As some of you know, my boyfriend Sonny proposed to me earlier this fall. We're getting married in 2010, and we've launched a website to document our planning of the great event.
You can visit our site here, at www.sonny-and-andrea.com.
Hope everyone is having a great holiday!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Very Interesting-Looking Documentary
I'm hoping to have time to watch this documentary, entitled "Hoopeston", which was directed by Thomas Bender.
Review to be posted upon watching. But if you have time before I do, hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much to Jason of The Wild Hunt for, once again, posting the best Pagan News of Note.
Review to be posted upon watching. But if you have time before I do, hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much to Jason of The Wild Hunt for, once again, posting the best Pagan News of Note.
The Winter Holidays
Or, Yule, Christmas, and the middle way...
As you can see from my abundant lack of posting, things have been unbelievably busy but wonderful. I had the great pleasure of attending a Yule ritual put on by the Northern NJ Pagan Fellowship on the 21st. I was a bit tentative about attending my first public ritual, but honestly, it was such a wonderful event. It was so different from working as a solitary - I've been composing tomes in my head about the different feel of the energy we raised.
The friendly open-ness of the group was also amazing. Everyone was so friendly, from the moment I walked in the door. I felt badly for not having brought food (I had been visiting my family in PA and had just driven back to Jersey for the ritual, so had no time to cook anything properly. Honestly, I need to leave enough time to cook things twice any time I arrange to bring things - just in case I ruin it the first time.), so they let me help prepare the food that was there. We had all sorts of wonderful tubers (potatoes, yams, etc), and such to bake up, and a wonderful chicken pasta, as well as this glorious cider. Gwaeron, the group leader, was also kind enough to share his mead stores.
I need to devote an entire paragraph to this mead, actually. I don't like alcohol - I'll have a margarita or a mamosa from time to time, but usually only one (at most two). I don't like the way alcohol tastes, honestly. But I took a sip of this mead, and honestly, it was like drinking sunshine. I will definately be sharing more about it as I find out where it came from - and will be very glad to incorporate it into some of my own personal rituals.
I'm going to be working on something to celebrate the New Moon on Saturday, if I can. While I may not actually be able to perform anything, the gesture of planning for the next go round would be extremely satisfying to me, I believe. I really want to do more work with the moon - I feel as though that's where I draw a lot of my energy from when I am in need, and would like to recognize that wonderful gift.
In any case, now that we've sort of covered Yule...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I celebrate the togetherness of family and the birth of a very important historical figure here - I may not be Christian, but that doesn't mean I can't admire a man who was truly great in spirituality. The presents thing is pretty awesome too, honestly. It is great to be so close to my family around the holidays - I can feel so disconnected out in North Jersey, and being near everyone for these days is amazing. I am so lucky to have such a great family!
As you can see from my abundant lack of posting, things have been unbelievably busy but wonderful. I had the great pleasure of attending a Yule ritual put on by the Northern NJ Pagan Fellowship on the 21st. I was a bit tentative about attending my first public ritual, but honestly, it was such a wonderful event. It was so different from working as a solitary - I've been composing tomes in my head about the different feel of the energy we raised.
The friendly open-ness of the group was also amazing. Everyone was so friendly, from the moment I walked in the door. I felt badly for not having brought food (I had been visiting my family in PA and had just driven back to Jersey for the ritual, so had no time to cook anything properly. Honestly, I need to leave enough time to cook things twice any time I arrange to bring things - just in case I ruin it the first time.), so they let me help prepare the food that was there. We had all sorts of wonderful tubers (potatoes, yams, etc), and such to bake up, and a wonderful chicken pasta, as well as this glorious cider. Gwaeron, the group leader, was also kind enough to share his mead stores.
I need to devote an entire paragraph to this mead, actually. I don't like alcohol - I'll have a margarita or a mamosa from time to time, but usually only one (at most two). I don't like the way alcohol tastes, honestly. But I took a sip of this mead, and honestly, it was like drinking sunshine. I will definately be sharing more about it as I find out where it came from - and will be very glad to incorporate it into some of my own personal rituals.
I'm going to be working on something to celebrate the New Moon on Saturday, if I can. While I may not actually be able to perform anything, the gesture of planning for the next go round would be extremely satisfying to me, I believe. I really want to do more work with the moon - I feel as though that's where I draw a lot of my energy from when I am in need, and would like to recognize that wonderful gift.
In any case, now that we've sort of covered Yule...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I celebrate the togetherness of family and the birth of a very important historical figure here - I may not be Christian, but that doesn't mean I can't admire a man who was truly great in spirituality. The presents thing is pretty awesome too, honestly. It is great to be so close to my family around the holidays - I can feel so disconnected out in North Jersey, and being near everyone for these days is amazing. I am so lucky to have such a great family!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Obama's Inaugural Choice
Today, an article in CNN touted the fury of liberal democrats at President-Elect Obama's choice of an inaugural speaker: namely, Rick Warren, conservative pastor of the Saddleback Church (and author of "A Purpose-Driven Life").
Yesterday I commented on a post by Jason at The Wild Hunt. It was in reference to teaching spirituality in schools, and how mainstream religions are always happy to be taught in schools but get all persnickety when it comes to giving fair treatment to other spiritual paths - such as, oh, say, Paganism.
I bring this up because I think people sometimes forget that equal representation and free speech mean that everyone gets a voice. Just because you don't agree with someone, or because you find their beliefs offensive, doesn't mean they can't speak their minds. When we are oppressed (meaning we as general people), we are quick to express our outrage - but when someone we don't agree with is silence, well, it's just not quite as awful, now is it?
Wrong. Democracy means that we are all on equal footing - we all get to hold the mike, no matter how repugnant or distasteful our ideas may be to others. Without this freedom, and without respecting it for everyone, we wouldn't be a truly free society (which some would argue we already aren't).
Rick Warran is opposed to gay marriage. He opposes abortion rights. But he's entitled to those views. And just because he holds them doesn't mean he, as a gifted speaker, should be refused an invitation to an important event. He is a spiritual leader to a large portion of American Christians - and he's also a good guy (as near as I can tell), and just because I disagree with him on several important issues doesn't mean I think he should be excluded from the national stage. And I certainly don't think he's going to take the opportunity to stir up contraversy - he's probaly just as excited to have Obama as a president as we all are.
Part of being an equal society means giving everyone equal voice. Without this fundamental right, how can we ever hope to achieve equality for anyone else?
UPDATE:
An excellent rebuttal from the president elect...
Yesterday I commented on a post by Jason at The Wild Hunt. It was in reference to teaching spirituality in schools, and how mainstream religions are always happy to be taught in schools but get all persnickety when it comes to giving fair treatment to other spiritual paths - such as, oh, say, Paganism.
I bring this up because I think people sometimes forget that equal representation and free speech mean that everyone gets a voice. Just because you don't agree with someone, or because you find their beliefs offensive, doesn't mean they can't speak their minds. When we are oppressed (meaning we as general people), we are quick to express our outrage - but when someone we don't agree with is silence, well, it's just not quite as awful, now is it?
Wrong. Democracy means that we are all on equal footing - we all get to hold the mike, no matter how repugnant or distasteful our ideas may be to others. Without this freedom, and without respecting it for everyone, we wouldn't be a truly free society (which some would argue we already aren't).
Rick Warran is opposed to gay marriage. He opposes abortion rights. But he's entitled to those views. And just because he holds them doesn't mean he, as a gifted speaker, should be refused an invitation to an important event. He is a spiritual leader to a large portion of American Christians - and he's also a good guy (as near as I can tell), and just because I disagree with him on several important issues doesn't mean I think he should be excluded from the national stage. And I certainly don't think he's going to take the opportunity to stir up contraversy - he's probaly just as excited to have Obama as a president as we all are.
Part of being an equal society means giving everyone equal voice. Without this fundamental right, how can we ever hope to achieve equality for anyone else?
UPDATE:
An excellent rebuttal from the president elect...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Deep Down, Everyone Is Pagan (or wants to be...)
I attended an absolutely amazing event last Saturday - the Phoenixville Firebird Festival. It is my goal to attend this event year year from here on in, as it was ridiculously fun, absolutely entrancing, and a wonderful expression of community in an otherwise "P.C." (politically correct) world.
I would like to thank Schamis for taking this wonderful picture, which I borrowed from his blog. (I did not think to bring my camera this year, but will definitely do so next year).
This video really captures the "Burninating" (we love you Trogdor!!!) beautifully - and the marshmallow toasting (which was great, right up until the wings almost fell on said roasters). The point of this post was really more to analyze the reaction of the crowd to this event. There was singing, drumming, and an enormous crowd of onlookers.
At one point, I turned to my good friend Molly (who follows a similar spiritual path to my own) and remarked that it was one of the most pagan events I had ever attended - and the crowd, by-and-large, probably would not consider themselves to be such.
I believe that paganism strikes a chord and resonates with the most basic parts of our human spirituality. I'm glad that there are still venues in which our increasingly politically correct and otherwise expressionly-stunted culture can come together and celebrate such a primal instinct and joyous refrain.
In short, huzzah for giant burning effigies - it's great that they still bring us together. :-)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Pagan PR Manual
I read a very interesting post over at The Wild Hunt today, regarding high-profile pagans who have recently been featured in news articles. Jason (as always) very succinctly points out how these two profiles affect the pagan community as a whole, one (sadly) with bad information and the other (unfortunately) with one person's views representing our religion as a whole.
The first case involves someone who (rather ridiculously) compares the losses pagans have suffered through the years to those suffered by those of Jewish faith and descent during the Holocaust. First of all, it is absolutely irrational to compare the sufferings of different groups of people, however large or small (or whatever their origins). If a small tribe in northern Kenya gets wiped out during a small-scale feud, is it any less tragic than what happens in the Sudan? The question doesn't even make sense - both are tragedies. Both are terrible. People suffered, and any suffering is terrible. But to say that one or the other is 'more or less' awful is completely irrational. It's enough that people have died - don't cheapen anyone's loss by comparing it to somebody else.
