tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-374918652024-03-07T13:11:06.223-05:00Thou and Thou OnlyRiches we heed not, nor man's empty praise.<br><br>
This blog belongs to the family of JunkMale, a Christian and Georgia Tech alumnus. Target demographics might include conservative Christian, healthy-eating, homeschooling, interracial families, and others who do not call this world "home." Where homemade is usually better than store-bought. For more info, click the "About" link below.Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-43642113690492166382011-02-21T13:04:00.003-05:002011-02-21T13:09:24.423-05:00Why Parents Think Their Children Are So SmartI would guess that it has something to do with the fact that when they first met their children, the ability to support one's own head was considered a milestone far off in the future. The child came into the world being able to do basically 2 or 3 things. Think of it as being that any positive number is infinitely greater than 0. <br /><br />Now, I have no explanation for why parents think their own children are the most beautiful children in the world, because I have seen some pretty not-beautiful babies and children. Such a thing can only be explained as a feeling/thought that is divinely placed ;)<br /><br />Does anyone have better theories?JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-37949625216378060612011-01-17T14:56:00.008-05:002011-01-17T15:18:30.149-05:00Let the Randomnimity Begin AnewWay back when this blog was alive and thriving, every now and then I'd post some randomnimity. This consisted of several random unrelated blurbs which by themselves I considered too short to be a blog post. Let them begin again!<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>I am thankfully still employed and work for the same company, but for a completely different program. It is nice because my work building now has windows, albeit only at the north and south ends of the building, which is actually just a glorified production hangar. It is not so nice because the bathrooms are not as nice as those belonging to snazzy fighter jet program buildings. It is nice because I can telecommute. It is not nice because I can telecommute. Overall, I think the positives of being able to telecommute outweigh the negatives. It is nice because I work on the 4th floor, so I get a little bit of extra exercise every day. It is not so nice because I work on the 4th floor.</li><br /><br /><li>I have a new nephew who was born yesterday, so that means we share a birthday. Mid-January is allegedly a nice time to be born. This is one birthday I won't have trouble remembering, unless I start forgetting my own, which I did for about an hour yesterday morning.</li><br /><br /><li>I have completed my master's degree in systems engineering. In time, you will learn to call me "Master."</li><br /><br /><li>It annoys me when people mix up "your / you're." "Your welcome." My welcome what? Perhaps you referring to my overdue and welcome rant that your grammar is awful. If I were looking at your McDonald's job application, I would reject it outright.</li><br /><br /><li>When you're a teenager, you know everything. When you get older, you know better. The more I observe teenagers and other children (mostly the teenagers), the more I realize that, indeed, folly is bound up on the heart of a child. I used to be much more dogmatic about various things. Since I have proven wrong more than a few times in my life (my grades in some of my physics classes will verify this), and since I have been there and done that, I think I have lightened up considerably.</li><br /><br /><li>Speaking of low grades in physics classes, my lowest grade ever was a 10 on an electrodynamics test. That's 10 out of 100. My previous low was an 18/100 on a stellar astrophysics test (I did not really expect that I would have to memorize large portions of the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram). Can you beat that? You have to have actually tried to do well on the test instead of throwing it on purpose, and it is not limited to physics tests. There will be no prizes involved, because, wow, really? You got less than or equal to a 9?</li></ul>JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-658258724439082482010-10-10T10:10:00.001-04:002010-10-10T10:10:01.449-04:0010/10/10Seen on facebook, via one of my friends (and you can tell the sort of friends I have by this!):<br /><br /><blockquote><span id="profile_status">There are 10 types of people in the world. those who know the ultimate answer is tomorrow, and those who don't. Don't miss out!</span></blockquote><blockquote><span id="profile_status"><br /></span></blockquote><br /><br />Does anyone have any nerdy plans for 10/10/10? ;)<br /><br />*(And, yes, I'm presumably at church right now. But it just seemed poetic to schedule the post for 10:10 am, don't you think?)Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-23967606928647895992010-04-07T15:13:00.005-04:002010-04-07T15:39:44.781-04:00Can you tell me why...... I can serenely and sweetly fold the same article of clothing ten times when Pearl is <strike>wreaking havoc</strike> <strike>affirming that nature loves entropy</strike> helping me with the laundry, and yet I want to pull out my hair when I have to stop folding that same piece of clothing and stop her from pulling Luna's ear or pulling plugs out of sockets?<br /><br /><br />... God decided to make pollen an allergen? Or more specifically, why did God made antihistamines dry up my milk supply? <i>One</i> Claritin, that's all I took, and the next day was slim pickings for Pearl.<br /><br /><br />... Pearl cannot seem to learn that biting is very, very bad, ouch, don't DO that, you're leaving marks on me, NO, that <i>hurts</i>? And why is <i>she</i> the one who winds up crying when <i>I'm</i> the one in pain?