Less of a Social Life: Updated for Fall 2009

My university posted the tentative fall schedules: I may have to inquire about taking up permanent residence in the lab building.

For sure classes include
Complex Analysis I (Learning how to do calculus proofs with imaginary numbers)
Electricity and Magnetism plus lab
Heat and Thermodynamics plus lab

Then I have to choose between
Classical Mechanics II (Sequels are rarely as good as the originals)
Mathematical Physics I
I'll ask around my faculty adviser and some other students which will be "easier". I could take both but

1 300-level math + 2 200-level physics + 2 200-level physics labs + 2 300-level physics = brain explosion

Consider Reducing Your Font Size

A friend sent me a forward today and this was the size of the text:



Further down it gets smaller but not small enough to have an entire line displayed on the screen.

Best T-Shirt Ever

Sounds Like Me

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I'm Pretty Sure it Raised My Cholesterol Just Looking at It...

Behold, the Internet sensation Bacon Explosion:


Bacon surrounded by two pounds of Italian sausage wrapped with two pounds of bacon. Looks like a good idea at the time but something you'd regret much later like KFC or deep fried cheese.

My Highest Scrabble Score Ever

A good game for me is anything over 420 (a bad game is anything under 350). There is something about that 420 barrier that is difficult to get past. Previous record was 475. When I realized that I might break 500 I was so excited I could barely stand it.

Awkward Conversations

I have a classmate who has asked me to met with her tomorrow morning to help her with an assignment. Currently she has a pharmacy degree but wants become a doctor. She has a couple classes she needs to pick up before she can apply for med school. She needs a physics class but didn't want to take one with a lab. The only such class being offered this semester has 3 Calculus classes and 1 Physics class as prerequisites -- she only has one of the Calculus classes and none of the others. She convinced the professor to let her into the class. Do you see the problem here?
I do not have the time to teach her everything she needs for this class -- I barely have enough time to finish my own assignments. Is it for me to say that maybe she shouldn't be in this class? Do I let her figure that out for herself? I definitely have to tell her that I only have a limited amount of time to help and if she needs more to get a tutor. This class is hard for those of us that have all the required classes.

Gross.

Pride Comes Before the Fall

"You want to know my philosophy? One day a peacock. The next day a feather duster."
PAT QUINN, the governor of Illinois, on his turn in the spotlight.

I'm that good...

Yesterday I busted my brother for cheating on a high school calculus test 8 years ago:



I admit that catching it after he finished university defeats the purpose but in my defense I didn't even live in the same city as him at the time.

Excellent Reason not to See the Underworld Prequel*

From Movies Without Pity's 9 Reasons You Shouldn't See Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

6) Bill Nighy can't fly in real life, and this is just a sad, 90-minute reminder of that painful fact.








*Besides the fact it looks like a terrible movie.

Out of Wack*

I went to a chiropractor today since my shoulder and lower back are not getting better on their own. He agrees that I had a very bad week, now I have scientific evidence to collaborate. I strained my rotor cuff, jammed my left hip bone (which caused it to lock) and two of my lower vertebrae are askew. Good news is I probably only have to go to the chiropractor for about a month.








*of the wiggity variety.

Carol, you're pants are ready

Marilyn called to let you know. Since I do not know either of you, I hope you get this message.

The Lab That Would Not Die

I had quite the week. Not only did I fall multiple times but I also completely forgot to go to a class and went completely brain dead during a physics lab. Not being able to convert centimetres to metres was the first sign that maybe I was lacking the thinking capacity to be performing experiments. We had a horrible time trying to set up various apparatus and barely collected the data before the end of the three hours (or so we thought). The next day my partner texted me to point out that a set of our data was bad -- we had to redo the entire second part of the experiment. Later as I was doing calculations, I realized that the first set of data was bunk as well so I had to redo that as well. Tonight my partner texted me again to mention we failed to make some measurements for our equipment. Oy, so now I have to go back again to my lab instructor tomorrow and tell him that we are still not quite done yet. How embarrassing.

Last semester, I had the best lab mark in the class but I'm certainly not acting like it this semester.

That Doesn't Even Make Sense

I came across an article about not appearing nervous when speaking in public. In reference to avoiding too many hand gestures:
"Don't pretend that you are Adam and give yourself a fig leaf."

