Things that amuse me: Suddenly the media are back to talking about a *war* on terror. That Obama is taking credit (I'm sorry, it comes across as taking credit, not responsibility).

Things that are a relief, but not a joy: A man is dead.

Things that are stupid: Media soberly discussing how this could incite violence, and how Obama must keep his tone careful--and then cheerfully broadcasting images of Americans singing and dancing in the streets.

Things that irritate me: That Obama's announcement veered into campaign speech.

I don't have my own fundraising site this year--I just can't keep up with the schedule and commitments--but I'll be walking in memory of my brother Kelley again. My boss has a site, though, here. They will be walking in memory of one young lady, and in honor of another. I am asking any of you who feels able to contribute, to consider making a donation through their site.

From the site: In the last year, two families that occupy a huge place in our lives were forever impacted by lymphomas. One family lost their beautiful daughter after a three-year struggle with this "curable" disease that began just as she was starting college. The other is continuing a difficult course of treatment for their sweet and lovely middle daughter's second round of lymphoma. After beating one type at the age of 16, she learned during her high school graduation festivities that she had been visited by another type of lymphoma. Instead of beginning college on the scholarship she had earned, she is currently working on getting her blood counts up to the point she can begin radiation treatments after a difficult course of chemotherapy. We can only imagine what these families have gone through, and what they continue to deal with. These diseases can be beaten, but only with the help of those who are fortunate enough to be able to contribute resources.

Thank you,

~Amanda (who would be planning her brother's 50th birthday bash this year, had leukemia not intervened)

We're going to Orlando in August--we have a tiny break between my summer course ending, and my daughter's fall semester starting. To see the Wizarding World, of course. But I'm already trying to resign myself to not riding the awesome-when-it's-running Forbidden Journey.

I've heard so much about larger people not being able to ride--their "three clicks" rule and such--that I'm pretty sure I won't be able to. Nobody's posted "girth" measurements for being able to ride, so I can only approximate from rides whose seating looks similar.

Hang-from-the-top roller coasters like the Great White and other such things have a very similar setup--a molded seat with a padded yoke that comes down over. I can ride these with no difficulty, and the yoke comes down securely with no problem--but I may not make it to that third click. And apparently you have to get three clicks before you can ride.

That'll just figure. So I'm getting myself ready now, so I won't be too disappointed when I'm right.
:(

Elaborate on your profile picture.
It needs elaboration?

Ever have a near-death experience?
No.

Name an obvious quality you have.
Organization.

What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
Non nobis, Domine, from the Henry V soundtrack.

Name a celebrity you would marry?
David Boreanaz; Simon Baker; Anthony Stewart Head; Alan Rickman. I'm not picky.

Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity?
In my younger days I was told at several unrelated times that I look like Jodie Foster. We resembled each other in our teens--a la Candleshoe.

Do you wear a watch?
Sometimes. I like bracelets, and one of my recent acquisitions is a Mickey Mouse watch where the links are little gold Mickey heads. Suitable for work, looks all formal unless you look close.

Do you like pain?
Mine? No. Others'? Not generally; although I'm capable of dealing it if needed.

Do you like to shop?
Yes, as long as I really have the capacity to purchase. I don't always purchase--but it's not "real" unless I can if I *wanted* to. So it was no fun when I had no money.

What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Hm...snack at the vending machine?

What is your favorite lamp that you own?
I have a lot that I like, but the best is probably the stained-glass one I found with (I think) my friend Jodi, years ago--I bought off the tailgate of a pickup truck at an antiques gathering at the Texas Pride barbeque place for $30 and turned out to be worth over ten times that. Very pretty.
Or the Harry Potter snitch lamp.

What is on your desktop background?
Right now, a photo of the print I bought myself for my birthday--"Deep in the Heart" by John Dyke (Google it). Before that, it was a photo taken when we rode the Durango-Silverton train a couple of Thanksgivings ago.

What was the last movie you watched in theaters?
Toy Story 3.

What was the last book you read?
In the middle of Traveller, by Richard Adams. Prior to that, a book on body language, "What Every Body is Saying," which has been surprisingly useful. And "Outliers," go read that, it's awesome and thought-provoking.

Ocean or pool?
Pool.

Did you ever have a party that was busted by the cops?
No.

Ever met anyone famous?
Yep. Danny Kaye; Roddy McDowall; Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits); Alan Rickman.

Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
Twirl. People cut it? Really? Losers.

Baseball or Football?
Football, although not religiously (shh! They'll throw me out of Texas if that gets out). Baseball is very boring to watch.

What is your favorite part of the Day/Night?
I don't have one.

Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes, once.

Can you tango?
No.

Last gift you received?
Hm. Birthday haul: Angels and Demons DVD (daughter); Prince of Persia soundtrack (son 2); and the two-disc special anniversary edition of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (son 1).

What would you like to spend a lot of time doing?
SLEEPING. I'm constantly tired. Then, Buffy and Angel marathon, until I catch up, by which time the House Season 6 will be out...you see a trend, I'm sure.

Can you sing?
According to me, no, especially after my thyroid surgery. According to my daughter, yes.

