(Actually now with PhD, but Doctor of Philosophy just doesn't have the same evil ring, does it?)
This is for Argotnaut and her silly humor craving.
Nothing will ever beat Teh Bucket, but this is pretty good.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Here We Go Again...
I've been avoiding most media lately, as I'm trying to finish a first draft of my dissertation. (Which, coincidentally, is about prejudice.)
However, I can't avoid it entirely, so I have seen some coverage of the recent shooting at Virginia Tech. An issue I just knew would crop up is cropping up: references to the shooter being South Korean and how are those Koreans and Korean-Americans taking that fact, anyway?
I know, this doesn't sound so terrible. We all want to know everyone's take on this (that's the press's presumption, anyway). It's the contrast in how the issue is addressed that's always the underlying problem.
With all the White shooters we've had--and there've been a lot, haven't there?--has anyone ever seen any references to "So how is the White community taking the fact that this shooter was White?"
'Cause I haven't. This omission means a lot.
Maybe we should have been asking that.
However, I can't avoid it entirely, so I have seen some coverage of the recent shooting at Virginia Tech. An issue I just knew would crop up is cropping up: references to the shooter being South Korean and how are those Koreans and Korean-Americans taking that fact, anyway?
I know, this doesn't sound so terrible. We all want to know everyone's take on this (that's the press's presumption, anyway). It's the contrast in how the issue is addressed that's always the underlying problem.
With all the White shooters we've had--and there've been a lot, haven't there?--has anyone ever seen any references to "So how is the White community taking the fact that this shooter was White?"
'Cause I haven't. This omission means a lot.
Maybe we should have been asking that.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Risk
According to the breast cancer risk calculator, I have an estimated 99.3% chance of not getting breast cancer in the next five years, and an 86.3% chance of not getting it during my lifetime.
I wish there was a more sophisticated one that took more things into account.
For example, if your mother breastfed you (even for a short time), your risk is reduced (I was the only one of my many siblings who was not breastfed, of course). Breastfeeding your own children reduces your risk, primarily if you do it for longer than one year (so I'm definitely going to be doing that, although that isn't my main reason for doing so.) Having children earlier in life reduces your risk, as it "sets" the cells of your breasts so subsequently they don't change every month with your hormonal cycle (I picture them like little Jell-O particles.)
Being on hormone therapy increases your risk--haven't done that, and won't. Hot flashes, here I come. Used birth control pills? Conflicting results show either increased, decreased, or no change in risk (the earlier pills had much higher hormone levels in them, complicating the research.) On the other hand, being on the pill greatly reduces your risk for both ovarian and colorectal cancer, so there you go.
But I digress, which is what I do best.
The point I was going to make is that breast cancer, while quite scary, is way behind other leading health-related death risks, particularly heart disease. Furthermore, some other top killers* of women (depending on the age group) that people seem to ignore a lot are auto accidents, murder (partner or former partner usually), and suicide (women are currently still stuck with higher depression rates).
So while you're wearing your red dress pin or your pink ribbon as you walk (or whatever you do) for a cure, don't forget that we need your admirable endeavors to improve other aspects of risk, too.
*Maybe someone can make a risk calculator for all these things combined. Now that would be cheery, wouldn't it?
I wish there was a more sophisticated one that took more things into account.
For example, if your mother breastfed you (even for a short time), your risk is reduced (I was the only one of my many siblings who was not breastfed, of course). Breastfeeding your own children reduces your risk, primarily if you do it for longer than one year (so I'm definitely going to be doing that, although that isn't my main reason for doing so.) Having children earlier in life reduces your risk, as it "sets" the cells of your breasts so subsequently they don't change every month with your hormonal cycle (I picture them like little Jell-O particles.)
Being on hormone therapy increases your risk--haven't done that, and won't. Hot flashes, here I come. Used birth control pills? Conflicting results show either increased, decreased, or no change in risk (the earlier pills had much higher hormone levels in them, complicating the research.) On the other hand, being on the pill greatly reduces your risk for both ovarian and colorectal cancer, so there you go.
But I digress, which is what I do best.
The point I was going to make is that breast cancer, while quite scary, is way behind other leading health-related death risks, particularly heart disease. Furthermore, some other top killers* of women (depending on the age group) that people seem to ignore a lot are auto accidents, murder (partner or former partner usually), and suicide (women are currently still stuck with higher depression rates).
So while you're wearing your red dress pin or your pink ribbon as you walk (or whatever you do) for a cure, don't forget that we need your admirable endeavors to improve other aspects of risk, too.
*Maybe someone can make a risk calculator for all these things combined. Now that would be cheery, wouldn't it?
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Sugar Connection
As far as food cravings go, I have always been more of a salt-n-savory craver than a sweets craver. I admit to being one of the few people who has not really been that interested in ice cream, unless it's really hot out. And while certain kinds of chocolate make me drool (notably Green & Black's Organic Dark Milk Chocolate), I have never considered myself a chocaholic. Even my husband is more chocolate-oriented than me.
That's not to say I haven't occasionally desired the odd plain-chocolate cake or licorice whip or whole-wheat brownies with drizzles of coffee icing or whatever. It's just that throughout my life I've usually wanted jerky, potato chips, cheese, mashed potatoes, ramen noodles, deviled eggs, gravy, and so forth, when I've been in a cravy mood.
But since I've had a baby, I've turned into a sweets-craver, too. I even started wanting ice cream (Häagen-Dazs's Caramel Cone). I ate half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips the other day! True, someone is literally sucking the life out of me round the clock, but this doesn't account for the change in my tastes, does it?
I recently heard a young woman talk about trying to keep her parents from giving her baby sweets when they're caring for her on weekdays, partly because she now feels like she is addicted to sugar herself and can't stop thinking about it. Reflecting on this later, I remembered an article I read a few years back that stated that when you crave sweets, it may mean you're tired, while if you crave salty things, it may mean you're simply hungry. I thought I could tell this to that other mother next time I saw her, as we were all discussing how exhausting it is taking care of a baby 24/7.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that this could account for my own sudden uncharacteristic sweets-wanting. Of course! I wanted salty stuff before, because I never weighed enough and never really ate enough on a regular basis, I figured that already--but now that I'm exhausted ALL the time, I crave the sugar.
So maybe it will go away in, oh, 18 years.
That's not to say I haven't occasionally desired the odd plain-chocolate cake or licorice whip or whole-wheat brownies with drizzles of coffee icing or whatever. It's just that throughout my life I've usually wanted jerky, potato chips, cheese, mashed potatoes, ramen noodles, deviled eggs, gravy, and so forth, when I've been in a cravy mood.
But since I've had a baby, I've turned into a sweets-craver, too. I even started wanting ice cream (Häagen-Dazs's Caramel Cone). I ate half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips the other day! True, someone is literally sucking the life out of me round the clock, but this doesn't account for the change in my tastes, does it?
I recently heard a young woman talk about trying to keep her parents from giving her baby sweets when they're caring for her on weekdays, partly because she now feels like she is addicted to sugar herself and can't stop thinking about it. Reflecting on this later, I remembered an article I read a few years back that stated that when you crave sweets, it may mean you're tired, while if you crave salty things, it may mean you're simply hungry. I thought I could tell this to that other mother next time I saw her, as we were all discussing how exhausting it is taking care of a baby 24/7.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that this could account for my own sudden uncharacteristic sweets-wanting. Of course! I wanted salty stuff before, because I never weighed enough and never really ate enough on a regular basis, I figured that already--but now that I'm exhausted ALL the time, I crave the sugar.
So maybe it will go away in, oh, 18 years.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Exhausted
This is what happens on weekends when Daddy takes over so I can work on my dissertation. Limelet wears him out completely.
Poor Daddy.
Poor Daddy.
A Variety of Birds of Happiness
I think I mentioned previously that there used to be bluebirds in the yard here chez Lizardo/Limey, but that the cutting down of the only large trees on the block and the influx of numerous housecats and feral cats within the space of a few months pretty effectively put a stop to all that songbirdly happiness.
So for several years, the bluebird house that the neighbor put up held a motley assortment of other kinds of baby birds; mainly sparrows, possibly a couple of house finches. Unfortunately, the way she had mounted the house made it lean forward at the top. This made the front "wall" of the little house fall open an inch or so at the bottom, as it was hinged at the top. Thus there was always a litter of nest material sort of dripping out the bottom of the front, and it was clear that cats and/or raccoons and/or possums were happy to just paw at it and eat whoever was living there at random intervals. Not exactly prime bluebird real estate.
Then those tenants moved out, and left little sad bits of landscaping around, including the little birdhouse. During the winter, snow and ice knocked it further off its teetery balance on two nails, so I took it and wedged it firmly in some sturdy branches of the tree next to it, but with the top leaning back so it stayed closed. At least maybe the sparrows could have the chance of raising some uneaten babies come spring.
Then last weekend as TheLimey was returning from a little walkies with Limelet, he phoned me (yes, from right outside our place) to ask "what kind of a bird has red on the front--" house finch, thought I -- "and bright blue all over the back and head?" I instantly dropped my analyses of variance and ran out there like a shot. Yep--Bluebirds nesting!
I can't tell you how something so small and simple just made my week. It was the first nice day after the resurgence of winter that we had, and not only were there bluebirds, there were goldfinches, a brace of cardinals, chickadees, and house finches aplenty. I could hear two different kinds of woodpecker in the wooded lot across the street, too.
Now the birds that mysteriously shunned my feeder all winter seem to be returning to it, along with the tender new leaves on the honeysuckle vines. I heart spring.
So for several years, the bluebird house that the neighbor put up held a motley assortment of other kinds of baby birds; mainly sparrows, possibly a couple of house finches. Unfortunately, the way she had mounted the house made it lean forward at the top. This made the front "wall" of the little house fall open an inch or so at the bottom, as it was hinged at the top. Thus there was always a litter of nest material sort of dripping out the bottom of the front, and it was clear that cats and/or raccoons and/or possums were happy to just paw at it and eat whoever was living there at random intervals. Not exactly prime bluebird real estate.
Then those tenants moved out, and left little sad bits of landscaping around, including the little birdhouse. During the winter, snow and ice knocked it further off its teetery balance on two nails, so I took it and wedged it firmly in some sturdy branches of the tree next to it, but with the top leaning back so it stayed closed. At least maybe the sparrows could have the chance of raising some uneaten babies come spring.
Then last weekend as TheLimey was returning from a little walkies with Limelet, he phoned me (yes, from right outside our place) to ask "what kind of a bird has red on the front--" house finch, thought I -- "and bright blue all over the back and head?" I instantly dropped my analyses of variance and ran out there like a shot. Yep--Bluebirds nesting!
I can't tell you how something so small and simple just made my week. It was the first nice day after the resurgence of winter that we had, and not only were there bluebirds, there were goldfinches, a brace of cardinals, chickadees, and house finches aplenty. I could hear two different kinds of woodpecker in the wooded lot across the street, too.
Now the birds that mysteriously shunned my feeder all winter seem to be returning to it, along with the tender new leaves on the honeysuckle vines. I heart spring.
Friday, April 13, 2007
I've Gone Audio!
This is so darn cool!
It erased the post I had, so bite me. Or bite the post. Something. Here's the link. I expect all of you to follow suit if you haven't already.
http://podcasts.odiogo.com/doctor-lizardo/podcasts-html.php
It erased the post I had, so bite me. Or bite the post. Something. Here's the link. I expect all of you to follow suit if you haven't already.
http://podcasts.odiogo.com/doctor-lizardo/podcasts-html.php
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
At Puberty...
...there should be more of those baby-simulating events that some organizations hold. I'm not talking about carrying an egg around all week. Or even that crying doll. That's still way too easy.
I mean something more realistic. Like some evening when the kid is worn out as heck from a long day and hasn't had dinner yet, they should have a 20-lb potato sack strapped to their chest and have to walk and walk and walk and walk around a dim room, for four hours. No bathroom breaks! No snack breaks!
No teenager would ever have (heterosexual) sex.
Ha! Who am I kidding? They still would.
Unless there were booster sessions; maybe weekly ones...
I mean something more realistic. Like some evening when the kid is worn out as heck from a long day and hasn't had dinner yet, they should have a 20-lb potato sack strapped to their chest and have to walk and walk and walk and walk around a dim room, for four hours. No bathroom breaks! No snack breaks!
No teenager would ever have (heterosexual) sex.
Ha! Who am I kidding? They still would.
Unless there were booster sessions; maybe weekly ones...
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Weigh In on Important Stuff
Wow; I've been online three times in two days! This run of luck can't last, so instead of spending time looking these things up myself, I'll see if anyone else already knows.
1: I've heard that Memorex DVDs are made with the most inferior pigments that deteriorate after a year or so, disintegrating your data/media. Is this true, and if so, what is a good brand to get?
