In celebration of one and a half years of job searching.
Cheers!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Why should you learn French?
(Edit: replaced first paragraph and link which mysteriously disappeared upon first publish.)
This one's for Arbi-everything-sounds-good-in-French-trista. I heard this on the radio yesterday, and had to find it. It's David Bowie's Space Oddity covered --in French-- by Lucien Midnight. Not just French, but Quebecois French. Which is like three or four kinds of awesome, right there.
Tangentially, it took me a while to find, so I also came across a great 1999 cover of same by Natalie Merchant (sorry, but it's in English!):
But, even more interestingly, how, HOW?! did I teach foreign language classes for so many years without realizing that ABBA actually had French, Spanish and German versions of most of their own songs?!?!
I'm picturing language lab exercises, class dance-offs in costume and 70's hair....so many possibilities...
This one's for Arbi-everything-sounds-good-in-French-trista. I heard this on the radio yesterday, and had to find it. It's David Bowie's Space Oddity covered --in French-- by Lucien Midnight. Not just French, but Quebecois French. Which is like three or four kinds of awesome, right there.
Tangentially, it took me a while to find, so I also came across a great 1999 cover of same by Natalie Merchant (sorry, but it's in English!):
But, even more interestingly, how, HOW?! did I teach foreign language classes for so many years without realizing that ABBA actually had French, Spanish and German versions of most of their own songs?!?!
I'm picturing language lab exercises, class dance-offs in costume and 70's hair....so many possibilities...
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Who actually has access to the internet?
Here's an interesting recent report on internet access in the US.
On page 9, there's an executive summary listing the main findings of the report. But the graphs and tables further on are worth scrolling down to.
In short: findings show that internet access correlates with education levels, income levels, race and ethnicity, geography, rurality of location, and disability of potential internet users. No big surprises, but for those of you who live on the internet, a good reminder that much of the world does not.
If you are interested in world-wide statistics on internet access, look here.
On page 9, there's an executive summary listing the main findings of the report. But the graphs and tables further on are worth scrolling down to.
In short: findings show that internet access correlates with education levels, income levels, race and ethnicity, geography, rurality of location, and disability of potential internet users. No big surprises, but for those of you who live on the internet, a good reminder that much of the world does not.
If you are interested in world-wide statistics on internet access, look here.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Learn to Sing Harmony
(Squee alert)
I found my (early!) birthday present today.
A year or two ago, I found Susan Anders' great CD Harmony Singing By Ear
It's a fun and interesting way to play around with harmony, especially for someone with no musical training at all. She keeps the theory rather low-key, and then you can skip the theory/strategy tracks when/if you just want to practice your part.
Today I found that she has put out an iPhone app for learning harmony/parts. It only has three old chestnuts included for now, but there are indications that songs will be added in future versions. (Lean on Me; Proud Mary; Teach Your Children, all three in SATB arrangements) It sells for $2.99, and is more of a part-learning tool than anything else (no theory here). There are four parts, and a music track for each song. You can turn the music track off or on, and you can set each of the parts to either full loudness, half loudness, or off.
I love it! My kind musical friends who bear with my constant pleas for separately recorded parts of vocal arrangements will love it, too!
What would/will make it even better:
1) more songs;
2) a looping function;
3) a programmable looping function (i.e. I want the bass part alone 4 times, then add in the soprano for 3 repetitions, then add the background music for 5 repeats, etc.);
4) a slider control for volume of each part, or at least a volume level added between half loudness and full loudness;
5) more songs.
The only person who won't love it is LP, who will have to listen to me hum and sing along....but then again, now hu doesn't have to go birthday shopping for me, either! ;-)
(Disclaimer: I have no connection to to this product or its makers, other than that I am a happy customer.)
I found my (early!) birthday present today.
A year or two ago, I found Susan Anders' great CD Harmony Singing By Ear
It's a fun and interesting way to play around with harmony, especially for someone with no musical training at all. She keeps the theory rather low-key, and then you can skip the theory/strategy tracks when/if you just want to practice your part.
