It's in our front yard, secured to one of the larger pine trees (you might be able to just make out the trees in the background). It's 25 feet tall, and people driving down the street tend to slow down. I didn't do that great a job arranging the lights in the flame this year. They're threaded through some 1/2" hardware cloth on a frame, and I think next year I'm going to set aside an entire afternoon to getting them the way I want them, then fasten down each and every little light, once and for all.
But it's done. And it's up. That, plus wreaths on two doors and a little 3' tree. We're decorated!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
I am the queen of geography!
In the spirit of use it or lose it, I like to do different things to keep my mind challenged. Challenged, that is, in a way that's different from trying to remember why I came into this room, or just where it was I decided would be the perfect place to store the vacuum cleaner bags. That kind of challenge is exactly the reason why I keep at the other kind of challenge: I need to try and slow down the aging of my brain. That relentless decay. The inescapable slide into mental chaos and oblivion. And, as a result of those, having to go buy more vacuum cleaner bags every single time I need one. That would be good to avoid.
I've read many, many places that to keep the mind "young," you need to keep it creating new neural paths. That means learning new things. A new language is good, and that's on my To Do list. Doing familiar things in a new way is good. Math is very good. But the thing that really gets me going is geography. And by that I really just mean knowing where places are.
I know where places are. Almost all of them.*
I can name, off the top of my head, 185 countries. (It does take a few minutes, but still.) I can do all the Sporcle and Jetpunk geography quizzes that have to do with which countries are where, or what the name of those outlines on the map are. I can fill in the map tests at worldatlas.com. I've taken the time to learn it because it fascinates me.
I am fully aware that this particular body of knowledge doesn't really do much for me in real life, though I sure did know what directions the refugees were streaming when they were leaving Libya for Tunisia. And I knew the general area where the Kenyans were setting up camps to house Somalian refugees without checking a globe. And if my fantasies start coming true and someone suddenly asks me to identify all the countries in eastern Europe, I'm so ready.
In addition to the (I hope) brain benefits, I also have to think of this as kind of a hobby. I say have to because it takes up more time than you would think. The fact is, my brain and I aren't as young as we used to be, and if I don't keep reinforcing this information, it seems to somehow leak out or something. So I periodically go over all the maps, making sure I remember what's where and how to spell Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and whether Oman and Yemen are in alphabetical order or reverse alphabetical order (just so you know, it's reverse).
I spent today "going over" it. Today. As in all day. As in I got up at a reasonable hour, made coffee, then sat my fat ass down at the computer and played geography trivia quizzes and filled in maps all. day. long.
So…I think I'll go take a shower now. Brush my teeth. I'm a little ambivalent about the whole makeup thing, seeing as it's five o'clock. PM. [sigh] Tomorrow will be more productive, I'm sure, now that my brain is all tuned up. Right.
*I kind of stink at Oceania and the Caribbean. I know everywhere else, though.**
**Yes, everywhere.
I've read many, many places that to keep the mind "young," you need to keep it creating new neural paths. That means learning new things. A new language is good, and that's on my To Do list. Doing familiar things in a new way is good. Math is very good. But the thing that really gets me going is geography. And by that I really just mean knowing where places are.
I know where places are. Almost all of them.*
I can name, off the top of my head, 185 countries. (It does take a few minutes, but still.) I can do all the Sporcle and Jetpunk geography quizzes that have to do with which countries are where, or what the name of those outlines on the map are. I can fill in the map tests at worldatlas.com. I've taken the time to learn it because it fascinates me.
I am fully aware that this particular body of knowledge doesn't really do much for me in real life, though I sure did know what directions the refugees were streaming when they were leaving Libya for Tunisia. And I knew the general area where the Kenyans were setting up camps to house Somalian refugees without checking a globe. And if my fantasies start coming true and someone suddenly asks me to identify all the countries in eastern Europe, I'm so ready.
In addition to the (I hope) brain benefits, I also have to think of this as kind of a hobby. I say have to because it takes up more time than you would think. The fact is, my brain and I aren't as young as we used to be, and if I don't keep reinforcing this information, it seems to somehow leak out or something. So I periodically go over all the maps, making sure I remember what's where and how to spell Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and whether Oman and Yemen are in alphabetical order or reverse alphabetical order (just so you know, it's reverse).