Barack Obama's inauguration in Legoland, California

In one of the more detailed pictures they even have dudes waiting in line at the port-a-potty.

The Loneliest Man in Sports

You want the most stressful job in sports? Live behind the mask of Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price
Source: ESPN the Magazine Online, Lindsay Berra

My life as a character in a silent film

While still smarting from my fall on Monday, I fell down the stairs at the university on Wednesday. I tripped over my untied boot lace and fell head first down the stairs. Thankfully I was able to grab onto the rail with both arms so I only fell down about three stairs and landed on my knees. My arm and back are worse and my knees are badly bruised but at least I didn't hit my head or break any bones. I expect next week I'll fall from a a 20-foot barn ladder, slip into a giant vat of fresh cream and while vacationing in Egypt, manage to stir a 5,000-year-old mummy from its restful slumber.

Quotables

Here are the rules of the game (for me):
Pick 10 of your favorite movies
Write a quote from each movie
Make your friends guess the quote
Fill in the film title once it’s been guessed

These rules are for you people:
Don't cheat.
Leave your answer(s) in the comments.

1. Without you, today's emotions would be the scurf of yesterday's. Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain or also more commonly known as Amélie
   
2. Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town? Swingers
   
3. Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear. Empire Records
   
4. Sir. Whilst I don't wish to be rude, I do believe that you watched too many Tarzan films as an impressionable child. Mean Machine
   
5. The ball is round, the game lasts 90 minutes, everything else is pure theory. Lola rennt or more commonly known as Run Lola Run
   
6. That's Tommy. He tells people he was named after a gun, but I know he was really named after a famous 19th century ballet dancer. Snatch
   
7. You're the only woman for me. You and Janet Jackson. Enemy of the State
   
8. If you hold back anything, I'll kill ya. If you bend the truth, or I think you're bending the truth, I'll kill ya. If you forget anything, I'll kill ya. In fact, you're gonna have to work very hard to stay alive Nick. Now, do you understand everything I've just said? Cause' if you don't, I'll kill ya! Now, Mr Bubble and Squeak, you may enlighten me. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
   
9. Man, I wanna see a picture of this Nubian princess. If you were any less black, you would be clear. Go
   
10. My line? My most effective one is to tell a girl she has hair like a tortured midnight, lips like a red couch in an ivory palace that I'm lonely and starved for affection. Then, I generally burst into tears -- It seldom works. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
    

Bonus Questions:
Which two of quotes were said by the same actor? Vas Blackwood
Which three movies have the same producer? Matthew Vaughn

Walker, Texas Ranger Commerical Transcript

Announcer: "Walker, Texas Ranger, serving up justice on DVD..."
Chuck Norris: "He deserves a beating"
Random Dude: "He sure does"
[Round house kick]
[Explosion]
Announcer: "...one fist at a time."
[Jumping from moving helicopter and tackling dude]
Chuck Norris: "You're under arrest."
[Explosion]
Announcer: "With all 23 action pact episodes."
Black Texas Ranger: "Maybe we should call for back up."
[Round house kick]
[Double ear slap]
[Quickdraw]
[Kick a dude through a window]
Chuck Norris: "Why?"

Ever wanted to be annoying to anybody? Here's how.

Last night I came across a "How to" wiki site. Curious what the site had to offer, I came across these gems in the Language Nuances category. This is some of the more confusing and ridiculous advice -- I wish I was making these up.

How to Be Annoying to People Who Use Expressions

Whenever somebody uses an expression or exaggeration, challenge it by being literal. Example: If somebody says: "Think outside the box," you should say: "What box?" or "How big is the box? Because if everybody thought inside it, it would have to be pretty big." or "What is it that is inside this 'box' that is so important for people to think about?" or something of that nature.

How to Think of Quick Witted Comebacks

One tactic to use is to mutter "[insult]saywhat" really quickly, and they will say, "What?"
Do not, under any circumstances, use childish insults such as "I know you are, but what am I". It does not work - at all.
Never ever, ever, ever say just "your mom" unless you are countering a mom insult with your own. And if they are actually using a mom insult, it probably isn't a serious situation.
'Leave me alone' does not work.

How to Be Cool

Being cool can be a challenge. A lot of people who aren't cool can slow your path to coolness down. So if something puts you in a bad mood, it's good to have reminders of your end goal of being awesomely cool. Also if your mood distracts you enough for you to forget your end goal reminders can help you stay positive.

