Streetsblog

my new favorite blog, I know I am a geek:

Tom Waits

It is hard for me to believe that there could be an artist that has 28 albums, that I have never heard of. But it is true. Am I really out of it, or am I not the only one.
A guy I work with was playing some strange music for a couple days, and finally someone asked him if it was in fact music at all. So then he told us about Tom Waits and his 28 albums. I still think his music is strange, especially the later stuff, but this video gave me some insight into his character.

Top 5 Vulcan Mind Melds

The people I work with are awesome, and funny. One day lunch was spent debating this important topic. Lets say you are Vulcan and have the ability of acquiring someone's intellect, wisdom, experience and memories. Now let say you have the opportunity to do that of only 5 people, who would it be? So the question is, whose brain do you want to have? Or which five people's brains?
Now, having five choices gives you some leeway, but is still limiting.
If you can find five geniuses in their own fields, you can end up being an genius of all things.
We discussed people ranging from Miles Davis to Chef Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen.

We were curious how a Warren Buffet, Macgyver, Steven Hawking mix would turn out.

So now the question is posed. Who would you choose? I dare you not to think about it.

Sugar

For 2 1/2 weeks I have been battling a cold. This was supposed to be my vacation time. I am starting an internship on Monday, so I really could have used those couple of weeks as relaxation, instead it was a viral battle. It was horrible, I lost my voice and everything, which was really exciting when it was time to teach those four year olds at church. We did a lot of whispering. I am finally starting to feel like a human again. I am still coughing a bit and my voice is strained. My mom says I should go to the doctor, but I am ready to just ignore it.

Perhaps it is time to change some things. I am tired of being sick. I used to be the healthy person that wasn't effected by all the bugs going around, but I am not sure that is me anymore.

So.... I want to test a hypothesis. I personally believe sugar is bad. Not the root of all evil, but generally not very good for us. Of course I have never let this belief interfere with my sugar consumption. I have just held on to it, like a little secret truth. I know that it is bad for me and knowing is half the battle right. Sometimes at church when people are talking about addictions, I throw it out there with the rest of the addictions and everyone finds it humorous. But, it's not really funny is it? I know this lady who gave up sugar, to lessen her allergies and now if she eats sugar, she gets a splitting head ache. That should mean something.

So anyway... maybe I should test it. Maybe I should see if not eating sugar would make any difference for my health.

The trouble is, there are such delicious things made with sugar. I have been trying the last few days. When I am in the mood for something sweet, I eat some fruit. But, my husband is always offering me things; so far I have not gone a whole day.

Just to add another variable into my test, I am going to get serious about exercising too. It will mess with my test results, but may increase my chances of good health.

Now that I am telling you all that gives me accountability. Dang.

The proof is in the Hair

I am not really sure how to start this conversation. You see I had a revelation of sorts. But I need to give you some background. There is a ton of talk around here about renewable energy. It's cool, I like the idea of a motor that runs itself. I want to save the planet as much as the next guy. In my Transportation Planning class we talked about how our known petroleum reserves will run out in 20 years. That is kind of a problem since we use petroleum to run just about everything, including the plants to produce other fuels. So what we need is a motor that runs without fuel, right? That would be really cool.
That brings me to my revelation.

I was thinking about hair.

Everyday you have to wash it, blow dry it, and curl it.
Every few weeks you have to get it cut, but you can't do it yourself, you have to find a someone with a license (at least that is what I have been telling Taio for the last few years). And it has to be done by someone who is good and knows your style and we all know how hard that is.
And even after all that, sometimes it just doesn't do what you want it to. We have bad hair days, bad hair months, we get older and it falls out. Sure, hair is supposed to keep our head warm and add beauty, but most of the time it is just a big pain in the behind.

So although a motor that runs on its own energy would be cool, and I think it is possible, I don't know if it is really in the plan. It just doesn't seem like God would want to allow us that kind of luxury. He said we would grow food by the sweat of our brow (sweat that makes our hair greasy by the way).
Do you really think a God who would give us hair that requires so much everyday maintenance would give us a motor that will run itself?

Or is it just me?

I am a Geographer

It's been a long semester. Actually as I think about it, every semester is long. I think I am starting to just get burnt out. But hey, another semester is behind me and miraculously there is only ONE left, and i get to take the summer off, before I do it.
This was actually a great semester. I loved 3/4 my classes. I will tell you more about them in another post. You see, now that I am class free for a few months I am going to blog, and exercise, and make lots of money, and some other wonderful things I haven't thought of yet. Remember last summer when I had so much I was going to accomplish? Oh well, I don't care if I do anything. Except for clean the bathroom, I care about that.
Anyway...
I was going to tell you something.
My husband has this cute trait. When he is interested in buying something, he tries to sell me on it. Not just sell me on him buying it, that isn't enough. He wants me to like it so much that I want it, for myself. It's a pretty smart tactic, really. That way he doesn't get in trouble for buying things, because he is buying it for both of us.
Here is the latest thing. He is sure that I need this vest, because I am a geographer, and is rather disappointed that I don't think it is as neat as he does.

Actually it is pretty cool, but you cant tell unless you read her description of what all the pockets have in them. Go here, its funny:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7259248@N03/415353626

I probably do need it AND the GPS that goes in the front pocket.

Valentine's Day Hearts

My children like to make their own valentines. Every year around this time my Mom says, "Well what are we going to make this year?" When I was a kid we made our own valentines too. Usually it was something made with red paper doilies or construction paper hearts. Nowadays things are fancier. Last year it was airplanes made out of smarties and sticks of gum.



This year they have outdone themselves. When we were at the store collecting supplies I passed the boxed valentine cards. I said look we could just get those, they only cost $2.50. Asia said something to the effect of:
No way mom, we are way too cool for that.
Here is this years invention.



If you can't tell it is an Ipod. Well actually it is a box of conversation hearts and a couple peanut butter cups made up to look like an Ipod.