I spent today "going over" it. Today. As in all day. As in I got up at a reasonable hour, made coffee, then sat my fat ass down at the computer and played geography trivia quizzes and filled in maps all. day. long.
So…I think I'll go take a shower now. Brush my teeth. I'm a little ambivalent about the whole makeup thing, seeing as it's five o'clock. PM. [sigh] Tomorrow will be more productive, I'm sure, now that my brain is all tuned up. Right.
*I kind of stink at Oceania and the Caribbean. I know everywhere else, though.**
**Yes, everywhere.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Good grief!
I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted anything. I look at my blog every single day, checking to see if the people I follow (look left) have made new entries, but somehow it doesn't really register just how long it's been since I've posted. I even kind of made a secret semi-resolution to update this blog more often. Huh. Starting today. Really.
We're going to the Dallas Stars game tonight. Nothing unusual about that, except it might possibly cross my mind that I could be at home, snuggled up with my dogs and cats (instead of Lydia cuddling on the couch with them, though they'd probably just as soon that it be her) rather than schlepping through the cold rain to AAC.
At least it might cross my mind except for the fact that tonight is our last Dallas Stars game for four weeks and two days! Between an extended road trip (them) and various holiday commitments (us), it just doesn't work out again until January. This is one of the more difficult aspects of being a sports fan. They don't play hockey in summer. They don't play baseball in winter. (Fortunately, though, if you're a hockey and baseball fan, you're set.) A drought like this in the middle of the season just doesn't seem right. Someone hand me the remote!
So after tonight it's all about getting ready for Christmas, which means knitting and cooking. The knitting goes on and on. I've been considering giving the Noro entrelac scarf I've been knitting to my mother-in-law, because she really admired it when she saw me working on it. I hesitate, though, because she's a little tiny woman (barely five feet tall) and it's kind of a gigantic scarf, 10" wide and 4' long so far, and I've still got most of the third skein left! I'm cooking for Christmas, too, trying a couple of unusual recipes to be gifts for my niece who asked for "crazy interesting foods or ingredients." We'll see how that goes. Between the scarf of enormous proportions and making recipes I've never tried before, I actually have a lot of potential for ending up at Walgreen's at 10pm Christmas Eve, looking for replacement gifts.
Speaking of cooking, and while I've got you, I'm thinking about adding a recipe/cooking section here. It would be handy to have my recipes online where I can get to them when I'm standing in the grocery store wondering if I'm actually remembering all the ingredients or not. What do you think? Would you care? Would you look at it? (It'll make a big difference in how much time I spend on making it look good if I'm the only one who'll see it.)
Well, anyway, there you go. That's an update. I'll try to make it more interesting next time, and see if I can also get in the habit of not waiting weeks in between.
Off to brave the cold and rain now. We've really got to have toilet paper before the freeze hits on Monday!
We're going to the Dallas Stars game tonight. Nothing unusual about that, except it might possibly cross my mind that I could be at home, snuggled up with my dogs and cats (instead of Lydia cuddling on the couch with them, though they'd probably just as soon that it be her) rather than schlepping through the cold rain to AAC.
At least it might cross my mind except for the fact that tonight is our last Dallas Stars game for four weeks and two days! Between an extended road trip (them) and various holiday commitments (us), it just doesn't work out again until January. This is one of the more difficult aspects of being a sports fan. They don't play hockey in summer. They don't play baseball in winter. (Fortunately, though, if you're a hockey and baseball fan, you're set.) A drought like this in the middle of the season just doesn't seem right. Someone hand me the remote!
So after tonight it's all about getting ready for Christmas, which means knitting and cooking. The knitting goes on and on. I've been considering giving the Noro entrelac scarf I've been knitting to my mother-in-law, because she really admired it when she saw me working on it. I hesitate, though, because she's a little tiny woman (barely five feet tall) and it's kind of a gigantic scarf, 10" wide and 4' long so far, and I've still got most of the third skein left! I'm cooking for Christmas, too, trying a couple of unusual recipes to be gifts for my niece who asked for "crazy interesting foods or ingredients." We'll see how that goes. Between the scarf of enormous proportions and making recipes I've never tried before, I actually have a lot of potential for ending up at Walgreen's at 10pm Christmas Eve, looking for replacement gifts.
Speaking of cooking, and while I've got you, I'm thinking about adding a recipe/cooking section here. It would be handy to have my recipes online where I can get to them when I'm standing in the grocery store wondering if I'm actually remembering all the ingredients or not. What do you think? Would you care? Would you look at it? (It'll make a big difference in how much time I spend on making it look good if I'm the only one who'll see it.)
