tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957512309153850952024-02-19T08:00:43.040-08:00Clover Crusadethe green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-71333876637431148422009-05-02T13:20:00.001-07:002009-08-08T22:46:07.721-07:00T Shirts for Sale!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVuOadkgO7FNeCRH4tr4ZZC_OTHKj2UZ7rSlmHc1paRQK6dPYJuUP4HaHu15bsuBWv9Bpi1c5aI75ntyKY08IIRieW8m_8QTuHj51dh6hHUmhbyqOcG2vD74EFV8NhtdGKSyjgYXi9_1s/s1600-h/Blades+of+glory+final+09-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVuOadkgO7FNeCRH4tr4ZZC_OTHKj2UZ7rSlmHc1paRQK6dPYJuUP4HaHu15bsuBWv9Bpi1c5aI75ntyKY08IIRieW8m_8QTuHj51dh6hHUmhbyqOcG2vD74EFV8NhtdGKSyjgYXi9_1s/s400/Blades+of+glory+final+09-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331324292740637170" border="0" /></a><br />Hi All! I'm selling the rowing t-shirt pictured here. I have smalls, medium, and larges available. They're $16, including shipping! If you're interested please email me at thebladesofglory[at]gmail.com.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-20132365212931163132009-02-19T11:44:00.001-08:002009-02-19T11:47:57.742-08:00No words necessary, other than: parenting fail<a href="http://failblog.org/2009/02/13/parenting-fail-5/"><img style="width: 330px; height: 220px;" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-12810" title="fail-owned-segway-kid-fail" src="http://failblog.wordpress.com/files/2009/02/fail-owned-segway-kid-fail.jpg" alt="fail owned pwned pictures" /></a><br />The day I even think about walking my dog that way, will be a sad day.<br /><a href="http://failblog.org/"></a>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-39593821004158814112009-02-19T11:34:00.000-08:002009-02-19T11:37:16.305-08:00Groupies<span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">My extended family started a 'family "bucket list" group' on Facebook, perhaps slightly inspired by the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/">movie</a>. Pretty cool right? Although my uncle, thinks the group is on MyFace, do better.<br /><br />What is your favorite Facebook group....<br /></span></span>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-18079603001624658952009-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:002009-02-19T11:39:51.015-08:00Champion hoodie design competitionVote for mine, and make your own!<br /><a href="http://www.hoodieremix.com/#gallery/hoodie/27040">One</a><br /><a href="http://www.hoodieremix.com/#gallery/hoodie/27045">Two</a><br /><br />They getcha though, look at the scoring details. 6% or something like that, of the chance of winning, is based on if you spread your design...via email, Facebook, desktop wallpapers, etc. Making their campaign: "viral." Ah yes, the coveted viral.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-21430532237245486662009-01-06T13:48:00.001-08:002009-01-06T13:48:31.022-08:00Winged men rule the worldLooking for some exercise, perhaps extreme exercise- that doesn't effect the environment negatively?<br /><a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5124636/sick-of-apple-heres-a-crazy-video-of-skiers-jumping-into-the-void">I want to fly.</a>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-54656459716309997402008-04-30T11:57:00.000-07:002008-04-30T12:06:31.349-07:00“Alphaville” by Scott Teplin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrHsSB16AYftfkA5XKaPe3NL8VA2SoH9ZbUOlalAKkzA_Rgw77FuFrusA4pw7VXYAafGB7Al62VcbA_lLT9K3G9L6BWMRFoPwGRMHWa13ymv771N3AuMPoIeQtI1GvBmb9Vm9Rn5e2SW0/s1600-h/nyc_alphaville.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrHsSB16AYftfkA5XKaPe3NL8VA2SoH9ZbUOlalAKkzA_Rgw77FuFrusA4pw7VXYAafGB7Al62VcbA_lLT9K3G9L6BWMRFoPwGRMHWa13ymv771N3AuMPoIeQtI1GvBmb9Vm9Rn5e2SW0/s200/nyc_alphaville.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195115238489294002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Scott Teplin's cool art is going to be on display in NYC from May 1st through 7th. </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >The exhibition features meticulously rendered pen and ink and watercolor drawings of fantastical rooms in which odd scale shifts, implausible situations, and strange juxtapositions of furnishings are the norm, as well as a series of artist’s drawn books. For some reason these images remind me of polly pocket combined with a twist of M.C. Esher plus a tad of magic eye books. Apparently this specific body of work </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >is meant to embody the spirit of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1965 film, ALPHAVILLE- </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >Teplin has filtered the city of Alphaville through his own imagination and drawn a world devoid of people - only evidence of their domestic and work environments remain for exploration. Check out some samples <a href="http://www.adambaumgoldgallery.com/teplin/2008.htm">here</a>.