The Many Faces of Spartacus

Waiting Room Origami

Recently I had the timeless pleasure of sitting in a Dr.'s office waiting room. I perused the usual fare... People, no; Time, no; Sports Illustrated, no; Several self-help pamphlets, no... ah Highlights! There's one I haven't read for a while. I came to this page:
Hmmm. Make a butterfly out of a dollar bill by John Montroll. (rummage through my purse, um pocketbook for those north-east coast readers) Ah, yes - the elusive dollar bill. I can put it to good use while I pass the time. Here is my waiting room attempt. I'm not sure what the ONE other person in the waiting room thought of my antics, but I carefully avoided eye contact so I couldn't tell you what she thought. I was content. I was passing my time anxiously engaged in creativity. Here are my happy results:

Top View

Side View

Front View

Back View

Underside View

I don't know if I can ever bring myself to spend this cute dollar. I don't think I can afford this hobby. I can see it now - dozens of cute animal shaped dollar bills which I am not willing to spend, strewn about the house. It probably leads to more hard core use of $5's, $10's & $20's. I think I'll quite will I'm ahead... or maybe not???

9/11/01 - Where were you?

I was in a meeting at work with several furniture vendors that had arrived from out of town. Everyone's cell phones were ringing as word trickled in about what was happening. The 'important' things we were discussing suddenly became unimportant. I remember going back to my desk and looking at the news in disbelief. Watching the videos replay and play out the events of that day. Having lived near NYC in my youth and visited often, I still can not picture the New York skyline without the twin towers there. They just always were.

Broken Toe

It all started in 1st Grade. My teachers name was Mrs. Porto. I usually emphasized that her name was Mrs."Poor-toe". I imagined in my 6 year old mind that she must have awfully deformed digits & surely she would never wear open toed shoes. Somewhere out there, Mrs. Porto should be laughing at me.

I don't wear open toed shoes, but sometimes I go bare foot in my own home & sometimes I have a pair of jeans on the floor near a laundry basket

(see offending jeans...)

and a chair (see offending chair...)

& sometimes I decide to flick the jeans into the basket with, of course, my foot. ...just sometimes. Well the foot hooked the jeans & intercepted the leg of the chair on the way. I am sure my toe is now broken.

(see offending toe... next to the little toe)

I've never broken a bone before, but here's what I do know about it... My daughter broke her toe last year. After paying the co-pay & the x-ray, we walked away with a recommendation to be careful with that toe until it heals. She thought it was cool to wear the protective boot & crutches. 6 weeks later another visit accompanied by co-pay & x-ray to confirm it was healing and another recommendation to keep being careful, she was on her way.

(see her broken toe)

I can walk without a boot & without crutches although I'd rather not walk at all. I also will save myself 2 trips to the Dr. & maybe buy a new pair of shoes with the $40.00 I'll save.

What have I learned from this?
1. Ew - my toes are ugly. It's sad when I think the close up of the carpet in the background looks better than my toes.
2. Ow - broken toes really hurt.
3. OK, OK Don't kick my jeans into the laundry. :(
4. I hope I don't learn 'you should have gone to the Dr.'
5. Don't make fun of your teachers last name. You'll be sorry someday.

Perhaps you'd like some soothing music to listen to while your toe heals. Check it out!

Worth the Price if you want to play 'cause you still Pay

Another entertaining report from 'Police Beat':

June 4 An adult male and a 15-year-old female were arrested for shoplifting in the Bookstore. They tried to take a package of $7.99 Rook cards. They are both non-students. They were caught by floor walkers and will be charged in court with retail theft. They just wanted to play the game but did not want to pay for cards, police said.

Locked inside her own car...

This news report cracked me up. I'll paraphrase.

A woman in a neighboring town called 911 because she was locked inside her own car. The police reported that when they arrived, she could not understand them through the window. After using hand gestures, she was able to communicate to them her cell phone number. The officer called her and explained to her that even though her battery was dead, the locks could be operated manually (ie pull/push the button with your finger?). He instructed her on how to release the lock manually & she was freed from her vehicle.

Good thing she remembered how to use her cell phone or this comical story could have ended in tragedy.

The Day Only I Watched The Pigeons Fly

Find the pigeons. There are 3 total. (1)above & (2)below

Christmas in Connecticut

Style of house: Cape Cod. OK - So it's probably not really Christmas - but the snow reminded me of christmas anyway. This is the house I grew up in. The window on the side of the house was my bedroom. I always had a fear that the house would catch on fire & I'd have to jump out the window to save myself. Looks like this picture was taken before the raspberry bushes were planted along the side. Yum. Just out of view to the right is the stump of the tree my dad cut down that knocked over my mom & landed on her leg. But that's a story for another day! See the woods behind the house? Many happy hours spent there playing and watching squirrels. We had an albino squirrel back there too. The side yard made a pretty good sledding hill, but the golf course was even better as long as you could avoid the water hazards. It was a great place to grow up. I'd like to go back someday to visit.