Anyway, the second case was much less egregious - it was simply someone expressing their organization's personal beliefs, but it was presented in such a way that it would seem all pagans share the tenet (not the fault of the person being interviewed, but poor reporting).
My solution is this. A Pagan PR manual. I love branding, I love PR, and one of the most intricate and careful balances that must be struck in any sort of public awareness campaign is an overall representation of an idea that is truly nuanced at its core. Not all pagans are Gardnerians - not all pagans are solitaries, not all pagans follow Asatru, etc. etc. etc. We're all different, but we DO have common threads. Respect the earth. Love for our fellows. So on and so forth.
While it was recently pointed out to me by the very astute leader of the Fellowship I attend, Gwaeron, that we don't all follow "as it harm none", we are the same in that we embrace an earth-centered, positive lifestyle that is built on ancient traditions.
Anyway, enough rambling - I just like the idea of a Pagan PR manual, so that we can all speak about our religion and our community without lumping everybody together into one individuals beliefs, or simply to avoid sounding like an insensitive idiot (see Jason's post).
The first case involves someone who (rather ridiculously) compares the losses pagans have suffered through the years to those suffered by those of Jewish faith and descent during the Holocaust. First of all, it is absolutely irrational to compare the sufferings of different groups of people, however large or small (or whatever their origins). If a small tribe in northern Kenya gets wiped out during a small-scale feud, is it any less tragic than what happens in the Sudan? The question doesn't even make sense - both are tragedies. Both are terrible. People suffered, and any suffering is terrible. But to say that one or the other is 'more or less' awful is completely irrational. It's enough that people have died - don't cheapen anyone's loss by comparing it to somebody else.
Anyway, the second case was much less egregious - it was simply someone expressing their organization's personal beliefs, but it was presented in such a way that it would seem all pagans share the tenet (not the fault of the person being interviewed, but poor reporting).
My solution is this. A Pagan PR manual. I love branding, I love PR, and one of the most intricate and careful balances that must be struck in any sort of public awareness campaign is an overall representation of an idea that is truly nuanced at its core. Not all pagans are Gardnerians - not all pagans are solitaries, not all pagans follow Asatru, etc. etc. etc. We're all different, but we DO have common threads. Respect the earth. Love for our fellows. So on and so forth.
While it was recently pointed out to me by the very astute leader of the Fellowship I attend, Gwaeron, that we don't all follow "as it harm none", we are the same in that we embrace an earth-centered, positive lifestyle that is built on ancient traditions.
Anyway, enough rambling - I just like the idea of a Pagan PR manual, so that we can all speak about our religion and our community without lumping everybody together into one individuals beliefs, or simply to avoid sounding like an insensitive idiot (see Jason's post).
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Week in Review
Since I'm taking a break from my homework (nothing like studying the 'innovation' behind three aspects of the current Web 2.0 networking scene to really stimulate the ol' brain cells), I'm quickly reviewing a meeting I attended this week.
The Northern New Jersey Pagan Fellowship is a great bunch of folks out here in NJ. They have meet and greets once a month, haven't missed a Sabbat in like 5 years, run Esbats that are geared towards learning and collaborative fellowship, and have a real dedication towards creating a group that is built on a foundation of dedicated, core members and is also open to the general public. A hard balance to strike, but they definitely do a great job.
They're having a Yule celebration on the 21st, and I am definately aiming to go. I've been to two meetups so far (one before my engagement, this past week after life finally simmered down enough for me to attend again), and they've been great. I'm interested to report back on how things go.
Also, some GREAT news:
After watching my beloved tripod Norn hobble around in the colder weather, I have been very worried about the state of her hip. I still plan to get her some fresh X-Rays after the holidays (unfortunately they're expensive, and without sign of an infection I won't rush it), but after observing her all weekend I feel greatly reassured. Norn's a recovering feral cat (who is very sweet and gentle, but still wild), and she doesn't like me hovering over her. She scuttles around from comfy spot to comfy spot, but I can see now that she is happy and comfy and even playing with her sisters. I feel greatly reassured.
I should point out that this good state of health is, in no small part, due to the gift of a heated pet bed by my sister Amanda. I wanted to buy one for her but couldn't afford it (they are enormously expensive). Her gift meant a lot to me, and it is something all the cats enjoy every day.
The Northern New Jersey Pagan Fellowship is a great bunch of folks out here in NJ. They have meet and greets once a month, haven't missed a Sabbat in like 5 years, run Esbats that are geared towards learning and collaborative fellowship, and have a real dedication towards creating a group that is built on a foundation of dedicated, core members and is also open to the general public. A hard balance to strike, but they definitely do a great job.
They're having a Yule celebration on the 21st, and I am definately aiming to go. I've been to two meetups so far (one before my engagement, this past week after life finally simmered down enough for me to attend again), and they've been great. I'm interested to report back on how things go.
Also, some GREAT news:
After watching my beloved tripod Norn hobble around in the colder weather, I have been very worried about the state of her hip. I still plan to get her some fresh X-Rays after the holidays (unfortunately they're expensive, and without sign of an infection I won't rush it), but after observing her all weekend I feel greatly reassured. Norn's a recovering feral cat (who is very sweet and gentle, but still wild), and she doesn't like me hovering over her. She scuttles around from comfy spot to comfy spot, but I can see now that she is happy and comfy and even playing with her sisters. I feel greatly reassured.
I should point out that this good state of health is, in no small part, due to the gift of a heated pet bed by my sister Amanda. I wanted to buy one for her but couldn't afford it (they are enormously expensive). Her gift meant a lot to me, and it is something all the cats enjoy every day.
PLAGUE!
The next time my friends' kids have 'a little tummy bug', I am putting Quarantine stickers up on their house. For cholera.
Instead of spending the weekend with my fiance at Frog Hollow Evergreen Farm (the best place in the world to get a Yule/Christmas/Holiday tree if you can get to the Lancaster, PA area), with my family for my grandmother's birthday party, or anything else amusing, I have been doing this:
The only difference is, in this picture, I look happy.
Anyway, enough whining. I always have fun babysitting them, and will just be wary of the germ-swapping for the future.
The great news is that I got a lot of work done on Sonny's (my fiance) scarf. I should have no problems getting it done for this weekend. HUZZAH! (Will post pictures when it is done)
Instead of spending the weekend with my fiance at Frog Hollow Evergreen Farm (the best place in the world to get a Yule/Christmas/Holiday tree if you can get to the Lancaster, PA area), with my family for my grandmother's birthday party, or anything else amusing, I have been doing this:
The only difference is, in this picture, I look happy.
Anyway, enough whining. I always have fun babysitting them, and will just be wary of the germ-swapping for the future.
The great news is that I got a lot of work done on Sonny's (my fiance) scarf. I should have no problems getting it done for this weekend. HUZZAH! (Will post pictures when it is done)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Food For Thought
Here's another assignment from my MBA program.
Prompt:
Creativity and innovation often come from "thinking outside the box," but too much divergent thinking can result in chaos. A well-run business requires order and routine to function effectively. Therefore, managers must learn to balance the need for stability with the need to create an environment that encourages new ideas.
What corporate competencies and environmental strategies can managers and organizations cultivate and employ in order to foster creativity, innovation, and success? How would you as a manager go about implementing and measuring these strategies?
Response:
One thing that quickly comes to a researcher’s attention is the plethora of conference synopses that contain the words “manage people innovation”. Business updates, briefings, and a variety of other corporately-sourced documents all include these buzzwords with the same frequency a nouveu riche drops names at a dinner party. When I starting poking around for information to build this discussion post on, there were pages of them in the Business Source database.
Helen Walters, a writer for BusinessWeek, agrees that the term ‘innovation’ is grossly overused in today’s business world. Quoted from her article “Voices of Innovation 2008”, Walters states:
“As executives have bandied the word about to describe everything from new product introductions to layoffs, it has become increasingly difficult to discern genuine innovation from wishful thinking or marketing spin.” (1)
Her article goes on to briefly describe the “Voices of Innovation” article that will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, her statement that “genuine innovation balances quick hits with long plays” resonated with me enough to continue to explore this idea of balance in innovation. (1)
After reflection on what would be the underpinnings of a successful manager who creates a fertile environment for forward thinking, and balancing responsibilities with the risks that are inherent with any change. Further searching on the web brought me to another concept that I believe has an enormous amount of influence on a manager’s ability to foster and incorporate innovation into their business world. That concept is Emotional Intelligence.
In an article written by Rachel Tonn of the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Nick Tasler (director of research and development for TalentSmart) is quoted as saying, “If we don’t teach them how to manage themselves, is it reasonable to expect them to lead us toward a prosperous future?”. Tasler’s approach towards teaching ‘them’ (in this case Generation X and Yers who will soon be taking up the management mantle in the workplace) to manage themselves is training them in the four Emotional Competencies: (2)
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Management (3)
The Emotional Competencies model was presented by Daniel Goleman, and encompasses EI as an ‘array of competencies and skills that drive leadership performance’. (3) I believe that these four qualities have enormous potential for aiding the up-and-coming management generations in acting as a midwife to the birth of enormous innovation and change. The first reason is because this emotional intelligence fosters communication and adaptability. These two traits are what I believe to be the most important parts of an innovation friendly personality or environment (work or otherwise). Second, these four traits are not necessarily inherent. They can be, but more importantly, they can be LEARNED.
These four steps towards a well-rounded, healthy emotional outlook are both essential to developing a positive work environment and can also be learned by any person willing. With this sort of double threat, emotional intelligence (as well as awareness and pursuit of it) can be the true key to unlocking hidden potential within companies across industry barriers.