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span></span>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-20235916403564532072008-04-10T08:33:00.000-07:002008-04-10T08:41:45.098-07:00Another reason to stay up past 10Season 20 of MTV's “The Real World” will be coming out soon (10pm probably Wednesday nights on MTV). Turns out the network is doing a huge environmental push with it. Trying to shows viewers that a green lifestyle is easy, and fashionable. The clad out pad the 7 stay in will include everything from solar energy solutions to bamboo flooring, recycled glass counters, some sustainable furniture and recycled vintage decor, energy star appliances, a solar heated swimming pool and energy efficient lighting. The MTV houses have been pretty sweet in the past (I liked the huge fish tank the best), so I can't wait to see the cool stuff in this one. <br /><br />Another fun change is that viewers got to vote on who would be the 7th roommate this time around. For the past three months, about 20,000 wanna-be-roommates submitted 90-second “confessional” videos to RealWorldCasting.com. 2.9 million total votes were cast throughout the contest and “Pretyboy” from Daytona Beach, Florida won. MTV's really mixing it up and keeping it fresh 20 seasons later, no wonder “The Real World” launched the modern reality television genre and is the longest- running reality series in history. Will you be watching?the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-70908122139143406772008-04-10T08:14:00.000-07:002008-04-10T08:22:51.889-07:00The gameSo Saturday was a sad night, if you live in NC. Because if you live in NC and you have half a brain, you HAVE to be a Tarheel fan (not a Duke and/or State fan- gross). Anyhow our men's team took on Kansas in the final four. The majority of my friends either couldn't watch the game or were screaming at the tv the whole time, because they were so horrified at what was happening. From the start we were down- by a lot. Kansas went on something like an 18-0 run. Finally we almost caught up and were only 5 points away; it was a huge comeback. But it slipped away again just as fast. Everyone was saying Roy needed to take a time out, to at least try to change the momentum- but he didn't. He, like coach Dean Smith, is extremely stingy with timeouts and likes to try to let the boys "figure it out." It almost worked I guess, but <a href="http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/040508aaa.html">in the end</a> Kansas came out on top.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-52908482846204066482008-04-02T11:57:00.000-07:002008-04-02T12:02:49.329-07:00Say what?Where I live it costs money to recycle. Seriously. First the state doesn't pay for your trash to be picked up. If that's not bad enough, the two companies that will pick up trash for my neighborhood (waste management industries is one, I forget the other) charge extra if you want to recycle. $20 a month gets you a huge black trash can, and trash pick up twice a month. If you want a recycling bin and your recycling hauled away with your trash it's another $15 a month. $35 to get rid of things you already don't want! R.i.d.i.c.u.l.o.u.s. The nearest drop off for recycling is over 15 minutes away and they also charge you an entry fee (something like $10). My roommate and I are thinking about writing a letter; if anything people should be paid to recycle, not paying to do it. Don't know who to send the letter to- our local county's congressman? Why is North Carolina operated like this!?the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-20193014987099759382008-04-02T09:25:00.000-07:002008-04-02T11:06:01.220-07:00Lake Wheeler<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZ8KvZdMw4uIcFBxYksudSswwq5r_41O5FyQFTAUQUn9_djfLF6zH5mv8BlyMi1H6jg6eMkZN1ekbJf7uroDG_ghlyww04liIUsWTNMuXwEJUhdWW9I2EwgdMJlMLtv1ZQJBHypW4ouli/s1600-h/cali.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZ8KvZdMw4uIcFBxYksudSswwq5r_41O5FyQFTAUQUn9_djfLF6zH5mv8BlyMi1H6jg6eMkZN1ekbJf7uroDG_ghlyww04liIUsWTNMuXwEJUhdWW9I2EwgdMJlMLtv1ZQJBHypW4ouli/s200/cali.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184687354461304786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqDvgOQlf-FvpF31_4HOUc9jTBTiggh2g-aDVzhs3RKtvu0t2yoX4qZsYhLCiFtAwQ7ZHc1ilCbD_GFRzbzEOXJiZSfG9gPjRoRzdlsgKztpQp9MdCc_cv4ny0IxGuXmXmqWtb3SFlKHz/s1600-h/e.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqDvgOQlf-FvpF31_4HOUc9jTBTiggh2g-aDVzhs3RKtvu0t2yoX4qZsYhLCiFtAwQ7ZHc1ilCbD_GFRzbzEOXJiZSfG9gPjRoRzdlsgKztpQp9MdCc_cv4ny0IxGuXmXmqWtb3SFlKHz/s200/e.