The Road Not Taken

To travel Europe

2010-10-14T10:31:00.001-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to read Geoff's travel posts on his Blog, you should do so. :)

Funny Funny Comic/Blog

2010-10-12T17:47:00.001-07:00

Hyperbole and a Half.

I was thinking about doing something similar. But less funny.

Thanks to Devin for finding this for me.

More sexy Simon's Cat.

2010-10-07T01:39:00.000-07:00

Bwahahaha! Cumsprites

2010-10-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

Naughty...! NSFW. Hovering over the comics gives you some funny text sometimes too.

Astounding Pop/Surreal Art

2010-09-22T11:23:00.001-07:00

Dave MacDowell is full of win.

The Pirates Charles

2010-09-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Yes. Yes. A pirate band. This is super cool. You can hear full songs on their website. If it starts with the same line-up, I like the first and second one the best. I think ^.^

Dreamless

2010-09-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

I like this comic :) The story is basically about two people who are on opposite sides of the world. When one sleeps, the other sees the other persons life, and vice versa. Set with an American woman and a Japanese man during WWII. I'd love some more back story on the dad someday.

I really like the art. Some, you could tell the artist was being a little lazy. But even lazy is still good art. Most though, they are just beautifully rendered panels.

You can find the comic HERE.

Geek Girls of Comic-Con, 2010

2010-09-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

Some hot, some not, but a nice gallery none-the-less. Check out the other womens.

Night of the Living Trekkies

2010-09-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

Awesome sauce. Awesomest ever.

An Olive Oil FYI

2010-07-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

An article about filtered vs unfiltered.

We need to eat more seafood!

2010-06-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

Regarding the previous text discussion with Rich-

The Fish List

No-No Fish -- Why you shouldn’t eat these fish:
Beluga Sturgeon (Beluga caviar). Overfished and unmanaged.
Chilean Seabass (Patagonian Toothfish). Reaches sexual maturity very slowly; long-line fishing results in deaths of tens of thousands of albatrosses.
Clams, dredged. Harvest methods cause habitat destruction.
Groupers. Most species overfished; in many species, large adults are all males.
Lingcod. Okay if from Alaska; overfished off West Coast.
Monkfish. Overfished.
Orange Roughy (Slimehead). Overfished; reaches sexual maturity very slowly.
Oysters, dredged. Harvest methods cause habitat destruction.
Rockfish (Pacific Red Snapper, Rock Cod). Overfished; slow-growing.
Salmon, Atlantic. Wild stocks overfished; farmed escapees dilute gene pool; farms pollute oceans; wild fish populations depleted to feed farmed fish.
Scallops dredged. Harvest methods cause habitat destruction.
Sharks (shark cartilage, shark fin). Many species overfished; slow-growing; produce few young.
Shrimp and prawns, farmed. Farming destroys mangrove forests, pollutes the environment with antibiotics and waste, and wild fish populations depleted to feed farmed shrimp.
Shrimp and prawns, trawled. Trawling damages the seabed; massive bycatch.
Sturgeon, wild. Many species endangered by habitat loss and overfishing.
Swordfish, Atlantic. Severely overfished.
Swordfish, Pacific. Stocks heavily fished.
Tuna, Bluefin (Maguro). Overfished.

So-So Fish -- Why you should think twice before eating these fish:
Crab, Alaskan King. Managed, but becoming overfished.
Crab, Snow. Managed, but heavily fished.
Lobster, Northern (clawed, American, Maine). Managed, but heavily overfished.
Lobsters, spiny (langoustines, crayfish). Slow-growing; overfished almost everywhere except Cuba and Australia.
Snappers, tropical (huachinango). Most species overfished; larvae die in shrimp trawl nets.
Sole, Petrale, English, and Dover. Most soles and flatfishes are caught by trawl fishing, an ecologically destructive practice that often results in excessive bycatch.

Go-Go Fish -- Why these fish are okay to eat:
Anchovies. Fast-growing; abundant.
Bluefish, Atlantic. Fast-growing; abundant.
Catfish, farmed. Fast-growing; herbivorous; raised in ponds.
Cod, Pacific. Abundant; well-regulated fishery.
Crayfish (crawfish, crawdad). Appropriately farmed.
Crab, Dungeness. Well-regulated fishery.
Herrings & sardines. Abundant in certain seas.
Halibut, Pacific (Alaskan). Abundant; well-regulated fishery.
Mackerel. Fast-growing.
Mahi-mahi (Dorado, Dolphinfish). Fast-growing; mature rapidly.
Mussels, farmed. Can be farmed without major environmental impact.
Oysters, farmed. May help clean waters; those raised in nets don’t disturb seabed.
Pollock, Pacific (Surimi, Krab). Not overfished, but fishery competes with declining northern (Steller) sea lions.
Prawns, California Spotted. Captured by trapping; no bycatch.
Salmon, wild (Alaskan and Californian). Many stocks sensibly managed.
Scallops, farmed. Abundant.
Shrimp, Atlantic Northern Pink. Abundant; captured without environmental damage.
Squid (calamari). Abundant; most die after one year.
Striped Bass, farmed. Inland ponds have little environmental impact.
Sturgeon, farmed. Controlled inland rearing ponds with little environmental impact.
Tilapia, farmed. Fast-growing; eat plants, not other fish.
Trout, farmed. Raised in freshwater ponds with little environmental impact.
Tuna, Pacific Albacore (Tombo Tuna). Well-regulated fishery causes little or no bycatch.
Tuna, Yellowfin (Ahi). Abundant; fairly well-managed fishery; “dolphin safe” labeling and monitoring program reduces dolphin kills.

Information courtesy of Dr. John McCosker and the California Academy of Sciences.

From enature.com.

Oops, my Bad.

2010-06-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Silly me posted this on Rich's FB...when he never ever checks it!

Good Article about Organic Food.

Ethnic Food Fair, Balboa Park

2010-06-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

This was on May 30th. Yeah, I'm slacking as usual!

Frying on a round griddle. I thought it was something different I hadn't seen before.

House of Spain ~ spanish chorizo on the grill.

House of Scottland. We didn't get anything to eat here since I was pretty full, but I had to get the men in kilts.

Dutch clog dancing. I was surprised to see them here since there is no House of Netherlands (as far as I know). Next year, we now know to bring chairs and camp out on the lawn close to the stage.

House of England's beautiful roses.

Zalaba (palastinian donut). Basically, fried dough with a sugar-water coating. It wasn't really for me...too sweet! I couldn't even finish it.

Inca Kola is very popular in south america. I think we got ours...actually, I can't remember which booth was selling this. According to wikipedia, this is a lemon verbena base, but Rich swears it was pineappley. I thought it was a pineapple-cream soda type flavor. It was pretty delicious. I'm glad they don't sell it here normally or I'd be an addict.

Somosa w/ Channa. I didn't get a good pic of the channa (something with chick peas). The somosa had curry potatoes and peas inside. It was good, even with the peas.

Superbly delicious lamb schwarma...which is just grilled lamb in a pita with tahini sauce. The red bit is pickled ...something. Middle Eastern comfort food.

Hopefully, next year, I'll get better pics of the dancers.

OMG so funny.

2010-05-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Louis C.K. Gets It!!! from Matt McHale on Vimeo.

Katt Williams Weed Remix Featuring DJ Steve Porter

2010-04-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

I think I need to smoke more Weed.

Interesting Read

2010-04-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

George Orwell's essay "Politics & the English Language" from 1946. It's still very modern.

Best Quote- "Defenseless villages are bombarded from the air, the inhabitants driven out into the countryside, the cattle machine-gunned, the huts set on fire with incendiary bullets: this is called pacification. Millions of peasants are robbed of their farms and sent trudging along the roads with no more than they can carry: this is called transfer of population or rectification of frontiers. People are imprisoned for years without trial, or shot in the back of the neck or sent to die of scurvy in Arctic lumber camps: this is called elimination of unreliable elements. Such phraseology is needed if one wants to name things without calling up mental pictures of them."

Bring any current wars to mind??

Patty Briggs & I

2010-04-07T22:32:00.001-07:00

Book signing for her new book, Silver Borne, @ Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Clairemont Mesa.

Henry Wang Missing :(

2010-03-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Mark's Dad has been missing since 3/7/10 from Portland, Oregon. Please post this where ever you can to spread the word:
Or you can join the facebook group here.

Things I Didn't Know About Cats

2010-03-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Yeah I know. You'd think there wouldn't be anything left to learn since I have a million cats.

Why does my cat interrupt my phone calls?
He isn't jealous - he doesn't have any idea that you are speaking to someone else. He thinks you are talking to him.

Not that I make a lot of phone calls, but I think this can be applied to when we're trying to talk to each other too. Like Tao...I'd always think, "Hey, he's begging for attention." not, "Hey, look at the size of his head. His brain is tiny. He thinks we're talking to him. Dumb cat."

Why do cats cover their feces?
Many people believe they bury their waste products because they are fastidious. That isn't necessarily so. In the wild, only secondary cats bury their waste to protect their trail from predators. The dominant feline will actually display his or her feces prominently. This sends a strong message of dominance. In the world of house cats, you are the dominant animal and the house cat chooses not to offend you. They will carefully bury their feces to eliminate interfering with what they perceive as the natural order.

