New Office

Here are some pictures from my new office. Sorry some of them are blurry. I think my camera was on the wrong setting.

The MetLife surfer Snoopy and the Unicare Beetle welcome you:
The pictures I still need to get hung up: The working place:
The sitting place (but not for me):

Down From the Mountain

My family has been enjoying this DVD this week. It's a live concert by the musicians who did the music for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (A not-so-good movie with GREAT music!) It also has backstage interviews with the musicians.

So, if you...

...loved the music from the movie
...like bluegrass or old-time folk music
...want to see Ralph Stanley getting out of a stretch limo
...enjoy informal concerts
...are attracted to old guys with long braids, overalls, and bowties
...have always wanted to see Billy Bob Thornton in the role of audience member
...find your heart beating faster when Allison Krauss sings
OR
...just need something to do some evening

you might want to go to the library and check it out. When you go, be sure to take your ID, birth certificate, and car insurance in with you to avoid questioning, or just do what I did: Go through the self-checkout.

Age Problems

The other day, I had a hard time at the library because I look so so young. I'm used to people saying, "You look so young!" Do they really think I don't know that? Then they say, "You'll be glad of it someday!" Yeah, like I haven't heard that before either. Comments like that aren't so bad, but this librarian wouldn't let it go. You have to be at least 18 to check out movies, and she kept asking me, "Are you over 18? Are you sure you've checked out movies on this card? Did you get it updated when you had your birthday? So, you are over 18, huh?"

I was about ready to forsake my Christian character and launch into a huge speech: "Now look here, lady. I'm 23 years old, thank you very much. I'm a full-time, full-fledged insurance agent. I own a car and just bought a computer. I've voted in two presidental elections. And, I am a former library employee!!! I worked here for two years! I could tell you the dewey decimal call number for books about the Bermuda Triangle! I BELIEVE I AM QUALIFIED TO CHECK OUT A VIDEO!!!!!!!"

(Whew, I feel much better now.)

I didn't really say all that, of course, but I wouldn't have been a bit surprised if the library nazi had demanded to see my driver's license. Good grief! Would I really lie about my age in order to check out a video about how to do the Texas Two-Step?!? Honestly.

Dancing

John and I went to a folk dance workshop last Saturday and learned some great new dances, including an Israeli couple dance with a flying leap in it. It's so much fun! We are also getting ready for several performances this fall, and I'm getting excited. I really love dancing, and on that note, here are some quotes about dancing:

Dance is not an answer. Dance is a question. "Yes!" is the answer.--Unknown

All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing.--Moliere

Dance is the landscape of a man's soul.--unknown

When the going gets tough, the tough go dancing!--unknown

He: "Can I have the last dance with you?"
She: "You are having it!"

You don't stop dancing from growing old, you grow old from stopping to dance.--Unknown

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.--Kurt Vonnegut

Some people march to a different drummer...and some people polka.--Los Angeles Times Syndicate

If to dance is to dream, then you make dreams come true.--Anonymous, contributed by Maureen Hickey

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.--Clive James

Dance as if no one is watching.
Sing as if no one is listening.
Love as if you have never been hurt.--Unknown

Poetry is to prose as dancing is to walking.--John Wain (no, not John Wayne)

Those move easiest who have learn'd to dance.--Alexander Pope

Always the question for dancers is: Can we fly?--Jean-Christophe Maillot, Ballet choreographer

I just put my feet in the ground and move them around.--Fred Astaire

To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.--Hopi Indian Saying

We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. --Japanese Proverb

Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made. --Ted Shawn, Time, 25 July 1955

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. --Faith Whittlesey

I don't want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance. --George Balanchine

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. --Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. --Author Unknown

Blog Problems

Between comment spam and text that mysteriously disappears and reappears as you scroll up and down, I think I might lose my mind. As of yet, I have no solutions to these difficulties. However, I have come up with a new word for blog problems (drum roll please): "bloglems."

Maybe that could be some sort of motto: "If life gives you lemons, make up a silly word." Anyway, if any of you friends, family, and/or phantom readers have any ideas on solving these bloglems, please let me know.

Over and out.

Silly Sign

I saw this sign at a chiroprator's office in my neighborhood, and thought it was terrific! Somebody was pretty creative, or else in a silly mood! I wonder if the people who are in such bad shape that they have to crawl in think it's funny...

Snoopy

And you thought your most embarrassing moment was bad!!

Now That's a Snake!!!

Now, I don't like Texas snakes any more than I like Texas bugs, but the size of this rattlesnake is amazing! No, I do not have any personal connection with this snake or the man who killed it. I just got the picture on an email forward. It said this snake was killed near Amarillo, which is, thankfully, a very long way from Houston!

From the Family Photo Archive

This photo was taken a few months ago, and has us in height order. Yes, it's true that I'm the shortest in the family, except for Becca and Laura! I think this photo will be outdated soon, because Seth has grown a couple of inches since then, and is now only about an inch shorter than John. He'll probably pass him up soon. John has expected this to happen for a long time, especially since Seth's feet got bigger than his! And me? I got used to being the little big sister a long time ago. High-heeled shoes do help a lot, though.