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184686955029346242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This past weekend was rowing alumni weekend, and the current team raced at Lake Wheeler too. On Friday the alum had a dinner at Top O. It was a little bit awkward because I didn't know a ton of people, but my novice coach said I HAD to come, so I did. We had to wear name tags too haha. She sat next to me and we talked the whole time- we only see each other about once a year now so it was a good chance to catch up. And for the first time she could tell me lots of insider info, as she is no longer a coach and I am no longer a rower, wahoo. She lives in Asheville which is about 3 hours away from here. She has a beautiful daughter now too, Bella. Anyhow that was fun, lost of good food- crab dip, sweet potato fries etc. And then on Saturday morning Cali and I drove out to Lake Wheeler to watch the girls race. We got there a little late, around 9, as I walked her at home for an hour first. The girls took on GW, GM, and Duke- and the <a href="http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/w-crew/recaps/032908aab.html">results were pretty stellar.</a> They raced 8s, and 4s. It was fun because a ton of my friends are on the team, and a few old teammates came too. Unfortunately it started raining and got rather cold later on, so it could have been better. The races went from 8 to around 1. Then we had a barbecue lunch under the pavilion.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-36734602981915492682008-03-28T08:55:00.000-07:002008-03-28T09:13:36.124-07:00Yeeegawds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VxxXi1OiQgt7qWkIEQ5QhTSzjV-Yah1N9sFg_I6FAPLN4CPbyvmpIULzO1ZNMPZih0GI0u2XD3bW4IJuLw9xqt-xngQ1clF1uymPoEwkAcXzgRsn7vQP0U9Q4PznHaafg1jth031YHV7/s1600-h/backyard+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VxxXi1OiQgt7qWkIEQ5QhTSzjV-Yah1N9sFg_I6FAPLN4CPbyvmpIULzO1ZNMPZih0GI0u2XD3bW4IJuLw9xqt-xngQ1clF1uymPoEwkAcXzgRsn7vQP0U9Q4PznHaafg1jth031YHV7/s200/backyard+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182824103159019378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9eOmZoiLyslk8TXf_re7EipNfr2_bZ6dVnkMMPhnsHZkjJIEFDhmqVlEO0JaN2gGXV97of_nj4LYPvJQrSVb2YlRXILYfsqR_glUZV3eD6nLjTWytAm1SmmSjuDxDYYOBwFoCGSVD-5RW/s1600-h/backyard+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9eOmZoiLyslk8TXf_re7EipNfr2_bZ6dVnkMMPhnsHZkjJIEFDhmqVlEO0JaN2gGXV97of_nj4LYPvJQrSVb2YlRXILYfsqR_glUZV3eD6nLjTWytAm1SmmSjuDxDYYOBwFoCGSVD-5RW/s200/backyard+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182825133951170450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMZ0dEf6qdoe676HiHEmAC-TA8DT7DGC_EbkDU5lkwQ3aTnG1PINGIUN0QOV3KpY9jV7Q20cyy5vnJ0qoOVr3TntEPW7LeclXykRFaWOR6ku8_4Tik99XM4PvFjfCo4k8kUzO8-7J8mgR/s1600-h/backyard+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMZ0dEf6qdoe676HiHEmAC-TA8DT7DGC_EbkDU5lkwQ3aTnG1PINGIUN0QOV3KpY9jV7Q20cyy5vnJ0qoOVr3TntEPW7LeclXykRFaWOR6ku8_4Tik99XM4PvFjfCo4k8kUzO8-7J8mgR/s200/backyard+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182824309317449602" border="0" /></a><br />It's hot out! 82 and sunny sunny sunny today! It was even warm enough to walk around in a t-shirt and shorts already this morning.<br /><br />Cali and I spent some time in the backyard. Her munching on her huge log of wood that she found on one of our walks and dragged home as her treasure, and me weed-wacking (my way of mowing the lawn). Weed wacking the lawn now takes about 40 minutes, if I had a mower it would be far more effective- but I don't. And I never have room in my car to bring my dad's spare one back. But it's definitely better than cutting the grass with scissors...which I actually sadly had to do twice. I was afraid the neighbors were going to complain because it had gotten so long, and I didn't have the free weed wacker yet. Cali tries to attack the weed wacker, thinking its a game, so it gets a little bit obnoxious, because it could really hurt her. So I have to keep my eye on her as she tries to sneak up.<br /><br />I planted a whole bunch of grass seed back in August because the yard was pretty barren when I moved in. It has now filled in pretty well, although certain parts could use work; there are a few spots with no grass where Cali has dug in some 6 inch holes. Apparently its a husky thing, they love digging. The one time she has been to the beach she dug in the sand almost non-stop. She was also afraid of the waves ha. Anyhow here are some pictures of the little stinker frolicking in the backyard. Her hair has almost grown back in completely after her surgery, hoooray!the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-24190566954906869422008-03-27T11:30:00.000-07:002008-03-27T11:42:43.349-07:00Dolla dolla bills ya'll<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YlvTucuALytb659iJxHXp7ZAKvUZ20dRq6c3YdWizWluVg53RGwxSI4dm3bpac4dwEJY-TEwjMdstyQtnVULUF7ZmUoJfCUEl-v8DEr6EjczN-emnHdEhXigEHG4K7psFHLDZ5HXMtm3/s1600-h/pennies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YlvTucuALytb659iJxHXp7ZAKvUZ20dRq6c3YdWizWluVg53RGwxSI4dm3bpac4dwEJY-TEwjMdstyQtnVULUF7ZmUoJfCUEl-v8DEr6EjczN-emnHdEhXigEHG4K7psFHLDZ5HXMtm3/s200/pennies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182493412152063842" border="0" /></a>It's a good day, when you find money, any amount, just laying around somewhere. Today I found one single shiny penny on the path across the bridge, going up the hill towards the train tracks. It was heads up, so of course I pocketed it. But really, even if it hadn't been I would have picked it up anyhow. There is just no way to lose when you find free money. It's one thing that always keeps my walks entertaining, I never know what I'll find.