2: My RSS-and-podcast loving partner wishes he could listen to his favorite blogs instead of reading them. Is there a web-based reader-out-louder* that would do something like this? (If not, why hasn't Google jumped on this already?)
*I don't think he means an app on the computer itself. Limelet found that one for me yesterday while engaged in his favorite activity, mashing random keys.
1: I've heard that Memorex DVDs are made with the most inferior pigments that deteriorate after a year or so, disintegrating your data/media. Is this true, and if so, what is a good brand to get?
2: My RSS-and-podcast loving partner wishes he could listen to his favorite blogs instead of reading them. Is there a web-based reader-out-louder* that would do something like this? (If not, why hasn't Google jumped on this already?)
*I don't think he means an app on the computer itself. Limelet found that one for me yesterday while engaged in his favorite activity, mashing random keys.
Flaming Hamster
It's good to see Mark is back!
...although I will probably rarely make comments because of the Firefox block. I can't comment without it (from my end, anyway.)
I know, I know! Firefox is better in every way and I should be using it, according to all my smartest friends and relatives. But we're a Microsoft household [Darth Vader breathing sound], especially now that my husband is all certified-up and whatnot.
And when I fire up the Firefox for temporary use, then I have to re-set all kinds of things when I turn Explorer back on.
Nevertheless, it's nice that you're back.
...although I will probably rarely make comments because of the Firefox block. I can't comment without it (from my end, anyway.)
I know, I know! Firefox is better in every way and I should be using it, according to all my smartest friends and relatives. But we're a Microsoft household [Darth Vader breathing sound], especially now that my husband is all certified-up and whatnot.
And when I fire up the Firefox for temporary use, then I have to re-set all kinds of things when I turn Explorer back on.
Nevertheless, it's nice that you're back.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Noooo....
Blogrolling is gone?! But I use it for everything.
Maybe it will come back, like the stupid snow that returned for April. Only with less cursing and freezing.
*****
So, it's back.
I know it seemed like an overreaction, but when you only have 5 or 10 minutes to do all the online stuff you want to for the day (or week), and you can't predict when that will be or how long it will last, everything seems a lot more significant.
Maybe it will come back, like the stupid snow that returned for April. Only with less cursing and freezing.
*****
So, it's back.
I know it seemed like an overreaction, but when you only have 5 or 10 minutes to do all the online stuff you want to for the day (or week), and you can't predict when that will be or how long it will last, everything seems a lot more significant.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Frohe Ostern
German holiday kitsch is so much cuter, nicht wahr?
I forgot to even look for any images in Norwegian...hmmmm...
I forgot to even look for any images in Norwegian...hmmmm...
Sunday, April 01, 2007
April Fool!
I don't have time for jokes.
Luckily, Google does.
TiSP
Google Gulp
Google Lunar Jobs (darn!)
Google Pigeons
Mentalplex
Google Romance
Luckily, Google does.
TiSP
Google Gulp
Google Lunar Jobs (darn!)
Google Pigeons
Mentalplex
Google Romance
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Hot Cookin'
If I didn't already want a really super duper kitchen mixer, this would have sealed my desire.
I wonder what other appliances could be cherried out and modded? Hmmmm....
I wonder what other appliances could be cherried out and modded? Hmmmm....
Monday, March 19, 2007
A Brief Thought
Ever noticed that Tylenol spelled backwards is Lonely T? You probably did.
That should be a ranch or a late-night (or late-nite) diner.
That should be a ranch or a late-night (or late-nite) diner.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Someone's else's collage of associations, both sacred and profane. (Notice the squirrel.)
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
It's Summer!
Last week, ice storms. This week, it's summer today. Typically Michiganesque.
I actually went outside for a walk today, with Limelet in the joggie stroller. We've been practicing in the laundry room.
Oh, how the sunlight and fresh air streaming in make the house look filthy and smell stale! Maybe I'll have the chance for a little tidying up now that he's asleep.
I actually went outside for a walk today, with Limelet in the joggie stroller. We've been practicing in the laundry room.
Oh, how the sunlight and fresh air streaming in make the house look filthy and smell stale! Maybe I'll have the chance for a little tidying up now that he's asleep.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
First Tooth!
I think it came yesterday: I thought I heard a scraping or klonking when he was chewing on something.
And then today it registered that the sound meant there was something hard in there. A quick finger-chew revealed a bottom tooth! (But he won't let me look at it.)
So all this crankiness lately really has been towards an end. Poor little crankitor.
And then today it registered that the sound meant there was something hard in there. A quick finger-chew revealed a bottom tooth! (But he won't let me look at it.)
So all this crankiness lately really has been towards an end. Poor little crankitor.
Baby Season
It's baby squirrel season, so don't forget to put out some food for those poor pregnant and nursing SQUIRREL* mothers. Especially those of us who live in snowy areas.
*I was in a great hurry to write this and didn't look at it after I posted it. Thank heavens one of my old copy editing compatriots pointed out the egregious error I missed!
*I was in a great hurry to write this and didn't look at it after I posted it. Thank heavens one of my old copy editing compatriots pointed out the egregious error I missed!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
HPV Vaccination Flap
I'm sure most of you have heard about the controversy regarding vaccinating pre-teen girls for HPV in order to stave off potential cervical cancer resulting from said HPV. No, scratch that. The flap is not really about the vaccine, but about being required to vaccinate pre-teen girls.
After all, some people have doubts about the safety of a lot of vaccines (especially ones without longer term testing), others don't like being told how to run their family's medical life, and others feel that this is probably unduly influenced by Big Pharma's interests. Or some combination thereof. And then there's the perennial discomfort with the idea of our children ever, ever, EVER having sex, let alone preparing them for it (in any way) during middle school.
But you know, I probably would go get it myself if I were magically transported back to being 18--not that they had the vaccine way way back then.
I guess my question would be, why would they make this mandatory only for girls? Who do they think most of those girls are going to contract HPV from? If it's going to be mandatory (and I'm not certain it should be), then boys better be mandated to have it, too.
Okay, and then there are articles such as this one that states that gay men are voluntarily going to get the vaccine (leave it to the gay community to be at the forefront of sexual health practices), and the doctor in it who states:
“I would be interested to see the response of suggesting to parents that they should vaccinate their boys at 12 in case they become gay.” [italics mine]
Okay, leaving out the entire discussion about the "become gay" comment...is that why we'd vaccinate boys? Just in case they "become gay"?! So, we don't care if they carry the virus and have genital warts themselves, and then pass that virus on to a girl or girls, who then end up with cancer--the only reason to vaccinate a boy would be in case of possible gayness.
But you know, the doctor is right. That is exactly what a lot of parents are going to think, and why they'll balk at vaccinating their sons, rather than one of those other, more rational reasons.
After all, some people have doubts about the safety of a lot of vaccines (especially ones without longer term testing), others don't like being told how to run their family's medical life, and others feel that this is probably unduly influenced by Big Pharma's interests. Or some combination thereof. And then there's the perennial discomfort with the idea of our children ever, ever, EVER having sex, let alone preparing them for it (in any way) during middle school.
But you know, I probably would go get it myself if I were magically transported back to being 18--not that they had the vaccine way way back then.
I guess my question would be, why would they make this mandatory only for girls? Who do they think most of those girls are going to contract HPV from? If it's going to be mandatory (and I'm not certain it should be), then boys better be mandated to have it, too.
Okay, and then there are articles such as this one that states that gay men are voluntarily going to get the vaccine (leave it to the gay community to be at the forefront of sexual health practices), and the doctor in it who states:
“I would be interested to see the response of suggesting to parents that they should vaccinate their boys at 12 in case they become gay.” [italics mine]
Okay, leaving out the entire discussion about the "become gay" comment...is that why we'd vaccinate boys? Just in case they "become gay"?! So, we don't care if they carry the virus and have genital warts themselves, and then pass that virus on to a girl or girls, who then end up with cancer--the only reason to vaccinate a boy would be in case of possible gayness.
But you know, the doctor is right. That is exactly what a lot of parents are going to think, and why they'll balk at vaccinating their sons, rather than one of those other, more rational reasons.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
But Does It Know Jack?
I admit I am one of those on the forefront of the non-blogging trend lately, except for maybe my mothering blog. I believe I actually have a good excuse this year. However, I'm still going to try writing an actual entry from time to time. (I wrote most of this one on my PDA in bed while intermittently nursing.)
Last night TheLimey went to a work colleague's party for a brief evening. This gave me a chance to watch the scary DVD I'd checked out at the library.
When I watch a movie at night, I watch it in bed (with headphones), so that Limelet will stay asleep, as he can then sleepily nurse on demand while I lie there. It's most convenient: I get to see a movie and I can also tend the baby, simultaneously. (If you've ever cared for an infant who is awake, you will realize it's hard to watch an entire movie during the daytime.)
Unfortunately, when my husband is in bed too, trying to sleep so he can go to work the next morning, I can't really be munching popcorn and playing movies in bed. Therefore, the opportunities are sparse. So this was a great opportunity. It was a wintry, howling-windy night, so it was perfect for snuggling up with a warm baby and a scary movie. Also popcorn.
As I was heading downstairs to pop the corn, after getting Limelet to sleep, I realized that I had worked on my dissertation through dinnertime and should probably eat something more than popcorn. Being of the ham and cherries school of eating myself, this turned into quite an odd assortment of food.
Let's see, perhaps a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. Oh, and an apple. That's whole grain, fruit, and protein. Perfectly nutritious! --Wait, I can have the peanut butter with the apple, and then make cinnamon toast of the bread. Perfect! And the milk, it can become hot cocoa with the addition of...some heat. And some cocoa. Oh yes, I forgot I bought a new container of cottage cheese--that looks good, too. And raw carrots--don't forget some raw carrots, for added fiber.
My tea tray ended up so full of all these other things, I had to balance the hot popcorn bag precariously on top when I took it upstairs.
The movie was Darkness, which was prettily filmed but not very scary after all (except for maybe three teasing seconds of scariness.) I found myself wishing someone else was watching it with me so we could make fun of it together. At one point a character intoned ominously, "The Darkness knows a great deal..."
"...when it sees one," I jauntily finished for him. If Darkness is such a good bargain shopper, I thought, I wonder what other things Darkness might know. I started making a list in my head, compulsively, at about the time the characters were arguing about "where that tube went":
Darkness knows a great deal (when it sees one)
Darkness knows a good fluffy pancake recipe
Darkness knows when to hold 'em & when to fold 'em
Darkness knows my second cousin Joe
Darkness knows how to mambo!
Darkness knows the way to San Jose
Darkness knows the real lyrics to Louie Louie
Darkness knows where the decent free restrooms in Chicago are
Darkness knows who took the last brownie
Darkness knows which way the wind blows
Darkness knows you didn't really mean that, but were just kidding
Darkness knows which side its bread is buttered on
Darkness knows where that tube is
Darkness knows what boys like
Darkness knows there's somethin' goin' on
Darkness knows the square root of 2.425217
Darkness knows how to treat a lady
Darkness knows a great little diner around the corner
...so if you think of something else Darkness knows, feel free to comment.
Last night TheLimey went to a work colleague's party for a brief evening. This gave me a chance to watch the scary DVD I'd checked out at the library.
When I watch a movie at night, I watch it in bed (with headphones), so that Limelet will stay asleep, as he can then sleepily nurse on demand while I lie there. It's most convenient: I get to see a movie and I can also tend the baby, simultaneously. (If you've ever cared for an infant who is awake, you will realize it's hard to watch an entire movie during the daytime.)
Unfortunately, when my husband is in bed too, trying to sleep so he can go to work the next morning, I can't really be munching popcorn and playing movies in bed. Therefore, the opportunities are sparse. So this was a great opportunity. It was a wintry, howling-windy night, so it was perfect for snuggling up with a warm baby and a scary movie. Also popcorn.
As I was heading downstairs to pop the corn, after getting Limelet to sleep, I realized that I had worked on my dissertation through dinnertime and should probably eat something more than popcorn. Being of the ham and cherries school of eating myself, this turned into quite an odd assortment of food.
Let's see, perhaps a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. Oh, and an apple. That's whole grain, fruit, and protein. Perfectly nutritious! --Wait, I can have the peanut butter with the apple, and then make cinnamon toast of the bread. Perfect! And the milk, it can become hot cocoa with the addition of...some heat. And some cocoa. Oh yes, I forgot I bought a new container of cottage cheese--that looks good, too. And raw carrots--don't forget some raw carrots, for added fiber.
My tea tray ended up so full of all these other things, I had to balance the hot popcorn bag precariously on top when I took it upstairs.