How to Be Sarcastic

Example:
“You stole my homework to copy it!”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Hmmm...the dog must have eaten it, then!”

A Little Banged and Bruised

I fell hard on my left hip crossing the street -- the road had a layer of soft snow over ice. I had just got off the bus and was only about a half block from home so I didn't have far to walk. My hip is a little swollen but doesn't hurt even if I touch it. I tried to break my fall with arm and I think I sprained it. My back and neck are stiff and incredibly sore. I'm incredibly grumpy now and just can't shake it.

Hit and Miss

1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, iPod on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds!
There were way too many so I used the same ones LynnieC did.

How would you describe yourself?
"French Taunter Part 1", Monty Python and the Holy Grail
“I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.”
Strangely perfect description

How do you feel today?
"Marching the Hate Machines into the Sun", Thievery Corporation featuring the Flaming Lips
I know the song and even I'm confused

What is your motto?
"Star", David Bowie

I could do with the money
I'm so wiped out with things as they are
I'd send my photograph to my honey - and I'd c'mon like a regular superstar

What do your friends think of you?
"What I Got", Sublime
"Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that"
Apparently my friends don't know me very well.

What do you think about very often?
"Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois", Sufjan Stevens
Wow, I'm nerdier than I even knew.

What do your parents think about you?
"Gonna Buy Me a Dog", The Monkees
Weep

What do you think of your best friend?
"Leaving to Stay", Jonny Lang

What is your life story?
"Sunny Days (Sesame Street Theme)"

What do you want to be when you grow up?
"Black Math", The White Stripes
Creepy

What do you think when you see the person you like?
"Blackbird", The Beatles

What song will they play at your wedding?
"I Wear My Sunglasses at Night", Corey Hart
I'm pretty sure that will be played at LynnieC's wedding over and over and over again as she air guitars down the aisle

What will they play at your funeral?
"Chramer, Gip Die Varwe Mir - Krämer, Gib Mir Die Frabe", Carmina Burana
A little too triumphant

What is your hobby/interest?
"Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe", Barry White

What do you think about love?
"Seed 2.0", The Roots

Knocked up nine months ago
And what she's fittin' to have she don't know
She wants neo-soul cause hip hop is old
She don't want no rock'n roll
She want platinum, ice and gold
She want a whole lot of somethin' to fold
If you're an obstacle she'll just drop you cold
Cause one monkey don't stop the show

What is your biggest flaw?
"Dream a Little Dream", Mamas and the Papas
I wish it wasn't true.

What is your best trait?
"Brand New Key", Melanie Fathkay
That's kinda gross

Quote for this Generation Too

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.

* Winston Churchill, Speech at the House of Commons, 12 November 1936

Brussel Sprouts

Am I the only one that didn't know that brussel sprouts grow on stalks? I always thought that they were like baby cabbages or something.

Valuing What Really Matters

"In elevating to a level of demiworship people with big bucks, we have been destroying the values of our future generation. We need a total rethinking of who the heroes are, who the role models are, who we should be honoring."
RABBI BENJAMIN BLECH, professor of philosophy of law at Yeshiva University, on the downfall of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff.



Betrayed by Madoff, Yeshiva U. Adds a Lesson
By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ
Published: December 23, 2008
The university is grappling with a sense of betrayal that goes beyond the $110 million it says it lost with Bernard L. Madoff.

Smarts Girls at the Party

What Did Amy Poehler Get You for Chrismukkah?

This one is going out to all those grad students...

"Don't make fun of grad students, they've just made a poor life choice."
- my friend MJ

More than a little unexpected

Word confirmation for my all-star hockey player vote:


Hmm, "Mathematics" and "mulai"*. I think that is more a reflection on the website creator than any affiliations with the NHL.





*Indonesian for "from".

Christmas Ideas for LynnieC*

Librarian Action Figure


Librarian Temporary Tattoos





*This is my 500th post on blogger.

NHL All-Star Game Picks

Chance of a Lifetime

Brett Leonhardt, web site producer for the Washington Capitals, had the chance of a lifetime to dress as an NHL goalie for a game. NHL teams have two goalies on their roaster and if one gets injured they get another from their minor league team. Last week, the Washington Capitals' goalie Jose Theodore injured himself the morning before a game and the replacement back-up goalie wasn't going to make it to the game in time. The Captials asked Leonhardt, who was a goalie in college, to dress as their back-up goalie until the replacement could arrive.