<br /><br />At brunch last Sunday, I was in a bad mood and one of my friends asked, if she threw 5 cents on the ground, and I "found" it, would I be in a better mood- ha.<br /><br />My most recent successful find was this past summer. I found a one dollar bill laying in the grass right along the curb on the main road that runs through Carrboro. Now that's definitely not a lot of money (I've heard of others finding $20s in the past, etc) but it was all it took to brighten up my entire day. I could have bought 50 tootsie rolls, not even, because of tax, but it was still a bit deal! <br /><br />What's your best money find?the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-90821404094831214252008-03-26T07:43:00.000-07:002008-03-26T07:51:36.731-07:00Chucky?Last night when I pulled into a spot at the grocery store, and got out of my car, I jumped a few feet in the air. Not out of joy, but because there was a huge life-like mannequin of a child in a car seat in the backseat of the car next to me. It was really creepy looking- a bit like Chucky. About three feet tall, red hair, a big round face; it looked so real. My next thought was, why would you have something like this is your car? And the stories about people driving in DC, putting fake people blow-ups, or dolls in their cars (sometimes with tinted windows) so they could drive in the HOV lanes on the way to work, to get there faster, came to mind. <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/thebigblog/archives/129151.asp">Here is an example</a> (not from DC, but clearly that means it's happening all across the country!) Cops caught some of them, and of course they were fined. I am shocked that people would go to measures like that, especially abusing something such as "carpooling" that was being encouraged. Anyhow if some day soon you see a creepy child in the back of a car in your grocery store, maybe we live close to each other.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-64924355516101897832008-03-25T14:34:00.000-07:002008-03-25T14:42:26.557-07:00Easter faves<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPeSDspuB-2SS24Bzx6hvbJG7dNlI_7IXwo7-pfnRZOMWut1k99kvThpBV53RGAn4dDTd0LBqZY7ome_ac0rs9ZS1U_vDyMY4FTeuyJs4tKuGw-0onRty4CYuj01Yd8FXniXPGqSUJ9Xy/s1600-h/pooh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPeSDspuB-2SS24Bzx6hvbJG7dNlI_7IXwo7-pfnRZOMWut1k99kvThpBV53RGAn4dDTd0LBqZY7ome_ac0rs9ZS1U_vDyMY4FTeuyJs4tKuGw-0onRty4CYuj01Yd8FXniXPGqSUJ9Xy/s200/pooh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181797885148149586" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoABEZgLDpMWZiVGEAtgXZzqWLXBIUYQx1uWiL01U4IbRsE4-mj_w_RhiN_yBWpVDU6rdLr0P_ccdZSFD8As5rmuFzuDQ3cpN_9SsuTOVORNP1GGb3ArLKrLekHzxoU_Nl3UquAZwsVyB/s1600-h/woods.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoABEZgLDpMWZiVGEAtgXZzqWLXBIUYQx1uWiL01U4IbRsE4-mj_w_RhiN_yBWpVDU6rdLr0P_ccdZSFD8As5rmuFzuDQ3cpN_9SsuTOVORNP1GGb3ArLKrLekHzxoU_Nl3UquAZwsVyB/s200/woods.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181797678989719362" border="0" /></a>1.) When mom told Cali (the husky stinker) to "put it here girlfriend" and Cali gave her a high 5.<br />2.) The coconut cream eggs covered in dark chocolate.<br />3.) When Rachel went to Goodwill 2 days in a row and found even more things the second day.<br />4.) Buying huge stuffed animals for Cali at Goodwill for awesome prices.<br />5.) The "forced" hike in the woods, during which mom spent the entire time searching for round rocks that Oma could paint.<br />6.) Finding easter baskets 30 feet in the air, rigged up by a pulley in trees (the easter bunny must have taken flying lessons this year).<br />7.) Going to Rita's (hopefully a new tradition) and eating GM crab cakes!<br />8.) The smell of the purple hyacinths my aunt brought for Oma.<br />9.) Finally getting my hair cut, and for free at that!<br />It's been a good weekend- now back to reality.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-19451471831729668632008-03-23T07:24:00.000-07:002008-03-23T07:27:01.079-07:00Mom is a starMercyCare Extraordinary Nurses page 15:<br />Roving Reporter asks What is your favorite winter time activity?