Resources:
1. Walters, H. “Voices of Innovation 2008”. BusinessWeek. 10.20.2008. Accessed 12.3.08. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2008/id20081020_393399.htm
2. Tonn, R. “Improving Emotional Intelligence of a Younger Work Force”. Colorado Springs Business Journal. November 28, 2008. Retrieved from Business Source 12.3.08. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=L54436495CSBJ&site=bsi-live
3. Wikipedia. “Emotional intelligence”. Accessed 12.3.08. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence
Prompt:
Creativity and innovation often come from "thinking outside the box," but too much divergent thinking can result in chaos. A well-run business requires order and routine to function effectively. Therefore, managers must learn to balance the need for stability with the need to create an environment that encourages new ideas.
What corporate competencies and environmental strategies can managers and organizations cultivate and employ in order to foster creativity, innovation, and success? How would you as a manager go about implementing and measuring these strategies?
Response:
One thing that quickly comes to a researcher’s attention is the plethora of conference synopses that contain the words “manage people innovation”. Business updates, briefings, and a variety of other corporately-sourced documents all include these buzzwords with the same frequency a nouveu riche drops names at a dinner party. When I starting poking around for information to build this discussion post on, there were pages of them in the Business Source database.
Helen Walters, a writer for BusinessWeek, agrees that the term ‘innovation’ is grossly overused in today’s business world. Quoted from her article “Voices of Innovation 2008”, Walters states:
“As executives have bandied the word about to describe everything from new product introductions to layoffs, it has become increasingly difficult to discern genuine innovation from wishful thinking or marketing spin.” (1)
Her article goes on to briefly describe the “Voices of Innovation” article that will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, her statement that “genuine innovation balances quick hits with long plays” resonated with me enough to continue to explore this idea of balance in innovation. (1)
After reflection on what would be the underpinnings of a successful manager who creates a fertile environment for forward thinking, and balancing responsibilities with the risks that are inherent with any change. Further searching on the web brought me to another concept that I believe has an enormous amount of influence on a manager’s ability to foster and incorporate innovation into their business world. That concept is Emotional Intelligence.
In an article written by Rachel Tonn of the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Nick Tasler (director of research and development for TalentSmart) is quoted as saying, “If we don’t teach them how to manage themselves, is it reasonable to expect them to lead us toward a prosperous future?”. Tasler’s approach towards teaching ‘them’ (in this case Generation X and Yers who will soon be taking up the management mantle in the workplace) to manage themselves is training them in the four Emotional Competencies: (2)
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Management (3)
The Emotional Competencies model was presented by Daniel Goleman, and encompasses EI as an ‘array of competencies and skills that drive leadership performance’. (3) I believe that these four qualities have enormous potential for aiding the up-and-coming management generations in acting as a midwife to the birth of enormous innovation and change. The first reason is because this emotional intelligence fosters communication and adaptability. These two traits are what I believe to be the most important parts of an innovation friendly personality or environment (work or otherwise). Second, these four traits are not necessarily inherent. They can be, but more importantly, they can be LEARNED.
These four steps towards a well-rounded, healthy emotional outlook are both essential to developing a positive work environment and can also be learned by any person willing. With this sort of double threat, emotional intelligence (as well as awareness and pursuit of it) can be the true key to unlocking hidden potential within companies across industry barriers.
Resources:
1. Walters, H. “Voices of Innovation 2008”. BusinessWeek. 10.20.2008. Accessed 12.3.08. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2008/id20081020_393399.htm
2. Tonn, R. “Improving Emotional Intelligence of a Younger Work Force”. Colorado Springs Business Journal. November 28, 2008. Retrieved from Business Source 12.3.08. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=L54436495CSBJ&site=bsi-live
3. Wikipedia. “Emotional intelligence”. Accessed 12.3.08. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A Sad Day...
Today, dear Elmo was laid to rest. After a long and bitter emotional struggle, it was decided by Elmo's caretakers and doctors that because he had been abandoned by his owner at such an old age (13), and at such a delicate and difficult time (he was diagnosed with diabetes as he came into the shelter), he was suffering both physically and mentally.
He doesn't have to be afraid or worried or alone anymore. Though I only knew him a short time, (and I feel a bit silly being as upset as I am), Elmo really made an impression on me and I know I will miss him and think of him for a long time.
I offered to sprinkle his ashes at Valley Forge Park, so he could chase squirrels and deer to his heart's content. We don't know what he liked especially, but I figured a place full of the spirits of the soldiers who died at Valley Forge would be the perfect place to send him - where he'll be surrounded by people and fun outdoorsy stuff.
I felt a bit weird offering my services in this regard (this, after all, isn't my cat and I didn't know him for very long), but I feel better having made the offer. The folks at the shelter are so kind to me - I have always appreciated their generosity of spirit.
I'm glad that Elmo was known and will be remembered by us. I'm not unexperienced at missing someone never truly known, so this feeling is not a new one. I hope you sleep well, Elmo.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Post-Poem Regret
Ugh.
You know, late at night, I always get these silly urges to be creative and 'express myself', and then I usually end up with the sort of lame poetry that was featured last night. I apologize for this lapse in judgment. This is what happens when I spend too much time alone with my thoughts. :-)
Last night the kittens were adorable - for anyone who might not be familiar, I have three. Frigga and Freyja are the playful ones, and last night they definitely were in 'a mood'. I was sort of flirting around with going to bed, and apparently it wasn't quite fast enough for them, because they started trying to pin my arms down on the bed every time I moved something off of it. (At my apartment, the bed is usually covered in books/clothes/yarn)
This is an awful picture of me (why I shouldn't slouch), but this is a great example of the kittens. Trying to do homework? They sit on me. Trying to blog? They sit on me. Trying to play MarioKart Wii? They sit on me. AND try to eat the nunchuck cable. It's great.
Honestly, though, it's great to have little somebodies in the house. It gets lonely up here in North Jersey, and their decision to grace me with their presence brings me a whole lot of joy. (Frigga is on the 'bottom', Freyja is on the 'top')
Tonight I'm going to Mt. Pleasant (an animal shelter I volunteer at), and I'm going to be spending some time with one of the cats there. His name is Elmo, and he's really adorable. He's 12/13 years old, and diabetic. He requires
injections two times a day, but aside from that slight issue, there's nothing wrong with this old boy. He's a sweetie and I'm worried about finding him a home. Luckily, Mt. Pleasant is a no-kill shelter, but because he has a special diet he has to stay in one of the (albeit roomy) cages all the time. I don't think he likes that at all. (This is Elmo, by the way).
I know it's not responsible to want to bring another cat into the house, but my heartstrings didn't stand a chance against this guy. He's like a big lion! With diabetes. But that's okay!
I'll be hoping and praying he gets a home. I'm going to put up the same runes I did for Callie (who was adopted!!!) when I was worried she wouldn't find a home.
You know, late at night, I always get these silly urges to be creative and 'express myself', and then I usually end up with the sort of lame poetry that was featured last night. I apologize for this lapse in judgment. This is what happens when I spend too much time alone with my thoughts. :-)
Last night the kittens were adorable - for anyone who might not be familiar, I have three. Frigga and Freyja are the playful ones, and last night they definitely were in 'a mood'. I was sort of flirting around with going to bed, and apparently it wasn't quite fast enough for them, because they started trying to pin my arms down on the bed every time I moved something off of it. (At my apartment, the bed is usually covered in books/clothes/yarn)
This is an awful picture of me (why I shouldn't slouch), but this is a great example of the kittens. Trying to do homework? They sit on me. Trying to blog? They sit on me. Trying to play MarioKart Wii? They sit on me. AND try to eat the nunchuck cable. It's great.Honestly, though, it's great to have little somebodies in the house. It gets lonely up here in North Jersey, and their decision to grace me with their presence brings me a whole lot of joy. (Frigga is on the 'bottom', Freyja is on the 'top')
Tonight I'm going to Mt. Pleasant (an animal shelter I volunteer at), and I'm going to be spending some time with one of the cats there. His name is Elmo, and he's really adorable. He's 12/13 years old, and diabetic. He requires
injections two times a day, but aside from that slight issue, there's nothing wrong with this old boy. He's a sweetie and I'm worried about finding him a home. Luckily, Mt. Pleasant is a no-kill shelter, but because he has a special diet he has to stay in one of the (albeit roomy) cages all the time. I don't think he likes that at all. (This is Elmo, by the way).I know it's not responsible to want to bring another cat into the house, but my heartstrings didn't stand a chance against this guy. He's like a big lion! With diabetes. But that's okay!
I'll be hoping and praying he gets a home. I'm going to put up the same runes I did for Callie (who was adopted!!!) when I was worried she wouldn't find a home.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Poems
I went through all this effort in college to produce poetry. When I was in high school, I had a well-meaning but misguided (in my opinion) English teacher who turned me into a wonderful technical writer but turned off my creative talent (if it could be called that). She was a great lady, and taught me a lot of good things, but I've never been able to re-discover that switch that was turned off in 10th grade. The closest I've come was with a creative writing class in college that forced me to write poetry or fail.
I'm going to try doing that again. I have trouble motivating myself to write sometimes, and hopefully this exercise will get me going. There's something extremely satisfying about writing a poem that neatly fits a rhythm I aim to accomplish. Not that they're good, mind you, just that they have a nice lilt.
Glance
Can you hear it too?
This thickly muffled pounding,
dully pulling me forward
from under my ribcage.
I can feel past all these
heavy bones and thick flesh,
pulsing ahead,
becoming.
I can touch all that I
have so roughly lost;
reach beyond these simple
confines of blood and skin.
I can HEAR them screaming
into this familiar emptiness,
silently crying with harsh rasps.