Leonhardt just one of the guys
Saturday, 12.20.2008 / 1:00 AM / Division Notes
By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer

Gift Ideas

Aunts And Stepdads Line Up For This Year's Hottest Gift: The Electric Tea Kettle

That's Why I Haven't Used IE in Years

All Internet Explorer Versions Have Hole, Gregg Keizer, Computerworld, Dec 13, 2008 8:00 am

Will my father and mother, who don't like new and different things, finally start using Firefox?

Bacon Quote of the Day

"Bacon is the key ingredient in the fall of communism." - Andrew D'Ambrosi (via Twitter)

Behind the Name

Pretty comprehensive site on the etymology of first names. The name Janice was created by Paul Leicester Ford for his novel 'Janice Meredith' (1899). huh.

Best. Baby. Ever.

Yeah, that's about right

Best Photo Blog Award

I previously mentioned a photo blog Regina in Pictures. The blog is up for a Canadian Blog Awards Best Photo/Art Blog. Give a deserving site your vote.

Is it something about me?

Sources: Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Canceled
Source: Watch with Kristin, Kristin Dos Santos, November 20, 2008, 4:11 PM

Why do shows I love get canceled?

Janny: Your Ultimate Source on Bea Arthur Wrestling Dinosaurs

No fewer than 5 out of the last 100 visitors to my blog were searching for images of Bea Arthur wrestling a velociraptors.

I tried a google search myself and came across this discussion on "Bea Arthur vs a Raptor"

StoneGold: Bea Arthur vs a Raptor

Crinos: Why is Bea Arthur floating? Is she haunting the Raptors her killed her?
Hmm... Bea Arthur goes back in time, gets killed by Raptors, then becomes a ghost that causes the extinction of the dinosaurs, thus gaining an army of dinosaur ghosts.
"Bea Arthur: Ghost dinosaur general."
Hey, I'd read it.

Grazzt:No, she's actually a super hero in real life. Just like Hugh Downs on Family guy, or Lucy Lawless on the Simpsons.
This gives me a good idea for a crossover. Deadpool/Bea Arthur in the Savage Land!

StoneGold:That's just pure lemon fanfic fodder.

Studying Checklist

1. Pen
2. flash cards
3. lab companion
4. Watch hockey
5. Watch SportsCentre
6. Watch recorded SportsCentre from yesterday
7. Search you tube for videos of Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole
8. Watch Jay Onrait interview Sidney Crosby you tube videos
9. Stumble on W5 piece on Carey Price
10. Search for Carey Price videos on you tube
11. Search for Onrait/ O'Toole Facebook groups
12. Take my turn on three separate games of Scrabble on Facebook
13. Blog

Now that I have everything I guess I can study now.*




*The sad thing is my sister procrastinates more than I do. I should have never gotten her an early birthmas present.

Maybe Could You Be Swarmed by Bees?

The Devils haven't been bitten by the injury bug, they've been in the center of a swarm of killer bees.
Source: Atlantic: Injuries just a part of Devils' problems, Monday, 11.17.2008 / 10:30 PM / Division Notes, Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Staff Writer

How dare he insult the majestic bee with his terrible sports analogy!

Roger would be glad to hear it...

Cavaliers Declared NBA Champions As Basketball Knocks Off Early

NEW YORK—A happy, triumphant, and visibly relieved LeBron James accepted the 2009 NBA Championship trophy from commissioner David Stern at a small ceremony in New York Wednesday, just hours after the NBA announced that it would be canceling the remainder of the 2008–2009 season to give itself, and sports fans, a much-needed break.

Source: The Onion, November 13, 2008

Uneasy feeling

As a courtesy, I emailed my professor to tell her I was dropping her class. She replied that she wants to meet with me. Ugh, the thought of what she might want to say to me makes me feel uneasy. I've made a formal complaint about her during a time when the department was considering not hiring her to teach any additional classes.* As of now she is not teaching any classes next semester and the university has no plans to hire her for any in the future. I didn't do anything wrong, I just reported her unprofessional behaviour.** I'd rather avoid her especially since she was hostile towards me even before I destroyed her chances of a career at the university. If she is going to freak out on me, I'd rather her do it through email so then I can forward it onto the department.