<br /><br /><br />Blogging is therapeutic. :-)Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-83857480729220066062010-03-31T14:29:00.003-04:002010-03-31T14:40:46.417-04:00Your Last MealAt my office, the punishment for violation of security procedures is to bring in a box or two of donuts for the office. This is a very very cruel punishment. For all the rest of us, not necessarily the person who had to buy the donuts. I do not know why we are subjected to such cruel and unusual punishment. <br /><br />It is true, we do cheat sometimes in our generally healthy eating, and splurge in a donut every now and then. Whenever someone brings in donuts, I always sneak one out to bring to Harmony.<br /><br />This got us talking about last meals and what our's would be. Here I confess that I am not high class in any sense - my last meal would probably be a fast food hamburger (Big Mac probably, Harmony calls McD hamburgers "wormburgers") and a box of hot just-made Krispy Kremes. Perhaps half original glazed and the other half some variety of glazed creme filled or jelly filled donuts. <a href="http://krispykreme.com/varieties.html">See more of varieties here</a>, and don't blame me if you are suddenly filled with the urge to buy a box. Then again, I suppose I would be mostly to blame there. <br /><br />I think Harmony said her last meal would consist of something from Captain D's. Assuming that you knew when your last meal would be, and assuming you would be willing and able to eat (i.e. your guts are still intact and you are not wrongly on death row or something like that), what would your's be?JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-17872689205813024862010-03-26T12:23:00.003-04:002010-03-26T12:45:13.432-04:00For Certain Family Members... Who think our county isn't rural enough (not that I'm trying to influence where you choose to live the next time you move. Oh wait. I am.* ;-):<br /><br />In the fifteen minute drive to the library book sale today, I encountered 6 farms, cows, horses, one very lonely road with practically nothing but fields of grass gone up to seed interspersed with mini forests, and a genuine tractor. If you go to the other side of the railroad tracks from us (other way off the interstate), you're not five minutes out before you start seeing cows, horses, and sheep dogs who actually herd sheep. There are blueberry and pumpkin farms, and vast fields. Take a little side trip south to the next major road and you'll see a deer processing business run out of a quaint little farm house.<br /><br />West of our house lies church, and once on the way home from church we had to swerve our car to avoid hitting a chicken who had wandered into the road. We've seen deer and what we think was a coyote on the way to church as well. Turn off of the main church road and you start seeing farms and grassy fields.<br /><br />North of our house you reach the rolling foothills of the Appalachians within the hour. Closer to our house are more blueberry farms, and when we once took back roads home from the blueberry fields (as opposed to the interstate, only one or two exits from our house), we came across tiny near-dirt roads where free-range chicken eggs were sold on an honor-based system. The owner put the eggs in a hinged wooden box inside a cooler. You left money in a smaller hinged box and went on your way. The sign was painted onto plywood.<br /><br />The MidWest we are not, but please do not judge our county by the tiny pocket of suburbia that lives off exits 7 and 8. Get past that and you will see that you could do much worse than to live close to us.<br /><br />(*OK, we know you don't have much choice in the matter, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to plead our case just a tad.)Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-12711120629535473142009-12-30T16:55:00.002-05:002009-12-30T17:48:09.693-05:002009 In ReviewI have a major (for me) series of blog posts in the works, which need time for research and writing. Since I am seriously lacking in time, you'll just have to make do with this Q&A about the year that I stole from the Common Room.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?</span><br /><br />Become a mother. That covers a whole slew of firsts, I think. :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?</span><br /><br />I haven't made New Year's resolutions in a long time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Did anyone close to you give birth or get pregnant?</span><br /><br />Let's see... ME, my whole childbirth class, and three friends from church (one born the same day as Pearl).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. Did anyone close to you get married?</span><br /><br />No<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">5. Did anyone close to you die?</span><br /><br />Yes, a friend from high school. Actually, he was my first "date" (a group date at a church friend's house). He died of lung cancer (non-smoker) at 27.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">6. Travel?</span><br /><br />We went to the mountains twice. And over Thanksgiving we visited both of my grandmothers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">7. Did you move anywhere?</span><br /><br />No.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">8. What was the best month?</span><br /><br />June, of course. But I was too tired and busy to really enjoy it, I think. :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">9. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?</span><br /><br />Is this a typo? In 2010 I'd like to have more discipline with keeping a reasonably clean house.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">10. What date(s) from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?