A little change up from what is normally posted on my blog at Life Lingo, but my friend Blain needs our support. He is in a blogging competition and needs us to vote for his blog, Stock Trading 101, so he can advance to the finals of the tournament. The link to the competition is right here,
http://www.derrich.com/2007/03/30/2007-bloggers-tournament-round-4/
Scroll down and you'll see "Game 30, Vote". Click there and vote for Blain's blog, Stock Trading 101! Good luck Blain!
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Maintaining Your Insanity
I got an email that I thought was pretty funny. It was called 20 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity, but I thought I would put some of the best ones here, at least the ones that I laughed at.
At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and
point a hair dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
(Okay, that would be really funny.)
Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.
(I like that they said not to disguise your voice. That's key)
Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label it "In".
(Lol, make a statement.)
Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has
Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso
(I do think they would notice the lack of caffeine, though.)
Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a
serious face.
(Haha, if I could keep a straight face, I would really try that.)
Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go".
(I wonder how many people in the fast-food business have actually heard people say that...)
Sing Along At The Opera.
(Hahaha I can only imagine...)
Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend
Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.
(five days in advance.... lol)
When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won! I Won!"
(LOVE IT.)
When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot,
Yelling "Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!"
(LOVE IT MORE!!)
Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy, We Are
Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."
(hehe this is pretty funny too ... if I had kids, I would ... don't think it would mean the same thing if I said it to my third graders)
Anyways, that was just my fun for the day =)
At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and
point a hair dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
(Okay, that would be really funny.)
Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.
(I like that they said not to disguise your voice. That's key)
Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label it "In".
(Lol, make a statement.)
Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has
Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso
(I do think they would notice the lack of caffeine, though.)
Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a
serious face.
(Haha, if I could keep a straight face, I would really try that.)
Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go".
(I wonder how many people in the fast-food business have actually heard people say that...)
Sing Along At The Opera.
(Hahaha I can only imagine...)
Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend
Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.
(five days in advance.... lol)
When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won! I Won!"
(LOVE IT.)
When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot,
Yelling "Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!"
(LOVE IT MORE!!)
Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy, We Are
Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."
(hehe this is pretty funny too ... if I had kids, I would ... don't think it would mean the same thing if I said it to my third graders)
Anyways, that was just my fun for the day =)
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Nintendo ... Sony ... or Microsoft...
So I was reading this article (http://www.forbes.com/technology/2007/03/08/nintendo-wii-gdc-tech-cx_rr_0308game.html ) which is talking about the Nintendo guru-guy Miyamoto and his speech blah blah ... then it goes on to include a quote from a guy from Electronic Arts. "Hecker said that Nintendo isn't as committed to creating artful games as Sony and Microsoft, and that the company is only interested in producing fun games with limited graphical appeal. The Wii console, he said, is hardly better than two GameCube consoles duct-taped together."
This may be true, but so what? Is it really all about the new crazy graphics that we can get? Excuse me, sir, but that is not all everyone is looking for - some of us are still fine watching VHS and haven't upgraded to that blue-stuff. Entertainment is still entertainment regardless of how clear the picture is. I mean we were fine back playing Super Nintendo (my favorite) right? Another point on the Wii - yeah, it is less violent - that is appealing to SOME people, especially those looking for family-kid-friendly-oriented fun.
So what if Nintendo isn't obsessed and five thousand percent dedicated to graphical appeal as you say, Hecker. Is it really a problem if they went another direction and tried something else innovative where they are smartly appealing to an audience - an audience that will earn them, sure, a lot of money? Of course it is about money, but it is just refreshing to see a gaming system that isn't hardcore focused on the detail of the guns, blood, shooting ranges, gory gruesome monsters, etc etc (yea I am a fan of Halo, I can deal with a fair dose of action, so my point isn't made against that genre). Okay I have lost my train of thought, so before I ramble on anymore, time for me to go.