*I have worked for the math department for longer than she has. I am well known in the department and am regularly asked by staff to work for them. I was offered 6 different jobs (unsolicited) for the current school year. Despite the rage this situation causes me, the math department head saw my complaints as constructive criticism.
** I have kept a journal since the second week of school. I have documentation for everything she has done plus another student to corroborate.

Withdrawn

I finally dropped the class where I has having problems with the professor. I had gone to the department head and made a formal complaint and nothing improved. She copied notes straight out the textbook, refused to give any further examples not already worked out in the textbook, arrived late to class every day, never was available for help, became agitated when we didn't understand .... I could list so much more. My breaking point was preparing for a midterm that I knew nothing about the topic because I had to learn everything on my own, she refused to give us a proper answer sheet with the work shown because it was "too time consuming" and she never handed back our previous assignments that the test was based on. I just don't have the energy to deal with the drama anymore. I am interested in the topic but don't need the class for my degree. I just wished I would have done this weeks ago.

Fred's Interactive Map

One of the Many Reasons I Adore Carey Price

Who knew that he was funny too?!?!


Potential All-Star Price paying off for Canadiens

Very Bit Makes a Difference

I wish more people in my own country had this attitude:

"This is huge. This is bigger than life itself. When I was coming up, I always thought they put in who they wanted to put in. I didn’t think my vote mattered. But I don’t think that anymore."
DEDDRICK BATTLE, who at age 55 registered to vote for the first time.

What's that sound?*

Is it that sports writers don't take journalism classes?

On the night before Halloween, a botched trick play by the Toronto Argonauts turned into a savoury treat for the Saskatchewan Roughriders

*That's the sound of me losing my lunch

Circus Freak Tall

Mom an I got a treadmill this week and it arrived yesterday. Mom got one with a long surface but it is still too short for me -- 5'9" with a 36" inseam aka Janny gots a long stride. The end of the treadmill is about 3 inches from the wall and I ended up kicking it 3 or 4 times. If I move up closer to the console, I have to be careful not to step on the front thingy*. Do other people have this problem or is just me?

Secondary question: what is your favourite music to work out to?







*Technical term.

Ron Howard's Call To Action

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

Mind Officially Blown

So my pre-school teacher added me as a friend on Facebook today. Whaaaaat? She totally remembers me and everyone who was in my class. I posted some pictures of our class and she tagged a bunch of people who I forgot who they were. One tag was wrong because she tagged one girl as her sister. I finished pre-school over 25 years ago, I forget some students from 5 years ago.

How Could I Have Missed it?

I just realized yesterday there is a mistake on my Swingers poster -- I've had it for 5 years. It says:
"Baby, we're gonna give big daddy the old Rainman sweep. Can you dig that money? Vegas baby, Vegas!"

It should read: "They're gonna give daddy the Rain Man suite! You dig that? We're going to Vegas, Mike. VEGAS!"

I don't even know what "the old Rainman sweep" even means.

Is this the year?

Spot the Problems: Political Edition*

Source: Andrew Davidson, CBC News, Last Updated: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 | 1:19 AM ET





*I mean besides the fact that the Tories were re-elected. ZING!
What an appropriate beginning for the newly re-elected government. This shall not bode well.

Spot the Problems

I subscribe to a free service that texts the scores of games of any team or sport I want. With the new NHL season, I needed to make some adjustments to my account. This is what I came across:

Regina in Pictures

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful city, blog updated nearly daily.

Women in Sciences Unite!

In a follow up to me complaining about feeling lonely at the university, Since the beginning of the school year I have gotten to know a couple females from my classes. Two of them are in my Physics class and it really is more of a mentoring role I have. One of the girls told me that it is nice to talk to a female when you need help.

There is another girl from one a math class that we are trying to coordinate schedules to study for a midterm together. Our class has 10 people -- 8 males, 2 females. We are both used to being the only females in classes like that so it is a little refreshing. Us two girls plus a male friend who I worked with over the summer are the only ones who understand what is going on in that class. He doesn't say anything in class so to the other students it looks like only the girls know what is going on -- kind of amusing. I kind of avoided her because of a bad first impression. She came up to me on the first class and said "Hey aren't you friends with that tall girl from Guelph who is really loud?"* Loud just had a bad connotation to me -- I guess I took it as she was calling my friend loud mouthed. After a couple weeks of class I realized that she was alright.



