Schmanz World

Blues Highways Cookbook

2007-02-05T15:38:00.000-08:00

I've had this small spiral-bound cookbook for over 5 years and never cooked a thing from it. That made it a prime target for my little project. I guess haven't used this one much is that I bought it on one of the last outings I had with an old boyfriend. Somehow I just left that sort of stuff along -- which was a mistake.

The author, Jason R. Girard, was the chef at Buddy Guy's Club on Chicago's South Side and he offers more than just downhome, Southern/Cajun Cooking, he offers a lesson in the blues as well. Each section of the book highlight a blues musical legend giving a brief biography and a woodcut illustration. Blind Lemon Jefferson, Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red are among those mentioned. I really enjoyed reading this little bios as well as the forward written by Buddy Guy.

The recipes include all kinds of goodies including Bananas Foster Baked French Toast, Hoppin' John, Legendary Jambalaya and Crawfish Etouffee'. Unfortunately, most of these dishes didn't sound good to my picky daughter, so I decided to cook up something for myself. I choose Bubba's Windy City Chili, making a 1/2 order and freezing it to bring for my lunch. It was a good choice, very easy and turned out yummy. This is a ground beef based chili with loads of green peppers and kidney beans. This has worked out great for my lunches ---very filling.

Another cookbook down -- 50 more to go.

Geometry of Sin

2007-02-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

I found this pretty interesting and worth the ponder. What are all the combinations of the Seven Deadly Sins?
Could second place truly be a path to Hell?

Found at Bits and Pieces by way of Neatorama.

Using what I have

2007-02-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago, I spent the better part of two days going through all my clothes. I opened and sorted through every piece of wearable fabric I own. What a huge job, but a real success.

I had just tons of clothes, but felt like I had nothing to wear. Every morning it was a depressing face-off between me and the closet and the closet normally won. I'm about the heaviest I have ever been (which is a whole 'nother topic) and also a pack rat. Finding an outfit each morning entailed looking at all the stuff I couldn't wear or didn't like. It is a poor way to start out the day.

So starting with my sock drawer (the easiest) I looked at everything. If something was worn out, dated or unappealing I put it in either the garbage or donate piles. What a mountain of clothes for Goodwill --- 5 lawnbags full. I also made a pile of "love it, but too small" that I've stored away for a while. This stored selection maybe a problem in the future, but I just couldn't bear to get rid of some of those items-- I really intend to lose some weight.

Mornings run smoother now that I can easily look at what is available in the closet. Everything fits me and is arranged by color, just like all those professional organizers recommend. I feel like I have new clothes because I found some great things hiding in the drawers.

I learned one thing the closet adventure which can be applied to the "use what I have" project. You have to know what you have before you really can use it.

Check out Donald Crowdis at Don to Earth

2007-02-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

Don Crowdis is a retired Canadian television personality who authors a very readable blog. Since Don is over 90 and a vital, well spoken guy, I decided I had better read him to keep my own hang ups about aging in check.
His current post on blogging raises the issue of the democracy of blogging. I'm not sure where I stand on this -- sure everyone can blog, but who are the readers? It's really hard to know if anyone is reading your stuff, unless they comment. If a blog falls in the forest, is there a sound?
Also, blogs can be echo chambers, I know that I tend to read blogs I agree with and not those that I don't. Since I have many views that aren't covered, as I would wish, in the mainstream press I tend to read blogs that cover them in the manner I agree with. It feels good to find similar minds, finally, after feeling like the lone wolf for years. But I also see the danger in being limited to only people we agree with. In fact, the growth of the 'blog media' may actually be a response to the sameness among mainstream media outlets because they just tend to echo each other, often using the same word in their coverage.
I'm getting a bit deep here for a Friday (especially pre Bears Super Bowl), I better pull out before I bring up Plato's Cave Metaphor....which I think applies. Are we just watching the shadows on the cave wall or have we broken loose and see it clearly in the sunlight?
Anyway, read Don to Earth -- he gives me hope about aging and still being ... cool or something.

It's Milton Friedman Day

2007-01-29T06:12:00.000-08:00

When all is said and done, there are only two economists you need to know about, Adam Smith and Milton Friedman. In 1776, the year of America's Declaration of Independence, Smith published the Wealth of Nation which defined economics (and capitalism) as serious subjects of study. In 1976, Milton Friedman received the Nobel Prize for his economic work on capitalism.

Friedman was a serious scholar and a wonderful teacher whose book and PBS Series "Free to Choose", showcased his ideas. I read that book in college and it was life changing. In the face of 1970's pessimism spread by disillusioned baby boomers, Marxism spouting teachers, this old guy talked about the power individuals had through choice. Thankfully, many people listened to Milton and capitalism helped spread freedom. (I need to re-read that book, I'm finding myself a little disillusioned these days.)

Today has been declared Milton Friedman Day, there should be many good articles to read. To get you started please read Ben Stein's article from November -- he knew the man well.

More events:

A new PBS Biography will air tonight (9pm on Channel 11 in Chicago).

Free to Choose is being streamed online, 24/7, at no charge to the viewer. See it on ideachannel.tv

A Memorial Service at the University of Chicago - 2pm.

Mystery ABCs

2007-01-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

Find a crytic note in an unknown alpahbet see some weird symbols on that sword?

Ominiglot.com is the place to solve the mystery. This entire site is devoted to the written word or symbol -- over 150 language systems are cover with illustrations and history. Check out the puzzle section and see if you can help uncover any of the language mysteries there.

The American Woman's Cookbook

2007-01-27T09:31:00.000-08:00

The first cookbook on my shelf is The American Woman's Cook Book (1948). It seemed a good place to start my cookbook project. This was one of the few cookbooks my mother had around the house when I was young. I remember looking for Christmas cookie and candy recipes here.
This definitely vintage cookery here. If you want to what the post-depression, post-WWII American housewife was cooking, it's in this book. Mainly meat and potatoes recipes here with lots of cream sauces -- good for stretching the meat ration. The full color pictures are kind of nauseating, whether it's their strange pastel shades of green and pink or that the subject matter. The picture of ring of noodle aspic with chicken ala king in the middle is a true food nightmare. Thank god Mom only subjected us the the decidedly non-Chinese Chop Suey detailed on pg 334.
I choose an easy, safe dish to prepare for Hannah, Ham Baked in Milk. Pretty tasty, just rum a combo of brown sugar and mustard over a ham slice, plunk it in a casserole and cover it with milk. An hour later you get a yummy ham dinner. I didn't tell Hannah that I cooked the ham differently, but she tasted it and loved it.

So the first dish in the project went well, I'll keep the book. Who knows, someday I may have a taste for noodles in aspic.
If you want you own copy of this treasure, try Ebay and snag one for $9.99, Amazon has this listed for $24.00 and up --- go figure.

52 Cookbooks

2007-01-26T16:19:00.000-08:00

As part of my "Use What I Have" campaign, I took a good look at all the books I have around the house. I don't really know what I have. That goes for my cookbooks as well as my fiction and non-fiction volumes. By reviewing my books, I may not be easily seduced into buying more books on a whim. Cookbooks are practicable items and are supposed to be used, not just left on a shelf.

I have quite a collection, some purchased, received as gifts or inherited from my Mom. The kitchen bookshelves contain 52 cookbooks, ranging from the venerable, Joy of Cooking to the sadly titles Where's Mom Now that I Need Her?, there are pasta cookbooks, fondue cookbooks and even a Belgian cookbook.
I'm sure that when people see all those books there in my kitchen they must think I am a gourmet cook with a huge repitoire of recipes, but no. I just love reading cookbooks and having cookbooks --- at least that is what I have been doing.

This year I've decided I am going to cook at least one thing from each of my books and blog about it. The real challenge may not be the cooking, but getting my daughter, Hannah to try it. Looks for my cookbook project posts.

Mistakes, I've made a few....

2007-01-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

Today's internet is all about sharing. The younger generation (boy, it pains me to use that phrase) believes in sharing it all on the web. I'm not too into the whole MySpace thing, but I do have this blog --- so I guess I'm part of the movement.

So sharing mistakes is just part of the whole 'open life' on the Web thing. I just found Only Human were anyone can document any mistake they made. Check out the perils of "leaving unattended cool stuff with a dog around". This is just kind of a Duh moment for me, who doesn't know that dogs eat stuff, but I liked his solution, since I'm an animal lover.

It all reminds me of the Mistakes poster at Despair.com. Despair.com is a wonderful, creative and demotivating company which lampoons those annoying Successories posters. As they say on their Motivation Poster " If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon. "

Bears Win!!!

2007-01-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

Wow, I just love those Bears!!

We are Super Bowl bound!!

Is Resolution Season Over?

2007-01-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

Resolutions, here in late January, the season has almost passed. After a flurry of news stories, little is said for year. It seems people either dig in and try to make changes or they hate the whole idea of resolutions.

I like resolutions, a good challenge is healthy. I try to make my resolutions positive and open-ended. Weight loss and quitting smoking have never worked as resolutions for me, they were just to serious. One year decided to eat more fish, another year I resolved to go on 12 dates --- both of these enriched my life by getting me out of my comfort zone.

This year I decided to tinker with my comfort zone I resolve to take stock of what I own and use what I have. These are kind of fuzzy resolutions, I know, but I think they both offer life enriching possibilities. There too many things in my house that I just don't use, appreciate or even like. So one goal is to get rid of all the extra stuff that just takes up space around here. In addition, if I like something, I need to enjoy it and perhaps even celebrate it.