Being a Gentleman's Lady

I have become a faithful reader of the articles on boundless.org. They post three new articles every Thursday, and I have found many of them to be very insightful. This week, there was an article that was both laugh-out-loud funny, and thought-provoking. Check it out here. It's about the God-given desire that men have to protect and provide for women, to be a girl's "knight in shining armor". The article is from a man's perspective, but I still found it interesting. As a female, I've though a lot about ways to allow men to exercise their desire to be providers and protectors, even in little ways. Girls, we need to let the men in our lives practice being gentlemen. Don't swallow the lie that we have to be tough and independent all the time. As always, though, there's a balance necessary. We can't be lazy and take advantage of the guys either.

Some People Are Pathetic

Does anybody want to help this guy out? If you say yes, you may need to read this book.

New Computer

I just got a new computer! I really like it, and have been having a lot of fun setting it up and using it. I decided I wanted my own computer, and I wanted a laptop. I also decided that now was a great time to buy it because of all the great back-to-school sales. I keep thinking of more things I need, like a wireless mouse, a removeable storage drive, and a networking cable. They're starting to recognize me at CompUSA, I think!

What Gives??

What’s going on here? I never even imagined that gas would be this expensive, not in Texas anyway. I actually took this picture a few days ago, and it’s gone up in price even more since then. I wonder if this will help the hybrid car industry. Someone told me that the gas is so expensive because King Fahd died. Yeah, right. Someone else told me that if you factor in inflation, gas is actually cheaper now than it was fifty years ago. I’m not sure I believe that either.

Rolls-Royce Quote

I know there are a bunch of quotes about the progress of cars versus computers, but I thought this one was especially amusing.

If automobiles had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside. - Robert X. Cringeley

Sand Sculpture--WOW!

Now, that's a sand castle! For more pictures of amazing sand sculptures, and to learn how you too can have a sand castle at your next party, visit this website.

Texas Bug

I saw this weird bug on our garage door last night. I have no idea what kind of bug it is, what it eats, or whether it bites or not, but I though it was photo worthy.

I could probably find out what kind of bug this is if I read the Texas Bug Book, but I don't have time or interest for reading bug books, quite frankly. But for you bug lovers out there, you can get this book at the library. And if you really, really, really like bugs, here's more than you ever wanted to know about everyone's neighbor, the cockroach.

One last thing: Make sure you don't miss this website about the biggest and best bug in Texas. It's even got videos!

Famine in Africa

Here's a link to a photo essay about the Niger famine. I'll warn you that some of the pictures are not for the faint of heart. It's a very tragic situation. Things like this always sober me up and remind me how much I take my comfortable life for granted. To think I was complaining recently about food served to me.

Lots of Christian organizations are helping with the famine relief, including this one.

Burn Those Calories Somehow!

I googled "exercise burn calories" and found an incredible list of activites and how many calories they burn. They based the information on one hour of activity. It was a very interesting list, and I made several observations. So, if you're sitting at your computer putting off going out in the heat to get some exercise, read on.

• The activity that burns the least calories is ice fishing at 118 calories. I'm wondering if you could burn more if you didn't wear such a warm coat and shivered more.
• The activity for burning the most calories is, alas, running. I should have known. They say that if you run 10.9 mph (that's fast enough for a 5.5 minute mile) and keep it up for an hour, you'll burn an incredible 1062 calories! Please note that I will not be held responsible for any emergency room visits or funeral expenses incurred by those who actually try this.
• Running up the stairs, my mother's favorite form of exercise (translated: torture), burns 885 calories.
• I also found it interesting that hacky-sack burns the same number of calories as sweeping the garage and almost as many as down-hill skiing. Let the game begin!
• The most strenuous musical instrument is (surprise) the drums.
• Walking with crutches burns more calories than walking while carrying a 15-pound baby. There's no word on how many calories you burn if you walk with crutches while carrying a baby, but please don't try it.
• Also noteworthy is that taking an aerobics class burns the same number of calories as teaching an aerobics class. Wow.
• Oh, and for you daredevils, ski-jumping burns 413 calories, but only if you climb the hill carrying your skis. Is this a joke?

Happy exercising!

Wizard of Id (Again)

Okay, I probably need to get away from the office more, but I thought this was hilarious. I can definitely relate.

Food For Thought From the News

I just read this amazing story about a brain-dead woman who just gave birth to a baby girl. It points out the wonders of modern medicine, but also brings up questions about how we can really determine if someone should be kept alive artificially or not. Hmmmm, sticky.

Trousers?!?!?!?!

This unlikely looking picture has a funny story with it. My brother recently ordered two pairs of pants from a mail-order company that will remain unnamed. Well, the package came, and there was immediately much suspicion due to its incredibly small size. When he opened the package, he found these two books. The funny thing was that the books were about "A Private's Murphy's Law"!! This was a great of example of "If something can go wrong, it will." We double checked the package slip, and it very clearly said "BDU trousers--2 pairs." We thought it was hilarious that the company very dutifully sent two items, even thought they couldn't have been any more different from what was ordered! John said he thinks he'll have to wear both at once.

Oh, and much thanks to Laura for her excellent book-holding pose.

Swiss Lake

Here's another picture from the Switzerland archive. This one was taken by one of the other team members, and I thought it was a gorgeous photo. In fact, I have so many beautiful pictures of Switzerland, I have made a screensaver out of them!