or for eternity, whichever comes first.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Rules for kittehs
From Shrinkykitten.
Especially these.
"5. When mama wants to cuddle, you must cuddle. If Mama wants to kiss your tummy (see above photo for cutest tummy ever), Mama needs to kiss your tummy. Seriously, is this too much to ask?
6. When mama doesn't want to cuddle, please to amuse yourself for a while. Don't sit on what she is trying to work on. Don't climb onto the laptop. Don't swat at her. Which leads us to #7.
7. Please somehow make it through the night without kisses. I know you love to have your little head kissed. But, mama is just not in the mood at 3am. No, smacking mama in the face or headbutting her face will not make her more amenable to this. She needs to sleep so she can go to school/work so she can earn enough money to keep you in kitty food, catnip, and kitty grass. Until you get yourself a job and make some money, no more waking Mama! "
Did you get that, girls?
Especially these.
"5. When mama wants to cuddle, you must cuddle. If Mama wants to kiss your tummy (see above photo for cutest tummy ever), Mama needs to kiss your tummy. Seriously, is this too much to ask?
6. When mama doesn't want to cuddle, please to amuse yourself for a while. Don't sit on what she is trying to work on. Don't climb onto the laptop. Don't swat at her. Which leads us to #7.
7. Please somehow make it through the night without kisses. I know you love to have your little head kissed. But, mama is just not in the mood at 3am. No, smacking mama in the face or headbutting her face will not make her more amenable to this. She needs to sleep so she can go to school/work so she can earn enough money to keep you in kitty food, catnip, and kitty grass. Until you get yourself a job and make some money, no more waking Mama! "
Did you get that, girls?
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Tough to the finitch
Huh.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4788015.stm?ls
Italian actress Sophia Loren has beaten much younger contenders to be voted the world's most naturally beautiful person at the age of 71 in an online poll.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4788015.stm?ls
"Olive oil secret to Loren beauty
The Oscar-winning star says her secret is down to love of life and spaghetti.
But another key to maintaining her youthful looks is one known to the ancient Romans - Loren takes "the odd bath in virgin olive oil"."
Annnd:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2006/08/14/
the_olive_oil_paradox/
"The olive oil paradox
Americans consume olive oil for their health, but in Morocco, the residue is fouling the water
MARRAKESH, Morocco -- The olive oil in your pan is helping to trigger environmental change thousands of miles away in this North African kingdom....
...Morocco is facing severe shortages of fresh water exacerbated by decades of pollution from olive mills."
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