Economic barometer: More people begging at Lake and 210 Freeway
Posted on 31. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in economy
I’ve never seen as many people begging on the corners at the intersection of Lake Ave. and the 210 Freeway in Pasadena as I did today. It was so, so sad. Besides the young woman from Texas, I think the saddest was the older gentleman on the corner by the entrance to the east 210. He had clean clothes on, and it looked like someone had made his sign for him. He looked completely humiliated.
I heard someone on NPR once say that when they lived in Germany, they never saw homeless people. Why can’t that be the case here?
And of course, this is nothing compared to what happens in Third World countries.
I wish we could wave a magic wand and make it all better. I guess we just have to do what we can and hope it all adds up.
My Favorite Etsy Find of the Week: Math Clock
Posted on 30. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in shopping
When I need a break, I often click on the Etsy Pounce button. It’s really cool to see all the imaginative and beautiful stuff people make and sell.
Each Friday, I’m going to post my Favorite Etsy Find of the Week. So go stimulate the economy and get a unique handmade gift for someone…or yourself!!
This week’s favorite item is the Math Clock, sold by eagleapex.
I wish I could go back in time and give this to Mr. Kern, my old math teacher. I remember the time he held up my test and said something like, “Miss Christie got the answer wrong, but her handwriting is so neat that at least I could understand how she got there!” I think I got a few points for that. I’ve taken that lesson to heart ever since. ;)
I remember what most of these mean, but I definitely forget a few. When I get a chance, I’ll look them up here.
My greatest Verizon annoyance, and they say they can’t fix it
Posted on 30. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in technical, things that bug me
Every five minutes, I’m getting a cell phone call from an “Unavailable” number. It beeps and beeps and if I don’t pick it up, it leaves a message.
I called Verizon, and they said there was nothing I could do except change my cell phone number. I’ve had this number for about 10 years: I DON’T want to change it.
Has anyone else had this problem? Is there another solution?
At least my default ringtone is good: the Peanuts theme song.
Is it against your religion to donate your organs?
Posted on 29. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in health, inspirational people
NO! According to organdonor.gov, all organized religions not only allow, but ENCOURAGE organ donation!
I learned this because Tina, one of our local Girl Scouts, has mounted a campaign to sign up people to be organ donors for her Gold Award project. I think that’s a great idea. Here’s a quote from the email I just received from Tina:
A common misconception is that people who are brain dead can come back to life. This, in fact, has never happened before – brain death only lasts for up to 48 hours before a person is actually dead. Most people get this mixed up with comas. A coma is when a person has lost consciousness for an extended period of time, and a few people have actually awoken from them. However, brain death is when all blood flow is cut to the brain, an irreversible action. No one in a coma will ever be asked to give up their organs.
Also, this has nothing to do with scientific research. Your body will not be dissected or taken apart – all useful organs will be removed from the inside, but your outside will look exactly the same.
So, if you’re not already signed up to be an organ donor, visit Tina’s site at http://recyclemeplease.info/ and learn how to donate. It’s shocking how few people sign up to donate, but it’s amazing how many lives it could save.
If you or a loved one were in need of an organ, wouldn’t you wish more people were registered?
Sorry, Wong number
Posted on 29. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in things that bug me
Here’s an email I just received:
Dear Friend,
I am Mr.Peter from Hong Kong.I have a deceased client funds in my bank and i need you to front as beneficiary,contact me for more information via
Sincerely
Mr.Peter
Should I respond?
Dear Mr. Peter,
Thank you so much for contacting me regarding your deceased client’s funds. Just today I was thinking that I should share my bank account information with a fake total stranger who can’t properly use the spacebar on the other side of the world. I love losing money to internet scams.
Do you know Bernie Madoff? He made off with lots of money. Perhaps you two should become Facebook friends.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Kathy
Seriously. Does anyone REALLY respond to this spam? And why didn’t it go to MY spam folder?
You can wear Aretha Franklin’s inauguration hat
Posted on 27. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in art, politics, shopping
Here’s my public service for the day: graphics which allow you to “virtually” don the marvelous “church hat” that Aretha Frankin wore to Barack Obama’s inauguration.
Just copy the images below, remove the backgrounds, and you’re good to go. I’ll also link to a few other formats that have the backgrounds already removed. I’m including one with a bright pink background, since that’ll be easy to remove the background from.
