I am somewhere in this picture. Can you find me????
Here's a hint: Find Dan first.
I know, I'm evil! :)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Where's Mary
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Take your Muggle medicine
Fittingly for Halloween, I tripped across these articles on PubMed today. Apparently Wizarding/Muggle medical relations are an issue. Just in case you want to brush up on this important subject, I've provided links to the articles, both from respected Muggle medical journals.
Lim EC, et al. Duty of care to the undiagnosed patient: ethical imperative, or just a load of Hogwarts? CMAJ. 2006 Dec 5;175(12):1557-9 (PMID 17146093)
Lim EC, et al. Interesting in- and outpatient attendances at Hogwarts Infirmary and St Mungo's Hospital for magical maladies. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2006 Feb;35(2):127-9. (PMID 16565770)
If I find any more, I will certainly keep you updated. I think we all need to be aware!
Lim EC, et al. Duty of care to the undiagnosed patient: ethical imperative, or just a load of Hogwarts? CMAJ. 2006 Dec 5;175(12):1557-9 (PMID 17146093)
Lim EC, et al. Interesting in- and outpatient attendances at Hogwarts Infirmary and St Mungo's Hospital for magical maladies. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2006 Feb;35(2):127-9. (PMID 16565770)
If I find any more, I will certainly keep you updated. I think we all need to be aware!
Happy Halloween!
I just had to share one of my all-time favorite Looney Tunes. I like this one any day of the year, but especially on Halloween! Enjoy!
Friday, October 26, 2007
April Fools? The Onion? Nope. It's Nebraska.
Chambers Says He Found God: Tom Osborne
I wonder why it took Ernie Chambers so long to figure this out ;)
I wonder why it took Ernie Chambers so long to figure this out ;)
Saturday, October 13, 2007
I took the plunge
I signed up for NaNoWriMo!
You can track my progress (or lack of it - we'll see how November goes) by clicking on the icon above.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
More geekiness
The coolest thing I found on the 'net today: LibraryThing Haikus - WikiThing
I think every site should have their help pages written in Haiku! :)
I think every site should have their help pages written in Haiku! :)
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Oh, happy day
Yesterday was a book lover's heaven for me. I took a "mental health day" from work so I could go to the Bookworm's open house. There I got to hang out with some of the published authors from my writer's group. These are ladies I look up to and who always encourage me to FINISH MY BOOK!!!! (I think Julie's looking for the whip as we speak).
On top of that, I got a ginormous stack of free books. It's funny what you'll pick up when you don't have to pay for it and don't have a due date. I grabbed a few I hope will get my entrepreneurial spirit going and some that just had titles that were so crazy I couldn't leave them there. Some I'm really not sure are fiction or non-fiction or what they're really about, but the titles caught my eye so I took them. Most of these are ARC's (advanced reading copies), which explains the lack of, well, explanation on the covers. It'll be fun finding out what they're about.
I only bought two books. It's easy to limit yourself to that when you're already lugging around a bag (oh, yeah, I got a free bag, too!) of fifteen free books.
On top of that, there was free chocolate, thanks to Cyndy Salzmann! So, right there, I was already having a perfect day.
In the evening, Tonya and I went downtown to the Holland Performing Arts Center and met Claire so we could see Anne Lamott speak. I've been a fan of Anne's since college (way, way back <grin>) when one of the librarians on campus recommended Bird by Bird to me. I read the library's copy, bought my own, and read it and read it and read it. The book is yellowed, dogeared, highlighted, underlined, sticky-noted, well-traveled among my friends, and now, IT'S SIGNED!!!!! I'm so excited!
Even today's return to normal life (or my out-of-character encounter with the protesters just before going in) couldn't bring me down. I think I floated out the door last night. And I have to say again, CLAIRE ROCKS! She got us seats in the SECOND ROW! And a THANK YOU to Tonya for driving me downtown because I'm a wuss (I hate driving downtown, but I do when I have to, and I was going to, but I was incredibly relieved when Tonya offered to drive.)
This all feels like the culmination of a literary bender that lasted nearly a week. Last Saturday, I got to attend the (downtown) omaha lit fest (Yes, downtown - I drove myself! But it was early on a Saturday, so I wasn't very worried about traffic or parking). I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't take the time to meet some of the authors, but it felt like more of an absorbing day than a schmoozing day, if that makes any sense. I took pages and pages of notes. My arm felt like it might fall off by the end of the day. I've got a list of books I want to read and authors I want to explore more. And, again, I got to hang out with some of my writer friends.
