 |
 |
 |
|
Saturday, May 31, 2003
 | [4] |
Running Report: I don't know if it's the hormones themselves or just my belief in them, but I have so much energy it's unbelievable. Normally I have to drag myself to the gym. Today I actually thought: "I feel like running." Granted, I'm still not brave enough to run outside, but I hit the treadmill at the gym with more enthusiasm than ever before. I didn't feel sluggish or awkard; I felt bouncy and fast. I'd run a mile and a half before I even felt like taking a walk. I finished my three miles in 35:00, and the 5K in 36:00. Folks, this means my average mile time has dropped from 12:30 to less than 12 minutes in the past month. Viva la fartlek! Anyway, I was still bouncing at three miles so I decided to push on to four or even five. All was going well for half a mile... when I suddenly felt a tell-tale twinge in my right calf muscle. Damn, it's that Achilles again. I figured I should stop before I made it any worse, so I came home. I had a massage scheduled anyway, so I had her do a little remedial there and even give me some reiki on it. (I'm not a believer, but it can't hurt, right?) I just plan to ice it and take it easy for a few days. I guess I just bounced a little too much. :)
The race countdown has begun though... Two weeks til the Nike Women's Classic! I officially registered yesterday and ordered my T-shirt. (Because really, I'm just all about the merchandise.) So, my Coaches, what do you think my training plans should be in these final days? I know I can handle the distance, so I probably shouldn't push myself too hard, huh? I downloaded the race map - since it's in a different location than last year - and I'm planning to head out there at least once so I know what to expect. Should I just concentrate on staying loose and hydrated? Should I forget about running entirely and cross-train for a while to take my mind off it? Whaddaya all think?
| [3] |
Did you know that Alexander Graham Bell didn't invent the telephone? I didn't know that. Huh.
Friday, May 30, 2003
| [4] |
The Snook and I tried out a newish restaurant in our area tonight: Sling 'N' Satay. It's supposed to be Singaporean cuisine. We weren't expecting much, but it was fantastic. We had satay for an appetizer and then I had laksa and the Snook had fish. Yeah, the noodles were slightly naughty, but it was too good to pass up. I love being able to leave our house and walk ten minutes down the street to places like this.
Thursday, May 29, 2003
| [10] |
Breaking News: Two stabbed in attempted hijack over Melbourne. The hijacker attacked them with "two small wooden stakes". Great. So much for knitting on the 20-hour trip to Chicago.
My drugs came today! I took my first dose this morning but I haven't noticed any immediate effects so far. Well, actually I noticed lots, but I'm 95% sure it's just my imagination. I definitely felt warmer at work though, so that's good. Just let me know if you notice me getting mental or anything. :)
| [5] |
A funny experiment that asks the question: "Does anybody ever look at credit card signatures?" The guy's normal signature reminds me of my friend Kel's, and the time we found a magazine in our dorm study lounge covered in her name. Apparently she used it to write on for practice. We still tease her about that. (Hi Kel!) Link courtesy of Kristen.
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
| [2] |
As avid CouchCam viewers are no doubt aware, I've been quilting my ass off here lately trying to get Kenya and Sal's wedding present done in time for their nuptials next week. I'm happy to announce that the actual quilting stage is finally finished! Now I just have to finish the edges and embroider a message for them. With luck, I might have one or two fingers unbloodied to upload a picture for you when I'm done...
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
| [6] |
I seem to be building a collection here...
| [1] |
Two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine are finally providing evidence that not only does the Atkins Diet work, it's actually beneficial for your health. Take that, detractors! You can read about it here and here. (Also note that my own cholesterol, which was checked yesterday, is "normal" after nearly a year of this diet.)
Monday, May 26, 2003
| [6] |
Doctor's Report: The results of last week's blood tests are back, with most items decidedly normal. There were a couple hormonal anomalies, though, as expected. My DHEA levels are about half what they should be. Testosterone (yes, girls need it too!) is also a little low. My level of thyroid hormone (T3) is within the normal range, but it's at the low end (and there's some question whether what I am producing is doing what it's supposed to). The upshot? I'm getting two supplements this week that should start making a world of difference. Get ready for the new vigorous Kris!
