Comments on the World at Large

2011 Reading List

2012-01-01T08:00:00.026-05:00

This is what I read in 2011:

Vampire Crush, by A.M. Robinson
Mr. Darcy's Diary, by Amanda Grange
Building a Parenting Agreement that Works: Child custody agreements step-by-step; by Mimi Lyster
Shattered Dreams, by Dr Larry Crabb
Stargate SG1: Four Dragons (SG1-16), by Diana Dru Botsford
Absolute Risk, by Steven Gore
Stargate Atlantis: Hunt and Run, by Aaron Rosenberg
Watchlist, by Jeffrey Deaver
Night of the Vampires, by Heather Graham
The Blood that Bonds, by Christopher Buecheler
Against All Odds, by Irene Hannon
Deadly Sanctuary, by Sylvia Nobel and Christy Moeller
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1-7 (short stories) by John Jackson Miller
The Crossroads Cafe, by Deborah Smith
Reaper (Novella), by Rachel Vincent
Face of Betrayal, by Lis Wiehl and April Henry
Stargate Atlantis 16: Homecoming, by Jo Graham and Melissa Scott
Troublesome Creek, by Jan Watson
Lioness Arising, by Lisa Bevere
House of Dark Shadows (Dreamhouse Kings Series, Book 1) by Robert Liparulo
Stuck in the Middle, by Virginia Smith
Crossing Oceans, by Gina Holmes
Invisible, Lorena McCourtney
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer
Always the Baker, Never the Bride, by Sandra Bricker
After the Leaves Fall, by Nicole Baart
The Legal Answer Book for Families, by Emily Doskow and Marcia Stewart
Alice at Heart, by Deborah Smith
Almost Heaven, by Chris Fabry
Almost Perfect, by Julie Ortolon
The Apothecary's Daughter, by Julie Klassen
Antiques Roadkill, by Barbara Allan
Stargate SG1 (SG1-17): Sunrise, by J. Frances Crane
Where will you go from here? by Valorie Burton
Back on Murder, by J. Mark Bertrand
Stargate Atlantis (SGA-17): The Lost, by Jo Graham and Amy Griswold
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
The Pawn, by Steven James
The Rook, by Steven James
The Scroll, by Grant Jeffrey and Alton Gansky
All the Pretty Hearses: A Bed-and-Breakfast Mystery (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) by Mary Daheim
The Knight, by Steven James
The Brotherhood (Precinct 11), by Jerry Jenkins
The Big 5-Oh!, by Sandra Bricker
Boyfriends, Burritos, and an Ocean of Trouble, by Nancy Rue
Beautiful Lies, by Lisa Unger
Reamde, by Neal Stephenson
The Bishop, by Steven James
The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy
Tahn, by L.A. Kelly
Getting Smart, by Tom Vander Ark
The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis, by Nancy Guthrie

Moonlight - Steven Sharp Nelson

2011-12-21T07:41:00.003-05:00

Carol of the Bells (for 12 cellos) - Steven Sharp Nelson

2011-12-20T17:28:00.001-05:00

10 minute evening look

2011-12-16T08:53:00.001-05:00

Apostrophe clouds

2011-12-09T19:16:00.001-05:00

Aren't these clouds wild? They remind me of apostrophes or mini-tornados.

2011-12-05T07:25:00.001-05:00

As the Jedi mind tricks at the end say, I must now learn cello.

Kidd Video - Where Did Our Love Go?

2011-11-11T19:14:00.001-05:00

Classic Smoky Eye

2011-11-09T14:39:00.001-05:00

For a classic smoky eye look:

Highlight just the brow bone using a soft, shimmery beige such as Spun Silk.
Apply midtone (a shade slightly darker than your skin tone) starting from the base of the lashline, across the lid, and up to the brow bone. So pick a neutral that is a bit darker than your skin. Put on two layers of midtone if you want a deeper/darker look.
Blend the two colors together well.
Apply your dark shade (your contour shade. Pick one: Black Pearl, Coal, Copper Glow, Ivy Garden, Midnight Star, or Sweet Plum.) Start at the base of the lash line and work your way up to the crease of the eye...and then blend it out.
Use black eye liner across top lashes.
Apply a black shadow (Coal) directly over the top of the pencil liner you just put on and start to pull up with the color to smudge it out. Add a little more Coal into the outside corners of the eyes. Blend, blend, blend.
Apply midtone shade again, right against the base of the bottom lash line.
Apply contour shade over the top of the midtone shade that you just applied at the base of the bottom lash line.
Use two coats of black mascara.

5-minute face

2011-10-14T09:42:00.001-04:00

Poetic Eyes

2011-10-05T22:06:00.000-04:00

Makeup Artist Robert Jones calls this look the Poetic Eye. By having a very soft eye, you can have a bold red lip.

How to get this look:

Step-by Step Poetic Eyes

1. Conceal your eyelid with concealer and set it with powder.

2. Using an Eye Definer Brush, place a creme shimmer shadow (Mary Kay Beach Blonde) on your eyelid from lashline to where the crease of the eye begins. This will make the eye shadow much more intense and it will stay on much longer. Now with the same brush, apply a shimmering champagne powder shadow like Mary Kay Moonstone. Remember people...it's all about layering!

3. Apply a subtle brow color to create a soft statement with the brows.

4. Using your Eye Crease Brush, apply a matte taupe shadow like Mary Kay Hazelnut in the crease, from the outside corner toward the inside corner. Using your Eye Definer Brush, apply a layer of midtone like Mary Kay Cinnabar to the outer outer third of your eyelid. Leave the lower lid completely void of color.The contrast between the shimmer and the matte is what makes the poetic eye POP.

5. To give the look an editorial flair, skip the eyeliner and limit mascara to the top lashes only.

6. Finish off the look with a super soft cheek using only a bronzer like Mary Kay Sandstone Bronzing Powder and then apply a matte red lipstick.

Full Rainbow

2011-10-02T14:40:00.001-04:00

Its been a while since I saw a full rainbow. This one wasn't very intense, but it was full. The building is the George Washington Masonic monument across the street from the train station in Arlington.

How to clean your makeup brushes

2011-09-30T17:07:00.001-04:00

9/11 Memorial contingencies

2011-09-12T10:08:00.002-04:00

Overall, I think the 9/11 Memorial is pretty neat. I just hope they have plans for dealing with the following:

1) People shoving things into the etched names. So far people have put flowers and flags into the names. I can only imagine what worse stuff will be stuffed in those letters. Especially since there is the cooling system under the brass. How will they clean out gum, trash, coins, etc. that people shove into the etched letters?

2) The fountains: how will they deal with the coins tossed into the fountains? How about the idiots who will toss in detergent to make the huge bubble mess, or the dork who tosses in a bunch of dye to change the water color? Are the fountains going to be Irish green on St. Patrick's day?

3) I don't see a way to keep people out of the fountains. It looks pretty easy to climb up on the parapet and then stand on the flat water area and then jump (30 feet) into the pool. Should someone do that, how will they get out?

It's a pretty memorial, I just hope they have thought about how to take care of it so idiots don't ruin it in short order.

Review: "The Scroll" by Grant R Jeffrey and Alton L Gansky

2011-09-04T10:04:00.003-04:00

"The Scroll" by Grant R Jeffrey and Alton L Gansky

Product description (Text from the back of the book): Dr. David Chambers, leading archaeologist, has spent his professional career uncovering the facts in the artifacts. His work sets the standard for biblical research in the Holy Land. But surrounded by the evidence, David has sunk into an abyss of doubt. A painful experience with a seemingly unresponsive God has left him without hope. The Old Testament scriptures that used to fill his mind with wonder now drive him to frustration. His unanswered questions have ripped him from both his academic pursuits and the love of his life, his fiancée, Amber.
An old friend and mentor reaches out to David, enticing him with the riches described in the enigmatic Copper Scroll. Losing ground with his peers, his love, and his faith, David Chambers has a choice to make. Will he undertake one final dig to unlock a secret that could alter the course of history? Do the mysteries of the Old Testament hold the key to the political turmoil of the Middle East?
In a world where faith has been eclipsed by the allure of doubt, The Scroll offers a different journey: a gripping adventure to find truth worth dying for.

Review:
The marketing text on the back of the book is almost more interesting than the book itself. If I had to summarize the book in one phrase, it would be "Rip-off of Joel Rosenberg's The Copper Scroll (Political Thrillers Series #4)". Except, Joel Rosenberg is a better writer. Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Gansky have only one character with any depth... the rest are sloppy, shallow caricatures. The plot rushes and halts unevenly, and then at the end uses a jump of several years to allow some meager wrap-up of plot lines. When the plot halts suddenly, it's because some character needs to suddenly give a multi-page monologue/lecture about archeology, history, or the significance of something Biblical. And these lectures are delivered to the most random characters: one to a airplane pilot, one to a security guard, and then (most ridiculous of all) the group of world-renowned experts lecture EACH OTHER. Along the way, the main character does the usual expected stuff: re-finds his faith, finds amazing treasure, and gets the girl. You can even spot the "surprise" double-crossing bad-guy within the first 20 pages. I adore the genre of thriller fiction that is related to end times and to the Ezekiel prophecies, but don't waste your time on this book. Instead, read or re-read the Joel Rosenberg series.

FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

Backyard Bug of the Day: Automeris io - Io Moth - Hodges#7746

2011-09-04T09:51:00.004-04:00

Just outside the basement door this morning, I found this guy. At least 1.5 inches long, maybe 2 inches. Bright green, with clusters of spines which remind me of pine tree needle clusters. Here's how his back looks.

Here's how his side looks. There is a red and white stripe down the middle of his side.

Bugguide.net says this fella is a caterpillar of an Automeris io - Io Moth - Hodges#7746

This kind of moth is a Saturniidae and is also called a peacock moth (it has 'eyes' on its bottom wings that look VERY much like the eyes on peacock tail feathers). The dogs were very interested in smelling it. Apparently the spines can cause a stinging sensation, especially the really big ones like this fellow. I generally think Satuniidae are beautiful, but the adult form of this one isn't very interesting to me.

Book review "Where will you go from here?" by Valorie Burton

2011-08-16T08:46:00.003-04:00

"Where will you go from here?" by Valorie Burton has some amazing life-coach tips inside. Her advice also references some generic Christianesque thoughts and a few Bible verses. Each chapter features a true story about someone who overcame a huge obstacle of some sort. All the ingredients are there to make a great book; but it just doesn't seem to come together. The core of her message are five life-coaching phrases:
1) I will not feel sorry for myself
2) I will not stare at the closed door
3) I will dig deep to unearth all the courage I need
4) I will direct my thoughts - my thoughts will not direct me
5) I will choose to believe all things work together for good.

After that, Valorie takes the reader through a thought journey:
1) figure out where you are in life and what exactly the damage is
2) look at your history to figure out how you got here
3) give a name to exactly what you're afraid of
4) look around for resources that will help you recover
5) figure out where to go now (same path? new path? redefine yourself?)
6) plot a course to the new destination
7) take charge of your thoughts
8) figure out how you're growing and share your experience with others

Overall, good life-coaching in a soft-Christian setting.

Pay gaps

2011-08-13T11:01:00.002-04:00

A recent article on Bloomberg, "Higher Pay Not Luring Women to Tech Jobs", By Jillian Berma, caught my eye.

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workers overall earn about 25% more than people in other types of work. Yet STEM women earn 14% less than their male counterparts. We're supposed to be grateful that this is at least better than the 21% pay disparity in other fields.

24% of the people working in STEM are women. That percentage hasn't changed since 2000. In 2009 there were only 2.5 million women employees with a degree in STEM fields compared with 6.7 million men.

Women are about half of the college graduates each year, total. For women who graduate with a STEM degree, only 26% of them go into employment in a STEM-related job. Almost 40% of men with a STEM degree enter into a STEM job.

Something is seriously wrong in the STEM work world.

Having recently interviewed for STEM jobs, with a BS, MS, and PhD in computer science plus over 10 years of experience, I was told that my technical skills were a little weak for what they were looking for. And we wonder why there are fewer women? It's because you doubt women's capabilities. I have graduate degrees that prove I can learn just about anything I put my mind to. And you say my technical skills are weak? Please. I dare you to tell a male PhD that his technical skills are weak.

Mmmmm.... Smores (sort of)

2011-08-03T16:23:00.002-04:00

I "invented" a great snack the other day. Take two Granola Thins (with chocolate), and one wedge of Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese.
Smoosh the cheese between the granola thins. It's delightful, creamy, and very much tastes like a s'more, but it's healthier.

SYTYCD top 10

2011-07-24T07:32:00.002-04:00

Yeah, Mitchell's broadway number was pretty bad.

Clarice's bollywood was also pretty bad.

Marko's Samba was pretty good.

Tadd's hip hop was pretty good.

Sasha's hip hop was very well done. First time I've liked her dancing at ALL.

I really enjoyed Caitlynn's Argentine Tango.

I adored Melanie's Viennese Waltz.

Runway lessons, STAT!

2011-07-19T08:17:00.005-04:00

Pretty Emma needs some red carpet / runway lessons STAT! People magazine has a pictorial of the dresses she has worn to promote the 7.2 HP movie. She appears to have a limited range of poses, all of which are awkward.

SYTYCD Top 12

2011-07-15T08:33:00.002-04:00

Last week's SYTYCD was so pathetic that I didn't even bother to blog about it. This week was much better.

I enjoyed:

Melanie & Marko's tango. Loved it a lot.

Sasha & Alexander's paso doble. Loved it. would have liked to see even a sheer skirt over Sasha's pants so that we could see the fabric twirl.

Clarice & Jess's jive

Caitlyn & Mitchell's hip hop

Ryan & Ricky's cha-cha (though Ryan was really sloppy with her footwork)

Routines that were adequate:
Clarice & Jess's lyrical hip-hop
Jordan & Tadd's broadway (nice costumes)
Ryan & Ricky's broadway

Backyard bug of the day: Orange-tipped Oakworm Moths

2011-07-09T07:51:00.002-04:00

The other day, this male Orange-tipped Oakworm Moth was sitting on the stones outside the basement door. Nice fuzzy red/orange body, no antennae, red/brown wings, white dot on fore-wing, black spots all over the wings.

Two days later, this female showed up:

This kind of moth, Species Anisota senatoria - Orange-tipped oakworm moth - Hodges#7719, is a Saturniidae. I've gotten a Saturniidae in my yard each year for the last 3 years, but its been a different subspecies each time.

Like other Saturniidaes, the adults do not eat. These adults emerge from caterpillars in late June - mid July. They only live a few days (because they cannot eat), so they mate and die.

SYTYCD top 16

2011-07-05T17:17:00.003-04:00

Liked the Samba by Caitlynn and Mitchell

LOVED the foxtrot by Clarice and Jess (of course, it helped that the music was one of my all-time favorite songs)

Jordan & Tadd's hip-hop was ok (dancing was good, just really didnt like the 'story'), but I really liked Melanie & Marko's hip hop better.

These truths are self-evident

2011-07-04T21:22:00.001-04:00

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

So You Think You Can Dance episode 2

2011-06-24T15:46:00.003-04:00

This episode's Bollywood routine by Nick and Iveta didn't do anything for me. It just looked like an aerobics routine to me. I have enjoyed the Bollywood from previous seasons, so this was disappointing. However, I'm sorry to see Iveta get eliminated because I was looking forward to seeing more of her ballroom specialty.

The Viennese Waltz was really a contemporary routine that happened to employ ballroom steps. It was disappointing.

Robert and Miranda's hip-hop was performed well, it just didnt have a great story. Seemed lower energy because of that.

Just the opposite, Missy and Wadi's Cha Cha had a great story/music, and seemed fabulously performed. Loved it. Too bad they were eliminated.

Sasha and Alexander's hip-hop also had a good story/music and was performed well. Enjoyed it.

I didn't even bother to watch this week's contemporary and jazz routines.

So You Think You Can Dance 2011 ep1

2011-06-17T21:22:00.002-04:00

My favorite performances from the first episode of "So you think you can dance" 2011 were:

1) Iveta and Nick's quickstep. (though the music was kinda sucky)
2) Miranda and Robert's jive

The two hip-hop performances were borderline...could have been great but seemed a little lacking on energy. As usual, I just don't like contemporary/jazz dance.

Review: Lioness Arising, by Lisa Bevere

2011-05-22T07:32:00.002-04:00

Bevere hopes to motivate women to do more to "change the world". At one point she says we need to take on actions that are so bold, so grand, that they impress Jesus. Lots of things wrong with that idea.

Bevere aims to show "what it means to: be a stunning representation of strength; fiercely protect the young; lend your voice to the silenced; live in the light and hunt in the dark; and raise a collective roar that changes everything" (dust jacket inside front flap). I think all Christians of both genders could learn each of these lessons, not just women.

Bevere uses the lioness as a metaphor for the focus of this book. While educational at times, and inspirational at times, Bevere mostly just pushes the metaphor too far or completely misinterprets it.

In the first chapter she summarizes her lioness points: "She rises to gather strength. She rises to greet and groom others. She rises to hunt. She rises alongside other lionesses. She rises to move the young to safety. She rises to confront enemies that threaten the pride. She rises to walk with her king."

One example she mentions is a male lion that was tracked with a collar for a few years. The time came to take the collar off because "the collar hindered the fullness of his mane, and it had to come off so that his mane would appear as large as possible. (Lions use the width of each other's manes to visually gauge and determine whether to challenge the other for dominance of an area.)". Funny, Bevere didn't ask us to learn any lessons from this story... oh, wait, we already judge each other based on outside appearance.

In another example, a male and his two females (hmm..Bevere doesn't ask us to learn any lessons about relationships or marriage from the lion pride of one alpha male and a bunch of lionesses!) are being introduced to a new area of the safari park. To lure them into the new area, the park rangers put a freshly killed animal within sight. "Even though these young lions were hungry, they were also cautions. The male lion would not budge from his place of safety" hiding in the bush. The two females eventually go to the carcass "but rather than dive into their feast, they did a curious things. The lionesses grabbed hold of the buck by the neck and a leg, and the two of them dragged the carcass back into the enclosure so the lion could eat his share alongside them." The lesson, Bevere explains, is that we need to "be the type of women who will take the time and make the effort to bring back the goodness we find". Ok, great lesson, but I guarantee that was not the motivation of the lionesses.

Later she continues, "Why did they bring the carcass back for the lion to eat? ... A more convenient option would have been for them to eat their fill, then leave the remains for the lion whenever he decided to come out on his own. Or they could have eaten their fill and then brought him the leftovers. ... If the animal kingdom is based on survival, why were these lionesses so generous? After all, sharing with a hungry lion meant less food for them." The answer? "They instinctively understood that their future and the survival of their children was intimately tied to how they related to the lion. They chose to behave in a manner that would be remembered by the lion in his future season of strength." Um, yeah. As a woman, what marriage lesson am I to learn from this?