So now the fun is over, and I'm pumped up to get on with the writing. If I want to get where all these people are, I know I've got to get to work and just write past all the scary, sick voices in my head who tell me I can't possibly finish this book. I'm firing my internal editor until the end of the year. She can come back when it's time to rewrite. (And when I'm stuck again, you all have permission to send these last few lines to me, throw them in my face and tell me to get to work!)
*happy sigh* I'm heading to bed now.
On top of that, I got a ginormous stack of free books. It's funny what you'll pick up when you don't have to pay for it and don't have a due date. I grabbed a few I hope will get my entrepreneurial spirit going and some that just had titles that were so crazy I couldn't leave them there. Some I'm really not sure are fiction or non-fiction or what they're really about, but the titles caught my eye so I took them. Most of these are ARC's (advanced reading copies), which explains the lack of, well, explanation on the covers. It'll be fun finding out what they're about.
I only bought two books. It's easy to limit yourself to that when you're already lugging around a bag (oh, yeah, I got a free bag, too!) of fifteen free books.
On top of that, there was free chocolate, thanks to Cyndy Salzmann! So, right there, I was already having a perfect day.
In the evening, Tonya and I went downtown to the Holland Performing Arts Center and met Claire so we could see Anne Lamott speak. I've been a fan of Anne's since college (way, way back <grin>) when one of the librarians on campus recommended Bird by Bird to me. I read the library's copy, bought my own, and read it and read it and read it. The book is yellowed, dogeared, highlighted, underlined, sticky-noted, well-traveled among my friends, and now, IT'S SIGNED!!!!! I'm so excited!
Even today's return to normal life (or my out-of-character encounter with the protesters just before going in) couldn't bring me down. I think I floated out the door last night. And I have to say again, CLAIRE ROCKS! She got us seats in the SECOND ROW! And a THANK YOU to Tonya for driving me downtown because I'm a wuss (I hate driving downtown, but I do when I have to, and I was going to, but I was incredibly relieved when Tonya offered to drive.)
Claire Rocks!, originally uploaded by mdesive.
This all feels like the culmination of a literary bender that lasted nearly a week. Last Saturday, I got to attend the (downtown) omaha lit fest (Yes, downtown - I drove myself! But it was early on a Saturday, so I wasn't very worried about traffic or parking). I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't take the time to meet some of the authors, but it felt like more of an absorbing day than a schmoozing day, if that makes any sense. I took pages and pages of notes. My arm felt like it might fall off by the end of the day. I've got a list of books I want to read and authors I want to explore more. And, again, I got to hang out with some of my writer friends.
So now the fun is over, and I'm pumped up to get on with the writing. If I want to get where all these people are, I know I've got to get to work and just write past all the scary, sick voices in my head who tell me I can't possibly finish this book. I'm firing my internal editor until the end of the year. She can come back when it's time to rewrite. (And when I'm stuck again, you all have permission to send these last few lines to me, throw them in my face and tell me to get to work!)
*happy sigh* I'm heading to bed now.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
This has been a freakin' awesome day!
It started off with free books, chocolate & time with the women who inspire and encourage me to keep writing. It ended with meeting my favorite author, Anne Lamott, and pizza & drinks with one of my best friends. This has been the best Talk Like a Pirate Day EVER! :)
More details tomorrow, gotta head to bed now. I'm exhausted and have to return to normal life in the morning.
More details tomorrow, gotta head to bed now. I'm exhausted and have to return to normal life in the morning.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Why I Don't Cook, Reason #1
I put some eggs on to boil today. Not even thirty seconds later, I went "Oh, the space shuttle is landing!" Twenty minutes later (best guess) I remembered the eggs. At least I didn't need the smoke detector or anything like that to remind me.
Fortunately, the eggs weren't ruined, but they were a leeetle overdone. Still, they went into some pretty good tuna salad sandwiches. Those were a wee bit runny because I put in too much mayo, but in my (cook)book, anything edible is a success.
Fortunately, the eggs weren't ruined, but they were a leeetle overdone. Still, they went into some pretty good tuna salad sandwiches. Those were a wee bit runny because I put in too much mayo, but in my (cook)book, anything edible is a success.
Aftermath
We had quite the storm last night. The tornado sirens went off during dinner, so we headed to the basement, but pretty soon hunger won out so I ran back up for our plates and we finished down there on the couch, fighting off the dogs who kept "innocently" sniffing at our food. ("What? I just want to see what you're having...in case I want to take it!")
After the storm was over, light started filtering through the thick clouds so I went out for some pictures. Most of them didn't come out well in the low light, but I got a few good ones.
