KChristieH Blog | You learn something new every day:

You learn something new every day:

My dad says, “You learn something new every day.” Here’s what I’ve learned each day since October 25, 2006:

April, 2009:

04.15.09: Watch whether a website is programmed for Linux or Windows.
04.14.09: My daughter’s too sick to go to school.Â :(
04.13.09: I can check for Adobe Fireworks updates by clicking on the Help button within the program.
04.12.09: Banana and curry work really well on fish.
04.11.09: United Airlines charges $15 per bag you check.
04.10.09: The University of Oregon duck is referred to as “Fighting Duck”, “Donald Duck” or simply, “The Duck.”
04.09.09: Whitworth has a 3-2 BA-MBA program.
04.08.09: The world’s smallest park is in Portland. It’s called Leprechaun Park. It’s in the middle of a road.
04.07.09: Don’t trust car rental agents.
04.06.09: We’ve got more connections at Whitworth than I imagined.
04.05.09: Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho is about 15′ higher in the summer when they release water from the dam.
04.04.09: Our luggage doesn’t fit in a full-sized rental car.
04.03.09: From Wikipedia, about Angeles Crest Highway: “Segments of the road reach altitudes above 7,000Â feet (2,100Â m), with a summit of 7,903Â feet (2,409Â m) at the Dawson Saddle, which makes this road one of the highest in Southern California.”
04.02.09: There’s a candlelight walk tonight to honor the dead and injured.
04.01.09: Two people died and approximately 14 were injured in the accident at the top of my street.

March, 2009:

03.31.09: I need to get the doctor to sign my daughter’s summer activity form. Darn! But it makes sense.
03.30.09: Shutterfly doesn’t sell frames.
03.29.09: I needed to marinate the chicken for an hour.
03.28.09: “American teenagers with cell phones send an average of 2,272 text messages a month. That’s 75 texts a day â€” or, for a teen who sleeps seven hours a night, a text every 13 minutes.” Source
03.27.09: KS is back. Yay!!!
03.26.09: Chitlins come from pig intestines. (count me out)
03.25.09: Moving the couch away from the window helps me keep the dog from jumping on my chair.
03.24.09: R.’s niece is very sick with cancer.
03.23.09: A good way to provide support in a prom dress is to get a cheap bra of the same color, cut it up and sew it in.
03.22.09: I can memorize a speech pretty well.
03.21.09: The shower really meant a lot to DW.
03.20.09: There are beans in the tostada salad.
03.19.09: If we don’t pass a parcel tax, our school district will suffer tremendously.
03.18.09: I don’t have a meeting at the Y today.
03.17.09: Univ. of WA – Seattle didn’t accept transfers this semester.
03.16.09: Shutterfly prints 8×10 collages.
03.15.09: Guitar is later today.
03.14.09: Mary’s house has a 360-degree view.
03.13.09: Boys will be boys, and that’s ok.
03.12.09: My pictures are in black and white in the Outlook.
03.11.09: The car is ready.
03.10.09: Facebook is launching a redesigned home page. Also, my husband doesn’t like corn on Mexican salads.
03.09.09: According to a 2008 report from Carnegie Mellon University, going meat- and dairyless one day a week is more environmentally beneficial than eating locally every single day.
03.08.09: Someone wants one of the books I’ve listed on Bookins.
03.07.09: The White House called V. about me.
03.06.09: Gail H-P is on Facebook.
03.05.09: Parent Ed. Sunday is the same day as the next Growing Families.
03.04.09: San Marino needs to cut $5 million from its $29 million public school budget. (source)
03.03.09: Barack Obama has the most popular page on Facebook, with over 5.7 million supporters. ()
03.02.09: My son and I are an awesome team.
03.01.09: There’s no high school church service today.

February, 2009:

02.28.09: “Ineffable” means “too great or extreme to be described in words.”
02.27.09: Always wear socks to bed.
02.26.09: Trust but verify.
02.25.09: Different random groups of people can see completely different patterns in the same thing.
02.24.09: Oak Park has a beautiful setting for a soccer field.
02.23.09: I’m lucky to have such supportive friends.
02.22.09: There’s not an upgrade for iLife09: I just had to purchase it anew.Â :(
02.21.09: The movie “Changeling” is based on a true story.
02.20.09: The average age for a first cell phone in the United Kingdom is 8.
02.19.09: The girls soccer team’s next game location will depend upon whether their opponents had a home or away game today, and if it was a home game, a coin toss.
02.18.09: The girls soccer team is eating lunch together tomorrow.
02.17.09: According to Anderson Cooper this evening, in Niger, 1 out of 5 children die before the age of 4.
02.16.09: If Facebook were a country, it would now be the 6th most populous in the world.
02.15.09: The new desk needs refinishing, but it’ll be awesome.
02.14.09: The lobster at Cameron’s was rubbery.
02.13.09: It’s hard to fall from a short height when you’re not expecting it.
02.12.09: A. is going back for a master’s degree.
02.11.09: Hot tea (esp. Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea) is great for a cough.
02.10.09: Rob sailed across the Atlantic with his brother when he was 17.
02.09.09: Almost 1 million people in Italy, or over 1.6% of the national population, joined Facebook in January.
02.08.09: Over 80% of the crimes committed in the US are estimated to involve gang members. (heard on NPR this evening)
02.07.09: Katie is Elsa’s daughter.
02.06.09: It’s much more comfortable to sit in the scorebox than in the stands when it rains.
02.05.09: There’s no parent ed. next week.
02.04.09: Judi’s husband died.Â :(
02.03.09: My daughter can apply to do an independent project.
02.02.09: Michael Gross isn’t on “24.”
02.01.09: Oops! No Growing Families today.

January, 2009:

01.31.09: My son is staying out really late tonight.
01.30.09: Dr. F office across the street from See’s.
01.29.09: Snake owners can buy frozen mice that they can thaw to feed their snakes.
01.28.09: My son doesn’t need to see a neurologist.
01.27.09: Jamie has a new book coming out.
01.26.09: There’s a full day of school today.
01.25.09: Rieko was there yesterday and I DIDN’T SEE HER!!!
01.24.09: Doris was named the Grape Queen in 2005.
01.23.09: I’m glad I didn’t attend the soccer game.
01.22.09: There’s no parent ed next week.
01.21.09: It seems like the sun is shining a lot brighter today.
01.20.09: Facebook is an effective way to experience a big event with friends.
01.19.09: The Disney Channel broadcast the Inaugural Children’s Concert.
01.18.09: The Oinkster would be better for lunch, probably.
01.17.09: It’s best to have an open mind.
01.16.09: I should try eating at the following Eagle Rock restaurants: Auntie Em’s and The Oinkster. Also, I learned that Paul Miller is the real deal.
01.15.09: I should allow more time to get to the allergist in the evening.
01.14.09: I need to bring water to the Friday soccer game.
01.13.09: Mommy can’t always kiss it and make it better.
01.12.09: Don’t even bother with RiteAid. Go straight to CVS. Geez.
01.11.09: I can be open-minded.
01.10.09: The woman at PetSmart thinks I should feed the dog dry food.
01.09.09: It’s the 10th anniversary of something very important.Â :(
01.08.09: There are 10 people on the waiting list for our Parent Ed. class.
01.07.08: It is possible to get an obscure job doing what you love, as my friend demonstrates.
01.06.09: Buy more edamame beans.
01.05.09: The lamp had glass. Duh.
01.04.09: NyQuil still works.
01.03.09: Batch processing crashes Fireworks. I need to use the EasyCrop program I purchased to resize groups of photos.Â :(
01.02.09: Get the iron-free sheets next time.
01.01.09: Don’t buy so many bagels.

