I want to be her...

snowangels � Blog Archive � Watercolor Lettering Recap

Eschaton

Eschaton

Dang this was funny! This guy has it DOWN!

Read, then BUY HER STUFF

Making their marks

- Time Out Chicago

NAYY, but I have a Jennie-the-Potter mug and it is AWESOME!

Think on't. Xmas is around the corner...

big sur

looking north-ish from the front of the big sur bakery profiled recently in the ny times magazine...burn visible in distance...
Sent from Heather's Centro

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required. Visit www.apple.com/quicktime/download to download the free player or upgrade your existing QuickTime� Player. Note: During the download process when asked to choose an installation type (Minimum, Recommended or Custom), select Minimum for faster download.

somewhere...

there is a pic of me right here...twenty years ago...
Sent from Heather's Centro

San Francisco

and the threat of Alcatraz clearly weighing on Thing Two's mind...pic thx to Heidi!!!
Sent from Heather's Centro

LOVE the Kelp!

Sent from Heather's Centro

This, of course, leads to the question: where the hell are you and where have you been?

I've been mad busy, yo.

I am currently here, doing this. I'll be doing this for another week or so. Please follow our adventures on the other blog.

Tour de Fleece

First fruits for the Tour de Fleece. Singles and double ply of the 4oz I signed on for.
Sent from Heather's Centro

Sent from Heather's Centro

Sent from Heather's Centro

o dear

We'll see if this works better than the Olympics.

Goal: Spindle spin and ply enough yarn for socks--about 4oz.

Sigh...

I know it's late and I'll probably regret posting this but...darn it...this just riles me something crazy.

The Yarn Harlot posted a wonderful "Happy Canada" entry on Canada's birthday. She posted a lot of (actually really interesting and not surprisingly funny) information. She also, inevitably, wound up pointing out differences between Canada and other countries.

Um.

Duh. 

This is how we understand things--by juxtaposing them. Categorizing. It's how the human brain works. No biggie, right?

Then there's this comment:

Canada sounds great & I hope to visit there sometime. With respect, I do feel that much of your pride - and the commenters' - is stated in terms of superiority over the U.S. (in spite of the initial disclaimer). Personally, I think that Canada is able to have many of its wonderful qualities precisely because it shares such a connection with the U.S. Antagonistic countries and organizations that think twice before engaging the U.S. do the same for Canada - greatly out of fear/respect for the U.S. Your own remarks about the Canadian system of being able to easily remove leaders demonstrates one aspect of why it would be difficult for it to have a legitimate "World Power" status. Many may feel that a "World Power" isn't needed or that the idea is outdated - and yet they are quick to call on the U.S. in times of crisis around the world. So many commenters are quick to deride Bush and your own remarks seem to share that tone. While there may have been errors made, and sadly, we've had to learn a new way to fight wars, I personally respect the man and feel safer than I did after the terrorist attacks - the cavalier tone of many reveals that while they may not care for Bush, they also aren't reeling in the same fear we all felt after the attacks. I'm glad to live in a country that pursues and has the means for "good government" but details "the pursuit of happiness" as an intrinsic right of man. Again, I think that Canada sounds wonderful and I won't feel that I've seen and done all I want to see & do until I've been there. However, Canada's greatness would be better stated if it weren't in terms of so-called weaknesses of the U.S.

Posted by: jody l. at July 1, 2008 6:01 PM

Sigh...on so many levels, sigh.

It's a HUMOR BLOG. If you don't like it, don't read it. Seriously. If you don't know Stephanie's politics by now, then learn them, stop commenting, and read something else. There's plenty of right-wing blogs out there (some of them far better reasoned than what you hear on TV or radio, actually) and you can go feel good about your thoughts there.

But don't bogart the fun of the Harlot.

And just because I can't help myself (and because darn it, this is my blog) I have to point out:

the cavalier tone of many reveals that while they may not care for Bush, they also aren't reeling in the same fear we all felt after the attacks. 