</span><br /><br />June 3, of course. Also September 11 (Pearl's 100 day celebration).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">11. What was your biggest achievement of the year?</span><br /><br />Natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and (the hardest IMO) learning to live pleasantly on next-to-no sleep.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">12. What was your biggest failure?</span><br /><br />My messy house. Also being so forgetful. Several bills were overdue this year that we had money to pay, but that I had completely forgotten existed.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">13. Did you suffer illness or injury?</span><br /><br />I had a couple of colds, super mild gestational diabetes, and some asthma issues late in pregnancy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">14. What was the best thing you bought?</span><br /><br />Most of our new-to-us items this year were given to us.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">15. Whose behavior merited celebration?</span><br /><br />JunkMale, for being a wonderful father and patient husband.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">16. Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed?</span><br /><br />I can't think of anyone right now<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">17. Where did most of your money go?</span><br /><br />House, food, utilities. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">18. What did you get really, really, really excited about?</span><br /><br />My baby :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">19. What song will always remind you of 2009?</span><br /><br />The Korean lullaby about the spotted calf that my Father-in-Law (and now JunkMale) sang to Pearl to put her to sleep (송아지).<br /><br />20. Compared to this time last year, are you:<br />i. happier or sadder?<br />ii. richer or poorer?<br /><br />i. Happier, by far.<br /><br />ii. Richer, I think.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">21. What do you wish you'd done more of?</span><br /><br />Reading, sleeping, cleaning, cooking<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">22. What do you wish you'd done less of?</span><br /><br />Wasting time on the internet.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">23. How will you be spending New Year's Eve/Day?</span><br /><br />I'm going to bed early on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day, my sister-in-law is flying in town for the weekend. It's also her birthday! We're going to eat seaweed soup for her birthday (Korean tradition similar to birthday cake, except much healthier), and also eat rice cake soup (Korean traditional New Year's food). Then we're going to dress up in traditional Korean clothing and take family pictures. The younger generation will bow to the elders.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">24. What was an unexpected surprise?</span><br /><br />SIL coming to visit - in June and again this weekend. :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">25. Did you fall in love in 2009?</span><br /><br />Does Pearl count?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">26. What was the best concert you've been to this year?</span><br /><br />I didn't go to any<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">27. What was your favorite TV program?</span><br /><br />I don't watch much TV. Does GT football count?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">28. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year?</span><br /><br />No.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">29. What was the best book you read?</span><br /><br />That's a tough question. I'm going to say Murder on the Orient Express, because it was the first Christie mystery I read. I am now reading through all the Poirot and Miss Marple novels as fast as I can. :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">30. What was your greatest musical discovery?</span><br /><br />Er, I don't know.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">31. What did you want and get?</span><br /><br />A baby. I have seriously wanted to be a mom for at least the last five years. The last two years it had become more of an obsession, really. And now I have my precious Pearl. :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">32. What did you want and not get?</span><br /><br />A lot of silly, pointless things. And a dress I can nurse in. I did really want that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">33. What was your favorite film of this year?</span><br /><br />Harry Potter 6... being one of, what? Two movies I saw this year?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">34. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?</span><br /><br />I can't remember what we did. I assume we went out to eat with my parents, because that's what we always do. I think we went to Sweet Tomato and had a delicious meal and lots of good family time. I was 27.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">35. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?</span><br /><br />I can't think of anything. Maybe if I'd been the perfect mom/wife. But that will never happen. My life is very good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">36. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?</span><br /><br />Pajamas. :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">37. What kept you sane?</span><br /><br />Hot showers while someone else watched the baby.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">38. What political issue stirred you the most?</span><br /><br />Spending, spending, spending. Grrr. I did not approve of this debt I owe.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">39. Who did you miss?