All that I have ever hoped for is
so nearly close, I can feel it
under my skin, and yet
so far beyond my fingertips.
What undying agony is this,
rattling with newly old
cries in my heart?
I'm going to try doing that again. I have trouble motivating myself to write sometimes, and hopefully this exercise will get me going. There's something extremely satisfying about writing a poem that neatly fits a rhythm I aim to accomplish. Not that they're good, mind you, just that they have a nice lilt.
Glance
Can you hear it too?
This thickly muffled pounding,
dully pulling me forward
from under my ribcage.
I can feel past all these
heavy bones and thick flesh,
pulsing ahead,
becoming.
I can touch all that I
have so roughly lost;
reach beyond these simple
confines of blood and skin.
I can HEAR them screaming
into this familiar emptiness,
silently crying with harsh rasps.
All that I have ever hoped for is
so nearly close, I can feel it
under my skin, and yet
so far beyond my fingertips.
What undying agony is this,
rattling with newly old
cries in my heart?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sad Truths...
While I know it's the holiday season and we're all supposed to be upbeat, I found an article that I think is very important, and deserves consideration.
In December of last year, Michelle Kehoe slit the throats of her two sons, ages seven and two, and driving her car into an icy river to cover the crime. She was rescued from the river, along with her two boys (the younger of which died from his wounds) by four men who jumped into the cold water. The rescuers are only now finding out that the mother, Michelle, was the one who hurt her children. More details can be found here.
The important point that I wanted to highlight here was a statement made by Laurie Levenson of of Loyola Law School in California. She was commenting on the stable annual statistic that shows at least half of all children murdered in the US are killed by their own parent. Her statement was this:
The reason I'm blogging about this is because, in actuality, it is statements like Ms. Levenson' that give me hope for the state of humanity. Evil isn't something that sneaks and creeps along and takes over people to commit horrible deeds. People choose to do horrible things. Which means that they can choose to do good things, too.
I guess the hard part is figuring out how to make it easier to choose to do right than to choose to do wrong. And I guess that's why we have psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc. To figure out why people do bad things, why they do good things, and how we can help them choose the latter.
In December of last year, Michelle Kehoe slit the throats of her two sons, ages seven and two, and driving her car into an icy river to cover the crime. She was rescued from the river, along with her two boys (the younger of which died from his wounds) by four men who jumped into the cold water. The rescuers are only now finding out that the mother, Michelle, was the one who hurt her children. More details can be found here.
The important point that I wanted to highlight here was a statement made by Laurie Levenson of of Loyola Law School in California. She was commenting on the stable annual statistic that shows at least half of all children murdered in the US are killed by their own parent. Her statement was this:
"The natural defense to anticipate is insanity because why would a mother kill her own child?" Levenson asked. "It certainly can be insanity, but it's not always the case. Perfectly sane people can do horrible things and they do, every day."It's much easier to think that bad things happen because of some material defect in the brain, some sort of behavioral abnormality that cannot be controlled by those who suffer it. In reality, people do awful things all the time simple because they can, not because they cannot.
The reason I'm blogging about this is because, in actuality, it is statements like Ms. Levenson' that give me hope for the state of humanity. Evil isn't something that sneaks and creeps along and takes over people to commit horrible deeds. People choose to do horrible things. Which means that they can choose to do good things, too.
I guess the hard part is figuring out how to make it easier to choose to do right than to choose to do wrong. And I guess that's why we have psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc. To figure out why people do bad things, why they do good things, and how we can help them choose the latter.
Google Reader
Well, I've found my new favorite site (only behind LOLcats, of course...). Google Reader has allowed me to amalgamate all my favorite blogs, news sources, etc. etc. into one easy-to-access place. Indeed, it might be the only thing that brings me to read some of the blogs that I really love, because though they are amazing, my time is extremely limited, and searching through my bookmarks is not something I often do.
Highly recommend Google Reader. Thumbs up!
Highly recommend Google Reader. Thumbs up!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Financial Crisis
Things have officially become a little bit more than slightly worrisome economy-wise. I found a great article from Pat Regnier, a writer for Money Magazine. It's a letter to his kids about the current financial crisis and how we got there.
Very poignant, I think.
Lessons for Kids from the Great Crash
Very poignant, I think.
Lessons for Kids from the Great Crash
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Catching up
WOW.
How else can I summarize the past month? It was October 18th, almost a month ago now, when Sonny proposed to me at the Renaissance Faire. Words cannot describe how unbelievably breathtaking the whole experience was. Sonny had it planned out beautifully. Apparently he'd been working on the whole event for a month.
He told me the week before that Saturday that he had gotten this giant order in for four dozen roses, to be delivered at Queen's Court. He told me he didn't know many details of the delivery, so he'd have to scoot of partway through our preparations that morning to make sure he delivered to the right person. Little did I know he was making the final preparations for his proposal while I sat vialing roses behind the shop! I had the whole four dozen (and then some) vialed by the time he got back.
The reason I rushed through getting them ready was because Laura and Val had slipped behind the shop with me after Sonny had taken off. They told me that they had arranged with the Queen to have Sonny knighted as the Best Bud Stud Ever (which of course he is). I thought this was a marvelous idea, and so set about making sure everything would be ready in time for him to be there for Queen's Court at 11:15. First, I called my parents (who were coming, and I had never given a second thought as to why) to let them know they should be there on time to see Sonny be knighted. Then I remembered Sonny had said his mother was coming as well - and I thought to myself 'what luck! She'll see him get knighted too!'. So obviously it's just not that hard at all to pull the wool over my eyes.
Laura arranged so that we could all go to Queen's Court and 'watch Sonny be knighted'. I sat with my family, and saw Sonny standing off to the side. 'Mua ha ha', I thought, 'he has no idea what's about to happen!'. Again, with the obliviousness. Sonny came up to the front of the stage and started speaking - I wondered how much they must have tipped him to get him to be so willing to speak in front of so many people!!! And of course, the rest is history - the presentation of the roses, him going down on one knee, and of course, lots of kisses!
I was ashamed to admit to him later I couldn't remember what I had said - but thankfully he remembered exactly what I responded to him with:
"Yes, of course yes!"
PS - That rainbow appeared mysteriously in one of the pictures Amanda took. I haven't doctored this photo or anything - I think it's just another good omen for what is going to be an amazing marriage and a wonderful life.
How else can I summarize the past month? It was October 18th, almost a month ago now, when Sonny proposed to me at the Renaissance Faire. Words cannot describe how unbelievably breathtaking the whole experience was. Sonny had it planned out beautifully. Apparently he'd been working on the whole event for a month.
He told me the week before that Saturday that he had gotten this giant order in for four dozen roses, to be delivered at Queen's Court. He told me he didn't know many details of the delivery, so he'd have to scoot of partway through our preparations that morning to make sure he delivered to the right person. Little did I know he was making the final preparations for his proposal while I sat vialing roses behind the shop! I had the whole four dozen (and then some) vialed by the time he got back.
The reason I rushed through getting them ready was because Laura and Val had slipped behind the shop with me after Sonny had taken off. They told me that they had arranged with the Queen to have Sonny knighted as the Best Bud Stud Ever (which of course he is). I thought this was a marvelous idea, and so set about making sure everything would be ready in time for him to be there for Queen's Court at 11:15. First, I called my parents (who were coming, and I had never given a second thought as to why) to let them know they should be there on time to see Sonny be knighted. Then I remembered Sonny had said his mother was coming as well - and I thought to myself 'what luck! She'll see him get knighted too!'. So obviously it's just not that hard at all to pull the wool over my eyes.
Laura arranged so that we could all go to Queen's Court and 'watch Sonny be knighted'. I sat with my family, and saw Sonny standing off to the side. 'Mua ha ha', I thought, 'he has no idea what's about to happen!'. Again, with the obliviousness. Sonny came up to the front of the stage and started speaking - I wondered how much they must have tipped him to get him to be so willing to speak in front of so many people!!! And of course, the rest is history - the presentation of the roses, him going down on one knee, and of course, lots of kisses!
I was ashamed to admit to him later I couldn't remember what I had said - but thankfully he remembered exactly what I responded to him with:
"Yes, of course yes!"
PS - That rainbow appeared mysteriously in one of the pictures Amanda took. I haven't doctored this photo or anything - I think it's just another good omen for what is going to be an amazing marriage and a wonderful life.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Awesome link...
Check it out - this is a great story.
Shop at a shelter for your new best friend
More commentary to follow regarding shelter animals.
Shop at a shelter for your new best friend
More commentary to follow regarding shelter animals.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
WE'RE ENGAGED!!!
This Saturday, Sonny proposed to me...and it was absolutely amazing. CHECK IT OUT!!!
It was the most romantic and amazing proposal I believe the world has ever seen. Watch the video above...MORE DETAILS TO COME!!!
PS - He completely surprised me. I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA that he had been arranging this for the past 3 weeks. :-) He's amazing.
PPS - WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!
It was the most romantic and amazing proposal I believe the world has ever seen. Watch the video above...MORE DETAILS TO COME!!!
PS - He completely surprised me. I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA that he had been arranging this for the past 3 weeks. :-) He's amazing.
PPS - WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Mind Bender
I'm going slowly insane.
I know that was already the case, but now I'm driving myself even crazier. This Lupron that I'm on to assuage the onslaught of endometriosis has been having a rather annoying side effect. I think I have temporary (or at least I HOPE it's temporary) ADD. I have trouble focusing, following ideas through, and in general I'm just sounding like an idiot.
I have to complain briefly about this because I just sounded like a complete moron in front of one of our VPs. She was very nice about the whole thing, but I don't like my work being affected. I know that this isn't just me being spacy - this is different. It's like there's a whole bunch of cotton balls floating around in my brain, and sometimes thoughts just get stuck in them.
:-(
Sad face. I hope this goes away soon. It makes life very difficult.
