Spooky Time Jingles is in Etsyville again for the next week or so. If you enjoy collecting original Halloween-inspired folk art, swing on over and check it out. And as always, you can swing by the regular website for all things Spooky and Jingly.
Remember our dog Jude, the happy-go-lucky, mischievous college dog turned country pup? He enjoys every second of being out in the boondocks with the crickets and the cows, and he happily goes about finding things to get into or something fun to chase. He also likes to destroy things and roams about seeking things to devour, which often happens to be someone's shoes.
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When he's not asleep (or eating shoes) Jude takes great delight in sneaking into our pantry for a snack or into the trash. He also enjoys making friends with the FedEx guy, barking at noises, chasing our other dog Cooper, chewing up my kids' homework, splashing in the mud, and he especially delights in scampering through the house with an unsuspecting house guest's underwear. For Jude it's all in good fun and he seems oblivious to the fact that others may find his ways less than endearing. He simply can't understand why everyone else doesn't enjoy his antics. However sometimes Jude senses that someone may be a little annoyed; that's when he simply turns on the charm and instantly hearts melt. He's like the Brad Pitt of the canine world.
Jude may be the closest thing to a furry tornado with teeth, but on the cuteness scale he ranks a perfect 10.
It's hard to believe this video was made 40+ years ago, and in some ways, it is a fairly accurate portrayal of virtual life here in the 2000s. The computer on the video, however, looks bulky and boxy, and it kinda reminds me of our previous home computer which finally died (thankfully??) a couple of months ago.
Our own "antique" computer was gi-normous, and the monitor, which was even older, was roughly the size of a small refrigerator. In spite of the computer's great size and its idiosyncrasies and quirky ways, the ole girl had been a good one, and had been with us through thick and thin. It had seen us through dial-up and DSL, through science fair projects and college applications, through Webkinz and Facebook, through Windows 94 and Word Perfect, through Homestar Runner and 1000 views of Single Ladies, and through at least 18 million photo downloads and edits. It had also been around to keep us informed about important stuff like Dolly the sheep, Octomom, the Balloon Boy, and the Brad and Jennifer breakup; and scary stuff like SARS, the Bird flu, Swine flu and two presidential election cycles. Most importantly, it had been around during most of my husband's 13 month deployment to Iraq (email and instant messaging were our lifeline.)
"Old Faithful" started showing its age a year or so ago. The disc drive was the first to go, and then the screen saver went black and it began to get very temperamental. Things really went downhill quickly around Christmas-time this past year; and after months of patience, cajoling, rebooting, virtual duct tape, computer CPR, and "happy, Pollyanna thoughts" it became obvious that nothing could resuscitate the sad hulk of ancient circuit boards and metal. The ominous Blue Screen of Death appeared and everything locked down-- a case of computer lock-jaw, I suppose. So after 15 seconds a respectable period of mourning, we went to the computer maternity ward at Best Buy and came home with a bouncing baby Dell. It's sleek and shiny and oh, so very reliable! It's had all its cootie-shots to protect it from the latest computer-communicable diseases, it doesn't get fussy when I download large files, and best of all, it is still under warranty. The only problem is that we like this new computer so much, everyone has to fight for computer time; and now my youngest kid has begun lobbying for her very own laptop. Maybe we should have brought home twins.
“…a venturesome spirit impels me to use words of sight and sound whose meaning I can guess only from analogy and fancy. This hazardous game is half the delight, the frolic, of daily life.
I glow as I read of splendours which the eye alone can survey. Allusions to moonbeams and clouds do not emphasize the sense of my affliction: They carry my soul beyond affliction's narrow actuality. "
This article appeared in our local paper about a month ago, and I think it qualifies as a worthy candidate for my "Weird and Wacky (and often humorous) News File." Incidentally, the headline is exactly as it appeared in the paper. Read on.......