I gather Jody wasn't in NY during the 9/11 attacks. Seriously...you wanna talk reeling? Then you want to maybe go look at Bush's numbers in NY. The folks reeling the most certainly didn't vote for the man...nor did they back the war, or...well..any of his policies.

And don't give me the "yeah yeah yeah, but NYC is a bastion of liberals." HOW many years of Giuliani? 

Please. 'Nuff said.

I'm glad to live in a country that pursues and has the means for "good government" but details "the pursuit of happiness" as an intrinsic right of man. 

I truly feel that a country where folks don't get that you can't have a pursuit of happiness without good government is a country not destined for a long life. It's a chicken and egg thing--and good government beats happiness to the finish every time. Canada's done pretty darn well on the happiness scale. We have HOW many living in poverty these days? How many flooding (expensive) emergency rooms because they can't afford insurance? How many laid off? I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that they're not so happy.

However, Canada's greatness would be better stated if it weren't in terms of so-called weaknesses of the U.S.

Okay, back to the how we think thing. There's a French phrase my AP English teacher taught us: 

"Honi soit qui mal y pense" (—‘Evil be to him who evil thinks’)

Which is a nice way of saying "you see what you look for." I'm sorry, but I can't see anywhere that Stephanie said anything outright down on the U.S. 

She was talking about Canada. 

Which happens to be positioned next to us. 

We're pretty big. 

And loud. 

And pushy (we're kind of the teenager of big countries). 

So if some of the things she lists about Canada seem to be in opposition to things in the US...they probably are. Canada would be part of the US if they didn't do things differently up there. If you point that out, you're not hating on the U.S. 

You're explaining things about Canada.

Writers can point out without meaning to criticize--no need to be so sensitive.

Seriously.

Chill.

It's funny.

Promise.

Sent from Heather's Centro

UFO Week...back to the Guyabara

hem facing on Guyabara
Sent from Heather's Centro

collar of Guyabara shirt
Sent from Heather's Centro

front left panel of Guyabara
Sent from Heather's Centro

Just 'Cuz

Okay, seriously. This is just cracking me up.

There simply isn't enough breakfast sculpture in my life since Brian Shepp and the crew graduated UCLA.

What Monsoon Season Means to Me

Sent from Heather's Centro

This makes more sense when you know that Tucson has sun 360 days of the year--enough to maketh you mad.  Maaaaaad I say.

This is looking north at the Santa Catalina mountains, to the east (right) where you see the dark grey clouds begin...those bad boys...yeah, those wrap all the way around behind me. And they're big. And heavy. And full of water...which dumped on my head about an hour after I took this.

The temp went from 104 to 68 in an hour.  The night was lovely. I opened the windows. Yes, it's humid when it rains. No, when it's 68 I'm not going to complain (though I could...I'm sure I could...). The smell of the rain in the desert is like unto nothing else...I need to see if Juno's found it in a bottle yet...

Geeky Heather

DSC_0221
Originally uploaded by jenniethepotter

Pic thanks to Jennie the Potter when we were in Juneau. I secretly (or not so secretly) think this is what my DH thinks of when he thinks of me on a good day.
Goofy smile...if possible, doing the Rainbird Dance (which is, in effect, pretending to be a rainbird sprinkler...in the middle of Christopher Street...in the middle of the day...if you can get to NY).
So this goes out to him.

Why This Should Make Me Weep

Will just have to remain "one of those things"...

But I have a big smile on my face and tears in my eyes right now. Thanks to Lynn for sending this on.

If you go to the YouTube page you can watch it in HD (look below the video on the right for the link to get the HD)--it's MUCH more impactful that way...yarg, is that even a word?

Up 'N At Em'

Or at least up.

Dogs got me up at 6:22am which I think is a perfectly respectable doggie time. Strange morning here...dark clouds...which is odd in the summer especially this early. Usually there's a cloud buildup over Mexico and (when the Monsoons are in full swing) you get dumped on around 3pm.

