Archive for November, 2011

To Do List


19 Nov

Today’s list of things to do includes taking Larry to the dog park. Junebug could use a run, too, but not a good idea with the stitches. Then I need to take income verification paperwork to my MIL for her to sign and then go drop that off at her apartment complex. Then it’s home to start the cleaning so that I don’t have 5 million things to do on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving- vacuuming, bathroom clean up, preliminary kitchen clean, start the decluttering process. And maybe finish the day with buying a turkey fryer (oil-less).  What a fun day.

Book Review: How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Karrelyn Sparks


18 Nov

This was one of the e-books I got for free when I got my e-reader last year. I’d started reading it months and months ago, but put it down and did not pick it up again until this week. That’s nothing against the author or the book. This is a fun supernatural romance. Okay, I think there’s supposed to be some elements of a romantic thriller in there, but I found it a little too cheesy to ever feel the threat.

And that’s okay for me. I prefer my romances not take themselves too seriously, and this one did not.

MythBusters: Water Special


17 Nov

Second MythBusters retrospective in a row, though it looks like next week will be fan requests. Tonight was water myths, and this episode highlighted my biggest problem with the retrospective shows- no real information about the myths themselves.

The hubby did not remember the steam powered machine gun (I did), but at least they gave the outcome of that myth- busted. I did not remember the octopus egg hatching in a human stomach myth (hubby does), and they did not tell us the outcome of that myth, just talked about how cool it was to play with the octopus. Frustrating!

Students to Aid in Preserving Shipwrecks


16 Nov

If we want more kids to be interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers, we need to give them more opportunities like this.

While not every school has shipwrecks near by, let alone shipwrecks from the Revolutionary War, it’s still a fabulous opportunity for kids to see real world applications of some of the great technology we currently have, while at the same time providing valuable information to the people working on this project.

It might also get some kids interested in archaeology, but we can forgive them that. Kudos to the Nation Science Foundation for funding this work.

Book Review: Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi


15 Nov

What if friendly aliens arrived at Earth, and instead of contacting the government of any nation, they instead contacted the head of one of the biggest talent agencies inHollywood, in order to determine the best way to introduce themselves to the planet? That is the premise behind Agent to the Stars. It’s a fun premise (especially in the days of Entrouage and Ari Gold), and makes for a fun book.

It is also an example of self-publishing that works, as the novel was originally made available by the author, online, with a suggested donation of $1. He received $4,000.

Movie Review: Hobson’s Choice


14 Nov

Hobson’s Choice is a favorite of a dear friend, so on Saturday night, I joined in her annual Thanksgiving viewing. She describes it as a romance without all the pesky romantic bits, which is a rather fair assessment.

It is also the story of how one woman took control of her own future, in a time when women had very little control, even over their own lives. (The movie is set in turn of the century Victorian England.) The ending is happy, not just because this is aHollywoodcreation, but because the protagonist wouldn’t have it any other way.

Book Review: The Professor & the Madman by Simon Winchester


13 Nov

The full title is The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. Honestly, that covers just about everything you need to know. If the title intrigues you, you’ll enjoy the book. If the mentioning of the world’s largest dictionary turns you off, don’t bother.

Most of the time I was reading this book, I had also had two little dogs crawling over me trying to get attention. The writing was engaging and clear. I could put it down whenever I needed and never had a problem picking it back up.

Extinct: Western Black Rhino of Africa


12 Nov

This makes me sad. I know that animals went extinct before humans even existed, and more went extinct in the years that we were hunter/gatherers, but now, when we have the ways and means to saving them, it seems like a greater tragedy.

And when I find out that the last of a species was killed solely for its horn- not for meat, not for survival, but for a luxury product –that makes me mad.

Whether you believe we were granted dominion over the earth or not, I believe we have a responsibility toward the creatures we share it with.

Thank You


11 Nov

Today is Veterans’ Day. It is a day to honor those who have served our country. I honor my brother, my father, two uncles, and both grandfathers along with a father-in-law and a grandfather-in-law that I never had the chance to meet. I also honor numerous friends who have served in every branch of the military, and some who are still serving.

Yes, I am a “Liberal”, and I do not always agree with our government’s reasoning for sending the troops places, but that does not change the respect I have for those who have chosen to serve our country.

MythBusters: Location Special


10 Nov

It’s the semi-annual retrospective/count down show. This time, we’re counting down the different locations they’ve been to. I don’t mind retrospectives, as we often get a little more information about the different myths.

This time, I learned about the existence of M6 and M7. I don’t know that I had ever realized that the build team had their own workspace. I remember the early seasons, and I remember the comments about neighbors not liking them (I mean, dead pigs in the sports car, that smell would have pissed me off, too), but I hadn’t realized it was a separate location.

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