Bevere then explains that the lion protects, and the lioness provides. The lion surrounds himself only with strong, capable lionesses. The group of lionesses does all the hunting... why do they need the lion? They are perfectly strong and capable of protecting themselves with the same claws and teeth they use to bring down the kill. But instead we are supposed to learn that each lion gender is comfortable in its own role.

Lots more like this.

Bevere has good messages too: we are so busy with day-to-day routine that most of us don't do the important things like read the Bible, pray, and *serve* in a meaningful way. We mostly fail to confront important issues by deciding that they are someone else's problem (like sex slavery..that's not a problem in *my* town, right? or the murder of the unborn...that's not any of *my* business, right?).

While I *love* reading "The Message", it is not a study Bible. I wish Bevere had displayed her proof Scriptures in two versions, in columns beside each other, instead of printing The Message and telling you to go look up the verses in another version for yourself.

FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"

Racing Stripe Blush

2011-04-29T16:49:00.001-04:00

This is a classic example of applying your blush wrong and then not blending blending blending!!

See that dark red stripe that goes all the way to her hair line? ACK!!!!

Today's mystery

2011-04-28T21:21:00.003-04:00

Today's mystery: Why is there a dead fish on the roof of my front porch??

Did it land there in yesterday's tornado in Triangle? Did someone throw it there? Did a bird drop it there?

Husbands exist to deal with stuff like this. Mike dealt with it. I asked, "Did it stink?" Yes. "Did you throw up?" No. "Did it have bird claw marks?" I didn't examine it that closely.

There you have it folks... no answers to those burning questions when you send the husband to deal with the dead fish.

Weekend movies

2011-04-02T20:54:00.002-04:00

Watched "The Tourist" today... it was not nearly as thrilling as I was expecting. The pacing was quite slow, and the 'surprise' ending could be seen from about 1/3 through the movie. Still, the costumes were lovely, and the scenery was nice. And Johnny Depp has an interesting prancing run. As Mike said, it wasn't an action movie or a thriller...it was really a chic-flick with a well-edited trailer. Next we watched "Jule and Julia"... loved the Julia Child scenes, which were rudely interrupted by the Julie blogger chick. Very nearly made me want to go upstairs and debone a duck or make beef stew. Will never make an aspic though. Blech.

30 years ago today: Reagan was shot

2011-03-30T20:27:00.005-04:00

March 30, 1981. I was 9. The whole family was at one of the townhomes we owned, painting it and getting it ready for a new tenant. My dad's favorite paint color: antique white. The radio was playing, and when we heard the news that Reagan had been shot, I started crying. I was scared. Do you remember what you were doing when you heard the news about Reagan?

B.I.T.C.H.

2011-03-25T09:20:00.005-04:00

Tabatha Coffey of "Tabitha's Salon Takeover" (a very fun show!) has been labeled a bitch and has decided to embrace it... She has turned bitch into b.i.t.c.h.:

Brave
Intelligent
Tenacious
Creative
Honest

I love it!! When kids called me a bitch when I was in elementary school, mom tried to turn it around by saying a bitch is a dog, and a d.o.g. is a dainty obedient girl. That helped some then. So now that I'm an adult, I'll go with the b.i.t.c.h. acrostic.

From the article:

Women can have a difficult time standing up for themselves in the workplace -- "Women are such givers," Coffey says -- but she says it is essential to success. Women also fear they will be labeled bitches. But once a woman embraces her inner bitch, Coffey says, it shifts power in her favor. She feels a lot more confident and better about herself.

Strong women can't be put off by people who complain they are intimidating. That's on them, she says. "It's just a sign of their insecurities."

There is, however, a difference between standing up for yourself and refusing to do your job. "If someone asks you to do something that is uncomfortable, is out of (your) boundaries, is not ethical, then, yes, you need to stand up for yourself. If someone's asking you to do your job and you are being lazy and you don't want to go and do your job, then that's a totally different issue."

The Tabatha that people are reacting to, she says, is Tabatha in work mode, but "she's not a bitch. She's just very focused, very driven and has this standard that I expect from myself and everyone around me. Being tough and demanding at work is a part of it, she says, "and it's not a bad thing".

Yeah! You tell 'em, Tabitha!!

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Good Housekeeping mentions Mary Kay Luminous-Wear Liquid Foundation

2011-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Good Housekeeping's recent article, "Best Anti-Aging Makeup" recommends Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous-Wear Liquid Foundation.

Other wrinkle fighters are making their way into makeup, too. Among the most
promising, say some dermatologists, are peptides. "These small proteins are key
actors in collagen synthesis, and they enhance the performance of antioxidants,"
says Dr. Colbert. Speaking of antioxidants, he notes that these can also boost
the performance of your makeup: "They act like molecular garbage collectors,
absorbing the toxic byproducts of skin's ordinary functions that otherwise
accumulate and damage cells." Try Mary Kay Timewise Luminous-Wear Liquid
Foundation ($20)

Contact me if you want to try it yourself!

Wedding gown goofs

2011-03-05T22:58:00.004-05:00

The mummy gown, from Costco. Looks like it adds a good 10 pounds to a skinny person.

Another mummy bandage gown.

A nice antique white traditional gown that got attacked by a huge black tarantula. I mean gauze bow. Thank you, Vera Wang.

The slip that you wear under a bridal gown. Huh? Vera, what do you mean that that IS the gown? Putting a black leather belt (I mean, sash) from your 80's stash on it does not make it a gown, honey.

A nice traditional lace sheath dress that got attacked by a huge white tarantual. I mean gauze bow. I sense a trend here, Vera.

A greek pillar dress that got snagged in a blender.

A gold bra worn on the outside of a huge layered cake of lace tiers. (Bras go on the inside, dear).

A knit or crochet dress you dug out of your mother's (grandmothers??) stash from the 1960s.
How retro.

Rolled up in a pleated skirt, sideways. I dont think i've ever seen pleats go in that direction before.

Baby-bump hider. If you don't have a baby-bump, this silhouette is not for you. But seriously, don't just take the window treatments down and wear them a la Sound of Music.

$750 for this extremely simple slip dress? you're kidding!

The white prom dress. Hey! What's wrong with that, anyway!

Another greek column dress. With sparkles. $2800???

Another $700 simple slip dress. Seriously folks, fabric and a pattern for this would be $100 tops.

Dryer vents are warm = good place to nest

2011-02-25T08:21:00.002-05:00

Our 11-year-old set of washer/dryer recently took a turn for the worse. The washer would rip clothes and the dryer took 3 cycles to dry clothes.

So we bought a new set during the President's Day sale. And the new dryer is so smart, it said it couldnt get enough air from the dryer vent. So I booked a duct cleaner to come out and clean the dryer vent.

In addition to a lot of lint, they pulled out bird feathers and straw. Our dryer vent is inside the screened-in-porch, so my conclusion is that a bird made a nest in there 18 years ago when the house was built, before the screens were put up. And the feathers have been there since then. Sigh.

On the plus side, the washer and dryer are pretty cool. New-fangled whozimigadgets.

Review: Shattered Dreams, by Dr Larry Crabb

2011-02-15T08:01:00.006-05:00

It took me a long time to read "Shattered Dreams" by Dr Larry Crabb.

Not because it is boring or difficult to read. But because it is worthy of being read slowly, with time for reflection. The eight-week workbook in the back of the book can aid this process. The workbook actually tries to cover about three chapters in each "week" and this is a LOT of material.

"Shattered Dreams" deals with the purpose of heartache and suffering. Dr. Crabb uses the story of Naomi (the book of Ruth) to illustrate his points. I thought it seemed a little forced or artificial at times, but still vaguely plausible. I think he actually made his points quite well without the need to attach everything to Naomi.

Crabb's main point is that pain and suffering are used by God to show us how to truly encounter Him rather than try to escape pain with lesser blessings like wealth and prosperity. He shows that people who have a good life with few difficulties rarely search for God... why would they?

Crabb also shows how the church in America is straying into a type of religion that can not help people encounter God.

"In our day of feel-good Christianity, we have come up with a wrong view of our spiritual journey. We think of suffering as something abnormal, as evidence that we lack faith. We work so hard to escape suffering that we fail to realize what good things might be happening in us as we suffer. But that's wrong. That's more Buddhist than Christian."

"For Buddha, the answer to suffering is to deaden desire, to extinguish passion and to achieve the complete isolation of union with nothingness. ... For Jesus, the answer to suffering is to suffer instensely,... to walk through that pain through prayer, the Word, spiritual disciplines, and community - toward the center of your soul where above all else you desire God."

I have reacted this way myself... when hurt by people, I react by isolating myself and spending a lot of energy deadening the desire for friends. I say to myself, "If I don't want friends so badly, I can't be disappointed by them."

"The good news of the gospel is not that God will provide a way to make life easier. The good news of the gospel, for this life, is that He will make our lives better. We will be empowered to draw clsoe to God and to love others well and to do both for one central purpose, to glorify God, to make Him look good to any who watch us live."

Why do we feel so alone when we are hurting?

"When God seems most absent from us, He is doing His most important work in us."

"It isn't always good to be blessed with the good things of life. Bad times provide an opportunity to know God that blessings can never provide."