The movie was Darkness, which was prettily filmed but not very scary after all (except for maybe three teasing seconds of scariness.) I found myself wishing someone else was watching it with me so we could make fun of it together. At one point a character intoned ominously, "The Darkness knows a great deal..."
"...when it sees one," I jauntily finished for him. If Darkness is such a good bargain shopper, I thought, I wonder what other things Darkness might know. I started making a list in my head, compulsively, at about the time the characters were arguing about "where that tube went":
Darkness knows a great deal (when it sees one)
Darkness knows a good fluffy pancake recipe
Darkness knows when to hold 'em & when to fold 'em
Darkness knows my second cousin Joe
Darkness knows how to mambo!
Darkness knows the way to San Jose
Darkness knows the real lyrics to Louie Louie
Darkness knows where the decent free restrooms in Chicago are
Darkness knows who took the last brownie
Darkness knows which way the wind blows
Darkness knows you didn't really mean that, but were just kidding
Darkness knows which side its bread is buttered on
Darkness knows where that tube is
Darkness knows what boys like
Darkness knows there's somethin' goin' on
Darkness knows the square root of 2.425217
Darkness knows how to treat a lady
Darkness knows a great little diner around the corner
...so if you think of something else Darkness knows, feel free to comment.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Internship
Okay, I'm in...
...somewhere. We find out our locations Monday.
Emails are flying amongst my colleagues, but I just have little suspense this, my third, time through.
But I am going to celebrate by taking a 10-minute nap while Limelet has one, unless my lying down wakes him up. Which it usually does.
Darnit, I was forced to switch to New Blogger because I erased my cookies the other day.
[Okay, background for those searching for APPIC Match entries on Blogsearch today: The first year of APPIC Match, my program--in which I was part of the first cohort--was not yet accredited. I think one person got an accredited match.
Second year, we were "about" to be accredited, and I was placed. However, we also found out I was going to be having a baby about the same time the internship started. The site director was kind enough to basically rip up my contract for me, as APPIC doesn't allow "holding" places (officially, anyway.)
Now, having gone through the application and interview process for the third frickin' time in a row, but this time with a husband and an infant in tow, I am mainly just exhausted and want it to be over!
And it is. Yippee!]
...somewhere. We find out our locations Monday.
Emails are flying amongst my colleagues, but I just have little suspense this, my third, time through.
But I am going to celebrate by taking a 10-minute nap while Limelet has one, unless my lying down wakes him up. Which it usually does.
Darnit, I was forced to switch to New Blogger because I erased my cookies the other day.
[Okay, background for those searching for APPIC Match entries on Blogsearch today: The first year of APPIC Match, my program--in which I was part of the first cohort--was not yet accredited. I think one person got an accredited match.
Second year, we were "about" to be accredited, and I was placed. However, we also found out I was going to be having a baby about the same time the internship started. The site director was kind enough to basically rip up my contract for me, as APPIC doesn't allow "holding" places (officially, anyway.)
Now, having gone through the application and interview process for the third frickin' time in a row, but this time with a husband and an infant in tow, I am mainly just exhausted and want it to be over!
And it is. Yippee!]
Saturday, February 17, 2007
What's That Google Thing Called?
...in which there's only one hit for a search? Because I have one.
I didn't know this was such an exclusive pseudo-term; perhaps I'm spelling it wrong.
I didn't know this was such an exclusive pseudo-term; perhaps I'm spelling it wrong.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Post-Valentine: What About Sweathogs Then?
I had no idea there was so much sweat out there. (More mean-spirited typo-bashing).
A Therapist I Probably Won't Visit
This item almost makes sense, if it's athletic clothing.
I see why they discontinued this item.
This would have to be a really, really gritty song. Even for Buckley.
Et tu, Bette Midler?!
** I decided that it's hard enough to be a teenager without the unfair scrutiny of strangers (me), so I removed that last one. Go find your own example. **
Feel free to comment with any you may find. (This blog isn't all sweatness and light, after all.)
A Therapist I Probably Won't Visit
This item almost makes sense, if it's athletic clothing.
I see why they discontinued this item.
This would have to be a really, really gritty song. Even for Buckley.
Et tu, Bette Midler?!
** I decided that it's hard enough to be a teenager without the unfair scrutiny of strangers (me), so I removed that last one. Go find your own example. **
Feel free to comment with any you may find. (This blog isn't all sweatness and light, after all.)
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Happy V-Day
"Slowly, it dawned on me that nothing was more important than stopping violence toward women—that the desecration of women indicated the failure of human beings to honor and protect life and that this failing would, if we did not correct it, be the end of us all. I do not think I am being extreme. When you rape, beat, maim, mutilate, burn, bury, and terrorize women, you destroy the essential life energy on the planet. You force what is meant to be open, trusting, nurturing, creative, and alive to be bent, infertile, and broken."
(Support your local shelter!)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Well, Some White Families Never Stopped the Tradition...
(We were too poor?*)
"Most people in the world have been doing attachment parenting and still are but white people don’t even think that it existed until they thought of it."
A great article.
*Of course I'd like to think it was because we were so darn humane and sensible, but...pfffff. How likely is that?
"Most people in the world have been doing attachment parenting and still are but white people don’t even think that it existed until they thought of it."
A great article.
*Of course I'd like to think it was because we were so darn humane and sensible, but...pfffff. How likely is that?
Friday, February 09, 2007
Russefeiring 1986
If you wanted proof (old school proof, anyway) that I was in Norway, here it is. A friend is moving and found a box of memorabilia of mine, including this photo from 1986.
That's me at the bottom right, the only person without red pants or at least white. Although I admit that I currently DO own a pair of red jeans. I always wondered what possessed me to buy them--now I know.
Heia Norge!
That's me at the bottom right, the only person without red pants or at least white. Although I admit that I currently DO own a pair of red jeans. I always wondered what possessed me to buy them--now I know.
Heia Norge!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
He's Not My Nemesis in Real Life
I can't tell you how happy this news item makes me. I love Renaissance persons.
It couldn't happen to a better superrat-killer (no offense, rats), robotic law-enforcement officer, or surgeon/physicist/rock star, in my opinion.
I'm glad when people I like reinvent themselves (Thomas Dolby).
In fact, I was even happy to see The Artist Still Known as Prince come out of hiding, albeit for something as commercial as the Superbowl Prince Medley. "... virtually no one else on the face of the earth could've rocked his aquamarine-on-peach suit and made it look conservative..."
So true, Village Voice, so true.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Here's Us
Hard at work in the office. I don't know how to do the embed thing yet, so it's just a link to a video.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
IM IN UR BED EATIN UR SKINZ
Gross, but funny.
I can't get away from that "Im in ur" meme!
So I had to do one, too.
"I'm in ur family, pl0ttn ur demiz!"
I can't get away from that "Im in ur" meme!
So I had to do one, too.
"I'm in ur family, pl0ttn ur demiz!"
Saturday, January 27, 2007
"I'm in UR lexicon..."
I see someone else has already started the thread that I was thinking of. In fact, a lot of people probably already have, somewhere*.
Clearly, this LoganB person is in Argotnaut's field.
And I do like the cat photo that explains a lot about my socks.
Okay, I like this thread, too. Did I mention I'm really easily amused? Even before I developed permacabinfever from this child rearing thing?
*Yes, I am really, really behind in internets stuff these days.
Clearly, this LoganB person is in Argotnaut's field.
And I do like the cat photo that explains a lot about my socks.
Okay, I like this thread, too. Did I mention I'm really easily amused? Even before I developed permacabinfever from this child rearing thing?
*Yes, I am really, really behind in internets stuff these days.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Interviews Done! Plus, Robot Birth
Yes, I finally had my last interview today, thanks be to the heavens.
And, magically, Limelet is actually staying asleep for his nap even though I put him down. You know, in bed.
So although the dishes need putting away, I'm highly unshowered, my dissertation is un-picked-up, and I really should eat something more for breakfast, here I am celebrating by blogging. Go figure. At least it's not Everquest.
What I really need now is a month of complete decompression. (Maybe when Limelet's 16 or so...)
In other news, I guess this was inevitable. I want to see more pictures of the robot birth! Just for the sake of comparison, you understand.
Not only is there artificial birth, but now I might as well give up on any fiction-writing pretensions at this point as well, given the development of MEXICA.
(Who would go on tour for author signings?)
And, magically, Limelet is actually staying asleep for his nap even though I put him down. You know, in bed.
So although the dishes need putting away, I'm highly unshowered, my dissertation is un-picked-up, and I really should eat something more for breakfast, here I am celebrating by blogging. Go figure. At least it's not Everquest.
What I really need now is a month of complete decompression. (Maybe when Limelet's 16 or so...)
In other news, I guess this was inevitable. I want to see more pictures of the robot birth! Just for the sake of comparison, you understand.
Not only is there artificial birth, but now I might as well give up on any fiction-writing pretensions at this point as well, given the development of MEXICA.
"In an Internet survey that pitted the computer-generated stories against other
computerized stories, as well as stories written solely by a human, readers
ranked MEXICA’s stories highest for flow and coherence, structure, content,
suspense and overall quality."
(Who would go on tour for author signings?)
And Another
I'm on a roll! In a...er...limited sort of way.
"Typerope."
I really did hear an adult say this the other day. On the radio. On NPR, too, not the college "training" type station.
I also saw a teaser the other day for the local TV news that stated "housing faulters." One of those items that's confusing because it looks like it almost makes sense as it stands.
"Typerope."
I really did hear an adult say this the other day. On the radio. On NPR, too, not the college "training" type station.
I also saw a teaser the other day for the local TV news that stated "housing faulters." One of those items that's confusing because it looks like it almost makes sense as it stands.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Trickling In
Finally, another of those mispronounced words that tells you the speaker has no idea how the word is actually spelled.
"Wheelbarrel."
(I'll add the link to the original post later.)
"Wheelbarrel."
(I'll add the link to the original post later.)
Monday, January 22, 2007
Bizarro Lizardo
I can't believe Library Thing already has another Doctorlizardo. Guess I didn't jump on the bandwagon fast enough, huh?
The really creepy thing is, I see that this person also has a number of obscure books that I have (but haven't entered...yet.)
The really creepy thing is, I see that this person also has a number of obscure books that I have (but haven't entered...yet.)
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Evolution acceptance in various countries
An interesting poll, with unfortunate but not surprising results. I wonder if the questionnaire forced a dichotomy? (I.e. you couldn't say you think that God created evolution.)
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Must...Finish...Interviews
One more to go.
I need, like, a year of vacation. I thought grad school was unbelievably hard. Then from about two years ago, when I added in planning a wedding and moving on top of grad school, until now, it's been...well, even harder.
So...tired.
I need, like, a year of vacation. I thought grad school was unbelievably hard. Then from about two years ago, when I added in planning a wedding and moving on top of grad school, until now, it's been...well, even harder.
So...tired.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Hello, Goodbye
Back from one interview; still haven't washed my clothes yet in order to pack them again for the next interview this Friday.
The interview went well, but the logistics created a lot of trouble for Limelet and for my ability to nurse him this week. Poor little hungry thing.
Perhaps things will be back in alignment just in time to screw it all up again this weekend. And then the following one.
After this is over, I never want to interview for anything ever again!
PS: This thing looks crazy Gotham in real life! I really expected Batman to glide down it. Or Dracula.
The interview went well, but the logistics created a lot of trouble for Limelet and for my ability to nurse him this week. Poor little hungry thing.
Perhaps things will be back in alignment just in time to screw it all up again this weekend. And then the following one.
After this is over, I never want to interview for anything ever again!
PS: This thing looks crazy Gotham in real life! I really expected Batman to glide down it. Or Dracula.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Okay, Canadians
One of the advantages to living in Michigan is that at least I can receive CBC (albeit poorly) with the old-fashioned rabbit ears antenna. It's almost as good as getting BBC. Particularly since we've been able to watch Dr. Who on Monday nights at 8. And we were liking this new series, a lot, too.
But it disappeared! I think the last one we saw was the episode where they went to an alternate world where whatserface's ex-BF ended up (conveniently) staying, as his grandmother was still alive there.
At first I thought it had something to do with the holidays, but the program is still gone after quite a few weeks.
What gives?!
But it disappeared! I think the last one we saw was the episode where they went to an alternate world where whatserface's ex-BF ended up (conveniently) staying, as his grandmother was still alive there.
At first I thought it had something to do with the holidays, but the program is still gone after quite a few weeks.
What gives?!
Don't Mistreat Yours...
...Whatever it might be!
I got a
[note: this post disappeared when I published it...it might be back later, or it just might not work]
I got a
[note: this post disappeared when I published it...it might be back later, or it just might not work]
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Happy New Year, Planet Earth
Can't resist this lady's squirrel photoshops for the holidays. Especially since I don't have time to do any of my own, though of course I would love to.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Mini History
Thousands of years of Middle Eastern history in 90 seconds. The visual certainly makes it a lot easier to remember than any list. Neato!