The bread is toast after grocery fire By Staff Reports - Athens Banner-Herald Published Saturday, March 06, 2010 Barrow County firefighters rushed to the Publix on Loganville Highway on Friday morning after a load of bread caught fire. A smoke alarm in the back of the grocery store triggered an automatic call for help, according to Lt. Scott Dakin, spokesman for the Barrow County Emergency Services Department. Firefighters found smoke in the rear store room where someone had left a shopping cart full of bread near a heater, Dakin said. The heater ignited the bread, which caused little damage to the store.
[Editor's note: I'm glad that the fire caused only a small amount of damage--unless you happen to be a shopping cart full of bread. However, I can't help but wonder about the circumstances that led up to this unfortunate event. Maybe someone was just trying to keep their hot cross buns nice and "toasty," or perhaps this was an episode of "Hoarders" in the making. In all likelihood, it was probably just a case of being in the wrong shopping cart at the wrong time. Aside from a noticeable lack of American cheese (and, of course, the shopping cart) this just sounds like a typical Sunday lunch around our house, including the smoke and firetrucks. If you've been around Tadpoles and Teacups very long, you may remember this post . ~cn]
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[P.S. If you like the pic, you can find it and others like it here -- for FREE!]
Wait.....I was supposed to be making plans!? No one told me I was supposed to be making plans. No wonder I always feel like I'm treading water in a whirlpool....with a blindfold....during a thunderstorm! As usual, it's been a busy time around "Nash-ville." But, in spite of my haphazard approach to life in general, I have been quite busy making some of this.....
And a little of this.....
With a few pieces like this.......
In addition to getting ready for a show featuring things like this......
I've also been busy with the usual stuff like some of this............
And cleaning up lots and lots of this..............
And, of course, dealing with mountains and mountains of this......
[With a little help from my friends.....that's our cat, Friendly. And, no, he is not. You've met him here.]
But in spite of all the crazy stuff life seems to throw our way, I have managed to find a little time for this........
[That's me and my main squeeze, and our his dog, Cooper. We're sitting on the porch of our garden shed earlier this year. Remember Cooper from this post about his Christmas Snuggie? Update coming soon. Film at 11.]
[Click the image above for the link to the mag.] With the demise of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion [Sigh...I'm still in mourning] I've been on the lookout for things to help fill the creative void. One of the greatest perks of blogging is discovering new things, and this new magazine fits the bill. It's right up my alley: lovely graphic appeal, holiday themes, and inspiring ideas!
Head over to Holiday with Matthew Mead to find out how you can win the opportunity to have your blog or online shop mentioned in the magazine. Holiday with Matthew Mead is a "book-azine" celebrating and offering inspiration for the Christmas holiday season. To be released in October 2010, Holiday is offered via online orders only - in limited quantities - and will not be sold on newsstands. But, by simply following the BUY HOLIDAY MAGAZINE link below their banner, you can reserve your own copy of this beautiful magazine, with guaranteed delivery of the magazine straight to your mailbox! Holiday with Matthew Mead is 144 pages of holiday inspiration with well-known and admired designers, bloggers and top-notch features, printed on beautiful paper and not drowning in ads!
“ Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.”-Angela Monet
I’ve recently been learning to dance. With others. By myself. Outwardly and in my soul. I dance for grief and joy. For disappointment and excitement. For desire and contentment. For worship and exultation of my Lord.
I can’t get enough of art and I secretly wish that I was more artistic myself. Dancing is an artful endeavor — one that I feel I can grasp because ANYONE can dance. It’s just a matter of hearing the music.
[Written and photo illustrated by my daughter. ~cn]
Yes, Spock, the value of Pi is most definitely a transcendental figure without resolution. Yeah, that's it.....that is just what I was going to say. [cough, cough]
Sadly, the truth is that the last time one of my kids asked me to help them with their math homework, I had a meltdown that sounded strangely similar to Spock's computer on this clip. It was my youngest child, and she was in 3rd grade.
3.14...........Happy Pi Day Anyway.
(In honor of my oldest daughter who, in spite of my "stellar" math tutoring skills, is now an Industrial Engineering major. Apparently, that little apple fell far, far from the tree.)