Sunday, May 25, 2003
| [7] |
Cripes. Next month's vacation itinerary:- United States: Security threat increased to high (orange) on May 20.
- United Kingdom: Risk of terrorism.
- Italy: SARS risk.
- Singapore: SARS risk.
Bloody wonderful. Well, at least the Aussie dollar's doing pretty well. We travelers take our lives into our own hands, but at least we'll have a decent exchange rate.
| [3] |
I just jumped in on an interesting Glitter discussion about anonymity and blogging. As I've said here before, I like my visitors to know that I'm a real person with a real name and identity. Sure, this means I have to practice a little self-censorship every now and then, but I feel it's a worthwhile trade-off. I also just find that I enjoy reading blogs about "real people" more. Just about every site on my links list down there is written by someone that I can identify by name and location. They're my friends. Why would I want to read about someone completely name-less? As far as I'm concerned, that's what novels are for.
FUN! I just had my first teppanyaki experience tonight. That's where you all sit around a big grill while a flamboyant Japanese chef cooks your meal and performs as he goes along. It's like an episode of Iron Chef live in front of you (except without all the naughty Bobby Flay standing-on-chopping-board grandstanding). It was for my friend Sal's bachelorette party. I watched in amazement as our chef sliced and grilled and chopped and lit stuff on fire. At one point he handed out a couple bowls (including one to me) and then tossed raw eggs at us from, like, ten feet away. I am extremely proud to say I caught mine! We had prawns and chicken and steak and miso soup and vegetables. It was so fun. Highly recommended.
Saturday, May 24, 2003
| [2] |
Just seen on a sign outside a nearby church: "NEO IS NO MATCH FOR JESUS CHRIST." :)
| [2] |
Friday Five:
1. What brand of toothpaste do you use?
The Snook and I recently began sharing toothpaste for the first time, and since he's the pickier one we go with what he likes. It's "Macleans", I believe. He likes it to be actual paste (not gel), and he hates spearmint flavor. I can live with that.
2. What brand of toilet paper do you prefer?
Again, I'm not bothered. I usually just grab what's on sale. When he does the grocery run, the Snook usually gets something nicer (he likes quality) or the recycled brand (when he's feeling enviro-conscious). I like the idea of the recycled one, but the last time we had it I suddenly made the connection between the "Planet Ark" brand on the package and the "Planet Ark" that does the commercials asking people to send in their Christmas cards for recyling every year. Somehow it just feels a little wrong to wipe your bum with somebody else's Christmas card.
3. What brand(s) of shoes do you wear?
I love cheap-ass Payless shoes. Seriously. I have no shoe-brand loyalty, and with cheap shoes you can try out styles you might not normally wear. (Case in point: the chunky black 40's style heels still sitting in my closet that I bought but haven't found an occasion to wear yet.) My running shoes appear to be Asics, but that's just because it's what the salesman handed me.
4. What brand of soda do you drink?
I wish I could say Mountain Dew. Nowadays, though, it's Diet Coke all the way. I'm addicted to the stuff. I've become one of those girls.
5. What brand of gum do you chew?
Wow, do people actually have gum brand loyalty? I don't really chew it on a regular basis, but when I do it's just whatever I happen to pickup. My favorite used to be Strawberry Extra, but you can't get that here. Again, I have to avoid the spearmint if I want the Snook within a three foot radius of me. :)
Friday, May 23, 2003
New Poll: Are you properly hydrated?
| [5] |
I've been making a conscious effort lately to hydrate myself properly. Today, for instance, I've drank 1.5 litres of water and it's only lunchtime. I feel great, except for one little thing... I have to go to the bathroom every hour! It's annoying. I don't have a tiny bladder either; I used to pride myself on never leaving a movie or having to stop too often on long car trips. I nearly burst during X-Men 2 this week though! So will it always be like this, or will my body somehow get used to it? (I know caffeine is a diuretic, but I haven't had any so far today.) How much water do you drink a day?