(This guy found it first.)
(This guy found it first.)
Monday, December 25, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
I Can't Believe It's All Free!
It may surprise some of you library types, but I haven't voluntarily been to a library in years. Oh, I've been to plenty of libraries on my various campuses enough times, but it's invariably been because I was researching something.
(On the other hand, there are a lot of things I haven't voluntarily done in the past few years. No, wait, not a few years--many.)
A friend of mine mentioned that she and her fiance check out movies at the library. I wondered why the heck I hadn't thought of doing that. I've been to our local town library twice now, and they have a great collection of weird old movies. Maybe as good as mine. Lots of DVDs and also VHS tapes. Lucky for my husband I brought a VHS player to the marriage, huh?
I also checked out a bunch of cookbooks, a fiction book, and a book about hiring someone to clean your house, though I have barely had time to look at them and they're nearly due already. My book appetite is bigger than my time mouth, so to speak.
It's been great to get out of the house and go somewhere that is quite close, so it's not such a hassle as going into a "real" town. I also don't have to worry too much about my appearance, so I don't have a big getting-ready struggle. If I've had a shower at least the day before, then I feel okay about it. There's a changing table in the bathroom, and I bring apples and trail mix for myself. There are secret corners where I can furtively latch the baby on in his sling and then walk around nursing, with no one the wiser. Limelet usually just goes to sleep. However, sometimes he wants to stay awake and try to grab books off the shelf. Clearly his parents' son.
I plan to check out some books on CD for the road trip this weekend. There seems to be a larger selection of books on cassette tape, but the only auto tape player we have is in the "bad" car--the one we don't use as much (the baby's car seat seems too unsafe in it.)
Friday night we brought the computer to bed and watched my recent check-out, The Stepford Wives--the good one, not the remake. (Tsk.) We used headphones so as not to wake our co-sleeping Limelet, and had popcorn and cocoa. It was great fun (although we still got frustrated about the ending of the movie.) We both independently thought the experience reminiscent of reading under the covers with a flashlight as a kid.
The next day I was able to take a nice long shower, as someone was home watching the baby for me. I even had a chance to shave my legs! When I mentioned this to my husband, he replied, "Well, good--then I won't have to replace you with a robot." I pondered aloud what it might be like if both of us simultaneously replaced each other with robots.
Hilarity ensued.
(On the other hand, there are a lot of things I haven't voluntarily done in the past few years. No, wait, not a few years--many.)
A friend of mine mentioned that she and her fiance check out movies at the library. I wondered why the heck I hadn't thought of doing that. I've been to our local town library twice now, and they have a great collection of weird old movies. Maybe as good as mine. Lots of DVDs and also VHS tapes. Lucky for my husband I brought a VHS player to the marriage, huh?
I also checked out a bunch of cookbooks, a fiction book, and a book about hiring someone to clean your house, though I have barely had time to look at them and they're nearly due already. My book appetite is bigger than my time mouth, so to speak.
It's been great to get out of the house and go somewhere that is quite close, so it's not such a hassle as going into a "real" town. I also don't have to worry too much about my appearance, so I don't have a big getting-ready struggle. If I've had a shower at least the day before, then I feel okay about it. There's a changing table in the bathroom, and I bring apples and trail mix for myself. There are secret corners where I can furtively latch the baby on in his sling and then walk around nursing, with no one the wiser. Limelet usually just goes to sleep. However, sometimes he wants to stay awake and try to grab books off the shelf. Clearly his parents' son.
I plan to check out some books on CD for the road trip this weekend. There seems to be a larger selection of books on cassette tape, but the only auto tape player we have is in the "bad" car--the one we don't use as much (the baby's car seat seems too unsafe in it.)
Friday night we brought the computer to bed and watched my recent check-out, The Stepford Wives--the good one, not the remake. (Tsk.) We used headphones so as not to wake our co-sleeping Limelet, and had popcorn and cocoa. It was great fun (although we still got frustrated about the ending of the movie.) We both independently thought the experience reminiscent of reading under the covers with a flashlight as a kid.
The next day I was able to take a nice long shower, as someone was home watching the baby for me. I even had a chance to shave my legs! When I mentioned this to my husband, he replied, "Well, good--then I won't have to replace you with a robot." I pondered aloud what it might be like if both of us simultaneously replaced each other with robots.
Hilarity ensued.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Why I'll Never Be Sainted
...Among other reasons.
Listening to Christmas music this season, I have a slightly different perspective than before. Little Drummer Boy, for example. I guess Mary was a lot more patient than I am.
If some kid showed up with a drum just after I had a baby, I'd be all, "You play with that outside! My new baby's trying to sleep! For Pete's sake, what are you thinking? And where is your mother, by the way?"
Also, that shepherd boy who suggests bringing silver and gold to the child who shivers in the cold. Not that silver and gold isn't useful, but come on. Use your head. You're a shepherd! The child's shivering in the cold! Bring a fleece. Bring some lanolin for the new nursing mother.
Well, to be fair, I guess at least they could use the silver and gold to buy some things like that, and maybe a fresh donkey*.
But I have a strong feeling those songs were written by people who never gave birth.
*Ugh--labor on a donkey. Triple ugh--postpartum on a donkey!
Listening to Christmas music this season, I have a slightly different perspective than before. Little Drummer Boy, for example. I guess Mary was a lot more patient than I am.
If some kid showed up with a drum just after I had a baby, I'd be all, "You play with that outside! My new baby's trying to sleep! For Pete's sake, what are you thinking? And where is your mother, by the way?"
Also, that shepherd boy who suggests bringing silver and gold to the child who shivers in the cold. Not that silver and gold isn't useful, but come on. Use your head. You're a shepherd! The child's shivering in the cold! Bring a fleece. Bring some lanolin for the new nursing mother.
Well, to be fair, I guess at least they could use the silver and gold to buy some things like that, and maybe a fresh donkey*.
But I have a strong feeling those songs were written by people who never gave birth.
*Ugh--labor on a donkey. Triple ugh--postpartum on a donkey!
Monday, December 18, 2006
One Down...
...five to go!
Had my first interview today; this is one of the sites that only does phone interviews. It went quite well--certainly a bajillion times better than the phone interview I did last year. So, who knows? We might end up around Geistweg territory next year!
Had my first interview today; this is one of the sites that only does phone interviews. It went quite well--certainly a bajillion times better than the phone interview I did last year. So, who knows? We might end up around Geistweg territory next year!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Jack the Pumpkin King - Finally
I know it's long past Halloween, but here's the photo of Limelet in his Skellington outfit.
Third Time's the Charm, Right?
Busy with internship stuff during the few seconds I'm not busy with baby stuff.
I've got six interviews. Two of the sites offer only phone interviews so's not to disadvantage those who can't afford to go gallivanting around the country on all kinds of flights and whatnot. The other four I will probably be going to in person, so I will be booked up like crazy for January.
Don't even get me started about how we're going to do this with an exclusively breastfed baby who has just never taken a bottle well!
I've got six interviews. Two of the sites offer only phone interviews so's not to disadvantage those who can't afford to go gallivanting around the country on all kinds of flights and whatnot. The other four I will probably be going to in person, so I will be booked up like crazy for January.
Don't even get me started about how we're going to do this with an exclusively breastfed baby who has just never taken a bottle well!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Magical Disappearing Images and Stuff
I've just downgraded my doctorlizardo site (and my teaching site) to a domain name only, as I'm currently not really using it for anything but hosting images and things.
Now that I can do most of that on Flick'r or even on Blogger itself, there's not much reason to pay $10 a month to Yahoo. That's $120 a year! (Or "ten bottles of wine" as my husband would point out, should I give him the chance.)
So there are probably a bunch of images that disappeared from my blog, especially the archives. And wherever I commented on your various and sundry sites, that avatar probably disappeared, too. (I have to remember to recheck that whole gravatar thing, too.)
The reason there is now a squirrel gif on my banner is that the rat wheel gif was one of the disappearing images. I thought I had a copy of that one in my picture files, but I can't find it. Probably on one of my backups from three years ago or something that I'll find in another three years, accidentally. Oh well.
Now that I can do most of that on Flick'r or even on Blogger itself, there's not much reason to pay $10 a month to Yahoo. That's $120 a year! (Or "ten bottles of wine" as my husband would point out, should I give him the chance.)
So there are probably a bunch of images that disappeared from my blog, especially the archives. And wherever I commented on your various and sundry sites, that avatar probably disappeared, too. (I have to remember to recheck that whole gravatar thing, too.)
The reason there is now a squirrel gif on my banner is that the rat wheel gif was one of the disappearing images. I thought I had a copy of that one in my picture files, but I can't find it. Probably on one of my backups from three years ago or something that I'll find in another three years, accidentally. Oh well.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Long Nights Moon
Is supposedly what today's full moon is called. Today was my actual birthday.
It may well be a long night--I spent the entire day doing nothing but getting. the. baby. to. sleep. Then he'd wake up 5 minutes later. After 15 or so hours of that, your brain is kind of fried. TheLimey is now taking a turn walking him. I don't know how I can possibly work on my dissertation this year, let alone get it done.
The analyses should only take a day of work--but that means an actual day of work. You know, a day with hours in it, not twelve 2-minute segments.
I've been trying to do the analyses for months now. I'm always all optimistic at the beginning of each day, then at about 8:30pm my mood crashes as I realize yet another day is gone and I've made absolutely no progress at all, despite my efforts. And even if he goes to sleep, at that point I'm so beat and frazzled that I wouldn't trust me to balance my checkbook, let alone do complex statistics and write about them.
Hey, I didn't say I was never going to write about this stuff--I'm keeping it to a minimum, believe me.
It may well be a long night--I spent the entire day doing nothing but getting. the. baby. to. sleep. Then he'd wake up 5 minutes later. After 15 or so hours of that, your brain is kind of fried. TheLimey is now taking a turn walking him. I don't know how I can possibly work on my dissertation this year, let alone get it done.
The analyses should only take a day of work--but that means an actual day of work. You know, a day with hours in it, not twelve 2-minute segments.
I've been trying to do the analyses for months now. I'm always all optimistic at the beginning of each day, then at about 8:30pm my mood crashes as I realize yet another day is gone and I've made absolutely no progress at all, despite my efforts. And even if he goes to sleep, at that point I'm so beat and frazzled that I wouldn't trust me to balance my checkbook, let alone do complex statistics and write about them.
Hey, I didn't say I was never going to write about this stuff--I'm keeping it to a minimum, believe me.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Post Thanksgiving
Now we're in the thick of Autumn--nearly winter, really. Time to bake cookies, light candles, and watch old black-and-white movies. (If you know what that clip is from--without googling it--you win. I don't know what you win. My admiration or pity perhaps.) I was actually outside yesterday, and it was strangely mild weather. Maybe it's trying to make up for going directly from summer to winter while I was postpartum.
I may actually get some work done on my data analyses today, as Limelet is willing to actually sleep for a while. As long as he is in a sling, on me. This is fine because now I have figured out how to use a sarong (basically just a pretty, rectangular piece of fabric) to make one that is truly hands-free. No more one-handed typing! It is a big deal to be able to sit down without him fussing because I'm not walking around. I am able to type this, right now, with both hands. Yippee!
This upcoming weekend is both our birthdays--mine and TheLimey's. Hopefully we will be able to relax and do ... nothing much. But meanwhile, I must try to at least do my data screening.
I may actually get some work done on my data analyses today, as Limelet is willing to actually sleep for a while. As long as he is in a sling, on me. This is fine because now I have figured out how to use a sarong (basically just a pretty, rectangular piece of fabric) to make one that is truly hands-free. No more one-handed typing! It is a big deal to be able to sit down without him fussing because I'm not walking around. I am able to type this, right now, with both hands. Yippee!
This upcoming weekend is both our birthdays--mine and TheLimey's. Hopefully we will be able to relax and do ... nothing much. But meanwhile, I must try to at least do my data screening.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Mirror in the Bathroom
I promised I'd post a photo of Limelet in the onesie that Auntie Leslie gave him, now that he fills it out.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Bits for Thanksgiving Pondering
The thing to drink over the holidays is certainly pea. (There aren't many manufacturers who can lay claim to being the market leader in turkey-flavored beverages.)
And I guess this means the end of my dreams that Catdog could be real. (What could they/it do with a hydrant, anyway?)
I really wish these guys were a rockabilly band. It seems a waste otherwise of a really good rockabilly type name.
I also saw that C-sections in the U.S. hit an all-time high at over 30% of births. I think this will be one of those eras that history looks back on in a head-scratching manner, like we do now with cocaine-laced soft drinks.