Another view-

Faeces is also a scent-laden marker. Although common wisdom is that cats fastidiously bury their wastes, they may use faeces to mark territory - a behaviour known as middening. Middening cats deposit their faeces in a prominent spot (often on top of a tuft of grass or the middle of a path), often choosing the same place again and again to advertise their continued presence. Middens are usually located at disputed areas of territory where challenges are likely to occur. Sometimes this is indoors, the usual place being the bed. A cat which has been upset by an intruder or unusual event middens in the place which smells most strongly of its human family, reinforcing the family bond. Humans don't see it the same way.

Well, someone is offending me all over the place. Sheesh. This is why I think Precious is trying to assert her dominance.

Do cats have a memory?
Cats have a memory that can be up to 200 times more retentive than dogs. The individual feline uses his memory only for what he regards as useful functions; therefore, a cat's memory is quite selective.

See! We do have learny-cats! We just aren't trying to teach them anything they want to know. =P

Why do some cats put their toys in their water or food dish?
Cats look upon their food area as part of their territory, and that particular area of their territory usually doesn't change from day to day - so the cats are likely putting their favorite toys away in a "safe" place. Some cats will consistently put away their toys when they're through playing with them - you might try putting your cat's toys in a small basket near one of his favorite spots and see if he will put them away on his own.

That explains the ribbon I've been finding in the water dish. And I remember Cricket used to put her crazy-balls in the water too. I wonder what would happen if I did have a little basket where they could get to all their toys. Would the toys be all under the couch again soon? Would anyone put anything back? lol

All three links are actually pretty good reads.

Dancing at Balboa Park

2010-02-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

Surprised us :)

The School Lunch Project

2010-02-20T14:37:00.000-08:00

@R.S.

This is the blog I was talking about at IHOP.

For anyone else, it's a blog by a teacher who has vowed to eat a whole years worth of lunches at her school...the same food they feed the kids. So far, all I can say is....yuck.

February's Seasonals

2010-02-20T07:59:00.000-08:00

Wow, I almost forgot I was posting a monthly!

Anyway, February is the same as January, only less of em (unless I go with a bigger list from another source, which I am about to!)

Asparagus
Avocados
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Citrus: Blood Orange, Grapefruit, Kumquats, Lemons, Navel Oranges, Tangelos/Tangerines Collards
Dates, Medjool
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushroom
Mustard Greens
Onion, Green
Passion Fruit
Peas, Green
Spinach
Strawberries
Turnips

And some recipes to go with them!

Asparagus- Asparagus Recipe (from my favorite place for recipes, Simply Recipes. Gotta love the simplicity of the recipe name too.)

Avocados- Bacon Stuffed Avocados (yes, I know I skipped the foods I don't like last time, but if I had to eat avocado, this is the only way to do it!)

Beets- Glazed Baby Beets (yuck beets, but it's Alton Brown's recipe, so it must be good ^.^)

Broccoli- Broccoli Souffle (I'd replace the frozen broccoli with fresh, of course.)

Brussels Sprouts- Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Apples (I have a poor track record with mixing sweet with savory, but I'm willing to try again. And how cool is that brussel sprout stalk?!)

Cabbage- Kim Chee (there is seriously nothing better than fresh, home-made kim chee.)

Carrots- Moroccan Carrot Salad (seems like an interesting combination. I'm not a big fan of radishes but I'd still try it.)

Cauliflower- Creamy Mashed Cauliflower (I never thought cauliflower could be a mashed potato substitute! What a neat idea.)

Celery- Celery and Mushroom Salad

Chard- Sweet & Spicy Swiss Chard

Blood Orange- Goat Cheese Crostini with Blood Orange & Black Pepper Marmalade (I was afraid to try goat cheese for a long time, but it's delicious!)

Grapefruit- Ruby-Red Grapefruit Sorbet (if you don't have an ice cream maker, which I don't, you can turn this recipe into a granita.)

Kumquats- Kumquat Marmalade (I've never tried canning...hope it's not too hard!)

Lemons- Lemon Garlic Bread (probably good with a seafood based pasta recipe.)

Navel Oranges- Orange Banana Muffins

Tangerines- Tangerine Shallot Vinaigrette

Collards- Collard Greens Recipe

Dates- Date Bread Pudding w/ Date Cream & Strawberry Sauce

Kale- Roasted Kale with Sea Salt

Kohlrabi- Kohlrabi & Squash Empanadas

Lettuce- Lettuce Boats (not really the recipes I am interested in but more the idea that you can use this as an alternative to a regular sandwich. Also, try Vegenaise instead of mayo. It has a longer "out of the fridge" life, and can be even tastier depending on the recipe, as it has a very nice lemony tang to it.) or Caramelized Pork Over Lettuce

Mushroom- Mushroom Stuffing (I'd substitute whole grain bread crumbs; stuffed in a cornish game hen...yum!)

Mustard Greens- Macaroni w/ Lemon, Garlic, Parmesan and Mustard Greens

Green Onions- Green Onion Pancakes (what a great find! Usually, I get these ready made from the asian grocery store I frequent, but I cringe at the ingredients list. I'd substitute the flour to unbleached organic flour though. And you can cook a huge batch, freeze the remaining leftovers with wax paper in between them, then just reheat in a toaster. I usually double toast my ready mades anyway.)

Passion Fruit- Apple & Passionfruit Crumble

Green Peas- English Pea Pesto Pasta (I really hate peas, but I've read that if you can get them fresh, which is very hard since they have to be in season and don't stay ripe long in the pod, they're much tastier than frozen. That would be the only way I'd try this recipe, with fresh peas.)

Spinach- Spinach and Basil Butter (this would be yummy on a big grilled beef or fish steak.)

Strawberries- see dates above.

Turnips-Stuffed Turnips
~~~~~~

All recipes featured here are 90-100% whole ingredients. Get out there and see what's available, and get cooking!

The answer? Not really.

2010-02-18T13:51:00.001-08:00

A billboard along Interstate 35, taken on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010 in Wyoming, Minn., carries an image of former President George W. Bush and reads 'Miss me yet?'. Office manager Beverly Master of Schubert and Hoey Outdoor Advertising in Minneapolis says the message was purchased by a group of small business owners and people from the Twin Cities area who want to remain anonymous.

Well, if you're putting out something publicly, as in trying to make a statement, but you're ashamed to own up to it, then maybe you should grow a pair, or shut up.

From Yahoo news.

Tidepooling with Scripps Birch Aquarium

2010-02-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

Cost for Non-Members: $12. Not really worth it unless you've never been tidepooling and need to ask questions, or have kids, who are always full of questions. Now that I know where they are, I will go anytime for free! Also, parking...omg. Leave an hour early like we did and you might be on time. And double check the directions they send you if you're unfamiliar with La Jolla like I am...I believe Prospect St. is now Prospect Place...or something like that. It was confusing!

Other than that, it was a beautiful lovely day, full of exploring and learning and appreciating and wet tennis shoes (note to self...sandals next time!).

I do plan on visiting the actual aquarium and will, of course, have pictures and a review of that.

If you'd like to try tidepooling with guides, check out their website, and click on the calendar tab to see when they're going again.

Zorba's Greek Buffet

2010-02-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

The Buffet- Filling. There are some hits and misses, but I'll just discuss the hits. The Gyro meat is always good. The pita bread is perfect...warm, a little toasty on the outside and chewy on the inside. The hummus is smooth and creamy. The potatoes are my favorite...roasted in "fingers" in olive oil and rosemary with just enough lemon to give you a lovely citrus tang. And last night was the first time I had their lamb. It was perfectly done and delicious. The dessert bar is pretty varied and I think baklava is the most perfect dessert ever made. Ever.

The Entertainment on Friday/Saturdays is worth the cost of the evening ($15 per person not counting drinks). I would highly recommend this place as a good date night, or something for a large group of people (either way, they still want you to call them for reservations on weekends).

I made some videos :)

This is the band.

More band...check out the little girl getting her groove on in the lower right.

Our Belly Dancers

Some kind of sword dance...I forgot what they called it. It was pretty neat.

And here's the pics I took of the dancers-

I'll definitely be back....with friends :)

http://www.zorbasgreekbuffet.com/

Even More Things to do in San Diego

2010-02-12T00:47:00.000-08:00

Stone Brewery Tour
- free I believe, except maybe the tasting afterwords.

San Diego County Sheriff's Museum
- I like looking at old stuff.

Flying Leatherneck Museum
-I believe I mentioned I like looking at old stuff

MCRD San Diego Command Museum
-More old military stuff

Butt crack of dawn...

2010-02-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

Any interest in going with me to the zoo at 7:30am? It wouldn't be til April, unless those dates get filled too.

And in other news...

some things I'd like to do-

San Diego Seal Tours

Whaley House ...it's haunted!

I know Rich wants to see The Science of Aliens.

Lemme know if there is interest and in what?

A Richard Retrospective

2010-01-25T23:06:00.000-08:00

Here's Rich not believing me when I say I just want to play around with my camera settings.

Zombie Rich.

"Supremely Spicy?" "Why yes, yes I am!"
I think this one should be his FB profile pic.
Rather grim, dontcha think?!
I don't think my macro setting worked right, here.

~~~
I am amused.

Deviant Art

2010-01-25T02:02:00.000-08:00

Daniel talked me into this one. And hey, you can buy prints of my work here. Of course, I only get like 15% or something ridiculously small. Lol!

http://nifsart.deviantart.com/

New Hobby

2010-01-23T22:41:00.000-08:00

Taking pictures of flowers. Yes, yes...very amateur.