"The journey to God will always, at some point, take us through darkness where life makes no sense. Life isn't easy; it's hard, sometimes very hard."

"The felt absence of God is a gift to gratefully receive. During those seasons of darkness He is doing His deepest work in us."
"Feeling good is not the goal. When we feel bad, we have the opportunity to do
battle against the enemy within that keeps us from entering the Presence of God
with no greater passion than to glorify Him."

How does pain help us?

"The pain created by trouble carries us into the depths of our being where everything revolves around us, where there's no love for anyone else, where we feel only pity for ourselves and sullen disappointment in others. It's a place where we actually believe God has failed us, that He has given us a raw deal. We think we have an airtight case against Him that requrires true justice to be our advocate. The pain of shattered dreams helps us admit what we really think, that our demand for a better friend than Jesus (or for Him to be a better friend) is legitimate."

"... Our deepest desire is for a kind of life only mercy makes possible, a life only grace provides. It is for life from God, life with God, life for God. And we have it. We've had it since the day we trusted Christ to forgive our sins. But it took shattered dreams to put us more deeply in touch with what we already have. The pain carried us into depths of our heart that are still ugly, but the Spirit took us deeper, into the very core of our being, where Christ lives, where we are alive."

"We will encounter Christ as our best friend when shattered dreams help us become aware of...
...the strength of our desire to know Him.
...how unworthy we are to receive even the smallest expression of kindness from Him.
...the intensity of His longing to draw us into satisfying, soul-thrilling intimacy with Him and His Father (which, in His mind, is the greatest blessing He can give and worth whatever it takes for Him to give it and for us to receive it).
...the unparalleled value of intimacy with Him."

Today's church has turned away from the fact that God is Holy. Holy cannot stand sin. Holy has only perfection as its measure, and we can never ever achieve perfect.

"Who is God?
He is... the Holy God of Passionate Wrath.
But we've weakened this view of Him by introducing grace too soon.
God has now become..
a Fatherly God of Strict Standards.
But we've dismissed His standards in our misguided campaign against legalism.
So we've reduced God further to...
a Helpful God of Useful Principles.
And now we spend our religious energy seeking to know the principles a helpful God provides for handling our lives, principels that will make our lives better.
The result is that we never encounter God."

"Who are we?
We are... Arrogant people who deserve eternal mistery, whose awareness of that arrogance is weakened by our talking too soon and too much about our longings, until we become merely...
Scoldably selfish people who really ought to do better, a view of ourselves we then dismiss as insensitve to our deep hurt, so we come to see ourselves as...
understandable strugglers who deserve to be understood and helped."

"Shattered Dreams" is well worth reading by anyone who is in pain. There are no bandaids or bumperstickers here. Not even therapy to help you help yourself feel better. Instead, you'll find that your pain can be productive and that you should not simply try to escape the pain... work with the pain instead, and see how God wants to use the pain to do something good inside of you.

This book was provided for review by Multnomah.

Mary Kay Month of Service

2011-02-10T08:16:00.004-05:00

My church and the world of "Serenity"

2011-02-05T13:13:00.002-05:00

My church offers Chinese language classes. This fits in well with the vision of the future as seen in the movie "Serenity". I'm not aware that we have a large Chinese-speaking population in this area. Spanish, yes. Vietnamese, yes. Chinese? Not that I know of.

Tired ring finger

2011-01-27T19:39:00.003-05:00

There are three L's in my name. My right ring finger gets a work out.

Now type
Lynellen Perry
KSN Help Desk
about 80 times a day... my right ring finger starts to rebel around lunch and I have to watch to make sure I don't work at the "Hep Desk". Cuz I'm down like that, yeah, I'm a hep cat.

Yeah, ok. I don't even know what that means. I admit it.

Things I like

2011-01-21T13:29:00.004-05:00

NEW Limited-Edition Mary Kay Liquid Illuminator

2011-01-17T09:14:00.000-05:00

2010 Reading List

2011-01-01T09:00:00.033-05:00

This is what I read in 2010. My goal was to read 100 books.

Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler: Visiting Astronomy and Space Exploration Sites Across America (Scientific Traveler) by Duane S. Nickell
Forged in Faith: How Faith Shaped the Birth of the Nation 1607-1776, by Rod Gragg
The Friends We Keep: A Woman's Quest for the Soul of Friendship, by Sarah Zacharias Davis
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, by Amanda Grange
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella (Twilight Saga), by Stephenie Meyer
Vasculitis, by S. Louis Bridges Jr.
Pocket Atlas of Body CT Anatomy (Radiology Pocket Atlas Series), by W. Richard Webb
The Clone Wars (Star Wars), by Karen Traviss
Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents, by Allison Bottke
Touched by a Vampire: Discovering the Hidden Messages in the Twilight Saga, by Beth Felker Jones
A Wizard of Mars: The Ninth Book in the Young Wizards Series, by Diane Duane
Thirsty: A Novel, by Tracey Victoria Bateman
The Apostle: A Thriller, by Brad Thor
Flash Cinematic Techniques: Enhancing Animated Shorts and Interactive Storytelling
by Chris Jackson
Blogging to Drive Business: Create and Maintain Valuable Customer Connections, by Eric Butow
Father Fiction: Chapters for a Fatherless Generation, by Donald Miller
Paradise General: Riding the Surge at a Combat Hospital in Iraq, by Dave Hnida
How to Have Your Second Child First: 100 Things That Are Good to Know... the First Time Around, by Kerry Colburn
Fodor's Florida 2010 (Full-Color Gold Guides), by Fodor's
How to Reach Your Full Potential for God: Never Settle for Less Than His Best, by Charles F. Stanley
Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It, by Richard A. Clarke
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, by Tony Hsieh
Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter: Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera, by Rick Sammon
Social Networking for Business: Choosing the Right Tools and Resources to Fit Your Needs
by Rawn Shah
Casual Game Design: Designing Play for the Gamer in ALL of Us, by Gregory Trefry
Stargate Atlantis: Nightfall: SGA-10, by James Swallow
Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
Stargate Atlantis: Angelus: SGA-11, by Peter Evans
Stargate Atlantis: Mirror, Mirror, by Sabine C. Bauer
The Numbers Behind NUMB3RS: Solving Crime with Mathematics, by Keith Devlin
Stargate Atlantis: Blood Ties: SGA-8, by Sonny Whitelaw
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness, by Dave Ramsey
Reading Your Male: An Invitation to Understand and Influence Your Man's Sexuality, by Mary Farrar
Stargate Atlantis: Casualties of War: SGA-7, by Elizabeth Christensen
The Waters Run Deep: A family story of triumph over adversity, by J. Wesley Gunther
Guys Are Waffles, Girls Are Spaghetti, by Chad Eastham
The First Commandment, by Brad Thor
Android Karenina, by Ben H. Winters
Blowback, by Brad Thor
Laced, by Carol Higgins Clark
Though None Go With Me, by Jerry B. Jenkins
The Sleeping Doll, by Jeffrey Deaver
Takedown, by Brad Thor
The Night Watchman (Ray Quinn series, book 1) by Mark Mynheir
Insights on John, by Chuck Swindoll
The Emperor's Tomb, by Steve Berry
Seeds of Turmoil, by Bryant Wright
The Lions of Lucerne, by Brad Thor
Path of the Assassin, by Brad Thor
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Iced, by Carol Higgins Clark
Star Wars: Heir to the Empire, by Timothy Zahn
Star Wars: Dark Force Rising, by Timothy Zahn
Star Wars: The Last Command, by Timothy Zahn
SharePoint 2007 User's Guide, by Bates and Smith
Dead Heat, by Joel Rosenberg
100 Prayers God loves to hear, by Stephen Elkins
Love and Respect for a Lifetime, by Dr Emerson Eggerichs
CISSP Study Guide, by Eric Conrad, Seth Misenar, and Joshua Feldman
The Help Desk Audit, by Julie Mohr
God Came Near, by Max Lucado
One Hand, Two Hands, by Max Lucado
Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible Storybook - Volume 1, by Gwen Ellis
Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer
New Moon, by Stephanie Meyer
Eclipse, by Stephanie Meyer
Breaking Dawn, by Stephanie Meyer
Last Light, by Terri Blackstock (on kindle)
Wet Desert, by Gary Hansen (on kindle)
Code Blue, by Richard Mabry (on kindle)
Fireflies in December, by Jennifer Valent (on kindle)
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen (on my iphone kindle software)
Walking Into Murder, by Joan Lambert (on kindle)

Rambling thoughts

2010-12-29T10:41:00.002-05:00

When I'm a "benevolent" dictator, here's a few changes I'll make:

Reorg the military. If it flies, its Air Force (no more army helicopters or navy c130s). If it's in/under the water, it's Navy. Everything else is Army (Marines become Army). Except, ALL special forces groups will become Marines. Navy SEALS will now be Marine SEALs. Delta Team = Marines. The Marines will consist exclusively of special forces teams. If they need a helicopter for a mission, they'll have to cooperate with the Air Force to get a ride.
All highway entrances/exits will be on the right hand side.
Every road that crosses a bridge over a highway will also have an entrance/exit at that bridge.
No more importing of perishables. This is wasteful. Get to know what's grown in-season in your own country. No more south american strawberries in north american winter. Ditto with roses. It's wasteful to fly them thousands of miles. Learn to appreciate the seasons and delay gratification.