</span><br /><br />My SIL, who gets to come see us whenever she can but still not often enough. And especially my sister, who needs to move next door or at least close enough for weekend trips every now and then. 11 hours is too far away for a sister. :-(<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">40. Random Memories from 2009?</span><br /><br />Seemingly living in doctor's offices, seeing family much more often than in previous years (except of course for my sister and SIL), lots of eating out, and going on walks with JunkMale.Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-22408844549264744372009-12-08T11:54:00.000-05:002009-12-08T11:54:33.968-05:00Just Sing the Chorus, Please!You know what annoys me? When someone who's leading a hymn decides that the congregation is going to sing all the verses of a song first, then sing the chorus once. <br /><br />Perhaps you are someone who likes singing songs like this. You are quite puzzling indeed. I don't know what it is, it's just annoying to me. <br /><br />Songs that I've heard sung in this manner are "How Great Thou Art" and "Alas And Did My Savior" / "At The Cross" / whatever your congregation calls that song.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-71629049489030692802009-08-19T12:37:00.003-04:002009-08-19T13:11:29.257-04:00A Matter of ScopeI find it interesting that what you're buying affects how much money you are willing to toss about. <br /><br />We recently bought a bunch of camera-related items. Among the realm of cameras, there are a couple of different levels. There's the point-and-shoot level of use, the average price of which I'd guess was $200 for a camera, and not many accessories to with it. But there are some things that if you were asked to realistically spend $200 on (even for an item of superb quality), you'd balk a bit. Clothes, shoes, or make-up. (I say "realistically" because while most people pay much less, a $200 pair of shoes is not unheard of, whereas you have probably never seen a $200 donut before, and if you have, it better have been the best donut you've ever had and will ever have.) <br /><br />Then if you get into the world of SLR cameras, paying $200 for a camera means that you are probably getting a piece of junk. This is a world where a lens for your camera might very realistically cost more than the camera body itself. Ever spent $600 on fancy pieces of glass? $200 on a camera bag? Some of you probably have.<br /><br />Then you have cars. If you're paying $600 for a car, you're not expecting a very great one. People have no problem paying $10,000 for a car, yet some of them spend precious minutes of life (and milliliters of gasoline) driving around town to save a few dollars on groceries. <br /><br />THEN you have houses. This is a realm where people toss around thousands of dollars like dirty socks. "dah-ling, shall we add a menagerie for $100,000, or splurge for an escalator, mwa-ha-ha." <br /><br />I don't know what the point of all this was. Just thought it was interesting.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-84281014083504926052009-07-23T08:13:00.000-04:002009-07-23T08:13:19.294-04:00Quibble About Sci-Fi Languages<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_avUUQxpy30o/SmhTKun7PJI/AAAAAAAABeo/UvgTN3mx_xo/s200/spock-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361626800163863698" />Vulcans are from the planet Vulcan and speak Vulcan. Just like humans are from the planet Human and speak human, right?<br /><br />That's a bit ridiculous. Apparently by the time we develop faster-than-light space travel, all of us humans will all speak just one language, which will be called Human. In my Star Trek experience, I have never heard of Klingons speaking a different Klingon language other than Klingon. (Although to their credit, Klingons do not originate from a planet Klingon; they originate from Qo'noS.)<br /><br />I understand that Spanish people speak Spanish and are from Spain (French, German Portuguese, etc.). But the species is referred to as human.<br /><br />Star Wars is better about this subject, but not by too much. They still have Hutts who speak Huttese (a lingua franca along with Galactic Basic a.k.a. English) and originate from Nal Hutta. But at least Wookiees are from Kashyyyk and speak Shyriiwook. This still doesn't fix the "problem" that all members of that species unrealistically speak the same language. <br /><br />Then again, I can sympathize. It would have been quite a pain to devise additional names for the home planet and language every time you introduced a new species of sentient being.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-90238486735133118142009-07-10T18:54:00.002-04:002009-07-10T18:59:50.267-04:00What To Do With Boring Roman CandlesJuly 4, 2006. Right in front of my apartment. It was one of my roommates instigating all this, not me. Of course, in attempting to duplicate something like this (which everyone should try once in a lifetime, or more), always have a hose or fire extinguisher, unlike when we did it. And maybe do it more than 10 feet from your front door.<br /><br />He took apart a bunch of those boring Roman candles (you know, "Caution - emits shower of sparks") and combined them all together, thinking we'd just get a flamethrower or some sort of dragon breath type thing. The result was much more entertaining.<br /><center><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/63wP8JNnxbE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/63wP8JNnxbE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center>JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-45478297574661540332009-06-15T14:21:00.004-04:002009-06-17T12:20:17.186-04:00Minor AnnoyanceEDIT: Apparently I was grossly mistaken about the correct pronunciation of the word, which is in fact zoe-ology.