I know that was already the case, but now I'm driving myself even crazier. This Lupron that I'm on to assuage the onslaught of endometriosis has been having a rather annoying side effect. I think I have temporary (or at least I HOPE it's temporary) ADD. I have trouble focusing, following ideas through, and in general I'm just sounding like an idiot.
I have to complain briefly about this because I just sounded like a complete moron in front of one of our VPs. She was very nice about the whole thing, but I don't like my work being affected. I know that this isn't just me being spacy - this is different. It's like there's a whole bunch of cotton balls floating around in my brain, and sometimes thoughts just get stuck in them.
:-(
Sad face. I hope this goes away soon. It makes life very difficult.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
At the beach...
Right now, I'm relaxing at the beach house my family rents every October. It's absolutely lovely. Sonny wasn't able to come, which was a real shame. However, I did tell him that he has to stay with me another year (at least) in order to enjoy the amazing freestyle hot-rod shows that go on here every weekend. I have a lot of pictures and will probably post them.
Going to shows like that always make me feel like I want to learn more about cars. Especially since Sonny has such an avid interest, I think it would be a good idea to get that started. Dad forbade me from studying the Travellers, (which is a seperate post for another time), so I do need something to fill the gap.
More to come. For now, enjoy today's LOL...
Going to shows like that always make me feel like I want to learn more about cars. Especially since Sonny has such an avid interest, I think it would be a good idea to get that started. Dad forbade me from studying the Travellers, (which is a seperate post for another time), so I do need something to fill the gap.
More to come. For now, enjoy today's LOL...
Friday, September 26, 2008
So frighteningly true...
LOLcats show their unerring wisdom...once again...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Life, the Universe, and Everything
Well, I'm stuck at my desk until my boss calls to let me know that the draft of a spreadsheet I sent him is okay. So as revenge, I am posting because I'm 'technically' out of things to do for the day, unless I want to get wrapped up in a project that will keep me here until 7.Today is my 1 year anniversary with Sonny. He surprised me last night, arriving at my door (after a 3 hour drive) wearing his kilt and speaking in a Scottish accent as he presented me with a dozen roses and a stuffed penguin from the Atlanta aquarium (where he visited last weekend).
It was so lovely to have him come and visit. I forget how lonely it really is without him sharing the apartment - as great as it is to have Frigga, Freyja, Norn, and Pan, it's still nice to have Sonny around to complete the picture.
I probably won't get to see him this weekend, but I feel a lot better about that now that we were able to spend some time together. I'll be working at the Faire the weekend of the 4th and 5th, so that'll be a lot of fun and something great to look forward to. He's been so patient with me with this whole 'menopause' thing - last week I felt like I was totally off my rocker, and he just took it all in stride. I am very, very lucky.
This weekend, my family is coming up on Sunday to go Mutts Mania, an event being held by the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter. I've been a little disconnected from them lately what with all the school/health/etc. stuff going on, but I'm really getting back into the swing of things. I might even get the chance to work with some bottle babies (kittens) soon! Danielle had some with her the other night - they were adorable. It's a lot of work, but I think it's a great work that (when done in moderation) could be a really great exercise for mind, body, and spirit.School is going...quickly. This is my second time taking Marketing, and it is just a killer class. So much work per week, and my group insists on meeting almost every other day for at least 1 1/2 or 2 hours. They're great folks, but I have a lot of trouble keeping up sometimes. I don't know how they all do it - obviously I am just a lazy bum if I'm having trouble finding the time.
Anyway, that's it for now - more meaningful posts coming soon!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My Post for MBA Class Discussion - Enjoy!
One of the most interesting summations of the position of the personal computer in today's world was uttered in an article posted on CNET news in 2002. The author quoted Christine Riley (head of the People and Practices Research Group at Intel) as saying:
"People stop referring to their computer. The telephone is transparent. You don't say, 'I'm going to go use my telephone'".
Her observation neatly packages the fact that the personal computer has become a ubiquitous part of life in the modern age. At 24, I can hardly conceive of how to even begin doing my job if I didn't have a computer. My college experience revolved around the use of a device - the few students I knew that didn't have one at Penn State relied heavily on the rather lavish computer centers located conveniently throughout our campus.
Because of this fact, marketing for the personal computer has become both easier and more difficult. It is easier, in that you certainly don't have to introduce the concept to consumers anymore - they know what a PC is, you just have to tell them why to buy yours. Which brings us to the hard part - differentiation in a market that boasts an unlimited array of choices, even within a certain technology provider (consider both Dell & HP's model of looking at a consumer's lifestyle to choose what amenities their PC or laptop will require).
Research has become a complex entity indeed for anyone considering marketing a PC. Not only do you have to have a prior understanding (and a very deep one at that) of the demographic you are targeting, consumers almost expect their PC to be customized to their needs at the point of purchase. While many people do still buy PCs "over the counter" at a lower price-point, selling any high-end piece of equipment will probably require a lot of end-user input before the product is finally delivered.
For the purposes of the market simulation this class is engaging in, getting a deep knowledge of the spending capabilities and potential demands of each market are going to be a jumping-off point. As we prepare to engage consumers with marketing campaigns, we have to understand a variety of factors:
1. How much they can (and are willing to) spend
2. Whether their market can support the demand we need to make the venture profitable
3. What sort of product specifications each demographic requires
4. What sort of product specifications each demographic will lust after
The reason I list a differentiation between 3 and 4 is this. Everyone knows what they 'need' from their computer. A word processor. USB ports. Networking capabilities, etc. etc. These are very tangible, easy to quantify components. What makes someone choose one computer over another, (especially when so very many alternatives are available), is lust factor. I was happy to receive a computer from my work when I started here, but what makes me want to buy a Dell when I get my next laptop is the fact that it happily chugs away and runs all the many applications I need to (oftentimes simultaneously), without a hitch. My lust factor has to do with memory and hard drive. For my boss, it's ease of use. When he looks to buy a personal computer, he'll never buy Brand X because of the experience he had with it's many glitches for the inexperienced user.
Technology Adoption Life Cycle
After reading Geoffrey Moore's work regarding the Life Cycle of technology adoption, I have created my own list of adopters. While it would be very easy to focus microcosmically on the US, I've decided to adopt a more worldwide model, basing it on the development status of different countries as they begin to use technology products like PCs.
Innovators (1975-1979)
Countries: US, EU
In 1975, the first computer vailable was the Altair, which could only run very simple programs like word-processing. These pieces were shadows of the real computers of the time, which were busy taking up gym-sized rooms in order to do complex operations that are even further dwarfed by what computers are capable of today.
Early Adopters (1979-1989)
Countries: US, EU
In 1981, IBM's personal computer was largely responsible for the enormous jump in shipments, from merely 609k to over 1.6 million1.
Early Majority (1989-1999)
Countries: US, EU, BRIC Countries
In 1983, the development a release of the TCP/IP protocol was the birth of the modern Internet age. When the independent networks that were set up with this protocol unified in 1990, and when independent organizations were handed control of this new internet in 1995, the use of personal computers began its climb to a simple necessity.
Late Majority (2000-2009)
Countries: BRIC Countries
This time period was projected in 2002 to be the period of largest growth for the spread of PCs across the world. An article from the BBC stated that "the greatest growth is expected to be in areas such as China, Latin America, eastern Europe, and India). As PCs continue to grow in popularity with earlier adopters, In 2002, 40% of homes in the UK had personal computers, up 27% from 1985.
Laggards (2010-On)
Countries: Developing World
The developing world continues to fall sadly behind the rest of the world in technology, as well as so much else.
Bibliography:
Kanellos, Michael. "PCs: More than 1 billion served". CNET News. June 30, 2002. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-940713.html
Geoffrey A. Moore. "Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High Tech Products to Mainstream Consumers". HarperCollins Publishers. New York. 2002.
"Computers Reach One Billion Mark". BBC News. July 1, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2077986.stm
"Internet History -- One Page Summary". http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ii_summary.htm. Accessed 9-10-2008
"People stop referring to their computer. The telephone is transparent. You don't say, 'I'm going to go use my telephone'".
Her observation neatly packages the fact that the personal computer has become a ubiquitous part of life in the modern age. At 24, I can hardly conceive of how to even begin doing my job if I didn't have a computer. My college experience revolved around the use of a device - the few students I knew that didn't have one at Penn State relied heavily on the rather lavish computer centers located conveniently throughout our campus.
Because of this fact, marketing for the personal computer has become both easier and more difficult. It is easier, in that you certainly don't have to introduce the concept to consumers anymore - they know what a PC is, you just have to tell them why to buy yours. Which brings us to the hard part - differentiation in a market that boasts an unlimited array of choices, even within a certain technology provider (consider both Dell & HP's model of looking at a consumer's lifestyle to choose what amenities their PC or laptop will require).
Research has become a complex entity indeed for anyone considering marketing a PC. Not only do you have to have a prior understanding (and a very deep one at that) of the demographic you are targeting, consumers almost expect their PC to be customized to their needs at the point of purchase. While many people do still buy PCs "over the counter" at a lower price-point, selling any high-end piece of equipment will probably require a lot of end-user input before the product is finally delivered.
For the purposes of the market simulation this class is engaging in, getting a deep knowledge of the spending capabilities and potential demands of each market are going to be a jumping-off point. As we prepare to engage consumers with marketing campaigns, we have to understand a variety of factors:
1. How much they can (and are willing to) spend
2. Whether their market can support the demand we need to make the venture profitable
3. What sort of product specifications each demographic requires
4. What sort of product specifications each demographic will lust after
The reason I list a differentiation between 3 and 4 is this. Everyone knows what they 'need' from their computer. A word processor. USB ports. Networking capabilities, etc. etc. These are very tangible, easy to quantify components. What makes someone choose one computer over another, (especially when so very many alternatives are available), is lust factor. I was happy to receive a computer from my work when I started here, but what makes me want to buy a Dell when I get my next laptop is the fact that it happily chugs away and runs all the many applications I need to (oftentimes simultaneously), without a hitch. My lust factor has to do with memory and hard drive. For my boss, it's ease of use. When he looks to buy a personal computer, he'll never buy Brand X because of the experience he had with it's many glitches for the inexperienced user.