*If she hadn't specified where she was from it really could have been any number of my friends. :)

Day 8: Ok, I cheated a bit

I bought some ketchup chips long before I decided to go off refined sugar. Last night I ate some of them. I don't feel guilty since I haven't had any refined sugar since last Sunday when I was on my way home from a wedding out of town. Last weekend my only refined sugar was from some condiments, a serving desert at the wedding and a snack on the way home. I think I'm doing pretty good for myself but it made me realize I need a plan for when I'm going away from home for long periods of time.

I sort of had a crummy day at school on Thursday and I really wanted some chocolate or something sweet. I still had to be at school for a couple more hours so I bought a fruit bowl that had different kinds of melons and strawberries. Fruit and fruit juices have helped me a lot whenever I've wanted to eat something sweet. We have a natural desire to want to eat sweet things but what you eat is what makes the difference.

ROAARRRRRR!!!!!!

Source: Hamsters and chicks are dangerous, doctors warn, Guardian.co.uk

Day 3: Starting from Scratch

Mom and I went grocery shopping today. I did not find any of the sweeteners I wanted to try out so I'll be using honey and fruit juice in the meantime.

Today I made ketchup from scratch with tomatoes, onions, garlic, honey, soya sauce, apple cider vinegar and various herbs. Turned out pretty well though tastes nothing like any ketchup I've ever had. I had to chop up two whole onions and half a head of garlic -- my hands still smells like onions. Interesting fact: though more appealing, the smell of celery last longer than onions.

Tomorrow I head to a wedding out town so I'm not sure what this will mean for my diet. I'll just have to try the best I can to avoid refined sugar and get back to reality on Sunday.

Judging a Book by Its Cover

I would not go to her for a mortgage. I'd go to her for my fake nails or tanning booth needs.

Day 2: Lack of Options

Today I had a super early appointment so I didn't have time to make lunch before leaving for school or eat breakfast. Huge mistake, it was hard to find anything at the university. I was eating a lot of fruit, vegetables and cheese through out the day. I'm craving salad dressing of all things. Today I didn't use the dip my veggie tray came with and it was taunting me. On the way home I saw A&W and it made me crave Thousand Island dressing.

Next week I'll plan better. Mom and I are making up a meal plan for next week and tomorrow we'll go grocery shopping. When I was a beginning teacher, living up North, I made everything from scratch and rarely ate processed food. What I am doing now is a variation so I've been there before. The difference between then and now is more temptation in the city. There were no good restaurants in my small town and processed food was super expensive. Making food from scratch in large quantities was the cheap and easy thing to do.

So far I have consumed no refined sugar today. Yeah me!

Day 1: No Sugar (almost)

Did you refined sugar is in almost everything? Oy. The only refined sugar I had today was in some salad dressing but it only occurred to me after the fact to check the label. I wanted to have a smokey tonight but then could find no non-refined sugar condiments in my fridge. I came across this website earlier in the day about cooking without sugar but I didn't have any of the right ingredients to make any of the recipes. I improvised my own condiment out of laughing cow cheese, honey and garlic powder.* This is going to be tough.







*I don't know if it was the cheddar smokey, the cheddar I put on top or the sauce I made but the combination was revolting.

Only 3 more sleeps

until the new NHL season.

Sugar, ah honey, honey

I decided to cut refined sugar out of my diet. My sister was telling me how much refined sugar reduces the immune system so I did a little research. A single can of pop can decrease your immune system by 25% for about an hour, a frosted brownie by 60%. I know I am sick all the time because of allergies but my immune system needs all the help it can get. Let's see how that goes.

Suspect Description

The suspect is described as a white male, about 30 years old, with brown hair. He was wearing a blue jacket and blue jeans.

- Police ID girl slain in small Alberta town, CBC Online, Last Updated: Sunday, September 28, 2008 | 5:47 PM MT

I'm not trying to make light of the situation but that sounds like about a hundred guys I know. I remember a news report teaching people what details to concentrate on when they witness a crime but who is thinking of that at the time? I'd probably be way too freaked out by what I was seeing to be focusing on the details of the criminal.