December, 2008:

12.31.08: Keep the new boots away from the dog.
12.30.08: We should get to Bandfest earlier next year to get better seats.
12.29.08: Make next year’s dentist appointments at 1 pm.
12.28.08: I learned how to make a fisheye picture in Photoshop. (Filter > Distort > Spherical)
12.27.08: Listening to the college students speak at church today reminded me of how important it is to be excited about what you do.
12.26.08: A very horrible crime occurred in Covina on Christmas Eve.
12.25.08: Eartha Kitt sang the “Santa Baby” song. She died today.Â :(
12.24.08: There’s a CPK across from the El Capitan Theater.
12.23.08: The snowman cake at Porto’s is really cool.
12.22.08: You can glean a lot of information from a phone interview.
12.21.08: It’s fun to see people even if you see them only once a year.
12.20.08: It’s hard to fall back to sleep after you wake up at 5:15 am, walk out into the 32-degree weather, and go to the grocery store and the school. But when you do, the dreams are very, very strange.
12.19.08: There are thousands of pigeons haunting Skid Row.
12.18.08: The Union 76 station at the top of our street is closing Dec. 31st.
12.17.08: The varsity football coach is not retiring.
12.16.08: Yolicious is closed.
12.15.08: I found out what a boil is.
12.14.08: I met some neat people when I volunteered for the church alternative Christmas market.
12.13.08: A very dear person lost his job.
12.12.08: Gordon Biersch closed its doors to the public at 4 pm today.
12.11.08: Minted.com and TinyPrints both have nice Christmas card designs.
12.10.08: “Crossbar Motel” refers to prison.
12.09.08: Ricky just wants to impress Reina.
12.08.08: I’m fighting a cold.
12.07.08: Most twist magnet pens are promotional items.
12.06.08: If you can get up there, there’s lots of parking on a busy day on the second floor of the Glendale Galleria parking structure.
12.05.08: We have two cesspools and one septic tank.
12.04.08: We should have pumped.
12.03.08: I can upload a file to https://www.pdfonline.com/track.asp and it’ll email it back to me as a pdf for free. It even works for Microsoft Publisher files.
12.02.08: I learned how to transpose columns and rows in Excel. (directions)
12.01.08: Always hold the banister when descending stairs.

November, 2008:

11.30.08: I learned how to upload files to MobileMe and password protect them.
11.29.08: I don’t need a Time Capsule.
11.28.08: The oldest living person is currently 115 years old. She gained the title when the previously oldest died yesterday. (source)
11.27.08: A GPS that’s only a few years old can be too out of date.
11.26.08: Condensed rawhide bones last longer.
11.25.08: I learned what Mac Widgets are, and how to customize them to my location.
11.24.08: I learned how to import addresses into my iMac address book, and to sort them into groups.
11.23.08: Forest Home signups were today.
11.22.08: The Jeides are swinging through town on Monday. Yay!
11.21.08: My new Windows XP disk is corrupted.
11.20.08: Windows stinks, even when you’re installing it on a Mac.
11.19.08: Shift-command-u keeps an email as new.
11.18.08: I didn’t need to read the instructions to get my iMac working within 5 minutes.
11.17.08: Be careful when picking up an energetic dog.
11.16.08: Files are arranged on my backup drive just like they are on my computer.
11.15.08: I could have gotten a printer free with my computer. Grrr.
11.14.08: If there’s a disaster, our local public high school is a staging area for the Red Cross.
11.13.08: Madonna has leathery skin.
11.12.08: There are alternatives to Bootcamp for running Windows on a Mac.
11.11.08: The CVS Minute Clinic doesn’t give athletic physicals.
11.10.08: I can patiently endure a father-daughter vote that I disagree with.
11.09.08: “James Garfield could simultaneously write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other.” (source: Nicholoas Kristof’s column in today’s NY Times.)
11.08.08: My father-in-law may have more housing options than he’d imagined.
11.07.08: Today’s JV game is away, not home.
11.06.08: I can convert the Chinese Yuan (CNY) to dollars at http://coinmill.com/CNY_USD.html#CNY=135.5.
11.05.08: Chipotle opened today. Free food!
11.04.08: BARACK OBAMA WILL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT!!!
11.03.08: Krav Maga is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies and thousands of civilians in the United States.
11.02.08: The NCL holiday boutique was huge.
11.01.08: When I heard that a Mormon friend had been “sealed,” I looked it up on Wikipedia and learned this.

October, 2008:

10.31.08: I learned how to alter the stylesheets on a blog hosted on Wordpress.com
10.30.08: I learned how to warp a shape in Fireworks and then edit it as a vector.
10.29.08: Guitar Hero World Tour is delicate.Â :(
10.28.08: I (re)learned how to attach text to a path in Fireworks.
10.27.08: Sandra Lee looks much more Californian in person than she does in her books.
10.26.08: Kristin L. runs an efficient meeting.
10.25.08: There’s a great mariachi band at Paseo Cantina on Saturday nights.
10.24.08: Everyone loves Ricky.
10.23.08: Nuovo Studio is reasonably-priced and does a great job.
10.22.08: We can have a good book discussion with only four people.
10.21.08: I don’t need to take my daughter to a gastroenterologist right now.
10.20.08: Our own teenage experiences completely color our style of parenting.
10.19.08: The speaker’s office is in Stevenson Ranch, not Santa Clarita.
10.18.08: “Sweding” a film is making an extremely short version of it, usually with only one take per scene. There are sweding competitions.
10.17.08: There’s a limited # of files that can go in the root directory of an SD card, but an unlimited # (depending upon memory) in a folder.
10.16.08: Batch processing in Fireworks is a great way to resize photos.
10.15.08: Diane still works at the Y.
10.14.08: My dog learns quickly.
10.13.08: I don’t have any cavities at the moment.
10.12.08: My family prefers comfort food.
10.11.08: “The Express” is a very good movie.
10.10.08: I didn’t need to buy so much junk food for my son’s friends.
10.09.08: People can still look the same after 27 years.
10.08.08: There’s not an entrance ramp to the westbound 210 from Pennsylvania Ave.
10.07.08: I need to switch my dog’s food.
10.06.08: My dog loves socks.
10.05.08: I learned how to disable the reverse beep in my Toyota Prius.
10.04.08: It’s hard to teach someone not to give up.
10.03.08: Cesar Chavez supported some immigration restrictions.
10.02.08: The VCTS system is addictive.
10.01.08: It’s possible to get to Century City in 50 minutes on a weekday evening. Avoid the 10.

September, 2008:

09.30.08: My dog doesn’t seem to be interested in crawling under the gate, even though I don’t think he can anyway.
09.29.08: Forever 21 has ok boys’ clothes.
09.28.08: Dolores Huerta was at Bobby Kennedy’s side before he was shot.
09.27.08: The LCF Community Center was built by volunteers 60 years ago.
09.26.08: My new dog makes weird, scary sounds out of his nose.Â :(
09.25.08: Pam and Jim are engaged!
09.24.08: You can’t have too many chew toys.
09.23.08: TimeBridge is very useful for figuring out when a group of people can all make it to a meeting.
09.22.08: Kiev has about 3 million residents.
09.21.08: Church bands often need an acoustic guitar.
09.20.08: Madeleine’s Restaurant in Pasadena serves an AMAZING foie gras!
09.19.08: I can leave the dog in the crate at night sans guilt.
09.18.08: I need to leave my purse, keys and shoes in a different room than the dog is in so I can sneak out to work out early in the morning.
09.17.08: The left turn signal at Home Goods onto Foothill isn’t operational.
09.16.08: It’s good to choose a friendly dog.
09.15.08: Sometimes it’s best NOT to be a democracy. Like in a family. ;)
09.14.08: Basenjis have lots of energy, but are very affectionate.
09.13.08: This fall’s CAbi collection is really good.
09.12.08: It’s much more fun to go to football practice the day after the team wins than the day after it loses.
09.11.08: The Downey Animal Shelter is the biggest I’ve ever been to. Very sad.
09.10.08: Even the best of intentions can be taken the wrong way.Â :(
09.09.08: The Glendale Humane Society closes at 4:00 pm.
09.08.08: Lots of my friends’ pets died in the past few months.
09.07.08: Maybe I shouldn’t have looked at Genevieve’s face after we put her down. I’m not sure.
09.06.08: Even when people say something they don’t mean, it can hurt.
09.05.08: Football isn’t as much fun to watch as a parent as any other sport I’ve seen.
09.04.08: A tail pad is a necessary piece of football equipment.
09.03.08: The Hayes family moved back to Chicago.
09.02.08: It’s not always fun to go back to school, but it can be for the parents.
09.01.08: I have great neighbors.