This may be true, but so what? Is it really all about the new crazy graphics that we can get? Excuse me, sir, but that is not all everyone is looking for - some of us are still fine watching VHS and haven't upgraded to that blue-stuff. Entertainment is still entertainment regardless of how clear the picture is. I mean we were fine back playing Super Nintendo (my favorite) right? Another point on the Wii - yeah, it is less violent - that is appealing to SOME people, especially those looking for family-kid-friendly-oriented fun.
So what if Nintendo isn't obsessed and five thousand percent dedicated to graphical appeal as you say, Hecker. Is it really a problem if they went another direction and tried something else innovative where they are smartly appealing to an audience - an audience that will earn them, sure, a lot of money? Of course it is about money, but it is just refreshing to see a gaming system that isn't hardcore focused on the detail of the guns, blood, shooting ranges, gory gruesome monsters, etc etc (yea I am a fan of Halo, I can deal with a fair dose of action, so my point isn't made against that genre). Okay I have lost my train of thought, so before I ramble on anymore, time for me to go.
Dreams of the future
"I like dreams of the future better than the history of the past." - Thomas Jefferson
Amen forefather.
While it is important to learn from the mistakes of the past and hold tight to our memories, one of the brightest points of everyday is looking forward to what will happen next, the unpredictability of every day. Well ... I did not appreciate waking up and realizing that I needed to buy more creamer for my coffee... and that my brake fluid is out again for about the third time in three months (leak is the assumption.) Those were unpleasant surprises. But you know what I mean.
Some more related quotes:
There is nothing like a dream to create the future. - Victor Hugo
The dream was always running ahead of me. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that was the miracle. - Anais Nin (wish I knew who that was)
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one, I hope someday you will join us, and the world will live as one. - John Lennon (song: Imagine)
If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time. - Proust (you know, the guy Steve Carell is the scholar on in Little Miss Sunshine ;-))
All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible. - William Faulkner (you know, I don't like reading the guy's work, but he's onto something)
Amen forefather.
While it is important to learn from the mistakes of the past and hold tight to our memories, one of the brightest points of everyday is looking forward to what will happen next, the unpredictability of every day. Well ... I did not appreciate waking up and realizing that I needed to buy more creamer for my coffee... and that my brake fluid is out again for about the third time in three months (leak is the assumption.) Those were unpleasant surprises. But you know what I mean.
Some more related quotes:
There is nothing like a dream to create the future. - Victor Hugo
The dream was always running ahead of me. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that was the miracle. - Anais Nin (wish I knew who that was)
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one, I hope someday you will join us, and the world will live as one. - John Lennon (song: Imagine)
If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time. - Proust (you know, the guy Steve Carell is the scholar on in Little Miss Sunshine ;-))
All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible. - William Faulkner (you know, I don't like reading the guy's work, but he's onto something)
No such thing as a free lunch?
So in Economics the saying goes "There's no such thing as a free lunch" - we always end up paying for something that's 'free' in the end. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
However, here in Kalamazoo, there is something that is getting puh-rettty close. We have a few movie theaters that are battling against each other. A new bigger, badder one has just opened downtown. They opened with a cheaper price than the long-standing theater .. who then decided to lower their price ... and lower it some more - so now, it is ... drumroll please ... THREE DOLLARS!! However, the newer theater decided to give out 'FREE' popcorn and pop - wooo-wee huh!! I haven't been there, but that is suuure enough to get me to go there (oh yes this of course is aimed at college students so you have to show your student ID). But folks, the competition is just getting hotter - now the 'older' theater is giving out free popcorn, too! So three bucks, free popcorn (you would probably end up buying a drink for a couple bucks) OR five bucks, free popcorn and pop - but parking is a major pain at this Downtown theater. The decision is yours ... if you live in Kalamazoo ... and MAN I want to go see a movie now.