Today I found that she has put out an iPhone app for learning harmony/parts. It only has three old chestnuts included for now, but there are indications that songs will be added in future versions. (Lean on Me; Proud Mary; Teach Your Children, all three in SATB arrangements) It sells for $2.99, and is more of a part-learning tool than anything else (no theory here). There are four parts, and a music track for each song. You can turn the music track off or on, and you can set each of the parts to either full loudness, half loudness, or off.
I love it! My kind musical friends who bear with my constant pleas for separately recorded parts of vocal arrangements will love it, too!
What would/will make it even better:
1) more songs;
2) a looping function;
3) a programmable looping function (i.e. I want the bass part alone 4 times, then add in the soprano for 3 repetitions, then add the background music for 5 repeats, etc.);
4) a slider control for volume of each part, or at least a volume level added between half loudness and full loudness;
5) more songs.
The only person who won't love it is LP, who will have to listen to me hum and sing along....but then again, now hu doesn't have to go birthday shopping for me, either! ;-)
(Disclaimer: I have no connection to to this product or its makers, other than that I am a happy customer.)
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Community and Street Life
Not so recent article from Treehugger.com regarding a not so recent but very interesting study. The gist of it (aka newsflash) is that more cars on your street means less personal interaction. But also: less awareness of details. Part of what is cool about this is how the data is visualized/drawn, and how people's visual memory/perception of their neighborhood is used to come up with quantifiable data, rather than just anecdotal evidence.
Revisiting Donald Appleyard's Livable Streets from Streetfilms on Vimeo.
Revisiting Donald Appleyard's Livable Streets from Streetfilms on Vimeo.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Happy Birthday to the Most Powerful Woman in the Universe!
She-Ra is 25.
I wish her (and all the other Princesses of Power with recent birthdays) many happy returns.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Online lessons
Just came across this article on CNN.
The website for the organization.
Can't wait to check some of it out. Maybe I'll go back in time and actually 'beat' Chemistry... or Stats. hmm, is there Stats over there? /going to see/
I'm especially interested in watching some of the history lessons to see how well the format works for the humanities. I wonder if it's high school style history (i.e. 'facts', dates, etc.) or college-style history...
Might be fun to sling together a couple of lessons in random humanities fields. It would be a distraction from what I should be doing, but that hasn't stopped me from doing about a thousand other non-priority projects this month.
The website for the organization.
Can't wait to check some of it out. Maybe I'll go back in time and actually 'beat' Chemistry... or Stats. hmm, is there Stats over there? /going to see/
I'm especially interested in watching some of the history lessons to see how well the format works for the humanities. I wonder if it's high school style history (i.e. 'facts', dates, etc.) or college-style history...
Might be fun to sling together a couple of lessons in random humanities fields. It would be a distraction from what I should be doing, but that hasn't stopped me from doing about a thousand other non-priority projects this month.
Friday, August 06, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Comfortably Numb
Came across this while looking for a different Dar Williams clip. DW and Ani DiFranco cover Pink Floyd. Enjoy!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Fight Club
I just sat in a 3 person meeting and listened to someone who committed a forgery last month insinuate that I am a liar. The issue at hand? I apparently didn't give enough information about why I was too busy to meet this person last week. Holy. shit.
/end vent/
/end vent/
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Soaking it in
I am loving:
1- the days that are long enough that there is both a) light when I go to work, and b) light when I leave work. Even on the long days.
2- the days with temperatures above freezing. (Not all of them yet, but several in a row at a time, now!)
3- watching little kitty enjoy the sunshine on more days each week.
4- hearing birds when I'm having morning coffee on the porch.
5- having finished my taxes in record time, earlier than ever!!!! woohoo! (Hint, if you are missing important tax docs still, most places are set up so that you can pick them up online, now. Let's hear it for the internets!) (Also hint: online tax prep is the bestest. Big thanks to pietro for suggesting Taxact to me a couple of years ago! It gets even easier the second year in. And, no, I'm not getting any consideration for that blurb. Not on my 4-people-actually-read-it-well-sometimes blog! I wish.)