Michael Pollan & "Food Rules"

2010-01-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

An excerpt from Mr. Pollan's new book, "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual" (as sent to me, via email, from his newsletter you can sign up for on his website):

#11 Avoid foods you see advertised on television.

Food marketers are ingenious at turning criticisms of their products—and rules like these—into new ways to sell slightly different versions of the same processed foods: They simply reformulate (to be low-fat, have no HFCS or transfats, or to contain fewer ingredients) and then boast about their implied healthfulness, whether the boast is meaningful or not. The best way to escape these marketing ploys is to tune out the marketing itself, by refusing to buy heavily promoted foods. Only the biggest food manufacturers can afford to advertise their products on television: More than two thirds of food advertising is spent promoting processed foods (and alcohol), so if you avoid products with big ad budgets, you’ll automatically be avoiding edible foodlike substances. As for the 5 percent of food ads that promote whole foods (the prune or walnut growers or the beef ranchers), common sense will, one hopes, keep you from tarring them with the same brush—these are the exceptions that prove the rule.

#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.

#36 Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.

This should go without saying. Such cereals are highly processed and full of refined carbohydrates as well as chemical additives.

#39 Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.

There is nothing wrong with eating sweets, fried foods, pastries, even drinking soda every now and then, but food manufacturers have made eating these formerly expensive and hard-to-make treats so cheap and easy that we’re eating them every day. The french fry did not become America’s most popular vegetable until industry took over the jobs of washing, peeling, cutting, and frying the potatoes—and cleaning up the mess. If you made all the french fries you ate, you would eat them much less often, if only because they’re so much work. The same holds true for fried chicken, chips, cakes, pies, and ice cream. Enjoy these treats as often as you’re willing to prepare them—chances are good it won’t be every day.

#47 Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.

For many of us, eating has surprisingly little to do with hunger. We eat out of boredom, for entertainment, to comfort or reward ourselves. Try to be aware of why you’re eating, and ask yourself if you’re really hungry—before you eat and then again along the way. (One old wive’s test: If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you’re not hungry.) Food is a costly antidepressant.

#58 Do all your eating at a table.

No, a desk is not a table. If we eat while we’re working, or while watching TV or driving, we eat mindlessly—and as a result eat a lot more than we would if we were eating at a table, paying attention to what we’re doing. This phenomenon can be tested (and put to good use): Place a child in front of a television set and place a bowl of fresh vegetables in front of him or her. The child will eat everything in the bowl, often even vegetables that he or she doesn’t ordinarily touch, without noticing what’s going on. Which suggests an exception to the rule: When eating somewhere other than at a table, stick to fruits and vegetables.

Common sense, compiled into one easy 64 rule volume!

I also found a good interview with Mr. Pollan in regards to his new book.

I have this sitting in my amazon cart, ready to be bought, but I have a feeling that reading this book for me will be like preaching to the chior! :)

Creepy McCreepersons

2010-01-06T16:47:00.001-08:00

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Resolution #1- Eat better.

2010-01-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

January in California means these are in season:

Asparagus
Avocados
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carambola aka Starfruit
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cherimoyas

Citrus: Blood Orange, Grapefruit, Kumquats, Lemons, Navel Oranges, Tangelos/Tangerines

Dates, Medjool
Kale
Kohlrabi
Mushroom
Mustard
Onion, Green
Passion Fruit
Peas, Green
Strawberries

(From here. )

Trying to be healthier and eating locally means knowing what you should be shopping for. The linked produce I've never had, so I'll be keeping an eye out at my usual Farmers Market. I've also never had a Blood Orange, but I've been wanting to try one for ages now. I'm going to have one this year if I have to go to every Farmers Market in San Diego county!

Seasonal produce means you want to eat foods as simply prepared as possible. I love just roasting foods, in a little olive oil for veggies or orange juice/honey for fruits. Some surfing on the interwebs did reveal a few whole food recipes I wouldn't mind trying out (I skipped stuff I don't like...like avacado and beets. yuck!):

Asparagus Pasta Salad
Zesty Broccoli (very close to how I like it roasted)
Traditional Russian Pirozhki (w/ cabbage!)
Tropical Thai Fruit Salad (w/ Starfruit!)
Kohlrabi and Celery Salad (2 birds with 1 stone there)
Sauteed Swiss Chard
Cherimoya Milkshake or Smoothie
Blood Orange Pork Roast
Old Fashioned Molasses Bread Pudding (w/ Dates!)
Savory Kale, Cannellini Bean, and Potato Soup
Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
Ricotta-Mascarpone Mousse w/ Balsamic Strawberries

And all this surfing had a great bonus...finding Simply Recipes. What a fantastic source for whole food recipes. Sandra Lee can semi-homemade herself right out of my kitchen!

Changes

2009-12-31T03:49:00.000-08:00

I untied this blog from my facebook (...I think...you never know with those wacky FB settings). Feel free to post what you want, when you want again.

Oops, I missed some Blizzcon `09 Pics

2009-12-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

So this was on the last day. I decided to walk around and look at art and stuff while the boys saw some starcraft thing I wasn't interested in.

Here's some dark portal art.

This is the starcraft logo in lego.

Big huge dwarf sculpture.

Close up. He's so real looking! Ignoring that he's bigger than my car. Dwarf. Right.

Sea of gamer nerds playing the WoW expansion coming up. Yes, I was secretly jealous...but not enough to wait in the huge ass line.

Worgen player concept art.

I forgot what these arty toys are called, but this one is supposed to be a Murloc. Mrgrglgrlgrlgl!

Goblin player concept art.

I forget what her name is again (from Starcraft..Sindarin?). Tried to get a good pic of her bum...she's hawt!

Semi Chibi Diablo! Kawaii! Kinda "Where the Wild Things Are", huh?

What I really want for Christmas.

2009-12-06T22:59:00.000-08:00

From about the mid-20s til now I've suffered from agoraphobia. I'm not sure what brought it on. It started mild and got worse and worse til there were weeks at a time I wouldn't leave the house. Friends invited me to stuff...dinners, parties, weddings, birthdays...and I couldn't go. I'm not sure they understood how humiliating and paralyzing panic attacks can be. Eventually the invites stopped. The friendships waned.

It's gotten better the last few years. Now I only have panic attacks 5-6 times a year instead of all the time (it's funny how even thinking about how a panic attack feels starts to make me feel ...well, panicky). But the worst part is that the close friendships are gone.

Don't get me wrong...it's not that I have zero friends. I am lucky to be living with some of my bestest friends. And I've managed to meet some people who could put up with my weird problems. But many of the friends I have now though are like...acquaintances that are friendly.

I really miss the type of relationships I had in high school. Seeing my friends, if not every day, several times a week. Hanging out for no purpose other than shooting the shit. Really being part of someones life, caring for them and having them care for me.

My mom has relationships like this. She's got friends that have been around for 40 years. They fight and annoy each other, but they still work at and maintain their friendships. And as much as they annoy me, it's still wonderful to watch them interact. I want this.

I know I'm emotional and high maintenance and a pain in the butt. I can be a bad friend...I'm bossy and forgetful and have a million mental problems. Hopefully I can find some friends who can overlook this and won't give up on me. I can be an amazing friend too. I'm loyal and fiercely protective and a good listener.

So Santa...will friends fit in a stocking?

In the Kitchen, where I belong.

2009-11-28T15:36:00.000-08:00

We're on the way back from Costco. I'm a tad depressed at how much impulse shopping I did (did I really need the cranberry crusted goat cheese roll? ok, yes I did!). I start looking through the holiday shopping guide they've handed out for the current holiday season, when I stumble across this little gem.

Judging by current American cultural conditioning (the assignment of color to sex is a topic for another day), I'm going to hazard a guess that they are marketing this "toy" towards little girls or, at least, to the parents that are told this is for girls. There was a young girl in the original ad too, with a matching pink and white outfit, pink apron, and big lavender oven mitt.

I think it's funny how things like this, a kitchen set, are marketed towards females.

I couldn't find the hard numbers for the U.S. , but according to Sophie Radice's tireless research,

"Less than a third of the 164,000 full-time chefs in this country are women, according to the Office of National Statistics. Of the 121 British restaurants with Michelin stars, only seven have female head chefs."

Another semi-anonymous woman says

"I am a female chef and I am 1 of 3 females in about 60 in our culinary department."

just to give additional info to illustrate how disparate the gender difference is in the culinary field.

I'm not sure where I want to go with this, other than that I am vaguely insulted by the suggested gender roles we force our children into because society tells us what is appropriate according to what's between our legs. And pissed at the unfairness of having limits to what I can do/be just because I have an XX Chromosome.

This woman, Jezebel, says it much better than I in her article "Are Women 'Chefs' or Just 'Cooks'?". Check it out.

Happy Mermaid Day!

2009-10-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today was the release date of The Mermaid's Madness (which I've actually had since Sunday, Bloody Sunday). Mr. Hines was kind enough to answer an interview question for me:

Q: I'm just wondering about your feelings/thoughts/actions on putting a "message" in novels. Like when 9/11 happened, was it time for novelists to jump on the soapbox about the evils of fanaticism/war/whatever?

A: Are you sure you don't want to ask me something easy? Like why is the sky blue, or where do baby goblins come from?