| [2] |
Wow. While I deal with Olsen fan freaks, John's doing the same with Hugh Jackman obsessives. Has AOL just done a big new marketing push or something? There seem to be a lot of clueless weirdos on the Net these days...
| [4] |
Trivia Update: After a two week hiatus, "Six Standard Drinks" made their triumphant return tonight. We won! Personal highlights were knowing all the US States that start with "M" (courtesy of the alphabetical song I learned in elementary school) and that Tom Hulce and Kenny Baker starred together in Amadeus. There was a guaranteed bonus jackpot of $500 but we fell one point short. (We knew which state Colby Cheese originated in though.) Your questions: Name the six nations of the world that have produced undisputed world heavyweight boxing champions in the 20th century. Name the four countries that have won the most gold medals at Winter Olympics. And lastly, if you take the second star to the right and head straight on 'til morning, where do you end up?
Thursday, May 22, 2003
| [4] |
Hahahaha... "A Really Horrible Mom & Baby Cat Lamp Yikes." Indeed. Even funnier than the item itself is the location: Elkhart, Indiana! I nearly spewed iced tea over my keyboard when I read that. Then I had to check to see if it was anybody I know. It's a small, small world. (Link courtesy of Matt.)
| [9] |
The Snook and I finally saw X-Men 2 last night. It rocked! I was surprised afterwards to realize that my favorite mutant is now definitely Mystique. [Spoiler alert from this point on!] She's smart, she's sexy, she kicks ass, and she's not afraid to be herself. Yeah, sure, she's a villain and all, but I'll take her over Halle Berry any day. I had a few questions though for you fan-boy types: What exactly was up with the metal Mystique injected into the security guard? How did it get past the scanner? Also - why didn't Iceman freeze the dam before it ruptured? Wouldn't that have given them more time? (I don't think it would have helped, but the Snook disagrees.) And who was the big guy that covered himself with metal? Why isn't he a grown-up X-Man? Is he just an older kid? Lastly, what was up with that Lady Deathstrike chick? We haven't seen any other mutants that have "duplicate" powers, but evidently it's possible. We saw that Stryker was controlling her with his weird acid stuff, but it seemed to wear off on Cyclops pretty quick. Why couldn't Wolverine do the same rather than killing her? Maybe she could've been redeemed.
I think I'm going to have to see it again...
| [2] |
I've been following the Kathleen Folbigg story with some interest, and I was relieved today to see she was convicted of murdering all four of her children. What a horrible tragedy. All four died as babies and the defense tried to argue that they could've all died of natural causes, but there was evidence of suffocation in each case. Oh, and she, like, confessed to the whole thing in her diaries and then had to try to explain that away in court. Not a wise move.
I'm so, so happy that folks are still protesting this Hillbillies show. Kickass. Time to send another letter to CBS, methinks...
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
| [23] |
I am powerless. I read a recap of the Buffy finale. Man, it wasn't anything like I thought. I'd like to discuss it with some of you that saw it, so if you haven't seen it and you're trying to stay spoiler-free, stay away from the comments on this post...
| [6] |
One of the problems with going to a doctor in another country is that they call everything by a different name here. "Kristine, have you ever had glandular fever?" Think, think, think. "Oh, isn't that what you call mono? No, then I haven't." "How about thrush?" "Hmmm... what's that? Oh! Nooo, I haven't!" It gets complicated. But eventually I made it through my appointment with the endocrinologist yesterday, only to hear her say that she definitely thinks I'm hypothyroid. I had to go for blood tests and the results won't be back for a week, but based on my symptoms she's fairly certain. Hopefully as of next week she can prescribe me some drugs to make me feel better. She laughed as I described huddlling under three blankets next to the Snook, who only sleeps with a sheet. "I'll have you as warm as him within a few weeks," she told me. I can't wait.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
| [6] |
Roger Ebert thinks that Storm is really the top mutant. I have to disagree, if only because Halle Berry's character can't produce a funny one-liner to save her life. (Remember her horrible delivery of the "toad" line in the first movie?) If Buffy has any legacy at all, it's that superheroes should always dispatch their foes with a witty pun.