Slacker Uprising

Michael Moore's new documentary Slacker Uprising is available for free form his website. You can either view it from the website or download it and distribute it freely. The movie is about Michael Moore's campus tour in 2004 to get young people to vote.

Seeking New Evil

You can use your powers for good or you can use your powers for awesome. The Evil League of Evil is recruiting, all applications must be in by October 11.

Baseless Postivity

The Power of Negative Thinking Source:New York Times Online, Op-Ed Contributor: BARBARA EHRENREICH, Published: September 24, 2008

The delusional optimism of mainstream, all-American, positive thinking should get its share of the blame for the financial crisis.

Driving Grandmas and Babies*

I am a cautious driver and extra cautious when I am driving children or seniors. One time I traveled with my cousin around Calgary with my her toddler in my backseat. My cousin forgot to attach one of the straps of the car seat but didn't notice until she went to take out -- my driving was that smooth.

Today on my way home, my bus hit a car that ran a red light. The hit car had two babies in the back seat that were taken to hospital. Stupid enough to run a red light but when you are in the care of two infants?!?!? Dad and I checked the news, since nothing was mentioned we hoped that is good news. At the scene we were told they were just being taken as a precaution so I pray that they are alright. Life is big and scary enough but even more when you are helpless or can't understand what is going on. Poor babies.

*Alternate Title: The Butterfly Effect
Last Thursday I asked a question in class and my professor was totally rude to me. I woke up Friday with a cold and have been sick ever since. Today my sinuses started to hurt so I decided to skip my last class, the one with the rude professor. I was well enough to learn but not well enough to put up her nonsense. Since I skipped my class, I took an earlier bus which got in an accident. I wasn't supposed to be on that bus. I had to brace myself so I didn't hit the seat in front of me which hurt my back and neck. I went to the doctor; I don't have whiplash but may be sore for a couple days. My back hurts because I asked a question in class 5 days ago.

Cutting Myself Off

Starting today I'm removing myself from as much entertainment news as possible. The plan for the coming school year is to record* as many shows as possible and watch them in the summer time. Some don't matter but there are shows that I don't want to know what happens. I'm cutting myself off from any sources that may spoil the surprise. This is a huge change for me -- I like being in the know for what is happening on TV. Let's see how well this goes.







*My new DVR is an investment in my education.

'Cause I'm Classy Like That

During my second class today, 3 hours after I left home, I realized I had not brushed my teeth today. Never in my life have I forgotten to brush my teeth before leaving the house. I managed to remember mascara and eyeliner but I forgot to brush my teeth.

During the next class, I opened my mouth to take a bit of my sandwich and let out a huge belch. Everyone thought it was totally intentional.

I Just Can't Win

With the new semester at school comes new schedules. I rarely the people I saw over the summer working at the university due to conflicting schedules. I'm feeling a little lonely in a crowd. I just want someone I can met for coffee (or my case tea) or eat lunch with occasionally. The Physics department is holding a beginning of the year shindig next week during my Physics lab. I know I like to avoid awkward social situations but there are some people in the department I'd like to get to know. I'm sort of lacking in opportunities here to get to know people in my departments so I'm not sure what to do.

Why Won't They Learn?

I got news today that a friend has separated from her husband. They've been together for several years but just in the last couple months got married and had a baby. I realize I am on the outside looking in but when will people learn that your relationship problems will still be there even after you get married and have a baby. Actually you will have new problems in addition to the old ones. Now my friend, who is still on maternity leave, is a single mother with a new born infant and a school-aged child from a previous relationship. For all the hassling I get for being single and 30, I'd never want to be in her situation.

Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Slow

I have most suspense movies I watch figured out in about the first 15 minutes (knew who Keyser Söze was in the first 5). On a crime show I knew whodunnit since the writers named him "Gil T. Parti" in addition to opportunity. For months I've been complaining about a volunteer who answers math questions for the website I work for. Today my boss told me it was his pseudonym -- he thought I already knew. I don't know why I hadn't figured it out before because "her" name is a variation on the phrase "pen name".

Dearest blog readers (all 2.5 of you), I need a pen name for the website: any suggestions?

