Memoirs of a Geisha - Peter Goulden

T's Rates IT: T T T T T

The Final Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

T's Rates IT: T T

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

T's Rates IT: T T T T t

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West - Gregory Maguire

T's Rates IT: T T T T T

Belwether - Connie Willis

T's Rates IT: T T T T T

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Failure To Launch

T's Rates IT: T T t

Mission Impossible 3

T's Rates IT: T T T t

X-Men III

T's Rates IT: T T T T T

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Name:
Location: Houston, Texas, United States

It ain't the years, It's the mileage. I was raised a military brat, and wanderlust still comes over me every 3 or 4 years. Still love to travel.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Couple Of Things For Today...

I Don't Think So, TexT...

So I've been walking briskly down four blocks to catch the bus most afternoons lately. Sounds good doesn't it?

...

But I suppose if I'm smoking at the time, that negates any health benefit I hope to derive from it.

Sense Of Irony?

As I was pulling out of the Park and Ride this evening, I noticed a Mercedes Coupe with the hood up. As I went by, I noticed the driver coming around from the far side with a pair of jumper cables. Don't Mercedes' have automatic everything? Like headlights that turn off automatically? I probably should have stopped, as I vaguely remember seeing those lights on as l pulled in this morning.

But I didn't.

Why? Well, I've been slugging between Katy and downtown Houston, since about 1999, and in my experience, most of the GUYS that drive expen$ive german car$, are the rudest, most arrogant, and selfish drivers in town. Would he have stopped for me if l was broken down? Probably not.

So why do I feel guilty?

Dunno - I'd like to say, "Maybe a lifetime of taking the high road where this kind of stuff is concerned." But I can't. But I have spent most of my adult life trying to always do the right thing. I don't always succeed at that. As a matter of fact, I hardly ever do.

But still, it ain't a bad thing to aspire to, is it?

Shit.

I should have turned around.


An Analogy Levels of Complexity Between the Sexes?...

Thanx and a tip of the ole fedora to BamaTex for that last one. Where the hell do you find this stuff anyway?

Monday, August 07, 2006

3rd In A Series Stuff You'll Find In Our Backyard

First - Here's the backyard - From the backyard2006_0806BackYard0010
click any Picture for a larger view

There are two oak trees, and as well as 1/2 dozen pine trees back here. That's one of the oaks on the left in the picture.


Can you imagine trying to reason with hurricane season with all this stuff? Well we did. And it was a severe pain in the you know whatsis! Last year when Rita was a threat, we cleared all of this that we possibly could. Including the patio cover. We tried not to leave anything that would have potentially become a missile in high winds.

We have a lot of interesting things (Well, I like to think so, anyway) back here, most of them of the organic type stuff. Come from living with two people that take care of plants for a living. Me, I'm just an old computer jock they keep around for the heavy crap and to mow the grass. This summer, because of all the rain, we have had to mow lots! Haven't been able to do it every week either because it's been muddy or under water (blub!) at times. Not too deep. Just enough to keep us from getting out there and splashing around in the muddy water while pushing a lawn mower. Bl-e-e-a-h! But our boxer likes it!

Lets Have a Look Around - Shall We?




2006_0806BackYard0005
First and foremost - Absolutely NO Hunting! We're serious. Unless you are hunting weeds, of course!





2006_0806BackYard0006The Queen and The Roomate planted these in these hangers using a coconut liner filled with potting soil. That green looks like it would glow in the dark doesn't it? It's actually just the bright sunlight behind me. Mind they do look pretty neon=like don't they? The trees in the background are in the neighbors yard.





Passion Vine Flower 2
Here we have our Passion Vine. It sits in a 25 gallon tub near the fence. These flowers bloom for one day and then they die. Fortunately, the plant produces a lot of blooms! They smell fine too! If you ever smelled one, you would know why they are called the Passion vine. Va-Voom!




See any 4 leaf Clovers?*Breaks into song*, "I'm lookin' over a four leaf clover!"
We got these at a water garden store we frequent sometimes. These seem to be GIANT, purple clover. Probably a radioactive, mutant strain. *Grins* But they are beautiful. and purple. Really PURPLE.





We also have six sets (or so) of windchimes. And other assorted hangie-downie thingies!
2006_0806BackYard0007 2006_0806BackYard0008 2006_0806BackYard0004


Well, That's it for now. Gotta get some work done!

Oh here are the other two in case you are interested.
In My Backyard This Morning
Post From My Garden

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

This is a Pretty Cool DIY! via Lifehacker

This is a good idea...The next time you are on a road trip, try this. Check out this post on LifeHacker. I really like this site.


DIY HUD


What you do is get your map, enlarge it somewhat, use some software to mirror it, print it out, and put it up in the windshield. I'd use Paint Shop Pro, but you can use whatever you have that's capable. I don't think the map would do me any good (other than giving me a headache) but I think turn by turn directions in a large font that were mirrored would do just fine!

Some commenters have some improvement suggestions as well!

This is almost luddite like in it's execution!

Here's a sample! See the full size on my flickr account!

The original
TurnByTurn

The reverersed version!

TurnByTurnRev

File this under: lifehacker, diy, luddite, flickr, hud

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

It's my Cube Mate's 30th Birthday!

RuthsFlowers

I hope these are from her husband. If not, I'd say he is in sooooooooooooo much trouble.