Interested in buying the real thing? According to the blog To Live and Buy in L.A.,
Orders are pouring into Luke Song’s Detroit-based Mr. Song Millinery, a store the Queen of Soul has patronized for 20 of its 25 years. Though the heather-gray wool hat ain’t cheap — it costs upward of $500 — Hsu writes “fans are welcome to drop $179 on a similar satin-ribbon version.”
The following two are jpgs:
Here it is in a PNG and TIFF format.
Where would you wish to wake up tomorrow?
Posted on 26. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in cool websites, travel, videos
The site “Fifty People One Question” features videos of fifty people at a single location being asked the same question.
The question currently featured on the site is, “Where would you wish to wake up tomorrow?” There are two videos: one for Brooklyn and one for London. Responses range from a person’s own bed to Paris to a beach in Kenya. The response at 3:28 min. in the Brooklyn video was the most touching. Visitors to the site can add their own responses and comments. As of this posting, the site has received 975 responses from 538 cities.
I love this concept. I think it shows our common human desire for safety, comfort, love, fun and adventure. Some of the ideas are very creative, and yet I wonder if there’s a deeper story behind some of them. I also enjoyed seeing normal-looking people, being honest and appreciating the fact that someone cared enough to ask them something.
Where would YOU wish to wake up tomorrow?
I’d love to wake up in a really nice hotel in Paris, with my family by my side. I got engaged there, so I’d love to be back with my husband. And I really want to show it to my kids and practice my French! I’ve only stayed in fleabag (literally) hotels in Paris, so it’d be fun to stay somewhere that’s clean and has amenities.
Two of my mom’s friends from Escondido turned 104 today
Posted on 24. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, life lessons, quotes
Happy 104th Birthday to Doris Heard and Stephanie McGraw. These two energetic Escondido, CA residents turned 104 today. My mom took this wonderful picture of them last year:
A recent North County Times article says that Doris, pictured on the left, was going to celebrate her birthday today with five generations of her family. She’s still quite active, and drives herself to the store and other errands three times a week. She participates in various philanthropic groups, and loves to attend Padres games. She’s a perennial parade grand marshal in Escondido, and often steals the thunder from younger participants. Click to see an article from the March 17, 1949 Vista Press that mentions that Doris was a hostess at a meeting of the Acacia Shrine of the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem. (see page 3)
Stephanie is a former Hollywood hairstylist. She helped enhance the beauty of such starlets as and Marilyn Monroe. When she was 101, she was named an honorary lifetime member of her local country club. Their said she “participates when she isn’t busy tending her 3 acre orchard or sewing or re-decorating her house.” Stephanie also started painting portraits when she was 89. She even has a “money back guarantee” and won’t accept payment unless you like the painting. Click here to see some wonderful pictures that photographer Dan Clement took of her.
Doris had some great quotes for the North County Times:
“Eat good food, keep your body well and keep busy,” she said about her secret to a long life. “Keep up with the times. Don’t sit down in a rocking chair, and keep active.”
“I have seen yesterday, I love today, and I look forward to tomorrow. I have plans up to next year.”
Good for her – and Stephanie!! May we all be blessed to live such long and vibrant lives!!
Track how many of Obama’s 500 promises he keeps
Posted on 24. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in cool websites, politics
I don’t think I’ve made 500 promises in my whole lifetime, but apparently that’s about how many promises Barack Obama made before he took office.
The St. Petersburg Times’ Politifact.com is tracking President Obama’s progress toward fulfilling his promises. After three full days in office, here’s where he stands:
I think that’s pretty good, so far! I’m sure he’ll knock some of the easy ones out of the way first, as well as the ones that he’s really passionate about. I looked through the first 100, and they looked good to me. I hope he’s able to fulfill as many of his promises as possible.
Here are the ones he’s kept so far:
On a side note, I hadn’t realized he’d made promises regarding autism research and treatment. (See #81, #82 & #91) That’s so specific, and really cool.
The Top 10 Quotes from President Obama’s inauguration speech
Posted on 22. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, politics, quotes
I love to find quotes that distill timeless wisdom into a few key words or a sentence. It’s rare to hear quotes being spoken for the first time, so I enjoyed hearing some quotable phrases in Barack Obama’s inauguration speech. Sometimes separating quotes from their context can give them more lasting power.
Here are what I consider to be the Top 10 quotes from Obama’s inauguration speech:
- “America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.”
- “We gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”
- “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.”
- “It has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.”
- “Greatness is never a given. It must be earned”
- “They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.”
- “Our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please.”
- “Our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint”
- “As the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself.”