<br />"My winter hobby is hiking in the Patapsco State Park. I wear multiple layers including cotton and wool socks, a neck warmer and wool sweater and a warm parka. I have reusable heat packs in my pockets that can be reactivated once more during a hike for another burst of warmth. I've seen a barred owl, foxes, a newly dug fox den and baby foxes, and deer. I love the blue heron that I see on the Patapsco River. Its wing span is amazing. I love winter hiking!"the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-41036387023818511732008-03-19T11:21:00.001-07:002008-03-19T11:36:12.811-07:00Pet Parade<p><em><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></em>Michael Jackson's "pets" have been adopted by Voices of the Wild Foundation, a non-profit animal sanctuary in Page, Arizona. Lucky for them! No more sleepovers with Michael. The bundle includes enough animals for an entertaining parade: four giraffes, nine parrots and three giant pythons. Jackson’s two caymans and two anacondas will be joining the crew in coming months. What ever happened to just having a dog, you know, man's best friend?<br /></p> <p>VWG has been keeping the animals in a temporary set up but has announced plans to build a <a href="http://www.banjoko.org/">huge multimillion-dollar, 186-acre wildlife preserve</a>.</p><p>The animals arrived “in good condition, with no signs of mistreatment” and VWG is letting Jackson visit his ex-pets whenever he’d like.<em></em></p>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-33954408178857643782008-03-17T17:28:00.000-07:002008-03-19T11:27:59.078-07:00In bloom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQE5wXztm936YDRrOGGjr8DrAbVZxb-9eshO-Jzg9jIsGF3P5o4pwSI36TtzU1yuaD-Pan1OE9KF4pYdZSSOsPtMVQNacaky8GrakR1x78aBzFCkV-mn-JrfkLBlqc4BStAEMXHH3_yaV/s1600-h/bradford.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQE5wXztm936YDRrOGGjr8DrAbVZxb-9eshO-Jzg9jIsGF3P5o4pwSI36TtzU1yuaD-Pan1OE9KF4pYdZSSOsPtMVQNacaky8GrakR1x78aBzFCkV-mn-JrfkLBlqc4BStAEMXHH3_yaV/s200/bradford.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179520991179166690" border="0" /></a>I love this time of year. All the flowers and trees are blossoming. The bradford pears are covered with white little flowers (but they smell funny). The hyacinths are bright purple and pink. And the forsythia is florescent yellow and overtaking the arbor. We had a ton of rain the week before, so the grass is long and lively.<br /><br />I'm very excited for Easter, it's coming up so fast. At my house, the bunny always leaves "poop" (little jelly beans) all around the house inside and out the day before easter- that way we know he is around and can expect him to be there the next day!the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-25232469008173055632008-03-10T07:42:00.001-07:002008-03-10T08:25:08.588-07:00Few more pics from Budapest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeOGs04kn9LRyGhUpFyS-xjrBrxursE1Ybwg0SJhGOBbRKcZHT0f8OGl7Brnr-S9rPIbV1MRzUlGGM8JzTE_nHUE_jTpIhQZOg-cZ6Za5w7PnbTI0Pzw23jDZbCpKYhrhlLiq0OU8uPO2/s1600-h/buda2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeOGs04kn9LRyGhUpFyS-xjrBrxursE1Ybwg0SJhGOBbRKcZHT0f8OGl7Brnr-S9rPIbV1MRzUlGGM8JzTE_nHUE_jTpIhQZOg-cZ6Za5w7PnbTI0Pzw23jDZbCpKYhrhlLiq0OU8uPO2/s200/buda2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176132416601445314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EawpjwKCaFCFpvmR-_dmQy8zicN8_iYAiI3STJecaa0XWVeI8NWB-CeP5QSX4narG2ANuJRME3oGc-6dRRhyphenhyphenn1L-6o6crxFCq8dhbrRBxxtuP0piHqrFHBgbPXZQQJB05qFl_beJD7oU/s1600-h/buda4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EawpjwKCaFCFpvmR-_dmQy8zicN8_iYAiI3STJecaa0XWVeI8NWB-CeP5QSX4narG2ANuJRME3oGc-6dRRhyphenhyphenn1L-6o6crxFCq8dhbrRBxxtuP0piHqrFHBgbPXZQQJB05qFl_beJD7oU/s200/buda4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176131570492887970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The view from the top of Liberty Mountain on the Buda side, overlooking the Danube. It was pretty chilly and overcast on the day we hiked up there. But it was a fun walk, and not too many touristy crowds. A bus pulled up just as we were leaving though.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqUQn9AGijBDKnC9aQ5yIKunjPU6ISk8IcCguYodA6w9rAt9lgExIc_h4w5GgbhhX2-iwnSi_dByyn0eN-9yk_yprMwxypgvB_5TZRygmQgWu6muYdAVWMAD5jI_mRcAJ7rxi4ksA93DB/s1600-h/bud5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqUQn9AGijBDKnC9aQ5yIKunjPU6ISk8IcCguYodA6w9rAt9lgExIc_h4w5GgbhhX2-iwnSi_dByyn0eN-9yk_yprMwxypgvB_5TZRygmQgWu6muYdAVWMAD5jI_mRcAJ7rxi4ksA93DB/s200/bud5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176125909725991794" border="0" /></a><br />Snapped one of Parliament on the way to Margarite Island.<br /><br />Also took a few of the castle at night- these are of the backside.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUaepI_zdeNeCdZdD35PLy_3IsqUhoQPz3FH4klGeU9GOS5bK1MoE5Xnwr8vGVqx3EWQFQ6vMfPCo5GlJkBFpmTyc9afFVKnTkMrPqdy_IerGFrJkw0nbBVO7OCGYmM5RqBgyjQ6TDiI7/s1600-h/castle2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUaepI_zdeNeCdZdD35PLy_3IsqUhoQPz3FH4klGeU9GOS5bK1MoE5Xnwr8vGVqx3EWQFQ6vMfPCo5GlJkBFpmTyc9afFVKnTkMrPqdy_IerGFrJkw0nbBVO7OCGYmM5RqBgyjQ6TDiI7/s200/castle2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176131802421121970" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYJkmvLIVCcrGJAeb5cAMqJbnPN3OEwH4JsOPkf5ADSnFV3Dcpmf6FjOdLivlVO7rtzlWrnDjqUHFkHIlnUXZrHsHh1lSwZux1G1oeOVYZchqyc2Y4NaVuJGaWTjmmGpw6gI9fcgtIqJK/s1600-h/buda.