However, here in Kalamazoo, there is something that is getting puh-rettty close. We have a few movie theaters that are battling against each other. A new bigger, badder one has just opened downtown. They opened with a cheaper price than the long-standing theater .. who then decided to lower their price ... and lower it some more - so now, it is ... drumroll please ... THREE DOLLARS!! However, the newer theater decided to give out 'FREE' popcorn and pop - wooo-wee huh!! I haven't been there, but that is suuure enough to get me to go there (oh yes this of course is aimed at college students so you have to show your student ID). But folks, the competition is just getting hotter - now the 'older' theater is giving out free popcorn, too! So three bucks, free popcorn (you would probably end up buying a drink for a couple bucks) OR five bucks, free popcorn and pop - but parking is a major pain at this Downtown theater. The decision is yours ... if you live in Kalamazoo ... and MAN I want to go see a movie now.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Some of the sillier questions that don't really matter
Why should chocolate have to be a guilty pleasure? Ha, I don't feel guilty about eating chocolate! Should I? (Everything in moderation is the key, wink wink.)
Is it wrong that I enjoy watching this show I Love New York because it is all about the unnecessary, entertaining drama that men create while 'competing' for this pretty crazy chica named New York?
Am I not allowed to think that some questions kids ask are stupid?
Why can't coffee be 100% healthy for you - why can't it be some kind of hybrid V8 juice that just doesn't taste and look so gross?
Is it so wrong to stop watching Romeo and Juliet before the events occur that make it a tragedy?
Can I stop telling people that I actually like driving back and forth from Kalamazoo to Detroit? Christina ... I am sure they get it already ... and they're not going to think it's any more normal the more you tell them?
Why did Justin Timberlake have to name his CD something that I am embarrassed to tell my mother that I listen to?
Why did I post up the Europe map on my wall, with every intention to outline our extensive route, but haven't put so much as a dot on it?
Is it okay that sometimes I would rather just keep problems and ridiculous and emotional stories to myself because it is too much of a pain to have to explain to other people?
WHY is it that I laugh in completely different amounts when I watch movies by myself (laugh obnoxiously way too much) versus with other people (giggle and chuckle in adequate appropriate amounts)?
Is it wrong that I enjoy watching this show I Love New York because it is all about the unnecessary, entertaining drama that men create while 'competing' for this pretty crazy chica named New York?
Am I not allowed to think that some questions kids ask are stupid?
Why can't coffee be 100% healthy for you - why can't it be some kind of hybrid V8 juice that just doesn't taste and look so gross?
Is it so wrong to stop watching Romeo and Juliet before the events occur that make it a tragedy?
Can I stop telling people that I actually like driving back and forth from Kalamazoo to Detroit? Christina ... I am sure they get it already ... and they're not going to think it's any more normal the more you tell them?
Why did Justin Timberlake have to name his CD something that I am embarrassed to tell my mother that I listen to?
Why did I post up the Europe map on my wall, with every intention to outline our extensive route, but haven't put so much as a dot on it?
Is it okay that sometimes I would rather just keep problems and ridiculous and emotional stories to myself because it is too much of a pain to have to explain to other people?
WHY is it that I laugh in completely different amounts when I watch movies by myself (laugh obnoxiously way too much) versus with other people (giggle and chuckle in adequate appropriate amounts)?
Motto #1 and Motto #2
Live boldly.
Take risks.
Make someone say,
What the hell was that all about?
Boldly swing into the microcosmic richness of the possible.
Take risks.
Make someone say,
What the hell was that all about?
Boldly swing into the microcosmic richness of the possible.
Life Lesson 93.156
Let me tell you about a time about a week and a half ago ... some of you may have already read this, apparently it's old news now...
The excitement began when the oven beeped. (Meaning that it had finished pre-heating and it was time to stick in the DiGiorno - not delivery.) So being quite hungry I scurried into the kitchen. Got the pizza out of the freezer.
Then I noticed something weird, there was some black smoke coming out by the bananas that were on top of the stove by some little vent thingy. I didn't think the bananas were smoking, so I decided to open the oven door and see what was up.