- “To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
My favorite is #9. I actually wrote that down when I heard it, to remind myself to remember it.
Reading this speech again makes me proud and grateful to be an American.
Satellite view of the inauguration
Posted on 21. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in cool websites, politics
There’s Malinee, and Joe, and Gaye, and Vickere…don’t you see them?
If you go to the CNN satellite view of the inauguration, you can zoom in and see your friends, too!
Spell a name or a word with photo art
Posted on 21. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in art, politics, shopping
Check out Krista’s Creations. You can choose which photograph you want to represent any letter you choose, and spell out a name or a word. Then, you can customize the shading and the background, and pay to have them print it out for you.
Here’s what I chose for today:
Even the White House website is looking good!
Posted on 20. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in politics
It’s been a looooong time since I’ve visited the White House website. It’s a great-looking site. It looks like it was Obama-cized today. It looks a lot like the Obama campaign site.
I’m going to subscribe to the blog.
A new President who doesn’t look like our other Presidents
Posted on 19. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in politics, videos
Over two years ago, I blogged about how I wished that Barack Obama would run for President. Even then, I was confident that he’d make a great President, and would provide the intelligent, balanced leadership that our country needs.
I can’t wait until tomorrow!!
Until then, please enjoy this into one another. It’s pretty cool, and it’s amazing how some morph easily but it’s a stretch for others.
I’m proud to live in a nation that can think outside the box and elect the man they think is the best one for the job, not just one who looks like the others who came before him.
2009 Pasadena Doo Dah Parade
Posted on 18. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in local news
After this morning’s blogger breakfast, I had the pleasure of watching the 2009 Pasadena Doo Dah parade. What a treat!
I was fortunate enough to stand next to the reviewing stand, so I took this cute picture of the beautiful Queen Skittles:
Ann Erdman looked lovely as a disco afficionado:
Just like the Rose Parade, there were men in white suits. But these were furry and carried chainsaws:
Susan C. encouraged everyone to become a marrow donor. Do it now!!!
The boo boo kitty camp float was scary:
After yesterday’s faith healing service, it was only fitting that I should see the Pope today:
Here’s a sign I’ll remember over the next few days:
The marshmallow catapult looked like something I would have designed in ME 103. Too bad he didn’t shoot any to me!!
You can see more photos (and better versions of these) on my .
Would you ever or never believe a faith healer?
Posted on 18. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in disabilities, health, inspirational people, local news, my life, religion
This evening, three very dear, level-headed, grounded friends of mine arranged for a Catholic faith healer named Paul Miller to perform a service at our local community center. They had heard him before, and were so moved and so convinced that he’d change lives here that they flew him out from New Jersey to speak. They sent emails to friends they thought might be interested, and via word-of-mouth about 100 people attended.
When I received the email, I was pretty skeptical. I figured that I’d rather do just about anything than attend such a service, but I was curious about why these women whom I trusted would be so sure that this was true. Then I spoke to one of them in person the other day, and she told me about the first time she heard Paul speak. She said that when Paul laid hands upon her, she felt a “whoosh” pass through her body. That reminded me of what I sensed when my dog died. (I mean that only in a good way.) So, my curiosity was piqued enough to convince this Presbyterian gal gave up a Saturday night to hear a Franciscan faith healer.
I was impressed by Paul. He’s a very humble, sincere man. He spent about two hours telling his story, and it was clear that this was something he felt called to do, not something he had sought to do. As he related how he came to this healing ministry, he made it clear that he was just as skeptical at first as any of us listening. (Note: He NEVER asked for money, and there were no collection baskets or ways to even give money.)
After a short break, he laid hands upon people. This was way outside my comfort zone. Did you know that Presbyterians are sometimes called “the frozen chosen”? That perfectly describes me. I am not prone to emotional outbursts, speaking in tongues, waving hands, or dancing in the aisles at church. In fact, I don’t even like to clap to songs. These things embarrass me. Laying on of hands conjured up images of the old-time revival meetings run by charlatans that I’d seen in movies and tv shows. So, I was seriously hesitant about this whole thing. Even so, I was moved by what Paul had said, and didn’t want to be such a doubter that I’d never be open to a new way for God to communicate with me.
As I mentioned yesterday, I live in a town that’s small enough that I recognize lots of people. That was definitely true this evening. I probably knew half the people there, and nearly every person I knew went up front. I was amazed to see people that I think had just as many doubts as I did stiffen and fall after Paul prayed over them. When they got up, many of them were grinning ear to ear. I definitely felt something special in that room, and as a Christian I’d label it as the Holy Spirit.