August, 2008:

08.31.08: Apple Computer is the only major electronics company with the worst rating from ClimateCounts.org.
08.30.08: My presence isn’t required at the football scrimmage.
08.29.08: Today’s the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech.
08.28.08: Even nice people can be inadvertently rude.
08.26.08: There’s a MoveOn.org party in our town on Thursday night to listen to Obama’s speech.
08.25.08: Sometimes the best thing to do is to keep quiet and listen.
08.24.08: There are slot machines in ice cream parlors in Reno.
08.23.08: It’s important to be flexible and have a good attitude.
08.22.08: My husband’s grandparents actually did speak English.
08.21.08: A Facebook group administrator has more power than an officer.
08.20.08: The city is shutting down Angeles Crest Highway to lay down 1100 tons of asphalt on AC and Foothill tonight.
08.19.08: The old Sport Chalet is a ghost town.
08.18.08: Pervez Mushareff resigned.
08.17.08: The new Chinese Garden at the Huntington Library is wonderful.
08.16.08: “Clone Wars” met my low to moderate expectations.
08.15.08: The Pakistani food my friend cooked for me was wonderful.
08.14.08: There are flies at the mall in Arcadia.
08.13.08: Camp is meant to be enjoyed.
08.12.08: Bela Karolyi is banned from the Olympic floor because he’s been outspoken about the supposed ages of the Chinese gymnasts.
08.11.08: I enjoyed “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”
08.10.08: The cafe at the downtown cathedral has very good food.
08.09.08: Robert likes his food extra-spicy.
08.08.09: Obed’s mother and sister are going to church camp.
08.07.08: The is much better than it used to be, and can embed results in a template.
08.06.08: Hubcap Annie is out of business, but hubcaps are cheap at Pep Boys.
08.05.08: My son is indeed going to church camp. I’m jealous!
08.04.08: Don’t forget the subfolders.
08.03.08: There are honest used car dealers, such as Vertex Motors in Monterey Park, CA.
08.02.08: Country Inn & Suites has big rooms at reasonable prices.
08.01.08: CarFax is useless if the accident isn’t reported to the police.

July, 2008:

07.31.08: Riley N. is an amazing dancer.
07.30.07: The Corolla needs an alternator.
07.29.08: Beware of sketchy Craigslist car ads: if it seems too good to be true…
07.28.08: It’s good to think about important decisions for awhile.
07.27.08: Here’s how to parse text to the right of a search criteria-delimiter in Excel:
Enter the following text in cell A1: c:\ExcelTip (our search criteria – delimiter will be the “\”)
Enter the following formula in cell A2: =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH(“\”,A1)),RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-SEARCH(“\”,A1)),A1)
(source: ExcelTip.com)
07.26.08: I’d give “Step Brothers” only 2 stars out of 5.
07.25.08: Goleta beach might be the best for parking and quality in the Santa Barbara area.
07.24.08: Fritz and Leslie know each other. (!!!)
07.23.08: I need to make sure my husband has his cellphone earpiece in the car before he drives.
07.22.08: A massage needn’t be outrageously priced.
07.21.08: There are only 20% of the number of wild chimpanzees that there were 100 years ago. (source)
07.20.08: “Every day, nearly 5,000 Mexican men, women and children try to dig, run or climb across the Arizona-Mexico border, looking for work and a better life.” (Source: More magazine, March, 2008, p. 128)
07.19.08: Banana pancakes are yummy.
07.18.08: “Less than 1% of girls finish secondary school in Sudan.” (source)
07.17.08: “The FBI estimates that, at this very moment, 100,000 minors in this country are being forced to trade sex for money. Some advocacy groups estimate the number may be three times that.” (source)
07.16.08: Yolicious ran out of plain frozen yogurt today. :(
07.15.08: I learned to do batch processing in Fireworks. Yes, it’s the second thing I learned today. :)
07.15.08: “Last year the public system served 600,000 more special education students than it did a decade ago, many at least part time in regular classrooms.” (source: NY Times)
07.14.08: Either turn up the oven temperature or cook the creme caramel longer.
07.13.08: I learned how to make an Amazon Associates store.
07.12.08: A football team can play eight 40-minute games in a tournament in a day.
07.11.08: Over 70,000 Chinese children are kidnapped each year, mostly by people wanting boys.
07.10.08: It’s ok for a teen to scooter around town.
07.09.08: The abandoned lot up the street has a grapevine spilling over the fence.
07.08.08: There’s a “Mosquito” ringtone that adults can’t hear or can’t hear well.
07.07.08: There’s a cool new game called Bananagrams.
07.06.08: It costs $7.99 for unlimited Tetris on my phone.
07.05.08: It’s critical to be specific about the size of a website when bidding on it.
07.04.08: “Tenacious D” is actually Jack Black.
07.03.08: Kids say things to other kids that they’d NEVER say to adults. I knew that already, but this is just a reminder.
07.02.08: Agnes remembers the Iran-Iraq War.
07.01.08: The Americana validates.

June, 2008:

06.30.08: If in anger you say “DIE!” to your GPS, it will show you all the local Thai restaurants.
06.29.08: I prefer Picasa over Flickr.
06.28.08: LHEA Style Nail Gallery does a great job at a great price and doesn’t smell like a nail salon.
06.27.08: The GPA listed on the report card is just for the semester, not cumulative.
06.26.08: “If you want to find the best hip-hop dancers in the world look farther east, to South Korea.” (source: Salon.com)
06.25.08: Some 24 million Americans, or 8% of the population, have diabetes, the CDC reported. (source)
06.24.08: If I were a teenager, I’d love to study at the Concordia Language Villages. Actually, it’d be cool as an adult, too.
06.23.08: I can purchase a teeny tiny cupcake at Dot’s Cupcakes on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena for just $1.25. YUM!!
06.22.08: Construction has actually begun at Palm Crest. Or at least, fences are up.
06.21.08: Among kids ages 5-17, 62% of kids say:
they prefer reading a book that is printed on paper over reading books on a handheld device or computer
06.20.08: “The out-of-wedlock birthrate in the U.S. is 38 percent. Twenty-eight percent of white children are born to a single mother, with the figure rising to 50 percent among Hispanics and 71 percent for blacks.” Sources: The Week and The Wall Street Journal.
06.19.08: Our oven is broken.
06.18.08: Girls wear red gowns at our high school graduation.
06.17.08: My son says he doesn’t want to become a metalhead.
06.16.08: My son and daughter will be at camp at the same time. (I knew this, but I finally took it to heart today.)
06.15.08: In marriages where both spouses work full time, the wife still does nearly 2x as much work around the house.
06.14.08: I learned how to set up my new phone with my car’s Bluetooth.
06.13.08: My friend hates her job and can’t wait to leave it.
06.12.08: My son’s going to record a song this summer.
06.11.08: My son got a t-shirt at the DeathKlok concert. Sounds scary. Turns out it is.
06.10.08: “The top 1% of applications accounted for two-thirds of all application activity in the nine months since Facebook introduced the platform, according to a study of Facebook applications published in March by O’Reilly Media Inc., a technology-focused publishing company in Sebastopol, Calif. And only 200 applications hosted more than 10,000 users a day. About 60% of applications failed to attract even 100 daily users.” (source: Wall St. Journal)
06.09.08: Teenagers can take up as much time as babies.
06.08.08: It’s easy to catch a taxi at any time in Harvard Square.
06.07.08: My husband’s old dorm was really a rabbit warren.
06.06.08: Maybe my next computer will be a Mac.
06.05.08: Carrying a bag full of essentials onboard eliminates the hassles of having the airline lose a checked bag.
06.04.08: Cleaning the counter makes the whole house look cleaner.
06.03.08: Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!
06.02.08: Etsy has over 150,000 sellers in 171 countries, and is just about to reach over 1 million users. (source: email from Etsy.)
06.01.08: “Just over half a century ago, Iraqâ€™s Jews numbered more than 130,000. But now, in the city that was once the communityâ€™s heart, they cannot muster even a minyan, the 10 Jewish men required to perform some of the most important rituals of their faith.” Source.