6- the technology that allows me to work on a weekend day from home, rather than having to go back into the office, one. more. day. (Since there's just no getting around the extra hours at this point, anyway. Would I prefer a 35 hour work week? You bet. But this is the best I can do right now. My supervisor is calling my work group 'lean' and 'efficient' these days. uh huh. Nice way to say it, I guess.)
7- our shiny new president who is taking on really big issues and not flinching. About time, that.
Hope you all are hanging in there, and finding things to love.
1- the days that are long enough that there is both a) light when I go to work, and b) light when I leave work. Even on the long days.
2- the days with temperatures above freezing. (Not all of them yet, but several in a row at a time, now!)
3- watching little kitty enjoy the sunshine on more days each week.
4- hearing birds when I'm having morning coffee on the porch.
5- having finished my taxes in record time, earlier than ever!!!! woohoo! (Hint, if you are missing important tax docs still, most places are set up so that you can pick them up online, now. Let's hear it for the internets!) (Also hint: online tax prep is the bestest. Big thanks to pietro for suggesting Taxact to me a couple of years ago! It gets even easier the second year in. And, no, I'm not getting any consideration for that blurb. Not on my 4-people-actually-read-it-well-sometimes blog! I wish.)
6- the technology that allows me to work on a weekend day from home, rather than having to go back into the office, one. more. day. (Since there's just no getting around the extra hours at this point, anyway. Would I prefer a 35 hour work week? You bet. But this is the best I can do right now. My supervisor is calling my work group 'lean' and 'efficient' these days. uh huh. Nice way to say it, I guess.)
7- our shiny new president who is taking on really big issues and not flinching. About time, that.
Hope you all are hanging in there, and finding things to love.
Friday, February 27, 2009
What she was wearing
I heard this poem earlier this week on The Writer's Almanac, and really liked it. I also thought Keillor read it very nicely.
I'm definitely checking out more works by this poet.
What She Was Wearing
this is my suicide dress
she told him
I only wear it on days
when I'm afraid
I might kill myself
if I don't wear it
you've been wearing it
every day since we met
he said
and these are my arson gloves
so you don't set fire to something?
he asked
exactly
and this is my terrorism lipstick
my assault and battery eyeliner
my armed robbery boots
I'd like to undress you he said
but would that make me an accomplice?
and today she said I'm wearing
my infidelity underwear
so don't get any ideas
and she put on her nervous breakdown hat
and walked out the door
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Let's Hear it for Fair Pay!
Woohoo!
"The Paycheck Fairness Act, passed by a vote of 256-163, requires employers to provide a legitimate reason for paying different salaries to men and women performing the same job."
Makes sense to me.
"The Paycheck Fairness Act, passed by a vote of 256-163, requires employers to provide a legitimate reason for paying different salaries to men and women performing the same job."
Makes sense to me.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Oh my!
Has it really been that long?
Well, not much happening here that is bloggable. Although I will add my own joy to the internets on a good overall election result. And also my regrets for the propensity of my fellow citizens to vote to limit other citizens' access to equal marriage and adoption rights.
Most of what's going on in the Minor household here is unbloggable. We are doing okay, but there is some stress, mostly work related, and not much sense of when the light at the end of the tunnel might be seen to actually be there. We are healthy, and well, otherwise, though, and I am thankful for these blessings. Tiny cat is doing well, too. Much less stressed than earlier in the fall, so: healthy and fine and furry.
My mother's kitty passed on recently, at 17. He was a real sweetie, and she misses him dearly. I know we do, though it's been a long time since he has been part of my daily life, other than via phone calls. I think her lap must feel very empty in the evening. And although she often complained about his being a bed hog at night, I think that must be a strange transition as well. He was a very good boy, and one of the first kitties we ever met with such a fine, gentle and open personality. He loved us all very well, and took good care of his humans for many years.