Told you so

2010-12-17T17:14:00.002-05:00

SyFy channel has cancelled Stargate:Universe. Yeah, like I didn't see that one coming.

Hilariously, the actors learned of the cancellation via Twitter.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

2010-11-28T09:56:00.001-05:00

Review: "Love and Respect for a Lifetime" by Eggerichs

2010-11-23T16:44:00.005-05:00

My latest Amazon Vine review book is "Love and Respect for a lifetime" by Dr Emerson Eggerichs. Here's the review I wrote:

"Love and Respect for a lifetime" is a typical gift book with quotes and verses about marriage and love, along with some nice anecdotes about love and respect. The content is not very deep and the entire 152 page book can be read in under 30 minutes because most pages have only a few words on them. The content is derived from a focus on Ephesians 5:33 where "The apostle Paul tells husbands to love their wives as much as they love themselves, and wives are to respect their husbands." The first point is that men and women are different (he is blue and she is pink) but as they work together, they blend to form purple (which is referenced as a reflection of God's royalty). To illustrate this, the author mentions that women are relationship-oriented and seek involvement but men are achievement-oriented and seek independence. So the man and woman need to learn to understand the blue or pink language the spouse is speaking. The book then tries to explain how he can show love and how she can show respect. The next big point is standard advice about communication (you are responsible for your own feelings and your words; try to see things from the other person's perspective; ask for clarification before reacting; listen more than you speak; apologize; etc). The book closes with tips on communication (honesty, encouragement, forgiveness, thankfulness, and Scripture) and a reminder that marriage and all of life are about obeying Jesus and becoming more like Him.

And here are the "practical examples" of what it means for a man to show love to his wife, and for a wife to show respect to her husband.

A woman wants to feel loved:

Wants to feel love by receiving flowers

Wants to feel close by holding hands and hugging.

Wants to feel close by spending time alone together

Wants to feel close by him suggesting an unexpected romantic moment like a meal on the beach

Wants him to be understanding by just listening, not trying to solve

Wants to feel understood by him identifying her feelings

Wants to feel understood by not being interrupted while she talks about how she feels

Loyalty spells love to a wife

Feel his loyalty by him speaking highly of her in from of children and others

Feel his loyalty by him not looking lustfully at other women

Feel his loyalty by him calling to tell her his plans

Feel his loyalty by him keeping his commitments

Feel honored when he encourages or praises her

Feels honored when he is affectionate in public

Feels honored when he chooses family outings over “guy things”

Feels honored when he tells her he’s proud of her and all she does

A man wants to feel respected:

Wants to show love by fixing the sink.

Wants to be approached respectfully when she confronts an issue that upsets her

Wants to feel respected by wife never criticizing his work in any way

Wants to feel respected by her praising his commitment to provide for her

Wants to feel respected by her empathy when he reveals his male mindset about position, status, or rank at work

Wants to feel respect by never putting down how much money he makes

Wants to feel close by doing activities together, shoulder to shoulder (common experiences, mutual interests)

Wants to be appreciated for his insight by thanking him for advice w/o acting insulted

Wants to be appreciated for his insight by being allowed to “fix things” and being applauded for his solutions

Wants to feel appreciation for his insight by being thanked for his perception and godly counsel

Wants to feel his friendship is valued by telling and showing him you like him (not just love him)

Wants to feel his friendship is valued by doing recreational activities together

Wants to feel his friendship is valued by talking while doing things shoulder to shoulder

This type of stuff always leaves me really confused. I just don't see how a man could love me if he didn't respect me. I value respect first, and then love. Because you just can't love me if you don't respect me. So...to me, if a man is supposed to love his wife as he loves himself, then he needs to show her respect in the way he wants to be respected and that will be interpreted by her as love. Man can't have closeness with wife without respecting her. Man can't have loyalty to wife without respecting her. And man can't honor wife without respecting her. So I just don't get the point of the book. These books make me feel like I'm supposed to focus on the gooeyness of "love" while the man focuses on being respected. I just don't get it.

Friday night fighters

2010-11-22T16:12:00.005-05:00

I heard this over our house on Friday afternoon. But since I can't walk yet, I couldn't run outside to see what was going on. It was much louder than the C-17s that sometimes fly over our house on their way to land at Quantico Marine Corps Base.

Thanks, CNN, for the news on what was up. It was F-16s escorting a cesna b/c it violated the capital area air space rules.

TSA and chocolate

2010-11-18T20:44:00.002-05:00

This is hilarious.

Non-white wedding

2010-11-18T10:45:00.002-05:00

I think these non-white wedding gowns are absolutely gorgeous.

Review: The Vanishing Sculptor

2010-11-16T23:28:00.002-05:00

In June 2009 I read "The Vanishing Sculptor" by Donita K. Paul. Here's my review.

Pros: The Vanishing Sculptor is a book with a mild fantasy adventure to it. There is a quest involving kidnapping and swordplay, dragons and wizards, speaking animals, and magic.

Cons: Maybe it would help if I had read the DragonKeeper Chronicles series first, but the story world seems relatively straightforward. Supposedly there is some allegory, but it is so highly veiled that you dont get more out of it than some faintly biblical-sounding proverbs. Maybe there is another book coming that will deepen the allegory? This story is definitely not finished in this volume.

The story starts VERY slowly, drags itself painfully across country, and then ends abruptly in the middle of a scene after a brief and bloody wizard battle. Very strange. The characters are not that endearing nor that interesting. The female characters are even worse: the mother (Lady Peg) of the main character is insane and/or senile and the main heroine (Tipper) is constantly described as "hysterical". Tipper is portrayed as useless, silly, and a worrywart. She fawns over the handsome Prince who can pull an invisible sword out of his jacket and quickly kill people without remorse. There are several different races of people in the book, but none are described very distinctly.

The author uses many invented words, which seem to have at least five syllables...this book would be very difficult to read out loud. The author also uses many SAT vocabulary words ... this is great for readers that want to build a thesaurus-like vocabulary, but young readers are more likely to find this tedious since they will be looking up a great many words in the dictionary. I found it very hard to get engaged in this story and had to force myself to read it all the way through.

Review: The Male Factor

2010-11-16T23:22:00.003-05:00

In December 2009 I read "The Male Factor: The Unwritten Rules, Misperceptions, and Secret Beliefs of Men in the Workplace" by Shaunti Feldhahn.

"The Male Factor" is based on a statistically solid survey of 600 men, plus dozens of interviews, and details how men think at work. The point of this book is for women to understand how men think at work (not at home or in relationship, but when they are in their `work' box) so that women can decide how/if they want to make adjustments in the way they act/talk/dress so that men will perceive them more accurately. The author says, "We can be skilled, talented, highly educated, mentored and networked - and yet trade all of that away by unintentionally undermining ourselves in our interactions with male colleagues." Yes, the business world still has its own set of rules, that were invented by men, and so you must decide how you will play in that world...will you understand and adapt to the rules, or not? Not to worry, the corresponding book to train men is under development.

"The Male Factor", the expanded edition for Christians, has a little bit of biblical reference scattered here and there, but you might miss it in general. The main difference between a secular version and this version is an additional chapter that provides the perspective and advice of Christian women in leadership positions in business or ministry.

Why should you read a book like this? Because you need to understand all the factors at play in your career. "Generally, especially as you rise through the ranks, no one is incompetent - so it falls to other factors. It's not just talent, because everyone has that." So what are these other factors other than talent? That's what you'll learn in this book. The author makes another analogy ... if you were engaged in international business, you would want to learn about that other culture so that you didn't sabotage your work... men are simply a different culture that you must learn about so that you can decide how/if to change anything in your control.

Men typically compartmentalize, so they have a Personal World and a Work World. Each of these has different rules and expectations. The way you interact with your husband in Personal World is NOT the way you may interact with a man in Work World. So chapter 3 explains the differences in these worlds; and chapter 4 explains the basic rules of the Work World. Then chapters deal with particular topics like emotion in the workplace, fear and insecurity, and how women's clothing can completely derail a guy. Do we need to wear a burqa? No, but men perceive figure-fitting or revealing attire to be intentionally eye-catching and inappropriate, not simply stylish, and they think a woman is less competent ...that she's intentionally distracting them from seeing her job performance flaws.

The Male Factor is pretty easy to read, and probably pretty valuable to any woman who wonders why her career doesn't seem to go anywhere. The information can also be pretty aggravating, but until the world is perfect we all have to learn to get along.

Review: Thirsty

2010-11-16T23:09:00.002-05:00

Back in May, I read "Thirsty" by Tracey Bateman. Here's the review I posted on Amazon:

Yes, this book happens to have vampires in it as major characters. But the book isn't really about them; they are a sideline. Yes, this book happens to be "Christian fiction" but Christ also is a sideline. This book is an interesting look at one woman's search for redemption from alcoholism. But she muddles through with will-power and the Serenity Prayer, but an actual relationship with God. A fine entertainment for a few hours of reading.