The pool is turning green, but it's about to be drained and repaired so I guess I won't spend a chunk of change on algecide...Citricidal however, that stuff is my friend. Helped in the post-Salmonella malaise.

Ah, yes, much better now, thank you.

I've got about seventy irons in the fire, most of which will eventually show up here, but in the meantime, let me send you to the Daily Chum where you can see my roomie's spectacular scarf--the one she was working on when I met her.

And now, I must go feed kids and roll around with doggies.

Annoyances

There have been annoyances lately...like today, the President said (roughly) that anyone who's being responsible would vote to drill in Anwar.

Okay...parsing the whole thing would take too much of my time and effort (and it's hot---dry, sure, 107°, that too) but let's just focus on one little part.

That whole responsible thing.

I think we've gotten needlessly Libertarian here...and I'm not against Libertarianism...not if you live in a completely homogenous society of say...fifty people. Then I think it's bloody brilliant and I'm all for it.

No, I mean this whole "I get to define responsibility the way I want to" thing...

REAL responsibility?

Well, that means you accept your part of the problem (you're in cahoots with Big Oil)

and you are willing and able to propose a solution (getting out from under the thumb of Big Oil and get realistic about the whole "renewable resources" vs "nonrenewable resources" thing).

If we start there, then the next reasonable argument goes something like this: 

Because we've been beholden to the interests of a bunch of gynormous corporate entities for too long and in the process we've made certain that the little guy--the small businessman or businesswoman...the entrepreneurial sprirt upon which this country was founded, if you will--we've made certain that the good people of America simply cannot get a break (because all the breaks are going to the big companies in the form of giant tax breaks, etc etc) because of all of this, I have decided to change business as usual. 

We will now put out a request for bids on the following:

• government contracts for the best retro-fit of a gasoline-powered automotive engine to a viable alternative fuel source;
• government contracts for the best retro-fit of a home from oil to solar or wind;
  
• government contracts for the best retro-fit of a home from gas to solar or wind;
  
• government contracts for the best retro-fit of an in-home water system from complete potable water to grey water for toilets and home-created grey-water for irrigation; 
  
• government contracts for the best retro-fit of a fast food chain to provide recycled bio-fuel (no using NEW corn for fuel...that's just silly--and maybe the fast food chains will use cleaner oil for cooking in if they can make a little money off of the waste product);
  
• government contracts for the best retro-fit of a manufacturing plant from a non-renewable energy source to a renewable one;
  
• and, finally, 70% one-time tax breaks to any corporation who can (a) demonstrate,  and (b) distribute the means by which any and all unwanted waste/byproducts can be reused by another company/manufacturer for a profitable purpose.

From what I understand, (necessity being the mother of invention and all) we'd see a return on those bullet points faster than we'd see a return on Anwar...not to mention the fact that Responsible Folks say the oil companies have PLENTY of offshore drilling rights they haven't exploited b/c it's STILL too expensive to do so...at $4.50 a gallon, it's STILL too expensive.

Please.

When Holly and Dawn (see upcoming Chum) can reuse Pendleton fabric to make AWESOME couture, you're trying to tell me there's NO WAY we can reuse our company byproducts SOMEhow? If Soysilk (love it!) can be made from leftovers after Tofu has been created...there HAS to be some use for EVERYthing, right?

And I know what the naysayers are saying--if everything goes Solar or Wind or whatever, then the large power utilities go under and that's an even worse economic nail in our collective coffin. 

I agree. I think they should be the ones bidding. And I think part of their contracts should include upkeep, repair, and replacement. I think there's a TON of money to be had on nothing more than yearly inspections...and power plants should ALWAYS be a backup system...

I'm just sayin'...Anwar is not the only solution. There are other--more responsible ways...

I'm putting the soapbox away now. Thanks for indulging me.