Technology Adoption Life Cycle
After reading Geoffrey Moore's work regarding the Life Cycle of technology adoption, I have created my own list of adopters. While it would be very easy to focus microcosmically on the US, I've decided to adopt a more worldwide model, basing it on the development status of different countries as they begin to use technology products like PCs.
Innovators (1975-1979)
Countries: US, EU
In 1975, the first computer vailable was the Altair, which could only run very simple programs like word-processing. These pieces were shadows of the real computers of the time, which were busy taking up gym-sized rooms in order to do complex operations that are even further dwarfed by what computers are capable of today.
Early Adopters (1979-1989)
Countries: US, EU
In 1981, IBM's personal computer was largely responsible for the enormous jump in shipments, from merely 609k to over 1.6 million1.
Early Majority (1989-1999)
Countries: US, EU, BRIC Countries
In 1983, the development a release of the TCP/IP protocol was the birth of the modern Internet age. When the independent networks that were set up with this protocol unified in 1990, and when independent organizations were handed control of this new internet in 1995, the use of personal computers began its climb to a simple necessity.
Late Majority (2000-2009)
Countries: BRIC Countries
This time period was projected in 2002 to be the period of largest growth for the spread of PCs across the world. An article from the BBC stated that "the greatest growth is expected to be in areas such as China, Latin America, eastern Europe, and India). As PCs continue to grow in popularity with earlier adopters, In 2002, 40% of homes in the UK had personal computers, up 27% from 1985.
Laggards (2010-On)
Countries: Developing World
The developing world continues to fall sadly behind the rest of the world in technology, as well as so much else.
Bibliography:
Kanellos, Michael. "PCs: More than 1 billion served". CNET News. June 30, 2002. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-940713.html
Geoffrey A. Moore. "Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High Tech Products to Mainstream Consumers". HarperCollins Publishers. New York. 2002.
"Computers Reach One Billion Mark". BBC News. July 1, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2077986.stm
"Internet History -- One Page Summary". http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ii_summary.htm. Accessed 9-10-2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Back in the saddle again...
To kick off beginning to post again, for your enjoyment here is today's LOL...
Saturday, August 16, 2008
One more...
You Are Ballroom Dancing |
 You are sophisticated and classy. Definitely not the type to be seen dancing on a bar. You are a bit old fashioned. You prefer dance to be subtly sexy, not in your face sexy. You are sentimental and nostalgic. You appreciate the beauty of old things. You are even tempered and cooperative. You work well with a partner. |
Why not?
What Your Bathroom Habits Say About You |
 You are a giving soul. Way too giving in fact. You often get stuck doing the dirty work that no one else will do. Your idea of fashion is jeans and a t-shirt. Clean, if you're lucky. You have the perfect blend of confidence and class. You're proud of who you are - but you don't broadcast it. In relationships, you tend to be very romantic and demanding. You'll treat your partner like gold, but you expect a lot in return. |
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Olympics
The Olympics have been awesome to watch (the athletes, I mean. I vehemently continue to boycott China's right to host this wonderful event). However, I found a great picture through LOLcats that really sums up the...shall we say...ambiance of the event.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Pagan Jokes...
Hilarious...
I'm recovering from surgery and still have very little energy - but I'll also leave you with a LOL to keep you happy...
Blood IS thicker than water. Soak ritual garments an extra 30-45 minutes.Courtesy of The Celtic Connection at www.wicca.com.
I'm recovering from surgery and still have very little energy - but I'll also leave you with a LOL to keep you happy...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Limping along with the website...
So, I have a website. A poorly maintained, totally 'themed' Yahoo page that was nice but not terribly individual. So I downloaded a free trial of Coffee Cup's Visual Website Editor (which is designed for idiots such as myself), and have been using it to cobble together my own little piece of the Internet. More to come later.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
LymeWatch: Day Whatever...
Since there's no way of knowing how long I've had this ridiculous bug, I can't say what day I'm on. However, despite some rather nasty effects of the medication, I'm glad to know I'm on it, and am looking forward to mended-ness.
In the meantime, this has actually helped me to re-focus a lot on my priorities right now (as well as my budget). What with the upcoming surgery and other issues, I have to make sure I'm managing my time (and money) well so I have less to worry about.
This refocusing effort has resulted in a resuscitation of my studies of Irish Gaelic. Conclusion for now: IRISH IS HARD. Aside from the apparently random lenition that I have to deal with at the beginnings of nouns, there are about a zillion different endings for both masculine and feminine nouns (gone are the days of -o and -a from my beloved espanol...).
I know it's worth the effort, but it's about as puzzling as the consistent dead ends I find in my studies of the Travellers. However, I do have a light at the end of the tunnel - my goal is to be able to start reading my Irish-language edition of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by Christmas. I originally thought Thanksgiving, but in the interest of my own sanity I'd rather be pleasantly suprised by an unexpected early accomplishment than disappointed by a rather predictable failure.
So there's the update for now. Next Tuesday is my surgery - I think I'll try to post more about that in the interest of educating anyone who wants to know about it what a laproscopic procedure for endometriosis is like. Ta for now.
In the meantime, this has actually helped me to re-focus a lot on my priorities right now (as well as my budget). What with the upcoming surgery and other issues, I have to make sure I'm managing my time (and money) well so I have less to worry about.
This refocusing effort has resulted in a resuscitation of my studies of Irish Gaelic. Conclusion for now: IRISH IS HARD. Aside from the apparently random lenition that I have to deal with at the beginnings of nouns, there are about a zillion different endings for both masculine and feminine nouns (gone are the days of -o and -a from my beloved espanol...).
I know it's worth the effort, but it's about as puzzling as the consistent dead ends I find in my studies of the Travellers. However, I do have a light at the end of the tunnel - my goal is to be able to start reading my Irish-language edition of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by Christmas. I originally thought Thanksgiving, but in the interest of my own sanity I'd rather be pleasantly suprised by an unexpected early accomplishment than disappointed by a rather predictable failure.
So there's the update for now. Next Tuesday is my surgery - I think I'll try to post more about that in the interest of educating anyone who wants to know about it what a laproscopic procedure for endometriosis is like. Ta for now.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Awesome new search engine...
Guess what was just launched today?
Perhaps the coolest search engine ever, (and not only because it's named after Fionn McCuimmail, an Irish hero of yore). It's called Cuil, and you can find it here at www.cuil.com.
Using this search engine, I found an article about myself that I thought had been long lost. Much to my unending joy, and for your reading pleasure, here is my very first act of real activism at Penn State.
Check it out!
Perhaps the coolest search engine ever, (and not only because it's named after Fionn McCuimmail, an Irish hero of yore). It's called Cuil, and you can find it here at www.cuil.com.
Using this search engine, I found an article about myself that I thought had been long lost. Much to my unending joy, and for your reading pleasure, here is my very first act of real activism at Penn State.
Check it out!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Feeling rather Lyme-y...
And not the British kind of Limey, I'm afraid. Poor Amanda (my sis) got a sort-of positive diagnosis of Lyme disease earlier this year, and it would appear that we're either having an extremely powerful twin moment or we just got bitten by the same sort of tick (I blame the camping trip in May down at Rehobeth beach, personally. ;-))
It was amusing earlier this week, but now the joke is officially getting old. I'm not sure why I was so light-hearted about it earlier (probably because I had a weekend's worth of sleep under my belt, and it's now Thursday, so my sleep reserves are officially dry). However, it's not the end of the world. I need to cheer up and be a bit more involved in life. Though I've been trying to be very diligent - I've really re-focused my studying efforts on Irish Gaelic (which died off earlier this year) and hopefully I'll be able to get some more work done on the infamous PRP.
Here's a great picture that sums up my mood:
As always, thanks to the LOLz for putting my feelings into pictures. :-) God help any 'birdies' headed my way today.
Speaking of which, I've had an absolutely GINORMOUS gang of birds hanging out at the birdfeeder. I put it out there for Frigga, Freyja, and Norn to enjoy, (which I know at least the two little PermaKittens do). However, these birds are going through a whole thing of birdfood every three days. No lie. I'll try to get a picture of the mayhem.
It was amusing earlier this week, but now the joke is officially getting old. I'm not sure why I was so light-hearted about it earlier (probably because I had a weekend's worth of sleep under my belt, and it's now Thursday, so my sleep reserves are officially dry). However, it's not the end of the world. I need to cheer up and be a bit more involved in life. Though I've been trying to be very diligent - I've really re-focused my studying efforts on Irish Gaelic (which died off earlier this year) and hopefully I'll be able to get some more work done on the infamous PRP.
Here's a great picture that sums up my mood:
As always, thanks to the LOLz for putting my feelings into pictures. :-) God help any 'birdies' headed my way today.
Speaking of which, I've had an absolutely GINORMOUS gang of birds hanging out at the birdfeeder. I put it out there for Frigga, Freyja, and Norn to enjoy, (which I know at least the two little PermaKittens do). However, these birds are going through a whole thing of birdfood every three days. No lie. I'll try to get a picture of the mayhem.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Freyja - The Results
So, here's the basic jist of Freyja's echocardiogram last week.
She does have HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), though it is currently in a "mild to moderate" range. The thickness of the walls of her heart should be 5 mm or less, and she has "variable thickness" that ranges up to over 7 mm.