Working on any of your own resolutions, let me know
Want some ideas? Check out 43 things where people set goals and track progress.

Will I Ever Grow Up?

2006-10-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

I don't think I'll ever grow up, though I am, "gasp" middle-aged, Here are a couple of examples:

1. When I create new passwords, I make up something silly -- just for me. So I've gone through periods of typing in UR2Cool4Me and wakeuptoots. Yes, kind of fun, but embarrassing if I need to give it to anyone.

2. If I have to do something that I don't like, I make it a game. Every Saturday I play the housekeeping game at my house. I roll the dice, set a timer and start cleaning --- what fun!!!

3. I stay up late for no apparent reason. I'm tired and cranky the next day, but I do it again.

4. I view driving, especially highway driving, as a race. I'm usually the winner, too. So watch out if you are driving slow in the left lane --- this kid won't stand for it.

More Cell Phone Thoughts

2006-09-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

A little addition to the cellphone-in-the-stall question. Writer Momus at Wired News has some thoughts on cellphone/Hell phone usage.

Hell phones encourage a privatization of public space. Whereas once the voices in public places were always directed to other people who were present, a great back-turning seems to have taken place. A voice on a bus is now as likely to be speaking to someone invisible and absent as someone else sitting on the bus.

I hate the conversation Psych-out. This happens when you and a stranger are alone, situated within confortable conversation proximity, like in an elevator, and the stranger starts talking, and you respond. Then you discover your counterpart is not only on a hidden, teeny-tiny cellphone, but is also giving you the evil eye.

How is it that these clods are offended, when they are the ones stealing the public space? Back when only homeless people carried on self-conversations, they were a lot nicer about it.

Doing More with Technology

2006-09-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

As someone who spends my entire workday on the Internet, I wasn't too surprised to see the impact that it has on the modern family.

Yahoo and OMD issued the findings from the latest round of their ongoing global research project in 16 countries that involves online surveys and in-person interviews. What they found is that through technology and multitasking families are cramming the equivalent of 43 hours of activity into a 24 hour day. They also found that the Internet (and mobile phones) are a significant part of the fabric of daily family life.

One curious point is that the Internet is the preferred source for most information except Comedy and News, where Television is preferred. I rarely watch television news, I'd rather use the internet and listen to the radio only. On the internet you can see diverse news stories and also read all kinds of opinion and analysis -- instead of the slanted opinion-dressed-as-fact the networks deliver.

Thankfully, something is staying the same:

Nearly three quarters (73 percent) of families with children said it is important to eat dinner together each day. Eight out of 10 adults said they "enjoy spending time with their family." This number increases to nine out of 10 among those married with children.

Yes, even with technology, we still like and love our family -- who would have known....

Vacation-Giddy

2006-09-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

I go through a whole weird process when I plan a vacation. First, there is excitement, just thinking of all the places to go until I settle on a destination. Then there is studious research, planning the road trip or finding flights and hotels. After the research comes the distress, and worry about the whole idea of the trip; I get nervous about the cost, time away or danger involved. Eventually, I come to a crossroad where I either dump the whole trip idea or take the plunge and book it.

I booked a trip today for Orlando. It's giddy time, I'm so excited! The 5 day adventure is quite a ways off, but I'm psyched. All the nervousness is gone now that I made the arrangements. This whole nervy process has developed since I began traveling solo or with my daughter. When my father or boyfriend travelling with me, I never did the whole hand wringing thing. Thankfully, I can make my way through the process, or I would never go anywhere.

Potty Chat

2006-09-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Just made a mid-day visit to the restroom. It's the 2nd time in two weeks that someone was in a stall chatting on her phone.

I think that is really weird. Sure, I have snuck into my home potty while on the phone, but never at work. There is no way to muffle the flushes and just is too weird. Plus, I got to hear all about an interview (job interview?) she was planning.

Mr Clean, Gay or Straight?

2006-09-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Check out the picture of Mr. Clean and tell me what you think. While you check out this picture, take a roam around this site. There are so many cool, cool retro things here. Dan Goodsell, the man behind this site is an artist, check out his Mr Toast comics, as well as the artwork on his blog . I'm almost breathless about the collections here, so I will need to revisit and blog some more.

Just Another Soldier

2006-09-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Can you find the real person in this picture?

It seems a devoted fan of the famous Chinese Terra Cotta Soldiers was able to become one briefly. It's kind of a cool Where's Waldo type stunt.

Photo, from Neatorama

Ever Wonder ....

2006-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Why is everything priced at weird dollar amounts, like $4.99 instead of $5.00? It's called Irrational Pricing

Irrational pricing is putting the price of items at say 4.99 instead of 5. Obvious as it may seem, apparently "The reason offered for not instead rounding $4.99 to $5.00 is based on memory processing time. Rounding upward involves an additional decision compared with storing the first digits. Furthermore, due to the vast quantity of information available for consumers to process, the information on price must be stored in a very short interval. The cheapest way to do so, in memory and attention terms, is by storing the first digits." Therefore customers perceive to be getting a better deal than they infact are.

I found an answer on this page: A-Z Tricks to Make you Shop. Now I know why escalators are placed back to back instead of side to side (to get you to walk around the store). I guess I could have figured that out, but it was neat reading it here with the lovely British tone and vocab. It's been a while since I shopped the High Street or stopped in at WH Smith.

Ribbon Time

2006-09-07T18:18:00.000-07:00

custom magnet at SupportOurRibbons.com

Now that I am getting past 40, I need to remind myself of stuff. Need a personal reminder, check out this site.

You can have real magnets made for your car too!!!

See you in September!

2006-09-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

It looks like I took a nice little blogging break. Yes, I enjoyed the lazy days of summer doing less web surfing and more getting out. So I will get back to Schmanzworld and start posting again.

*** Someone thought that since my last post was on quitting (smoking), that I was sending a message about the blog. Nope, just lazy this summer.

I'm a Quitter and kind of proud of it

2006-07-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Way back when I first started posting to this blog regularly, I reporting on my success at quitting smoking. Well, I talked about it a few times, then dropped the subject because I started smoking again.

Well, I've done it again -- quit smoking. This time I did it on my own little program. I used a self-hypnosis tape, a few nicotine patches and some breath mints. Last time I quit, I had relied on the patches, which I became allergic too. I got hives and it was horrible. This time I used a couple of full patches and then started cutting them down -- downing my dosage. It worked pretty well --- no hives this time.

The cravings come at the oddest times. When that happens I take a couple of deep breaths and get on my way. Sometimes I suck on a breath mint to occupy myself a bit.

Here's a peek at my progress to far.....

---2w 1d 19:17 smoke-free, 320 cigs not smoked, $72.00 saved, 1d 2:40 life saved

I have a little program called QuitTime which tracks my progress. It displays on my computer all the time which gives me a little boost while I work. So, in the midst of my little funk, I have done something right -- hopefully it is the beginning of more good stuff.

Safe is Risky; Risky is Safe

2006-07-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

In my current funk, I found this little post on Creating Passionate Users pretty interesting.

There is a point where being safe is risky. No new experiences, no new ideas. Ever hear about those pack rat people who never leave their house and just accumulate newspapers. Eventually someone goes to investigate and finds them crushed to death underneath their papers. What was Safe became very Risky.....

In a Funk

2006-07-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I haven't posted in a while. I can't explain why, but I'm kind of at loose ends, looking for a clue or something. Just to say that some things sneak up on you when you aren't looking.

I'm doing my best to get back on track here, if only I could get a clue as to where that track may lead.......

(image from quilt "Funky Motif" by Carol Taylor http://www.caroltaylorquilts.com/QuiltPages/ GongPages/gong1.htm)

Blogging about Hannibal, MO.

2006-06-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

Our trip took us to Hannibal, Missouri. The town capitalizes on it's role as the hometown of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). Sitting beside the Mississippi, it was once an important town for shipping which catered to the westward traveler. When Clemens lived there, it was at its zenith --- second only to St. Louis in population at the time.

Today its a sleepy rivertown with a bunch of Mark Twain landmarks and "inspired attractions", it caters to family travelers. We stopped off at the Clemens house and the small section of restored homes that surround it. There is a nice museum which traces the author's life and writing, especially his writing about his Hannibal. Most of his famous characters, in Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, were based on people he knew in town. We also visited the Mark Twain cave, just south of town. It's rocky passageways are interesting, nothing much had changed since my last visit, except you can't sign your name on the walls anymore.

My daughter wasn't too interested in the museum or cave. Unfortunately, she hasn't read his writing and has only seen the recent, poorly made, Disney Huckleberry Finn movie. She will be reading the book this year, so I hope she will get something out of the visit when the time comes.

What I found most interesting was the museum exhibit covering Clemens' life as a newspaper man. His brother and he started a small paper in the town which flopped, but it got him interested in the business. He traveled the world, including Hawaii, in the 1860's, when few people ever left there states. His writing was wonderful, always pointed and opinionated. His novels, like those of Dickens, grew out of his newspaper and magazine work.

Back in his day, there were many, many newspapers around the country. Each trying to lure an audience through news coverage and opinion. The entry into the newspaper business was low, so many different types of people went into the business --- with little or no training outside of how to operate a printing press. Certainly, there must have been incredible trash published at the time and also a lot of unread papers, but that era brought forth some incredible writers -- including Twain, Dickens and H.L. Mencken. But, as all these print voices consolidated, the variety became limited and what we call the Mainstream Media emerged. Currently, there are few large cities with more than one paper and those papers are mainly filled with copy from the new services.