In other news, I have been tasked with coming up with 'fun' packaging for a paper gift to some of the family children at Christmas. (Think gift card in an envelope.) We want to make it more interesting to open than just an envelope. I have been looking at various papercraft objects online, and of course thinking of creating some bigger box to open, and perhaps smaller related items which might be packaged with said paper gift, and which might make a sound when shaken. Do any of you have good ideas for this? The kids opening the present (together?) will range in age from about 6-teen.
Well, not much happening here that is bloggable. Although I will add my own joy to the internets on a good overall election result. And also my regrets for the propensity of my fellow citizens to vote to limit other citizens' access to equal marriage and adoption rights.
Most of what's going on in the Minor household here is unbloggable. We are doing okay, but there is some stress, mostly work related, and not much sense of when the light at the end of the tunnel might be seen to actually be there. We are healthy, and well, otherwise, though, and I am thankful for these blessings. Tiny cat is doing well, too. Much less stressed than earlier in the fall, so: healthy and fine and furry.
My mother's kitty passed on recently, at 17. He was a real sweetie, and she misses him dearly. I know we do, though it's been a long time since he has been part of my daily life, other than via phone calls. I think her lap must feel very empty in the evening. And although she often complained about his being a bed hog at night, I think that must be a strange transition as well. He was a very good boy, and one of the first kitties we ever met with such a fine, gentle and open personality. He loved us all very well, and took good care of his humans for many years.
In other news, I have been tasked with coming up with 'fun' packaging for a paper gift to some of the family children at Christmas. (Think gift card in an envelope.) We want to make it more interesting to open than just an envelope. I have been looking at various papercraft objects online, and of course thinking of creating some bigger box to open, and perhaps smaller related items which might be packaged with said paper gift, and which might make a sound when shaken. Do any of you have good ideas for this? The kids opening the present (together?) will range in age from about 6-teen.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Pretty
Not up to much. Trying to get into the fall/winter swing of things. We've turned on the heat. Looking into better winter driving tires and hesitating between snow tires and just better all-seasons. Hate this kind of shopping. (Hate most kinds.) We have had our first snow already, so the tire places have already had lines around the block.
Here's a pretty piece of ceramic art I came across online recently:
Lisa Larsson: Katt
found at Modcats.
Keeping fingers crossed for Tuesday. Please vote!
Here's a pretty piece of ceramic art I came across online recently:
Lisa Larsson: Katt
found at Modcats.
Keeping fingers crossed for Tuesday. Please vote!
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
My Little .....Cthulhu?
Hat tip to Cute Overload.
\
@
My Little Cthulhu by ~Spippo on deviantART
Ahahahaaah!
I always knew those Little Ponies were really very scary!
\
@
My Little Cthulhu by ~Spippo on deviantART
Ahahahaaah!
I always knew those Little Ponies were really very scary!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Pleasant Valley Sunday
I need a change of sceeee-ner-reeee--eeeee--eee.
So I've been watching some movies, reading a bit more. Some of it is good.
I've recently re-re-read some Jane Austen. Good for getting away from the real world. One of the few authors I voluntarily reread. Then I checked out the film from the library. Plugged it into the DVD player, and realized I had only checked out Volume 2. Drat.
Back to the library today, and some other poor sucker had checked out Volume 1. hah.
Found a VHS BBC version, and checked out part of that series. At least it's the first part! And, I've been trying to get the next episode I need for BSG season 1 for the past 2 weeks. Damn geeks keep checking it out. hmph.
Recently saw Brokeback Mountain, Pan's Labyrinth, a neat little Sundance prize-winner called The Station Agent (recommend it), and an old Cary Grant film (swoon).
Have also been cooking more (yay for comfort food), and finishing reading Kurlansky's Salt. It's an ok read. I had to order Chinese food a couple of nights ago after reading one of the passages on salt in China and the theories of what tastes make a real meal (particularly descriptions of the combos of ma-la and xian-la) I wish he would write more fiction again though.