It’ll be interesting to hear over the next few days, weeks and months about any healing that took place. Paul emphasized that he was there for both spiritual and physical healing, and that his true goal was to bring people closer to God.
That sounds good to me.
PS – I did go up front. It was very moving. No, I didn’t fall. (Since I know you’re curious!) But there are some things that are personal enough that I’d rather not blog about them. Thanks for understanding.
Reason #1 not to get a vanity license plate
Posted on 16. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in life lessons
For the first time in the nearly nine years that I’ve lived in my current house, I veered to the right side of the road coming down my street tonight because a car coming toward me was crossing the yellow line. I commented to my kids that I thought the person might be drunk, so I just wanted to be safe.When the car passed us, my daughter and I immediately recognized its personalized license plate.
So, don’t get a vanity plate if you plan on misbehaving in a small town. Or better yet, don’t misbehave.
(To be fair, perhaps they weren’t misbehaving. Maybe they were changing the buttons on the radio dial and got distracted. Doesn’t matter: I’m not mentioning the name.)
Why I’m glad I switched from PC to Mac
Posted on 15. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in technical
After 17 years of running my life and business on a PC, I switched to an iMac a few months ago. The verdict: I LOVE IT!!
Why I switched:
I switched because I needed a more powerful computer, but wasn’t impressed by Vista or by the reviews of the new Windows 7 operating system. I was also sick of being afraid to update my old computer for fear that it would cause important programs to stop working, as it had done in the past. I was also convinced that I could successfully run the few Windows programs that I still needed, such as Publisher, Access and Money, on the Windows operating system on the Mac. Note: I’m a website designer, but I also do volunteer work which involves databases.
How I switched:
I connected my old PC’s backup drive to the iMac and imported only the files I needed to the new computer. I splurged for a new, larger backup drive for the iMac, which uses Time Machine to back up my files many times a day.
How do I still run Windows?
I chose Parallels because it was the only emulation program which listed Access as a program which it would be able to run. I’m not sure it was the best choice, since I can’t print from Parallels without plugging in the printer after Parallels is running (it took me many phone calls and much trial and error to figure that out), but it’s ok. It took awhile to get Windows to work in Parallels, since the new Windows XP disk I’d purchased from Amazon was corrupted. Thankfully, the replacement installed easily. When I have to do something in Windows, I’m reminded of how much easier the Mac is to operate. It’s a good day when I don’t have to open Parallels.
My favorite things about my iMac:
- When I have a question or a problem, I call the 800 number and within about a minute I’m talking to a human who I’m able to easily understand.
- The 24″ screen.
-
Spaces, which allows me to run whichever programs I choose in different window panes. For example, I can keep a Word document and the Dreamweaver program I’m copying its data to in one space, and then my email and Firefox in another. I can divide it as many ways as I wish. I’m up to 9 now. - Being able to press shift+option+4 and select which part of a screen to copy. Then, to be able to drag that to what ever program I’m using.
- Programs like iMovie, which is a much better video editing program than I ever purchased for my PC.
- MacMail, which took a little time to get working right, but which is MUCH better than AOL. I get my AOL email via MacMail.
- I can press the middle button on the mouse and see the 5-day weather forecast, local movies, an easy way to translate phrases to another language, and more widgets I chose.
- When I browse for files, it sorts the folder levels into columns.
- When I open Excel, Word, or Powerpoint, I can choose to see files opened in the last day, week, month, etc.
- Stickies, which look like Post-its on the computer screen. Much better than the real thing. I add pictures to them to make it easier to see what each one’s about.
Extra Programs I’ve Installed That I Love:
- Webbla (keep track of favorite websites by keyword)
- MacFreelance (keep track of freelance time)
- EasyCrop (crops, resizes, saves images really easily)
- On Firefox: FireFTP (allows me to upload files to servers) and Shareaholic (allows me to share websites and articles on a variety of different networks, esp. Facebook). NOTE: I like Firefox better than Safari, the Mac browser.
- Linotype Font Explorer (lets me sort fonts however I want, and then see how a phrase looks in different fonts at the same time)
My Mac Wish List:
- A better database program than Filemaker. I downloaded it to see if it could replace Microsoft Access, which only runs in Windows. It wasn’t at all intuitive, like a Mac program should be, and I gave up on it. I’ve used Access for years, and don’t have time to take a Filemaker class. There’s got to be an easier way to print labels on a Mac than Filemaker or mail merge.