All right, like most difficult questions, I think it depends. As a reader, I don't like feeling as though I'm being preached to. If I want propaganda, there are plenty of blogs I can go to.

At the same time, fiction is incredibly powerful in its ability to help the reader empathize with characters different from him or her. Instead of lecturing me about terrorism, write me a novel that shows how people develop terrorist sympathies. Show me the impact those acts have on individuals. Show me how the same horrible act can lead one person to behave with such courage and compassion, while another turns to hate.

As an author, I care very deeply about my stories. The emotions in the story are genuine. The passions are real, whether it's about my three princesses coming to grips with some of the crap they've lived through in the fairy tales, or just watching a nearsighted goblin runt struggling to redefine what makes a fantasy hero. If I've done my job right, the readers will connect with the characters and their experiences, and those readers can then come to their own conclusions about the evils of goblin-slaying and so on.

To see more interview questions, head to Jim's blog and check em out. Book review by me or Rich to be posted eventually. Rich reads slow.

Ode to a Kitten

2009-09-24T23:11:00.001-07:00

He passed away last night...we just called him the shy one as he pranced his way around our lawn.

Meow Meow Lullaby by Nada Surf

This is pretty cool

2009-09-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Found this from a Tweet by Felicia Day:

Flotsam and Jetsam

2009-09-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

Stuff from my internet wanderings today...

Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley (thanks for the link Geoff)
Cute movie. Make sure you have about an hour to sit down and watch the whole thing! If you go to youtube directly and look it up, then full screen it, it all runs together (it's split into 10 parts) and you don't have to start each one separately.

If you like the music (Indian inspired parts), you can go to the composers site here and download them for a small fee.

Her Morning Elegance by Oren Lavie
This I found checking out Nina Paley's blog. The music is ok...I really like the video though.

A catchy tune from Owl City called "Fireflies" (thanks Nadia).

And Mike Taylor highlighted a Robert Frost poem I'd previously looked over. It's very...me.-

Acquainted with the Night
by: Robert Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
O luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

From "New Hampshire", 1923

The President's Education Speech

2009-09-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

Subversive! Left wing bullshit! Asking kids to talk to their parents about universal healthcare and the stimulus bill and..and..uh...oh wait.

But he DID say "God bless you!" Religion in schools! *rabble-rabble-rabble*

To every parent that decided to take their kids out of school because they fell in to the whole conservative agenda that he was trying to bring politics into the school...I think that was moronic. Common sense please. Like he would even bring politics into it. None of the other presidents I had to watch did any such thing (unless we're counting political debates during government class back in senior year). You let your own bias keep your kids from a good message from a prominent public figure...stay in school. Do your homework. Try your hardest. Finish your education. Think for yourself. Anything worth having is worth working hard for.

"Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is."

That's my favorite part and something I wish I had heard more of growing up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello everyone -- how's everybody doing today? I'm here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we've got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I'm glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could've stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday -- at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn't too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I've given a lot of speeches about education.

And I've talked a lot about responsibility.

I've talked about your teachers' responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world --and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer -- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper --but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor -- maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine -- but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life -- I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can't drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You'll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that -- if you quit on school -- you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

Now I know it's not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that's like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn't fit in.

So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I'm not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there's not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home -- that's no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That's no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. He's endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer -- hundreds of extra hours -- to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he's headed to college this fall.

And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren't any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That's why today, I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education -- and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you're not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject you study. You won't click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That's OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can't let your failures define you --you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one's born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. It's the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust -- a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor -- and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you -- don't ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you've got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down -- don't let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

President's Speech taken from 10news.com

Bad Move Scotland.

2009-09-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

To those who decided to let Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi have an early release, a man involved in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 270 people...because this "gentleman" is terminally ill, I ask this question... where is the "early release on compassionate grounds" for the people he helped kill? To those Scotts that support this decision...shame on you. He killed your own countrymen too when the parts of that plane landed on your people.

Blizzcon 2009, day 1 :)

2009-08-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

So, silly us. I thought since we picked up our badges early, we'd be able to walk right in in the morning. Right. The line to get in was longer than the line to get the badges. I think it took us just over an hour to get inside. The line basically went halfway around the building then out to a parking lot where we snaked about 16 times. Here's the people ahead of us.

Here's the people behind us. Bleh.

Some Cool Statuary-

Kerrigan (zerg leader, star crafts)

Orc and Wolf (WoW)

Illidan (WoW)

People in Costume-

Warrior?

Nightelf Druid

Backside of a succubus...

...and her front!

Nightelf Druid again.

Nightelf random01 as supplied by Blizz I think.

Alexstrasza (WoW)

Soridormi(?) w/ Chromie doll (WoW)

More Blizz employed models think...

Boomkin and Lantern Festival ..something...

Troll ..something. rogue? shaman?

Diablo 3 Monsters and Heroes Panel-

Just makin sure here I could take ok pics of the tv screen.

Intro of the monk class, and some powers.

Costume Contest as Hosted by Jay Mohr. Could he look any more like a bum??

6 finalists!

Lady Shahzra(?)

Some toon from wow dc comic i think.

Draenei Shaman. He even had totems he laid down but i didn't get a pic of those...

Lady of Pain (D3)

Pally in t8.5

Kel'Thuzad! the girl on the right is holding Mr. Bigglesworth.

Jay wasn't sure where to hold the mic..the head, or talk to the crotch ;)

The runners up leaving...

And Lady of Pain takes the Prize :)

Sooooooooooooooooooooo tired.

Blizzcon 2009, day 0!

2009-08-21T00:34:00.000-07:00

OK, so this was the plan...head up to Clairemont Mesa around 5ish and stop for lunch. Check! Hit the freeway around 6:30 and avoid traffic. Check!

Man, just look at that parking lot on the south side. Hahahaha!

And then avoid the traffic around Del Mar because we left so late...wah?!

Hello Parking Lot on the north side. =-/

Anyway, we got here pretty easy. The hotel, almost right next to the convention center (5min walk, if that) was really close off the freeway too. We went to check in early (thanks Khim for letting me know we could!) and here's my lovely swag (on my unlovely 70s hotel coverlet).

This is the neat little ..uh...I'm guessing Starcraft(?) figurine. He comes with a big gun. Not really my thing, so maybe a present for my brother.

Tried to get a decent, not flash covered, pic of the bookmark thingy on the left. It's the directions to some kind of "fishing" scavenger hunt they are having tomorrow. Wee.

It looks like they are starting up a WoW magazine. This is a little mock-up, plus the free plushy murloc (Kwurky!) they are offering if you buy a subscription. While very tempted, I'm still wondering what a magazine can offer that you can't get free off the interwebs.

Free BlizzCon special edition authenticator. Pissed me off...Stim just bought me one a week ago!!!

Here he is! My space murloc pet :)

And here is Stim/Rich showing off the BlizzCon hand sanitizer, ...which I did not get in my swag. WTF.

Anywhoo...more fun to come tomorrow. :)

Pixar!

2009-08-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

Pixar short films (some I've never seen!) -

Knick-Knack : new to me!

For the Birds : classic :)

Lifted : another new one...listen to the end.

Geri's Game : Found a flaw in this one. Pay attention to where the box of White chess pieces ends up.

Mike's New Car : Reminds me of some roommates I have (yes, both of you!)

I can't wait til I can link to "Partly Cloudy"...the short that opened for "Up". It's my current favorite.

But can I be a Werewolf??

2009-08-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Dragon Age comes out in October, with some sexy pre-order bundles now available from your favorite video game retailer.

Remember Baldur's Gate, the NPCs sometimes said naughty words and you could travel wherever you wanted and do quests in any order?

Remember how cool Neverwinter Nights was, with a half dozen dialog choices during conversation, tailored to your race, class, or alignment? Blowing up barrels and baddies both with a well placed Empowered Fireball spell? And Aribeth drawn by Marc Taro?

Knights of the Old Republic.

Well anyway, now there's Dragon Age. Bioware applies everything they've learned while working on other peoples' creative content, in their own world.

I'm hoping this will be the best RPG experience since last year's Fallout 3.

Leet Trailer

San Diego Comic-Con 2009: The Review, Part 1

2009-08-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

Before I get on to my usual links and comments, I believe they did a smoother job this year getting people checked in than any year previous that I've been too. There wasn't even much of a line.

Also, artists are so anal about people stealing their images, and really I don't blame them, that it's sometimes really hard to find an image to link to, but please take some time to check out their sites. Great stuff.

~

Lark Pien

Absolutely adorable critters and backgrounds. Charming stories. Very suitable for children. Wonderful eye-pleasing art. And a "how to" draw Long Tail Kitty in the back of the book. :) She has more art here too.

~

Mike Sosnowski

I didn't get anything of his, but only because I didn't have something good to carry prints around in. Twisted imagination...it's kind of a cross between Bill Plympton and Mad Magazine. Combined with the pictures, the titles will really make you laugh. Three of my favorites- "Impending Doom" and "What Lurks Below" and "The Culprit".

~

Dave Correia Beautiful. Disturbed. The website doesn't do justice to a print in person. The line work is just exquisite. Once again, I really wanted a print, but had no way to carry one safely. And I have to say, I think his hand-drawn work is just a smidge better than the computer...it has more...life to it somehow.

~

Law Dog Comics

The gods of the universe, knowing my love for all things zombie, had me stumbling on to this little gem. Dark Mood. Gruesomely gory art. Interesting storyline set in the middle ages of europe. While there were a few flaws with continuity, it was a good enough read that I couldn't put it down til I finished it.