Amazingly, people continue to find and comment on my entry regarding the Oxford Round Table or Roundtable, usually stating that they almost got suckered. And speaking of which, doesn't this charitable one look a lot more fun than that other stuffy one, anyway?
And finally, in other news, today I saw that someone had correctly written "with bated breath," instead of what people usually write.
If you don't already know, think nightcrawlers, or maybe cheese and mousetraps.
And I guess this means the end of my dreams that Catdog could be real. (What could they/it do with a hydrant, anyway?)
I really wish these guys were a rockabilly band. It seems a waste otherwise of a really good rockabilly type name.
I also saw that C-sections in the U.S. hit an all-time high at over 30% of births. I think this will be one of those eras that history looks back on in a head-scratching manner, like we do now with cocaine-laced soft drinks.
Amazingly, people continue to find and comment on my entry regarding the Oxford Round Table or Roundtable, usually stating that they almost got suckered. And speaking of which, doesn't this charitable one look a lot more fun than that other stuffy one, anyway?
And finally, in other news, today I saw that someone had correctly written "with bated breath," instead of what people usually write.
If you don't already know, think nightcrawlers, or maybe cheese and mousetraps.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Ode on Baby-Dragging
I think people who haven't had kids have the idea that little babies are easily portable. I get this impression because of the number of people who have asked us when (or told us) we're bringing the baby over so they can see him. I know they mean well and just want to have a look at the cute little new baby, but in reality it's a huge PITA.
It's not that it's just inconvenient to put on his long pants and put him in the car seat and drive somewhere, so we can't be bothered. Oh no--there's a lot more to it. There is a definite reason (besides agoraphobia) that I pretty much just stay in the house these days.
For one thing, he's breastfed, not bottle-fed, which is what I think people may be used to seeing. Now, bottle-fed babies may well go 4 hours between feedings (and thus are easier to schedule activities with), basically because formula is a lot harder for them to digest. But breastfed babies often go a mere 1½-2 hours between feedings. If you then consider that a full nursing meal may take an hour, you can start to get an idea of how time-consuming this feeding business can be.
Now, this "typically" business is just an average--Limelet is one of the more-frequent feeders during the day (though blessedly he eats only a couple of times at night.) And just FYI, breastfed babies who are put on a schedule like bottle-fed babies, show delayed growth compared to on-demand nursers; bluntly put, they starve. So get that idea out of your head right now.
For example, this morning Limelet has been nursing for most of the time between 5:30 and 11:30. We had a lovely 1-hour break, during which he--amazingly--slept the entire hour (I had a real shower today with conditioner and everything! And answered a few urgent academic emails.) otherwise, pretty much, just...nursing...since 5:30am. If it weren't for the baby sling (in which I can nurse him), I'd have bedsores. I'm nursing him right now as I write this, though it's kind of hard to do.
Okay, so, say I have to go somewhere. To the university to pick something up, for example. This means I have to find the time to bathe both myself (it's usually been days, so I really should) and the baby, too. So I may have the time for a really quick shower if he's dozing for 10 minutes between nursing, but I have to leave out anything fancy, like shaving my legs, putting on any makeup at all, or drying my hair (not that I blow-dry it anyway).
Hygiene only--no time for grooming! If my husband is home he can potentially walk the baby around and around to stave off the hunger cries with exciting, repetitive songs (the Black Adder theme song features prominently, for some reason). This gives me time to also brush my teeth.
At least Limelet likes his bath, so it's only time-consuming, not torturous. But by the time I've had my shower and then bathed him, it's always time to eat again. Heaven forbid we set out on a car trip when he's already hungry, so we better time the bath accordingly. Did you notice there was no time I mentioned anything about myself eating? That's how it often works in real life, too. Just when I'm supposed to be eating like a horse (cow?) in order to produce milk, I have the least time to eat that I ever will in my entire life.
So we're bathed, dressed, he's fed, and I have an apple and a granola bar in my purse. Now we take him out to the car. If it's cold, which--come on, it's Michigan. It's cold. And windy. There is no convenient way to take an infant out in the cold, so I'm glad our car is only 20 feet from the door. Even so, the wind that gets under the blankets makes him gasp for breath repeatedly until he's frothing at the mouth. So now we buckle him into the car seat--it's not too comfortable for infants, as they slump down and can't breathe right (as I see it), and the straps have to be really tight in order to keep them properly and safely in. So he dislikes that aspect already, though he's a good sport about it most of the time.
We start out on our trip, usually about 2 hours after beginning to get ready. Now if I go on campus, there is a bit of a hike from the car to whatever building I'm going to, which means that my poor baby is blown into a crying, frothy, gasping little bundle by the time I get to the door. I hate this, and clearly he does, too, poor little thing.
Since we've been driving a while, it's time to nurse him again, so I hope that I get to--wherever--at least half an hour early. And then I have to find some place to nurse him, or at least some place to get him attached and get the cloth over his head to hide the hideous, lurid, obscene spectacle of a mother feeding her tiny innocent hungry baby. Who is also still upset from having to gasp and froth in the cold wind, dammit.
So far we've taken 2 hours to get ready, 45 minutes to drive, and half an hour to nurse. The "to" trip is so far therefore 3 hours, 15 minutes. This doesn't include any changing of his nappy/diaper --add in ten minutes. There; almost 3½ hours. And we haven't even done whatever we came out for yet!
The going home bit is somewhat shorter. Make it to the car with the re-blown and frothy upset baby, feed and change him in the car before leaving, stuff him into the disliked car seat again, 45 minutes. Drive drive drive, another 45 minutes. So maybe just an hour and a half. But add that to the above 3½ hours, and suddenly I realize it's been 5 frikkin' hours! Not including whatever activity we attended. (Okay, cut out half an hour if I didn't need to shower or dress for whatever it was.) We'll get home perhaps 6 hours after we started getting ready, if whatever we did took just an hour. And did you notice that all I've eaten so far all day is an apple and a granola bar? That's really not good for a nursing mother.
On top of all that, on days that I take him out, he's all fussy and riled up and doesn't sleep well that night. His schedule of constant eating and napping was interrupted! Takes forever to get to sleep (this means I may spend a back-ouching hour or so walking in circles in the dark kitchen, playing the lullabies of the world CD, while he's semi-awake in the sling) and he wakes up often in the night.
So, this is why we don't want to attend whatever happening event is happening. At least while he's still so young. It's not that we don't like people. It's not even that we're lazy (this time). It's just way too much, and way too stressful, for any but the most necessary things. So you're welcome to come over for a little visit instead. Just give us some lead time to wash the poopy nappies and maybe even ourselves. And feel free to bring dinner!
It's not that it's just inconvenient to put on his long pants and put him in the car seat and drive somewhere, so we can't be bothered. Oh no--there's a lot more to it. There is a definite reason (besides agoraphobia) that I pretty much just stay in the house these days.
For one thing, he's breastfed, not bottle-fed, which is what I think people may be used to seeing. Now, bottle-fed babies may well go 4 hours between feedings (and thus are easier to schedule activities with), basically because formula is a lot harder for them to digest. But breastfed babies often go a mere 1½-2 hours between feedings. If you then consider that a full nursing meal may take an hour, you can start to get an idea of how time-consuming this feeding business can be.
Now, this "typically" business is just an average--Limelet is one of the more-frequent feeders during the day (though blessedly he eats only a couple of times at night.) And just FYI, breastfed babies who are put on a schedule like bottle-fed babies, show delayed growth compared to on-demand nursers; bluntly put, they starve. So get that idea out of your head right now.
For example, this morning Limelet has been nursing for most of the time between 5:30 and 11:30. We had a lovely 1-hour break, during which he--amazingly--slept the entire hour (I had a real shower today with conditioner and everything! And answered a few urgent academic emails.) otherwise, pretty much, just...nursing...since 5:30am. If it weren't for the baby sling (in which I can nurse him), I'd have bedsores. I'm nursing him right now as I write this, though it's kind of hard to do.
Okay, so, say I have to go somewhere. To the university to pick something up, for example. This means I have to find the time to bathe both myself (it's usually been days, so I really should) and the baby, too. So I may have the time for a really quick shower if he's dozing for 10 minutes between nursing, but I have to leave out anything fancy, like shaving my legs, putting on any makeup at all, or drying my hair (not that I blow-dry it anyway).
Hygiene only--no time for grooming! If my husband is home he can potentially walk the baby around and around to stave off the hunger cries with exciting, repetitive songs (the Black Adder theme song features prominently, for some reason). This gives me time to also brush my teeth.
At least Limelet likes his bath, so it's only time-consuming, not torturous. But by the time I've had my shower and then bathed him, it's always time to eat again. Heaven forbid we set out on a car trip when he's already hungry, so we better time the bath accordingly. Did you notice there was no time I mentioned anything about myself eating? That's how it often works in real life, too. Just when I'm supposed to be eating like a horse (cow?) in order to produce milk, I have the least time to eat that I ever will in my entire life.
So we're bathed, dressed, he's fed, and I have an apple and a granola bar in my purse. Now we take him out to the car. If it's cold, which--come on, it's Michigan. It's cold. And windy. There is no convenient way to take an infant out in the cold, so I'm glad our car is only 20 feet from the door. Even so, the wind that gets under the blankets makes him gasp for breath repeatedly until he's frothing at the mouth. So now we buckle him into the car seat--it's not too comfortable for infants, as they slump down and can't breathe right (as I see it), and the straps have to be really tight in order to keep them properly and safely in. So he dislikes that aspect already, though he's a good sport about it most of the time.
We start out on our trip, usually about 2 hours after beginning to get ready. Now if I go on campus, there is a bit of a hike from the car to whatever building I'm going to, which means that my poor baby is blown into a crying, frothy, gasping little bundle by the time I get to the door. I hate this, and clearly he does, too, poor little thing.
Since we've been driving a while, it's time to nurse him again, so I hope that I get to--wherever--at least half an hour early. And then I have to find some place to nurse him, or at least some place to get him attached and get the cloth over his head to hide the hideous, lurid, obscene spectacle of a mother feeding her tiny innocent hungry baby. Who is also still upset from having to gasp and froth in the cold wind, dammit.
So far we've taken 2 hours to get ready, 45 minutes to drive, and half an hour to nurse. The "to" trip is so far therefore 3 hours, 15 minutes. This doesn't include any changing of his nappy/diaper --add in ten minutes. There; almost 3½ hours. And we haven't even done whatever we came out for yet!
The going home bit is somewhat shorter. Make it to the car with the re-blown and frothy upset baby, feed and change him in the car before leaving, stuff him into the disliked car seat again, 45 minutes. Drive drive drive, another 45 minutes. So maybe just an hour and a half. But add that to the above 3½ hours, and suddenly I realize it's been 5 frikkin' hours! Not including whatever activity we attended. (Okay, cut out half an hour if I didn't need to shower or dress for whatever it was.) We'll get home perhaps 6 hours after we started getting ready, if whatever we did took just an hour. And did you notice that all I've eaten so far all day is an apple and a granola bar? That's really not good for a nursing mother.
On top of all that, on days that I take him out, he's all fussy and riled up and doesn't sleep well that night. His schedule of constant eating and napping was interrupted! Takes forever to get to sleep (this means I may spend a back-ouching hour or so walking in circles in the dark kitchen, playing the lullabies of the world CD, while he's semi-awake in the sling) and he wakes up often in the night.
So, this is why we don't want to attend whatever happening event is happening. At least while he's still so young. It's not that we don't like people. It's not even that we're lazy (this time). It's just way too much, and way too stressful, for any but the most necessary things. So you're welcome to come over for a little visit instead. Just give us some lead time to wash the poopy nappies and maybe even ourselves. And feel free to bring dinner!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
2006 Application Cycle
Typing slowly with one hand while I hold baby, as usual, which leads to terse text.
This morning, I finally (via my poor overworked husband) sent off the last of my internship apps for this, my third, year.
As you may recall, I did actually get a really good spot last January, but nearly simultaneously discovered that we'd be having a baby about the same time the internship began.
After much finagling with [Organization]--who don't "officially" allow sites to "hold" internship slots--the site director basically agreed kindly to tear up our contract with no penalty to me. Thank goodness; because I can't imagine already being away from the Limelet at a 50-hour-a-week job, which I would have been now that he's over 6 weeks old.
Anyway, now that I've done with the @$*&% applications once again, I can spend my "spare" time turning my mind to other things.
Now when I'm sneaking work time alone at 3:30 am, I can work on my dissertation. Or when he's sleeping in his sling in the daytime, I can use my one free hand to (very slowly) tidy the kitchen.