<br /><br />Zoology. Why is it not pronounced zoo-luh-gee? There's the "zoo" part, which everyone knows how to pronounce. Then there's the "-logy" part. So where on earth does that extra "ah" sound come from, between the zoo and the -logy part?!?<br /><br />Why not just write zooology so the pronunciation can actually make sense? Because it's a linguistic taboo to have three identical letters in a row? Tell that to the Wookiees on Kashyyyk, they'll beat your head in.<br /><br />Sometimes the English language annoys me to the ends of the earth.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-68767677335850185352009-05-22T20:20:00.003-04:002009-05-22T20:27:17.607-04:00This Ain't RightFriday of Memorial Day weekend and no one has invited us to a cook-out. I guess we need to work on our hygiene or something ;)JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-87090448870039059122009-04-24T09:08:00.003-04:002009-04-24T09:19:41.876-04:00Nooks and CranniesYou hear the phrase "nooks and crannies." Have you ever heard someone use just one word or another? Like, "Nigel was banished to the nook for his misbehavior," or "The rat made its hiding place in the cranny."<br /><br />Just wondering.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-28510808071856279042009-04-10T07:25:00.000-04:002009-04-10T07:25:18.422-04:00Environmental Randomnimity<b><u>Unintentionally Low Carbon Footprint</u></b><br /><br />...we have one. It's unintentional because we do a lot of the "environmentally friendly" things because it benefits us, as <a href="http://thou-and-thou-only.blogspot.com/2007/03/selfish-materialist-discusses-energy.html">I've discussed here before</a>. We cook from scratch as much as possible because it's generally healthier and cheaper. We compost because, well, it all ends up becoming free compost. (never mind that composting itself probably produces the oft-maligned "greenhouse gases.") We garden because it's fun, rewarding, and good for our health. Our main car, which is not a hybrid, is very fuel efficient (a couple of tanks ago, I got 41 miles per gallon!) and it saves us money. We are a one income couple because we feel that the benefits of Harmony staying home far outweigh the benefits of having more money at the cost of having busier lives.<br /><br /><b><u>Much Easier to be an Enviro-Radical Food Snob These Days</u></b><br /><br />(The following are mostly unresearched thoughts.) <br /><br />It seems to me that it is much easier for some slightly concerned person to be an enviro-radical food snob (ERFS) these days, because it only slightly inconveniences. For clarification, I'll define ERFS as a person who seeks to make an environmental or political statement by buying organic foods whenever possible. (In the interest of full honesty, we are probably food snobs to an extent, although definitely not enviro-radical; generally, we eat what's put before us without raising questions of conscience.) I'd imagine that if you were an ERFS back in the day and had a craving for chocolate* or Doritos, you'd either have to make it yourself or do without. Which brings me to my point.<br /><br />It is much easier to be an ERFS in this day and age, where the organic grocery stores have their own versions of pretty much everything you'd find in a regular grocery store. Processed cereals, granola bars, chips, frozen dinners, you name it and they probably have it somewhere.** Aside from having to part with more money, the typical busy two income couple could switch from conventional to organic with microscopic effort.<br /><br />I wonder how many contemporary ERFSs would "fall away" from their convictions if convenient organic foods all of a sudden disappeared. You want cookies or cake? Gotta make it yourself. You want a quick and easy dinner but don't want to cook? The food snob part of you must go into hiding so you can head to McDonald's or Applebee's or wherever.<br /><br />* - <em>Chocolate? Hardly the environmentally friendly food for U.S. residents, if you're concerned about food miles. The biggest source of cacao is Africa and Central/South America. Say bye to bananas too. And off-season produce.</em><br /><br />** - <em>never mind the fact that those items share the following things with their conventional brethren: are just as processed, probably require the same amount of infrastructure and logistics (a.k.a. petroleum) to get to the shelves, and probably have the same packaging materials.</em>JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-6272291338323590012009-04-07T10:09:00.003-04:002009-04-07T10:10:47.996-04:00PSABecause everyone needs to know this shocking bit of news:<br /><br />It is currently snowing. In Georgia. In April.<br /><br />Now back to your regularly scheduled blog.Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-84774910826339091042009-03-10T13:31:00.003-04:002009-03-10T13:59:37.281-04:00Various and Sundry*Heard around the JunkHouse recently:<br />JM - Daffodils, tulips, what's the difference? They look just the same.<br />Me - [dumbfounded look on my face as I try to formulate a response to that]<br /><br />*Poor JunkMale is going to have to do the majority of our shopping for the next few weeks at least. :-( As I learned from my last few visits to the grocery store, anything more than a quick trip in to grab one or two items leaves me dizzy and fatigued for the rest of the day. Not only is that not fun for me (and perhaps not healthy either), it also means that I come home and completely crash in bed for the next few hours. In other words, next to no housework gets done. I'm lucky if I even get all the groceries get put away. But if I stay home and do all my work in little 5 or 10 minute spurts, I feel great and energized all day long.