Learning to Drive

Learning to drive is super great - when you are 15!!!

I'm a bread maker

One of my favorite childhood memories is coming home from school & smelling mom's home made bread. Before I even opened the door, I knew I was in for a hot buttery treat. The best part was ripping the bread apart - no time for slices. Somehow that hot, buttery chunk of fresh bread was better than anything! Mom made bread in bread pans in the oven and lots of it. Well, I don't have hot bread ready after school, but I do have a counter top bread maker and after 3 hours I have (drum roll, please!) one yummy hot loaf of bread! I found this picture of my bread machine online. Then I realized something is definitely wrong!!! If only I can figure out how to get the yeast to do its thing so I have a puffy bread top like this picture...

My bread looks like this when it is done. (Picture of actual loaf of bread I made)

But it sure smells and tastes like home in spite of it's less than picturesque appearance. Inexperienced bread maker or bad yeast?! OK, the yeast is new - so it's not that. Yum. It still tastes good to me.

What will I do with those old bread pans now? Maybe a new home for my cactus...

:) My Camera is Fixed

Fast repair shop! Woo-hoo!!!

:( My camera is broken

The button that I push to take pictures fell off. I should figure out how many pictures I have taken in the past 6 years. Then I will know the life of the new button. New Button??? That's right. It's getting repaired right now. I also found out that the fact that my shutter sometimes does not open is a recall item which canon will pay for. Crappy Sony part. The hitch is that it must be exhibiting the symtom when sent in for repair. Will it do it again??? If you have a Canon Power Shot A70 and the shutter won't open. Take it to a camera repair shop and ask them about the recall.

Trampoline

Jumping on a trampoline: She really was jumping. She was not photoshopped in nor was the background a green screen. The flash just lit her up and caused a weird shadow around her. Crazy fun picture. I've always like it. Below is no flash. Also a fun picture.

08 08 08 Galaxy Zoo

Cool galaxy I've been able to view & classify

Happy 'eight' day. I felt I must post something on this amazing date. In the spirit of the comment I heard on the radio this morning pointing out that an 8 on its side is the sign for infinity I will post about a favorite hobby of mine. If I had made it to work by 8:08, I would have posted then & I fear I will forget or not be home tonight at 8:08 - so here goes.

On my list of sites to visit is the phrase: 'classify galaxies with me'. I think it is completly addicting to classify galaxies & easy to do. It's like getting that universe tour preview before we leave this mortal existence. It also gives me more questions to ask when I get there. Apparently asking questions is a perfectly normal thing to do. Curious? Click here. Go for it, sign up! A dutch school teacher discovered a strange object & it's made quite the buzz in the astronomy world. Who knows what may be seen next?

Another cool galaxy I've classified

"for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless? And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease."

Mr & Mrs Vacation

Too bad summers almost over.
These folks will have to put the 5th wheel on blocks for the winter.

Family History

While I am not currently looking for any dead ancestors... I am scanning pictures of dead ancestors (and living). Sometimes I have to figure out who they all are (that's where the family history part comes in). Here is a picture of people I know. I no longer take for granted that when half of us are dead and the other half live who knows where, someone will be burdened with this fine photograph and wonder who most of the people are. Not long ago, I finished scrapbooking all of my printed photos (a blog post for another time). I fretted over the mass quantities of pictures I had. In going through 'grandma' boxes, I have discovered that collecting unlabeled pictures in boxes is a hereditary disease. I am trying to break the cycle by cataloguing and labeling as best as I am cablable of doing. Hooray for scanners! Hooray for photoshop! Hooray for digital camera's! Hooray for technology! Hooray for a project for me to work on. So - get out there and crack open those dusty boxes and get your pictures organized!!! You will feel oh so much better having the satisfaction of finishing an unfinished something.

Photoshop

BEFORE

AFTER

I didn't darken or lighten or change the overall color of the photo. I noticed when I pasted the before & after pictures the after picture looks lighter overall. Maybe it is because it does not have all of the contrast of the 'noise' on before picture. Prizes worth up to dollars to the person who can identify who is in the picture & where it was taken. Extra points for the year it was taken. Seriously, identify them all or all you get are points.

MORE AFTER
I adjusted the highlights & shadows on this one...
I think I like it best

Roma Tomatoes - Gardening

Note to self: Try this when the Roma Tomatoes are ripe.

Aaron - Cartoon

This cartoon has a story. There is a little boy at church... we shall call him Aaron, for that is his name. His dad plays the organ. His dad plays the songs for sacrament meeting. That is until Aaron finds the plug to the organ. "No, no Aaron - don't unplug the organ."

Our singing does not sound so good acapella.

Girl & Dog - Cartoon

Girl & Dog - Yo