May, 2008

05.31.08: Hollywood Park’s ok, even if you don’t bet, as long as you’re on the top level with the good food and shade.
05.30.08: Service is slower in the back room at Cafe Beaujolais.
05.29.08: I’m allergic to one of the flavors of Jelly Bellys too.
05.28.08: I think I really am allergic to chocolate.
05.27.08: Dana got a Prius, too.
05.26.08: Jutta, Robbe and their kids moved.
05.25.08: Sometimes people can take a vacation from a summer job.
05.24.08: When photographing someone wearing white, set the flash higher.
05.23.08: My light blue raincoat is water resistant, not waterproof.
05.22.08: Peacocks don’t like roses, mint or bird of paradise plants.
05.21.08: I get more work done when I don’t blog. :(
05.20.08: The band spells its name: “Dethklok.”
05.19.08: Peahens call to each other with a honk like a goose.
05.18.08: It’s MUCH easier to make lasagne with sous-chefs.
05.17.08: “Pan’s Labyrinth” deserved all the awards it won.
05.16.08: There’s a video of the “Every 15 Minutes” program at the high school.
05.15.08: My son can kick a football really well.
05.14.08: People sell cars via Facebook.
05.13.08: Burma is a protectorate of China.
05.12.08: No one was able to drive S to small group.
05.11.08: Thanks to Rattling the Kettle, I now know that my Prius has an energy consumption monitoring screen.
05.10.08: Car dealers don’t like to sell used cars older than 4 years.
05.09.08: I learned how to use voice controls with my new GPS.
05.08.08: Our laptop works with the church’s projector.
05.07.08: I learned what color chartreuse is. Wikipedia says it’s the most visible color to the human eye. Perhaps that’s why Glendale’s fire trucks are/were chartreuse in color.
05.06.08: My new apron has skulls AND squirrels on it.
05.05.08: Never add a Facebook application that requires a password.
05.04.08: Over a million Jews have emigrated from the Ukraine to Israel.
05.03.08: There’s a trolley at the new Americana mall.
05.02.08: Tall people have trouble choosing cars. (For once it’s nice to be short!)
05.01.08: I learned how to hook up my iPod to my Prius.

April, 2008 (continued):

04.30.08: 1 in 5 16-year-old new drivers crash a car within the first year of driving. I hate that statistic. (Source)
04.29.08: Check the dish before pouring the spinach flan ingredients into it.
04.28.08: How to clear your stuffed nose:
Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you’ll feel your sinuses start to drain. (source, with many other cool things)
04.27.08: More than a quarter of Zimbabweâ€™s 13 million people have fled. (source: NYTimes)
04.26.08: My dog seems fine. She just wasn’t hungry this morning, odd as that may seem.
04.25.08: The lacrosse banquet is in just two weeks.
04.24.08: Ugly Betty, The Office and 30 Rock don’t overlap.
04.23.08: The U.S. has less than 5 percent of the worldâ€™s population but almost a quarter of its prisoners. (Source: NYTimes.com)
04.22.08: I don’t like brown jelly beans.
04.21.08: Don’s arbitration went well.
04.20.08: Jaclyn spoke at the NOW conference.
04.19.08: Bloggers are fun folk.
04.18.08: Dr. Blanco is a great doctor. But I knew that already.
04.17.08: Dreamstime.com is another good stock photo site.
04.16.08: Dogs don’t have a better sense of smell than humans, but they do discriminate between the different smells better.
04.15.08: There are lots of Norwegians on Facebook.
04.14.08: Derek P. has a new phone number.
04.13.08: There was a Facebook scandal at Horace Mann.
04.12.08: I like Australian aboriginal art.
04.11.08: My mom’s chicken salad is wonderful.
04.10.08: Cupcake stores are yummy, but ice cream still wins in my book.
04.09.08: Sonia knows who the presidential candidates are.
04.08.08: An upper endoscopy is easy to handle.
04.07.08: One rubber band on the braces is enough.
04.06.08: It’s easier to drive a sedan than a minivan.
04.05.08: I wish I could enter the Stanford Innovation Challenge.
04.04.08: Students who are currently sophomores in high school will face the most competition when they apply to college.

OH MY!!! This is what happens when I get a little behind, then somewhat behind, then a lot behind. I’ve learned something new each day since the 3rd, but I was at a conference, then had a “procedure” done, then entertained kids/relatives on spring break, then entertained another relative…you know how it goes, I’m sure.

So, here it is, Earth Day, and I’m going to recreate what I learned. So if there are gaps, please bear with me. And I’ll try to keep this up better this time.

April, 2008:

04.03.08: When possible, carry on your luggage.
04.02.08: There aren’t any taxis listed in our local phone book.
04.01.08: I should always bring one more cloth bag than I think I’ll need into the grocery store.

March, 2008:

03.31.08: Solina’s teaching her kids Chinese.
03.30.08: Christian post-modernism started about 50 years ago.
03.29.08: There’s an Indian food vendor at our Farmer’s Market.
03.28.08: When I post something to my alumni news group, it looks like it gets emailed to everyone.
03.27.08: The online Adobe Photoshop Express is free.
03.26.08: It wasn’t hard to update the scanner drivers for my daughter’s laptop.
03.25.08: Jose Gochez died.
03.24.08: Thankfully, my definition of “freak dancing” is not the same as my kids’.
03.23.08: Going stag to a dance can be quite fun.
03.22.08: The new nail salon up the street is fine for my daughter.
03.21.08: Girls and boys can run at the same time in a track meet.
03.20.08: Lacrosse is more fun to watch than soccer.
03.19.08: A Toyota Highlander hybrid uses a remote, not a key.
03.18.08: My chiropractor is developing a new pillow.
03.17.08: Jemela is related to Sue, Carolyn, and Karen. It’s a small world.
03.16.08: There’s a new soccer field to be built in Kenya.
03.15.08: Peter is quite the ladies’ man.
03.14.08: Make sure my son’s friends shower before they arrive.
03.13.08: St. Patrick was born in Scotland and was kidnapped and taken to Ireland when he was 16.
03.12.08: “Kristen’s” name isn’t really “Kristen.”
03.11.08: The art of American Patchwork came about because of the restrictions the English set on the colonists, causing fabric of any kind to be in short supply. (source: an Esty listing)
03.10.08: If all 6.5 billion humans on Earth lived like Americans, we would need 5.5 planets to sustain our resource and energy consumption.
03.09.08: Some famous researchers use ADHD and narcolepsy drugs to perform better.
03.08.08: I should have a Sharpie in my purse and in my car, available to me at all times.
03.07.08: The counselor’s list was in alphabetical order by first name, not last.
03/06/08: There’s a photography firm that specializes in non-profit photography.
03.05.08: “DES” can stand for “Distal esophageal spasm.” It’s most common in people in their 5th decade. (Like me.) ()
03.04.08: You can only weight two classes to get into CSF.
03.03.08: My son will keep his braces on for another year.
03.02.08: Bicycle helmets are only required for people under 18 in California.
03.01.08: The clothing table at the LCFEF silent auction closed at 7:10 pm, not 7:15 pm. Darn!