It makes me wonder if today's Blogging Community is the new replacement for old style media. Blogs generally have a point of view and offer up a variety of stories -- some compelling some not. No one needs a journalism degree to blog, just the motivation to be heard. Most blogs have very few readers, but some like the Drudge Report, has millions. While many in the mainstream Media bemoan the entry of 'amateurs' into their field, I think it's healthy. A little bit of competition keeps everyone a little more keen. I bet Samuel Clemens would have blogged, if he could.

Brief Road Trip

2006-06-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from a quick trip to St. Louis with stops in Springfield, Il. and Hannibal, Mo. It was a nice little trip, not quite up to the standards of our magnificent trip to San Diego, but a good break from the ordinary. Now that my daughter is 15, I foresee the approaching end of our little trips, so it makes me more desperate to cram more in -- when time and money allow.

When I was growing up, our family took at least one vacation each summer -- roadtrip odyssey around the Midwest or East Coast. Most of the time there were 3-4 of us kids packed in the back of family sedan with Mom and Dad up front. Dad was a road warrior and loved the long haul across the country -- going 500 to 600 miles a day. Mom would find little places along the way to stop and see something. Those of us in the backseat generally looked forward to the hotel pool. I saw a lot of the country that way --- sneaking peeks out the side windows, while I straddled the infernal hump in the backseat. I loved those trips because we got to eat out all the time, see stuff and spend time with Dad. He worked so much back then, it was the only time we had more than a day with him. By the end of the trip, I think he was ready to return to the office for another 12 months.

This little trip was a partial re-run of one of my family trips. Though it was only to the two of us, I tried to pick a couple of fights with my daughter, just to give her a taste of my experience. We sailed across the cornfields to Springfield to see the new Lincoln Museum. The Museum is very nice, it seems to be catering to today's Disney experienced traveler. There were several "interactive experiences". My favorite little display was a video map which gave you the Civil War in 4 minutes -- you see the battle line change, as well as the mounting death tolls. I was sorry that the Gettysburg Address was not recited anywhere in the museum. I think it is the most perfect speech ever given; parts of the speech were mentioned, but I think it should have been given in it's entirety.

The Museum was really the only landmark we visited in Springfield. We didn't go to the Lincoln home, law office or cemetery. Unlike my old family roadtrips, my daughter has a great deal of input into the trip -- for better or worse. Fifteen year olds can be picky about their time, where they eat and what they wear. It takes a while to head out of the hotel room when there are clothes to press and hair to straighten... high maintenance. Luckily, somethings don't change -- she loves the hotel pool and so do I.

More on my trip later...

My Personal Library

2006-06-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

I love buying books, owning them, reading them and lending them out. Though I'm a librarian, I am not comfortable borrowing books from libraries, especially with returning them on time -- I should feel like a traitor. It's just that I work on my own timetable and I like to manhandle my books on occasion. Also, when I have found a library book that I love, I end up going out and buying it -- or at least think about it.

There are lots of books around my house, I don't know how many. I tend to buy or get books a couple at a time. My books are not arranged as well as I would like, but I generally keep all the non-fiction in the office or living room and reserve my bedroom for fiction. I've read about 50% of the books I own. I'm constantly trying to catch-up on my reading, but I sabotage myself by buying more books.

I found this great resource, called Library Thing, on the net that allows you to catalog your books. It's a really streamlined cataloging system. It's a community of readers who catalog, review and rate all kinds of books -- over 3 million books since last year. You can add tags (little descriptions) to your entries, as well as write your own reviews. My library is public, so please take a look. So far I have added the books I have read over the last 3 years -- I haven't even scratched the surface.
I added a permanent link to my library over there on the side with the rest of my recommended blogs.

Will the Book Endure?

2006-06-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Books are my one lifetime passion. I don't know when I first fell in love, but I'm sure it happened at a library or a bookstore. Like anyone who calls themselves a reader, I adore a good story, well written. I buy books, read books, store books and work among books. I love going to stores and libraries to visit books. There is a feeling I have when around stockpiles of books that thrills me, it’s a low hum of excitement or unknown possibilities that makes my heart beat faster. When looking at a fresh shelf of new books I am practically giddy while examining their covers or paging through their text.

It's funny that I still love my books, since I work around them all day. As a corporate librarian, my office is a library with shelves of organized books. They are really lovely to look at, but unfortunately these books, all technical and scientific, aren't the pleasure reading I desire. But I do love them as a backdrop. At work my main focus is a computer which is an excellent tool. My work is generally done on computer and most of my workday reading takes place on its screen.
For the last several years, it seems, I get some article a week, either from the library literature or the mainstream press about the demise of books. Most often these articles have a smug knowingness about them, they predict empty bookshelves and the de-evolution of literature from printed page to streaming words. All such stories champion the coming non-book age and scoff at the luddites who worry about it.
When I read this stuff, I panic a little bit, I mentally clutch my books tighter. Is a world without books a better world in any way? I would find it so lonely and plain because no matter how my computer screen was dressed up, it couldn't offer me the comfort of a book. I can't dog-ear my computer, or run my fingers along its side -- fanning pages as I go. Techno-geeks assure me that a new device will be developed that will enable me to take my computer reading to the beach, I'm not that interested.
I love a lot about the Web and the ability to self-publish and form communities. I'm blogging right now, I must think it's worth it. Anyway, here's an article finally defending our books in the web age. Lee Gomes, of the Wall Street Journal gets it right in my opinion. He covers the newest assault on books and the idea of user-generated content.

"It is an odd state of affairs when books or movies need defending, especially when the replacement proffered by certain Web-oriented companies and their apologists is so dismally inferior: chunks and links and other bits of evidence of epidemic ADD. Reading some stray person's comment on the text I happen to be reading is about as appealing as hearing what the people in the row behind me are saying about the movie I'm watching."

In my heart of hearts I believe books will endure because I need them.

What's with Elmhurst?

2006-06-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

Elmhurst is one of those close-in, tree-shaded suburbs of Chicago which is afflicted with the McMansion Syndrome. McMansion Syndrome occurs when developers buy up the cute little 50's and 60's ranch homes and tear them down. In their place, outsized homes are built on the lots; these homes loom over their neighbors in both size and conspicious consumption. Alot of suburbs around here are experiencing this problem.

Aside from all those hulking homes, what sets Elmhurst apart is its interest in SEX or at least that is what the story on SFgate.com says. Using a new tool within the Google Search Engine you can judge the popularity of search terms. Google Trends is kind of fun to play with. Gosh, I've been to family parties in Elmhurst and I never knew....

But wait, when I tried to duplicate the search, I didn't get the same results -- it looks like St. Louis comes in first in the searching for sex race.

I'm not sure how well the the new tool works, it's still under development. I was tickled to see that Bay City, Michigan leads the way with searches on the word "Tiki", far outpacing Honolulu, Hawaii. The Kingfish Restaurant & Tiki Room must be the place to be, as it appears to be the only thing Tiki in Bay City.

Who Moved my Blackberry

2006-06-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

As a corporate librarian for a couple of large corporations, I know a bit about the language of corporate marketing BS and the workings of executive politics. On a fairly routine basis employees receive memos relating great corporate projects to re-brand or re-size ourselves to greatness. After a couple of years you take it all with a grain of salt. Though the language of these missives can be painful -- filled with poor word usage like learnings (for lessons) and trainings (for classes).

So, when this book showed up on my doorstep --- literally. I dove right in. It's a quick read. Lucy Kellaway takes you through a year in the life of Martin Lukes via his e-mails. Martin is an ambitious guy who has employed a 'virtual coach' named Pandora to move him ahead in work and life. Martin's goals of 22.5% better than his best and receiving an "A" grade push the drama ahead, as does his office affair and hostile son. The satire is fantastic, especially its portrayal of American and British management styles.

I am a bit mystifyed as to why this book came to my doorstep. I didn't buy it and I don't remember signing up for a free copy on their website. My favorite publishing friends deny sending it. So how did it come my way? Maybe it's a bit of viral marketing or, more likely, did request it and my 41-year old mind forget. Anyway, this is a fun book -- I recommend it.

Signing off in Martin Lukes fashion --- All my bestest......

I'm back

2006-05-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems I have taken an unplanned break from blogging. Nothing tragic happened, I just got sucked into the madness of TV sweeps weeks. Yes, despite all my efforts to be a highly cultured and refined woman of taste -- I adore reality tv.

It was a very satisfying sweeps week because all the characters I liked seemed to win. The hippie team on Amazing Race pulled out a sweet victory using their brains and a bit of quirky charm. Taylor Hicks, the prematurely gray singer of American Idol walked away a winner as did Harold, my favorite chef on Top Chef.

The last spouse has been swapped or traded and the smart English Nannies have solved the last family disaster. The annoying Ty Pennington has fixed his last home of the season. No need to re-cap all the shows, they all had their little spats and thrills. I just eat it all up and I don't know why. My daughter and I bond watching the fights or figuring the strategy... we have a ball.

I am a bit wistful, it will be a while before they all start up again and we have our nightly fix. Until then I should blog more and cast around for the forensic/ CSI shows -- we love them too.

Good Manners

2006-05-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

My mom was a product of the 1920's and 30's. As a child my mother regaled me with stories of the Great Depression and traveling across the country in a Model A. I'm glad she shared so much, because times change and it's great to have a window into the past. In addition to all the stories she, of course, passed on the womanly advice of her times.