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYJkmvLIVCcrGJAeb5cAMqJbnPN3OEwH4JsOPkf5ADSnFV3Dcpmf6FjOdLivlVO7rtzlWrnDjqUHFkHIlnUXZrHsHh1lSwZux1G1oeOVYZchqyc2Y4NaVuJGaWTjmmGpw6gI9fcgtIqJK/s200/buda.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176127584763237250" border="0" /></a>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-31427062022227198022008-03-06T13:35:00.000-08:002008-03-06T13:51:13.196-08:00Back in the US<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG_GRw_MefyjTbB52Z82OoHLjfIT31D2icu7MbAfhDPT2DcQ19spJJ28v3QUvuzXB1rc5o8ibtrV3hOZ3VjEx9isfGHEuULUUBSNg09mDdYZTvWMzyqIRYrnwlxrYWd5_0SVajHUfjogZ/s1600-h/doors.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG_GRw_MefyjTbB52Z82OoHLjfIT31D2icu7MbAfhDPT2DcQ19spJJ28v3QUvuzXB1rc5o8ibtrV3hOZ3VjEx9isfGHEuULUUBSNg09mDdYZTvWMzyqIRYrnwlxrYWd5_0SVajHUfjogZ/s200/doors.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174748883162478210" border="0" /></a>And oh it feels so good. But, let me re-cap the parts of the Budapest trip I haven't yet recorded. After our outing to the castle, the next traditional Hungarian activity we participated in were the baths. We went to baths that were all outdoors. And although it was extremely cold outside, you did not feel it, because the water was so warm. The clashing temperatures made a thick steam stream above the water. There were a ton of people, lots of old men playing chess on floating boards, others standing on water vents, or under bubbling fountains. I tried out the sauna, actually 2 of them- for about 5 minutes each. It reminded me a bit of the erg room from my college days ha, I wasn't the biggest fan- but it was something new. And after I dashed out of the sauna I had to stand under the cold shower.<br /><br />The next days were full of trips to the traditional market, to the top of the largest hill (with the freedom statue), to the outlet shopping mall, ice skating, to the movies, to Menza, to bars like Krazy Cafe and Beckette's, to the grocery store to get more fresh croissants, rolls, pasteries and pretzels. While ice skating we encountered a ton of Hungarian teens- many at<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AbKW59XI3EPQdte8Y4AkAwqe8pkNvLKKCGW7bnQPO5oYglCj-8aOvYY0T1_PPxpP3YiGHjHoVHpNh1wDmczcVGw9u-km6nvzl_7v7sIoCBl9GgzYbYEHns0hdmI34sbSSk1hAVt4ox0S/s1600-h/office.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AbKW59XI3EPQdte8Y4AkAwqe8pkNvLKKCGW7bnQPO5oYglCj-8aOvYY0T1_PPxpP3YiGHjHoVHpNh1wDmczcVGw9u-km6nvzl_7v7sIoCBl9GgzYbYEHns0hdmI34sbSSk1hAVt4ox0S/s200/office.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174749016306464402" border="0" /></a>tempting to be "cool" and impress the girls. They were pretty good at skating though, they even put down coke cans and skated in between them all sorts of ways. They also formed a line, a sort of copy the leader line and did a whole bunch of backwards skating, jumping, etc. I was grappling with backwards skating, and ended up being quite successful.<br /><br />My favorite food was the sport XL bars. I brought back a ton. They are rich chocolate bars with a tint of rum. They also had ice cream versions of the sport XL bar.<br /><br />The place I stayed was comfy, clean and had the highest ceilings I've ever seen in an apartment. It also about as much security as the White House. Check out the picture of the front doors. I enjoyed the o<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgIkH3i4nTE1tJ-YiWqxVKhGrx6kPtYZbyZL4D-1NfRYi1QtBj9rvZUgd0mCa_n56aQvJ1xsmJ0TqxLxqtZ9_BwwZr7PsqbRSjc91cFCHx9uFU9-IBKt6JN7r5OCA6HtWrQCJ704QeYOk/s1600-h/basilica.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgIkH3i4nTE1tJ-YiWqxVKhGrx6kPtYZbyZL4D-1NfRYi1QtBj9rvZUgd0mCa_n56aQvJ1xsmJ0TqxLxqtZ9_BwwZr7PsqbRSjc91cFCHx9uFU9-IBKt6JN7r5OCA6HtWrQCJ704QeYOk/s200/basilica.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174749381378684578" border="0" /></a>ffice there too, check out the view. It was nice to be able to handle all the work that came in over the night, before getting bombarded with new stuff (as I was 6 hours ahead of US time). Cool picture of the basilica right down the street from the office too.<br /><br />Glad to be back to my normal routine, bed n dog. More pictures to come once I get around to uploading them.