Review: The Friends We Keep

2010-11-16T22:58:00.002-05:00

Back in July I read "The Friends We Keep: A Woman's Quest for the Soul of Friendship" by Sarah Zacharias Davis. This is the review I posted on Amazon for this book:

While Davis journals her quest to understand friendship among women, she asks a million questions. In the introduction, she says she will explore questions like: How do we love? How do we hurt and bring pain to others? How do we bear another's burdens? What texture do friendships bring to our lives? What about the friend who got away? What do we demand of our friendships? What do friendships require of us? Sounds great, but the book does not deliver on any answers to these questions. Davis analyzes movies, books, TV shows, stories shared by her friends, and a whopping two examples from the Bible. One analysis that stood out to me is how many pages she spends examining the friends in "Sex and the City". These women are hardly positive role models for anything. The back of the book promises that Davis will deliver wisdom for navigating the challenges of friendship like what it means to be safe in a relationship and how to embrace what a friend has to offer. But that kind of practical information is simply absent in the text. I was very disappointed in this book.

Random Act of Culture

2010-11-15T10:58:00.001-05:00

Put on a little lipstick: you'll be fine

2010-10-26T15:46:00.000-04:00

Review: Swindoll's "Insights on John"

2010-10-10T09:26:00.001-04:00

I absolutely loved Swindoll's "Insights on John". This book should be read by every Christian and kept in every church library. Swindoll starts by explaining the context of the book of John, using maps, timelines, and a table that explains the major themes. The book then proceeds in sections: prologue, presentation of the Word, authentication of the Word, confirmation of the Word, and vindication of the Word. Swindoll explains key terms, explains a small number of verses in each chunk, and closes each chunk with an application section. The text is sprinkled with maps, photos, special blurbs that explain a key theme or point of historical context. Throughout, Swindoll's text brings the Bible to life by explaining the context that would have been common knowledge when the book of John was wriiten but is not understood by modern people. For example, he explains why each of the court trials was illegal according to Jewish and Roman law; he explains who Pontius Pilate was; he explains crucifixtion and burial procedures; and he explains Jesus' message and intent in each of the signs he performed. I've heard lots of sermons on John over the years, but I learned a huge amount from this book. It really made an impact on me. I've often heard people tell new Christians to start reading the Bible with the book of John; but I'll be telling people to start reading with "Insights on John" so that they comprehend the enormity of what John records in his gospel.

Review: The Emperor's Tomb, by Steve Berry

2010-10-02T17:18:00.002-04:00

"The Emperor's Tomb" is the first Steve Berry book that I've read, and I enjoyed it very much. Since the main characters are part of a series of books, there are times in the story where a previous event is mentioned and the reader doesn't really understand the reference. But I would say that this book can mostly stand on its own. I love books that teach me something along the way, and this book is packed with Chinese history and descriptions of the landscape. In the back of the book, the author gives a run-down on what aspects of the book are true and which are fiction; I found that to be a very nice touch. I found the pacing of the book to be nicely done, and most of the characters had sufficient depth to them. The story basically explores a scenario of how the next transition of power inside China could occur, and how the apparent scarcity of oil in the world impacts world politics. That sounds a bit boring when I write it that way, but I think the book is a fascinating political thriller with a bunch of history and treasure thrown in for color and context. I would recommend this book even to those who have not read any previous Steve Berry books.

Some of the things I loved learning in this book:
The Chinese were the inventors of many technologies hundreds of years before they were re-invented in the western world. For example:

the rotary mill for separating husks and stalks from grain
the stirrup for riding horses
water clock
sundial
gun barrels
porcelain
astronomical etchings
the compass
the abacus calculator
the decimal system
the zero, negative numbers, fractions, the value of pi
movable type for printing presses
paper
the seismograph
the parachute
the rudder, masts, sailing, and navigation
China was more advanced agriculturally in the 4th century BCE than Europe was in the 18th century: they used row cultivation, hoed weeds, used the seed drill, the iron plow, and an efficient harness.
China could drill wells to 400 meters depth by 1100 CE, while American drillers barely managed 400 meters in the 19th century.

Did you know there are 56 minorities in China?
Did you know that more than 70,000 young children are stolen each year in China? Most are boys, and they are sold to families who are desparate for a son.
Did you know that the Chinese were able to drill for oil 2,500 years ago? They harvested crude oil and natural gas and used them both in their everyday life.

And then there's this neat debate about biological (biotic) vs. non-biological (abiotic) origins of oil. If oil is only derived from degraded biomass, then China has about 2.1% of the world's reserves, the US has 2.7%, Russia has 7% and the Middle East has 65%. The US keeps about a 60 day reserve supply; Japan keeps 100 days, but China uses so much that it has only about a 10 day reserve supply at any time. China uses more than 300 million tons of crude a year, which it "buys" from Africa, Latin America, and Russia. According to this debate, oil found relatively near to the surface is biotic oil, while oil found much much deeper is abiotic. According to this theory, abiotic oil is constantly produced by the earth down near the mantle. Thus oil is not actually a scarce item. If this ever is proven true, the world and its politics will change with a great upheaval. Makes for a fascinating thriller!!

I love one line in the book in particular: "You watch too many CSI on television. Or NCIS. I love that show. Mark Harmon is the tough guy."

I remember

2010-09-11T09:23:00.001-04:00

Blowback, by Brad Thor

2010-09-10T23:34:00.003-04:00

"Blowback" is a pretty good way to spend a few hours reading. I especially enjoyed the part where Thor talks about how vampirism and rabies are closely related:

"Not only do vampires bite people, but so do human being affected with the rabies virus. Vampires are said to seduce women; rabies sufferers are known to be hypersexual. Vampires attack people; rabies sufferers often show a dramatic increase in aggressive behavior. Vampires roam the earth at night; rabies patients suffer sever insomnia due to interrupted sleep cycles. Vampires are erratic and suck blood; rabies patients often experience convulsions and bloody frothing at the mouth. Vampires hate garlic; rabies patients are often hypersensitive to strong odors, especially garlic. Vampires avoid mirrors as they do not cast a reflection; rabies sufferers cannot bear the sight of their own reflection and avoid any object that might cast a reflection. Vampires are afraid of sunlight; rabies patients often develop acute photosensitivity. Finally, vampires are afraid of holy water; and rabies patients often develop hydrophobia."

So Edward Cullen has rabies. You'd think it would be the wolves, but then again, maybe they do too.

The First Commandment, by Brad Thor

2010-09-05T17:25:00.004-04:00

Brad Thor writes action thrillers featuring hero Scot Harvath, former SEAL and Secret Service Agent. In this novel, a terrorist is targeting people that Harvath cares about. It was a fun read, if you can handle the detailed scenes where Harvath tortures bad guys for information.

But there were two passages that struck me. First,

"Being happy boils down to three things. Something to do. Someone to love. And something to look forward to."

Second, a surprisingly strongly-worded rant.

"Harvath supposed there were parallels between Christ and Atlas. Judeo-Christian values were one of the few things holding up the modern civilized world against the barbaric hordes of Muslim extremists. Harvarth had to laugh at himself. The term Muslim extremist was starting to wear on him. It was PC-speak, something he loathed in others and absolutely despised in himself. The term was meant to draw a distinction between good Muslims and bad, but as far as he was concerned every single day that good Muslims did absolutely nothing about the atrocities being committed in their name, the line between good Muslim and bad Muslim became even more blurred.
All that was necessary for evil to triumph was for good people to do nothing. Harvath saw it every day, and he was determined that his nation would not be overrun by Islam. The French were already a lost cause and many other nations were following suit by allowing Islamic courts of law, banning historically significant symbols, icons, and pastimes as innocent as coed swimming to appease their rapidly growing and ever more vociferous Muslim minorities. Multiculturalism was bullshit. It was political correctness run amok and it made him sick. If these people wanted things to be exactly as they were in their countries of origin, why didn't they just remain there?
Many of Harvath's opinions may have sounded xenophobic, but he'd earned the right to them. He'd been on the front lines of the war on terror and had seen what the extremists were capable of. Radical Islam was as much about carefully and deliberately applied creativity and ideas as it was about bombs and bullets.
In America, expertly organized cells of so called 'moderate Muslims' were waging an ideological jihad, working to undermine everything that the country stood for. They were a patient and determined enemy bent upon turning the nation into the United States of Islam, and many people responsible for protecting America were not paying attention.
Between the tidal wave of illegal immigration and radical Islamic agenda in America, there were times when Harvath felt like weeping for his nation."

Wow.

Virtual Vacation: to the stars

2010-09-04T17:59:00.002-04:00

August 24 I broke both my feet in a freak accident. Apparently I can't walk and carry the recycling bin at the same time. I had surgery on the worst foot this week. So now I'm laid up for about 8 weeks or more while the bones knit. This is the perfect opportunity for a virtual vacation. This particular one is based on a great book Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler: Visiting Astronomy and Space Exploration Sites Across America (Scientific Traveler) .

So, here's our itenerary:

Washington DC: National Air and Space Museum; the Meteorite Gallery of the National Museum of Natural History; and the US Naval Observatory.
Virginia: Udvar-Hazy Center; Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton, and the Wallops Flight Facilty on Wallops Island.
West Virginia: National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Florida: John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral
Alabama: Marshall Space Flight Center at Huntsville
Mississippi: Stennis Space Center
Texas: Johnson Space Center in Houston; McDonald Observatory at Fort Davis; Odessa Meteor Crater; and the Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery at Fort Worth.
New Mexico: Chaco Cnayon National Historical Park; Meteorite Museum in Albuquerque; National Solar Observatory; New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo; Roswell; and the Very Large Array in Socorro.
Arizona: Kitt Peak National Observatoryin Tucson; Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff; Meteor Crator; and the Museum at the Center for Meteorite Studies in Tempe.
California: Ames Research Center at Moffett Field; Dryden Fligh Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base; Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles; Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Pasadena; Lick Observatory in San Jose; Mount Palomar Observatory in San Diego, and the Mount Wilson Observatory in Pasadena.
Hawaii: Keck Observatory
Colorado: Chimney Rock Archaeological Area; Hovenweep National Monument at Cortez; and Mesa Verde National Park.
Kansas: Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center at Hutchinson
Wisconsin: Deke Slayton Memorial Space and Bike Museum in Sparta. Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay.
Illinois: Adler Planetarium in Chicago
Ohio: Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland
New York: Hall of Meteorites in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City; and the Rose Center for Earth and Space Science

Yet another package version

2010-08-19T09:05:00.004-04:00

So this is a third version of the packaging. 65.4 square meters of product is smaller than the 80 and 86 square meters of the other packages, which at least corresponds to the comparision of 60 regular rolls. Notice the wording change, too. These are "Big" rolls (200 sheets) while the others are "Jumbo" rolls (231 and 250 sheets).