Well, anyway, there you go. That's an update. I'll try to make it more interesting next time, and see if I can also get in the habit of not waiting weeks in between.
Off to brave the cold and rain now. We've really got to have toilet paper before the freeze hits on Monday!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Randomness, or Holiday Brain
Actually, the Unclutterer blog (look at that reading list to the left) calls it vacation brain, but I think 'Holiday Brain' gives more of a hint as to all the preparation involved.
Yes, it's that time of year again, when the childless couple starts making their rounds. Never having had babies means that we never had an excuse to not travel during the holidays, so none of the kinfolk ever got in the habit of coming to our house instead of us going to theirs. So that's what we do. Every year. Forever and ever, amen. Holidays, for us, mean being somewhere else. (Except the 4th of July, which is firmly centered in Southlake.) I used to decorate the house, putting up wreaths and Christmas trees and candles and tablecloths with centerpieces, the whole shebang. But then I realized at some point that Rich genuinely doesn't give even half a flip, so I'm only doing it for myself. And since I'm the one who has to do all the work to get it done, then undo it afterwards…well, apparently there are limits to how much trouble I'm willing to cause myself.
Anyway…yes, getting ready to leave town for a few days, which means that the fabulous Lydia (and her significant other) are moving in. This is the best arrangement anyone has ever had, petsitting-wise. We don't have to worry about the animals, we don't have to worry about the house. I (absolutely not Rich) just have to make sure the house isn't so gross that they refuse to ever come back.
So I'm cleaning today, as well as getting ready to pack, and making sure I love on all our animals since I won't see them for a week. And making little decisions. Should I take my laptop (a bit of an ordeal, since it's attached to a backup drive, external speakers and a separate monitor), or just rely on my iPad (which doesn't allow me to do absolutely everything I might want to do)? What knitting shall I take (this is an important decision, which non-knitting muggles might not fully appreciate)? What's the weather going to be like (okay, that one I can get an answer to pretty easily)? Shall I spend time today finishing that one job (time I could spend cleaning and whatnot) or leave it 'til we get back (and worry about it the whole week)?
And what about the Stars?
We have a game tonight, which is actually the reason we're leaving tomorrow instead of today. They haven't been playing very well lately (!), but we already paid for the tickets….Okay, that sounded a lot more discouraged than I actually feel. They're in a slump, but they'll bounce back. And they have a new owner, which is a huge step forward. And, besides, I love going to games, the whole fan experience, so much that pretty much any game is going to be fun. (And this year there are bobble heads!)
And "bobble heads" leads us right back to what kind of a day I'm having. I'm pretty much a bobble head today. A Holiday Brain bobble head. It'll get better, but for right now, it's looking like one heck of a random day.
So, before I forget, let me just say, "Happy Thanksgiving." Have a great turkey day, in case we don't talk again before then, spend wisely on Black Friday, and I wish you luck keeping your own Holiday Brain in check.
Yes, it's that time of year again, when the childless couple starts making their rounds. Never having had babies means that we never had an excuse to not travel during the holidays, so none of the kinfolk ever got in the habit of coming to our house instead of us going to theirs. So that's what we do. Every year. Forever and ever, amen. Holidays, for us, mean being somewhere else. (Except the 4th of July, which is firmly centered in Southlake.) I used to decorate the house, putting up wreaths and Christmas trees and candles and tablecloths with centerpieces, the whole shebang. But then I realized at some point that Rich genuinely doesn't give even half a flip, so I'm only doing it for myself. And since I'm the one who has to do all the work to get it done, then undo it afterwards…well, apparently there are limits to how much trouble I'm willing to cause myself.
Anyway…yes, getting ready to leave town for a few days, which means that the fabulous Lydia (and her significant other) are moving in. This is the best arrangement anyone has ever had, petsitting-wise. We don't have to worry about the animals, we don't have to worry about the house. I (absolutely not Rich) just have to make sure the house isn't so gross that they refuse to ever come back.