February, 2008:

02.29.08: About 230 weddings a day are held for people who met via eHarmony.
02.28.08: 1 in 100 U.S. adults is behind bars. (source: NYTimes)
02.28.08: The Colorado River is 1,450 miles long and has a difference of 9,000 ft. in elevation from top to bottom.
02.27.08: The Pasadena Dream Dinners location won a sales award in 2007.
02.26.08: Our Chamber of Commerce doesn’t just promote local businesses: it advocates for them.
02.25.08: With the support of my church and others, Light of Hope ministries has built over 20 schools in 20 villages in Ethiopia.
02.24.08: There were 59 foreclosure filings in La Canada Flintridge in 2007, up from 19 in 2005. (Source: Pasadena Star News)
02.23.08: Homemade chocolate mousse is wonderful.
02.22.08: Our high school is considering changing the daily schedule next year.
02.21.08: I can import emails into Constant Contact without having to check if they’re duplicates first.
02.20.08: The fried catfish at Parkway Grill tastes great.
02.19.08: Stanford is going to stop charging tuition for families with incomes less than $100K.
02.18.08: My dog still has crystals in her urine.
02.17.08: Light from the moon can refract off of ice crystals and look like a ring around the moon.
02.16.08: There are more slaves today than in all of human history combined.
02.15.08: The first hospital was started by monks in the 4th century.
02.14.08: A room with two beds at the Bacara Resort has the same square footage as one with one bed.
02.13.08: The best website I can find for Gorham-Stout disease is at http://www.gorhams.org/gorhams_disease_en.htm
02.13.08: Of the 120,000 inmates released from California prisons two years ago, 3/4 have already wound up back in prison. (Source: NPR, KPCC)
02.12.08: The Plott Hound is the toughest dog on the planet. (Source: Slate.com)
02.11.08: There are more Presbyterians in Korea than in the U.S.
02.10.08: Current polls show that in the general election, McCain would beat Clinton, but that Obama would beat McCain.
02.09.08: I can have fun at a wine tasting even if I only drink Pellegrino.
02.08.08: There are more Muslims than Presbyterians in the United States. (Source: NPR)
02.07.08: Both my kids say they’ve heard that there’s one major scene in 300 that makes it objectionable, so people fast forward through it.
02.06.08: My amigo and I are responsible for lunch at Parent Ed. tomorrow.
02.05.08: My son can wear a sweatshirt to PE.
02.04.08: “Disenthrall” means “To free from a controlling force or influence.” (Source: Bartleby.com)
02.03.08: Roman’s Sandwiches in Sherman Oaks on Ventura Blvd. is quite good, and a good “in-between” place to meet people from the Westside.
02.02.08: I don’t like goat’s milk yogurt. Pleah!
02.01.08: The Ralphs on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena sells .

January, 2008:

01.31.08: The Democratic debates started at 5:00 pm, much earlier than I expected. Oh well!
01.30.08: “Surveys show that only 1 of 5 people will be able to answer that question at 3pm the same day.” (Source: Dream Dinners email)
01.29.08: “Another effective form of animal repellent is fox urine powder that copies the smell of a fox; the natural predator of mice, rabbits, rats, skunks, woodchucks, groundhogs, moles, possum, chipmunks, shrews and voles.” (Source)
01.28.08: Neil Sobol got married.
01.27.08: “A study by Swiss scientists revealed on Wednesday that the flu virus can nestle and survive on banknotes for more than two weeks.” Use your credit/debit cards! (Source: )
01.26.08: A “skirl” is “the shrill sound made by the chanter pipe of bagpipes.”
01.25.08: My fainting when I get/see shots is called Vaso-Vagal Trypanophobia. It can be deadly. Wow. On a positive note, there’s no risk of me becoming an IV drug user.
01.24.08: The best-smelling candle we have is vanilla, and the one that lasts the longest is in a glass holder. The worst is the one I purchased for a PTA fundraiser a few years ago.
01.23.08: My son’s participating with varsity tomorrow. (postscript: it didn’t happen, turns out regular varsity guy was able to participate)
01.22.08: Californians use enough plastic bags in a year to stretch to Mars and back six times.
01.21.08: I can get Flash components at http://www.flashloaded.com/
01.20.08: Google Map’s street view feature really helps when looking for landmarks at UCLA.
01.19.08: Rock Band is much more fun to play and watch than Guitar Hero III.
01.18.08: Acai smoothies are more expensive at Juice It Up.
01.17.08: I learned how to put a link on a lightbox.
01.16.08: You can find high school sports schedules at http://www.highschoolsports.net
01.15.08: There’s a blood lab in my doctor’s office. (!)
01.14.08: Having a shrimp allergy can limit medical treatments.
01.13.08: Presbyterianism descends more from Zwingli than it does from Calvin.
01.12.08: CeFiore is better than Pinkberry.
01.11.08: I don’t like being really tired.
01.10.08: The back row of an indoor bleacher is the most comfortable since you can lean back against the wall.
01.09.08: NPR correspondent Scott Horsley is my mother’s uncle’s stepson. Why does this not surprise me?
01.08.08: I need to add info about the iTouch and XBox 360 online to my next internet safety presentation.
01.07.08: Not since 1928 has the presidential race been a totally open contest in which neither a sitting President nor Vice President has run for office.
01.06.08: Sometimes it’s easier to revise something than to tweak it.
01.05.08: A hundred years ago there were probably 100,000 tigers. Now there are about 3,000. (Source: Salon.com)
01.04.08: My son has grown a lot.
01.03.08: PC World recommends Microsoft Live Search over all others for mapping.
01.02.08: El Salvadorans are very proud of their country.
01.01.08: YouTube doesn’t update its view counts on a real-time basis.

December, 2007:

12.31.07: The next time I’m south of Colorado Blvd. on New Year’s Eve and need to get north of Colorado Blvd., I should head east, not west. Then again, I’ll miss the floats that way.
12.30.07: I learned how to make a timed slideshow on a website.
12.29.07: The LA Unified Rose Parade band only has brass and percussion.
12.28.07: The best way to get to West LA from here is to take the 210 to the 118 to the 405.
12.27.07: I learned how to get LightBox to work on a webpage.
12.26.07: 40 percent of Americans 85 and older develop Alzheimerâ€™s disease. (Source: NYTimes)
12.25.07: A haka is a Maori dance.
12.24.07: Smoked ham will dry out if you cook it too long.
12.23.07: It’s much more fun sitting in the back seat since you can watch the DVD player there.
12.22.07: By definition, there are never more boys on a jv wrestling team than a varsity one.
12.21.07: Ralphs is open until 1:00 am.
12.20.07: When you hold on to the side of a treadmill, you reduce the calories you burn by 40% – 50%. (Source: NYTimes)
12.19.07: It’s hard for me not to ignore obvious misspellings and grammatical errors in an adult’s email that should have been carefully crafted.
12.18.07: At least one teen likes eating nutritious spinach flan on game day.
12.17.07: A man who’s 5′6″ is in the 10th percentile.
12.16.07: Wolverines eat more at one sitting than any other animal. (Source: Planet Earth)
12.15.07: It’s tough to learn Toon Boom in just a few hours.
12.14.07: It looks like Toon Boom is the industry standard for automation.
12.13.07: The php class looks like it’s just what I need.
12.12.07: Our friends’ temporary apartment is on the Maranatha High School campus.
12.11.07: Wrestling rules are different when you’re blind.
12.10.07: Loopkicks combines martial arts, gymnastics and breakdancing.
12.09.07: “Amazing Grace” is a good movie.
12.08.07: People like to hang out at the Baskin Robbins on South Lake at night and watch the flat screen tv, even if they don’t get ice cream.
12.07.07: Giving just about any boy a buzz cut makes him look at least three years older.
12.06.07: I’m going to help a friend who’s having surgery by preparing Dream Dinners for her.
12.05.07: Persson is pronounced like pare sun.
12.04.07: The Dodgers and the Giants came to California around the same time so they’d have someone nearby to play.
12.03.07: The Montrose Curves is even nicer than the La Canada one. Change can be good.
12.02.07: My friend Mia is very, very sick. I need to get stock in 1-800-FLOWERS.
12.01.07: You can find the longitude and latitude of an address at the Microsoft Terra Server. It also has terrain and aerial images.