~

Katie Cook

I was off buying some mouse books (as you will see later), and her husband was manning the booth for that author. After I was done, he pointed me across the way to his wife's booth- Katie Cook! OMG, the adorableness! The raw cuteness! The sweet little pics! She has a wonderful ability to both highlight the chibi and the cheesecake. And I totally envy her marker skills.

~~~

That's it for now or this is going to be too long. Tune in for part two where I introduce the mouse books, some tiny monsters, and The President of Ice Cream....to name but a few!

More Covers to Judge

2009-07-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

Just some random Amazon browsing:

Bad-

Storm of the Dead, Lisa Smedman. Because if I were a Drow goddess marching into battle with a host of fearsome undead, I would certainly make sure everyone was aware of my ample 34DDs.

Busted Flush, Melinda Snodgrass. Thought I'd post this since it's Comic Con weekend and all. Do female assassins ever actually use weapons? Or is it the cleavage that kills us? Also I love how the publisher tries to sell this book by putting GEORGE R.R. MARTIN's name in huge lettering (apparently he edited it!), but I had to hunt for the actual author. "Busted" flush indeed.

Werecats series, Rachel Vincent. All three of the covers in this series seem the same to me, a photo of a random skinny nubile model. Check out the "strategic" placement of the title text. Winner!

Magic Strikes, Ilona Andrews. It looks like a photoshopped woman, with boobs proudly displayed, in a leotard transposed over a photograph of a lion. I'm crying on the inside.

Good-

Mistborn: The Final Empire, Brandon Sanderson. I haven't read this, but the epic cover compels me. This is some dramatic action without even managing to be mildly exploitative. Does it have anything to do with the story though? I wonder.

Hunting Ground, Patricia Briggs (another Dan Dos Santos). Not one of Dan's best works in my opinion (it's kinda boring...) but, it's an urban fantasy cover that actually manages to show us the relationship between the two main characters without a mammary focal point.

Naamah's Kiss, Jacqueline Carey. This one's kinda iffy. I haven't read any of these, but if you read the summary - wandering the world worshipping the goddess of sexxorz? Sounds like pr0n to me. However, there's a distinct lack of the cliched boob shot, while still conveying the sensuality this book sounds like it should be about. I guess. Most of the Kushiel books have a mostly nude chick on the cover though. It's no excuse but, given the material, I think they probably could have done a lot worse.

Judging the Cover

2009-07-22T11:06:00.001-07:00

We're always decrying the travesty of shitty cover art, and I was thinking about it last weekend just looking at random stuff on Amazon. So, I was surprised to read Jim Hines' blog this morning and find that he posted a similar topic, albeit not quite in the same vein as what I was thinking - but still relevant. It started as a post criticizing Realms of Fantasy for having titty covers all the time, which I don't really mind personally (I let my subscription rot years ago for different reasons) , but I think Jim's post has some valid concerns about what we value as readers and fans - or rather about what publishers think we value.

The titty art on the covers of Realms of Fantasy, and a lot of books, almost always has absolutely nothing to do with the actual content or characters depicted. The Realms of Fantasy I'm used to just slaps a suggestive Royo eye-catcher on their cover to stand out on the rack, but with actual books, artwork must be commissioned (or sometimes just manipulated photographs, a depressing trend which has gained a lot of momentum over the years).

Anyway, Jim went on to post a list of covers he thinks are in good taste, but I wonder about some of his choices. The cover for Mermaid's Madness? It's sound in terms of composition, but does it really show what's in the story? If anyone was going to show cleavage, it would be Snow, not Talia - unless her wardrobe was torn in battle some kinda way of course ^_^

I'll add to it a little bit-

A not-so-great cover, Iron-Kissed by Patricia Briggs - Dan Dos Santos is a sought after illustrator (I think he'll be at comic con tomorrow even...) but I don't think they gave him much to work with when they comissioned a cover from him. Yeah, Mercy is a mechanic... and she has dark hair due to her Blackfoot heritage... but I think the resemblance ends there. The pose and the ...generous proportions... I'm not so sure it's really the character. But it sure is an eyecatcher.

A cover I really like, Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn. I think the barefoot-in-jeans crouching-to-pounce pose, the intent gaze past the wolf to some threat unknown... is spot on for Kitty Norville. Unfortunately, in this case I think the cover delivers far more than the content does. But that's another topic...

BBQ today :)

2009-07-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yay :)

And to commemorate, here's a pic of my mom from `92ish with some BBQ she put in the oven to keep warm and forgot about. Wee.

Photo Archive

2009-07-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

I decided to scan my old pics. When we moved back to San Diego from Spokane, I know the mil lost some boxes. I know I had a lot more pics than this. So, I guess I'd better have an electronic copy in case something ever happens to these.

But anyway, I thought I might as well tell my little stories and memories while I am at it.

No, I don't remember this one. I thought for sure it was at the apartment that we lived in before we moved to this house, but my Mom says we moved here in 77 and the corner says Feb 78. So maybe we're somewhere else. Anyway, I don't think this pic has weathered time very well. Ya know what tho? That can't be an 8...it has to be a 6. There is no way I'm 4 years old. Or maybe it wasnt printed til 78? I've found old film and printed it years later too. So I'm gonna say that it IS the apartment we lived in before this house.

My grandmother, my aunt Susan, my grandpa in the back, and me, checkin out what grandma's getting for Christmas. This is one of 2 pics I have left of the whole year..year and a half? that I lived with my grandparents in Michigan. I'm actually pretty sad about that (my lack of pics that is). Especially since I just found out recently that they passed away in 2007 while I thought they were still alive this whole time (long convoluted horrible story).

If I had to pick someone to be like, it would be my grandma. No matter what I did, what I said, what I believed, she loved me. It's pretty freakin rare to find that kind of unconditional love in a human being. And she was generous with that love. When my brother was born (technically half brother and no blood relation to her), she included him in her family anyway. She'd send him birthday and christmas cards, the same as me. And she could bake like a master chef.

I don't have so many memories of grandpa. He was a pretty private and quiet man. Most of what sticks in my mind is sensations- the feel of his hands, work roughened and tough from being outdoors a lot; the smell of his pipe tobacco; the sound of his laughter.

This is the other one from Michigan. Me, my cousins Laura and Tim, and my barbie pool. I really loved that barbie pool. I actually remember playing with it mostly with another friend I had there named Nikki. Nikki introduced me to the concept of "menage a trois" with her ken and 2 barbies. Seriously. I know, we were in what...2nd grade? Maybe the question should be, why did she know so much about sex so young? She also tried a little "If you show me yours I'll show you mine". I don't think I fell for it. That pool wasn't as much fun when I moved back to San Diego after my parent's divorce, and I had no one to play with. And I don't mean Nikki kind of play.

5th grade. We had a substitute teacher one day and he talked about his church and his charity work in TJ. I showed an interest in his charity work, and he showed an interest in me. I think now he'd be suspect, but he was on the up. He never tried to touch me inappropriatly. I went with his group this day, down to tijuana, and we visited people so poor I'd never really imagine anyone living in cardboard villages before. We brought bread and clothes and toys. This was one of the Mexican kids new jump rope.

Afterwords, on the way back to the border, we stopped at a bakery to get bread and cookies. I'd never had Mexican style bakery goods before. I actually prefer them over regular american goods now as they tend to be not as overly-sweet. Unless they have started to become americanized (cream stuffed churros? ew).

9th grade graduation (my junior high was 7th through 9th). I almost didn't make it! I was already rebelling and being a bad student by then, but I hadn't started ditching yet. That was highschool. That was back in the "pony tail on the side of my head" days. What was I thinking? We had our graduation dance afterwords at the Bonita golf course place, I forget what it's called now. I think it was the best time I'd ever had at a dance, ever.

Sophomore year I think? I was going to Chula Vista Highschool at this point, in the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Voice. Well, at least I learned that I can't sing to more than the radio, and that stage fright is a horrible thing. That earring flipped out still bugs me. Why is it that yearbook photographers don't tell you when something looks weird before they take the pic??! That was also my first year to have contacts. I talked my mom into letting me get colored ones too...so I picked a kind of gold-brown. Unfortunatly, later on, I developed allergies and couldn't wear contacts anymore. Man, I wish I still had that volume of hair.

Me smirking for the camera during my brother's 2nd birthday? It was 91. Isn't it sad I don't know exactly how old my brother is? I'm pretty sure I guessed right though. And my mom still gets the same cake every year...chocolate with strawberries and whipped cream frosting. It's actually pretty good. Maybe I'll get one this year for myself.

Uhg. Glamour Shots. I think when they first came out, everyone had to get one. They seem to be more natural now, but could I be anymore Dynasty 80s? We still got them anyways.

Me and the D. He'd just cut his long metal hair, and shortly later he'd be shaving it even more going in the mil. I remember how his mom would go on and on about how she loved the shorter hair.

Just after being married in 93, at D's parent's house. That's Frenchie the Maltese. He's gone now. He didn't live that long actually. Greedy lil bugger ended up chocking to death on something. He was way cute tho. This was my black and white period. While I obviously didn't take this pic, it was my camera, and I was only using black and white film. I really liked it and I think I was getting good, but it's an expensive hobby. Speaking of which...

Hi Scott! I did take this one. I made him stand on my brother's swingset so I didn't have to crouch. I really like the composition here. Just enough off center to add interest. Nica dramatic lighting. Don't you miss that hair Scott? Don't you?!