Me: So, what episode of Angel are we up to tonight, Snookums?
Snook: It's called "She".
[Forty minutes later...]
Me: Hmmm.
Snook: ...
Me: Is it just me, or was that whole episode about female genital mutilation?
Snook: Um, yeeeaaaah.
That said, the bit where Angel dances at the party made me laugh more than David Boreanaz ever has before.
Saturday, May 17, 2003
| [2] |
Running Update: Just ran the 5K in 37:00 flat, hitting the 3-mile mark at 36:00. That's a twelve minute mile pace! The fartlek is really helping me speed up. I also didn't have any back problems tonight, which is nice. I'm not sure whether to attribute that to the preemptive ibuprofen I took or the reiki treatment my masseuse gave me last week. :)
| [1] |
These Buffy Auctions are pretty damn cool. Too bad the only outfit that would actually fit me belonged to Giles though. (Link courtesy of Brigita.)
Friday, May 16, 2003
Friday Five:
1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?
At home we have a Brita water filter jug, but really we use it more for the coldness than the filtration. (As evidenced by the fact that we only recently changed the filter for the first time... over a year after we bought it.) At work I drink tap water.
2. What are your favourite flavor of chips?
It's been sooooo long since I had chips. (Long enough that it feels weird to call them that.) I used to be addicted to Cool Ranch Doritos back in college. Here I love Kettle Chips, especially the sea-salt-and-black-pepper and lime-and-black-pepper varieties. In England I even enjoyed salt and vinegar crisps. (I avoided all their weird meat flavoured ones though.)
3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?
Chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes. Unfortunately it's got seven zillion grams of carbs, so I haven't had it in ages.
4. How do you have your eggs?
It used to be strictly fried, but nowadays I like 'em all different kinds of ways. I like scrambled eggs and omelettes, and the mere thought of poached eggs and hollandaise sauce has me drooling. I've also finally learned to like hard-boiled eggs. I've started boiling up several at a time and keeping them in the fridge to take to work for snacks. I still like fried eggs too, especially with Worcestershire sauce (which the Snook introduced me to). The only egg I don't like is a soft-boiled one. It just kinda grosses me out.
5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?
Snookums cooked dinner Tuesday night: lamb chops, baked pumpkin, cauliflower mash, and asparagus. Soooo good. He's such a better cook than me.
| [4] |
My sister's been telling me for ages that she thinks I've got "hypothyroidism", based on my slow metabolism, aching muscles, and sensitivity to cold. I didn't take her too seriously. (We joke that she's the family hypochondriac.) I saw it mentioned in a Glitter thread yesterday though and it prompted me to do some research. Reading this list of symptoms was like reading a description of myself. Pain between the shoulders, difficulty losing weight, always feeling cold, recurrent seasonal allergies and sinusitis, feeling depressed... plus I've got a family history of thyroid problems. I found a recommended specialist and made an appointment to get tested. It's weird; I'm both dreading and hoping for a positive diagnosis. At least it would explain a lot, you know? And maybe I could feel better.
| [6] |
Okay, 'fess up. One of y'all taped the Dawson's Creek finale. You've got it; I want it. Let's make a deal.
Thursday, May 15, 2003
Sock Monkeys Update: Yes, I'm way behind. I know I owe about five monkeys to various people, and I haven't forgotten you. It's just that my friends' oft-delayed wedding is not only suddenly back on, it's happening in less than a month... and I still have a significant amount of quilting to do on their wedding present. I promise to get to them as soon as I can though!
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
| [2] |
Identify yourself with music. Since Max rejected REM, I've used them for my own answers.- Are you male or female? She Just Wants to Be
- Describe yourself. The Wake-Up Bomb
- How do some people feel about you? Half a World Away
- How do you feel about yourself? Imitation of Life
- Describe your boyfriend. The One I Love
- Where would you rather be? Underneath the Bunker
- Describe what you want to be. Superman
- Describe how you live. Shaking Through
- Describe how you love. Talk About the Passion
- Share a few words of wisdom. Why Not Smile?