- I wish that Adobe Fireworks would allow me to add a pop-up menu to a button the way it’s supposed to. Their technical support people apologized, showed me a workaround, and told me to keep checking for updates. Grrr!!
It’s taken awhile to transition, and I’m still not completely done. Transferring the files was the easy part. It took a lot of research to find programs to replace ones I’d relied upon on my PC. It’s also taken some time to learn a new way of using a computer, and new programs. And, as noted above, everything still doesn’t work completely correctly. But, I think it’s worth it, and I’m really glad I switched. I suspect that any new computers we get in this family will probably come from Apple…
If he can wind up on Skid Row, so can we
Posted on 14. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in economy, non-profits, religion
The other day my son asked me whether anyone could wind up homeless. So it was striking yesterday when I received the Union Rescue Mission newsletter, which featured a man living on Skid Row who had lived a solid middle-class life until recently:
For almost 15 years, Colin lived the American Dream. He earned a degree in economics from Westmont College. Built a successful career working in a string of four-star hotels. Started his own coffee-importing business. Got married and fathered a beautiful daughter.
But last spring, Colin’s business collapsed and the home he was renting went into foreclosure. Almost overnight, Colin, his wife, Jackie, and their 3-year-old daughter, Shema, found themselves walking the streets of Skid Row to Union Rescue Mission.
Thankfully, Colin’s hotel background helped him to become URM’s Hospitality Coordinator, so he’s able to help other people in dire straights. Here’s how he describes his experience:
“It just shows how quickly things can unravel,” says Colin. “When we came to Skid Row, we were suddenly surrounded by a lot of hurting people, and we could literally feel the poverty and danger. All I could think was, ‘What am I doing here? This isn’t my story.’
“But our experience is far more widespread than people want to admit. When I started listening to people’s stories down here, I realized anyone can suddenly find himself here. Whether you’re a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a beggar on the street, things outside your control can quickly change.
“They say an untested faith can’t be trusted. This experience has tested my family’s faith. Faith is no longer an abstract term we just talk about — we literally have to live by faith every day.”
When my son had asked me about who might become homeless, I had told him that the more education a person has and the stronger their support network is, the less likely they are to become homeless. Still, as Colin’s case proves, it can happen when you least expect it.
Just a reminder to appreciate your blessings and show compassion for those who need it.
34″Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37″Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:34-40
Why do parents let their teens go to wild parties?
Posted on 13. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in parenting
Why do some parents let their teenagers go to unsupervised parties, especially if they’re at strangers’ homes in other cities? Of course, these parties are also likely to include alcohol, drugs, sex and/or fights. Maybe I’m too much of a goody-goody, or maybe I’m too risk-averse. But honestly, I’m really curious about why parents allow this to happen.
Here are my theories, most of which are based on specific stories I’ve heard. Please let me know which, if any, you think are most correct. And please feel free to add your own!
- Kids are lying to their parents about where they’re going or what’s likely to take place there, and the parents aren’t checking their stories.
- Parents figure that they participated in these same risky behaviors as kids, and
- since they survived, it’s ok for the kids do it, or
- they’d feel hypocritical telling their kids not to do the same stuff they did.
- They know their kids are doing these things, but it’s ok as long as they
- continue to get good grades, or
- don’t get arrested, don’t hurt someone, and don’t get pregnant.
- Parents figure “everyone else” is going to these parties, so they’d feel bad telling their kids not to.
- The kids will be out on their own soon anyway, so why stop them now?
- They don’t believe that their sweet children could possibly be tempted to do anything wrong.
- Parents are too tired/busy/stressed to worry about what their kids are doing.
I’m not saying I’m a perfect parent with perfect kids. I don’t track my kids 24/7, but I try to balance monitoring and trust in order to encourage them not to engage in risky behaviors. I’m not deluding myself: I know my kids could still sneak around me and make a bad decision.
I just want to understand why some parents don’t seem to make what I’d consider a minimal effort to monitor what their kids do, in order to keep their kids and others they’re with safe.
Seriously. I’d love to hear what you think.
Avoid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by playing Tetris
Posted on 12. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in technical
Do you have Tetris downloaded onto your cellphone or iPod? If not, then Get It Now!
An Oxford University study shows that people who play Tetris within 30 minutes of a stressful event are likely to be able to recover more quickly from it.