<br /><br />*I spent some time out in the garden today, sowing carrots, transplanting lettuce, and watering peas and tomato, pepper, and flower seedlings. It really is lovely to be outdoors. I wish I could get some good shots of our garden on the camera, but no matter how much I play with the settings, my pictures never turn out as good as JunkMale's. Something about sunlight and my photography skills don't mix. So until he has some time to take pictures, you'll have to be satisfied with the following shot, taken after I had just come inside, looked at myself in the mirror, and burst out laughing. I assure you that I had no idea I looked so festive. Apparently our peach tree is dropping blossoms:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9yhN8c4tuta8cZinzT5nlHNrKmKUdPLiFb9fp8F1LFE__pTMqKcZGcnH664claKeiSJIoGvFwPQH3r9pmizd8Az_e_3CoA4JQoTfmvna_a-WFGIfDoQeb27-H-iWkchtubL6vA/s1600-h/IMG_3836.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9yhN8c4tuta8cZinzT5nlHNrKmKUdPLiFb9fp8F1LFE__pTMqKcZGcnH664claKeiSJIoGvFwPQH3r9pmizd8Az_e_3CoA4JQoTfmvna_a-WFGIfDoQeb27-H-iWkchtubL6vA/s320/IMG_3836.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311615119867624578" border="0" /></a><br />Pretty, no?<br /><br />*I finally made some homemade laundry detergent! I've been meaning to do this for ages. I used a recipe I found online for powdered detergent (I have been so afraid to try making my own liquid, I think that's what caused me to put it off for as long as I did). I only made a tiny bit, just to try it out, and so far I can't really tell how it compares to the store-brand free and clear detergent I had been using. But I've only done one load, so there is still plenty of time to tell. I used the following recipe: 1 cup fels naptha soap, grated + 1/2 cup borax + 1/2 cup washing soda. But I didn't want to make too much, so I cut it down to 1 Tbs: 1/2 Tbs: 1/2 Tbs, which is just enough for two loads (1 Tbs should be enough for a front-loader like my machine). If this second load comes out well, I intend to make a full recipe. I used the fine side of my microplane grater, so the soap was in very tiny shreds that dissolve easily. The only concern I have is that fels naptha soap is perfumed, and we had been avoiding any additives in our detergent. Well, that and the fact that borax is poisonous, but I've discovered that you're going to find nasty stuff in just about any detergent you use.Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-80925850512379766762009-02-25T06:54:00.005-05:002009-02-25T07:17:48.515-05:00Ho hum updateWe're still alive and life is fine.<br /><br /><b><u>Academics</u></b><br />My first class towards my systems engineering degree is (for me) finished. The class actually ends on March 2, but I have already finished my final exam, which I am fairly confident I will get at least a 90 on. My homework average is 100+ and I got a 90 on the other exam, so I am also confident that I will get an A in the course. I have a week off from classes and then start the next one on March 10. The class is called "Creativity and Problem Solving." The text book is titled "Adaption-Innovation: In the Context of Change and Diversity." Umm....yeah...riiight...maybe it won't be that bad. Seems like it will definitely be a more touchy-feely "let's talk about our feelings" kind of class. I tend to do much better with more tangible concrete subjects, like this engineering math class that I just took.<br /><br /><b><u>Garden</u></b><br />Harmony has started various seedlings for the garden. We have also sown peas in the newly made third raised bed. Our potatoes, strawberries, and blueberries shipped out yesterday and should be here soon! Perhaps we will also have an update soon. But I left the camera at the in-laws', so they'll either be picture-less updates, or hideous quality cell phone camera pics.<br /><br /><b><u>Luna and meats</u></b><br />We have made efforts to get some different types of meats into Luna, so these days she is enjoying lamb and duck. Duck sinews or ligaments or whatever are tougher than those of chickens, so she has more trouble with duck pieces - she usually ends up regurgitating large chunks at least once. Thus I give her duck in the evenings so I can supervise her.<br /><br /><b><u>Pregnancy</u></b><br />25 weeks as of Sunday and things are still looking good. Almost to the third trimester! The Lord is gracious. We are limiting the amount of time Harmony spends standing though, as she starts to get woozy and light-headed if she stands too long. (but walks are still fine, for some reason) We're trying to minimize risk as much as we can (wouldn't you, if you had had losses?).<br /><br /><b><u>Childbirth class</u></b><br />This Sunday is the final session of our childbirth class, given by Pam of <a href="http://www.alaboroflove.org/">Labor of Love Doula and Childbirth Services</a>. It has been a 6 week course and we have learned lots. I think it's a more holistic class than a Lamaze or Bradley method class would have been, but don't take my word on that, because we haven't and aren't planning to take those classes. We enjoyed the classes, but are glad that they will be over. They were on Sunday afternoons and that meant leaving Luna for about 3.5 hours in the morning for church, then about 4 hours later in the evening for class. This Sunday, we have a potluck after church.. 0_o So tonight we are going to ask around and see if anyone can keep her this Sunday, so at least she'll have some people to be around.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-12114406248940621442009-02-05T05:57:00.002-05:002009-02-05T06:09:38.686-05:00The Definition of InsanityFor whatever reason, the following phrase popped into my mind the other day: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."