I tried to avoid the super-obvious answers...
| [1] |
Experiment: This morning I got up 45 minutes earlier and went to the gym. I know; I couldn't believe it myself. I ran two miles before coming home to shower and have breakfast. So far I'm noticing that I have a little more energy than usual, and I'm not as hungry between meals. I might have to make a habit of this!
| [3] |
Spike... The Fonzie of our generation? Thanks to Brigita for pointing me to this great article about how Spike ruined Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And here we all thought it would be Michelle Trachtenberg!
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Seen in the window of the local tanning salon today: "Our only competition is 93 million miles away."
That's even funnier after a day like today. Just ask the Snook. He's the one that had to clean up the half-inch of water standing in our dining room this morning. :(
| [3] |
I friggin' love this... The Top Ten Punky Brewster Episodes of All Time. My personal favorites are #9 (the post-Challenger disaster episode with Buzz Aldrin) and #1 (where Cherie hides in a refrigerator and almost dies). An excerpt:I always liked this episode because there was a lady in my apartment building when I was growing up who also hated kids. Only, I never saved her life and we never became friends. She was a real bitch. Bwa ha ha ha! Very funny stuff.
| [4] |
 Harry Potter Mini-Scarf Bookmarks
My friend Steph is a primary school teacher and a few months ago she was admiring the Harry Potter scarves I'd knitted. Since I had lots of the yarn left over, I told her I'd knit a mini-scarf to use as a bookmark for each kid in her class. They're extremely simple and you can finish several in one night. I used a normal DK (8-ply) yarn and a slightly smaller needles size than recommended. (This makes for a bulkier bookmark.) Cast on 8 stitches in red, knit six rows, and switch to yellow. Knit six more rows and switch again, each time carrying the unused color up the side. When you've got thirteen stripes, cast off and weave in the ends. Add three tassels on each end, made from one strand of each color. Voila! And I even managed to get them done before the next movie comes out. :)
(Special thanks to Amy, who helped out by knitting some up from her own stash.)
Monday, May 12, 2003
| [5] |
Monday Annoyances:- Noting moth-eaten holes in your favorite sweater as you pull it out of storage
- Co-workers who rearrange the fridge to fit in their lunch and prop yours up sideways without realizing that you deliberately left it upright so it wouldn't leak curry all over everything
- Learning that though I follow the rules and turn in timesheets when I'm sick (so I don't get paid for the time off), my unscrupulous stinky colleague never does
- ARRGGHH! Thinking that the Survivor finale isn't for a few days so you open up your web browser and there's a big-ass headline spoiling it all for you
Okay, your turn...
| [2] |
I am so going to try out Sailor Moon hair on myself!
Sunday, May 11, 2003
Happy Mother's Day, Ma!
| [9] |
 I've just posted my May Day Project Photos from yesterday. There are a few cute ones in there. My biggest problem was that I kept forgetting to take pictures! I completely forgot during my morning sewing class. I've made up for it by including one where you can almost see my boob. (I'm serious.) You can see other folks' contributions on the official project site. I wish mine were as cool as Tracey's!
Saturday, May 10, 2003
| [4] |
Torture. My back has still been giving me trouble so I tried a new treatment today: massage. Ow. Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow. I can't believe I actually paid someone to make me feel this wretched. Don't get me wrong; it felt great at the time and she probably did me good in the long run. It's just that I'm having trouble seeing past the "blinding, throbbing pain" right now.
Friday, May 9, 2003
Apparently I am not the only one that finds the 8 Mile soundtrack inspirational.
| [3] |
New Poll: Cedar Point keeps bringing out bigger and faster roller coasters, but is that really what keeps the public coming back? Let's find out. When you go to an amusement park, what's the first thing you head towards?
| [3] |
Friday Five:
1. Would you consider yourself an organized person? Why or why not?
No. I wish that I were, and every now and then I get a surge of organizing energy and think I'm going to change my life, but it inevitably fades and then I'm left with a Handspring computer that I'll never ever use again. (Just to cite one example.) I'm just too lazy.