November, 2007:

11.30.07: Firebug is a great Firefox add-on that allows me to inspect website code.
11.29.07: I learned how to create a basic Volusion ecommerce demo store
11.28.07: Getty Images are still quite expensive compared to iStockPhoto ($49 vs. $1)
11.27.07: Google Maps has a Terrain view now.
11.26.07: According to AOL, Glendale, CA is America’s 21st safest city with a population of more than 75,000.
11.25.07: I need to set up the timer for the Christmas lights.
11.24.07: The Green Tea frozen yogurt is much better at Yolicious than at Pinkberry.
11.23.07: It takes a loooooong time to paint by number.
11.22.07: My calendar, with over 10 years of data, won’t open. Neither will the backup.
11.21.07: My husband was on his jr. high wrestling team.
11.20.07: Six years of club soccer won’t guarantee a spot on a high school soccer team.
11.19.07: My daughter can drive on the freeway ok.
11.18.07: Our church’s new statue isn’t in the middle of a fountain.
11.17.07: One of the biggest causes of injuries in Pasadena is pedestrians being hit by cars.
11.16.07: When you’re really tired, you might actually have vertigo.
11.15.07: When you’re really hungry, you might actually have vertigo.
11.14.07: Teen Second Life has a fraction of the number of members that Second Life does.
11.13.07: The new Whole Foods in Pasadena is a great place to have lunch with a friend.
11.12.07: There’s a veteran’s memorial on the corner of Oceanview and Honolulu in Montrose.
11.11.07: We can’t include liquids in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.
11.10.07: When Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ shows up on a website instead of an apostrophe, put this in the header:
11.09.07: You need a warrant to use a drug dog to safely search a locker.
11.08.07: My Curves is closing down since the landlord raised the rent. I’ll have to go to Montrose now.
11.07.07: The name of the game Rochambeau (Rock, Paper, Scissors) comes from the French Reaux Sham Beaux.
11.06.07: Male movie writers make much more money than female ones.
11.05.07: GetATR should be able to help me with keeping track of time spent on projects. It’s free.
11.04.07: I should hit “save” before creating a link on my blog.
11.03.07: Irrational exuberance must be contained.
11.02.07: According to the speaker at our church tonight, there are over 500,000 undocumented Americans living in Mexico. Most are retirees.
11.01.07: There’s a waiting list for kids who want to be tutored in the STARS program in Pasadena.

October, 2007:

10.31.07: Martin Luther experienced periods of doubt. Source: Christianity Today.
10.30.07: Life’s too short to be overwhelmed. It’s good to say “no” sometimes. (I knew this already, but I learn it over and over again.)
10.29.07: Dial-A-Ride provides free rides to disabled residents or those over 60 years of age to local cities.
10.28.07: I must return to Knight Restaurant in Burbank for more great Greek-Armenian food.
10.27.07: It’s illegal to watch a movie while you’re driving. Good law.
10.26.07: Some teen boys like to play a game at camp or sleepovers where if one person makes another laugh, he gets to hit him with a pillow.
10.25.07: Peahens are willing to roost at least 50′ up in a deodar tree.
10.24.07: One in 100 people in Myanmar (Burma) is a monk. Source: NYTimes
10.23.07: The fire near their house is the Poomacha fire. Don’t know what that means – must be a Native American name.
10.22.07: Fires are approaching my parents’ house.
10.21.07: “The term â€œhat trickâ€ as it relates to sports actually originated in British cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen with three consecutive balls was entitled to a new hat at the expense of the club to commemorate this feat.” Source: M-W Word of the Day
10.20.07: “The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that workers in personal care and services are the most depressed, with nearly 11 percent experiencing a â€œmajor depressive episodeâ€ in the last year. At No. 2 are those in the food preparation and serving business, with 10.3 percent. Engineers, architects and surveyors are the least depressed, with just 4.3 percent reporting an episode” Source: NYTimes
10.19.07: According to my uncle’s trip journal, Denmark produces 80% of the worldâ€™s insulin.
10.18.07: Carol Liebau has a blog: http://www.carolliebau.com/
10.17.07: I can look up the names of the songs I hear on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic here.
10.16.07: We’ve been at war in Iraq longer than we were in WWII.
10.15.07: When my mail was stolen, it appears they got a birthday party invitation. Thank goodness my friend followed up!
10.14.07: Lacrosse is the official summer sport of Canada.
10.13.07: The most effective singers look at their audience, not at the words.
10.12.07: Re webfonts: Verdana is often cited as being the easiest to read on the screen. Georgia is probably the best option for a serif font. Source: EntireWeb newsletter.
10.11.07: Guinea pigs sound like squeaking sneakers.
10.10.07: “Studies now show that the more infections a person has during childhood, the greater his or her chance of premature death from scourges of old age like heart disease and cancer. The link appears to be chronic inflammation, a kind of lingering collateral damage from the bodyâ€™s disease-fighting response.” Source: NY Times.
10.09.07: Percentage of football players that graduate: Stanford (93%), USC (57%), UCLA (56%), Cal (52%). Source: LA Times.
10.08.07: My daughter likes Snickers.
10.07.07: A creative idea will produce a pure burst of energy.
10.06.07: Football stats don’t always predict scores.
10.05.07: Only the 8GB iPod Nanos come in colors other than silver.
10.04.07: There can be eulogies at a rosary.
10.03.07: My dog’s kidneys aren’t concentrating her urine well enough.
10.02.07: I should have had my car detailed long before now.
10.01.07: My dog has a heart murmur.

September, 2007:

09.30.07: I need to get to Gary Demarest’s “What is a Presbyterian?” class earlier next week if I want a seat.
09.29.07: My son and husband liked “The Kingdom” but aren’t raving about it.
09.28.07: Afghan baghlava is excellent.
09.27.07: Glenwood St. in Pasadena is a dead end.
09.26.07: Some dogs smell really bad, and it’s not a typical “dog” smell.
09.25.07: The new frozen yogurt store in Montrose is very good, but the yogurt seems heavier than Pinkberry.
09.24.07: My son didn’t lose too much ground on guitar when his arm was broken.
09.23.07: There’s a player piano at the Magic Castle that plays whatever you tell it to.
09.22.07: Keep track of the bag when you bring it inside.
09.21.07: There’s a great tearoom in Montrose.
09.20.07: It’s great to have a father in Parent Ed.
09.19.07: There’s a Pasadena-area Jack & Jill club.
09.18.07: Ruby on Rails is not the next thing I need to learn.
09.17.07: My son and his friends are referred to by at least one parent as The Geek Squad. I approve.
09.16.07: “A carefully designed study published in the British journal the Lancet shows that a variety of common food dyes and the preservative sodium benzoate–an ingredient in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings–do cause some kids to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible.” (source: Time Magazine)
09.15.07: Apples to Apples is the best “board” game I’ve ever seen for teenagers.
09.14.07: Women in some Inuit villages are giving birth to twice as many girls as boys. (source: Salon.com)
09.13.07: Ant bait works.
09.12.07: Ice cream is the best medicine next to sleep.
09.11.07: I feel like I should have learned something really meaningful today, but I didn’t. I learned that Coldstone lets adults buy kiddie cups, and that when I watch a video of my kids when they were babies they look incredibly cute. And I haven’t changed a bit, IMHO. Maybe the deep thing I learned today is that when I read about the events of 9/11/2001, I still cry.
09.10.07: Each year, the average American has a 1/7000 chance of dying in a motor vehicle accident, a 1/18,000 chance of being murdered (most likely by someone they know) and a 1/600,000 chance of dying at the hands of a terrorist. (source: O Magazine, August, 2007, page 196)
09.09.07: The new Vera Wang collection at Kohl’s is lovely, but too poufy for my daughter and me.
09.08.07: Only 2% of U.S. Hispanics prefer to be referred to as Latino.
09.07.07: You can convert YouTube videos to iPod format at www.vixy.net
09.06.07: My iPod Mini has a sleep timer and an alarm clock.
09.05.07: The New Family BBQ at the high school is tomorrow night, not tonight. Whoops!
09.04.07: “Scotoma” is defined as “an area of decreased or lost vision. Scotoma can be a characteristic symptom of migraine auras.”
09.03.07: Ants have rediscovered us.
09.02.07: The aircraft carrier Midway is docked in San Diego and is open to tourists.
09.01.07: My maternal grandfather was called “Gerald” with a hard “G” instead of a soft “G” when he was growing up in Ohio.