Anyway, more boring pics to come as I scan them in. Ciao.

Edit: Sorry about the pic sizes. I'll have to figure out how to make thumbnails someday.

Just One of Those Days

2009-07-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

All these little rejections, how they add up quickly.
One small sideways look and I feel so ungood.
Somewhere along the way I think
I gave you the power to make
Me feel the way I thought
Only my father could.

Oh, these little rejections, how they seem so real to me.
One forgotten birthday- I'm all but cooked.
How these little abandonments seem to sting so easily.
I'm 13 again.
Am I 13 for good?

I can feel so unsexy for someone so beautiful,
So unloved for someone so fine.
I can feel so boring for someone so interesting,
So ignorant for someone of sound mind.

Oh, these little protections, how they fail to serve me.
One forgotten phone call and I'm deflated.
Oh, these little defenses, how they fail to comfort me-
Your hand pulling away
And I'm devastated.

I can feel so unsexy for someone so beautiful,
So unloved for someone so fine.
I can feel so boring for someone so interesting,
So ignorant for someone of sound mind.

When will I stop leaving baby?
When will I stop deserting baby?
When will I start staying with myself?

All these little projections, how they keep springing from me.
I jump my ship as I take it personally.
Oh, these little rejections, how they disappear quickly
The moment I decide not to
Abandon me.

I can feel so unsexy for someone so beautiful,
So unloved for someone so fine.
I can feel so boring for someone so interesting,
So ignorant for someone of sound mind.
-Alanis Morissette, So Unsexy

2009-07-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

i went to hang out with horses

A New Simon's Cat!

2009-07-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

...aaaaaaaaand Happy 4th of July, U.S.A.

Early Morning Musings

2009-07-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

"Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek?"
-Where is the Love, Black Eyed Peas

I was reading an article a few days ago, I think it was about Prop 8, and this quote sticks in my mind..."Hate the sin but love the sinner." While the author attributed that virtue to Mormons, I believe all Christian faiths have some similar edict (not being a religious scholar, I have no comment on any other religion's dogmas, and only vague memories of books I've read and church sermons from childhood as far as "christianity" is concerned).

But is it really possible?

I think maybe Mother Theresa could have done it. But I'm certainly no saint. I think of the few people that I truly hate, or the people whom I consider monsters for committing acts that I despise, and I don't know if I could turn around and embrace their humanness without wanting to wrap my hands around their necks.

And yet I can see the wisdom of being able to move on, to get past the horror of a plane being used as a bomb, a child raped and murdered, or the mobs of hate because someone happens to love the "wrong" gender. Maybe it's not about forgiving the sinner or the sin so much as being able to get past the evilness and not hold it inside you to fester as "revenge".

With all the variables, I don't think I could ever really come up with a single rule or world view within all these shades of grey. Do what I can to "right" the wrongs I see, in a positive manner. Try not to let the pain weigh me down. Put more love out into the world. Keep an open mind because there is no "one way".

"You're Gonna Love My Nuts"

2009-06-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

And in semi-related news, Billy Mays died. Bummer. That guy could sell me anything and I'd buy it.
RIP Billy.

Swine Flu

2009-06-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

We've had our first death in San Diego County of Swine Flu. A 20 year old woman, otherwise healthy, went into the hospital last Sunday, and 4 days later, she's dead. The medical community is worried we will soon see a lot more cases.

A quote from Dr. Wooten, interviewed in the article I read:

“We expect to see more deaths,” she added. “This is a virus for which we have no immunity. No matter what your age (or) what your health condition . . . your body cannot protect you from the complications associated with the virus.”

I wasn't worried before, even with the epicenter being in my own backyard, but I am now. Especially with the upcoming conventions and possible exposure to thousands of people.

Please be careful.

Article here.

Kittens ftw.

2009-06-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

I know I posted this somewhere else but I can't remember where. I stumbled across it yesterday while researching the last post. The Joker - Fatboy Slim . It's Kit-tastic.

And since I don't like picture-less blogs, here's a lolcat:

My Wedding Playlist

2009-06-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

I was asked by a friend for suggestions for some wedding songs, and I got to thinking about my own wedding of course. Due to circumstances beyond my control (time constraints, money issues, my mother being psycho), I never did get my dream wedding. Civil Service ftl. But I guess, here I can plan what I *would* have had the DJ play...with some up to date songs of course.

I'd like to start with the dress tho. I did have a nice white dress I wore to the court house, complete with naughty undies (garters are hawt). I would have like a real wedding dress, but that would have looked silly where we ended up. For the reception tho, I would have worn a traditional cheongsam, something like-

...which I, more than likely, would not be able to fit into today :(

Which plays into one of the songs I would have had to have had at my wedding. Well one of them for sure... The Lady in Red - Chris De Burgh . Another song I would have had to have there- You're All I need - White Lion . One of the few times I can remember the Hubby being uber romantico is telling me that was his song for me.

Slow Dance:
Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
Crazy Love - Maxi Priest
Call Me Irresponsible - Michael Buble'
Diggin on You - TLC
Sway -Pussycat Dolls (I don't normally like them but it's not a bad version. You'd have to be William Hung to butcher a song as good as this...and yeah it's kind of a faster slow song.)
Feeling Love - Paula Cole (kinda naughty ^.^)

Fast & Romantic:
Hold Me Tight - Evan Rachel Wood
Close to You - Maxi Priest
100% Pure Love - Crystal Waters
Wonderful Night - The Red Elvises (great song, horrible recording)
That's the Girl - Blessid Union of Souls (another great song but I think it's streaming from China...very Choppy)
I'm a Believer - Smash Mouth
I Melt With You - Modern English
You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive (mmm Wedding Singer flashback! lol)
Can't Get You Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue
I feel Love - Venus Hum
Call Me - Blondie
Think About You - Guns `n Roses (yeah it's not GnR but it's the best version I could find online. And the original is fast.)
Best Years of Our Lives - Baha Men
A Dios la Pido - Juanes (translation here...great song)
I Want You - Savage Garden
Heaven - DJ Sammy f. Yanou

Just for Fun:
The Globe - Big Audio Dynamite
Ray of Light - Madonna
Beautiful Day - U2
Time to Start - Blue Man Group
Butterfly - DDR
Get the Party Started - P!nk
All Nite/Don't Stop - Janet Jackson
Dhoom Machale - ? some indian movie ><
Dragostea Din Tei - O-zone (classic funny)
Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
Here - Luscious Jackson
Wonderful Night - Fatboy Slim
Love Shack - B52's
Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
Holiday - Madonna

Well, not knowing how long my mythical wedding reception is...I guess I'll stop there for now. But I would have to end the evening with the best ending ever...click here to see my last song. Aww yeah.

More Prop 8 Goodness

2009-06-15T02:05:00.000-07:00

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... from Jack Black

Britain's Oldest Man

2009-06-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

And WWI vet. Henry Allingham. Wow. I didn't think anyone from wwi was still around.

Anyway, he just celebrated his 113th Birthday. Mind Boggling. You go Henry.

/wrist

2009-06-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

According to wikipedia, "Queensrÿche (pronounced /ˈkwiːnzraɪk/) is an American heavy metal / progressive metal band"...

So I'm listening to random music on my itunes, and "Another Rainy Night" starts playing and I catch this lyric that I'd never payed attention to before...

"Raindrops taste like tears, without the pain"

How poetic! How touching! How...wtf..this is Queensryche??

Then I looked up an image, not recalling what they looked like-

Ooooh...ok. I like how the guy with the mullet is attempting a bad ass snarl. And I think that guy that is 3rd from the left in the back...is a prettier girl than I am.

He's Kicking Himself Now!

2009-05-31T02:56:00.001-07:00

Thanks for sending this to me Morv...too funny!

Looking For Group

2009-05-31T02:32:00.000-07:00

Is there something wrong with me that I laugh every time I watch this video? Probably.

Richard the Warlock is my most favoritest callused, cold-hearted, self involved, irredeemably evil comic figure ever. And the whole world is just generally amusing. Based off of WoW originally, I believe it's expanded to include any fantasy type cliches and scenarios, from well known games to movies to books.

I'd suggest you check out the site, hit the archives, and start with number 1, as this isn't really something you can start reading in the middle without missing some important storyline.

In the news.

2009-05-30T06:22:00.000-07:00

It's a real shame:

This Iraq-born teen has solved a 300 year old math puzzle.

300 years of brilliant minds, and this kid comes along and "Bam"...problem solved. It just goes to show, war is retarded. How many other geniuses have we lost to hundreds of years of war and conflict?

This guy needs anger management:

O.k., first...these two teenagers are called "men" in this article, and they're 16 and 14. I can see both sides of it, but I think that alone slants the article. So they decided to rob a pharmacy. The pharmacist then pulls a gun and shoots one in the head, chases the other guy out, comes back and pulls another gun, then shoots the downed kid (who is unconscious) 5 more times in the belly. Wtf. The first shooting was self defense and justified, but the second?? No way. That was plain old murder. So the lesson learned here is, you never know when your pharmacist is packing two guns.

Kyung Soon Park

2009-05-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

I love this woman's art work. She mixes the modern with an asian influence and her line work is just beautiful and clean. Check out her website.

Rats & Cats for Richard

2009-04-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

See! Rats & Cats can live together!

The Survivor Dog!

2009-04-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

SYDNEY (AFP) – A pet dog that fell overboard in rough seas off Australia has been reunited with its owners after surviving alone on an island for four months, reports said.