Because there are limits to our abilities to do two things at once – like hold a conversation while doing a maths problems – the computer game is able to “interfere with the way our memories are retained in the brain”.
I love Tetris, so this works for me. Hopefully I won’t need to use it this way, however. At least I’m prepared.
I wonder if this would work with my other favorite games, Caterpillar and Millipede? I bet it would, since they’re also constantly making the brain figure out patterns. It’s moot anyway: I can’t download them onto my cellphone. Even if I could, my eyes would never be able to see such small action.
How to never lose your luggage again
Posted on 11. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in technical, travel
Isn’t it ironic that we could send a man to the moon 40 years ago but we still can’t track our luggage here on earth?
I think I’ve finally found a solution: the XACT TRAX. Just put this little device in your luggage before you check it, and then if it gets lost, you can either look on the internet or call a number and find out where the device is for just $1.00. Of course, you’d still have to find a way to get the luggage back to you!
If you want to track a child, the company advises that you can put the device in a backpack and set perimeters so you can get warnings if the child leaves a defined area. Any self-respecting teenager would figure out how to beat this immediately. It might be more useful for hikers, who actually WANT to be found.
Right now it costs $249.99, but I’m sure that’ll come down over time. Also, I’m sure we’ll see even more cost-effective competitors.
What else would YOU use it for? The XACT TRAX website says you can use it to track pets, but it’ll have to be much smaller before it can track my 15 lb. pooch.
Links:
The inauguration tchochke I crave the most
Posted on 10. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in art, inspirational people, my life, politics, shopping
Imagine my delight when I received this invitation in today’s mail:
Of course, my skepto-radar starting beeping wildly. After all, it’s only 10 days before the inauguration, and I didn’t think they’d expect me to get plane tickets and a hotel room at this point. However, I do have an awesome dress, but I’m saving that for Gala. Anyway, I was right: the accompanying literature explained that this was just a “commemorative invitation” that invites my “prescence at any of the public events in what will be the most open and accessible Inauguration in American history.” And then it tried to sell me stuff.
Here’s what I wish they were selling: the Inauguration edition of Marvel’s The Amazing Spiderman #583 comic book. Obama liked Spiderman comic books as a lad, so this must be pretty cool for him to be featured in one. Read more about it here.
It goes on sale on Wed., Jan. 14th. I used the Comic Shop Locator to find the comic book store closest to me, and you bet I’ll be calling them.
If I were in a comic, I’d want to be in Pearls Before Swine. I’d be Pig’s best friend. We’re quite simpatico.
You can still make Polaroid pictures
Posted on 09. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in art
Do you already miss Polaroids? Never fear! Poladroid has come to the rescue! Download the free (but donations are welcome) program onto your PC or Mac and make authentic looking Polaroid-esque photos. It’s REALLY easy on the Mac: you just drag the picture you want Polaroidized onto the camera icon.
Here are a few of my new “vintage” photos. I think they’re cool. My 17-year-old daughter agrees, but my 15-year-old son wasn’t too impressed. I don’t think he remembers the real Polaroids very much. I like how even the colors look authentic.
These would REALLY look real if I put writing at the bottom of them…
PS: If you truly miss instant prints, check out :
The Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera uses Zink ink-free printing technology to produce instant prints on a special paper embedded with heat-activated dye crystals.
“With the push of a button, consumers can select from among the digital photos on the camera, crop or edit them and in less than 60 seconds, print full-color, 2×3-inch prints,” Polaroid said.
Photos can be reviewed on a three-inch color LCD screen before printing.
Grasping the concept of wrestling
Posted on 09. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in parenting, sports, things that bug me
I’ve been a Baseball Mom, a Softball Mom, a Swimming Mom, a Cross-Country Mom, a Track Mom, a Lacrosse Mom, a Football Mom and of course, a Soccer Mom. But the sport that I find it toughest to be a Mom for is Wrestling.
My son wrestled his first varsity home meet today. He pinned the guy in the first round – yay! He was happy, he didn’t get too tired, and no one got hurt. And, since I understand pinning, I even vaguely figured out what was going on.
I don’t think I’ll ever understand the motivation behind wrestling. I’ve never been a physically aggressive person, and I’m very risk-averse. The thought of letting someone twist my body around to pin me to a mat is abhorrent to me. As a result, watching someone do it to someone I love is pretty difficult, too, especially when I’ve already nursed that person through three broken arms when he was younger.
But he likes the sport, so I’ll grit my teeth and support him. I’m trying to learn the rules so that I can concentrate on the mechanics of each match, not on the danger. Here’s the best summary of the rules I could find.