Have you ever moved to a new region in the states and discovered a dish new to you that all the locals think is a world-known comfort food? I was talking with somebody the other day about having discovered shepherd's pie like that, years ago. I still don't really 'get' it, but I guess I have stuff like that I crave too, that they think well, not gross, but totally not distinctive or worth their while.
Fall is here. Cold has snapped, and I'm sitting around the house this weekend wearing LONG UNDERWEAR!!!! And we pulled out the winter duvet two nights ago. And there is no more summer fruit at the store, just apples and pears, now, so I guess that's official, even though I haven't turned on the heat yet.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Catching up
Some updates:
Been to the beach and back. It was _great_. Beautiful sand and water, and super weather, and no crowds. I'm going to go again next year, I think/hope. Wish I could've stayed a month.
Also visited with some of our favorite people on the way home.
Got back and the cat had behaved badly again. This time? A cat-diarrhea covered bed and bedroom. augh! So I did what anyone would do, took everything washable outside, hosed it off, and then washed, several times, with lots of soap and some bleach too. Well, the wool blanket (originally a full/queen size) is now a throw, rather than a blanket. I guess I should be grateful we didn't have the winter duvet on yet...
She has been super snuggly since return: Probably some guilt and the cooler weather.
Had a really bad acupuncture session earlier in the week, and then a better one yesterday. I think it's helping my energy level, but that's not what I went in for. So sad.
Talked like a pirate on Friday, paid bills yesterday, did laundry and kitchen clean-up today. Am currently snuggling w/kitty, and cooking some kidney beans for chili later. We have again had a bounty of farm fare bestowed upon us, and I have tried to redistribute as much as I can't use for us, but we are sorely behind on the stack of potatoes. We never made it entirely through the last batch, and had another huge box show up this weekend. Still, we are making headway on the beans and beets.
Best easy way to cook beets that I've found? Wash and remove tips, leaving skin. Leave whole or cut so that the various beets are roughly same size and spread on aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Cover with foil and fold the edges together. Put in oven at 350-400, and let them cook. For smaller pieces 45 minutes is fine, but I left them in for 2 hours yesterday because I fell asleep (kitty hypnotized me- wasn't my fault) and they were fine. Peel (the skin should slip off easily), cut smaller, and throw still warm into a large storage container and toss with red vinegar, salt, pepper. Yum.
Been to the beach and back. It was _great_. Beautiful sand and water, and super weather, and no crowds. I'm going to go again next year, I think/hope. Wish I could've stayed a month.
Also visited with some of our favorite people on the way home.
Got back and the cat had behaved badly again. This time? A cat-diarrhea covered bed and bedroom. augh! So I did what anyone would do, took everything washable outside, hosed it off, and then washed, several times, with lots of soap and some bleach too. Well, the wool blanket (originally a full/queen size) is now a throw, rather than a blanket. I guess I should be grateful we didn't have the winter duvet on yet...
She has been super snuggly since return: Probably some guilt and the cooler weather.
Had a really bad acupuncture session earlier in the week, and then a better one yesterday. I think it's helping my energy level, but that's not what I went in for. So sad.
Talked like a pirate on Friday, paid bills yesterday, did laundry and kitchen clean-up today. Am currently snuggling w/kitty, and cooking some kidney beans for chili later. We have again had a bounty of farm fare bestowed upon us, and I have tried to redistribute as much as I can't use for us, but we are sorely behind on the stack of potatoes. We never made it entirely through the last batch, and had another huge box show up this weekend. Still, we are making headway on the beans and beets.
Best easy way to cook beets that I've found? Wash and remove tips, leaving skin. Leave whole or cut so that the various beets are roughly same size and spread on aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Cover with foil and fold the edges together. Put in oven at 350-400, and let them cook. For smaller pieces 45 minutes is fine, but I left them in for 2 hours yesterday because I fell asleep (kitty hypnotized me- wasn't my fault) and they were fine. Peel (the skin should slip off easily), cut smaller, and throw still warm into a large storage container and toss with red vinegar, salt, pepper. Yum.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)