So I'm cleaning today, as well as getting ready to pack, and making sure I love on all our animals since I won't see them for a week. And making little decisions. Should I take my laptop (a bit of an ordeal, since it's attached to a backup drive, external speakers and a separate monitor), or just rely on my iPad (which doesn't allow me to do absolutely everything I might want to do)? What knitting shall I take (this is an important decision, which non-knitting muggles might not fully appreciate)? What's the weather going to be like (okay, that one I can get an answer to pretty easily)? Shall I spend time today finishing that one job (time I could spend cleaning and whatnot) or leave it 'til we get back (and worry about it the whole week)?
And what about the Stars?
We have a game tonight, which is actually the reason we're leaving tomorrow instead of today. They haven't been playing very well lately (!), but we already paid for the tickets….Okay, that sounded a lot more discouraged than I actually feel. They're in a slump, but they'll bounce back. And they have a new owner, which is a huge step forward. And, besides, I love going to games, the whole fan experience, so much that pretty much any game is going to be fun. (And this year there are bobble heads!)
And "bobble heads" leads us right back to what kind of a day I'm having. I'm pretty much a bobble head today. A Holiday Brain bobble head. It'll get better, but for right now, it's looking like one heck of a random day.
So, before I forget, let me just say, "Happy Thanksgiving." Have a great turkey day, in case we don't talk again before then, spend wisely on Black Friday, and I wish you luck keeping your own Holiday Brain in check.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Coach Glen Gulutzan's team chemistry building methods
As I mentioned on October 16th, the Dallas Stars have a bunch of new players this season. Mike Heika, of the Dallas Morning News, blogged today about head coach Glen Gulutzan's efforts to build chemistry between the players, including the seven new guys.
First: I'd love to have seen that 11-on-11 game! All those guys and two pucks. That's got to be some entertaining mayhem. (I was a dancer for many years — years and, yes, many pounds ago — and we were painstakingly choreographed and well practiced on stage. But sometimes, at certain events, some of us would get to take part in The Chicken Dance. And it was total chaos. When you're used to something organized and orderly, that's a real treat.)
Secondly: Smart guy, that Gulutzan. I think I get now why they're winning.
To bring that group together quickly requires some "chemistry building games." Donkeyball was one…(Donkeyball, according to Heika, involves kicking a soccer ball over a makeshift net and trying to not let it hit the ground. The game is played in a hallway, so there are rules about ceilings. There are brief clips of one such game in some of the in-arena videos shown on the Jumbotron at Stars games.)
…while Stars coach Glen Gulutzan started practice with an 11-on-11 hockey game that included two pucks and wild youth soccer-like action.It came up in today's blog because there was a competitive game of Donkeyball between Dowell and Fiddler (see the 10/16 post) before today's practice at the Verizon Center in D.C. (where the Stars will be playing the Caps tomorrow). The whole rest of the team watched and cheered. Dowell, who claimed to be the underdog, won, and celebrated by leaping over the net and ripping his shirt off.
First: I'd love to have seen that 11-on-11 game! All those guys and two pucks. That's got to be some entertaining mayhem. (I was a dancer for many years — years and, yes, many pounds ago — and we were painstakingly choreographed and well practiced on stage. But sometimes, at certain events, some of us would get to take part in The Chicken Dance. And it was total chaos. When you're used to something organized and orderly, that's a real treat.)
Secondly: Smart guy, that Gulutzan. I think I get now why they're winning.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Bad Timing & Two Ways to Help Your Team
Bad timing 1: The very back/bottom of my hair is much too long, and has been for a while. I looked at my calendar two weeks ago and saw that my next haircut wasn't 'til November 1st, so I thought I'd call and schedule a quick touch-up. I didn't do that. I did, however, think to call this morning. Only now, of course, November 1st is only a week away, so making a special appointment seems a little silly. For the next seven days, I guess I'll be sporting a girl mullet.
Bad timing 2: Back ache. Bad back ache. Suddenly, as I got out of the car to walk into Kroger this morning. Actually, we got out. Rich wanted to go with me to run errands (bank, Costco, Kroger), which is fine and all, but which really, really makes me feel like we're his parents. (They go everywhere together. Everywhere.) I admire them greatly, you understand, but they're 85. We're not 85 yet. So I may have been feeling a little more tension than absolutely necessary. In any case, back ache today. Chiropractor's appointment tomorrow. Their office is closed Tuesdays, so I can't even beg them to move it up. Guess I'll really get my money's worth when I finally go. If I'm up and around.
How to Help Your Team 1: Buy season tickets. Go to games. Cheer loudly. Applaud wildly.