As I faced adolescence, Mom's manner lessons were often a point of contention between us. In the 1980's I was admonished against piercing my ears or shaving my legs, lest I be mistaken for a foreign prostitute. No matter what evidence I gave to the contrary, she firmly believed that such acts would doom me to depravity. Thankfully, I rebelled, shaved my legs and punched a couple of holes in my ears -- to just to be one of the girls.

At other times her advice was on the money. I'm glad she told me to answer invitations with notes, out of respect for the host, and to drop thank you notes as soon as possible. While I don't always get this done, I really see value in the act. I love getting a real written response to an invitation.

Anyway, I started thinking about her lessons when I came across Miss Abigails Time Warp Advice. The author has a collection of over a thousand pre-1980's advice books. She is able to find time-warped advice to speak to any problem. The website has been so successful, she got a book deal. Her book, Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating, and Marriage: Classic Advice for Contemporary Dilemmas, was published this March and I can't wait to get it.

I'd better watch myself. I realized my own advice is quickly dating me when my daughter refused to wear nylons to a school dance. She won the battle, though I'm absolutely sure the dress would have hung better with the nylons on. Oh, well...

Art, where you find it

2006-05-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

Here are couple of art sites to take a look at. The internet is a fantastic medium for artists, with its broad reach and low-cost, a good site can make a splash. If you find a fasinating site, let me know so we can spread the word to cube dwellers everywhere. Nothing spurs creativity more than seeing the creative.

For a quick hit of photography, take look at:
File Magazine Every month they publish, as they say, "images that treat subjects in unexpected ways. Alternate takes, unconventional observations, odd angles -- the photographs in the collection reinterpret traditional genres".
My current favorite here is Cowscapes which really defines unconventional observations.

Art-o-mat

Art vending machines. These are old, vintage cigarette machines that have been retooled to vend small pieces of art. I love their mission

"Artists in Cellophane (A.I.C.), the sponsoring organization of Art*o*mat®, is based on the concept of taking art and "repackaging" it to make it part of our daily lives. The mission of A.I.C. is to encourage art consumption by combining the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form. A.I.C believes that art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable. What better way to do this, than with a heavy cold steel machine"

This sounds so cool that I will have to make a trip to the Oak Park Library to see one. Find a machine in your area here.

Left Behind

2006-05-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

Every so often you see stories about people moving into homes and finding money or other treasures left behind by the former owners. The new owners can keep the stuff because they bought the property and everything in it. I didn't find anything cool in my house, just some dust bunnies and a very weird looking angel that is cemented to my bedroom door.

My brother once moved into an apartment which was empty except for 3 jars of Russian Borscht in the fridge. I guess it was either an oversight or perhaps a parting gift left by the former occupant.

On other occasions I have found interesting or shocking "left behind" objects. A few times in my life I have helped clear out homes for elderly relatives who either were moving to a nursing home or their final abode.

When I was 10, Grandma moved to a nursing facility; her apartment was veritable trove of oddities. Aside from the neatly piled shoe boxes brim full of money ($900) and the folders of True Confessions magazine, there were some books of a decidely adult nature. I found those in her closet and showed my 16 year old brother. He could never really look Grandma in the eyes after that.

A few years later we emptied my great aunt and uncle's home. There were no adult items, that I recall. But there was a room under the stairs filled with liquor, shelf after shelf of whiskey, scotch, vermouth and vodka -- like 50 bottles of all kinds of booze. Also on the shelves there were several old-style ladies traveling cases which held handguns, brass knuckles and bullets. When I found the one filled with bullets, I thought they were sample lipsticks. I took one out and ran to show my Mom and she just about had a heart attack, because I was trying to open if with a knife to get at the lipstick.

I guess that little room was some of the booty my uncle had collected from his days as a Cook County Courts employee. He had something to do with setting all the judges schedules. I guess he got a lot of "gifts" back in the day. The stash was especially funny because my uncle didn't drink anything but wine and at 80 rarely had use for the unregistered handguns or brass knuckles. I don't know what he was saving this stuff for, it was all neatly arranged, no dust or cobwebs.

Perhaps the weirdest find I had was pretty recent. This relative was a very dignified, well groomed man who kept a neat house. He was a "everything in it's place" sort of guy. His personal papers were in beautiful order and every linen he owned was neatly folded. Love letters he had exchanged with his wife during WWII were stored in his top nightstand drawer -- I guess he kept them right where he could read them. The letters were a wonderful find.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the drawer below the "love letter" drawer. There, in this fairly large drawer, scattered among business cards he had collected, were hundreds of toe nail clippings. Oh God, it still gives me the willies. What was he thinking? Was this his one little bit of grossness? Did he just think it was easy to clip into the drawer? Could this tremendous stash be used to clone him -- I just don't know.

All this musing on things left behind makes me wonder about myself. Either I'd better make sure every place I inhabit is entirely sanitized before I move or that I make a conscious effort to leave something behind. What will it be, a case of kraut juice in the fridge or my collection of LOVE IS cartoons? On second thought, before I do anything else, I had better pry that weird angel from by bedroom door --- I don't want anyone to think I left that behind.

What sort of writer I should be

2006-05-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

Took a little quiz on the Internet and it looks like I have to begin a new career....

You Should Be a Joke Writer

You're totally hilarious, and you can find the humor in any situation.
Whether you're spouting off zingers, comebacks, or jokes about life...
You usually can keep a crowd laughing, and you have plenty of material.
You have the makings of a great comedian - or comedic writer.

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

A little fun at the desktop

2006-05-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick round-up of some fun stuff from the web.

Get your song quotes at Rock Wisdom. You will find a great crop of quotes categorized for your pleasure. From philosophy to pick-up lines, as well as links to the full lyrics.
A few Favs

All that is now, all that is gone, all that's to come, and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon. - Pink Floyd, Eclipse
Baby, look me over, tell me if you like what you see. I ain't got no money, but honey I'm rich on personality. - Prince, Baby I'm A Star
I love Rocky Road. - Weird Al Yankovic, I Love Rocky Road

Take a new look at the world via Worldmapper. There are many looks here because this site presents issue oriented world maps where the size of countries are relative to statistics. Check out the map of Net Immigration above. There is a lot to see here. The World Mapper team brings together geographers from the University of Sheffield (UK) and the University of Michigan.

Cooking by Numbers is a recipe site for the spontaneous. Instead of looking for specific recipes and buying the ingredients, here you enter the ingredients you have on hand and get back recipes you can use them in. I haven't used the site much and now that I take a second look I am a little worried. It looks like the author has a new book out called, The Art of Vodka Jelly -- not to enticing...

Take a jaw-busting break

2006-05-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

Ferrara Pan is a candy-maker on the west edge of Chicago. Its buildings can be seen as you head west on the Eisenhower expressway. Depending on what they're making, you might catch a whiff of cinnamon or lemon. Ferrara Pan candies such as Lemonheads, Jawbusters, or Red Hots, are a Chicago (if not a US) tradition, having been around for generations. I think a lot of their appeal as well is that they really haven't changed their graphics style on their candies, so there is something soothing and nostalgic about going to the candy store and seeing their candies.

Anyway, I was recently given a box of Red Hots with the check at Glenn's Diner (they have Red Hot pancakes on the menu there--didn't try 'em, Red Hots were never my favorite), so I thought I'd check out the Ferrara Pan website just to see what they're up to. It's a very interesting site, with virtual tours of the factory that show how each candy is made. The Jawbusters in particular, I found really interesting--each one is formed around an individual grain of sugar, just as a pearl is formed around a grain of sand. Perhaps that simile is a bit too high brow for a Jawbuster, but the tour is interesting all the same.

What's the worst that could happen?

2006-04-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

I worry about the darnest stuff. I am not good about getting the car over to the oil change place on time, so I've figured that my happy little Sante Fe would just explode or something someday. But thankfully I came across this article from Real Simple "10 Things You Can Stop Worrying About". Now I know that 7,000 miles between changes is okay!

The article covers a few of my worries:

Eating cracked eggs
Leaving stuff in the washing machine
Sneaking food into the movie theater.

Real Simple magazine is fantastic, they have smart, well-written articles on house and home stuff as well as some fashion and food. On their website you can sign up for a weekly newsletter which offers great little tips. That is where this info came from.

No Gas from You!

2006-04-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

I really don't like door-to-door salesmen of any stripe. I should stop answering the bell, but sometimes you get suckered. A few times, at least 3, in the last two years I have had my doorbell rung by reps from company peddling natural gas. Each time, I saw someone with a badge and something that said Nicor. Thinking that there may be an emergency, a gas leak or something, I opened my door to talk to the guy.

Each encounter I had with these folks was unpleasant, leaving me feeling bullied. One kept calling me, "Stupid, Stupid" loud enough to for neighbors to hear, when I refused to sign-up. Another told me that gas prices were not subject to supply and demand, so prices would only go up if I didn't lock in prices. The scary thing besides the name calling and the lies, is their tactic of passing themselves off as utility employees and trying very hard to enter my house. These were big guys, pushy guys who when I refused the offer demanded to talk to my husband about it and tried to push past me. As a single, fully competent, female homeowner, it really pissed me off.

So I was really happy to see that the Illinois Citizens' Utility Board has issued an alert about them. I'm not absolutely sure this is the same organization I dealt with, but if you read the article, you will see the similarities.