(Sidenote: I find this week's questions really difficult since my brain keeps wanting to spell it "organise". I'm being assimilated! I can just picture myself going home to Indiana in a few months and saying "to-mah-to" and getting my ass kicked.)
2. Do you keep some type of planner, organizer, calendar, etc. with you, and do you use it regularly?
The sad fact is I adore planners and organizers. I just don't use them. Right now I'm trying to use iCal and Address Book, since they're already on my computer, but it's so hard to keep everything current, you know?
3. Would you say that your desk is organized right now?
Oh good grief, NO. I've got a computer and a sewing machine and a scanner and a pile of socks (waiting to be turned into monkeys) and several glasses (that I bring up from the kitchen and forget) and a tangle of jewelry (that I take off after work and forget) and a jumble of batteries and coins and hair clips. It's a mess.
4. Do you alphabetize CDs, books, and DVDs, or does it not matter?
Oddly enough, this is the one area where the Snook and I are organized. Movies and CDs are done strictly alphabetically, while our books are categorized into fiction, non-fiction, and reference. The fiction is all alphabetized, while the non-fiction and reference are sorted into a bastardized Dewey Decimal System that we invented.
5. What's the hardest thing you've ever had to organize?
Definitely the move out here from England and my application for Australian residency. There were so many forms and statements to fill out, and everything had to be witnessed at the court house and photocopied. We basically had to prove our relationship was legitimate, using everything from pictures and joint travel receipts to bills and bank statements. The scariest part was knowing that if we screwed up, I'd get deported. Luckily it all turned out right in the end!
Thursday, May 8, 2003
| [2] |
 Socks!
Tonight I finished my first pair of knitted socks. They're big house socks for the Snook to putter around in. Since double-pointed needles scare me and I like to do things as quickly as possible, I used this "Double Trouble" pattern for knitting both socks at once on two circular needles. (That sounds difficult, but this page has great illustrations that explain it pretty clearly.) To the right there you can see the Snook modelling them. The wool was a German "Sockenwool" that I did on 2.75 mm needles to get a 10 st/inch gauge. It was dyed in varying colors which gives a nice mottled effect. Pretty sweet, huh? Here are two more pics of the socks on the needles to give you an idea of how it was done. (I did the calf section in 2x2 rib, which is why it looks so much skinnier than the body of the sock.)
 
I was most scared of "turning the heel" but this pattern makes it a cinch. I recommend it for you beginning knitters that are getting tired of making scarves! Just use a thicker wool than I did. The thin stuff takes ages to knit up... :)
| [1] |
I'm eeeevilll, like the froo-it of the devilllllll. Seriously, I just got banished to the seventh level of hell. What's worse, I scored pretty high on, like, five other levels! I thought I gave pretty darn virtuous answers to most of those questions. I guess if I'm this bad now, there's no point in trying to reform! :)
Where in Hell are you?
Oh, YUCK. My high school thankfully didn't have any nasty hazing rituals. We did have an annual Powderpuff tournament as part of Homecoming, but it was officially sanctioned and took place during half-time of the big game. I never played but my younger sister did. First play of the game she slipped in some mud and cracked heads with the girl on the opposite line. She ended up in the hospital with a concussion and a line of stitches down the center of her forehead. Of course, she'd probably prefer that to human excrement and pig intestines any day...
Update: They actually showed part of the video tonight on the news! What horrid little teenage beeatches.
(Link courtesy of Brigita.)
Survivor was SO infuriating last night! The Snook and I watched in horror as Christy dug her own grave. Rob is a desperate man, and you don't mess around with desperate men. She developed a bad case of what I like to call "The Hubris of the Swing Vote". I laughed when she called Jenna and Heidi the "evil stepsisters" at the end though.