August, 2007:

08.31.07: There are blintzes made of tofu.
08.30.07: 16 tablespoons = 1 cup, which is how much water you need to make instant macaroni
08.29.07: “Valley Fever,” the common term for Coccidioidomycosis, is prevalent in California’s Central Valley and Arizona. It can be fatal.
08.28.07: Adversity reveals character.
08.27.07: The world needs more industrial engineers.
08.26.07: As recently as 90 years ago, 1/100 live births in the U.S. resulted in the mother’s death.
08.25.07: Mission figs and Kadota figs are in season now, and available at local farmer’s markets. Both are yummy! Thanks, TableauVivante!
08.24.07: Cats were not discussed in Americaâ€™s first general pet reference guide, the 1866 Book of Household Pets, even though almost every household had one. But cats werenâ€™t pets; they were seen, according to pet historian Katherine Grier, as â€œindependent contractors,â€ housed in exchange for controlling vermin. Source: Andrew Sullivan
08.23.07: “JW” means “Just Wondering” in teenspeak.
08.22.07: A 2006 American Council of Education report found that in 2003-2004, of students under the age of 24, 45% were men and 55% were women. This marks a widening of the gap since 1995-1996, when males represented 48% of the same age group.
08.21.07: “SWAG” stands for Stuff We All Get.
08.21.07: I learned how to make a favicon.ico so that an icon shows up next to a url saved to Favorites in IE. Save https://kchristieh.com to see this at work.
08.20.07: New favorite homemade salad: spring greens + feta + strawberries + artichoke hearts. YUM!
08.19.07: Spices don’t go bad, they just get less potent. Ground spices generally last around 2-3 years, whole ones last longer. Dried herbs are more delicate than ground spices. To test, shake the jar and smell. If it isn’t potent, either use more or get new spice. (source: WiseGeek)
08.18.07: To ameliorate the sting of hot peppers, try eating tomatoes, sucking on a lemon or lime, or drink some milk. Water does no good – it just spreads the pain around. (source: WiseGeek)
08.17.07: The restaurant we like in Paso Robles is Big Bubba’s Bad BBQ.
08.16.07: Sometimes people you assume have everything going for them don’t.
08.15.07: Funnel cake is best eaten with powdered sugar on top, not goopy fruit.
08.14.07: Humans can’t live with body temperatures above 110 degrees. (source: NYTimes, “Sweatology”)
08.14.07: In 1990, the average age of a member of our church was 70. Now, the ages are distributed evenly, except for the 20-30 age group. (source: Gary Dennis)
08.14.07: The rabbit-proof fence in Australia doesn’t deter rabbits, but it does deter kangaroos. (source: NYTimes)
08.13.07: By 1995, “only 17% of the world’s land area had escaped direct influence by humans.” (source: NYTimes, referring to article in June issue of Science magazine.)
08.12.07: A big earthquake or strong winds can sheer off a large portion of the top of a redwood tree. When they fall, they look like whole trees themselves. (source: docent at Henry Cowell State Park in Felton, CA.)
08.11.07: There are wild turkeys at the Mission Springs Conference Center in Scotts Valley, CA.
08.10.07: In California’s Central Valley, whole fields of corn are mowed down and everything, stalks and all, is fed to cattle. (source: my brother-in-law)
08.09.07: I get dizzy watching a television segment of people inside a submarine that’s rising to the surface. (Future Weapons)
08.08.07: Only 3.21 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles last season, the lowest on record. Source: .
08.07.08: Always use the carpool lane on the 405 Freeway.
08.06.07: Among two-income households, one-quarter of wives now earn more than their husbands. (Umm, not ours.) Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
08.05.07: A survey from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association concluded that about 62 percent of American dog and cat owners keep their animals in the house at night. Of that 62%, half of the cats and one-third of the dogs sleep with their owners on the same bed. Source: Itchmo.com
08.04.07: My son did actually receive his baseball photos this spring. But I understand why he didn’t show them to us.
08.03.07: It’s better not to add milk to the meatball mixture.
08.02.07: Auction Stealer is apparently a useful site for eBay bids.
08.01.07: Don’t taunt the monkey.

July, 2007:

07.31.07: OK, this is what I really learned on 8/1: Ben Stiller is 5′7″, not 5′2″. I didn’t think he was 5′2″, but needed Google to back me up.
07.30.07: Never plan a dentist appointment for first thing Monday morning.
07.29.07: “Some 28,217 students remain on waiting lists to get into Los Angeles Unified School District’s prized magnet schools, which are special programs established to promote integration.” Source: .
07.28.07: My grandfather broke his hip.
07.27.07: Ask for water.
07.26.07: See the safety record at U.S. amusement parks by incident at www.saferparks.org.
07.25.07: After a few days, bee bodies in a jar smell pretty bad.
07.24.07: Kids should always use a packing list when packing for camp.
07.23.07: The invisibility cloak is key in the last Harry Potter book. But, I haven’t read it yet.
07.22.07: Our new chair is incredibly comfortable, and actually reclines.
07.21.07: There’s already lots of traffic on the 210 Freeway at non-rush hour. And the extension to San Bernardino hasn’t even opened yet!
07.20.07: Recipe to remember: 2 TB each of curry, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar. 1 tsp each salt, pepper. Rub on chicken.
07.19.07: My son will probably have a cast for about six weeks after he gets it on next week.
07.18.07: It’s takes much less time to get to Santa Barbara in the middle of the night.
07.17.07: It’s fun to watch lacrosse.
07.16.07: I learned what a Bartholin cyst is.
07.15.07: The Ojai clothing store in Ventura is an outlet store.
07.14.07: Our local farmers’ market officially opens at 9 am on Saturdays, but they’re willing to sell items as soon as they set up. (7:15?)
07.13.07: My daughter taught me how to use T9Words when I text-message.
07.12.07: The area around Kresgeville, PA is more suburban than rural now.
07.11.07: Most of a Jelly Belly’s flavor is on the outside of the jellybean.
07.10.07: My 7th grade health teacher works at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Long Branch.
07.09.07: I was able to get my Trader Joe salad through security at LAX. GREAT news, since American Airlines only sold soggy-looking sandwiches on the flight.
07.08.07: The temperature of Mars has increased one degree in the last century. That’s more than Earth’s temperature has increased. Source: Stardate.org
07.07.07: This day was no more or less auspicious than any other.
07.06.07: My couch won’t be delivered for another week and a half. Boohoo!
07.05.07: Some people think that the Ghirardelli brownie mix tastes like homemade.
07.04.07: The Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world in 2012.
07.03.07: Garret Kreditor died.
07.02.07: People bring friends/relatives to the DMV to stand in the next line for them.
07.01.07: Palm Drive is a great band, especially at La Canada’s Music in the Park.