It looks like a similar scam is documented at the Consumerist --- my favorite blog. See here.

More crazy knitters

2006-04-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

The Yarn Harlot is fun. It seems that knitting is 'in' these days, I should give it a try. It's so creative and so practical, all at the same time.

Well, I just came across a knitting grafitti site, Knitta. These guys are hard core public 'knitting grafitti artists.

Here's their story
"… A tag crew of knitters, bombing the inner city with vibrant, stitched works of art, wrapped around everything from beer bottles on easy nights to public monuments and utility poles on more ambitious outings. With a mix of clandestine moves and gangsta rap — Knitta was born! Today, Knitta is a group of more than 10 ladies of all ages, races, nationalities, religions, sexual orientation… and gender".

Light Beer Wishes and Casserole dreams

2006-04-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

The White Trash Mom blog has some pretty cute entries and interesting entries on whether you're the mother of a teenager yet, and a reference to an Anna Quindlen article about The Good Enough Mother. She also refers to the other perfection-based, over-performing, blonde-bob-huge SUV-driving-stick-thin Moms out there as the Muffia. Check it out.

I love the harlot

2006-04-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

I gotta tellya, the yarn harlot blog really makes me happy. She just seems like a really nice, crazy knitter with lots of crazy knitter friends.

Once when I went on a vacation to Washington D.C. to visit friends, I complained to them that most photos I take are boring because they're of buildings and art, but with no human interest to them. So for all the photos we took during that trip, I made sure there was a human in each one, even if it was an elbow or finger stuck into the corner of, say, a photo of the Washington monument.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (the yarn harlot) does something similar, in that all of her photos include whatever knitting project she's working on. It makes me laugh because, after all it is a blog about knitting. Her latest photos, of the taxi drivers who have been driving her around on her book tour holding her knitting, make me giggle.

Another thing is that all her audiences in the pictures just look so darned happy. Who knew some wool and a couple of sticks could do that to a person?

Isabelle

Get Happy

2006-04-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

Take a minute, or two to read this excellent blog post at Creating Passionate Users. Kathy Sierra discusses how being around negative people can infect you with unhappiness. She points out the science of how people unconsciously mirror the behavior they are exposed to. That means if you hang with chronically unhappy people, you probably will become unhappy.

When I changed jobs last summer, I basically went through de-tox. It took me several months to adapt to a happy environment, where co-workers encouraged and helped each other. I hadn't realized how stressed out I had been before, until I had the mental space to relax.

The sad thing is that I can trace the whole negative environment to one or two people at the old job. These two were basically good people, who were desperately unhappy and afraid. Any change was viewed as a "problem", any creative thought was shot down. I think I fought against this tide for a while, but I got all caught up in it myself. Pretty soon the work day became a struggle for me -- I was unhappy. Of course there were other factors in my unhappiness, but I think the toxic people really crashed the work atmosphere.

Within a month of changing jobs, my father became seriously ill and then died. It was such a sad and tense period. But in looking back, I thank God I changed jobs when I did. I can't even imagine if I had to deal with Dad and have an unhappy workday. My new co-workers were very supportive and gave me the space I needed at that time.

Take a good look around at the unhappy places in your life. It may be time to evaluate the toxins you deal with, also check to make sure you aren't adding your own poison to the situation. Life is too short to be spent in negative spaces.

Take a flight -- quick animation

2006-04-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

Got a minute, take a quick little trip with Airport by Iain Anderson.

Power to the People!

2006-04-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Within the web developer and library world there is a lot of talk about the Web 2.0 movement. (That's pronounced two point oh). I don't know if I would classify it as a movement, it is more a trend. Calling something a movement is a little too pretentious. Anyway, this new trend in web design is all about collaboration and community. Blogs, the Wikipedia and photosharing sites are examples of this new approach for the web. On some of these services, anyone can participate whether they are posting a personal diary (blog) or helping to create an encyclopedia.

I find these new tools exciting and fun to use. There are drawbacks to letting anyone use something --- copyright infringement or bad,bad encyclopedia entries in Wikipedia. After all, as my Dad said, "You get what you pay for". Perhaps the best things side of the 2.0 trend is the ability to publish comments on blogs or other services. Here you do get a sense of community, of shared interest or concern.

The warm fuzzy of community came to mind when I stumbled across a community I want to join. It's the cilantro haters --- I am not alone anymore. Here I can recount horrid run-ins with this all too common herb. I can view pie charts on which compare the taste of cilantro to stink bugs and soap. Yes, this is the type of life-affirming, community-building I need. I am not alone!

Catch that Red Paperclip wave

2006-04-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

I need to post stuff quicker. Last week I came across a great story of Internet creativity. Now this guy is all over the place. Should I regret the widespread coverage or marvel at my own trendspotting ways..... oh well, here's the story.

Creativity in life, art and business make life interesting. I love Kyle MacDonald's spirit, he set out to get a house by trading up. He started with a rather large red paper clip. Now he is up to a rent-free house in Pheonix for a year. Vist his website at http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

What a story --- read more at Yahoo News.

Do you make this guy sick

2006-04-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

I saw this a this sweet picture on Neatorama a while back. I think I've sickened this man on 6 counts. Or maybe 5, I'm not much of a party animal these day.

There wasn't much written about the situation this came from, but it is pretty interesting. I love the kid in the foreground, I'm sure the 'sick' signholder thought he was making some pretty profound statements, using all those fonts on his sign.

In the Middle of It....

2006-04-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

I turned 41 last week. That seems definitely middle-aged to me -- no longer able to chalk things up to youthful mistakes, I am an adult. Of course, by placing yourself firmly in the middle, you pretty much bow to the idea that there is an end. It's not too much fun to think about, but definitely enters my mind more these days. After my dad died in September -- the notion of being a child was gone, no matter that I had been a parent myself for 14 years.

So, at this mid-point you can either just sit back with some sort of confidence that things will roll on and on for a while, or you can get charged up for a fight against the inevitable. Neither of those positions are really my view. I'm kind of doing both, embracing the end and feebly fighting against it. I work out at least a few times a week --- breaking a sweat on occasion -- and I 'try' to eat better. I also started smoking again, if you remember quitting was my hot topic a couple of months ago. So, despite my advancing age, I still do the half-assed things I should have grown out of .

My brother's death, almost 2 years ago, changed my idea of life and fairness. Here the best, healthiest person I knew, the guy who was doing all the 'right things' in health and faith, got Leukemia and it took him. His death was fundamentally unfair, which I believe had a great deal to do with my father's death this year. While I miss Dad on a regular basis, I cry when I think about Mike. It was unfair that both these men didn't get the ending that they had hoped for, one came too quickly, the other's came after tasting such deep sadness. We really don't get to choose.

As a middle ager, I need to realize that I have no idea what will become of me. I don't know the length of my life. Who does? All I can do is live it and make some little goals for myself along the way. When you look at the obit of some people, you are blessed with a good story, one with a couple of beginnings, along with several endings. It would be best to take care of myself where I can health-wise, but not to get to tied up in that because it may not matter. If I only have a year or two -- then I hope I enjoy a bunch of chocolate cake between now and then.

I know this is not the happiest post, but it is something I've been thinking of. Here is a little pick-me-up article on a man who is alive and kicking at 110. He's a cupcake eater and smoked until he was 60, God Bless him!

Really bummed here

2006-04-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

I remember reading that you should compose blog entries in a word processor and then past into Blogger. The reason being, that sometimes Blogger hiccups and loses posts before you can publish them. It just happened to me.

I spent a good 40 minutes composing an entry on Contemporary Art and it was blown away. You would have liked it too, but now I'm too tired to re-create it. So perhaps, I'll try again tomorrow -- using Word to compose.

Aaarrrrghhhh!

P.S. Blogger's spellcheck doesn't recognize the word Blogger -- go figure.

Is there a generation gap anymore? Should we care?

2006-04-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

Has the generation gap slimmed to a chink? Is it even there anymore? When we 40-year-old Generation X'ers continue to wear jeans and hoodies and listen to the same music as our children (or nieces and nephews), are we refusing to grow old gracefully, or are we, as this article in New York magazine attests, merely refusing to do anything except those things for which we feel passionate? Or is it really that because of the democratization of information through the Web and 24-hour news and television, all generations are more or less feeding from the same trough, culturally?

As a 40-year-0ld with a 20 year old inside me wondering what happened, I really found this article interesting. At 40 my mom had six kids and was wearing polyester pantsuits. Now, "40 is the new 30." Are we X'ers following the dreaded Boomers into that Peter Pan Neverland where you never grow old, even though they all hoped they'd die before then?

God, I hope not. Boomers are a pain in the ass. If that's the way the X'ers are headed, hand me the apron and pass the Bobby Vinton.

--Isabelle

K-Mart

2006-03-28T18:54:00.000-08:00

I worked at K-Mart the summer before I went to college. Looking back on it, it was a very good learning experience for me. I stocked the shelves in the toy, paper goods and snack departments. I've never done anything so easy. All I had to do was look around for blank spots and write down a stock number on my little notepad. I would get a bunch of numbers on the pad and then go to the backroom and pull cartons of stock. I bring the stuff back on a cart and put in on the shelves where it was supposed to go. Pretty easy. My manager thought I was genius because I learned how to do this in a day.