What's your least favorite chore?
Being the commanding general and decision-maker of the house; enforcing that other chores get done.

Favorite drink?
Splenda Diet Coke.

Have you been on a cruise?
Yes--quick little one to the Bahamas, no overnight thing. Can't see the allure.

Are you a vegetarian?
No, never even considered it. Proud predator omnivore, thank you.

Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Broccoli has stems? I suppose I do.

Can you dance?
Not without a PARTNER (glares at non-dancing husband)

Would you ever have plastic surgery?
Depends on why. Maybe reconstructive.

What do you wear to bed?
T-shirt and underwear.

Have you ever done anything illegal?
Speeding--it's self-defense in a state with distances like Texas has. I really don't remember anything else, but I'm sure I bent a few rules here and there.

What kind of shoes are you wearing?
Birkenstock mules. Just about all my shoes are Birks, it helps keep my posture correct (I have bad knees).

What is your hair color?
Brown, with what is developing into a gray stripe (cool). Currently have lowlights to give it some texture, so we can leave the gray (which does look neat).

Future child's name?
OMG, I can't remember my *current* children's names.

City, beach, or country?
Depends on where the city is, what's near the beach, and where the country is. Mountains yes, just about any time. City maybe, if neat museums. Beaches rarely appeal to me, but maybe if the waves are good (unlike Texas beaches).

What is your favorite TV show?
In order: House MD, The Mentalist, and Bones.

What is your favorite cuisine?
I don't know that I have one. There are some I avoid; I don't care for Asian, with some exceptions, and I haven't found a lot to like in Indian.

What foods do you dislike?
Oh--see above. Too hot. Weird textures. I'm a very boring eater.

Where would you visit if you had the chance?
Poland again. New York City again. Canada--more than I got to see before. Italy. China. Northern Europe in general. The northeast US. Oh, lots of places.

Cup half-empty or half-full?
I have a cup?

What is your favorite sport to watch?
Not many. Football, I guess. What the hell is "snooker"?

Bird watcher?
I like knowing what species are what, but I don't go out just to see them.

Always wear your seat belt?
Yes.

Been in a car accident?
Yes, caused one and been in a few others.

Favorite pizza toppings?
Extra cheese, black olives, and either pepperoni or Canadian bacon.

Favorite flower?
Hm. Winecup (Texas wildflower)

Favorite ice cream?
Varies. Currently Bluebell's Southern Blackberry Cobbler.

Favorite fast food restaurant?
Jack in the Box.

How many times did you fail your driver's test?
Once. The guy was a creep.

Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
I have to pick ONE STORE? Amazon.com. Lots of departments. Bwahaha.

What was your favorite vacation?
Honeymoon--three weeks in Poland. Oh, damn, the family trip to Ottawa a couple years ago was pretty awesome too. Oh, and our trip to ride the train in Durango. Okay, I like to travel.

What are you listening to right now?
The hallway, in case of approaching supervisors or other managerial types.

What is your favorite color?
Purple, all the deep flavors of it.

Coffee drinker?
Sometimes. Starbucks flavors are wearing me down.

~Amanda

Okay, someone needs to help me out here. I just read Catherine's latest column, and was finally so curious as to what the hell an "Aga" was that I googled it. They apparently make many products, among them cookers and ranges.

The thing is--I can't see what the material difference is. Both these product lines involve large, square cooking machines that have places on the top where you can fry or boil things, and places inside where you can bake or roast things. The only visible difference is that cookers have solid doors on the places inside, and ranges have see-through doors.

Empires have been built and razed for slimmer hairs than this--but still, there must be more to it. Can someone sophisticated in the ways of cookery--someone who is not absurdly proud when they manage to not burn toast--someone who actually cooks rather than reheats--educate the heathen, here?

Thanks,

~Amanda

see more Funny Graphs

Given the schedule here at work, and the sequencing of how courses are offered in my master's program, and the fact that someone I work really well with has offered to team with me, I'm going ahead and taking my capstone research project. Over the summer. Condensed into 10 weeks.

I am so going to die.

But it means I can take the fall semeseter off--because my firm's tuition assistance only covers two courses a year. Silver lining, I guess.

~A

Eeeeeee!!

If perhaps you'd like a pet...

Posted using ShareThis

This is a tour de force. I am in awe. Behold the work of a master.

This is the infamous "spaghetti chart" I've heard about, but not seen before. Considering how much ridicule it's getting, I feel a little sorry for the PA Group, whose name and logo appear on the chart...but not much, if they designed it.

~Amanda

I am sitting here at work, late, using the Google image search to find suitable images of Cthulhu monsters, of which I have a list in Michael's 10-year-old scrawl. I am pulling appropriate graphics into PowerPoint, where I size and label them.

These are the game pieces for the board game that he's doing as a homework assignment. We'll put them on cardboard and make Play-Doh bases. Yes, my sweet baby Michael is creating a game based on Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.

I actually find this highly amusing. I bet the teachers in our rural Texas town have never seen anything like him. And from what I've seen, the game will be playable. His "draw a card" card scenarios are hysterical.

Okay, time to print.

Dibs on Nyarlathotep!

~Amanda