How to Help Your Team 2: Do not even think of watching them on TV. I watched the World Series game on Saturday, a train wreck of a game for the Rangers. We made a big deal of it, having (upscale) ballpark food for dinner, both of us sitting down to watch, the whole nine yards. They lost 16-7. After that, I decided I couldn't do that again, and the next game the Rangers won 4-0. Taking the hint, I kept the TV tuned elsewhere last night and they won that game, as well.
They'll be playing Wednesday in St. Louis. I'll be avoiding watching. If anyone wants to, you can come take away my phone and iPad, and I won't even be able to check the scores.
Whatever it takes. You know, besides timing.
Bad timing 2: Back ache. Bad back ache. Suddenly, as I got out of the car to walk into Kroger this morning. Actually, we got out. Rich wanted to go with me to run errands (bank, Costco, Kroger), which is fine and all, but which really, really makes me feel like we're his parents. (They go everywhere together. Everywhere.) I admire them greatly, you understand, but they're 85. We're not 85 yet. So I may have been feeling a little more tension than absolutely necessary. In any case, back ache today. Chiropractor's appointment tomorrow. Their office is closed Tuesdays, so I can't even beg them to move it up. Guess I'll really get my money's worth when I finally go. If I'm up and around.
How to Help Your Team 1: Buy season tickets. Go to games. Cheer loudly. Applaud wildly.
How to Help Your Team 2: Do not even think of watching them on TV. I watched the World Series game on Saturday, a train wreck of a game for the Rangers. We made a big deal of it, having (upscale) ballpark food for dinner, both of us sitting down to watch, the whole nine yards. They lost 16-7. After that, I decided I couldn't do that again, and the next game the Rangers won 4-0. Taking the hint, I kept the TV tuned elsewhere last night and they won that game, as well.
They'll be playing Wednesday in St. Louis. I'll be avoiding watching. If anyone wants to, you can come take away my phone and iPad, and I won't even be able to check the scores.
Whatever it takes. You know, besides timing.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Reasons to like Stars hockey
The first day of NHL free agency this past July, the Dallas Stars signed six new players. Last week, they acquired another through trade (there were salary cap issues).
I love hockey because it's a very fast-paced, high-energy game. And, well, also because of this. These are those seven new players:
Seriously. Damn.
*This whole little exercise, my Googling2 the new players' photos, started when they showed a picture of Vernon Fiddler on the Jumbotron during the game last night. He was in a suit and tie, clean shaven, hair combed, and he had his teeth in3. He was so handsome, it made me curious about the others.4
2The photos all came from Google images, BTW, and I have no rights to them whatsoever. I suppose they'll stay up here until I get caught.
3Vernon doesn't put his teeth in when he plays. Actually, during games he kind of looks like a caricature of a hockey player: all craggy, with stringy hair, dark stubble and missing teeth, very much like someone you really don't want to mess with. But he cleans up real good.
4Yes, we can see them during games, but they're wearing their helmets and they're really sweaty (not so much in a steamy, tantalizing way as much as a "Dude! You're dripping on me," kind of way). It's pretty hard to tell what they really look like. The photos are much better.
Really, much better!
I love hockey because it's a very fast-paced, high-energy game. And, well, also because of this. These are those seven new players:
 |
| Sheldon Souray |
 |
| Jake Dowell |
 |
| Eric Nystrom |
 |
| Vernon Fiddler* |
 |
| Radek Dvorak |
 |
| Michael Ryder |
 |
| Adam Pardy |
Seriously. Damn.
*This whole little exercise, my Googling2 the new players' photos, started when they showed a picture of Vernon Fiddler on the Jumbotron during the game last night. He was in a suit and tie, clean shaven, hair combed, and he had his teeth in3. He was so handsome, it made me curious about the others.4
2The photos all came from Google images, BTW, and I have no rights to them whatsoever. I suppose they'll stay up here until I get caught.
3Vernon doesn't put his teeth in when he plays. Actually, during games he kind of looks like a caricature of a hockey player: all craggy, with stringy hair, dark stubble and missing teeth, very much like someone you really don't want to mess with. But he cleans up real good.
4Yes, we can see them during games, but they're wearing their helmets and they're really sweaty (not so much in a steamy, tantalizing way as much as a "Dude! You're dripping on me," kind of way). It's pretty hard to tell what they really look like. The photos are much better.
Really, much better!
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