Well, I guess this was not easy for a lot of people. First of all, you had to write down the numbers and then you had to find the stuff in the back. All the stuff in the back was numbered to match the stock numbers, some people were thrown by this. Also, you had to open up boxes without a knife. I hated this, but I guess other people who worked at the DesPlaines K-Mart couldn't be be trusted with knives. They must have been stressed trying to write down the numbers or find the stuff in the back or something. Here was lesson #1 --People who can't count probably shouldn't have knifes. I also learned lesson #2 -- You can open boxes with Bic Pens.

The other things I learned were mainly about the people who shopped at K-mart. They didn't like their children, or at least didn't care if anyone stole them. A lot of people would just drop their kids in the toy department and let them make a mess. They didn't worry because someone like me would probably catch the kids who climbed the shelves and put back all the toys they took out. I guess I should have learned that it's okay to let other people watch my kids -- most other people are nice.

I also learned that some people do really weird stuff in public and aren't even ashamed. A woman pooped on the floor in the towel section one day. She wasn't happy that she couldn't bargin on the prices. She just squatted there in her sari and walked away when she was done. I guess she figured that the stupid college-bound kid who told her that $3.97 was the price deserved to pick up after her.

I also saw a very drunken couple ride bikes around the store at night. They humilated their little boy by acting so weird, but they didn't care. The manager controlled this craziness, while I talked to the little boy who was so ashamed and angry that his parents were weird and had forgotten his birthday. I wonder how that kid turned out, maybe I should have stolen that one.

I'm glad I only worked there one summer. They offered me a college deal, because I was so good at my job and because I showed up everyday and left without stealing stuff. I turned them down, the whole place depressed me, mostly the K-mart shoppers and the guys you could trust with knives.

I read a neat essay on K-mart that made me think about this today. Check it out on Core77. The author, Kate Bingaman has her own blog, Obsessive Consumption which is worth reading.

Overload

2006-03-24T13:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think I have the world on my shoulders. Then I see a picture like this and thank God, I don't.

For more pictures of 3rd world ingenuity and freckless vehicle overload see Ezprezzo.com

PostSecret

2006-03-20T05:59:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, when I first starting wasting considerable time on the Internet, I came across this site. This is a place where people can post their secrets, on anonyomous postcards. There are many interesting or dark secrets here along with stunningly insightful artwork.

Some of the secrets make me very sad, but there is the definate possibility that they are unreal. Thinking that makes me feel better.

There is now a Post Secret book which has some the best images. Also, one morning I caught a bit of MTV, when they were playing actual videos, and saw the secrets featured as part of a video.

This site demonstrates the reach of the web, it makes the very public, very private and could be offering extremely fake items at extremely geniune ones. In all, it makes you think and distracts you from the work at hand.

Ever wonder where the taxes go?

2006-03-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a visual representation of where our tax money goes. I would paste it in, but as you will see, it's too large of a graphic. I was amazed by the research that went into this, as well as the creative visual presentation.

I don't really question the relative amount of money that goes to defense, because as I see it, that is the primary reason there are governments at all. If we are going to have armed forces they ought to have the best stuff available. Also, defense and commerce are about all that the Constitution outlined for the US government to handle.

Real Life Simpsons

2006-03-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

I got this by way of my daughter.

Have you ever wondered what a real-life British version of The Simpsons would look like. Well, worry no more.

UTube is a site worth watching. Anyone can post a video there and freely share it. I've had a lot of fun on that site, watching the craziness, as well as the truly creative. Here are a few more:

Brokeback to the Future
Hooked on a Feeling
Pac-Man
Bodies

This site, and other like it are supreme time wasters, but what can I say, I like to waste time.

Fighting the bull, one memo at a time

2006-03-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Having worked in large corporations for over 10 years, I have learned to accept the bull---- phrases that are rife in most memos. After all that 'return on investment', 'synergistic' and 'best practice' verbage -- it is sometimes hard to get any real meaning out of anything.

But wait, now there is a tool -- the Bullfighter

Here is what the Consumerist says:

Dear Corporate Executives — please learn how to write. Having initially been a greasy, protoplasmic ooze poured into the mold of a stiff, starched suit, then imbued — Golem-like — with the spark of meaningless corporate business speak, you soulless automatons never seem to realize how meaningless phrases like "maximize initiatives" and "establish paradigm, COB" are to those of us who sprang forth from human loins.

Inhuman though you may be, your only means of expressing yourselves being Powerpoint presentations and the occasional "Booyeah!", we don't really expect you to figure out how to relate to an actual person by yourselves. But luckily, Bullfighter is here to help you with the task.

Bullfighter is a plug-in for Microsoft Office that operates like a spell checker. But instead of scanning your documents for typos and spelling mistakes, it scans your documents for corporate bullshit and suggests more human alternatives appropriately. ...
Fight the Bull: Bullfighter (Thanks, Lifehacker!)

Okay, now I just need to find a way to sneak this onto computers of the HR department.

Movie Start Times -- a theory

2006-03-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned earlier, I hate how movies are scheduled at the Multiplex. My favorite theater has 30 screens, but only a couple of start times. There is a mad scramble at 6:45 to 7:15 in the parking lot and concession stand.

I had wondered why the theaters are all doing it. My new theory is: it stops screen jumpers, those cheap people who pay once and go to a couple of movies. If only they could get a couple of those nerdy ushers to check tickets.....

Cloud Appreciation Society

2006-03-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

There really is something for everyone. The Cloud Appreciation Society relishes the clouds that pass over us and seeks to encourage their appreciation.

We think that they are Nature’s poetry,
and the most egalitarian of her displays, since
everyone can have a fantastic view of them

There are some great pictures here and many words celebrating the most ordinary of wonders.

Painter of Light

2006-03-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

Oh, my God some dirt on the world's worst artist, Thomas Kincaid.

From the LA Times:

"When I got saved, God became my art agent," he said in a 2004 video biography, genteel in tone and rich in the themes of faith and family values that have helped win him legions of fans, albeit few among art critics.

But some former Kinkade employees, gallery operators and others contend that the Painter of Light has a decidedly dark side.

Besides create horrible art, he likes to urinate in public.... you've got to read this one.

Coyotes on the prowl

2006-03-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

A while back, my co-workers spotted a coyote trotting around the pond behind the library. It was lanky and ran with a gait totally unlike a dog. I kind of felt sorry for it as it circled the pond, looking at all the ducks and geese amassed in its center. A week after that, I nearly hit a coyote right behind the local hospital. It trotted across the road with something in its mouth -- I'm glad I don't know what.

Now Smithsonian magazine has a short article on the newly urbanized coyotes, it's worth a quick read. We also have a ton of hawks in my neighborhood --- I wonder if they are coming back too.

Cartoons

2006-03-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

Although it may seem old news by now, the cartoon controversy which has raged across the world really hit home with me. I was shocked at the riots, most especially since the cartoons were orginally published in September and all the rage began in January. That seems to hint at some co-ordination behind the rioting, especially the prevalence of Danish flags in remote spots. I wouldn't know where to get a Danish flag here in my town.

But as disturbing as the actual rioting was, I find the near silence of the US press more disturbing. Here is a ready made case to defend freedom of the press, and what happens, no mainstream network or paper publishes the cartoons. CNN went so far as to pixel blurr them, in deference to Muslim sensibilities. This is the same media which has shown the "Piss Christ" and other anti-Catholic images in the past. I didn't like that artwork, but I would never protest the right of the press to display it (though I might urge a little better taste).

I don't think the mainline US journalists really believe in the First Amendment. Sure, they talk about it when it comes to pornography and anti-Christian stuff, but not when it means taking a real stand. At one time most journalists believed that the pen was mightier than the sword, but we may want to revise that to "the crayon is mightier than the sword". It's the cartoonist who took a stand. Check out these that I found via Little Green Footballs.

Show this to the Highschool kids

2006-02-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Just saw this on the web. The picture is worth a 1,000 word. Stay Free Magazine looks like some fun stuff.

Online Paperdolls

2006-02-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

Sitting here on a Saturday night, I decided I would just surf around the web and see what cool sites I could find. So out of the blue, I chose the term Paper Dolls to see what Google would turn up. Guess what, there is a whole world of paperdoll stuff on the net. Here are just a couple of sites.

There are charming dolls you can download at Paperdolls.org just download and print vintage characters.

Do online dress-up of your favorite stars (if you are 12)at Paperdoll Heaven. I really like the Pride & Prejudice dolls and the Oscar Statuette.

If you want to collect paperdolls that are suitable for framing, check out Legacy Pride Paper Dolls. Quite a variety here, from Hillary Clinton, Frida Kahlo, Pip from Great Expectations to Mamie Van Doren.

If you want to make your own dolls or become an expert, there is the Original Paper Doll Artists Guild. Their magazine not only publishes how-to for amateur artists, but is a resource for collectors.

Who knew....

No Movie for Me Tonight

2006-02-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

What the hell is wrong with all the theaters out here. I can't see a movie anywhere in the Western 'burbs at 8:00 pm. Everything starts between 7:15 and 7:35, even at the 30 screen megaplex.

Tonight is the 2nd time I have gone to the megaplex at 6:45 to find a tremendous line waiting for tickets. There are no sold out signs, but by the time I got to the window, Walk the Line was sold out, as was everything else I thought about seeing.

I felt like a total loser, especially when I stopped at the grungy miniplex theater near my house to find that everything started already.

What is the big deal with staggering start times?

40, the new 30

2006-02-25T18:29:00.000-08:00

I've heard a couple of people mention that "40 is the new 30" lately. (Which is news to my ears, seeing as I am almost 41.) They swore it was a scientific fact. So, I looked it up on the net -- and it's true.