Read labels carefully

2010-08-10T16:47:00.003-04:00

At the local superbox store today, I was confronted by these two versions of the same product. I said to myself, "Huh??"

The first reads "30 rolls = same # of sheets as 75 regular rolls" and the second reads "30 rolls = same square feet as 83 regular rolls". But if you don't read carefully, you dont see the sheets vs square feet detail. It just looks like 83 is better than 75. The 83 package is a dollar more than the 75 package. But if you look at the bottom, you see that the cheaper 75 roll comparison package is 86.3 square meters of product while the other more expensive one is 80.4 square meters. So, I return to my previous statement: "Huh?" How is the 6-square-meter smaller version a dollar more expensive? Just because the 83 is bigger than 75? It's the screw-you special: pay more for less product but feel better about it because you're under the delusion you're getting more comparison rolls.

Virtual trip results

2010-08-09T08:44:00.002-04:00

Since we had to take a virtual trip to see the aurora, here are the virtual results.

Virtual Adventure: Aurora

2010-08-03T11:11:00.003-04:00

CNN reports that a significant northern lights event will occur in the next day or so. The sun hurled a bunch of plasma directly at Earth on Sunday. It will impact our atmosphere on August 4.

Here's the projected viewing area for the aurora. The green band will have aurora directly overhead. The green line farther south indicates the lowest possible places where you might be able to see the aurora on the low horizon.

So, after checking the weather for northern Maine (too much rain over the next 48 hours), let's fly to Minneapolis, MN, rent a car, and drive six hours to the border with Canada. It's pretty rural there so the skys will be darker, and the weather forecast looks pretty good.

Backdoor Bug of the Day

2010-08-02T10:45:00.002-04:00

Taking Tera outside this morning, these two sights present themselves immediately.

Gee, thanks, anonymous birdie for eating your breakfast on my steps. Please clean up after yourself. Leaving just the wings of two moths is not polite. The remains of the top moth are the wings of an Imperial Moth. And the green wings in the second picture are from a Luna Moth.

This is from the other day. It's a Clymene Moth, with its wings open.

Recent road trip to South Carolina

2010-07-30T17:20:00.003-04:00

This is an overview of the road trip I took with my parents recently. The straight milage shown is about 1465. But there was a bit of extra driving around that isn't shown in the major stops.

So first we went to the Norfolk area, where Dad taught a training class. We stayed the next night at Washington, NC, and then the next morning drove to New Bern, NC, (spot C) to tour Tryon Palace. After that, drove to North Charleston, SC, (spot D) where we spent a few days. Dad taught another training class, and Mom and I drove around and toured things like the Tea Plantation (spot E) on Wadmalah Island and the Drayton Plantation. Then we all left town and went to Kingstree, SC, (spot F) to do some genealogy. Which lead us to Hemingway, SC, (spot G) to visit a historical society that had some more information Mom wanted. Then high-tail it to Anderson, SC, (spot H) to spend the night. Next morning did some more genealogy type stuff and then decided to drive home a day early.

Backdoor Bug of the Day

2010-07-28T07:59:00.005-04:00

This appears to be a tick munching on a moth, but I haven't identified the tick yet. Update: This is a nymph of a Predatory Stink Bug. Thank you, BugGuide.net!

Next, this orange, white, and black mosaic is an Ailanthus Webworm Moth:

Finally, a spider muching on a moth:

Yucky start to the day.

Backdoor Bug of the Day

2010-07-01T08:39:00.002-04:00

I know this is not a dragonfly, beause it can fold its wings back (dragonflies have fixed wings). I think this is a damselfly, but I can't find anything like it on the internet. Anyone have suggestions as to the identification of this bug?

Update: I posted the picture on bugguide.net and got an identification within minutes. This is an Antlion, Glenurus gratus.

Rust

2010-06-29T19:14:00.001-04:00

I love the texture of these rust spots on a high power pole.

Moth of the day: Blinded Sphinx Moth

2010-06-25T09:09:00.004-04:00

Today's unusual moth at my back door is the Blinded Sphinx Moth.

Here it is, facing to the right. The wings have a very unusual shape. The tail end of the body curves up a bit. The moth is nearly 2 inches long.

When I nudged it to see if it was still alive, it put out it's underwings which have a pink background with black eyes. Because the eye has a white center, the moth is "blinded" (an analogy to blind animals who have whitened eyes due to cataracts and such). The actual eyes on the head are fine, it's just the eye shape on the wing that they are referencing. You can see the fuzzy antenae much better on this photo:

Like the Luna moth, the adult Blinded Sphinx does not eat.

Dangerous driver on board

2010-06-23T13:57:00.001-04:00

I've seen the stickers for driver's education classes that say "New Driver - Please be Patient" but I've never seen "Dangerous Driver On Board" before.... Maybe this should be handed out with driver's licenses around here, cuz its definitely not just the new drivers that are dangerous.

2010-06-11T10:29:00.001-04:00

"everything means everything" but then the bottom of the sign says "excluding combos"

Running a bit behind

2010-05-25T21:10:00.002-04:00

Well, my goal for this year is to read 100 books. I've posted 25 book reviews on Amazon so far this year, and it is the end of May... so I'm running a bit behind schedule. Note to self: be ill more frequently and spend the day in bed reading.

Facebook: wouldn't want to work there

2010-05-23T16:01:00.002-04:00

I detest the bullpen style of workspace. This image from Time magazine at the offices of Facebook. Cant imagine how noisy this is, nor how quickly the flu spreads around the office. yuck.

Career interests

2010-05-21T09:06:00.002-04:00

From careerpath.com career planner quiz, I got these results:
My interests
People similar to you like activities that allow them to be creative. This can be through more traditional visual arts, writing or musical pursuits although not limited to these. The creativity is often expressed in thinking of new ideas or strategies than can have a broad range of applications. You often like thinking about the future and planning for long term benefits. Hobbies include: performing or listening to music, attending theater, story telling, journaling, decorative arts, painting. Career choices often are: Editor, Journalist, Teacher, Strategic Planner, Consultant, Performing Arts, Marketing, Communications, Research and Development.

People with your strengths are good at managing details and creating sophisticated processes that allow them to get complex work done. Once a game plan has been put in place, it is implemented. Their decisions are based on facts and carefully reasoned. When working with other people, they are fair and democratic and always can be counted on to deliver what they commit to.

2010-05-19T20:21:00.001-04:00

Gibbs' rule 40: if it seems that someone is out to get you, then they are.

Flying the coop

2010-05-18T09:51:00.003-04:00

In our continuing saga of the robin's nest under our deck...
The three ugly baby birds were doing fine when we left for a 9 day cruise with the whole family.
When we returned, I found three feathered babies in the nest. (Um, why is the picture sideways??)

The next day I came out to check on them an there were only two babies still in the nest.

It is now two days later and all the babies have flown away. The nest is empty.

Congratulations Mommy Robin

2010-05-05T08:06:00.003-04:00

With some distress, I saw this half-shell on the ground this morning.

So inside the nest are now three baby birds. Look how huge their eyes are.
The proud mommy robin hovers nearby, near some blackberries I set out for her to eat.

Misc

2010-04-27T08:23:00.000-04:00

I like the outline of this tree
The robin is still sitting on 3 eggs.

Would HATE working here

2010-04-26T08:41:00.002-04:00

This picture is the office space of The Ladders. I would hate working in this sweat-shop format. Can you imagine how noisy it is? Can you imagine how quickly germs spread? YUCK!

Huh?

2010-04-25T08:25:00.004-04:00

If I snuck into a country illegally, I would be careful to follow the laws that keep me from being suspected by the police so that they wouldn't discover that I was breaking the law by being there illegally.

So the statement "Most undocumented immigrants follow the laws of the country" is just silly. If you're illegal, then you're not following the laws of the country. Period.

Robin's Nest

2010-04-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

A Robin has built a lovely nest under our deck:
On April 16 it was empty:

But now it has 3 gorgeous eggs:

Click over to this wonderful photo journal of a Robin's nest by someone else.

Mary Kay on Tyra Banks show 2008

2010-04-24T07:31:00.002-04:00

2010-04-22T09:49:00.001-04:00

Plates today:
Notw (thats a hater for u! Also an exit cheater)
Cryobrg (cryoborg??)
Shortie
79 sir (usna plate)
Mrs-lace
Paisan4
Necco
Kiss71
Lil rita
V2madre
Tamago
Rdstang4
Gansett
My horns (ram truck)
Mjrs lax
Fdyrhd
Jag cat1
Up2dmtn
Jst-kate
Busnji
Fnd-hope
Vry l8
Gitesh
24nyc

Endearment Fail

2010-04-20T20:37:00.001-04:00

Dear pickup truck with license plate "POOBR". I know you're trying to say the endearment "Pooh Bear". But trust me, this just isnt the same.