Sophie Tucker, apparently named after a late US entertainer, fell overboard as Jan Griffith and her family sailed through choppy waters off the northeast Queensland coast in November.

The dog was believed to have drowned and Griffith said the family was devastated.

But out of sight of the family, Sophie Tucker was swimming doggedly and finally made it to St Bees Island, five nautical miles away, and began the sort of life popularised by the TV reality show "Survivor."

She was returned to her family last week when Griffith contacted rangers who had captured a dog that had been living off feral goats on the largely uninhabited island, in the faint hope it might be their long-lost pet.

When the Griffiths met the rangers' boat bringing the dog to the mainland they found that it was indeed Sophie Tucker on board.

"We called the dog and she started whimpering and banging the cage and they let her out and she just about flattened us," Griffith told the national AAP news agency.

"She wriggled around like a mad thing."

Griffith said that when the dog was first spotted on the island she had been in poor condition.

"And then all of a sudden she started to look good and it was when the rangers had found baby goat carcasses so she'd started eating baby goats," she said.

Sophie Tucker, a member of the Australian cattle dog breed, had been quick to readjust to the comforts of home, complete with airconditioning, Griffiths said.

"She surprised us all. She was a house dog and look what she's done, she's swum over five nautical miles, she's managed to live off the land all on her own," Griffiths said.

"We wish she could talk, we truly do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awesome puppy FTW. But... how'd the goats get to that island? Maybe I should be talking about "The Survivor Goats"?

Original article from here.

Feeling Useless.

2009-03-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Title says it all.

Feed the Chickens!

2009-02-27T01:17:00.000-08:00

Well, here is a novel idea of how to ask for help in these tough economic time...

Adopt a rooster/chicken today!

P.S. I like Little Bill the best, but then again, I'm always rooting for the underdog...er, chicken.

I love the Japanese.

2009-02-26T04:40:00.000-08:00

Found on cuteoverload.com:

I'll take "Sexual Potpourri" for $500 Alex.

2009-02-22T02:55:00.000-08:00

"A typical ejaculation is 1 teaspoon. Each teaspoon of ejaculate has about 5 - 7 calories and some 200 - 500 million sperm."

Sometimes I wonder why my mind wanders in the direction that it does.

People are stupid.

2009-02-19T16:24:00.001-08:00

Several people seem to be up in arms about this cartoon, saying it depicts Obama as a rabid monkey. Well, the first thing I thought when I read the cartoon was "I guess he's saying the stimulus bill was so dumb, it could have been written by a monkey. Ha." Anybody else who jumped to racist conclusions are the real racists, because that's the first thing that jumped into their heads. Oh yeah, and as pointed out to me by Rich, it's not like Obama wrote the stimilus bill, so all these racists are stretching the comic to make it racist. Good job.

The Zombie Hunters

2009-01-21T02:22:00.000-08:00

I love zombies.

Interesting story so far. Some of it's a little too chibi for me. Art seems erratic, but worth a read/look anyway. Some pretty good images.

Just hit the double back arrow to start from the beginning.

Goodbye old friend

2008-12-27T16:15:00.000-08:00

Last night I sat on the middle landing of our staircase and watched my cat die. I didn't want to stay, but I couldn't leave him alone. It was horrible. I hope I never have to do that again. He was old, and he led a pretty good life. Over 14 years of being pampered.

They say that death often times brings a feeling of finality. Not for me. For me it had the opposite effect.

This morning I woke up and went downstairs to make my oatmeal. While I was putting it in the microwave, I thought about Hobbes. I thought that even though he is dead, I still wake up and do everything just as usual. This is not finality; it is infinite. It struck me that, when I die, everyone else will wake up the next morning and make their oatmeal, or coffee, or have their morning cigarette, but I won't

The unfairness of it all struck me. Why doesn't Hobbes get to wake up this morning and eat his special food? Why are the rest of us allowed to go on while he isn't?

Death is not fair and does not discriminate. It will happen to us all no matter how unfair it seems.

I am glad I got to spend the last few minutes of Hobbes' life with him. He has been a part of our family for a long time. I will miss him.

The Best of Living Stupidly, 2008

2008-12-21T04:15:00.000-08:00

"Even crazier, opponents of gay marriage in California bought ads claiming kids would be taught gayness in schools, when everyone knows kids don't get taught anything in California schools."

-Joel Stein, Time Magazine, 12-29-08/1-5-09

An Unexpected Find

2008-12-20T03:14:00.000-08:00

"If you have dreams you want to pursue, the time to pursue them is now. There is no perfect time, and there is no better time. There is only the time you lose while you're making excuses."

-June Bug Tate, Gods Old and Dark by Holly Lisle

Six Things I've Learned From My Cats

2008-12-18T02:49:00.000-08:00

1. If you have to run somewhere, go full speed.

2. If you keep trying long enough, you'll eventually get what you think you want.

3. Life's too short to eat crap. Try to get the good stuff as often as you can.

4. If where you are is too full of shit, try to find somewhere new to shit.

5. There is always someone either sniffing your ass or growling in your face. It's best to just ignore them.

6. If you love someone, show them every chance you get.

sale sale

2008-12-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

we are starting to sale illustration, drawings at the ice cream shop

something teenage kids will like...

If the holidays are all about the bling...

2008-11-26T16:19:00.000-08:00

...at least spend your hard earned cash at etsy.com. Why buy generic, 3rd world exploiting, morally bankrupt crap from HELL-mart that a bazillion other ppl already own, when you can get cool hand-made, one-of-a-kind, artist supporting gifts instead? Here's a few things I found, just casually surfing, that I like:
$11, $3.50, and $88.99 (ok the last is kinda pricey but not bad for a custom made dress).

Sneaky McSnearkersons

2008-11-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yes Ricardo, I set this as your home page so you HAVE to read it every time you open your browser. I might just post more now that I know I have a captive audience of two (D included).

Muahahahahahahaha!

I guess it's the future!

2008-11-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

...Because one of the keys to indicating it was the future of the USA in movies/shows was showing we had a black president.

Congrats President Obama.

Vote NO on Prop 8!

2008-10-09T13:16:00.001-07:00

Nuff said.

(This was done by Pixar story artist Adrian Melina)

"Creating a World That Can Feed Itself"??

2008-09-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

I have no idea what the heck that Hugh Grant guy is talking about most of the time. It seems to me that he's more interested in the profitability of his "double yielding" crops, than in the actual problem at hand. I don't know. I'm probably biased when it comes to that guy, but I get a huge sense of fakery and falseness from him. Of course, my views are colored by the stuff I looked up about his company Monsanto (fyi also the original creators of Agent Orange).

I thought it was very interesting that Mr. Pollan brought up that we didn't actually have a shortage of food like everyone believes. I think his rebuttal to Mr. Grant at the end, itself, is something that perks up my interest; this idea, that we propagated to the world ourselves, that "we [the U.S.] can feed the world, is now coming back to haunt us, and it is leading people to being hungry because they've lost that native agricultural capacity."

And speaking of which, is genetically modified foods really the answer? I've already got this disease that has no known cause and no known cure. Barring genetic factors (highly unlikely as no one in either side of my family has this problem), the next logical conclusion is environmental factors. I'm a product of my generation- the fast food eating, chemical scarfing, modified food partaking generation. I really wish these geneticists would think more before playing god with our food supply.

Mr. Grant brings up that Africa (and South America? or was it just Mexico?) were the biggest consumers of corn, as in tortillas and gruel. GRUEL? You know why Africans eat gruel? Corn gruel by the way, as suggested by Mr. Grant (which is not a traditional type gruel for them). Because they are starving and it's what we supply...partly because it's one of the few crops we grow for feeding cows anyway. Why not send the excess to Africa?

My idea? Take these scientific and agricultural experts to Africa and India and where ever they are needed. Instead of just introducing higher yielding corn and wheat and other water/soil hungry and non-native plants, find out what traditionally grows locally and and is agriculturally viable. Teach people to grow and eat what that environment can naturally sustain.

The Ancient Romans Played D&D

2008-09-05T03:02:00.000-07:00

Proof!:

Circa 2nd Century A.D. They think it was for a game but I bet it was like...fortune telling or something similar. Found here.

And it's still true today...

2008-09-04T02:08:00.000-07:00

The survey

Last month the UN conducted a worldwide survey with one question:

"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"

The survey was a huge failure.

In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant

In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant

In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant

In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant

In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant

In South America they didn't know what "please" meant

In the US they didn't know what "rest of the world" meant.

From here.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

2008-08-25T12:18:00.001-07:00

Boy have I been a lazy blogger this month.

San Fran Visitors

2008-08-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

you californians need to get your ground to air missles working...

or at least make certain areas no fly zones.

Yummy in my ibukuro?

2008-08-06T02:20:00.000-07:00

I really like Japanese food. I guess some might see it as a natural progression from Chinese food, but I think Japanese food has it's own...distinctness(?). Unfortunately, my idea of what is Japanese food is probably completely colored by what they import to the U.S. and what sells here.

I found a really num-nummy looking site called Bento.com and there is some seriously cool things on here:

1.) If you happen to be in Tokyo or Osaka/Kyoto, there is a restaurant guide. I might not be able to go, but I sure wish they had bigger pictures so I could get a feel of what the dining experience might be like.