An international team of researchers from the University of New York in Stony Brook and the Vienna Institute of Demography at the Austrian Academy of Sciences have redefined what it means to grow old, report Reuters and Britain's Telegraph.

The new definition: It's not how long you've been alive that counts, but rather how many years you have left. As life expectancy has lengthened, the whole idea of middle age has shifted, making 40 the new 30. And 50 is the new 40. It's true! People who are nearing retirement are as vigorous and healthy as middle-aged people were a century ago.

Make your own Simpsons' character

2006-02-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

This is fun, make your own Simpson character. You pick the body, hair and facial features to come up with a unique little reflection of yourself (or someone else).

Malcolm Gladwell has a Blog

2006-02-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed his book, Blink. He uses the blog to expand on topics and, refreshingly, to correct errors.
http://gladwell.typepad.com/gladwellcom/

Too Much Sometimes

2006-02-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted much this week and there are several reasons (or excuses). I will list them in no particular order:

I miss smoking a lot.
My daughter is going to a dance and won't stop questioning every rule or guideline I present. (Her date is a junior and drives).
I like American Idol better than the Olympics -- and I'm ashamed.
I wonder if I could smoke just one cigarette every now and then.
I am still sore on Friday from my ab work-out on Tuesday, is this normal?
What should I do with all the boxes of stuff from my Dad's? I can't hardly bear to look in them.
Could I make a smoker friend and just smoke at their house every now and then?

I just am at loose-ends now that I have developed an allergy to the nicotine patch. I am covered with itchy spots all over my body and I feel like a real addict. The gum and the lozenges are horrible, so now I am cold-turkeying.

Humanity and the Web

2006-02-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

Some years ago, back when the net was young, there was a big media splash about 'living on the net'. A few people, mostly scraggly-looking hacker-types , were going to do everything on the web and not leave their homes. They would do all their shopping, work and play right there on their Macs. I don't remember any follow-ups on these guys. I think 9/11 came along and the whole stunt seemed stupid. Anyway, 'living on the net' didn't pan out like they imagined.

I thought of that old stunt today as I took a real blog journey this morning. I was reading Creating Passionate Users, as usual. Only today, the post was about an author of a calculus book, Dan Steinberg, who they know and had written about. Today, they posted a touching entry on the death of his 6 year old daughter, Elena. What can I say myself, except this is exceedingly sad. I was touched by their post, which mentioned that Dan had started a blog about the death, Dear Elena.

Of course I clicked on the link to Dan's new blog, just to read a little bit. The posts are really beautiful and personal, about his marriage, his children and their loss. I also looked at Dan's original blog, Extreme Teaching, and read the comments to his post on Elena's death. This comment, below, really struck me.

web20newbie Says: February 24th, 2006 at 1:46 am e
Well, man, I don’t know you. I’m a 25 yo brazilian teacher who just discovered WordPress, and is writing about Web 2.0. I found your weblog, found the subject interesting, and started to read it. Then, the first post was exactly this one…
It’s horrible to listen, when everything you need is to talk. But the truth is that I’m a man of faith, and my faith said to me I need to write to you now. However, I’ll not talk about faith. I’ll talk about Continuity. You must remember that, no matter how much it hurts, in some moment life must go on. Please do cry today, because crying is important - a special part of you has gone. But please stop crying soon, because if your life stops, then your tears will be unworthy.
Please, please, keep going. My prayers will be with you and your beloved family during these days.
Love and Peace.
Fernando Aires, Brazil

All of this was very sad, and touching. I've been trying to come up with a real profound statement about the humanity of the Internet, but I haven't hit on it yet.
Perhaps it's enough to say, that there are real people on the Internet and in reading these blogs, I am sharing a little with them. It gives me hope that the real world is much nicer than the one we hear about on the news.

I've Added Blog Links

2006-02-17T09:56:00.000-08:00

The list of blogs over on the right side are some I look at each day. For my job, I review over 50 different websites and blogs. Using a RSS feedreader and some notification tools, I track changes on a daily basis. While most of the sites are work-related (really), I do like to keep up on politics and fun too.

Don't we all need to see a cute kitten picture everyday?

Blogger -- definition

2006-02-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

This is from Guy Kawasaki's Let the Good Times Roll Blog:

Blogger. n. Someone with nothing to say writing for someone with nothing to do.

He puts it in his header.

I read somewhere that the target market for blogs is "people who are bored at work"... not that I would know.

Music at work

2006-02-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

My office is quiet, too quiet. No one talks or stops by to chat and it drives me crazy. Yes, I work in a library, where it's supposed to be quiet, but being really lifeless is not good.

So to combat this, I have found a couple of online music sites which stream music. The first is Pandora where you can create your own radio station by choosing artists you like. Pandora uses something called the "music genome" to classify all kinds of music so that it can serve you similar songs for your radio station. You can give any song a thumbs up or down, giving you some control over your playlist. There are links to purchase the song or album as well.

I like hearing new music here and also seeing the development of my station. Somehow my Ventures station, which started out with instrumental surf music, has grown to encompass the Dead Milkmen and the Ramones -- and it's a good thing.

My new music find is Wolfgang's Vault. This site streams music recorded in the 60's and 70's at the Fillmore East and West in San Francisco. There is vintage Hendrix, Joplin and Grateful Dead here, as well as Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. For the backstory on this site, read this.

I hope my free music feast will continue, but if the bandwith police in IT crackdown, I guess I'll need to get an MP3 player.

Another trick for better customer service

2006-02-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here is another great tool for dealing with customer service problems. Keep a log on Excel. As an Excel devotee, this is right up my alley. By tracking all the calls, the reps and the promises made, you might come out ahead.

Read more at The Consumerist.

Now if only I could get an interpreter to help me deal with the phone company. I never can figure out all the plans; I end up with services I don't want and a bill that freaks me out every month.

Get a Human

2006-02-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

This is one of my all time favorite websites. Gethuman Cheats is a website listing how to get a real human at many, many customer service phone numbers. While some are simple (dial "0"), others have real quirks (Ikea --- just keep pushing "0" many times quickly).

You can sort the list either by service type or arrange it in alpha order.

Student finds toilet water cleaner than ice at fast food restaurants

2006-02-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

Enough said. Click here,if you want the whole story.

Tomorrow is John Frum Day -- Got Cargo?

2006-02-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

There is a Cargo Cult alive and well in the South Pacific island of Vanuatu. Many villagers believe that a mythical American, named John Frum, will return to their island and bring lots of stuff. February 15 is their holiest day -- John Frum Day.

An excellent piece in the Smithsonian Magazine gives you a fuller picture of both the Vanuatu holiday and the idea of Cargo Cults. There is real charm to the piece, as well as deeper meaning concerning the meeting of cultures. The natives in the South Pacific live very simple lives, dirt poor and isolated. When US troops came through during WWII, the natives couldn't believe all the stuff that came too, in fact they believe it was conjured up by magic.

From the article:

Men and boys clad in stringy bark skirts stride onto the dancing ground clutching replicas of chain saws carved from joungle boughs. As they thump their feet in time to their own singing, they slash at the air with the make-believe chain saws. "We've come from America to cut down all the trees," they sing, "so we can build factories."

Read the whole thing, it's food for thought.

The Google master

2006-02-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

Hey, someone very close to me has done sometime really cool. He's the #1 hit for the phrase "Read and Delete" on Google. Check it out and read his newsletter.

The subject this month is Women at the Auto Show. I remember the torture of traipsing around the exhibit hall looking at cars. I'm surprised I wasn't left behind there in 1975, my brothers would have never noticed.

My job blows my mind -- sometimes

2006-02-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

I work for a really, really large organization (Company X), as a contractor in a very, very small group. Most of the time I happily work here in this little space within huge corporate-warren doing my library work. Though we take care of everyone potentially; in practice we see very little of the big picture. Not seeing the big picture may be a good thing, as you can see from my meeting today.

Had a very confusing, jargon-filled meeting with someone from our IT group. Loads of new development projects and strategies were just kind of thrown in front of us along with names of champions (ie. people). My Library's project is to have a single access point or tool for accessing all the subscription products we purchase. It seems, among other things, it is recommended that we create a portal -- whatever that means to Company X.

All I know now is that, no kidding, we have lots and lots of groups within Company X who are part of "The Federation" and then a bunch of external people who are part of "The Alliance" and a couple of groups which are temporarily working outside that are 'secunded'. Somehow we are supposed to draw together a team, from the Alliance and the Federation, to do a portal. We should volunteer to beta, so our costs will be picked up by either the Federation or the Alliance (I forget who).

The IT person we met with is very excited about the possibilities. All I could say was, "Live Long and Prosper", or something like that. This place is not big or gigantic or humongous -- it's galactic.

Are you with "The Alliance", "The Federation" or have you been secunded? I don't know what I am. I think I'm Alliance… then again I could just call myself part of "The Association", since I work 'deeply outsourced' for another type of company entirely.

"To Infinity and beyond"…...

Non-smoker -- 6 days 13 hours 50 minutes

2006-02-13T06:48:00.000-08:00

I'm still smoke free, but this weekend I had a few bad cravings. The idea of having to get off my butt and go get cigarettes pretty much killed the cravings, but they caught me by surprise anyway.