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-11027844433704606542008-02-27T03:05:00.000-08:002008-02-27T03:14:00.400-08:00Clooney for the causeTurns out after all his time, money and effort have been invested, George Clooney is not sure he is helping, or changing anything for Darfur. I love to see celebrities fighting for a cause; when you can do good things with your fame, I believe in it. Otherwise, I think the way American culture idolizes these people is absurd. They are just people, doing something they are good at (sometimes they're not even good at it, they just enjoy it)- just like you. According to the <a href="http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1714996-4,00.html">Time Magazine article</a>, Clooney became interested in Darfur in 2005. His dad and him had been reading about the lack of attention being given to Darfur, so the two went on a trip to Africa to shoot footage. Turns out Clooney wasn't able to get into Darfur until late January, when the U.N. said it would give him an official title. "I have a U.N. passport. It says 'Messenger of Peace' on it. It's very cool," he says. <br /><br />Later he helped found, Not on Our Watch, which has given away more than $9 million. But now he is wondering if his critics are right, if his scheme to use celebrity to bring attention to the world's plights isn't, if not vanity, at least striving after wind. "I've been very depressed since I got back. I'm terrified that it isn't in any way helping. That bringing attention can cause more damage. You dig a well or build a health-care facility and they're a target for somebody," he says. "A lot more people know about Darfur, but absolutely nothing is different. Absolutely nothing."the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-34137147354029151072008-02-27T02:44:00.000-08:002008-02-27T02:56:03.038-08:00FreecycleGet your give on. If you have extra boxes, unused plastic bags, tons of bubble wrap, old shoes etc think about donating them on <a href="http://www.freecycle.org/">Freecycle</a>. Turns out someone's trash really is another's treasure!<br /><br />So what is freecycle? "The Freecycle Network is made up of 4,260 groups with 4,565,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills." Just go to their site, type in your location, and they'll hook you up with a bunch of local people interested in getting or giving.<a href="http://www.freecycle.org.au/"></a><br /><br />It works- I listed some boxes and someone came to pick them up! That helped de-clutter my closet, and it was easy and fast.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-84631981141578074672008-02-27T02:27:00.000-08:002008-02-27T02:41:18.649-08:00TravelsAs for me, this week my work has taken me to Budapest, Hungary. I got in early yesterday morning, aft<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwTJBA6ILtwj2cgNh949bFCN3JP0OTZqilrezzuAy6IPjED9nMHdIRLZ_70xa-nNi4HKhS5qSHKdduLtHRTkUoHh36QkTEGhBaf2z4V9UecKbGwzBuvCSNXu1bhRc9ZZC1xEDqt7HN0lL/s1600-h/chain+bridge+at+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwTJBA6ILtwj2cgNh949bFCN3JP0OTZqilrezzuAy6IPjED9nMHdIRLZ_70xa-nNi4HKhS5qSHKdduLtHRTkUoHh36QkTEGhBaf2z4V9UecKbGwzBuvCSNXu1bhRc9ZZC1xEDqt7HN0lL/s200/chain+bridge+at+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171606588071783762" border="0" /></a>er an all night flight, during which I unfortunately was unable to sleep even a wink. RDU to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Paris, then Paris to Hungary. The Paris airport was cRaZZZy! Built in the 60s, the colors and layout scream that it has not been updated at all since then. I was bused 3 different times, to 3 totally opposite locations, and once you are in the waiting room to board the plane there is no way to get to a bathroom. You go through a one wa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yGxdkwEvdi72V4ad5D_0-AwacCIpzvDZzwKDTS2FhSqTe0S0OLNaKsbVU5YHhsc7ZLQMZkWWUaLnEYrn4aExl115U4WIMrH_eHc14lKQujpAcPqg5T8RoFOU1k0Yik5NVeYDLQJmB17b/s1600-h/cottage+cheese+stick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yGxdkwEvdi72V4ad5D_0-AwacCIpzvDZzwKDTS2FhSqTe0S0OLNaKsbVU5YHhsc7ZLQMZkWWUaLnEYrn4aExl115U4WIMrH_eHc14lKQujpAcPqg5T8RoFOU1k0Yik5NVeYDLQJmB17b/s200/cottage+cheese+stick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171607021863480690" border="0" /></a>y security tunnel to get in!<br /><br />Now that I'm in Budapest I'm having a great time. There is so much fancy architecture to observe; I am enjoying walking everywhere. Here is a picture of a chain bridge at night. And another of vorosmarthy ter, which I walk through to get to the apartment I am staying in. The<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LiwX9yV4TToTCF3lbXZ6ZbIy0yfBPDQ3QhyC_Wc7uJYkIwyxujshHCi8Z0IEN424SvhPc9tJtL58dk1SmTKM3qpCQM8K0akx3UnqxKN1b0xzPeyYV-D4Ufb1h83MjFjwf7m543b71djV/s1600-h/gerbeaud+cafe+in+vorosmarthy+ter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LiwX9yV4TToTCF3lbXZ6ZbIy0yfBPDQ3QhyC_Wc7uJYkIwyxujshHCi8Z0IEN424SvhPc9tJtL58dk1SmTKM3qpCQM8K0akx3UnqxKN1b0xzPeyYV-D4Ufb1h83MjFjwf7m543b71djV/s200/gerbeaud+cafe+in+vorosmarthy+ter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171606682561064290" border="0" /></a> apartment has a high vaulted ceiling, and is right in the center of the city- above some of the coolest shops. Yesterday I tried out the famed cottage cheese stick (image to the right) it's covered with chocolate. Not bad, actually pretty good. For dinner I scrambled around to find anything, as all I really wanted to do was crash into bed. I ended up with what was described to me by a co-worker as "chicken in pancakes"- I was skeptical to say the least. Turns out it was some sort of ground meat with cheese in a sort of fried shell. I also added some orange and chocolate covered cookies, peach juice and sour cream and onion chips to top the meal off. Today I got some local currency and am off to work.