The gameplay actually wasn't the really infuriating bit though. It was the whole reunion thing. I honestly can't get why these people freak out after being away from their loved ones for a month. A friggin' month! I haven't seen any of my family for over a year and a half. Yeah, I'm homesick, but I don't burst into tears at the mere mention of them. It just completely plays into the international perception that Americans are whiny little babies who never leave home. I could almost justify it in Jenna's case, since her Mom is sick and all, but then why in the hell would you go on a game show if your Mom had cancer anyway? ARRRGGGGH.
I've got nothing but praise for Channel 9 though, since they're showing an extra episode this Saturday to get us caught up with America. Thus I'll only have to avoid Internet spoilers for 24 hours rather than a week, which would've been impossible. At this point I'm cheering for anybody but the "evil stepsisters". Even Psycho Matt would be better than them. (And note to Heidi: It's pronounced "percent", not "persint.")
| [4] |
Go convince Max to buy an iPod. They're so tomorrow, you know.
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
| [2] |
Scariness. I came home tonight to find the Snook huddled miserably on the sofa, white as a sheet. He was running a fever and shivering so hard his whole body shook. I've never seen him with more than a sniffle, so I was actually pretty scared. (No, it's not SARS.) I gave him some paracetamol and soup, which seems to have helped, but he's such a stubborn little boy sometimes and he resists being babied. I'm hoping it's just a stomach bug that'll depart as quickly as it came. In any case he'll probably stay home tomorrow to rest, so keep an eye on him via CouchCam for me, will ya?
| [1] |
Ernie - back from the dead and with a new design to boot! - linked to this interesting comparison of the X-Men movies and comic books. It's slightly spoilerish though, so you probably shouldn't read it if you're one of the three people in the world that hasn't seen X2 yet. (Sadly, that number includes me.)
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
| [14] |
OUCH! I don't know if it was from the run Saturday or the cleaning frenzy Sunday, but my shoulders and neck have been incredibly sore for the past two days. Like, pain, stiffness, and cramps to the point of nausea. I've been taking hot baths and using a heating pad, which have been helping, but it's driving me crazy. Any home remedies for sore muscles?
Monday, May 5, 2003
| [10] |
Postmodern architecture is FUN, y'all. I just saw a picture of the Longaberger Company Headquarters for the first time. It's a giant picnic basket! How cool is that?
(For any non-Americans - and possibly non-Midwesterners, because I fear this is a regional thing - Longaberger makes wicker baskets and charges obscene prices for them. This does not stop Midwestern housewives from collecting hundreds of the darn things. Don't get me wrong; they're nice baskets. But if I'm going to pay $200 for a basket, I want it to be studded with diamonds.)
Sunday, May 4, 2003
| [3] |
Burn it down and salt the earth.
I reached the end of my patience with the pantry moth infestation. We'd thrown everything out that we thought they might be in but they just didn't go away. So today the Snook and I went on the offensive. We took everything out of our cupboard and checked each and every package for tell-tale grubs or webs. They were in packets of tea; they were in pasta; they were even in the sugar. (Luckily they were mostly in things we haven't eaten since we started Atkins.) All of it got chucked. Then I cleaned and wiped the shelves and walls with bleach. The remaining food is now back in place and a lovely little packet of moth balls is resting in the corner. We will be victorious; I swear it.
Since the pantry offensive left us feeling all grown-up and responsible, we decided to tackle two other problem areas in the house: the fridge and the stairs. While the Snook scrubbed gooey spilled soy sauce off the fridge shelves, I dragged the vacuum up and down the stairs while laboriously scrubbing the dust out of the carpet. Suddenly our steps are two shades lighter. We're such pigs. But at least today we're mature, slightly less disgusting pigs.
| [2] |
I'm sure my favorite New Hampshirite* will be grieving the loss of the Old Man of the Mountain today. That's too bad. I'd never heard of it before, but based on the picture it really did look like a face!
(* What does one call a person from New Hampshire anyway?)