<br /><br />Next time someone says that to you, you can tell them that that is not true. The true dictionary definitions of insanity are as follow:<br />1. the condition of being insane; a derangement of the mind. <br />2. Law. such unsoundness of mind as affects legal responsibility or capacity. <br />3. Psychiatry. (formerly) psychosis. <br />4. extreme folly; senselessness; foolhardiness. <br /><br />I looked up the phrase in question, and apparently it is a quotation of Albert Einstein. Fitting, because Einstein was never too comfortable with the idea of an inherently probabilistic (i.e. inherently random) quantum interactions.<br /><br />Actually, if you think about it, there are some things where you can do the same thing over and over again and expect to get different results. Flipping coins and rolling dice come to mind.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-13010493932566060582009-01-14T08:19:00.005-05:002009-01-14T09:01:17.121-05:00Puzzling Rebels<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_avUUQxpy30o/SW3reVZsU0I/AAAAAAAABCk/gnlb0oxVN1I/s200/emo.jpg" border="0" alt="stock image - emo"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291144043603710786" />Rebellious and/or wild young people. Or just young people who are sort of "out there" in more ways than the average young person. You probably know a few of them yourself. <br /><br />Compared to their decidedly more average peers, I have observed that a higher percentage of these RWYP seem to go into the military. This does not make much sense to me. "I'm rebellious and I'm wild and I don't like other people telling me what to do and I resent authorities. So I'm going to join the military, where people are always telling me what to do and where I'll likely always have authorities over me." <br /><br />Here are some of my theories. (I mean absolutely no offense to past/present/future military personnel or families thereof. I really can't figure it out though.)<br /><ul><li>They want to see the world?</li><br /><li>They know they need to get a semblance of discipline and order in their lives?</li><br /><li>It's a job from which they won't likely get rejected?</li><br /><li>They want to "make a difference?"</li><br /><li>They want to prove how tough they are?</li><br /><li>They want to handle guns and kill people legally?</li></ul><br />Perhaps you are, were, knew, or know one of these RWYP. If so, please enlighten me.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-80486112812681375582008-12-31T08:32:00.000-05:002008-12-31T08:32:08.281-05:00Another Annoying Thing about Tech SupportInspired by <a href="http://smockityfrocks.blogspot.com/2008/12/back-on-line.html" target="n1" title="Smockity Frocks - Back On Line">Mrs. Smockity Frocks latest post on internet and tech support</a>, and in the <a href="http://thou-and-thou-only.blogspot.com/2008/03/id-rather-press-numbers-thanks.html" target="n2" title="Thou and Thou Only - I'd Rather Press Numbers, Thanks">same vein as a previous post</a>, I thought I would post another one of my annoyances with tech support.<br /><br />I know a thing or two about computer hardware. I have bought components and assembled several computers for various family members. I already know the standard steps that the internet companies will put me through when I call them. On one occasion I suggested that maybe I should try this-and-that. The customer service person said "Oh, that's a good idea, why don't you try that."<br /><br />What the tech support person could handle in one line ("Please unplug then plug the modem's power, then release and refresh your IP address") usually turns into a step-by-step tutorial for someone who's never seen a computer, while I am just sitting on the other end tapping my foot:<br /><br />Tech support (henceforth TS): Do you know what a computer mouse is?<br />Me: Yes.<br />TS: Do you know how to you use it?<br />Me: Yesss.<br />TS: Okay, please maneuver the little arrow on the screen to the bottom left and click the button that says "Start."<br />Me: (goes and does all the rest of the troubleshooting) "...okay, I did it."<br />TS: Now, I want you to press down once on the left button of the computer mouse. When you do that, a menu should appear.<br />Me: (in the mean time, I am trying out different options to fix my problem) Erm...yeah, I already did that.<br />TS: Maneuver your little arrow to an option that says "Run." Then once again, I would like for you to depress the left mouse button once.<br />Me: (what I'm thinking) <i>Sir/Ma'am, it's quite likely that you're just reading a script and that I know more about computers than you, so just tell me the gist of what you want me to do.</i><br /><br />One of these days I'll get impatient and blurt out that I already know a fair amount about computers. Thankfully, our internet service is very reliable and we do not often have problems that I can't solve myself.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-28998782429430325472008-12-01T08:52:00.002-05:002008-12-01T08:52:01.034-05:00GT 45 - U(sic)GA 42Coach Paul Johnson - now <span style="font-style:italic;">that's</span> change we can believe in!<br /><br /><blockquote><i>So then it's up with the White and Gold<br />Down with the Red and the Black<br />Georgia Tech is out for a victory<br />We'll drop our battle axe on Georgia's head<br />When we meet her our team is sure to beat her<br />Down on the farm there will be no sound<br />Till our bow wows rip through the air<br />When the battle is over Georgia's team will be found<br />With the Yellow Jackets swarming 'round.</i></blockquote>Harmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15105846442509828835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-47714297451093219872008-10-09T08:10:00.000-04:002008-10-09T08:10:07.184-04:00How To Get On JunkMale's Hit ListWhen I started this post yesterday, I was in an annoyed mood. Thus a list of things that annoy me.