I can make phone calls to straighten out (for the 6th year in a row) why the graduate school hasn't paid this semester's tuition again, and how I let my student malpractice insurance lapse on the day I was giving birth! (Though I won't be seeing clients again until next summer at least.) I might even get to the basket of wedding thank-yous...now that it's been well over a year. Sheesh.
Heck, maybe I could eat breakfast and lunch!
But one thing at a time.
Until I have to start interviews again. Heaven knows how we're going to manage that this year...>sigh<
This morning, I finally (via my poor overworked husband) sent off the last of my internship apps for this, my third, year.
As you may recall, I did actually get a really good spot last January, but nearly simultaneously discovered that we'd be having a baby about the same time the internship began.
After much finagling with [Organization]--who don't "officially" allow sites to "hold" internship slots--the site director basically agreed kindly to tear up our contract with no penalty to me. Thank goodness; because I can't imagine already being away from the Limelet at a 50-hour-a-week job, which I would have been now that he's over 6 weeks old.
Anyway, now that I've done with the @$*&% applications once again, I can spend my "spare" time turning my mind to other things.
Now when I'm sneaking work time alone at 3:30 am, I can work on my dissertation. Or when he's sleeping in his sling in the daytime, I can use my one free hand to (very slowly) tidy the kitchen.
I can make phone calls to straighten out (for the 6th year in a row) why the graduate school hasn't paid this semester's tuition again, and how I let my student malpractice insurance lapse on the day I was giving birth! (Though I won't be seeing clients again until next summer at least.) I might even get to the basket of wedding thank-yous...now that it's been well over a year. Sheesh.
Heck, maybe I could eat breakfast and lunch!
But one thing at a time.
Until I have to start interviews again. Heaven knows how we're going to manage that this year...>sigh<
Saturday, November 04, 2006
National Drunk Writing
For those of you out there who are allowed to drink (and to write), I fully endorse this event (as presented by a completely coincidental Flick'r member), if only for my own entertainment at the results.
Please use a computer or typewriter rather than handwriting so that we can at least read the individual letters of your output the next day, if not follow the sentences.
Please use a computer or typewriter rather than handwriting so that we can at least read the individual letters of your output the next day, if not follow the sentences.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Mr. Teddytoes
He gets to wear more than one outfit for his first Halloween, right? After all, he can't have the candy yet.
Happy Halloween
Ghost squirrel sez "Happy Halloween!"
(Good job there's someone doing seasonal squirrel Photoshops, because I sure don't have the time.)
(Good job there's someone doing seasonal squirrel Photoshops, because I sure don't have the time.)
Monday, October 23, 2006
Off-Topic as Usual
I would post more comments on people's blogs if those blogs allowed it.
For example, without my having to close my browser and open a completely different browser. I'm just sayin'!
(Determinism has probably caused me to use the more-commercial browser, therefore I can't help it and thus can't be blamed. Also clearly influenced by my husband's usage, as he has all those licences and certifications and whatnot from the Evil Empire itself.)
For example, without my having to close my browser and open a completely different browser. I'm just sayin'!
(Determinism has probably caused me to use the more-commercial browser, therefore I can't help it and thus can't be blamed. Also clearly influenced by my husband's usage, as he has all those licences and certifications and whatnot from the Evil Empire itself.)
Had to Be Posted
...albeit with one hand, as I'm NAK*.
Today's list:
The Top 5 Favorite Movies of Robots
5> My Dinner With Android
4> Eyes Wired Shut
3> Kill Bill Gates
2> Marie Androidette
and Topfive.com's Number 1 Favorite Movie of Robots...
1> Jackassimov
PS: I am so envious that I didn't come up with the name "Marie Androidette" on my own.
*Nursing At Keyboard
Today's list:
The Top 5 Favorite Movies of Robots
5> My Dinner With Android
4> Eyes Wired Shut
3> Kill Bill Gates
2> Marie Androidette
and Topfive.com's Number 1 Favorite Movie of Robots...
1> Jackassimov
PS: I am so envious that I didn't come up with the name "Marie Androidette" on my own.
*Nursing At Keyboard
Friday, September 29, 2006
Babymoon Hiatus
As you may have noticed, I'm not online much these days. Too much going on to write about it. I barely even check my email every few days.
For now, laters.
For now, laters.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Since You Asked...
Geez, what is this, a baby dating profile?
Anyhoo, he was 7 lbs 16, 21". And supposedly he has a smallish head, though it sure didn't feel like it to me.
Anyhoo, he was 7 lbs 16, 21". And supposedly he has a smallish head, though it sure didn't feel like it to me.
Limelet 2
Here he is...cuter than we deserved.
Good to know all those dang organic eggs I had to eat went into building this little critter!
Good to know all those dang organic eggs I had to eat went into building this little critter!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
It's Official
In classic sitcom style, several hours ago, my water broke in public. However, it was at a pumpkin and cider place, not the grocery store. However, I was determined to get my dang cider and donuts that I had been wanting all week, so I counted on people tending not to look at one's groinal area too closely and bought them anyway. (There was also the giant-belly camouflage factor.) However, it did pretty much look like I had just wet my pants terribly.
So, any further news is likely up to Argot, as I am going to go to the bedroom and work on getting this baby out.
So, any further news is likely up to Argot, as I am going to go to the bedroom and work on getting this baby out.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Pumpkinless Patch
Anyone familiar with pumpkin farming? Our fertile spell has extended to everything in the vicinity except the pumpkin vines.
We got tons of pumpkin blossoms. And clearly the insects were doing something right, as the corn, watermelons, and cantaloupes all are bearing fruit (not to mention the tomatoes and peppers). The pumpkin vines, however, remain unfruited after at least a month of flowering.
I guess I could--I don't know, look it up online or something.
We got tons of pumpkin blossoms. And clearly the insects were doing something right, as the corn, watermelons, and cantaloupes all are bearing fruit (not to mention the tomatoes and peppers). The pumpkin vines, however, remain unfruited after at least a month of flowering.
I guess I could--I don't know, look it up online or something.
Alright Already!
I admit it.
Now that I've had one "scare" and gotten all ready to go, I am getting a bit impatient. Mainly because I feel on hold now with everything. If there hadn't been the scare, then I'd probably just still be trundling along patiently. (I'm still not going to try to do things to "start" it, though.)
Now that I've had one "scare" and gotten all ready to go, I am getting a bit impatient. Mainly because I feel on hold now with everything. If there hadn't been the scare, then I'd probably just still be trundling along patiently. (I'm still not going to try to do things to "start" it, though.)
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Holding Pattern
Doesn't this look comfortable?!
Well, it all kinda petered out for Monday and Tuesday, though it came back last night and this morning. We'll see. Now that I have things mostly ready, I feel less panicked. It can take its time as far as I'm concerned.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Shot of Whiskey?
My herbal childbearing book says that one way to slow or stall labor is to have a shot of whiskey. TheLimey believes that this is actually meant to be given to the husband.
Now, I don't know if it's anything yet, but I've been having a whole lot more of these pre-labor (as if there's a sharp dividing line!) contractions today than any time during the past week or so. My mantra has been "But It Could Still Be Another Week or Two." (That and, "But I'm Not Ready Yet!")
I'm posting this just so that Argot can have a post to which to reply and let people know the outcome, in case I do go in. I'm sure as heck not gonna be bloggin'. (I imagine.)
I have been trying to arrange for the traditional womenfolk relations to be around for some of this, as "the materials" say to have someone help the new mum out for three weeks. I don't know about three weeks, but maybe we can get two.
It looks like my stepmom may be able to come out for a few days, perhaps after TheLimey's week off runs out, or maybe with some overlap. Which means I can delay being alone for a while longer, which I really do want to do.
Also, I was initially thinking of having no one but the two of us for the actual birth (too crowded!)--unless Argot could get across country somehow, which she can't--but then I remembered that my aunt has had three natural births of her own. And since I have heard several women (including our birth instructor) say that there's something especially helpful about having a woman there who has gone through it herself, I am now trying to get her out here for the pre-birth segment, and maybe the birth. If it can wait until Tuesday.
Waiter! Where's my whiskey?!
Now, I don't know if it's anything yet, but I've been having a whole lot more of these pre-labor (as if there's a sharp dividing line!) contractions today than any time during the past week or so. My mantra has been "But It Could Still Be Another Week or Two." (That and, "But I'm Not Ready Yet!")
I'm posting this just so that Argot can have a post to which to reply and let people know the outcome, in case I do go in. I'm sure as heck not gonna be bloggin'. (I imagine.)
I have been trying to arrange for the traditional womenfolk relations to be around for some of this, as "the materials" say to have someone help the new mum out for three weeks. I don't know about three weeks, but maybe we can get two.
It looks like my stepmom may be able to come out for a few days, perhaps after TheLimey's week off runs out, or maybe with some overlap. Which means I can delay being alone for a while longer, which I really do want to do.
Also, I was initially thinking of having no one but the two of us for the actual birth (too crowded!)--unless Argot could get across country somehow, which she can't--but then I remembered that my aunt has had three natural births of her own. And since I have heard several women (including our birth instructor) say that there's something especially helpful about having a woman there who has gone through it herself, I am now trying to get her out here for the pre-birth segment, and maybe the birth. If it can wait until Tuesday.
Waiter! Where's my whiskey?!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Landwhale Weekend
Now, to try to catch up on our activities this past month. I actually wrote this entry offline over the weekend while we were watching a movie, as I am trying to multitask even recreational activities at this point. I have photos to add in, but Blogger is apparently in that mood again where it will claim to have uploaded my photo, but then it refuses to display it. [...Later: Ha! There it goes, finally.]
Anyway.
We scheduled various things in August to try to squeeze in everything we won’t be able to do forever (or for twenty years or so—whichever comes first). Of course at the time we planned it all, I naïvely assumed that I would be done with my diss work by now, or at least done enough to take some weekends off for that purpose. Oh well...
We spent our B&B weekend on the east coast of Michigan in a little tourist-y coastal-y sort of place. The east coast accommodations turned out to cost about half what west coast ones do, probably since there aren’t the thousands of Chicago residents fleeing to them every weekend in the summer. Our B&B was quintessential small-town America, featuring bird houses, cicadas, and a bunny that came up to us on the patio at breakfast (it was really waiting for us to leave so it could resume its munching on the flower bed.)
We stayed at the jauntily named Captain’s Quarters, which had an excellent sittin’ porch and was within walking distance of—well, everything. Beach, shops, café, downtown, DQ, old-school IGA grocery store, etc. As we wanted to do without the car the entire weekend, this was perfect. As it turned out, the entire town was a mini-twilight zone in that it was a pocket of non-reception for our phones, too, which was actually nice. I also noted that according to the guestbook in our room, the previous weekend the place had hosted Marshall Crenshaw and his co-musicians. So if it's good enough for them...
Basically, we lounged the entire time, and made very limited and flexible plans (specifically to ignore). I had just gotten to the point of being too bulky to move very fast or far, which dictated a lot of lassitude. It's possible that I scandalized the vacationing beachgoers by wearing my red bikini while hugely pregnant (at least my inner youthful punk-rock self hopes so), but no one looked terribly offended.
On Friday night I was again reading our well-used copy of a Dirk Gently novel (The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul), which mentions a hosepipe at one juncture. This reminded me with a shock that as we were leaving the house I had turned on the hose in the garden to water the vegetables before we left…and I didn’t remember turning it back off. I agonized over it that night, and prepared myself for (at least) a swamp of drowned plants upon our return, but decided to not think about it while we were there. There was nothing we could do, anyway, so—might as well enjoy the weekend.
We visited all the little shops and finally settled on one (1) washable and floppy plush bear for the baby’s first “lovey.” We picnicked on fried chicken (from the IGA) at the park and got ice creams at the DQ. We sat outdoors at a café and read. We also did a lot of other reading (and in my case, napping). There was even a good squirrel-feeding stump down the block on the way to the beach, though it was the kind where you leave the peanuts and stand back. I also found the perfect doll for my "Hot Rock" sister at the dollar store...
Saturday night featured TheLimey’s 40-minute hiking quest for The Perfect Hot Dog. Or really any hot dog, once we were into it for 30 minutes. You wouldn’t think it, since the DQ was literally around the corner (visible from the B&B's back yard). Unfortunately, the lines that had formed there put him off. (Hmmm…curious, for all the times I’ve heard him brag about his superior British queuing ability.)
So we walked up the next block just to see what was there, and saw a place selling foods including hot dogs—but just a bit farther I could see there was an actual A&W. That was my suggestion, as A&W is of course the classic American hot dog. However, there had been a Blimpy’s downtown (in the complete opposite direction, naturally), that we had to check out first. (Keep in mind how slowly I had to walk, or trundle, during this entire quest.) So we turned around and headed there.