That seems terribly thick for such a small cat, (she weighs less than 5 pounds all told), but the doctor didn't seem overly concerned at this point. The problem with HCM is that there is no proscribed course the disease takes - she could stay at this "mild to moderate" state for the rest of her life, or she may die of heart failure before Christmas.
The 'good news' about a diagnosis of HCM is that she isn't going to suffer a long, drawn-out illness that will cause her pain and suffering. When the end comes, it's relatively quick. There are just some 'small' steps I have to take to help ensure that she has a nice long life.
First, no more catnip. ::sigh:: I guess we'll just have to rely on Frigga and her using up their 'normal' kitten energy in a natural way. Though it is hilarious to see them in the throes of catnip, this is something easy. Next, I have to put her on a special food, Hill's Feline K/D. Because all three cats (Frigga, Freyja, and Norn) are 'grazers' (i.e. I have food out all day for them), everyone is going on the special diet. It's good for everybody, so I don't feel bad about that at all.
Sonny was so sweet - I couldn't afford to expensive food right away, so I was just going to feed them what's left of the Kitten Purina One, but he bought a bag for all the girls to tide them over until I can get another bag. It'll be expensive, but not too much more than the nice food I already got them, so I'm trying not to be too upset over it.
So, I have to keep her excitement down. No more catnip. And special food. Hopefully, this small bit of extra effort will lead to a LOT of healthier life for her. I'm going to have her scheduled for another echo in a year, and if she's at the same point, I'll leave off of them until she becomes symptomatic.
::sigh:: For now, I have to get over checking her every time she coughs or acts funny. But she's fine (aside from a hilarious shaved patch on her chest), and so she will hopefully continue ad infinitum.
Did I mention how cute Frigga, Freyja, and Norn have been lately? They're a regular gang now...I'm so glad I get to share living quarters with such wonderful, amusing bundles of fur. That includes Sonny, of course. ;-)
She does have HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), though it is currently in a "mild to moderate" range. The thickness of the walls of her heart should be 5 mm or less, and she has "variable thickness" that ranges up to over 7 mm.
That seems terribly thick for such a small cat, (she weighs less than 5 pounds all told), but the doctor didn't seem overly concerned at this point. The problem with HCM is that there is no proscribed course the disease takes - she could stay at this "mild to moderate" state for the rest of her life, or she may die of heart failure before Christmas.
The 'good news' about a diagnosis of HCM is that she isn't going to suffer a long, drawn-out illness that will cause her pain and suffering. When the end comes, it's relatively quick. There are just some 'small' steps I have to take to help ensure that she has a nice long life.
First, no more catnip. ::sigh:: I guess we'll just have to rely on Frigga and her using up their 'normal' kitten energy in a natural way. Though it is hilarious to see them in the throes of catnip, this is something easy. Next, I have to put her on a special food, Hill's Feline K/D. Because all three cats (Frigga, Freyja, and Norn) are 'grazers' (i.e. I have food out all day for them), everyone is going on the special diet. It's good for everybody, so I don't feel bad about that at all.
Sonny was so sweet - I couldn't afford to expensive food right away, so I was just going to feed them what's left of the Kitten Purina One, but he bought a bag for all the girls to tide them over until I can get another bag. It'll be expensive, but not too much more than the nice food I already got them, so I'm trying not to be too upset over it.
So, I have to keep her excitement down. No more catnip. And special food. Hopefully, this small bit of extra effort will lead to a LOT of healthier life for her. I'm going to have her scheduled for another echo in a year, and if she's at the same point, I'll leave off of them until she becomes symptomatic.
::sigh:: For now, I have to get over checking her every time she coughs or acts funny. But she's fine (aside from a hilarious shaved patch on her chest), and so she will hopefully continue ad infinitum.
Did I mention how cute Frigga, Freyja, and Norn have been lately? They're a regular gang now...I'm so glad I get to share living quarters with such wonderful, amusing bundles of fur. That includes Sonny, of course. ;-)
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Freyja's Echo
I found out on Monday that Freyja, one of my two little tuxedo PermaKittens, seems to have a condition called Hypertrophy Cardiomyopia (aka HCM). Right now, she's at the vet getting an echo so we can see how severe the condition is. Hopefully it's not bad - but any good thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Today's LOL
I wonder if I could talk Sonny into letting us get a little kitten so we can re-make this picture... :-)
Friday, July 11, 2008
And the PRP saga continues...
Since it’s Friday afternoon, 4:10 (I leave at 4:30), and I’ve finished all my “MUST DO” stuff for today, it’s time for a nice blog about the PERSONAL RESEARCH PROJECT. (Nothing else is apparently getting done until I complete this).
Since I last wrote:
- Heard back from Prof. Dave V. from Quinnipiac University regarding any knowledge he may have about the US Traveller population
- Response: Not his area of expertise. But he was VERY nice.
- Got called back by a representative of the Irish Consulate in
- Response: “Try Googling (which sounds really funny in an Irish accent, BTW) ‘Irish Travellers’ to get some information. Or the Irish Traveller’s movement main website (which I already have).”
- Comment: I did ask about the “AMERICAN Irish Travellers”. They were very nice at the Irish Consulate, but I don’t think they were listening. I'm going to try the Consulate in DC and see if it gets me anywhere.
- Hit a GOLDMINE of information regarding the US Travellers from…criminal reports. ::sigh::
- NOTE: It’s important to know that these are not ‘actual’ criminal reports (i.e. from police departments). They manifested mostly from press releases, which apparently can be quite skewed. Check out this article from a wonderful website called "Travellers Rest" (which I will describe in more detail later) to get a real perspective of the press’ misinformation on the Travellers.
- Found this amazing website called "Travellers Rest". It’s actually written by a sedentary Traveller, (which means he now lives in a ‘normal’ home). I wrote the author of the site, and am SO hoping that he’s still monitoring his inbox…update (hopefully!) coming soon…However, from this website I found…
- An EXCELLENT article entitled “Apocrypha to Canon: Inventing Irish Traveller History” by Dr. Sinéad nà Shuinéar. It was published in History Ireland a few years ago. I have a real hope that I can get in touch with Dr. Shuinéar and possibly get a copy of her thesis, which is apparently quite good…
There’s a fair bevy of other stuff too, but it’s mostly in bits and pieces and therefore I will hold off until I’ve made sense of it to post about it.
I really am happy with how everything is going right now. And to think, pretty much all of this has stemmed off of Tommy Tiernan, whose Irish accent I enjoy so much (not to mention the amazing comedy) that I’m trying to emulate it for the Renaissance Faire, which got me to learning about Irish history, which brought me across the Irish Travellers, which got me thinking about “The Riches” with Eddie Izzard (another amazing comedian), which led me to wondering about the population of Irish Travellers in America…
Hold on…it ought to be an interesting couple of months!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
PRP - Travellers Part II
So, after a couple weeks of searching, I've come up with lots of empty hands but a few more leads to pursue as I delve into this research project. I've narrowed my focus to study the Irish-American Traveller population here in the US. However, I'm amazed at the number of times I've contacted specialists in Irish culture at the Irish Consulate, and even Traveller organizations based in Ireland, and I feel a bit like I'm asking them if they know the sound of one hand clapping.
However, there is hope! I had the bright idea to ask John M., one of the VPs at the company I work for, what his opinion was on where to search. He's much more connected with his Irish roots than I am, and a very intelligent man to boot. He actually had some really good suggestions, such as:
Organizations & people I have contacted:
However, there is hope! I had the bright idea to ask John M., one of the VPs at the company I work for, what his opinion was on where to search. He's much more connected with his Irish roots than I am, and a very intelligent man to boot. He actually had some really good suggestions, such as:
- RTE (the Irish BBC)
- Irish Echo (a newspaper out of NYC)
- Quinnipiac University (in Connectict with a robust Irish studies department)
- Irish America (a magazine here in the US)
- Out of Ireland (a show on WLIW)
Organizations & people I have contacted:
- Professor David V. : Quinnipiac University
- Emma N. : Friends, Families & Travellers
- Nicola Mc. : Travellers Tairing
- Irish Travellers Movement
A Wonderful Quote from Manolo...
Though I am indeed quite fashion-ly challenged, I have always delighted in the blog written by Manolo (the fashion god, not the fashion designer), which can be read at www.shoeblogs.com. Today I came across a particularly delicious snippet of Manolo's wisdom while breaking for lunch.
In response to an article about a woman who doesn't like wearing sandals because her second toe is longer than her big toe, Manolo writes this very encouraging and insightful post. In particular, this sentence stands out:
Quite an excellent idiom, I must say.
In response to an article about a woman who doesn't like wearing sandals because her second toe is longer than her big toe, Manolo writes this very encouraging and insightful post. In particular, this sentence stands out:
Dress well, live well, treat others well, and do all you can with joyful confidence and others will invariably come to love your flaws as you yourself cannot.
Quite an excellent idiom, I must say.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Awesome LOL
Best LOL ever, I think...
As an interesting side note to this image, here's a snippet from an e-mail my father forwarded to me...
Have you seen the pictures from Iowa, etc. of people looting liquor stores, carrying away television sets from retail stores, sitting on the roof begging for someone to take care of them, and collected in the baseball stadium complaining about the food and shelter being provided?It is an interesting observation, to be sure. Don't know where this is from originally, but it's a compelling thought.
Neither have I.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
SURGERY
It has come.
:: sigh :: The final verdict is that I should go ahead with the surgery for my endo. August 5th is set in stone (for real this time). With the relative failure of other hormonal methods to control my symptoms, I don't want to launch into using Lupron without due cause and a backup method. My hope is that by having the surgery first and following it Lupron, the two will work together to make the results 'stick'.
Since a full-term pregnancy just isn't going to be possible for probably about another five years, it looks like I'm just going to have to wait this out and cross my fingers that the procedure takes for longer this time. If it could even give me another year before the symptoms start returning, I think I could make it until I could have a pregnancy.