After watching the news, I'm really glad we live in a new development where the trees are still little. No car- or house-crushing branches to fall on us. Other parts of town weren't so lucky in that respect.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
What I'm riding to Sturgis
I wish...I'd ride this if I could go! *sob*
Oh well, I guess I'll just keep checking out the Sturgis Street Blog for my fix this year.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Oscar the cat
There's an essay about this cat in the latest New England Journal of Medicine. I can't forward that around (as much as I would like to), but here's the link to the CNN story. This cat lives in a nursing home and predicts when people are going to die - he simply goes to their room and curls up next to them. According to the article, "His mere presence at the bedside is viewed by physicians and nursing home staff as an almost absolute indicator of impending death, allowing staff members to adequately notify families. Oscar has also provided companionship to those who would otherwise have died alone."
If you have access to the NEJM, I'd recommend reading the original essay by Dr. Dosa. It's in the July 26, 2007 issue ( vol.357, p.328-9). If not, searching "Oscar the cat" on Google News brings up quite a few hits.
If you have access to the NEJM, I'd recommend reading the original essay by Dr. Dosa. It's in the July 26, 2007 issue ( vol.357, p.328-9). If not, searching "Oscar the cat" on Google News brings up quite a few hits.
Friday, July 20, 2007
My Harry Potter encounter today - and it's not what you think
I got a request today for an article about Boomslang bite. I see odd words every day, but they're usually more along the lines of psychoneuroendocrinology. "Boomslang" struck me funny, like it belonged in something like a Harry Potter book more than a medical journal. Little did I know.
I had no idea what a boomslang was (a bug was my guess) so I took a minute and looked it up. It's a venomous snake native to Africa. In my quick search, I also came across a reference to Harry Potter. Since it was Wikipedia, I took it with a grain of salt and wanted to verify that for myself. When I got home, I pulled out my copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and found that "shredded skin of a boomslang" really is an ingredient in Polyjuice Potion (page 165 in my paperback edition).
Of all the days for that request to cross my desk and grab my curiosity. Serendipity?
In case you're wondering, I won't be in line for Harry tonight. I just finished Order of the Phoenix a few weeks ago and it will be awhile before I start Half Blood Prince. If I can just keep from hearing how the series ends before I read it for myself, I'll be a happy camper. But I doubt that will last long. If you see me, don't tell me. :)
I had no idea what a boomslang was (a bug was my guess) so I took a minute and looked it up. It's a venomous snake native to Africa. In my quick search, I also came across a reference to Harry Potter. Since it was Wikipedia, I took it with a grain of salt and wanted to verify that for myself. When I got home, I pulled out my copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and found that "shredded skin of a boomslang" really is an ingredient in Polyjuice Potion (page 165 in my paperback edition).
Of all the days for that request to cross my desk and grab my curiosity. Serendipity?
In case you're wondering, I won't be in line for Harry tonight. I just finished Order of the Phoenix a few weeks ago and it will be awhile before I start Half Blood Prince. If I can just keep from hearing how the series ends before I read it for myself, I'll be a happy camper. But I doubt that will last long. If you see me, don't tell me. :)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Pew Internet & American Life Project: "Omnivores embrace all this connectivity, feeling confident in how they manage information and their many devices. This puts information technology at the center of how they express themselves, do their jobs, and connect to their friends."
That would be me. I groan when people tell me NOT to e-mail them because they don't check it very often ("WHAT? How will I communicate with you then?"). If the internet goes down, I can't do 95% of my day job. If I forget my cell-phone at home, I have a panic attack. The thing I call my brain is not the gray matter in my head, it's the gadget in my pocket. And I don't think I even know how to load film into a camera anymore, even though I take more pictures than ever.
The term my husband often uses for me is "Ubergeek."
See more about Ominovres and how they fall into the rest of the tech-using population here and you can take the quiz yourself here.
That would be me. I groan when people tell me NOT to e-mail them because they don't check it very often ("WHAT? How will I communicate with you then?"). If the internet goes down, I can't do 95% of my day job. If I forget my cell-phone at home, I have a panic attack. The thing I call my brain is not the gray matter in my head, it's the gadget in my pocket. And I don't think I even know how to load film into a camera anymore, even though I take more pictures than ever.
The term my husband often uses for me is "Ubergeek."
See more about Ominovres and how they fall into the rest of the tech-using population here and you can take the quiz yourself here.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Arrrh, Matey!
My pirate name is:
Mad Mary Bonney
Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Just how stupid is my dog?
She's taking chew toys to a whole new level.
(Two posts in one day, can you believe it?)
At last!
After *only* a year-and-a-half (or so) I FINALLY finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on Monday night. Yay! Just in time, apparently, because I saw the first TV spot for the movie on Tuesday.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
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