June, 2007:

06.24.07 – 06.30.07: I learned that I can survive for a week without email. Of course, I learned much more than that, but I think there’s too much sand between my ears to remember it all.
06.23.07: Don’t eat the chicken caesar salad at Dave & Buster’s.
06.22.07: Borat wasn’t really that funny.
06.21.07: My son likes to help people, especially little kids. Like Leo.
06.20.07: Some people like to hear themselves speak.
06.19.07: Always copy art portfolios/sketchbooks before handing them in.
06.18.07: Always check the order at Lamps Plus before leaving the premises. They forgot to put two things in my car yesterday. Aargh!
06.17.07: In Internet Explorer, clicking on View > Text Size on the menu bar allows me to make the font size in the browser window either bigger or smaller.
06.16.07: “People who weigh themselves every day are, on average, seven to eight pounds lighter than those who don’t.” Source: Real Simple magazine, July,k 2007, p. 109.
06.15.07: In the five years since Danny Pearl’s death, over 230 journalists have been killed in the line of duty. See the In Memorium page at http://www.amightyheartmovie.com/ to learn more about them.
06.14.07: Morning glory seeds are hallucinogens. Guess it’s ok we whacked all our morning glory down since it was taking over our yard.
06.13.07: I learned how to use the digital macro feature on my camera, so I could photograph a dead bee.
06.12.07: The word “OK” comes from President Martin Van Buren’s nickname, “Old Kinderhook.” He was born in Kinderhook, NY, and later became such a political power that, supposedly, all important decisions needed approval from “OK.” Source: Mental_Floss magazine, Vol. I, Issue 5, p. 17.
06.11.07: Patrick broke his arm REALLY badly last night.
06.10.07: Too much Icy Hot or BenGay can kill you.
06.09.07: “TiburÃ³n” means “shark” in Spanish. See source.
06.08.07: Parties are so much more fun when you know the other guests well already.
06.07.07: According to the NPR announcer I heard today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s name is pronounced with a hard “g”, as in gift.
06.06.07: I can use the same Wahl clipper attachment for my dog that I use for my son. Shhh!!
06.05.07: Girls lacrosse will be a varsity sport at our high school for the first time next spring.
06.04.07: Crocodile oil has been used for centuries to heal many skin ailments including psoriasis
and eczema. It’s made from the fat of crocodiles. Source
06.03.07: According to Wikipedia, there are flocks of feral Red-lored Parrots (Amazona autumnalis) and Lilac-crowned Parrots (Amazona finschi) in Southern California. I need to figure out which type flies around my neighborhood.
06.02.07: My mom’s chocolate pie recipe came from my grandmother.
06.01.07: XHTML is no harder than HTML: it’s just a little different.

May, 2007:

05.31.07: Always bring the headgear to the orthodontist.
05.30.07: It’s tough but fun to be on tv.
05.29.07: It looks like we’ll get some great restaurants a block away.
05.28.07: There’s a Daphne’s Greek Cafe at the Tustin Marketplace.
05.27.07: One in six native plants are used for medicinal purposes. (source: NPR)
05.26.07: The aforementioned car really did die. They left it at a repair shop in New Mexico.
05.25.07: Roller pigeons do acrobatics or somersaults in mid-flight. That makes them attractive prey for hawks. (source: Los Angeles Times)
05.24.07: My mother and stepfather’s car seems to finally be dead. But maybe it’s like the Frog King in Shrek 3.
05.23.07: The logo I designed for the La Canada Flintridge Democratic Club is on their new t-shirts.
05.22.07: This weekend I’ll be a Baseball Mom.
05.21.07:
- The petroleum in 14 plastic bags could drive a car one mile.
- Americans use over 14 billion plastic bags annually.
- Cities spend up to 17 cents per bag in disposal costs.
- But, if you think that means you should use paper bags, you should know that it takes 70% more global warming gasses to make a paper bag than a plastic bag.
- Also, paper bags do not biodegrade in landfills. (!!! I had no idea!!!)
(source: www.1bagatatime.com, on the tag of the cloth bag I purchased at the grocery store today)
05.20.07: My mother and stepfather are going to visit my father-in-law in Kansas City on the return leg of their roadtrip back East.
05.19.07: “Henotheism” means the worship of one god without denying the existence of other gods.
05.18.07: Don’t move pages in a binder unless the side clips are closed.
05.17.07: Hill St. Cafe was recently sold, and the new owner has closed it down for 10 days to do a massive remodel. Hopefully the menu will change!
05.16.07: My son forgot that I’m PTA president at his school. Clearly, my position hasn’t impacted him negatively.
05.15.07: Hill St. Cafe is closed for remodelling.
05.14.07: Camille’s no longer has the “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” special on Mondays.
05.13.07: I learned how to turn on individual sprinkler stations manually, so that I could label them and program different times for each one.
05.12.07: We need a pie store here.
05.11.07: You can learn a lot about kids by watching them in class.
05.10.07: Among survey stats showing that evangelicals are becoming more liberal, from Christianity Today:
20%: American evangelicals in 1987 who “completely disagree” that women should return to their traditional roles in society.
42%: American evangelicals who “completely disagree” today.
05.09.07: Our church has some great summer interns for the high school kids.
05.08.07: Never barbeque anything wrapped in bacon.
05.07.07: Penelope’s and The Chocolate Box are closed on Monday mornings.
05.06.07: “Americans born in 1960 can expect to live nearly to 70. Those born in 1900 could expect to live a little past 47.” (Today’s NYTimes Magazine, p. 60)
05.05.07: Our local pizza joint has surveillance cameras.
05.04.07: My favorite part of Home Tour is seeing all the people.
05.03.07: My son looks great with a buzz cut. He also looks older.
05.02.07: The LA Times has a “Homicide Blog” that chronicles all (?) the homicides in LA county. It has a Google map overlay that maps them.
05.01.07: In the U.S., food travels an average 1,500 miles before it’s bought and eaten. (Slate.com)

April, 2007:

04.30.07: There are at least 112 different ethnic groups in Burma.
04.29.07: I think I finally found a Wordpress plugin that asks a math question when someone comments that works on my blog. I also got the “add to delicious” button to work by adding code to my index.php file.
04.28.07: “Theodicy” means “an attempt to reconcile a God who is throoughly and supremely good with the undeniable fact of evil in the world.” (source: “How do you not abandon God when it feels as though God has abandoned you?” by Chris Adrian in the May, 2007 O magazine, p. 305.)
04.27.07: The temperature of artificial playground turf can reach 150Â°. Source: Wall St. Journal.
04.26.07: I learned how to fluff out Mexican paper flowers today.
04.25.07: There may be an acceptable local alternative for our summer vacation this year.
04.24.07: Some bloggers think that bees disappearing is fulfillment of biblical prophecy. (source: NYTimes)
04.23.07: If a California woman is told she’s going to give birth to a Down Syndrome baby, there’s an 88% chance she’ll terminate the pregnancy. (source: Gail Williamson, Executive Director, Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles)
04.22.07: I should have worn warmer clothes to the Pasadena Showcase House today.
04.21.07: Guacamole’s not as good if it has big chunks of unripe avocado in it. But, I still love the restaurant where I got it. (So, I won’t mention its name.)
04.20.07: Britain has a tv show called “Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway” where needy people have 60 seconds to convince wealthy people to give them money. Source: Wall St. Journal.
04.19.07: The number of high school seniors is expected to peak at 3.3 million in 2011. source
04.18.07: The United States has the fewest dialects of any major country in history. (Writer’s Almanac, 4-14-07)
04.17.07: I really should get to Trader Joe’s early before some of my favorite items sell out.
04.16.07: Taxes aren’t due today because it’s Emancipation Day in Washington, D.C.
04.15.07: People actually reserved Super Paper Mario for the Wii. We were lucky that only nine did at the store we went to, and we got the tenth one they received.
04.14.07: “Batrachian” means “of or relating to vertebrate amphibians without tails, such as frogs and toads.” source
Sample usage:
“But this chilly April, we are forced to contemplate the batrachian grapplings of Paul Wolfowitz, the man who cherry-picked intelligence to sell us a war with Iraq.” (

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