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-14799878796320727012008-02-27T02:01:00.000-08:002008-02-27T02:23:50.610-08:00Update from CaliThis morning, walking around the lake, my mom saw an iguana about 4 ft long. It was green with a green and black striped tail. Funny that with the choice of the lake or the vegitation with bamboo, it choose the lake! Tonight, she is leaving the hospital, where they are doing the medical mission trip, by 6pm and go to a Columbian restaurant with the mayor. She is planning on trying the lula juice- composed of a green fruit that is supposed to be so good.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-53612660300648775222008-02-25T07:35:00.000-08:002008-02-25T07:46:48.384-08:00Love Mom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8fc5sfXYoakeoUvljxqYm89LS7FKfmd34tHclU1eU1OR2qfJW2_Av_NaB9DfRGKGqmOReCJf3tQUY86re3FqoJlxo7OOOc6ecWMhYn-DT-p7ibjS0Rw1AtaRrZ0V7I3fEdiCp6k8NY05/s1600-h/danbrooke.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8fc5sfXYoakeoUvljxqYm89LS7FKfmd34tHclU1eU1OR2qfJW2_Av_NaB9DfRGKGqmOReCJf3tQUY86re3FqoJlxo7OOOc6ecWMhYn-DT-p7ibjS0Rw1AtaRrZ0V7I3fEdiCp6k8NY05/s200/danbrooke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170944682071862594" border="0" /></a>Note via Cali, Columbia,<br /><br />On the flight to Cali, I sat next to a man from Cali. We talked the whole time and I saw his computer work pictures. Upon arrival, I walked around the lake I remembered from my last trip, and the ducks and water birds are in the same places! I have not seen the shy white one yet. I have seen little red ones, blue, little yellow, green and heard lots of different bird sounds. One tree smells like jasmine, and I can not tell which one. Cali is full of lush growth with palm leaves and flowers of orange, yellow and magenta, bugs everywhere. The bugs don't bother some but they are in the room all around if you look closely...I am going to try not to look! I've had fresh fruit- pineapple, watermelon, star fruit, kiwi, avocado etc...and corn kernels everywhere- like in salad and eggs. I had empanado, ground meat in a fried dough pocket, last night for dinner. I swam in the long pool later that night. It's cool because I can do back stroke at night and seeing palm trees when looking up. This morning I went up on the mountain edge which is in the resort; it is a new bird trail. I heard so many different bird sounds. Suddenly I heard huge loud ugly sounds from what? big black birds!!! Even thin green "moss" on the paths in the mountain, such a moist climate. <span style="font-size:78%;">(Photo courtesy of Dan Brooke)</span>the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2295751230915385095.post-4521755319430903822008-02-20T09:24:00.000-08:002008-02-28T01:05:19.057-08:00Deliciously snacky<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrHh0ovE5Bp2axE1P_QVNS0XAPgNWFzgjg5L8LaVF1AEpWP8qMdbqoChDmNZ9eMqlOBpZQLLhkw1qRNGrBrM1HjSpqwCiHbCmuRs0nPLS82pWmBBzHAVwoxNybCf6C3n1FPkGWtqIQtAI/s1600-h/eda.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrHh0ovE5Bp2axE1P_QVNS0XAPgNWFzgjg5L8LaVF1AEpWP8qMdbqoChDmNZ9eMqlOBpZQLLhkw1qRNGrBrM1HjSpqwCiHbCmuRs0nPLS82pWmBBzHAVwoxNybCf6C3n1FPkGWtqIQtAI/s200/eda.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169117426890485042" border="0" /></a>I recently stumbled across a new find in my local grocery store- edaname. Edamame, or vegetable soybeans, are fresh soybeans that have been lightly cooked within their pods. For those who choose to lead healthy lifestyles here's a fun fact about this wonderful food: soybeans are the highest in protein (35 percent) of any plant, and contain the most complete complement of amino acids. Anyhow, basically it takes no effort to make these suckers (I buy them from the frozen foods aisle at Target, or the veggies/sushi section of my local mart): Bring a pan of water to boil. Add the edamame and return the water to the boil. Remove from the heat, drain and rinse with cold water. The bag itself says to add salt or soy sauce- but I don't do anything to them and they still taste wonderful. I found <a href="http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105811">this recipe</a>, if you prefer to be fancy. Not only do they taste great, and are healthy for you, but they are so fun to eat. Seriously. I could spend hours popping the little beans out of the pods. Try them, in place of chips, or any sort of snack. I usually don't like veggies, but they have won my heart over.the green gooberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17257883668568794965noreply@blogger.com0