Spring at my house

2010-04-17T08:00:00.003-04:00

My gorgeous peony bush has a good crop this year:

The trees have peaked and are losing their petals in wonderful drifts:

I love the petals plastered all over everything... its very bridal.

The aisle (driveway) has also been strewn with petals.

Syfy shooting self in foot

2010-04-16T15:56:00.002-04:00

I can only laugh hilariously at SyFy channel's newest attempt to kill itself.

In the fall, they are moving the Friday night dramas (Stargate Universe, Sanctuary, and Caprica) to Tuesday night.

Because they're bringing WRESTLING to friday nights.

Yeah. Wrestling = SciFi. Where are the people that say it is a real sport, again?

How does this shoot SyFy in foot? Easy. They get their ratings from Live, and Live + 24 hours. So a show that I DVR on friday night and watch on saturday still gets them the best ratings. A show that I DVR on TUESDAY and don't watch until saturday gets them much fewer ratings points. They insist that more people will watch Live on tuesday. Not this household. Tuesday is our beloved NCIS and we dont even watch that live. In fact, I betcha that the DVR list for Tuesday is already full and we wont even put SGU on ths list for a tuesday.

2010-04-14T11:02:00.001-04:00

License plate
Kpu hdup

Keep your head up

National Arborteum

2010-04-08T10:39:00.007-04:00

Koi in the murky pond.

The only cut-flower display I liked in the special exhibit:

Camelias

The Chinese pavilion.

Bonzai trees

Corinthian columns that used to be at the Capitol Building.

Tulip magnolias

Circular references

2010-04-07T09:23:00.002-04:00

The other day I posted my book review of "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh. Well, it was the first review of the book on Amazon (and still is the only one, so far.... which is weird), so the website related to the book posted my review on their blog.... http://www.deliveringhappinessbook.com/our-first-amazon-review/

So it's neat to see my name and Amazon profile linked to by another blog.

But I'm so confused as to why people are voting my review as "not helpful". As of today, I have 2 "helpful" votes and 3 "not helpful" votes. Wazupwitdat?

Review: Deliverying Happiness, by Tony Hsieh

2010-03-31T12:09:00.003-04:00

"Delivering Happiness" has become the trade phrase for Zappos.com. In this hard-to-put-down book, Tony Hseieh (CEO of Zappos) tells the story of how his life became entangled with the life of Zappos.com. Starting with his childhood, Tony tells how he has always had an entrepreneurial spirit: he tried to raise earthworms when he was 9, he held garage sales and sold lemonade, he had a newspaper route (and decided it was just a way for newspapers to avoid child labor laws:), he wrote a newsletter of jokes he tried to sell to friends, he sold Christmas cards, he made custom photo buttons. Then in high school he discovered computers and began learning. He got a job testing video games, then became a programmer. The little jobs continued throughout college, where he tried to find the easiest path through his classwork. When he graduated college, he took a job at Oracle just because they offered the most money. And he found a way to do as little work as possible there too. Because he was bored, Tony and his roommate created LinkExchange which they eventually sold to Microsoft for $265 million. Bored again, this is where Zappos.com enters his life.

Much of the rest of the book is a fascinating history of how Zappos evolved and grew from nothing to $1 billion in gross sales in less than 10 years. Along the way, Tony explains how he learned business lessons from a summer fling with playing poker in Vegas. One of those lessons was to figure out what he really wanted to get out of life. He dabbled in investing and day-trading but found them unfulfilling. He dabbled in angel funding (Zappos being one of the companies he funded). He realized he was passionate about building a company, and the beneficiary of his passion happened to be Zappos. He poured a lot of his own money into keeping Zappos alive and learned lessons about inventory, warehousing, and outsourcing.

About half way through the book is where I started highlighting and folding down page corners. Tony talks about company culture and how he lead Zappos to invest their time, money and resources into 3 areas: customer services, culture, and employee training. Tony lists a great "Top 10 ways to instill customer services into your company" and explains (in great detail) the 10 core values of Zappos culture. He gives examples of interview questions that they ask to see how the person will fit into the company culture. He lists some of the course titles that are offered to employees that choose to learn new skills in order to advance their title. He lists the "Top 10 questions to ask when looking for investors and board members." And then Tony tells the story of how Zappos became a "marriage partner" to Amazon.

The final section of the book is about applying the science of happiness. This was an outstanding section and the entire book is worth the price just for this section alone. Tony mentions several books (The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, and Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment) that formed the foundation of his research into happiness along with books that taught him about company culture (Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, and Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization). Tony also recommends Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership) to learn how Maslow's Hierarchy of needs can be applied to business, customers, employees and investors.

Overall a highly enjoyable book, very nicely written in an informal style, with a great story and good pointers to further resources. Highly recommended. Check out the book-related website at deliveringhappinessbook.com
This review was written based on an Advance Reading Copy of uncorrected page proofs.

Strange Trio

2010-03-26T11:21:00.002-04:00

After a hard rain the other day, I saw a strange sight... a trio of large black birds staring at each other spread-wing in the top of a tree. Google says they were probably drying their wings out. But it was a super creepy sight.

Gypsy Bohemian Peasant Top

2010-03-23T20:51:00.001-04:00

Call me nuts, but I LOVE this shirt. It's vampy and victorian, and I just love it.

Urban Camo, Cloud Style

2010-03-19T17:50:00.000-04:00

Lovely textured clouds.

Review: Casual Game Design, by Gregory Trefry

2010-03-02T17:50:00.000-05:00

"Casual Game Design" reads a bit like a textbook or perhaps a degree thesis. The vocabulary isn't difficult, and from time to time there is a bit of humor, but the content in a bit dry, analytical and repetitive. The designer of casual games can probably still learn from this book because it formalizes how to think about the various game mechanics that are successful in casual games.

Chapter 1 defines the core difference between casual games and hardcore games. It analyzes Windows Solitaire and Bedazzled.

Chapter 2 gives a detailed look at the roles of video game designers and board game designers. There is a focus on thinking carefully about the rules that form the foundation of the game, and how to turn those rules into software specifications. The author also talks about how to design the game levels. Chapter 2 and 3 are probably the most interesting parts of the book, as they spell out some foundational theories of how to make games enjoyable.

Chapter 3 discusses simplicity, complexity, the types of "play" that are encoded in games, and how to delineate the intrinsic qualties of a game versus the extrinsic qualities.

The rest of the chapters focus on one type of game mechanic, and analyze various exemplar games for each mechanic. This is where the book gets most analytical and repetitive.

Chapter 4 examines the mechanic of matching, and analyzes the games Bejeweled, LEGO Fever, Luxor, and Snood.
Chapter 5 examines the mechanic of sorting, and analyzes the games Klondike Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, Drop 7, Wurdle, Bookworm, and Jojo's Fashion Show.
Chapter 6 focuses on seeking, by analyzing Mystery Case Files: Huntsville, and Azada.
Chapter 7's theme is Managing, and analyzes Diner Dash, Cake Mania, Insaniquarium, and Flight Control.
Chapter 8 examines hitting, by analyzing Whac-a-mole and Wii Tennis.
Chapter 9 discusses chaining, and focuses on Diner Dash (again).
Chapter 10 is about the mechanic of constructing, and looks at Tetris, Crayon Physics, Line Rider, and Top Chef.
Chapter 11 examines bouncing, tossing, rolling and stacking, by looking at Bow Man 2, Paper Toss, Jenga, World of Goo, and Peggle.
Chapter 12 is about the mechanic of socializing, and analyzes Apples to Apples, Rock Band, and What to Wear.

This book isn't really for the casual designer of casual games (those who just slap something together), but more for those who want to take a thoughtful and disciplined approach to applying the theory of fun. There is good theory information in here, borne out by case studies of actual games; I took away a star because the writing gets repetitive and boring at times.

2010-02-16T12:46:00.001-05:00

Plates today:
Ambsh (ambush)
Hzgood (intended to be he's good but looks more like haz chesburgerz or maybe ambish like ambition)
Loulee (opposite of leelou? From fifth element)

2010-02-14T14:51:00.001-05:00

License plates today:
M L8 AGN
D0000D

Whales vs Mermaids

2010-02-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

To my fellow whales:

Recently, in a large city in France, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym.

It said, "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

A middle-aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern,

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans.) They have an active sex life, get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp.

They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs.

They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans.

They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human?

They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Just look at them ... where is IT? Therefore, they don't have kids either.

Not to mention, who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me: I want to be a whale.

P..S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver, and a piece of chocolate with my friends. With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies.

So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, ¨Good grief, look how smart I am!¨

Recent reading

2010-01-31T11:18:00.002-05:00

I've posted reviews at Amazon for the following books that I've read recently:

"The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey.

"The Numbers behind Numb3rs" by Keith Devlin and Gary Lorden.

"Stargate Atlantis 8: Blood Ties" by Sonny Whitelaw and Elizabeth Christensen.

"Reading Your Male: An Invitation to Understand and Influence Your Man's Sexuality" by Mary Farrar. I've written a series of posts about content in the book over at my business blog:

"Thou Shalt Laugh 4" comedy DVD.