Won't my firstborn be lucky? Not only will he or she be generally adored for being a firstborn, but they'll also have saved me from the clutches of Endo. Extra rations for the little ones in that case, then. :-)
:: sigh :: The final verdict is that I should go ahead with the surgery for my endo. August 5th is set in stone (for real this time). With the relative failure of other hormonal methods to control my symptoms, I don't want to launch into using Lupron without due cause and a backup method. My hope is that by having the surgery first and following it Lupron, the two will work together to make the results 'stick'.
Since a full-term pregnancy just isn't going to be possible for probably about another five years, it looks like I'm just going to have to wait this out and cross my fingers that the procedure takes for longer this time. If it could even give me another year before the symptoms start returning, I think I could make it until I could have a pregnancy.
Won't my firstborn be lucky? Not only will he or she be generally adored for being a firstborn, but they'll also have saved me from the clutches of Endo. Extra rations for the little ones in that case, then. :-)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Quick update...
Fuzzy Family:
All's well, though Norn's been under the bed a lot lately.
The Boy:
All's well, though he's a bit covered in poison ivy and in dire need of a real vacation.
The Job:
All's well, but BUSY
The Shelter:
I've been a sucky volunteer about posting cats...but am trying to be better!
The Schooling:
This is actually the big news. I've decided to take a 2 month break from coursework - I've just been totally overwhelmed lately. I feel a bit like a failure, but in the end, it's much better for my GPA if I just suck it up and rest during the evening instead of frantically trying to keep up with courework.
The Travellers:
I've actually not heard back from the initial organization I contacted, so I've tried another avenue. We shall see what comes of it...
All's well, though Norn's been under the bed a lot lately.
The Boy:
All's well, though he's a bit covered in poison ivy and in dire need of a real vacation.
The Job:
All's well, but BUSY
The Shelter:
I've been a sucky volunteer about posting cats...but am trying to be better!
The Schooling:
This is actually the big news. I've decided to take a 2 month break from coursework - I've just been totally overwhelmed lately. I feel a bit like a failure, but in the end, it's much better for my GPA if I just suck it up and rest during the evening instead of frantically trying to keep up with courework.
The Travellers:
I've actually not heard back from the initial organization I contacted, so I've tried another avenue. We shall see what comes of it...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Personal Research Project - Travellers Part I
I've started up an interesting new personal research project. (Because, of course, I don't have nearly enough stuff to keep me occupied between my three pets, family that lives 2 1/2 hours away, boyfriend, job, MBA, etc. etc. etc...).
I was recently doing some general research online (during my lunch break, of course), and I came across the plight of a minority that I have only become acquainted with through the misconceptions of popular culture and a brief glimpse on the side of the road when my family was traveling through Ireland in 2001.
The Travellers of Ireland are a minority that have been continuously subjugated and rated as second-class citizens on both an individual and organizational level. Whether it is through over acts of violence against these people, social exclusion from public places such as pubs and other buildings, or even the systemic enforcement of using seperate facilities from the general population for applying for welfare, Travellers are forced to take a second-row seat to what the rest of us enjoy as a normal life.
What really spurred on my interest in this were some statistics I read in a paper that you can read here titled "Racism In Ireland: Travellers Fighting Back". Some of the details included were these:
I was recently doing some general research online (during my lunch break, of course), and I came across the plight of a minority that I have only become acquainted with through the misconceptions of popular culture and a brief glimpse on the side of the road when my family was traveling through Ireland in 2001.
The Travellers of Ireland are a minority that have been continuously subjugated and rated as second-class citizens on both an individual and organizational level. Whether it is through over acts of violence against these people, social exclusion from public places such as pubs and other buildings, or even the systemic enforcement of using seperate facilities from the general population for applying for welfare, Travellers are forced to take a second-row seat to what the rest of us enjoy as a normal life.
What really spurred on my interest in this were some statistics I read in a paper that you can read here titled "Racism In Ireland: Travellers Fighting Back". Some of the details included were these:
- Travellers have more than double the national rate of stillbirths.
- Infant mortality rates are three times higher than the national rate.
- Traveller women live, on average, 12 years less than settled women.
- Traveller men live, on average, 10 years less than settled men.
- Travellers' life expectancy is now at the level that settled people reached in the 1940's.
There is actually a relatively 'large' population of Travellers living here in the US. I've written to the Irish Traveller's Movement (based in Dublin) for information about any possible information they may have regarding Travellers in America.
The closest I've ever come to getting any sort of understanding of this group is by watching The Riches. I'd like to really know who these people are. My heritage may not be directly Traveller, but they are still Irish and that is certainly a large part of who I am. I'm excited to learn more about this group - tune in later for more details.
Monday, June 9, 2008
LOLz and bridal shower hats...
I have a brilliant plan for my sister's bridal shower. As an invitation, she sent out hats to everyone, and we are supposed to decorate them and bring them for 'judgement'. The winner gets a really cool quilt my mom made, so I am seriously gunning for the prize.
However, I have a secret weapon. One that will blow everyone away. My hat is TOTALLY going to win. But since I can't post about it here (since the only person who really reads this blog is Amanda, and she's supposed to be surprised), I will blog about the outcome after June 21st.
In the meantime, here is a LOL with which to amuse yourself...
It's not that I will own too many cats...it is that too many cats will own me... :-)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Tough times...
Though this is a serious post, I feel the need to start it off with a silly picture...First off, I am so lucky to be able to rent my apartment, pay for my car and its insurance, buy food for myself, and take care of my pets the way they deserve to be taken care of. I read an article today that absolutely broke my heart - it took a look at the current recession of the US economy in a way I had never considered before. http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/06/04/economy.pets.ap/index.html
I had never considered the problems some people must have buying food for their pets. People on fixed incomes must be suffering so terribly right now, as fuel and food costs continue to rise unabated. I always thought the toughest spot we could be in was me having to buy the off-brand wet cat food so Norn could take her nightly glucosamine treatment. I've always had enough to buy them medicine, food, and even toys.
But reading this article really opened my eyes to some of the serious issues that pet owners face. It's easy to say, "Well, they should have made sure they could afford pets before they got one", but many people find themselves in tough situations they had never imagined, long after they've brought an animal into their family.
With four hungry little mouths to feed, (when we count Pan the bunny), I am truly grateful that I'm able to provide my fuzzy family with all the things they need to be healthy and happy. I buy them good food, get them good vet care, and get them toys they don't play with in favor of the boxes they came in. I have a great life. I'm going to try to remember this the next time I'm whining over not being able to buy a Wii or some other useless electronic gadget that doesn't bring me near the level of happiness that Frigga, Freyja, Norn and Pan give me.
And here's a picture so that everyone can enjoy their cuteness...
In order, it's (from left to right) Freyja, Frigga, and Norn.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Summary of all bad days we've ever had...
Again...
The LOLcats has captured it...
The essence of a bad day...
Though I, in actuality, had a WONDERFUL day. And I have a kitten next to me who's all pooped out on a catnip high.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Ren Faire Costume!
I am a huge fan of the Ren Faire. As such, it is very important that I be appropriately garbed at all times, and my sister Amanda (whose craft goodness can be seen at her blog, Della Stella) has graciously offered to make me a new costume for my birthday.
Here's the pattern:
I'm aiming to have the dress on the left with the shirt on the right (I've never been terribly fond of a high collar, but I love the open front of the skirt). The colors I asked for were dark blue and dark green, and apparently Amanda has located some primo brocades from which to craft the dress. I'm really excited to see how it looks.
On another note, I'm very excited about the hat contest we're having at Amanda's bridal shower in the middle of June. She sent out these plain straw hats as invitations, and we're supposed to decorate them for a contest that will be judged at the party. The prize is in theme with the rest of the party: we're having an 'old fashioned' high tea, and the winner will receive (among other things) a beautiful teapot quilt that my mother is currently making.
I can't show pictures of the hat until after the contest (because Amanda does actually read my blog from time to time, though she rarely posts..ahemahem...), but I'll take them and post them up after the party's over. Along with the gift I'm going in on with some other folks...I don't personally understand it, but I obey the registry...
We'll be going to a Jimmy Buffet concert with my parents on the 14th as well, which is right before the shower. I've planned something special for Father's Day, which should be a real blast. I just need to figure out how to fit everything into one weekend (as usual).
In any case, will post more later. Right now I'm enjoying the (rather cold) wilds of Canada, and we're driving home tomorrow. In the meantime, I guess I should get some homework done...urgh...
Here's the pattern:
I'm aiming to have the dress on the left with the shirt on the right (I've never been terribly fond of a high collar, but I love the open front of the skirt). The colors I asked for were dark blue and dark green, and apparently Amanda has located some primo brocades from which to craft the dress. I'm really excited to see how it looks.
On another note, I'm very excited about the hat contest we're having at Amanda's bridal shower in the middle of June. She sent out these plain straw hats as invitations, and we're supposed to decorate them for a contest that will be judged at the party. The prize is in theme with the rest of the party: we're having an 'old fashioned' high tea, and the winner will receive (among other things) a beautiful teapot quilt that my mother is currently making.
I can't show pictures of the hat until after the contest (because Amanda does actually read my blog from time to time, though she rarely posts..ahemahem...), but I'll take them and post them up after the party's over. Along with the gift I'm going in on with some other folks...I don't personally understand it, but I obey the registry...
We'll be going to a Jimmy Buffet concert with my parents on the 14th as well, which is right before the shower. I've planned something special for Father's Day, which should be a real blast. I just need to figure out how to fit everything into one weekend (as usual).
In any case, will post more later. Right now I'm enjoying the (rather cold) wilds of Canada, and we're driving home tomorrow. In the meantime, I guess I should get some homework done...urgh...
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