Saturday, May 3, 2003
Tracey's bandwidth is taking a hammering, so if you're linking to the Mayday Project with one of her buttons, please upload it to your own server and save her some headache. I just did!
| [4] |
I did five miles at the gym tonight. Five miles! I averaged 12:30 a mile too. Which is weird, because that's, like, my default pace. I keep adding distance, but it always seems to work out to 12:30. Maybe I should push myself harder when I run shorter distances. *shrug* Anyhoo, I was about to throw in the towel at the 4.5 mile mark tonight when the gym manager put on the 8 Mile soundtrack. Suddenly I was starring in my very own Nike video to the tune of Eminem's "Lose Yourself". I never even liked that song before, but it became my damn anthem. It was like... transcendence. I was just pumpin' along and pushin' up the pace and feelin' the rhythm and suddenly there I was at five miles. (Or should I say 5 Mile?) It felt so good. That song is now going on my permanent workout playlist.
| [1] |
Wow. The Sydney evening news actually did a segment on the new Cedar Point rollercoaster tonight! It's so weird whenever I come across a reference to the Midwest over here.
| [5] |
Good News: We bought our round-the-world tickets today. We fly from Sydney to Chicago, Chicago to Boston, Boston to London, London to Venice, Rome to London, and London to Sydney via Singapore.
Bad News: An Australian flight attendant has just been placed in isolation with a suspected case of SARS after working the Singapore to Sydney flight. Crap.
Friday, May 2, 2003
| [4] |
Friday Five:
1. Name one song you hate to admit you like.
There are so many. Just tonight I was trying to hide iPod from view so the cool guy waiting near me at the bus stop wouldn't see that I was bopping to "All the Small Things" by Blink 182.
2. Name two songs that always make you cry.
People actually cry from songs? Seriously, people. I mean, sure, if your boyfriend has just dumped you and you're listening to the Smiths, maybe. But I don't think a song on its own has ever made me weep. I guess if I had to answer I'd say Ani Difranco's "Untouchable Face" and U2's "One" make me choke up a little bit. A very little.
3. Name three songs that turn you on.
REM's "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?", Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", and Indigo Girls' "Romeo and Juliet".
4. Name four songs that always make you feel good.
"See a Little Light" by Bob Mould, "I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono" by Dar Williams, "Fight Test" by Flaming Lips, and "New York City" by Cub.
5. Name five songs you couldn't ever do without.
What, in addition to all the ones I've just named? Let's see... "Like a Prayer" by Madonna, "Knowing Me Knowing You" by ABBA, "Say Goodbye" by Dave Matthews Band, "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" by XTC. Man, I didn't realize I was such a fan of pop music. I guess everybody likes to think of themselves as a "serious" and discerning fan, but I can't hide behind that anymore. I am an unabashed crappy pop music whore.
I was telling my co-workers this morning that one of the pub trivia questions last night was: "Which company invented the dot matrix printer?" They all laughed because the answer, of course, is Epson. Well, to be technical, it was Seiko who then started Epson. They built the "EP-101" for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. (Hence the name "Epson", which expresses the company's determination to produce many worthy "sons" of the EP-101. That's from our company magazine; I kid you not.) Anyway, afterwards one of the IT guys called me over and showed me the EP-101! We've got one in a display case. It looked like a lawnmower motor, to be honest. I thought it was pretty funny though.
Thursday, May 1, 2003
| [18] |
Trivia Update: Disappointment. Our bid to defend the title was unsuccessful. We had eight people and we weren't drunk; we just got a lot wrong this week. We failed to guess the two swimming events Mark Spitz won gold medals in, and we also missed the two years London hosted the Summer Olympics. My own meager personal highlights were knowing the four Presidents shown on Mount Rushmore and correctly identifying the Cure song "Boys Don't Cry". Questions of the Week: What letter do most of the world's countries end in? Which country executed Mata Hari?
| [6] |
I was lamenting to my friend Kevin this morning that I haven't been able to find any Crisco in the can in Sydney to bake with. I've seen the bottles of cooking oil everywhere, but never the solidified stuff. Imagine my surprise when he responded, "I've seen it!" Me: "Where?" Him: (embarrassed) "The sex shop." Hilarious! And yet gross too, especially since I'll probably have to venture in there to pick some up if I get the baking urge...
Created and maintained by Kristine Howard ©
2000-2008.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