I wasn’t surprised to find a wrestling forum for mothers on a Navy site. After all, an Army recruiter recently showed up at one of our school’s wrestling practices. Maybe the military has found that wrestlers are more likely to enlist.
Wrestling teaches great lessons in responsibility, practice, and teamwork. I’ll just keep rooting for no one to get hurt and for everyone to learn from the experience.
Recipe for “White Trash Pasta” finally revealed
Posted on 07. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in food
Many thanks to Colleen S., who sent me the recipe for the yummy, carby, completely un-nutritious “White Trash Pasta” she made for a recent holiday party I attended. Hate to say it, but I bet once I make this for my kids they’ll ask for it every week.
So here it is, on the internet, so I’ll always be able to look it up:
WHITE TRASH PASTA (aka HAMBURGER NOODLE CASSEROLE)
Ingredients:
- 1 12 oz. pkg of wide egg noodles
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef or turkey
- 1 jar favorite tomato based pasta sauce,
(Or: 8 oz. tomato sauce with garlic and herbs added to taste.) - 1 8 oz. cream cheese –softened
- 1 container of sour cream
- 3 bunches of scallions, thinly sliced, including some green
- Grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Brown ground beef and add tomato sauce. Let simmer until thick and tasty.
- Meanwhile, cook noodles according to directions and drain.
- Mix cream cheese, sour cream until smooth and then mix in scallions.
To make casserole:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
- Arrange all of the noodles on the bottom of the casserole.
- Layer half of the cream cheese mixture and then all of the meat sauce.
- Top with the remaining cream cheese mixture and then top with as much cheddar cheese as you like.
- For that special touch, lightly sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
To reduce calories:Â use less noodles, low fat cream cheese and sour cream.
However, the dish might have to be renamed. ;)
NOTE:
Before I start making Possum Pie and Squirrel Soup, I might consider Tara Parker Pope’s list of The 11 Best Foods You Probably Aren’t Eating. Click here for more details. Maybe I could disguise these by mixing them into the White Trash Pasta…
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Swiss Chard
- Cinammon
- Pomegranate Juice
- Dried Plums
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sardines
- Turmeric
- Frozen Blueberries
- Canned Pumpkin
Mushrooms blooming in my backyard
Posted on 06. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in environment
These mushrooms bloomed out of a tree trunk in our backyard practically overnight:
Thankfully, my dog isn’t interested in them. If he were, I don’t know if he’d get sick, high or full. Do you?
Berkeley has the best California mushroom identification site I could find. The closest pictures seem to be of
Even though they look like pancakes, I’m not going to take a chance, especially with the name of that last one. Yikes!!
Teens who watch tv with lots of sex are far more likely to be involved in a pregnancy
Posted on 05. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in movies, parenting, startling statistics, things that bug me, tv
No matter how hard I’ve tried to manage my kids’ media exposure, stuff sneaks in. Whether it’s watching “Sex and the City” at a teen sleepover or the R-rated “Romeo Must Die” at an eight-year-old’s birthday party (yes, this happened), my kids have been exposed to way more sex and violence than I ever intended for them to be, or than I was at their age.
It turns out my vigilance was justified: a recent RAND study titled “Does Watching Sex on Television Predict Teen Pregnancy? Findings From a National Longitudinal Survey of Youth” shows that
Teens who were exposed to high levels of television sexual content (90th percentile) were twice as likely to experience a pregnancy in the subsequent 3 years, compared with those with lower levels of exposure (10th percentile)
I’m not surprised. Parents need to watch not only their kids’ tv exposure, but what they see in video games, movies, books, magazines, and other influential sources. And it’s not just teens, either: if you’re not careful, your younger children will see this stuff too. The younger kids may not see as much sex and violence, but they might see more bad attitudes and hear more foul language than a parent would like. (Click here for my tips on monitoring your child’s media input.)
The Los Angeles Times story about this study brought up a very good point: that teens want to learn about the REAL effects of sex. They’re cynical when rich, popular girls on tv get pregnant, and assume they’ll have a miscarriage and resume their former lives. They also don’t usually see teens struggle with raising the baby after it’s born. Maybe it doesn’t make for great drama, but it’s reality, and if we’re going to expect teens to make good decisions, we need to show them what the real potential consequences of those decisions may be. The same should be said not just for sex, but for violence. Don’t just show the dramatic chase scene and shooting: show the grieving family, the longterm disability.