So I opened it a tad and all this black smoke came out. So I shut it quickly thinking okay crap. Then it hit me - i didn't take the stuff out of the stove before I pre-heated it (baking sheet, wire strainer, pizza stone, colander/strainer thingy). So I opened it again to inspect the damage.
Then I noticed the large flames inside in the midst of the smoky nightmare.
In come my couple of friends there with me, Carel and Ryan, to see what I was saying 'Oh no' for. Yeah, Ms. Stupid here forgot that plastic doesn't do well in ovens.
So we try to use our critical thinking skills in the heat of the moment (ha ...heat...) - but it's like 1:30 in the morning or we would've realized that instead of using the fire extinguisher we could've thrown water on it. But honestly, who knew that chemical nightmare would be so ridiculous to clean up!? And if I had thought about it and how crazy the situation was, I would've taken pictures of the flames and of Carel being the Extinguisher ... after figuring out how it works.
But yea. Flames go out no problem, but the whole kitchen filled with burnt smell and smoke so we opened every door and window - it got pretty damn cold. And they should tell you to always have some of those gas mask things handy when you use fire extinguishers, because inhaling all that chemical was sick. Our lungs are probably yellow and green - and black too. Colorful.
So after the fire is out, we inspect the damage and see what happened. Then we start clean-up. Ugh... it was insane all the places that chemical stuff got - the next day I swept up a big pile of it after pulling out the stove. But the drawer under the oven was coated with it, of course the oven got slammed in the blizzard of chemicals, the top of the oven, the counter. Basically everything. So it was a good night of cleaning and wiping down and making a pile of stuff to be washed and vacuuming the oven and laughing at everything...
..at least I didn't set a fire by myself...would I have been able to figure out the fire extinguisher? Would I even have noticed that there was a fire =P
But ... yes ... we opted to forget about the pizza. Enough chemical had entered our bodies. But ... it was an adventure ;-) And a fun night - lol at least for me. The end.
So lesson learned ... either pizza places on this side of the state need to stay open way later ... or always check the oven before you heat it
The excitement began when the oven beeped. (Meaning that it had finished pre-heating and it was time to stick in the DiGiorno - not delivery.) So being quite hungry I scurried into the kitchen. Got the pizza out of the freezer.
Then I noticed something weird, there was some black smoke coming out by the bananas that were on top of the stove by some little vent thingy. I didn't think the bananas were smoking, so I decided to open the oven door and see what was up.
So I opened it a tad and all this black smoke came out. So I shut it quickly thinking okay crap. Then it hit me - i didn't take the stuff out of the stove before I pre-heated it (baking sheet, wire strainer, pizza stone, colander/strainer thingy). So I opened it again to inspect the damage.
Then I noticed the large flames inside in the midst of the smoky nightmare.
In come my couple of friends there with me, Carel and Ryan, to see what I was saying 'Oh no' for. Yeah, Ms. Stupid here forgot that plastic doesn't do well in ovens.
So we try to use our critical thinking skills in the heat of the moment (ha ...heat...) - but it's like 1:30 in the morning or we would've realized that instead of using the fire extinguisher we could've thrown water on it. But honestly, who knew that chemical nightmare would be so ridiculous to clean up!? And if I had thought about it and how crazy the situation was, I would've taken pictures of the flames and of Carel being the Extinguisher ... after figuring out how it works.
But yea. Flames go out no problem, but the whole kitchen filled with burnt smell and smoke so we opened every door and window - it got pretty damn cold. And they should tell you to always have some of those gas mask things handy when you use fire extinguishers, because inhaling all that chemical was sick. Our lungs are probably yellow and green - and black too. Colorful.