Unfortunately, when we finally got to the Blimpy's, it had been closed for hours. Therefore, we had to turn around again and head back the way we originally went. The DQ lines? Still too long. Though no doubt if we had waited initially instead of walking all over town we could have got through the lines about five or six times. But at this point, I absolutely insisted that we were going to get the dang hot dog, and he was going to eat it, and like it! So… A&W it was. To go. Sheesh.
Turns out that a Pinot is good for a hot dog eaten outdoors. (I only had a tiny bit of the Pinot, but it was nice.) While we sat out on the patio, there was a meteor that streaked overhead so closely it seemed to audibly sizzle over the trees.
Our visit also happened to coincide with the Perseid meteor showers, although we didn’t realize it at first. We saw one meteor on Friday night, and then Saturday night went out on the sea-wall to look at the Milky Way. This was a bonanza of unexpected and beautiful celestial phenomena: there was a fantastic moonrise over the lake as we approached; lots and lots of meteors; and we even saw the space station.
The drive home was--just as the drive there--pretty agonizing on my back, but I survived. And the great thing was that when we got home, the small stream we found flowing in the driveway was coming from next to the garden bed, not inside it: the stake I had used to prop up the hose sprayer head had apparently keeled over as soon as the ground had gotten wet, and the sprayer fell onto the pavement. I felt guilty about the water waste, of course, but at least the plants were undrowned.
The water source in the heat had attracted a very small and cute toad, which I removed to a more vegetative area of the yard. (For those of you who've never had another person living in your abdomen, here's a comparison: its little wigglings inside my hand felt just like the baby feels wiggling in my belly, only smaller, of course.)
Since a lot of B&Bs don't really cater to children (for some reason!), I think it was a pretty good job we did this again while we still could.
Anyway.
We scheduled various things in August to try to squeeze in everything we won’t be able to do forever (or for twenty years or so—whichever comes first). Of course at the time we planned it all, I naïvely assumed that I would be done with my diss work by now, or at least done enough to take some weekends off for that purpose. Oh well...
We spent our B&B weekend on the east coast of Michigan in a little tourist-y coastal-y sort of place. The east coast accommodations turned out to cost about half what west coast ones do, probably since there aren’t the thousands of Chicago residents fleeing to them every weekend in the summer. Our B&B was quintessential small-town America, featuring bird houses, cicadas, and a bunny that came up to us on the patio at breakfast (it was really waiting for us to leave so it could resume its munching on the flower bed.)
We stayed at the jauntily named Captain’s Quarters, which had an excellent sittin’ porch and was within walking distance of—well, everything. Beach, shops, café, downtown, DQ, old-school IGA grocery store, etc. As we wanted to do without the car the entire weekend, this was perfect. As it turned out, the entire town was a mini-twilight zone in that it was a pocket of non-reception for our phones, too, which was actually nice. I also noted that according to the guestbook in our room, the previous weekend the place had hosted Marshall Crenshaw and his co-musicians. So if it's good enough for them...
Basically, we lounged the entire time, and made very limited and flexible plans (specifically to ignore). I had just gotten to the point of being too bulky to move very fast or far, which dictated a lot of lassitude. It's possible that I scandalized the vacationing beachgoers by wearing my red bikini while hugely pregnant (at least my inner youthful punk-rock self hopes so), but no one looked terribly offended.
On Friday night I was again reading our well-used copy of a Dirk Gently novel (The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul), which mentions a hosepipe at one juncture. This reminded me with a shock that as we were leaving the house I had turned on the hose in the garden to water the vegetables before we left…and I didn’t remember turning it back off. I agonized over it that night, and prepared myself for (at least) a swamp of drowned plants upon our return, but decided to not think about it while we were there. There was nothing we could do, anyway, so—might as well enjoy the weekend.
We visited all the little shops and finally settled on one (1) washable and floppy plush bear for the baby’s first “lovey.” We picnicked on fried chicken (from the IGA) at the park and got ice creams at the DQ. We sat outdoors at a café and read. We also did a lot of other reading (and in my case, napping). There was even a good squirrel-feeding stump down the block on the way to the beach, though it was the kind where you leave the peanuts and stand back. I also found the perfect doll for my "Hot Rock" sister at the dollar store...
Saturday night featured TheLimey’s 40-minute hiking quest for The Perfect Hot Dog. Or really any hot dog, once we were into it for 30 minutes. You wouldn’t think it, since the DQ was literally around the corner (visible from the B&B's back yard). Unfortunately, the lines that had formed there put him off. (Hmmm…curious, for all the times I’ve heard him brag about his superior British queuing ability.)
So we walked up the next block just to see what was there, and saw a place selling foods including hot dogs—but just a bit farther I could see there was an actual A&W. That was my suggestion, as A&W is of course the classic American hot dog. However, there had been a Blimpy’s downtown (in the complete opposite direction, naturally), that we had to check out first. (Keep in mind how slowly I had to walk, or trundle, during this entire quest.) So we turned around and headed there.
Unfortunately, when we finally got to the Blimpy's, it had been closed for hours. Therefore, we had to turn around again and head back the way we originally went. The DQ lines? Still too long. Though no doubt if we had waited initially instead of walking all over town we could have got through the lines about five or six times. But at this point, I absolutely insisted that we were going to get the dang hot dog, and he was going to eat it, and like it! So… A&W it was. To go. Sheesh.
Turns out that a Pinot is good for a hot dog eaten outdoors. (I only had a tiny bit of the Pinot, but it was nice.) While we sat out on the patio, there was a meteor that streaked overhead so closely it seemed to audibly sizzle over the trees.
Our visit also happened to coincide with the Perseid meteor showers, although we didn’t realize it at first. We saw one meteor on Friday night, and then Saturday night went out on the sea-wall to look at the Milky Way. This was a bonanza of unexpected and beautiful celestial phenomena: there was a fantastic moonrise over the lake as we approached; lots and lots of meteors; and we even saw the space station.
The drive home was--just as the drive there--pretty agonizing on my back, but I survived. And the great thing was that when we got home, the small stream we found flowing in the driveway was coming from next to the garden bed, not inside it: the stake I had used to prop up the hose sprayer head had apparently keeled over as soon as the ground had gotten wet, and the sprayer fell onto the pavement. I felt guilty about the water waste, of course, but at least the plants were undrowned.
The water source in the heat had attracted a very small and cute toad, which I removed to a more vegetative area of the yard. (For those of you who've never had another person living in your abdomen, here's a comparison: its little wigglings inside my hand felt just like the baby feels wiggling in my belly, only smaller, of course.)
Since a lot of B&Bs don't really cater to children (for some reason!), I think it was a pretty good job we did this again while we still could.
Monday, September 04, 2006
37 Weeks and Counting
I already put this on my pregger blog, but I figure it can go here, too. (That weird date is just something with the photographer's camera; it's not a previous secret child!)
In a few days it'll be considered full-term (38 weeks) and it could really be any time thereafter, though the average (non-induced) birth is at 41 weeks. I guess we'll see.
Anyway, that's most of what I've been doing, though I have a couple updates to add when I can spare some time from updating and entering my data.
I'm trying (trying) to get that all done this week, as this is really the 11th hour and 59th minute at this point...oh, except for that text entry stuff, which I now despair of ever getting done, let alone analyzed.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Silly Sausage
Speaking of recording:
I can't believe that this clip I posted in 2002 is still out there on the web. In fact, it's pretty high up the Google search for that particular sausage-related phrase. I once received an email from someone about how funny they thought it was.
It now appears to be on a completely different website than the one I originally uploaded it to--probably just site mutation over the past four years. Only five people have viewed it in four years?! Well, at least two of them gave it a high vote. (They were probably on drugs.)
I can't believe that this clip I posted in 2002 is still out there on the web. In fact, it's pretty high up the Google search for that particular sausage-related phrase. I once received an email from someone about how funny they thought it was.
It now appears to be on a completely different website than the one I originally uploaded it to--probably just site mutation over the past four years. Only five people have viewed it in four years?! Well, at least two of them gave it a high vote. (They were probably on drugs.)
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
I Recommend a Yourface-Off
After seeing Liddy's post about this peculiar genre of music and hearing a new example, I think it is the duty of the various musicians I know to add to it. Although I don't know that one could successfully top that example.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
And Now for Something Completely Different
We're heading out of town for the weekend as a "summer vacation". Just a bit of time off, together, probably for the last time for at least 18 years. More than that, if we have more kids than this one.
No internet, no TV (at least not on purpose), no research, phones turned off, a small downtown in walking distance, the latest issue of Robot magazine and an obscure-ish Douglas Adams book ...what else does a person need to relax?
(And don't say "a cold beer", because I can't have one.)
No internet, no TV (at least not on purpose), no research, phones turned off, a small downtown in walking distance, the latest issue of Robot magazine and an obscure-ish Douglas Adams book ...what else does a person need to relax?
(And don't say "a cold beer", because I can't have one.)
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Good Going, Western World.
Nice wake-up this morning. Way to "make the world safe for democracy."
(Where's that sarcasm emoticon?)
(Where's that sarcasm emoticon?)
Buttercup Says: wha?--survey #333 is finally done?!
That's right, Buttercup.
Last night I finally completed the scoring and coding of the final survey, #333, after beginning #1 back in...when the heck was that? April or May? I am now free to dismantle the couch-working setup.
Now, it's true that I still have to go back and froof around with a lot of them--for example, I have to score the general mental health instrument (BSI) on the first 80 or so that I did when I still didn't have the BSI manual; I need to check the way I was scoring some of those prejudice instruments on the first few batches I did before I became fluent (I guess that would be the first 200 if I'm honest with myself); and I have to acquire and check the 50 surveys done by the people helping me out. And score the BSIs on those 50 as well.
I also have to type in the handwritten answers to the final two open-ended questions. (At maybe 2 minutes a pop, that part alone will likely take 10 hours cumulatively.)
Nevertheless, the giant part of the data is done.
Now, I have probably four weeks left to do ALL the subsequent stuff (like showering and paying doctor bills, let alone analyzing my data and doing the write-up of my results) that I was going to take three months to do over the summer and before my life completely changes focus forever.
I best get started!
Last night I finally completed the scoring and coding of the final survey, #333, after beginning #1 back in...when the heck was that? April or May? I am now free to dismantle the couch-working setup.
Now, it's true that I still have to go back and froof around with a lot of them--for example, I have to score the general mental health instrument (BSI) on the first 80 or so that I did when I still didn't have the BSI manual; I need to check the way I was scoring some of those prejudice instruments on the first few batches I did before I became fluent (I guess that would be the first 200 if I'm honest with myself); and I have to acquire and check the 50 surveys done by the people helping me out. And score the BSIs on those 50 as well.
I also have to type in the handwritten answers to the final two open-ended questions. (At maybe 2 minutes a pop, that part alone will likely take 10 hours cumulatively.)
Nevertheless, the giant part of the data is done.
Now, I have probably four weeks left to do ALL the subsequent stuff (like showering and paying doctor bills, let alone analyzing my data and doing the write-up of my results) that I was going to take three months to do over the summer and before my life completely changes focus forever.
I best get started!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Web Clips Back!
Yay; the RSS feed function on my Gmail started working again, after months and months of being gone!
This means that now all-y'all's blog topics have begun appearing above my inbox, just like my Scientific American and Cookbooks Plus and NPR: Race topics, or what-the-heck-ever I've got in there.
So make 'em good.
This means that now all-y'all's blog topics have begun appearing above my inbox, just like my Scientific American and Cookbooks Plus and NPR: Race topics, or what-the-heck-ever I've got in there.
So make 'em good.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Speaking of Werewolves...
Seeing as how it's the full moon early tomorrow morning, so that the moon has been persistently shining into our bedroom window as we go to bed, a perennial question has re-occurred to me. (Although I really have to get going. Just this one more post! Quickly now!)
An obvious question, really. What about werewolves and pregnancy?
Say I'm a werewolf, and I conceive while in human form. Then when I wolf out each month, does the fetus turn into a wolf-pup fetus? Or perhaps the analogy of the monthly change to menstruation applies, and there would be no monthly wolfing out until one gives birth. After that, presumably, the newborn baby would turn into a wolf pup each month as the mum does, and that would work out okay. (There would just be a larger number of potential breastfeeding positions that night.)
Okay, but what if I'm a werewolf, and I conceive while in wolf form? Would there be 6 or 7 fetuses, then--a litter? That would mean that I darn well better give birth in wolf form, not human form: an extraordinary feat of timing.
Then after the birth there's the difficulty with who gets to nurse at the inadequate human mammary lineup of two. (I picture Apu with the harness full of baby bottles.) Only once a month could all the pups--er, babies--nurse happily together. This is completely excluding all the other difficulties of raising septuplets, of course.
"I don't know... All I know," sighs TheLimey in sleepy response, "is that somewhere in this I get to play with puppies."