Spidergoat, Spidergoat, does whatever a Spidergoat does

There is a company that injects spider DNA into goats to produce a lightweight but strong material. This is what I imagine the goats look like:

Take Time to Be Holy While You Brush Your Teeth

A friend of mine writes verses on index cards and puts it up on her bathroom mirror. As she brushes her teeth twice a day, she memorizes the verse with a new one each week. In our church children memorize weekly verses until they are 13 with the idea that the are old enough to do it one their own by then. How many of us continue to memorize verses? With this new school year I plan to memorize a verse a week while I brush my teeth.

That Thing Still On?

I say a commercial promoting the new season of ER. I realized that there are kids starting high school this year that ER has been on their entire life. That is mind-boggling.

Chris Throwing an Atlatl

Some People Should Not be Allowed to Own Computers

I was asked to update a website for a local private school. I've been emailing back and forth with the principal about the needed changes. This afternoon I posted what I have done so far and her reply was when she looked there was no changes. I wrote back instructions about how some web browsers save a copy of web pages and so when you visit it again it just loads the old version it has saved. I gave her instructions on how to clear the cache so she could view the changes I made. Her reply: the content had not been updated. ARgh. Grumble, grumble.

Live action Simpsons

Don't Send a Fish to Do a Puppy's Job

Meet Spot, he fetches files for me much better than a blowfish. Metaphorically it makes sense.

A local private school asked me to update their website for them before the school year started. They gave me most of the necessary information but I could not connect to the FTP server to save my life. I don't why I'd need to connect to an FTP server to save my life but I couldn't do it, I'd be dead like dinner.

I called the help desk of the web host and they gave me some useful information but not much of a help. I could connect through Firefox but not Dreamweaver or Fugu (the aforementioned blowfish). Of course no one at the help desk knew anything about the programs I was using or about Macs. Oy with the poodles already. While I waited for a supervisor to call me back I decided to try to download a different ftp program to see if I could get it to work. I read a review about Fetch and low and behold it worked. A puppy saved Janny's weekend

I'm not sure how that will help

I read "suspect" as a noun not an adjective the first time.
Health officials probe more deaths, advise tossing suspect meat

I think I forgot how to sleep.

Never Put Salt In Your Eyes

Spot the Problem with the Forecast

Latin Skills in My Sleep

Two nights ago I couldn't sleep. In my restless, half-coherent thoughts it bothered me that I couldn't remember what antediluvian meant. I figured out it had to do with something before a deluge so my restless brain was satisfied.
A couple of strange facts:
- I wasn't even aware I knew the word antediluvian
- I know "ante" refers to a time period before when I'm awake but how did I know that when I was half asleep.
- I rarely use the word deluge so how would I know the Latin form.

In conclusion, my brain is weird.

My summer thus far

I know I haven't been blogging much lately but click on the pictures to see what I've been up to!


Proof Ang and Errol will have 10 babies


"True Love" Forever


Aspiring to be like Ky


Thumbs up for good cake


Yes, those are flames

Never Put Salt in Your Eyes

New blog

I starting a blog for math, education and technology called Finnegan's Fidangle.

Chain of Command

In May I became an editor at a university math website. My main job is send visitor math questions out to the appropriate group of volunteers and then post the solutions on the website. There is this one volunteer who insists on sending her responses to the other editor. Since it has been assigned to me, he has to go out of his way to forward the responses onto me. It isn't a matter of her not knowing what to do, she is willfully doing it. The reason I was hired was to decrease the other editors work load and get the responses on the website quicker -- she is not helping the situation.

Ode to Photoshop 10

I love your new smart guides -- you make being a graphic design ninja that much easier.

NPH is the show fairy

Sesame Street: Neil Patrick Harris has Telly's new shoes

Grocery Shrink Ray

The Consumerist: Grocery Shrink Ray reports on the companies who decrease the size of their product but charge the same price.

Commie "Winnie the Pooh"

Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Joss Whedon has written a Sci-Fi musical web series. It stars Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillon.
Doctor Horrible Teaser Video

Here is the official website: Dr Horrible (I'm not sure when the episodes while premier.)

Powerwise Commercial: Treehouse

My favouritest commercial of the moment. Parents, what are you going to do with them?

Honest Reactions

I grabbed the movie off the self and asked Lyn: "Is that the same girl playing three roles?"

New Firefox

Firefox 3 came out today and it runs wicked fast (doesn't use as much memory as the previous versions. One warning though, your add-ons may not be up to date to work with the new version.

Mike Missing Mary*

*Actually he was pretending to be sad by something his future mother-in-law said.