2.) The Food Gallery has a section with little picture tours of markets, food museums, weird restaurant signs...and other edible-related things. Once again, bigger pictures please!

3.) The best part is under Japanese Cuisines. Yay for recipes! A few I'd like to make-

* Oyako-donburi (chicken and egg over rice) (Rich tried to make this once but the seasoning was off.)

*The Aromatic Baked Salmon

* Shiso Tofu
Dammit. I'm really hungry now.

Some people just don't get it.

2008-08-05T03:56:00.000-07:00

I thought this was funny and good commentary on our times-

Dead Men Read No Mail

By Scott Hanson, from the Orlando Sentinel Star newspaper
My father died on Jan 02, 1995. He left no forwarding address.
Therefore, it fell to me to collect his mail. I didn't expect much really, since my sisters and I had been careful to notify his bank, insurance agent and a host of other businesses that one of their customers was no more.
You would think a death notice would cut down on the amount of correspondence from those firms. Quite the contrary. Instead -- for months, mind you -- my deceased father continued to receive mail from companies that had been told of his passing but pressed on, determined to contact him anyway.
The first to hope for a reply from beyond the grave was my father's bank.
Dear Mr. Hanson,
Our records indicate payment is due for overdraft protection on your checking account. Efforts to contact you have proven unsuccessful. Therefore, we are automatically withdrawing your monthly $28.00 service charge from you account. Please adjust your records accordingly.
Sincerely,
The Phoenix Branch
Dear Phoenix Branch,
This is to notify you once again that Mr. Hanson died Jan 02, 1995. It is therefore unlikely he will be overdrawing his account. Please close his account, and adjust your books accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hansom
Later that same week, I receive this note from Dad's insurance company. Again, this is a firm that had been told in no uncertain terms of his death.
Dear Mr. Hanson,
It's time to renew your auto insurance policy! To continue your coverage, you must send $54.17 to this office immediately. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of your policy, and interruption of your coverage.
Sincerely,
Your Insurance Agent
Dear Insurance Agent,
This is to remind you that Mr. Hanson has been dead since January. As such, the odds he'll be involved in a collision are quite minimal. Please cancel the policy, and adjust your books accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson.
The next day, I went to my mailbox to find this:
Dear Mr. Hanson,
Let me introduce myself. I am a psychic reader, and it is very important that you contact me immediately. I sense that you are about to enter a time of unprecedented financial prosperity. Please call the enclosed 900 number immediately, so I can tell you how best to take full advantage of the opportunities that are coming your way.
Sincerely,
Your Psychic Reader
Dear Psychic Reader,
My father regrets he will be unable to call you 900 number. As a psychic reader, I'm sure you already know my father is dead, and had been for more than three weeks when you mailed your letter to him. I sense my father would be more than happy to take you up on your offer of a psychic reading, should you care to meet with him personally.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson
P.S. Should you be in contact with my father in the future, please ask him if he'd like to renew his car insurance.
A few months of calm passed, and then these arrived:
Dear Mr. Hanson,
Our records indicate a balance of $112 has accrued for overdraft protection on your checking account. Efforts to contact you have proven unsuccessful. Please pay the minimum amount due, or contact this office to make other arrangements. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving all of your future borrowing needs.
Sincerely,
Your Bank's San Diego District Office
Dear San Diego District Office,
I am writing to you for the third time now to tell you my father died in January. Since then, the number of checks he's written has dropped dramatically. Being dead, he has no plans to use his overdraft protection or pay even the minimum amount due for a service he no longer needs. As for future borrowing needs, well, don't hold your breath.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson
Dear Mr. Hanson,
Records show you owe a balance of $54.17 to your insurance agent. Efforts to contact you have proven unsuccessful. Therefore, the matter has been turned over to us for collection. Please remit the amount of $54.17 to our office or we will be forced to take legal action to collect the debt.
Sincerely,
Your Insurance Agent's Collection Agency
Dear Collection Agency,
I told your client. Now I'm telling you. Dad's dead. He doesn't need insurance. He's dead. Dead, dead, dead. I doubt even your lawyers can change that. Please adjust your books accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson
A few more months, and:

Dear Mr. Hanson,
Our records show an unpaid balance of $224 has accrued for overdraft protection on your checking account. Our efforts to contact you have proven unsuccessful. Please remit the amount in full to this office, or the matter will be turned over to a collection agency. Such action will adversely affect your credit history.
Sincerely,
Your Bank's Los Angeles Regional Office
Dear Los Angeles Regional Office,
I am writing for the fourth time to the fourth person at the fourth address to tell your bank that my father passed away in January. Since that time, I've watched with a mixture of amazement and amusement as your bank continues to transact business with him. Now, you are even threatening his credit history. It should come as no surprise that you have received little response from my deceased father. It should also be small news that his credit history is of minor importance to him now. For the fourth and final time, please adjust your books accordingly.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson
Dear Mr. Hanson,
This is your final notice of payment due to your insurance agent. If our firm does not receive payment of $54.17, we will commence legal action on the matter. Please contact us at once.
Sincerely,
Your Insurance Agent's Collection Agency
Dear Insurance Agent's Collection Agency,
You may contact my father via the enclosed 900 number.
Sincerely,
Scott Hanson
It has now been a couple of months since I've heard from these firms. Either the people writing these letters finally believe my father is dead, or they themselves have died and are now receiving similar correspondence.
Actually, there has been a lesson in these letters. Any one of them would be cause for great worry, if sent to a living person. The dead are immune from corporate bullying. There's nothing like dying to put business correspondence in its proper perspective.
Perhaps that's the best reason not to fear death. There's no post office there.

Original here.

The 7 Deadly Sins Glasses

2008-08-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting art piece although impractical for actual use. I like how they embody the idea of envy by making it so he can't actually drink his wine but only covet his neighbors.

To see all 7 sins, check out this website.

D's Tattoo, Part 1

2008-07-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

[Note: if it looks like it's showing the same picture multiple times, it's just loading; give it a few minutes. It does loop at the end though.]

F'n Around with Photoshop

2008-07-17T14:52:00.001-07:00

Trying to teach myself the other tools I neglect in Photoshop.

Weezer is ok...

2008-07-17T00:06:00.000-07:00

...but this video rocks. Yay for pop culture!

A smattering of info.

2008-07-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

1. Check this video out. It's way cute. Ddautta.

2. Rich and I will be checking out Bino's Bistro & Winebar tomorrow from 6:30 to 8pm. Join us.

3. We should, maybe, shortly, have a slideshow of D's current tat to show.

my new bike

2008-07-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.bianchiusa.com/08_milano_citta.html

To save money
To exercise

I felt like I needed a bike
New bike
Now I got one

my friend works for the company and gave me
big discount...

i will be going everywhere..
near my house... haha

Cleaning up my desk.

2008-07-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Going through the tons of junk on my desk and stumbled across quite a few business cards and postcards I've collected from "art walks" and comic-con.

This is the ceramic work of Michael and Sumati Colpitts. All I can say is wow. I'd actually love any of these (not just the ones pictured, but really anything they have on that site...except the masks. I don't do masks.)

This is Bruno Barreto. He does the awesomest collages and shadow boxes. And his paintings are cool too.

This is Rin Y. Colabucci. I think her paintings have an illustrative and child-like quality to them. I bet they would make great children's books.

This is Eric Knisley ("The K is silent...like the kninja.") I was first introduced to Furlington Mackelthwaite (the little green dinosaur thing on the left corner) at comic-con 2 years ago. His sense of humor is kind of like Happy Tree Friends. Twisted.

This is Karen O'Brien. I like the whimsical yet almost melancholy mood to her paintings. Also, they're very cartoony, which I am ok with. She also does collage which I am really interested in as well. She teaches class locally at the San Diego Art Department.

This is Paz Winshtein. I like her drawings better than her paintings. They seem to have this energy and alienness and more...freedom.

This is Julia C.R. Gray. I saw her koi-women at an art walk and liked the transformative idea.

Last is Lando Pasimio. I couldn't link any of his pics. I hate when artists do that. How are you supposed to fish people in without visuals?? He's got cool woofs but I'm only luke-warm on a lot of the other stuff.

Happy Birthday to me?

2008-07-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

A few suggestions as to my materialistic desires (hey...I'm a product of my American culture; what can I say?!):

The perfect gift for me starts and ends right here. Everything else is just filler. Yes, it's the Bacon of the Month Club. Holy Shit.

Some clothes I like (yes, I have more than enough but these are really pretty!): Shimmery Purple Pant Set, Peasant Dress, Rich Batik Dress, Scarf Print Tunic, Retro Tunic and Pants. (For sizes just ask. I don't mind ruining my surprise!)

This Remote Control LED Light Bulb would be neat for setting up a still life and then painting it in different colors.

The Beta Pen! I have no idea how these work, but it's just all metal. Never runs out of "ink". I think that would be freakin handy to have around.

Yes, another writing instrument. The Wowpen! I think sometimes I'm like a guy when it comes to gadgets, but this might be pretty handy for school notes, and I'd like to see how it does on drawing.

The Kneeling Chair! These are actually a lot more comfortable than they look and better for your back.

Wig Out!

2008-07-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

NWS!