I installed a little program, called Quit Time, on my computer it tracks the time elapsed since my last cigarette and the unsmoked cigarettes, the money saved and the time I have added to my life. I am up an additional 6 hrs and 25 minutes in the life department--hopefully, I won't spend the added time thinking about smoking. Here is a link to the program, in case you need it or want to pass it on.

I wasn't able to paste in a great pic of a smoking rabbit, but I urge you to take a look at it here. The Bunny Suicides is a cartoon series of fluffy little creatures trying to do themselves in -- strangly hilarious to me. There have been several mentions of this book/series around the net recently -- so perhaps it is the Far Side of the new century.

Picturing Nicotine Addition

2006-02-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

I admire artists who can convey whole rafts of words and feelings in images. I saw this one as I cruised the net. I can say from experience, that this looks like how a 'nicotine fit' feels.

The artist is Boris Artzybaseff and I found a bunch of his images on the Animation Archive. Two of his books are noted, Neurotica and Machinalia, the first are illustrations of emotional problems and the secord covers machines and industries. He was a master at anthropomorphism.

Non-smoker --- Day 2

2006-02-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

I quit smoking at 7 pm. Monday, so today is day 2 of the process. It's going good so far; I've only had a few cravings and my energy level is pretty good. The nicotine patches are probably responsible for the good energy level because I can definately feel the energy surge about an hour after I slap one on.

Beyond the energy thing, I have avoided the spacey-ness feeling that I have gotten when I went cold turkey. There is nothing worse to me then feeling dippy and indecisive all day. Especially when you know if you just puff on a cig, everything will clear up. With the patches you get the nicotine that the brain craves without all the smoke. It's a good thing that you can get different dosages on the patches, cause I don't want to be wearing these for the rest of my life.

Engrish

2006-02-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

I learned a new word this week, Engrish. It is the mis-translation of Japanese or another Asian language into English, or the use of English for ornamentation in Asia. The Wikipedia has a very good definition here. The Chinese restaurant scene from A Christmas Story is included as an example.

Of course I learned my new word while cruising the Internet. There is a fun site, Engrish.com which offers up many great examples. I found the one above intriguing because the meat can hang down and eat, among other things. Though the line, "Appreciate once, please" has definite merit -- we should all try to appreciate most things once, it would be a start.

Especially for my only Reader-- you know who you are!

2006-02-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like a picture on an old sewing/craft pattern to make you giggle.

Just imagine how cool your man would feel taking down a 10-point buck with your mittens on!

Teddy Girls

2006-02-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

I kind of remember hearing about Teddy Boys in England, but never Teddy Girls. This site has some interesting pictures of post-war English girls sporting Edwardian inspired clothing. I found the fact they posed in bombed out locations almost as interesting as the clothes.

'Teddy, don't worry, now mommy's here....'

I just love finding stuff on the net --

I'm Quit, Day One

2006-02-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Quit Day. I inhaled my last smoke last night, just before dashing into my Cessation Class. I know I can do this, but I am worried that I am not pschyed enough. I should be more invested in the whole process, but what can I say.... I've quit before.

I am wearing my patch and drinking a ton of water, so far, so good. I popped a couple of cinnamon Altoids when I wanted a little zing and that worked.

Tonight I start working out at the Health Club. From what the guy told me when I joined, they track your attendance and call you if you don't come enough. In some cases, they will come to your house and make you come. While I really wonder if they are that interested, my girl is paranoid that we will get into trouble if we don't go. I think I can withstand the prodding of a health club employee, but the worried pleading of my daughter is a bit more scary.

So I a guess I'm off on a new 'healthy' phase of life --- I better get a little pschyed.

Goodbye to a Bad Habit

2006-01-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

As part of my smoking cessation class, I was asked to write a goodbye letter to my habit. Here it is. My quit day is next Monday, February 6th.

------------------------------------------------------------------
A Farewell to a Dear and Destructive Friend –

This is it, a final goodbye to a relationship which has lasted over twenty years. Though we met in infancy, via my Mother’s habit, it wasn’t until college that we started going steady. Smoking and being a smoker has been a large part of my life since I was 19. At first, smoking was a social thing, something I shared with most of my friends. Over the years, the habit has come to isolate and abuse me in ways I never imagined.

Cigarettes were with me on my move from adolescence to adulthood, from crazy college abandon to sobering motherhood. With a puff here and there, I used the little breaks to pass the time, taking a moment out of whatever I was doing to relax or perk up. At times, cigarettes were my passport to new friends and relationships; asking strangers for a light almost guaranteed a conversation. This habit allowed me to form friendships within a large corporation that my non-smoking peers envied.

But as time has passed, cigarettes have cost me. The price of each pack has risen steadily each year – urged on by government taxes. Society shuns the smoker, forcing me outside in the cold or into stinking little rooms. Even when attending an outdoor event, I isolate myself from the crowd, because so many people are offended by my habit. Smoking stigmatizes me, instead of making me look cool. I look foolish – puffing in a corner outside in the cold.

At forty, I’m not young anymore. Cigarettes are aging me quickly. My breath is not easy or silent all the time; my skin is dry and ashy. Each morning I coax my feet to life because my circulation doesn’t carry the oxygen I need to my toes. I limp around in the morning, cursing the pain, as I light another smoke and take a little break. I’m sure I stink, but no one really comes close enough to notice.

This addiction must end. My brother, Mike died in 2004 and my Dad died in September. I revisit the sorrow of my mother’s death, from lung cancer, fifteen years ago; I don’t want people murmuring in the back of the funeral parlor, ‘well, she was a smoker’. I don’t want to worry or embarrass my daughter anymore. I can’t laugh off death as easily, I see it up close these days. We all must die, but I really don’t want to actively pursue it by picking up the ‘cancer sticks’ day after day.

So, this is the end. I am not going to smoke anymore, it makes no sense and it hurts me with every puff. It’s over, it’s not charming or social; it’s stinky and dangerous.

Nancy
Your former servant

Talk about Nerve!

2006-01-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

From Scotland:

An Islamic group is asking the local Catholic School to convert to Islam.

AN ISLAMIC campaign group has called for a Catholic primary school to be based on the Muslim faith. The Campaign for Muslim Schools said 90 per cent of
pupils at St Albert's Primary, in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow, are Muslim,
yet children are having to take part in Catholic rituals like saying the Lord's
Prayer and attending mass.

Osama Saeed, co-ordinator of the alliance of Glasgow's main mosques and Muslim organisations, said he could see no reason why the main faith of the school should not change.

He said: "Clearly the parents of that area find a faith school, even if it is of another denomination, preferable to a secular one. But surely it should be possible for them to have one that is relevant to their own faith.

"To move towards this would be a fantastic example of good faith - in more ways than one - on the part of the Church."

Click here for more from the Scotsman's report.

Books of 2005 -- My Reads

2006-01-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

2005 Reading - didn't date much, but I read. Here's the list and some of my reflections.

The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne) -- I loved revisiting this classic, my life experiences since reading this in high school really made this a different novel.
Road Fever (Cahill) -- Fun little read about driving across the Western Hemisphere - from the tip of South America to the northern shore of Alaska.
The Paradox of Choice (Schwartz) -- Interesting, it seems that the more choices we have, the less happy we may be. Some good insight into why I am so easily confused with all the investment options and drinks available in the world.
Blue Shoes (LaMott) -- I liked the writer's style, but the story was not too compelling.
Without Conscience (Hart) -- Everything you need to know about the sociopathic mind. A bit dry, but perhaps useful. (At least I know I'm not one and you probably aren't one either.)
The Great Influenza (Barry) -- Fantastic history of the 1918 Flu. The third book I've read on the subject. I learned alot of the history of medicine in the US as well as the scope of this pandemic.
I, Fatty: a novel (Stahl) -- I always was always interested in the Fatty Arbuckle story, so I picked this one up. It's a fictional biography which wasn't that well written.
The Well of Lost Plots (Fforde) -- This carries on the Thursday Next series which I just love. Fun and clever, perfect for silly, over-read people like me.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (Rossner) -- This novel & movie were intriguing to me when I was younger. A pretty good novel about a rather pitiful and dislikable woman. As a dateless wonder, I probably shouldn't have read this.
Bookmark Now (Smokler) -- A collection of essays about the current world of writing. Everyone says the book world is dead, but these writers disagree.
Little Children (Perrotta) -- Good current novel set in suburbia. Good for book groups.
The Island of Lost Maps (Harvey) -- Good non-fiction which combines the history of mapmaking with the tale of a map thief who stole maps all across America.
Kitchen Confidential (Bourdain) -- An insiders view of the restaurant world. A well written and fun read.
Something Rotten (Fforde) -- Another Thursday Next book, this time it's fun with Hamlet.
Blue Blood (Conlon) -- Biography of a 3rd generation New York Cop, who went to Harvard. Though interesting, I thought the writing was uneven - as if it were hurried to press.
The Speckled Monster (Carrell) -- Well researched and written account of the Small Pox and the beginning of innoculation. I just love those disease books.
1491 (Mann) -- Outstanding book! A review of modern research on Pre-Colombian America which offers real insight into the cultures of America. A must read because this isn't the story we got in school.
The Sunday Philosophy Club (Smith) -- I was disappointed in this little mystery. As the first book of a new series by the author of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency novels, I expected something more interesting.

Once again my reading has been all over the place; 8 fiction titles vs. 10 non-fiction. I just seem to pick up whatever looks good, no accounting for consistency. I guess this just fuels my wealth of trivial knowledge and hunger to read more.