So after the fire is out, we inspect the damage and see what happened. Then we start clean-up. Ugh... it was insane all the places that chemical stuff got - the next day I swept up a big pile of it after pulling out the stove. But the drawer under the oven was coated with it, of course the oven got slammed in the blizzard of chemicals, the top of the oven, the counter. Basically everything. So it was a good night of cleaning and wiping down and making a pile of stuff to be washed and vacuuming the oven and laughing at everything...
..at least I didn't set a fire by myself...would I have been able to figure out the fire extinguisher? Would I even have noticed that there was a fire =P
But ... yes ... we opted to forget about the pizza. Enough chemical had entered our bodies. But ... it was an adventure ;-) And a fun night - lol at least for me. The end.
So lesson learned ... either pizza places on this side of the state need to stay open way later ... or always check the oven before you heat it
McDonald's French Fries Healthy-er?
Oil passes muster on McDonald's fries
By early 2008, they'll be just as tasty, but healthier
By early 2008, they'll be just as tasty, but healthier
While Wendy's, Taco Bell and KFC each has announced a switch to new cooking oils free of heart-clogging trans fats, McDonald's Corp. stood by.
Until now.
After testing 18 varieties of oil in more than 50 blends during the last seven years, McDonald's told the Chicago Tribune last week that it finally struck gold. It found a suitable trans fat-free oil that won't change the taste or texture of its top-selling menu item: french fries.
Already, McDonald's says it is supplying about 1,200 of its American restaurants with the new oil after starting to secretly test it last summer.
By early 2008 in the United States, the golden arches plans to be cooking all its fries, as well as chicken nuggets and other fried items, in the vegetable oil blend that doesn't have the same unhealthful effects as trans fat.
McDonald's executives, citing customer reaction in test markets, say that fries cooked in the new oil remain true to their traditional taste, appearance, texture and aftertaste.
"Our customers don't want better," said Barbara Booth, director of the sensory science laboratory for McDonald's. "They want the same."
The company's 13,700 U.S. restaurants alone use more than 75 million pounds of oil each year to prepare the chain's french fries, chicken McNuggets, chicken strips, and fish fillets.
Abundantly Abounding Alliteration
Alliteration just makes everything better. I appreciatively adore alliteration. Alliteration is amazingly awesome.
Living life lavishly loudly.
Ostentatiously overlooking outstanding obvious occurrences.
Plundering pillaging pretentious perilous pirates.
Excellently esteemed extraordinarily exhilirating experiences.
Living life lavishly loudly.
Ostentatiously overlooking outstanding obvious occurrences.
Plundering pillaging pretentious perilous pirates.
Excellently esteemed extraordinarily exhilirating experiences.
Enjoy
enjoy
Those five letters, that one word stares me in the face every day. I found them at Bronner's this winter, big wooden letters cut out and coated thick with light green glitter. First off the glitter just makes the word fun to look at, and of course, I am a fan of the limey-green. But the simple message is just enough. To remind me to enjoy life, enjoy the ride before it is over, before I miss it.
Sure, there is endless work to do - make up my resume, cover letter, philosophy of teaching, twenty hours worth of lesson planning, practicing interview questions, preparing to be observed on a professional level by the principal, being innovative and creative instead of traditional and stagnant in teaching, finishing (well, starting) my honors thesis, blah blah blah you've all heard it. (But try typing out the list - it either puts things into perspective and makes you feel like Yes I can do it this is no big deal, or it really scares the crap out of you. That's what backspace is for.)
But what is the point of life if you cannot look back with a smile, laughing, knowing that you have done what you wanted to do, that you have discovered who you are and what you want and what you like to do and who you want to do it with.
I am so lucky right now that I can look back on all my intern experience thus far and truly say that I have enjoyed every second with my kids, that I have learned every day in the classroom - even from tears and frustration.
Those five letters, that one word stares me in the face every day. I found them at Bronner's this winter, big wooden letters cut out and coated thick with light green glitter. First off the glitter just makes the word fun to look at, and of course, I am a fan of the limey-green. But the simple message is just enough. To remind me to enjoy life, enjoy the ride before it is over, before I miss it.