Don’t just titillate: educate.
Note: After I wrote the above post, I picked up my son from the church high school program. He said they had a guest speaker who shared the consequences he faced after getting a girl pregnant as a teenager, and the even more dire consequences a friend of his faced in a similar situation. My son said the topic wasn’t teen pregnancy, however: it was accepting responsibility for your actions, and surrounding yourself with a strong support network. I think he got it. We’re so blessed that our kids can hear good messages from other people than just us.
Our unique and not-so-unique family birthday traditions
Posted on 04. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in my life, parenting
When I was growing up, my parents would let us eat just about anything. (I say “just about” since there must have been something they didn’t, but I can’t think of anything that was banned.) When my Uncle Jim would visit us in New Jersey from Oregon, he’d chastise my mother for letting us eat sugary cereals, and for a few days we wouldn’t. But we’d revert back to our old ways as soon as he left.
Even though I loved my Cap’n Crunch, deep down I knew it was junk. So when I had kids, I vowed to feed them better. My kids know they aren’t allowed to even ask for that kind of stuff.
Except on their birthdays. Once a year, they get to have two boxes of whatever cereal they want. It started out with one box, but things got dicey when the non-birthday child would want to eat the birthday kid’s cereal. The other day, my daughter lucked out: she wanted Cocoa Puffs and Crunchberries, but it was cheaper to buy two boxes of the latter than one. So she got three boxes of junk cereal. For her 17th birthday.
I thought we were unique until I read today’s NY Times Magazine article “Forbidden Nonfruit.” In it, Joshua Yaffa recounts how he and his sister were permitted to get whatever birthday cereal they wanted. He’d choose Frosted Flakes, and his sister would choose Cocoa Puffs. Seriously, I was going to blog about this today before I read this. Too coincidental!!
When my daughter was little, I used to take her back to the hospital she was born in on her birthday and show her the babies born on her birthday. We’d talk about what she was like when she was born, and marvel that these babies would share her birthday. Unfortunately, the hospital stopped letting the public have access to the maternity ward, so we can’t do that anymore. I understand, but I miss this tradition.
My favorite tradition is to have tea at the Huntington Gardens every year on my daughter’s birthday. We’ve done it every year since she was three (!) and we invite all relatives that are willing to come. Everyone loves the atmosphere and the food, and afterwards we walk around the gardens. Hopefully we’ll always have this tradition, even as she gets older.
Can people smoke on the same Glendale, California restaurant patio where you’re eating?
Posted on 03. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in food, health, things that bug me
When we arrived at the BJ’s in Glendale, CA this evening, they offered our party of nine an immediate table on the patio or the option of waiting for an indoor table. We opted for the patio, since we were all hungry and there were little kids in our group that wouldn’t want to wait.
As soon as we were seated, a group of men from another table finished and stood up to smoke. One stood about 8′ from our table. I asked the server if she could kindly ask them to stand further away, and she said she’d get the manager. The manager wouldn’t ask them to move, but he did offer to put us at the first inside table big enough for us that opened up. We accepted, but a table didn’t open up until we were done with our main course. No one had mentioned that this was a smoking section before we were seated.
After these men left, another group came and started smoking. Thankfully, they stood further away, but it was still annoying. Here’s a picture:
Many thanks to Matt, who passed along this link to the Glendale municipal code concerning outdoor smoking patios at restaurants. Here are the sections which I think that BJ’s is violating:
- B.1: Must represent a separate and discrete area of the outdoor dining area;
- B.2. Must have a clearly marked boundary by using one (1) or more of the following means, including, but not limited to (long list, none of which were present);
- B.3. Must be identified by one (1) or more conspicuously posted signs;
- B.5.a.iii: At least twenty (20) feet away from an adjacent area or location— listed in Sections 8.52.040(A), 8.52.050, 8.52.060, 8.52.070, or 8.52.080 of this chapter— where smoking is prohibited;
- C. An employee, owner, manager, or person in charge or control of an outdoor dining area shall ask a patron, before seating that person, whether the patron prefers seating in a smoking or non-smoking part of the outdoor dining area.
Looks like I need to write a letter to the City of Glendale and/or BJ’s.
I’m getting over a cough, and smelling secondhand smoke doesn’t help. :(
At any rate, we enjoyed watching the Glendale and Burbank Rose Parade floats drive by, and we all helped devour the pizookie (= pizza + cookie) that my kids ordered. I’ve been hearing about this dish for months.
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