<br /><br /><ul><li>"Fam?" "<u>The</u> fam?" "The clan?" All fine. "Fambly?" Instant death.</li><br /><li>When people write "preggo" or "preggers" instead of "pregnant." (ARGH MORE DEATH)</li><br /><li>Expecting a phone call, I'll sit at my desk for like 5 days straight, but when I get up to go to the bathroom, the call will <i>inevitably</i> come while I'm not there.</li><br /><li>When people don't return phone calls, especially when I explicitly request them to.</li><br /><li>Politicians.</li><br /><li>Doctor office's lunch breaks. If you call a doctor's office between 11 and 2:30, the answering machine will say they're on lunch break.</li><br /><li>Most FAQs. They hardly ever answer my questions.</li><br /><li>The majority of people who comment on YouTube videos. These people are candidates for the lowest form of life on earth. Vacuous and vapid.</li><br /><li>Deadbeat pond scum on Craigslist who are endowed with bovine intelligence. See sentence #2, above.</li><br /><li>The following blurb from the local news/talk radio station:<br /><blockquote>Andrew Kinsey is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He brings a creative blend of energy, dedication, charm, and a <u>fresh perspective as the newest member of the News/Talk 750 WSB Traffic Team</u>.</blockquote>"Fresh perspective??" He is a member of the traffic reporting team. He tells you how bad the traffic is the highways. How many perspectives can there be..???</li><br /><li>People using "Reply to all" when not necessary at all.</li></ul><br />Since we're all in the mood now, let's hear about your pet peeves in the comments.JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-41553284449626112432008-09-03T12:20:00.000-04:002008-09-03T12:20:10.764-04:00Workplace Quirks and Annoyances<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_avUUQxpy30o/SL62KWQ9COI/AAAAAAAAAu0/4Bhg9gBQU_s/s1600-h/lumbergh.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_avUUQxpy30o/SL62KWQ9COI/AAAAAAAAAu0/4Bhg9gBQU_s/s200/lumbergh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241827305197471970" /></a><b><u>Meetings:</u></b><br />Every week there is a status meeting that many people are supposed to attend. Unfortunately, I am one of those people. The meeting usually consists of the boss having put together a summary of what's going on in the office, and then pretty much just reading the summary in front of everyone. We used to get this summary in e-mail, but I guess they don't do that anymore so that people will have to come to meetings. What really bores me is when these meetings get extended and sidetracked because multiple people each have issues to discuss. These issues usually don't affect many other people, which leads to lots of other people's time being wasted. Usually, it's something along the line of <i>this</i> person having an issue with <i>those</i> problems and <i>that</i> replacement part is not in, but it was ordered two years ago, etc. etc. etc. <br /><br /><b><u>Another thing that annoys me:</u></b><br />I'm working at my desk, and all of a sudden, without any warning, there is someone in my cubicle, at my elbow, talking about this or that. I know there's not much room for privacy in cubicled office environments, but I wish these people would at least look over the wall and make their presence known before getting within point blank spitting distance of me. <br /><br /><b><u>Boring Training Sessions:</u></b><br />If you are ever going to give training for a certain software suite or whatever, please do NOT make the entire 8 hour session consist only of static, mostly-text Powerpoint slides. This is the most boring thing ever and results in me falling asleep, then leaving the session early (which is, coincidentally, why I am here right now). It would be much more effective if you would put down your slides and actually demonstrate what's going on. Better yet, arrange for training to be in a room with lots of computers, so everyone can get some hands-on training. Maybe it's different with other people, but I learn best by <i>doing</i>, not just listening to droning and watching static, mostly-text Powerpoint slides.<br /><br /><b><u>Acronyms within acronyms:</u></b><br />The government and military love their acronyms. Sometimes their acronyms contain acronyms within themselves, leading to a very long phrase when each letter is actually spelled out.<br /><br />Consider the following term: AVEL. It stands for AMRAAM Vertical Eject Launcher. But then there's the phrase AMRAAM, which stands for Advanced Medium Range Anti-Aircraft Missile. So put it all together and AVEL really means Advanced Medium Range Anti-Aircraft Missile Vertical Eject Launcher.<br /><br /><b><u>Watch your abbreviations</u></b><br />In my workplace, one person abbreviates "analysis" by leaving off the "-ysis" part. So you might walk by the cubicle and see that person X has to "Complete anal. tasks by 9/22." <br /><br />(I hope this will not yield any strange visitors from Google searches)JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37491865.post-33246418356559513622008-08-14T13:06:00.003-04:002008-08-14T13:16:20.136-04:00Good Quote from Screwtape LettersI am reading <i>The Screwtape Letters</i> right now. For those that don't know, this book is by C.S. Lewis and is framed as a series of letters from one demon to his nephew, an apprentice demon. It is, thus far, an interesting view into human nature and temptation. <br /><br />If you have ever been through a prolonged period of unfortunate circumstances, you will probably find this quote poignant and encouraging:<br /><blockquote>[The devil's] cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do [God's] will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.</blockquote>JunkMalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02619673168896233941noreply@blogger.com1