Sure, there is endless work to do - make up my resume, cover letter, philosophy of teaching, twenty hours worth of lesson planning, practicing interview questions, preparing to be observed on a professional level by the principal, being innovative and creative instead of traditional and stagnant in teaching, finishing (well, starting) my honors thesis, blah blah blah you've all heard it. (But try typing out the list - it either puts things into perspective and makes you feel like Yes I can do it this is no big deal, or it really scares the crap out of you. That's what backspace is for.)
But what is the point of life if you cannot look back with a smile, laughing, knowing that you have done what you wanted to do, that you have discovered who you are and what you want and what you like to do and who you want to do it with.
I am so lucky right now that I can look back on all my intern experience thus far and truly say that I have enjoyed every second with my kids, that I have learned every day in the classroom - even from tears and frustration.
Hit Him Back, Sidney
By some miracle, I actually have some free time. I was walking through Target, past the book section, and saw Sidney Poitier's face staring at me from the cover of his book The Measure of A Man. I thought 'I love Sidney, he's amazing' and decided it would be a worthwhile book to read, as it is his 'spiritual autobiography' as he says, a book about life. So far, I love the book. I always laugh inside when he says 'you know?' at the end of a sentence. Anyways, there is this one part that made me laugh out loud that you should read. This was the first movie of his that his family saw - which also happened to be the first movie that his mother and father had seen ever (the movie was No Way Out in 1950.
"My mother was sitting there, a woman who really didn't know anything about movies. My father was sitting there, a guy who really didn't know anything about movies. The movie played, and they were absolutely enthralled with what they saw, letting go with "That's my kid!" and all that. But near the end of the movie Richard Widmark pistol-whips me with this pistol, the butt of this pistol. He's beating the crap out of me with this pistol, and my mother jumps up in the theater and yells, "Hit him back, Sidney! Hit him back! You never did nothing to him!" In front of everybody. My brothers and sisters are squirming and laughing, saying, "Mama, sit down, sit down." But she's not joking. She's for real, completely in the moment. "Hit him back, Sidney! Hit him back!"
That was my mother."
Don't you love it? Please tell me you laughed...
But isn't it funny to think about what it was like to live back then, seeing your first movie - which isn't like the first movie we saw. We have grown up with TV. Movies aren't anything new to us, we know television, computers, missions to the moon and outer space, cable, cell phones ... Sidney (yes, he and I are on a first name basis now) even grew up without indoor plumbing or electricity. Yet if you do read his book, he describes this life, and to me, it really does sound like a simple paradise (of course the fact that he lived in the Bahamas might have something to do with it.)
Well those are my thoughts for now.
"My mother was sitting there, a woman who really didn't know anything about movies. My father was sitting there, a guy who really didn't know anything about movies. The movie played, and they were absolutely enthralled with what they saw, letting go with "That's my kid!" and all that. But near the end of the movie Richard Widmark pistol-whips me with this pistol, the butt of this pistol. He's beating the crap out of me with this pistol, and my mother jumps up in the theater and yells, "Hit him back, Sidney! Hit him back! You never did nothing to him!" In front of everybody. My brothers and sisters are squirming and laughing, saying, "Mama, sit down, sit down." But she's not joking. She's for real, completely in the moment. "Hit him back, Sidney! Hit him back!"
That was my mother."
Don't you love it? Please tell me you laughed...
But isn't it funny to think about what it was like to live back then, seeing your first movie - which isn't like the first movie we saw. We have grown up with TV. Movies aren't anything new to us, we know television, computers, missions to the moon and outer space, cable, cell phones ... Sidney (yes, he and I are on a first name basis now) even grew up without indoor plumbing or electricity. Yet if you do read his book, he describes this life, and to me, it really does sound like a simple paradise (of course the fact that he lived in the Bahamas might have something to do with it.)
Well those are my thoughts for now.
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