Wikipedia image
An obvious question, really. What about werewolves and pregnancy?
Say I'm a werewolf, and I conceive while in human form. Then when I wolf out each month, does the fetus turn into a wolf-pup fetus? Or perhaps the analogy of the monthly change to menstruation applies, and there would be no monthly wolfing out until one gives birth. After that, presumably, the newborn baby would turn into a wolf pup each month as the mum does, and that would work out okay. (There would just be a larger number of potential breastfeeding positions that night.)
Okay, but what if I'm a werewolf, and I conceive while in wolf form? Would there be 6 or 7 fetuses, then--a litter? That would mean that I darn well better give birth in wolf form, not human form: an extraordinary feat of timing.
Then after the birth there's the difficulty with who gets to nurse at the inadequate human mammary lineup of two. (I picture Apu with the harness full of baby bottles.) Only once a month could all the pups--er, babies--nurse happily together. This is completely excluding all the other difficulties of raising septuplets, of course.
"I don't know... All I know," sighs TheLimey in sleepy response, "is that somewhere in this I get to play with puppies."
Wikipedia image
Getting Close
And I'm not even talking about the baby. I mean that I have around 20 or so surveys yet to code. I'm going to see if I can push them all through today. However, that may be extremely unrealistic considering we have a birth center orientation this evening. I am just so sick of having these hanging over my head. Of course, even after I finish these, I have a lot of parts to go back and re-check and fix, but that's like editing after you've finished your rough draft.
This is the real meat of research work, folks! Not the glamorous SPSS analysis of your figures, not the writing up of results, nor the defending of your work to your committee (that's only in grad school anyway), nor the submission of your papers to journals to reject repeatedly, nor the giving of interviews to avid reporters. (Ha!) No, most of it's this data crunching.
I continue to feel quite discouraged that I am at this point now in mid-August, 5-8 weeks before the baby, rather than at the beginning of June, when I would have had three months of summer to write up my results and begin the process of getting them to my committee. As planned. The part where I have to start those frickin' lengthy applications to internships all over again on top of all this is also bumming me out. Dammit.
Anyone who said they wanted to help, there is now a part that anyone who's an accurate typist could do. (And it's actually an interesting part.) It involves reading PDF documents that (anonymously) contain scans of people's handwritten responses to 2 short questions, and entering those answers word-for-word into--yes, my favorite--an online Google spreadsheet.
(Requires Gmail to access spreadsheet, which--if you don't have that by now, you should anyway, and I have plenty more Gmail invitations!)
This is the real meat of research work, folks! Not the glamorous SPSS analysis of your figures, not the writing up of results, nor the defending of your work to your committee (that's only in grad school anyway), nor the submission of your papers to journals to reject repeatedly, nor the giving of interviews to avid reporters. (Ha!) No, most of it's this data crunching.
I continue to feel quite discouraged that I am at this point now in mid-August, 5-8 weeks before the baby, rather than at the beginning of June, when I would have had three months of summer to write up my results and begin the process of getting them to my committee. As planned. The part where I have to start those frickin' lengthy applications to internships all over again on top of all this is also bumming me out. Dammit.
Anyone who said they wanted to help, there is now a part that anyone who's an accurate typist could do. (And it's actually an interesting part.) It involves reading PDF documents that (anonymously) contain scans of people's handwritten responses to 2 short questions, and entering those answers word-for-word into--yes, my favorite--an online Google spreadsheet.
(Requires Gmail to access spreadsheet, which--if you don't have that by now, you should anyway, and I have plenty more Gmail invitations!)
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Descending (A Ramble) or: US/UK Alliance V. C.H.U.D.
Note: I don't pretend to be any kind of real movie critic, or even to plan out my blog entries in a logical, well-ordered fashion, so this will probably have spoilers of some kind or another.
I took some time out of my busy and also ouchy baby-growing schedule to go to a very early matinee (10:55) of The Descent yesterday. I have a friend who is my scary-movie buddy. Other than us, there were two people in the entire theater. We both brought fleece blankets despite the stifling heat (outside at least), in order to have something to pull over our eyes. However, both our male partners pooped out of going at the last minute, as we kind of expected. They're just not as into horror movies as we are.
I actually want to go see this one again (or rent it). I generally prefer low-gore, high-suspense movies, so I guess that'd be psychological thrillers. This one was a lot more gory than either of us anticipated, but it was okay. It didn't rely on the gore to be the main scary part. I could look away during most of the flesh-gnawing scenes. There were plenty of scary and startling bits that didn't rely on the gross-out. And I had to use some deep breathing to overcome the claustrophobia. I would probably never go caving to begin with, but now I definitely won't. (Maybe that first chamber, with the sunlight and the water pouring in, but that's it!)
I didn't realize (the trailers don't make it very apparent) that most of the actors are Britishy*. The producers probably thought U.S. audiences would hear those accents and immediately pigeonhole it as another of those brainy yet dry type of mysteries that we see on PBS. (Personally I like those, but PBS isn't exactly a giant money-maker, you know?)
Therefore, the tragically-flawed character is naturally the American, who embodies the stereotypical tragic flaws of the US national character in the eyes of the rest of the world: highly skilled but show-offy, arrogant, impulsive, careless, selfish, rash, makes important decisions without consulting the others whom they affect, and so forth. So that was an interesting bit to mull over. (And a change from the way in which Hollywood flicks always, always cast the villain as the character with an English accent.)
(Did I mention I'm forever trying to find some excuse to get my husband to wear a redcoat uniform?)
Anyway, it really is scary immediately, even before the CHUDs come out. So, if you like being scared, then see it. But look away during the parts where the foley artists have to crush eggshells in Jell-O.
*Also, I haven't seen Dog Soldiers nor do I know anything about Neil Marshall, things which would likely have given me a clue in this department.
*OK, a couple of the cavers are Scandinavian, too. I guess that would make it more along the lines of "NATO V. CHUD".
I took some time out of my busy and also ouchy baby-growing schedule to go to a very early matinee (10:55) of The Descent yesterday. I have a friend who is my scary-movie buddy. Other than us, there were two people in the entire theater. We both brought fleece blankets despite the stifling heat (outside at least), in order to have something to pull over our eyes. However, both our male partners pooped out of going at the last minute, as we kind of expected. They're just not as into horror movies as we are.
I actually want to go see this one again (or rent it). I generally prefer low-gore, high-suspense movies, so I guess that'd be psychological thrillers. This one was a lot more gory than either of us anticipated, but it was okay. It didn't rely on the gore to be the main scary part. I could look away during most of the flesh-gnawing scenes. There were plenty of scary and startling bits that didn't rely on the gross-out. And I had to use some deep breathing to overcome the claustrophobia. I would probably never go caving to begin with, but now I definitely won't. (Maybe that first chamber, with the sunlight and the water pouring in, but that's it!)
I didn't realize (the trailers don't make it very apparent) that most of the actors are Britishy*. The producers probably thought U.S. audiences would hear those accents and immediately pigeonhole it as another of those brainy yet dry type of mysteries that we see on PBS. (Personally I like those, but PBS isn't exactly a giant money-maker, you know?)
Therefore, the tragically-flawed character is naturally the American, who embodies the stereotypical tragic flaws of the US national character in the eyes of the rest of the world: highly skilled but show-offy, arrogant, impulsive, careless, selfish, rash, makes important decisions without consulting the others whom they affect, and so forth. So that was an interesting bit to mull over. (And a change from the way in which Hollywood flicks always, always cast the villain as the character with an English accent.)
(Did I mention I'm forever trying to find some excuse to get my husband to wear a redcoat uniform?)
Anyway, it really is scary immediately, even before the CHUDs come out. So, if you like being scared, then see it. But look away during the parts where the foley artists have to crush eggshells in Jell-O.
*Also, I haven't seen Dog Soldiers nor do I know anything about Neil Marshall, things which would likely have given me a clue in this department.
*OK, a couple of the cavers are Scandinavian, too. I guess that would make it more along the lines of "NATO V. CHUD".
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Proggin' Along
I realized today that I may have fewer of these surveys left to finish scoring than I thought; perhaps 35 or so instead of 85, which is a couple days work instead of another week. If the people who are helping me are able to get the ones they took done and not die from it, that is.
I did that "out of sight out of mind thing" when counting them, that is to say, I haven't been accounting for the ones they took when I've counted them daily. So...we'll see how it goes. There are still things I have to go back and re-do or re-check even when they're done, which may take another day, but still. There may be a light.
I was originally hoping to have this portion of my work done at the beginning of June, so I could spend June/July/August writing and editing the results. As well as working on my applications for internship, preparing for the baby's exit in a number of aspects, and so forth.
The principle of cognitive dissonance states that the harder you work for something (or the more you invest your time, money or emotions in it) the more you value it, regardless of all other factors, even if it's something inherently worthless*. Given that, I will likely believe that my study is the best research ever done by anyone, anywhere.
So anyway, back to it, I guess.
Note to self: must squeeze in a shower today! Before husband returns home, too.
*This principle also explains why the heck so many of us stay in crappy relationships and keep throwing good years after bad, by the way.
I did that "out of sight out of mind thing" when counting them, that is to say, I haven't been accounting for the ones they took when I've counted them daily. So...we'll see how it goes. There are still things I have to go back and re-do or re-check even when they're done, which may take another day, but still. There may be a light.
I was originally hoping to have this portion of my work done at the beginning of June, so I could spend June/July/August writing and editing the results. As well as working on my applications for internship, preparing for the baby's exit in a number of aspects, and so forth.
The principle of cognitive dissonance states that the harder you work for something (or the more you invest your time, money or emotions in it) the more you value it, regardless of all other factors, even if it's something inherently worthless*. Given that, I will likely believe that my study is the best research ever done by anyone, anywhere.
So anyway, back to it, I guess.
Note to self: must squeeze in a shower today! Before husband returns home, too.
*This principle also explains why the heck so many of us stay in crappy relationships and keep throwing good years after bad, by the way.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Ecureuils
Good grief, these are cute babies (and mother).
I wonder if our squirrel mummy will bring her babies around. I think her nest is a little too far.
I wonder if our squirrel mummy will bring her babies around. I think her nest is a little too far.
Mmmm...French ice cream...
I'll have a scoop each of vervaine and rosemary, please.
No, wait--make that bergamot and tomato.
No--
No, wait--make that bergamot and tomato.
No--
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
In Case You Were Considering It
Another reason not to go base jumping. You don't have to read Norwegian to understand the picture.
PS: Don't worry; he was saved after three hours by a climbing team.
PS: Don't worry; he was saved after three hours by a climbing team.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Now It's Gone Interspecies
How far will this headbutting trend extend? (Not that you can call two instances a "trend," but I will anyway.)
Personally, I'd like to see it in rock climbing, figure skating, and ski-shooting.
Personally, I'd like to see it in rock climbing, figure skating, and ski-shooting.
Unofficially...
(This test was way too easy to jimmy.)
| You May Be a Bit Schizotypal... |
 |
Monday, July 24, 2006
Speaking of Margaritas
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Sort of Back
[Finally, Blogger is accepting photo uploads again!]
Our internet was out this whole past week, except for a few times during which it came on for, say, five or ten minutes. I have also been transportationless during this time as my car's in the car hospital having its transmission fixed or, more likely, replaced. Therefore I've got a lot of official catching up to do, though I'd sit around and blog given my druthers.
The other problem I've had is that my sacroiliac (where hips connect to spine) has a nice little trick it occasionally pulls, in which it goes out of joint and gets inflamed, making it impossible to sit or stand without a lot of pain that actually goes down to my knees. Sitting a lot (as in school work) tends to make this happen.
Also, pregnancy makes it worse. The additional several pounds of weight on my front (considering leverage) puts 50-70 pounds of strain on my lower back area, according to various uncredited sources. On top of that, my body is preparing for the birth by producing relaxin, which (logically enough) relaxes one's ligaments so the hip bones can open up enough to extrude someone's head. (Particularly that same sacroiliac area.)
What this means is that I can't sit anywhere for long. Sitting in the car is agonizing, and being at dinner at a nice restaurant this weekend was very difficult. Naturally, sitting to do my work is especially bad. I have had to arrange the sofa cushions to support me in a downward-facing position with my arms hanging over the end of the couch to do my dissertation work. While this hurts my neck and cuts off circulation in my arms, it's still better than sitting on my behind!
I do have a chiropractor, but she'd have to come to my house every day to keep this in line. And when I went to a standard physician for it, they gave me an anti-inflammatory and basically said to quit sitting for a while. This is going to be extremely hard advice to follow while I'm trying to finish my diss data! (Hence the new couch position working arrangement.)
Meanwhile, just writing this has meant sitting too long, so... so long for now.
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